Charities
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department allocated to (a) Centrepoint, (b) Crisis, (c) Skill Force and (d) Shelter in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [90395]
Paul Burstow: The Department can confirm that funding was provided to the named organisations as follows:
| £ | ||
| Recipient organisations | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
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It should be noted that the funding for 2011-12 represents the latest allocations for this year and additional funding could be allocated in the remaining months of the financial year.
Continuing Care
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making in implementing the recommendations contained in the report of the Dilnot Commission. [90027]
Paul Burstow: The coalition programme set out the Government's clear commitment to reforming the system of social care to provide much more control to individuals and their carers, and to ease the cost burden that they and their families face. This commitment to reform is why we acted quickly to set up the Commission on Funding of Care and Support, which published its report in July 2011.
Government welcomed the report as a valuable contribution to the debate on social care reform, but funding reform is not the only thing that needs to change in the social care system. We want a package of reforms that goes much wider, addresses the key failures of the current system, and ensures that people get the best possible social care.
This is why we have spent the last few months engaging with stakeholders from across the social care community to identify the priorities for reform, and the trade-offs between them. The results of this engagement will inform a White Paper on social care and a progress report on funding reform, which we will publish in the spring.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the recommendations contained in the report of the Dilnot Commission, if he will consider raising the means-tested threshold above which people are liable for their full care costs to £100,000. [90028]
Paul Burstow: The coalition programme set out the Government's clear commitment to reforming the system of social care to provide much more control to individuals and their carers, and to ease the cost burden that they and their families face. This commitment to reform is why we acted quickly to set up the Commission on Funding of Care and Support.
In its terms of reference, the Commission was asked “to examine and provide deliverable recommendations on:
how best to meet the costs of care and support as a partnership between individuals and the state;
how people could choose to protect their assets, especially their homes, against the cost of care;
how, both now and in the future, public funding for the care and support system can be best used to meet care and support needs; and
how its preferred option can be delivered, including an indication of the timescale for implementation, and its impact on local government (and the local government finance system), the national health service, and—if appropriate—financial regulation.”
In response to this challenge, the Commission recommended a cap on people's lifetime care costs, set at between £25,000 and £50,000.
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The Commission also recommended that the upper asset threshold of the current means-tested system (which would remain in place with a cap) be raised to £100,000—and this is the recommendation to which the question refers. The Commission said that the extended means test would work with the cap to ensure that, if the cap were set at £35,000, no one would have to use more than 30% of their assets paying for care.
The Commission's report has formed the basis of Government's recent engagement with stakeholders. This engagement exercise brought together the priorities for reform from across the social care system, and examined the trade-offs between them.
The results of the engagement are now published, and Government are using them to inform a White Paper on social care, and a progress report on funding reform, which will be published in the spring.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the recommendation contained in the report of the Dilnot Commission, if he will consider introducing national eligibility criteria and portable assessments for the provision of adult social care. [90029]
Paul Burstow: The coalition programme set out the Government's clear commitment to reforming the system of social care to provide much more control to individuals and their carers, and to ease the cost burden that they and their families face. This commitment to reform is why we acted quickly to set up the Commission on Funding of Care and Support.
In its Terms of Reference, the Commission was asked “to examine and provide deliverable recommendations on:
how best to meet the costs of care and support as a partnership between individuals and the state;
how people could choose to protect their assets, especially their homes, against the cost of care;
how, both now and in the future, public funding for the care and support system can be best used to meet care and support needs; and
how its preferred option can be delivered, including an indication of the timescale for implementation, and its impact on local government (and the local government finance system), the national health service, and—if appropriate—financial regulation.”
In response to this challenge, the Commission made recommendations on a number of aspects of the social care system, including eligibility.
Local authorities are currently required to use the same assessment scale, but are free to set their eligibility threshold at any point on this scale. The Commission recommended that we set a national threshold at “substantial” need.
Care users who move from one local authority to another currently lose their eligibility for care until they are reassessed. The Commission recommended that the rules be changed so that they retain eligibility until they are reassessed.
