Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency have been prosecuted for (a) benefit fraud and (b) related offences in each of the last three years. [89370]
Chris Grayling: Prosecution data specific to your Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency are not available.
Social Security Benefits: Glasgow North
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of recipients of (a) disability living allowance, (b) employment and support allowance and (c) incapacity benefit in Glasgow North constituency who have had claims refused have taken their case to tribunal in each month since January 2011. [89886]
Maria Miller: We are unable to provide information on recipients of disability living allowance (DLA) in Glasgow North constituency whose claims have been refused, and have taken their case to tribunal. This is because this level of detail is not mutually reported and to obtain this would be at disproportionate cost to the Department.
Data on outcomes of assessments for employment and support allowance (ESA) are not available for the Glasgow North parliamentary constituency. However data are available for the Glasgow City unitary authority area. Between January 2011 and May 2011 (the latest data available) there were approximately 4,200 people from the Glasgow City unitary authority area who underwent an initial work capability assessment (WCA) for ESA. Of these approximately 2,800, or 66%, were assessed as being fit for work and therefore not eligible for ESA.
The equivalent information for incapacity benefit (IB) is not available since IB was replaced by ESA in October 2008 and any new claims received after this date were directed to claim ESA instead.
Data on the assessment outcomes of the incapacity benefits reassessment programme are not available. Due to the overall length of the incapacity benefits reassessment process, information on the process including the final outcomes is not yet available. Individual level data are being collected and the Department plans to publish data on the outcomes of the reassessment process once they have been fully quality assured.
Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), who administer social security appeals, do not hold any data specific to the Glasgow North constituency. While the majority of DLA, ESA and IB appeals made by people in this constituency are heard in the hearing venue in Glasgow North, this venue also hears appeals from other nearby locations.
The following table shows the number of appeals received in the Glasgow North tribunal venue for DLA, ESA, ESA (IB Reassessment) and IB from January 2011 to October 2011 (the latest date for which information is available). The tribunal does not record the issue under appeal and therefore cannot isolate data relating to appeals on the basis of a claim for benefit having been refused.
Note that the figures in the table cannot be used in combination with the figures on ESA provided above, since they relate to a different time period and do not cover claims from the same geographical area.
| Appeal type | Cases received by HMCTS in Glasgow North venue (January to October 2011) |
| Notes: 1. The Department regularly publishes data on ESA and WCA. The latest publication can be found on the departmental website at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca 2. Data on ESA assessments and outcomes are taken from administrative data held by the Department for Work and Pensions and assessment data provided by Atos Healthcare. 3. Appeals data are taken from HMCTS management information. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and percentages to the nearest percentage point. | |
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Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what data on savings held by individuals he will use to apply the proposed capital limits for universal credit. [90212]
Chris Grayling: Claimants will be asked when making a claim to universal credit to provide details of any capital they have. For universal credit capital will include savings, stocks and shares, property and trusts. It will not include property occupied by the claimant as his or her main home, personal injury payments placed in trust funds, certain other compensation payments, personal pension schemes and retirement annuity contracts; or business assets.
Work Capability Assessments
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many work capability assessments he expects to have been completed for people previously in receipt of incapacity benefit by the end of (a) 2012, (b) each quarter of 2012 and (c) each month of 2012. [90213]
Chris Grayling: The information in the table can only ever be a forecast. In 2012 we expect the number of people, currently in receipt of incapacity benefit, who will receive a work capability assessment to be as follows:
| Number | |
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 11 of the Government's response to Professor Malcolm Harrington's Second Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment, for what reasons Macmillan Cancer Support did not support the Government's proposals in relation to people with cancer. [90309]
Chris Grayling: As a result of evidence supplied by Macmillan Cancer Support (Macmillan), the Department developed proposals for changing the way in which the Work Capability Assessment assesses individuals being treated for cancer. We had hoped to introduce these proposals in April 2012. However, following detailed discussions with Macmillan, we have been unable to secure their support for our proposals.
Why Macmillan were unable to support our proposals is an issue for Macmillan, not for the Department, to address.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 11 of the Government's response to Professor Malcolm Harrington's Second Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment, what his timetable is for the introduction of new proposals on people with cancer in receipt of employment and support allowance. [90310]
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Chris Grayling: In the Government's response to Professor Harrington's second independent review of the Work Capability Assessment (WCA), we announced our intention to consult on our proposals for changing the WCA for cancer sufferers. An informal consultation was launched on 16 December 2011, which will run until 9 March 2012. The evidence will then be properly considered by the Department and we will publish a response document in spring 2012. This document will set out the evidence received and announce any proposals for changing the WCA.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many responses his Department has received to date to its consultation entitled Work Capability Assessment: accounting for the effects of cancer treatment. [90311]
Chris Grayling: To date we have received 12 responses to the consultation. The consultation runs until 9 March 2012 and during this time we are seeking views from interested stakeholders, particularly from individuals who have been or are being affected by cancer, their families and carers, health care practitioners and cancer specialists, and employers.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 12 of the Government's response to Professor Malcolm Harrington's Second Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment, (1) when he last met (a) Mind, (b) Mencap and (c) the National Autistic Society to discuss changes to the ESA50 questionnaire; [90313]
(2) what progress he has made on possible changes to the ESA50 questionnaire in relation to individuals with mental health conditions. [90314]
Chris Grayling: I met with representatives of Mind, Mencap and the National Autistic Society, together with Professor Tom Sensky who chaired Professor Harrington's scrutiny group which worked with the charities in developing their recommendations, on 12 September 2011. We discussed whether we could integrate into the ESA50 some of the principles of the recommendations which the charities had made to Professor Harrington.