The Commission's report has formed the basis of Government's recent engagement with stakeholders. This engagement exercise brought together these recommendations with other priorities for reform from across the social care system, and examined the trade-offs between them.
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The results of the engagement are now published, and Government are using them to inform a White Paper on social care, and a progress report on funding reform, which will be published in the spring.
Dementia
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the rates of admission were to hospital for patients over 74 years with a secondary diagnosis of dementia in each primary care trust in England in each of the last 12 months; [89870]
(2) how many bed days were recorded for patients (a) over and (b) under 74 years with a secondary diagnosis of dementia in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available. [89913]
Paul Burstow: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
Doctors: Foreign Workers
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether health regulators are notified automatically when a doctor is struck off in another country. [90349]
Anne Milton: There are no obligations on regulators from outside the European economic area to notify the General Medical Council when a doctor is struck-off, although in practice the General Medical Council will normally seek an assurance that a doctor is “in good standing” in their home country before registering them.
There are requirements on European Union competent authorities to exchange information with each other under Directive 2005/36/EC (under articles 8 and 56) both when a health professional seeks to register in a new member state and at other times. However, the requirements do not currently amount to an obligation to notify other competent authorities when a doctor is struck off and the duty is only engaged where a request for information is made by another competent authority.
The European Commission, in its proposed revision to the directive on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications has proposed a stronger alert mechanism underpinned by a clear duty on member states to share information where there are concerns about the practice of any health care professional.
Drugs: Misuse
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people being treated for addiction to opiate-based prescription drugs in each primary care trust; [90336]
(2) what recent consideration he has given to the recommendations made by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse in its report on Physical Dependence and Addiction to Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medication. [90337]
Anne Milton:
In May 2011, two evidence-gathering reports looking at the problem of addiction to prescription and over-the-counter medicines were published. These
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reports were commissioned in response to the concerns raised in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Drug Misuse report on physical dependence and addiction to prescription and over-the-counter medication.
Following publication of the reports, I convened a roundtable discussion on the issue of addiction to medicines, which identified a number of concrete actions to take forward. These will be reviewed when the roundtable group reconvenes later this year.
There are no nationally published figures on the number of people being treated for addiction to opiate-based prescription drugs in each primary care trust. The report on addiction to medicines from The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse provides information on the yearly number of patients entering drug treatment services for addiction to prescribed opiates and the numbers of those who entered treatment without associated illicit drug use between 2005 and 2010. Local prescribing data may have more information on the total number being treated for addiction to opiates-based prescription drugs at primary care trust level.
Health Professions
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the additional time taken by (a) GPs, (b) nurses, (c) health visitors, (d) pharmacists, (e) dentists and (f) opticians in raising lifestyle health issues in every encounter with patients under the proposals of the NHS Future Forum. [90293]
Anne Milton: No such estimate has been made. It is not necessarily about additional time but using that contact time more effectively.
Health Services: Older People
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the admission rates were to hospital from a nursing home or residential care home for people aged under 74 in each primary care trust in the latest period for which figures are available. [90401]
Paul Burstow: The NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care collects data on finished admission episodes as part of Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). HES data on the number of finished admission episodes for those aged 74 and under, by source of admission and primary care trust of residence, for the year 2010-11, have been placed in the Library.
Medical Equipment
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what systems his Department has in place to ensure the adequacy of the regulatory system for medical devices. [89878]
Mr Simon Burns: Medical devices placed on the market in Europe, including the United Kingdom, are done so under the European Medical Devices Directives.
Under these directives member states are required to set up a competent authority who have a mainly post- market surveillance role which includes an obligation to withdraw or restrict devices from the market or from being used which may compromise the health and safety
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of patients, users or, where applicable, other persons. In the UK this authority has been delegated by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency who have a range of enforcement powers and sanctions available under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. They are also responsible for negotiating within Europe any changes to the directive which become apparent through experience in consultation within government and industry.
The European Directives covering medical devices are shortly due to be revised and the UK will be pushing for a number of improvements to the existing system.
Medical Records
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of providing patients with online access to their records under the proposals of the NHS Future Forum. [90292]
Mr Simon Burns: We are very grateful for the diligent, considered and thorough approach taken by NHS Future Forum members. We are already engaged in in-depth evaluation of the Future Forum's report and we will set out our proposals in respect of their recommendations in the forthcoming Information Strategy. The Information Strategy, which will be published by April this year, will be informed by analysis of the supporting evidence, impacts, costs and benefits—including analysis of equalities issues.
We also welcome the Forum's proposal that a partnership of the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association, the NHS Commissioning Board and relevant patient organisations should be invited to develop a plan for the roll-out of access to patient records by 2015. We will engage with these organisations on how best to take this forward, including consideration of impacts, costs and benefits, some of which will be dependent on local decisions.
Mental Health Services
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of consideration of patient care made by health commissioners transferring mental health patients as part of the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention agenda; and if he will make a statement. [89779]
Mr Simon Burns: As set out in “The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011-12”, at a regional and local level, the national health service has developed integrated plans that set out how it will drive up the quality and productivity of services by 2014-15.
We have been clear that these plans must demonstrate how any proposals, which would include any locally determined proposals around the care for mental health patients, will ensure quality is maintained or improved whilst generating Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention efficiency savings.
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NHS: Capital Investment
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to his Department's radiotherapy dataset report published in August 2011, what steps he plans to take to ensure part of the £300 million made available for capital expenditure projects is used to address inequalities in the availability of radiotherapy equipment between the North East and London; [89960]
(2) with reference to the £300 million announced for new NHS capital expenditure projects, which (a) foundation hospitals, (b) strategic health authorities and (c) primary care trusts in the North East were informed of this new funding; and how long have they been given to apply for it. [90014]
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to his Department's radiotherapy dataset report published in August 2011, if he will direct funds from the announced £300 million fund for new capital projects towards redressing geographically-based inequalities in the provision of radiotherapy equipment in England; and if he will make a statement; [90024]
(2) with reference to the announcement of an extra £300 million for new capital expenditure projects in the NHS, whether primary care trusts that cancelled capital projects in 2011 due to funding will be able to revive them through access to the fund; [90025]
(3) when the decision was made to release an extra £300 million for new capital projects in the NHS; when primary care trusts (PCTs) were informed of his decision; whether all (a) foundation hospitals, (b) strategic health authorities and (c) PCTs in the South West were informed; when the closing date is for applications to the new fund; and if he will make a statement. [90026]
Mr Simon Burns: We have identified capital funding which could be made available to the national health service. We are now in discussions with the NHS to see how it could best be spent. However, no decisions have been taken and no deadlines established at national level. Further announcements will be made when the best possible use of this capital funding has been identified.
Nurses
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether nurses on wards will be required to log the hourly visits to patients under the Prime Minister's proposals. [90294]
Anne Milton: It is for local national health service organisations to decide how they monitor hourly ward rounds. Encouraging nurses to carry out hourly ward rounds is about showing staff what is already working in some places and what the rest can do to achieve the level of the best. It is not about adding a new burden of bureaucracy to nursing. The newly established independent Nursing and Care Quality Forum will be tasked with ensuring the best nursing practice, including hourly nursing rounds, is spread throughout the NHS and social care.
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Plastic Surgery: Breasts
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) number and (b) value was of NHS contracts with PIP for breast implants in each of the last 10 years. [89948]
Mr Simon Burns: We do not hold this information centrally. We are seeking more robust information about the number of women affected from national health service hospitals and private clinics.
Primary Care Trusts: Finance
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what figures were used by his Department for each component of the formula used in calculating the funding per head for the West Kent Primary Care Trust in the latest year for which figures are available; [89349]
(2) if he will set out the formula used by his Department in calculating the funding per head for each primary care trust in England in the latest year for which figures are available; [89350]
(3) what the amount of funding per head was for each primary care trust in England in the latest year for which figures are available. [89351]
Mr Simon Burns: I refer my right hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement given by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on 14 December 2011, Official Report, column 102WS. This provided a link to the Department's primary care trust (PCT) allocations webpage where full details of the calculations used to determine the 2012-13 PCT allocations are available, including per capita figures for all PCTs.