Since that meeting the charities have met with officials from the Department for Work and Pensions on 13 October 2011 and 15 December 2011 to discuss the changes in detail. Good progress has been made, and an updated version of the form has been drafted.
Further consultation and testing will be carried out to ensure the changes have the desired result of helping to collect the best possible evidence ahead of a Work Capability Assessment. Our intention is that an updated version of the ESA50 will go live later this year.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to page 17 of the Government's response to Professor Malcolm Harrington's Second Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment, what assessment he has made of the changes to the descriptors in March 2011. [90324]
Chris Grayling:
Changes were made to the descriptors in March 2011 following a Department-led review of the work capability assessment (WCA). The Department
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modelled and published details of the expected effects of these changes as part of the Department-led review.
As with any changes to the WCA, the Department monitors the effects of the changes closely. Monitoring of the WCA is done through a number of different means, including through annual independent reviews, internal monitoring and analysis, and auditing of Atos Healthcare.
Work Experience
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) Greater London have participated in his Department’s work experience programme. [89372]
Chris Grayling: Between January and August 2011, there were 3,700 starts on work experience in London and the home counties.
The Department does not publish work experience information at constituency level.
International Development
Public Expenditure
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the potential effects of the reduction to its budget announced in the Autumn Statement; and if he will place in the Library the full content of any such assessment. [89160]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The potential effects of the reduction in the budget announced in the autumn statement is that the Government will not exceed their commitment to meet the target for international development spending of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI) from 2013.
Departmental Temporary Employment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many temporary staff were recruited to his Department between September and November 2011. [88001]
Mr Duncan: A total of 30 temporary staff (15 in September, 13 in October and two in November) were recruited into the Department for International Development between September and November 2011.
All posts were considered by an Approvals Panel as Business Critical—to provide surge capacity or to cover for the temporary absence of key staff.
Development Aid
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to launch a public consultation on his plan to enshrine in law the UK's commitment to spend 0.7 per cent. of gross national income on overseas aid. [88045]
Mr Duncan: A draft Bill to enshrine the UK's commitment on spending 0.7% gross national income (GNI) on Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) from 2013 onwards into law underwent full parliamentary scrutiny by the International Development Select Committee in 2009-10.
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The commitment to proceed with enshrining 0.7% in law was subsequently included in all three main parties' manifestoes at the 2010 general election.
The Government remains committed to doing so, as set out in “The Coalition: our programme for government”.
Famine: International Co-operation
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his (a) European, (b) Commonwealth and (c) other international counterparts on endorsing the Charter to End Extreme Hunger. [89588]
Mr Duncan: The Government supports the aim of the Charter to End Extreme Hunger, which is to reduce the likelihood of crises such as that currently affecting the Horn of Africa taking place in the future. Analysis conducted by the Department for International Development concluded that of the Charter's 13 recommendations, the Government are already carrying out seven and considering another two. The four remaining recommendations we deem to be unworkable. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), wrote in November to the non-governmental organisations behind the Charter to let them know that therefore the Government would not formally endorse the Charter. The issue has not been raised in discussions with his international counterparts.
In at-risk areas such as the Horn, the Government are already supporting the strengthened warning systems, resilience to disasters and stability that the Charter calls for. In Ethiopia, for example, we are helping 7.8 million people to break their need for emergency aid by providing support before food insecurity reaches famine levels. The Secretary of State for International Development has also mobilised a group of high level political champions to make sure that much greater attention is given to disaster resilience in order to reduce the likelihood of similar crises taking place in the future—both in the Horn of Africa and elsewhere.
Food Aid
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make it his policy to endorse the Save the Children Charter to End Extreme Hunger. [89786]
Mr Duncan: The Government supports the aim of the Charter to End Extreme Hunger, which is to reduce the likelihood of crises such as that currently affecting the Horn of Africa taking place in the future. In at-risk areas such as the Horn, we are already supporting the strengthened warning systems, resilience to disasters and stability that the Charter calls for. In Ethiopia, for example, we are helping 7.8 million people to break their need for emergency aid by providing support before food insecurity reaches famine levels.
Analysis conducted by the Department for International Development concluded that of the Charter's 13 commitments, the Government are already carrying out seven and considering another two. The four remaining commitments we deem to be unworkable. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell),
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wrote in November to the non-governmental organisations behind the Charter to note therefore that while the Government will not formally endorse the Charter, he will take appropriate opportunities to express publicly his support for the Charter's aims.
Home Department
Asylum
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department plans to review the town and cities which are used as dispersal areas for asylum seekers; and when any such review will take place. [89314]
Damian Green: There are no plans to conduct a formal review. However, accommodation providers are contractually required to maintain ongoing consultation arrangements with local authorities and heath, education and housing authorities in the areas where the asylum seekers are placed. This means that the impact of the dispersal policy on the particular area is regularly assessed.