To allow the national health service financial stability during a period of transition, a uniform uplift of 3% was applied to all PCTs in their 2012-13 recurrent revenue allocations.
Sexual Offences: Health Services
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the NHS North Yorkshire on the role of the local primary care trust in the sexual assault and rape centre being set up in North Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement. [90135]
Anne Milton: The development of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) is a matter for local determination. SARCs are commissioned on a collaborative basis by police forces and primary care trusts (PCTs). As such, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has had no recent discussions with North Yorkshire and York PCT about the establishment of a SARC in the North Yorkshire area. My hon. Friend may wish to approach the chief executive of the PCT, which may hold some relevant information.
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Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding his Department allocated to research on spinal muscular atrophy in the latest period for which figures are available. [89789]
Mr Simon Burns: Estimated spend by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on directly-funded research on spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in 2010-11 is £0.4 million. In addition the NIHR clinical research network is currently hosting one study on SMA.
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the standard of NHS care for (a) children and (b) adults with spinal muscular atrophy; and if he will make a statement. [89790]
Paul Burstow: Currently the 10 specialised commissioning groups for England are consulting on draft service specifications for neuromuscular services and for wheelchair services. These service specifications, which set out the standards of service that all neuromuscular patients should expect to receive, will be finalised by April 2012, when the specialised commissioning groups will start to implement them.
We have made no recent assessment of the standard of national health service care for those living with spinal muscular atrophy.
Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to offer screening for the spinal muscular atrophy gene on the NHS. [89791]
Paul Burstow: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of screening policy and supports implementation. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, it assesses the evidence for programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria.
The UK NSC regularly reviews policy on screening for different conditions in the light of new research evidence becoming available. Where stakeholder organisations feel that there is enough evidence published in peer reviewed journals to consider screening for a condition they can submit a policy proposal to the UK NSC. Further information is available on UK NSC's website at:
www.screening.nhs.uk/policyreview
Cabinet Office
Aviation
Mark Field: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many interviews the International Passenger Survey conducted in each year from 2004 to 2010; and what the nationality was of each interviewee. [89918]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
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Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking how many interviews the International Passenger Survey conducted in each year from 2004 to 2010: and what the nationality was of each interviewee. [89918]
I am able to report the answer to this question in the form of a data table, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Childbirth: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the birth rate was in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley in the last period for which figures are available. [90584]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the birth rate was in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Bexley in the last period for which figures are available (90584).
The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has been supplied as this is the most useful measure of an area's fertility level. The TFR is the average number of live children that a group of women would each bear if they experienced the age-specific fertility rates of the calendar year in question throughout their childbearing lifespan.
| Total Fertility Rate (TFR), selected areas, 2010 | |
| Area | TFR |
Public Sector
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 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 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. [89709]
Mr Maude: Table 1 as follows categorises how much was paid to officials in the Cabinet Office in (a) variable non-consolidated performance related awards and (b) allowances in relation to the total Cabinet Office pay bill in each of the last two years for which fully audited figures are available, 2009-10 and 2010-11.
An element of the Cabinet Office's overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated awards related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.
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Non-consolidated awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs.