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which towns and cities are designated as dispersal areas for asylum seekers. [89315]
Damian Green: The towns and cities that are currently used to accommodate destitute asylum seekers are:
Derby
Leicester
Nottingham
Ipswich
Luton
Norwich
Peterborough
Waltham Cross
Westcliff on Sea
Bilston
Birmingham
Brierly Hill
Coventry
Dudley
Oldbury Rowley Regis Smethwick
Stoke on Trent
Tipton
Walsall
Wednesbury
West Bromwich
Willenhal
Wolverhampton
Gateshead
Hartlepool
Hebburn
Jarrow
Middlesbrough
Newcastle Upon Tyne
North Shields
South Shields
Stockton on Tees
Sunderland
Wallsend
Barnsley
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Bradford
Dewsbury
Doncaster
Halifax
Heckmondwike
Huddersfield
Hull
Keighley
Leeds
Normanton
Ossett
Pontefract
Rotherham
Sheffield
Shipley
Wakefield
London
Hastings
Oxford
Portsmouth
Southampton
Southsea
St Leonards on Sea
Altringham
Ashton Under Lyne
Blackburn
Bolton
Bury
Cheadle
Darwen
Heywood
Hyde
Leigh
Liverpool
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
Salford
Stalybridge
Stockport
Warrington
Wigan
Belfast
Glasgow
Bristol
Gloucester
Swindon
Plymouth
Cardiff
Newport
Swansea
Wrexham.
Speechwriters
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speechwriters her Department employs at each pay grade. [89382]
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Damian Green: The Home Office employs one speechwriter at Grade 7 level. No other speechwriters are employed by the Home Office.
Departmental Redundancy Pay
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much redundancy pay was paid to civil servants in her Department in each month between September and November 2011. [87988]
Damian Green: This information in the form requested is not available.
During the period in question, £877,000 was charged to the Home Department in relation to voluntary redundancies. This figure includes both payments made to individuals and payments made into the pension fund to enable qualifying staff access to their current accrued pension.
Deportation
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that once an overstayer is brought to the attention of the UK Border Agency, actions are put in place to update their records and instigate deportation. [90001]
Damian Green: The procedures the UK Border Agency has in place for dealing with all categories of immigration offenders, including overstayers, are set out in the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance (EIG) manual available to view on the UK Border Agency website at:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/enforcement/
Overstayers are normally liable to administrative removal rather than deportation, and chapters 50 and 51 explain the process for serving notices on such offenders and their removal.
Cases are considered on an individual basis. When, however, an overstayer comes to attention, he would generally be served with a notice that explains his liability to removal from the UK. Consideration would also be given as to whether detention is appropriate. Where detention is not appropriate that person will be placed on reporting restrictions. Information is recorded on the UK Border Agency Case Information Database. Cases are progressed to removal by the UK Border Agency, who will manage any barriers to removal.
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EU (a) directives, (b) regulations and (c) other legislation affecting her Department require transposition into UK law; and what estimate she has made of the cost to (i) the public purse and (ii) the private sector of such measures. [89673]
Damian Green: The following EU regulations and directives require transposition into UK law:
Council Regulation, (EC) No. 380/2008 of 18 April 2008 amends Regulation (EC) No. 1030/2002 which lays down a uniform format for residence permits for third-country nationals.
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Directives 2011/36/EU—Of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA.
Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
In addition, an order under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 is required to ensure that the Equality Act 2010 is, like its predecessor legislation, fully compliant with the following directives in respect of protection from victimisation following a relationship:
Directive 2000/43 (Race).
Directive 2006/54 (Recast Directive on equal treatment for men and women in employment and occupation).
Directive 2004/113 (equal treatment for men and women in the provision of goods, facilities and services.
Directive 2000/78 (Framework Directive on equal treatment in employment and occupation irrespective of age, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation).
There is also a body of EU legislation in the area of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, adopted prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon treaty, against which the Government are currently reviewing transposition obligations. These measures will acquire full European Court of Justice jurisdiction in 2014. The UK must decide whether to accept such jurisdiction or withdraw from the measures.
The Government are increasingly using impact assessments and associated control mechanisms (including a new Cabinet Committee and external scrutiny body) to control the costs of policy proposals. Specific emphasis is also being placed on avoiding “gold-plating” when transposing EU measures and the Government are alert to the need to “push back” on EU proposals which may have an adverse economic effect. Details of projected costs arising from the transposition of the biometric residence permit regulation, the human trafficking directive and the directive on the protection of animals for scientific purposes can be found in the respective impact assessments, which are publicly available.
With regard to plans for further UK legislation to ensure that the Equality Act 2010 is fully compliant with EU law, the Government intend to lay an Order in the House in due course. An impact assessment will accompany the Order, setting out any estimated compliance cost on businesses and public authorities.
Extradition: Republic of Ireland
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests the UK has made to the Republic of Ireland in relation to alleged scheduled terrorist offences in each year from 1980 to 1998; and how many such requests were (a) declined and (b) approved by the Republic of Ireland. [89583]
Damian Green:
This information is not held centrally. Prior to 1 January 2004, when the European arrest warrant came into force, extradition between the UK and the Republic of Ireland was governed by the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965. The Act operated on a police-to-police basis and, as such there was no Home Office involvement. However, Home Office officials have examined historical records and consulted with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office and the
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Police Service of Northern Ireland, and between 1980 and 1998, at least 65 requests were made to the Republic of Ireland from the UK (excluding Scotland). At least 17 people were arrested, and six were extradited back to the UK. The extant records do not reveal whether any of these requests were formally declined.