The Cabinet Office uses pay allowances as a cost effective way to recruit and retain staff to posts that require specialist skills or long or un-social hours and to staff performing duties at a higher grade on a temporary basis. Allowances are non-consolidated monthly payments which are paid in lieu of a consolidated increase to basic salary and cease when staff move from qualifying posts.
| Table 1 | ||
| £ | ||
| Payment category | Monetary value paid in 2009-10 | Monetary value paid in 2010-11 |
| (1) Includes end-year awards, in-year awards and awards paid to staff from other Government Departments in the Cabinet Office (2) Published in the Cabinet Office resource accounts for 2009-10 and 2010-11. | ||
The Cabinet Office headcount (excluding agencies) increased from 1,300 full-time employee (FTE) in Quarter 1 2010 to 1670 FTE in Quarter 2 2010 as a result of Machinery of Government changes following the general election
The 20 largest such payments made in 2009-10 and 2010-11 in the Cabinet Office and its NDPBs were in relation to allowances and non-consolidated performance awards as detailed in table 2 as follows.
| Table 2 | ||
| 20 largest payments made in 2009-10 | ||
| Payment type | Payment band | Number of payments made |
| 2 0 largest payments made in 2010- 11 | ||
| Payment type | Payment value | Payments made |
| (1) Contractual non-standard senior civil service non-consolidated awards determined by non-standard contracts, put in place before 2009-10 and that are no longer in place. | ||
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Redundancy Pay
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much redundancy pay was paid to civil servants in his Department in each month between September and November 2011. [87964]
Mr Maude: No redundancy pay was paid to civil servants in my Department between September and November 2011.
Government Departments: Contracts
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how often performance indicators for Government services outsourced to private companies are reviewed. [90034]
Mr Maude: The responsibility for reviewing performance indicators rests with the individual contracting authorities, as these will vary according to the contract.
Unemployment: Scotland
Mr Davidson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office from which occupational groups people became unemployed in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [90362]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking from which occupational groups people became unemployed in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in the latest 12 months for which figures are available. (90362)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. Estimates of unemployment for the requested breakdown are not available from this source.
As an alternative, Tables 1 to 4, shows the number of people who had flowed onto Jobseeker's Allowance by occupation in the last 12 months, resident in Glasgow South West, Glasgow City, Scotland and the UK, in each month from November 2010 to November 2011.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Copies of the tables have been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Azerbaijan: Politics and Government
Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has written to the Government of Azerbaijan to express his condolences on the occasion of the anniversary of the death of civilians in Baku on 20 January 1990. [89996]
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Mr Lidington: The Government are aware of the tragic incidents that took place in Baku in January 1990 and during the ensuing conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Many thousands of Azerbaijanis and Armenians were displaced from their homes, with deaths estimated to run to several hundred. The responsibility for these deaths and the casualties in the conflict, which continues today, are disputed by the two parties. We have not sent letters of condolence to either Government. The process of reconciliation for their shared history forms part of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk group peace process.
We extend our deepest sympathies to all the families of the victims and call on all sides to redouble their efforts to reach a negotiated settlement.
Public Sector
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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 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. [89696]
Mr Bellingham: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff may be eligible for certain allowances depending upon where they are posted to work; in the United Kingdom or in a mission overseas.
Non-consolidated performance pay is focused on rewarding high levels of performance. It is an integral element of the reward package for staff, has to be re-earned each year and does not add to future pay bill costs. The following total amounts were paid to staff:
2009-10—£6,682,843
2010-11—£6,185,854
There is also an in year performance award scheme devolved to Directorates to allow them to recognise achievement by their own staff below the SCS. Nominations are moderated within the Directorate for balance and fairness. The following total amounts were paid to staff:
2009-10—£437,874
2010-11—£494,603
For allowances and other payments in addition to basic salary paid in 2009-10 I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 18 November 2010, Official Report, column 903W, by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt).
I will write to my hon. Friend, and place a copy in the Library of the House when information for 2010-11 become available along with a breakdown of the 20 largest monetary values in 2009-10 and 2010-11.
Information for non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally. To provide this information would incur disproportionate cost.
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Departmental Responsibilities
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to reorganise the structure of senior officials in his Department with responsibility for European affairs. [89375]
Mr Lidington: Following a review of resources in Europe Directorate last year, a new Additional Director post has been created to work in partnership with the existing Europe Director.