Mr Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests the UK has made to the Republic of Ireland in relation to alleged scheduled terrorist offences from 1999 to 2010; and how many such extradition requests were declined by the Republic of Ireland. [89584]
Damian Green: The information for the period 1999 to 2003 is not held centrally. Prior to 1 January 2004, when the European arrest warrant (EAW) came into force, extradition between the UK and the Republic of Ireland was governed by the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965. The Act operated on a police-to-police basis and, as such there was no Home Office involvement. However, Home Office officials have examined historical records and consulted with colleagues in the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and between 1999 and 2003 there are no records of such requests being made or declined.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for Scotland are the designated UK authorities responsible for processing European arrest warrants (EAWs). Information is held on Part 1 cases (persons wanted from the UK by another member state) and Part 3 cases (persons wanted by the UK from another member state).
Information on the number of Part 3 requests made under an EAW by offence type is only available from April 2009 due to a change in the way data were recorded from this date. For cases before this date, a
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manual examination of files would have to take place. This would incur disproportionate cost.
Since April 2009 there have been no Part 3 requests made to the Republic of Ireland where the principal offence is given as terrorism.
Firearms: Licensing
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are licensed to own firearms in each parliamentary constituency. [88843]
Nick Herbert: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Firearm certificates information by police force area can be found in Firearm Certificates in England and Wales 2009-10, available in the Library of the House and the Home Office Science website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics
The next publication containing data for 2010-11 is scheduled to be published in March 2012.
Human Trafficking
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which region each suspected victim of human trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme run by the Salvation Army in (a) September and (b) October 2011 was found; what their nationality was; and which agency or charity referred each case to the scheme. [81449]
Mr Blunt: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Justice.
The following tables set out the information requested.
| (a) Referrals received in September 2011 | ||
| Nationality | Region | Referring organisation |
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| (b) Referrals received in October 2011 | ||
| Nationality | Region | Referring organisation |
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Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 24 November 2011 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) with regard to Mr S. A. Sadoon. [90268]
Damian Green: I refer the right hon. Member to my letter of 16 January 2012.
Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the UK Border Agency paid the National Offender Management Service for the service level agreement to operate the Morton Hall immigration removal centre. [89758]
Damian Green: Morton Hall immigration removal centre is run by the National Offender Management Service on behalf of the UK Border Agency.
UK Border Agency will pay £10,680,000 to the National Offender Management Service in 2011-12 under the service level agreement for the running of Morton Hall immigration removal centre. The UK Border Agency will also pay £491,244 to the National Offender Management Service in 2011-12 for the start-up costs.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse of refurbishing Morton Hall was prior to it being operated as an immigration removal centre. [89759]
Damian Green: The cost of refurbishing Morton Hall for use as an immigration removal centre was £5.76 million. This figure includes all IT provision, fixtures and fittings, additional security works, fees and consultancy, as well as building and upgrade works.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees at the Morton Hall immigration removal centre have been transferred to (a) a different location and (b) a prison as a result of disciplinary matters. [89761]
Damian Green: The UK Border Agency aims to keep the number of transfers between its places of detention to a minimum. Inevitably, there are occasions when detainees are moved for a variety of reasons. These may be because their behaviour requires them to be held in a more secure environment, because they are required for an interview at a particular centre or because they are being moved close to an airport for their removal from the UK.
The reasons for moving detainees are not recorded centrally and would require examination of each individual record in order to provide the answer, which would be at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse of providing taxi services for visitors to Morton Hall immigration removal centre was in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many such journeys have been paid for from the public purse. [89763]
Damian Green: All costs, including those related to the provision of taxi services for visitors at the Morton Hall immigration removal centre, are funded by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) from within the single annual service level agreement payment to the National Offender Management Service as the operator of the establishment. UKBA does not routinely request a breakdown of the elements of the service level agreement payment to the level of detail requested. Such analysis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of the educational and recreational activities provided to detainees at Morton Hall immigration removal centre in the latest period for which figures are available. [89764]
Damian Green: All costs, including those related to educational and recreational activities provided to detainees at the Morton Hall immigration removal centre, are funded by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) from within the single annual service level agreement payment to the National Offender Management Service as the operator of the establishment. UKBA does not routinely request a breakdown of the elements of the service level agreement payment to the level of detail requested. Such analysis could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained at Morton Hall Immigration Removal Centre since it opened; and how many such people have subsequently left the UK. [89765]
Damian Green: The requested information is not available. There were 456 people entering detention, solely under Immigration Act powers at Morton Hall from 16 May 2011 (the date Morton Hall opened) to 30 September 2011, the latest date for which information has been published. These figures are of people who have entered Morton Hall as the first place of detention and exclude people transferred into Morton Hall from other immigration removal centres.
Morton Hall was the last place of detention for 155 people who left immigration detention between 16 May and 30 September 2011, the latest date for which information has been published. Of these, 39 have subsequently been removed. These figures exclude people who have been transferred to other immigration removal
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centres before leaving detention. Data on all persons who have left Morton Hall and have subsequently been removed are not available.
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people entering and leaving detention, held solely under Immigration Act powers. Q4 2011 detention figures will be published on 23 February 2012 and will be available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, Research and Statistics web pages at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
Offenders: Mental Illness
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2011, Official Report, columns 1044-6W, on mental health: patients, how many of those released after having been detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 have been convicted of a crime in each of the last three years. [89628]
Mr Blunt: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Justice.
Just over 1,700 restricted patients were discharged for the first time by the Mental Health Review Tribunal or with the consent of the then Secretary of State between 1999 and 2007. Of these, 1,550 offenders were found on the Police National Computer (PNC) data held by the Ministry of Justice, and 5.8% of these were found to have been reconvicted within two years of their discharge.
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These figures are the latest available, and are taken from paper 3.1 in the Compendium of reoffending statistics and analysis, published on 4 November 2010.
The yearly breakdowns have been combined because in any single year the number of patients discharged for the first time and who went on to be reconvicted is too small for robust analysis. Caution should be exercised when interpreting the reconviction figures provided, which represent only those patients first discharged and matched on the Police National Computer and therefore do not capture all patients discharged into the community in a given year or take into account recalls.
This answer is limited to re-offending by restricted patients, data on re-offending by other patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (civil patients and patients subject to an unrestricted hospital order) is not collated centrally.
Police: Manpower
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many CID officers there were in each police force (a) on 5 October 2010 and (b) in the most recent period for which figures are available. [90015]
Nick Herbert: These data are collected centrally at the end and midpoint of a financial year and are therefore unavailable specifically for 5 October 2010. The latest available information shows the number of police officers within CID and CID specialist crime unit functions (full-time equivalent), by police force area in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2011. Staff with multiple responsibilities are recorded under their primary role or function.
| Police officer CID functions -(FTE) (2) in England and Wales as at 31 March 2011 (3) | ||
| CID (4) | CID specialist crime units (5) | |
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| (1) Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for individual chief constables. (2) This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between the totals in this table and totals in similar published tables. (3) Data are correct as at 12 July 2011. (4) Definition of the CID function: Staff mainly employed in plain clothes or supporting those employed in plain clothes for the investigation of crime. Staff who predominantly investigate crime or support the investigation of crime and who are not shown under other specific squad headings. Does not include members of a squad set up on an ad hoc basis to deal with a temporary or local problem. These are included under their normal category. Includes officers formerly recorded as ‘CID aides/trainee investigators’, i.e. includes officers temporarily seconded to CID but not those on short attachments for familiarisation or assessment purposes. Includes staff who are predominantly employed on administrative, clerical or other support duties on behalf of general CID, asset confiscation, burglary, drugs, fraud, stolen vehicles, vice or other permanent CID squads. Includes those officers/staff in supporting roles. (5) Definition of the CID specialist units function: Includes any specialist squads or units, analysts or administrative assistants employed not specifically mentioned elsewhere, e.g. robbery, major crime units. | ||
Prisoners: Repatriation
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much her Department spent on grants under the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each year since 2006; [89750]
(2) how much her Department spent on administering the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each year since 2006. [89751]
Damian Green: In her letter of 4 February 2010, Lin Homer, the former chief executive of the UK Border Agency, informed the Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC) that the cost of running the Facilitated Return Scheme from inception in October 2006 to March 2009 was approximately £4.3 million. A further letter to the HASC of 9 December 2010, advised that the cost of the Facilitated Return Scheme in 2009-10 was £7.1 million (inclusive of £2.3 million of EU funding). The cost of the Facilitated Return Scheme for 2010-11 was £13 million (inclusive of EU funding of £2.7 million).
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals have been awarded grants under the Facilitated Grants Scheme in each year since 2006; and to which countries they were returned. [89752]
Damian Green: The top six countries taking up the Facilitated Return Scheme are Vietnam, Nigeria, China, Jamaica, India and Pakistan.
Information on the number of foreign nationals awarded grants under the Facilitated Return Scheme since 2006 and the countries to which they were deported is not held centrally and collation would incur a review of individual files at a disproportionate cost. However, the overall percentage of those removed under the Facilitated Return Scheme from 2007-10 are as follows:
In 2007: FRS accounted for around 30% of removals—4,200
In 2008: FRS accounted for around 30% of removals—5,395
In 2009: FRS accounted for around 30% of removals—5,530
In 2010: FRS accounted for around 50% of removals—5,342
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the 20 largest sums paid to individuals under the Facilitated Returns Scheme have been in each year since 2006; [89753]
(2) how many individuals awarded grants under the Facilitated Returns Scheme there were (a) who did not leave the UK and (b) whose location is unknown in each year since 2006. [89754]
Damian Green: Information on the sums paid to individuals under the Facilitated Return Scheme since 2006 is not held centrally and would incur a review of individual files at a disproportionate cost. The largest amount offered under the Facilitated Return Scheme was £5,000 but the offer of this amount ceased on 1 October 2010 for new applications. The largest amount now available is £1,500. No individual will have received amounts in excess of these figures.
Funds are only given at the point of departure so that individuals who do not leave are not able to access grants under the Facilitated Return Scheme if they fail to leave the UK.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many individuals awarded grants under the Facilitated Returns Scheme have subsequently returned to the UK; [89755]
(2) how many individuals have been awarded more than one grant under the Facilitated Returns Scheme in each year since 2006. [89756]
Damian Green:
All individuals who meet the deportation criteria and leave the UK under the Facilitated Returns Scheme are fingerprinted. They are placed on Watch Lists in order to prevent them from returning to the UK after removal. Information is not centrally held of those
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who may circumvent the immigration controls and return clandestinely or use other identities to gain entry to the UK. This would incur a review of individual files at a disproportionate cost.
A foreign national is not able to benefit from the Facilitated Returns Scheme on more than one occasion.
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many orders were (a) applied for and (b) granted under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in each of the last five years; and how many of these were sought in cases of over-fishing. [89845]
Nick Herbert: The total number of orders granted under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for the last five years was 26,065, with a combined value of £1.2 billion. The information held centrally is based on the value of all crimes and it is not possible to break down the figures to the detail sought.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much revenue was received under the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 from cases of over-fishing in each region in each of the last five years. [89846]
Nick Herbert: This information is not held centrally.
Prostitution: Greater London
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many brothel closures there have been as a result of intervention by police public protection teams in each London borough in each month since January 2010. [90255]
Damian Green: This information is not held centrally.
Metal Theft
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to assess the pilot project in the North East requiring identification from vendors of scrap metal. [90404]
Damian Green: Operation Tornado, the pilot project that was launched on 6 January 2012, will run for six months. The British Transport police will provide the Home Office with regular assessments during the course of the project.
Sexual Offences: Travel Restrictions
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many child sex offenders have had their passports withheld since the Policing and Crime Act 2009 came into force; and if she will make a statement; [90278]
(2) what assessment she has made of the use of worldwide travel orders for child sex offenders; and if she will make a statement; [90279]
(3) what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in preventing child sex offenders from travelling abroad. [90280]
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Lynne Featherstone: Under section 25 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 (which came into force in April 2010) only those offenders subject to a worldwide foreign travel order (FTO) can be required to surrender their passport. A search of the ViSOR database (a UK-wide system, managed by the National Policing Improvement Agency, which is used to store and share information and manage those individuals who have been identified as posing a risk of serious harm to the public) has shown that there are fewer than five offenders who have been required to do this.
Decisions on whether to apply to the magistrates court for an FTO are an operational matter for the police, where they consider there to be a risk of harm to children overseas.
The Policing and Crime Act 2009 introduced amendments to increase the protection offered by Foreign Travel Orders, including:
increasing the duration an order can be issued for from six months to five years;
increasing the age threshold of a child who must be at risk before a FTO is made from 16 to 18 years old; and
automatically removing passports from individuals who are subject to a blanket FTO banning them from travelling abroad to any country in the world.
We continue to keep the available tools and powers in this area under review and the Government are doing everything we can to tighten the law on sex offenders and protect the public both in the UK and abroad.
That is why we have recently consulted on strengthening notification requirements for registered sex offenders still further, including making it compulsory for registered sex offenders to notify the police of all foreign travel (currently only travel of three days or more is notified). We will be making an announcement on the outcome of this consultation shortly.
Specialist Crime Division 9
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the future of Specialist Crime Division 9 after the London 2012 London Olympics. [90254]
Nick Herbert: As a unit within the Metropolitan police, any plans for the future of Specialist Crime Division 9 are the responsibility of the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
Metal Theft
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions her Department has had with the British Metals Recycling Association on stricter self-regulation of scrap metal dealing. [90405]
Damian Green: The Home Office has regular discussions with the British Metals Recycling Association on action that their members can take to make self-regulation more effective. This resulted, for example, in the implementation of a new code of conduct in 2010. The Government are now considering whether tackling the problem of metal theft is likely to require new legislation.
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Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of permitting cash-based transactions on the detection of scrap metal thieves. [90406]
Damian Green: The ease with which criminals can sell metal for cash with little prospect of being detected is a powerful driver behind metal theft. The Government are currently considering a range of legislative options to deal with the growing problem of metal theft, including whether cash payments for scrap metal should be prohibited.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals she plans to bring forward to amend existing legislation on the sale and disposal of scrap metal in order to prevent metal theft. [90427]
Damian Green: Discussions are under way across Government to agree the legislative changes needed to tackle metal theft. We will announce our proposals shortly.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources she is considering making available to the British Transport police following the recent increase in metal theft involving railway cable. [90428]
Damian Green: The Government are committing £5 million to establish a dedicated metal theft taskforce, as set out in the National Infrastructure Plan. The taskforce will be coordinated by the British Transport police.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to (a) regulate and (b) close illegal scrap metal dealing yards. [90429]
Damian Green: The Government are currently considering a range of legislative options to deal with the growing problem of metal theft, including a more robust licensing regime for scrap metal dealers. Work is also under way by law enforcement organisations, including through a new, dedicated metal theft taskforce, to identify scrap metal yards which are operating illegally and take the appropriate action.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to discuss with the Secretary of State for Justice increases in the penalties for scrap metal theft and illegal dealing in scrap metal. [90430]
Damian Green: The Government are currently considering a range of legislative options to deal with the growing problem of metal theft, including what changes could be made to the sentencing options available for convicted metal theft offenders.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with (a) local authorities and (b) the Local Government Association on strengthening co-ordinated action by trading standards officers against illegal scrap metal dealing. [90431]
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Damian Green: Home Office officials are discussing the role of local authorities in tackling metal theft with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Local Government Association and with local authorities directly.
Theft: Natural Gas
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects on local communities of the theft of gas cylinders; and what steps she plans to take to reduce the incidence of such theft. [89950]
Damian Green: The theft of gas cylinders for their scrap value is a growing problem. The Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers are working with UKLPG, the trade association for the Liquid Petroleum Gas industry, and the scrap metal industry to highlight the serious risks associated with handling cylinders that contain flammable gas, and to promote legitimate disposal routes. The Government are also reviewing the legislation governing the scrap metal industry in order to restrict the market for stolen metal.
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding her Department provided to (a) Action on Addiction, (b) Adoption UK, (c) the Adoption and Fostering Information Line, (d) the Child Bereavement Charity, (e) Well Child and (f) each of East Anglia’s children’s hospices in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if she will make a statement. [89771]
Damian Green [holding answer 16 January 2012]: The Home Department has not provided funding to any of the listed organisations over the last two financial years.
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider the recommendation by the Committee on Climate Change in its Bioenergy Review that his Department's bioenergy strategy includes an assessment of the global wood industry; and if he will make a statement. [90218]
Gregory Barker: Yes. The cross-Government UK bioenergy strategy is examining three main issues:
the availability of sustainably-sourced feedstocks to 2020 and beyond;
the potential impacts (economic and carbon) of using biomass in the energy sector including for alternative uses such as by the wood industry; and
the most appropriate uses of biomass feedstocks in the energy sector (electricity, heat and transport) to 2020 and beyond taking into account wider Government objectives such as cost-effectiveness, carbon abatement potential, renewables targets and security of supply.
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Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what effect will the recommendation by the Committee on Climate Change that the use of woody biomass in construction should be a priority have on his Department's bioenergy strategy; and if he will make a statement. [90219]
Gregory Barker: The cross-Government UK bio energy strategy will be responding to the recommendations of the Committee on Climate Change's bioenergy review and is due for publication in the spring.
Biomass: Scotland
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will assess the relevance to his Department's policies of the recommendations in the report commissioned by the Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Government on supporting biomass electricity in the renewables obligation (Scotland); and if he will make a statement. [90257]
Charles Hendry: The consultation on the renewables obligation (RO), the main support mechanism for large-scale renewable electricity generation in England and Wales, closed on 12 January. We are considering all consultation responses and relevant information, including the biomass electricity report recently prepared for Scotland and cross-Government work to develop a UK bioenergy strategy, to ensure that RO support levels deliver value for money for consumer spend on energy and across the bioeconomy more widely.
Coal-fired Power Stations
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which coal-fired power stations he expects to close as a result of the EU large combustion plant directive; and what estimate he has made of the number of remaining running hours for each such plant. [88864]
Charles Hendry: Details of the coal-fired power stations closing under the large combustion plant directive and their remaining running hours are publically available on the NETA/Elexon website at:
http://www.bmreports.com/bsp/bsp_home.htm
(see ‘General’—‘Further Market Data’—‘Large Combustion Plant Directive’).
The following table shows the coal-fired stations that will close under the EU large combustion plant directive, along with the running hours remaining for each plant, as at the end of November 2011.
| Plant | Hours remaining (as at end-November 2011) |
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David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which coal-fired power plants need to be decommissioned to meet the UK's obligations under the large combustion directive; and when such power plants are likely to be taken out of service. [88874]
Charles Hendry: Details of the coal-fired power stations closing under the large combustion plant directive and their remaining running hours are publically available on the NETA/Elexon website:
http://www.bmreports.com/bsp/bsp_home.htm
(see 'General'—'Further Market Data'—'Large Combustion Plant Directive').
The following table shows the coal-fired stations that will close under the EU large combustion plant directive, along with the running hours remaining for each plant, as at the end of November 2011.
| Plant | Hours remaining (as at end November 2011) |
The operation and closure of coal-fired power stations (including the use of their remaining running hours) under the EU large combustion plant directive is a commercial decision for generators.
Apprentices
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding his Department allocated to sponsor apprenticeships in his Department in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in 2012-13. [89147]
Gregory Barker: Fourteen staff with payroll costs of £320,000 undertook apprenticeships in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in 2010-11. No specific budget was set aside for apprentices as a group. The pay and pension entitlement received by apprentices is influenced by the apprentice's age.
Pay costs of DECC apprentices in 2011-12 were £345,000. No specific budget was set aside for apprentices, as a group.
No specific budget has been set aside in 2012-13. Expenditure will depend on the number of suitable vacancies arising within the Department.
Departmental Pay
Priti Patel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much was paid to officials in his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in (a) bonuses, (b) allowances and (c) other payments additional to basic salary in each of the last two years for which figures are available; what
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categories of payment may be made to officials in addition to basic salary; what the monetary value is of each category of payment; and what the monetary value was of the 20 largest such payments made in each of the last two years. [89682]
Gregory Barker: The Department and its non-departmental public bodies use non-consolidated performance-related payments to help drive high performance in the organisations as they:
1. encourage continuous high attainment because the payments are dependent upon continuing strong performance
2. prevent a permanent rise in salary and an increase in pension on the basis of one-off performances while still allowing good performance to be rewarded
3. have no long-term costs and, in particular, do not increase future pension payments
4. focus the work of employees more directly on the priority goals of the organisation
5. motivate employees by linking an element of compensation to the achievement of objectives rather than offering payment for time served
6. target money at those who make the biggest contribution.
Details of the payments the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its non-departmental bodies have made in each of the respective years have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
Energy: Billing
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions his Department has had with energy companies on ways to simplify the design of energy bills. [90274]
Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet energy companies on a regular basis to discuss a range of market issues.
Ofgem recently published proposals as part of its Retail Market Review relating to the design and content of energy bills.
In addition, Ofgem has issued an open letter in which it sets out its ongoing work to simplify and reduce the regulatory burden where this is consistent with protecting the interests of consumers. It also seeks the views of stakeholders on this, including ideas to improve the clarity of information provided by suppliers to their customers.
Details of this open letter are available online at:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/About%20us/BetterReg/Documents1/Ofgems%20approach%20to%20removing% 20unnecessary%20burdens.pdf
Energy: Conservation
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects updated Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 guidance to be published. [90449]
Gregory Barker: The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) requires local authorities (LAs) with housing responsibilities to report on action to improve the energy efficiency in their residential accommodation. The Green Deal will fundamentally alter the landscape against which LAs will fulfil this requirement.
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LAs are currently considering the Green Deal proposals, which were published for consultation on 23 November, and what this means for their plans for energy efficiency locally. With this in mind, we therefore propose to issue new HECA guidance in spring 2012.
We are currently considering the future scope of guidance under HECA and will develop proposals in partnership with local government in the context of DECC's Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Government Association.
Energy: Fracking
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's latest estimate is of the reserves of shale gas in the UK; what his Department's policy is on the extraction of shale gas; and if he will make a statement. [89908]
Charles Hendry: A British Geological Survey study in 2010 estimated that if UK shales were similarly productive to those in the USA they could yield some 150 billion cubic metres of gas, equivalent to roughly two years' of UK demand.
The BGS is currently undertaking more detailed work on the extent of the underlying resource, which will also take into account last year's drilling results of Cuadrilla in Lancashire.
However, little drilling has yet taken place and commercial production of shale gas has not been proven in the UK, so it is not yet possible to make a reliable estimate of recoverable reserves.
As with conventional oil and gas activity, if there does prove to be commercially producible quantities of UK shale gas, the Government would support industry in tapping into such resources, so long as such exploitation proves to be technically and economically viable and can be carried out with full regard to the protection of the environment.
Energy Costs: Older People
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the cost of fuel on the well-being of older people; and if he will make a statement. [89303]
Gregory Barker: DECC is committed to helping people, especially low-income vulnerable households, heat their homes more affordably. This winter we are working with energy suppliers to deliver the Warm Home Discount scheme. We are also providing heating and insulation measures through Warm Front and developing our proposals for the Green Deal and the energy company obligation.
In addition, we are working closely with the Department of Health on its Cold Weather Plan, which aims to avoid the adverse health effects of winter by raising public awareness and triggering actions by those in contact with people most at risk.
Energy: Prices
Mr Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the cost of energy generated from (a) gas and (b) electricity has changed over the last (i) year and (ii) 10 years. [89305]
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Charles Hendry: DECC publishes a wide range of energy price statistics relating to market transactions. These are published in Quarterly Energy Prices:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/prices/prices.aspx
A copy of this is also available in the Libraries of the House.
The Department does not, however, record costs of all aspects of energy generation.
Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with energy companies on the cost of energy; where and when any such discussions took place; and whether he received any assurances from the energy companies that they would cut energy prices. [90359]
Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet energy companies on a regular basis to discuss a range of market issues.
I welcome that EDF, British Gas, SSE, Npower, E.ON, and Scottish Power have joined small suppliers Co-op and Ovo by recently announcing cuts to domestic energy bills.
Mr Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of spending on (a) gas and (b) electricity by households in each household income decile in the latest year for which figures are available. [90366]
Charles Hendry: The data requested are available from the Living Costs and Food Survey, carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Family Spending publication summarises data from this survey and provides data (in table A6) on household expenditure on gas and electricity by gross income decile group. The latest year that data are available for is 2010:
| Average weekly household expenditure (£) | ||
| Gross income decile group | (a) Gas | (b) Electricity |
Fossil Fuels
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to include the issue of global fossil fuel subsidy reform on the agenda of the Clean Energy Ministerial 2012. [89552]
Charles Hendry:
International fossil fuel subsidy reform has the potential to lead to significant reductions in global demand for hydrocarbons and carbon emissions. The UK has strongly supported the G20 initiative to
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rationalise and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that promote wasteful consumption and will continue to work through the G20 to seek progress on these issues.
We believe it is important that international action in this area is not confused by duplication and so do not believe that it is appropriate for the issue to be specifically on the Clean Energy Ministerial agenda. However, this does not rule out the issue arising in the discussions that we are expecting at the meeting.
Power Failures
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of voltage fluctuations on household (a) energy consumption and (b) electrical devices. [88889]
Charles Hendry: DECC has not undertaken an assessment of the effect of voltage fluctuations on household energy consumption or electrical devices.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the effect of voltage optimisation devices on household energy consumption. [88890]
Charles Hendry: Electricity networks are designed to operate within a range of voltage fluctuations. Voltage optimisation devices operate by smoothing out these fluctuations so that the consumer can receive electricity at a constant voltage. There have been claims by industry that these devices can help households save electricity. DECC has not undertaken an assessment of the effect these devices have on household energy consumption. However, a trial of one such device undertaken as part of the carbon emissions reduction target (CERT) scheme, which is administered by Ofgem, demonstrated savings in electricity use.
Renewable Energy
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely effects on consumers' bills of the growth of renewable electricity generation as set out in his Department's route map for renewables. [89460]
Charles Hendry: In November 2011 we published the estimated impact of energy and climate change policies on average household energy bills in the year 2020. This estimates that the renewables obligation (supporting large-scale renewable electricity) would add £48 to an average annual domestic bill and feed-in tariffs (for small-scale renewable energy generation) would add £6(1).
On 23 November 2011, alongside the Annual Energy Statement, DECC published an assessment of the cumulative impact of climate change and energy polices on energy prices and bills in 2011, 2020 and 2030, available online at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/inipacts.aspx
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Our assessment indicated 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 not introduced. This result is based on DECC's fossil fuel price scenario consistent with a wholesale gas price of 68p/th in 2020 (in real 2010 prices).
(1) ( )It should be noted that these estimates will be updated as part of the Government response to the FITs comprehensive review and the RO banding review.