EU Law
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the regulations his Department brought into force through (a) primary legislation, (b) secondary legislation and (c) other means originated from proposals by the European Commission in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011. [88965]
Mr Lidington: In the period from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011 the FCO brought forward four orders which related to EU obligations. Three of these were specification orders made pursuant to the European Communities Act 1972 relating to EU/third country agreements. The fourth order related to technical amendments to UK law to take account of changes in terminology introduced by the Lisbon treaty, for example replacing references to ‘the European Community’ with references to ‘the European Union’. The orders are:
2010/766 The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Order 2010
2011/742 The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) (Republic of Serbia) Order 2011
2011/743 The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Republic of Indonesia) Order 2011
2011/1043 The Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department require transposition into UK law; and what estimate he has made of the cost to (i) the public purse and (ii) the private sector of such measures. [89695]
Mr Lidington: EU legislation for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is responsible is rarely required to be transposed into UK law. The FCO is responsible for ensuring that EU/third country agreements are specified pursuant to the European Communities Act 1972 and, for example, the FCO was responsible for bringing three specification Orders into force from 2010 to 2011. The Government assesses that the three agreements so specified did not impose any burdens on private industry. The fourth piece of legislation which was made during the same period is an Order which made technical amendments to UK law to take account of changes in terminology introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, for example replacing references to ‘the European Community' with references to ‘the European Union'. There are no costs to the public purse or the private sector in the UK as a result of these technical amendments.
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European External Action Service
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the monetary value is of the UK's contribution to the EU External Action Service in 2011-12; and what it is estimated to be in each of the next five years. [90196]
Mr Lidington: The UK contributes to the EU budget as a whole and not to specific programmes within it. There is not, therefore, a specific contribution to the EU External Action Service expenditure. The latest forecast of the UK's contributions to the EU budget is presented in the Office for Budget Responsibility's Economic and Fiscal Outlook of November 2011:
http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-november-2011/
Falkland Islands: Sovereignty
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken in response to the decision by Argentina and other South American countries to close their ports to ships flying the flag of the Falkland Islands. [89655]
Mr Jeremy Browne: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) said in his written ministerial statement of 10 January 2012, Official Report, columns 5-6WS, we consider that the decision to close ports to ships flying the Falklands flag has no legal basis. While we do not accept Mercosur's announcement, our priority has been to ensure that trade and commercial links between the Falklands and South America are not compromised by this political declaration. Brazil, Chile and Uruguay have told us that all Falklands-related commercial shipping will continue to enjoy access to their ports, in accordance with domestic and international law, if they are flying the Red Ensign or another national flag when docked. We will continue to protest against Argentina's attempts to deny the people of the Falkland Islands their right to trade openly and without hindrance.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with (a) the EU, (b) his counterparts in other EU member states and (c) the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs on the decision of Argentina and other South American countries to close their ports to ships flying the flag of the Falkland Islands; and what action will be taken at an EU level in response to this decision. [89656]
Mr Jeremy Browne: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) said in his written ministerial statement of 10 January 2012, Official Report, columns 5-6WS, we consider that the decision to close ports to ships flying the Falklands flag has no legal basis. We have raised our concerns with all EU member states, the EU Commission, the Office of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and others within the European External Action Service. The Falkland Islands is recognised under EU Treaty as a UK Territory associated with the EU.
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Fiji: Religious Freedom
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on treatment of members of the Methodist Church in Fiji; and if he will make a statement. [89625]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Our high commission in Suva regularly reports on the political situation in Fiji.
The British Government are deeply concerned by reports of restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and freedom of association being placed upon members of the Methodist Church in Fiji.
On 12 October 2011 I raised our concerns with the Fijian high commissioner to London, expressing dismay at these developments and noting that this latest action by the authorities in Fiji can only serve to increase their isolation from the international community.
On 7 January 2012 Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, lifted the Public Emergency Regulations; however there are reports that the Public Order Act has been strengthened. Our High Commission in Suva will continue to maintain close contact with the Methodist Church and will continue to lobby the interim Government in Fiji to remove restrictions regarding peaceful assembly and freedom of association.
Gifts and Endowments
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is given in relation to the receipt of gifts from foreign Governments on official visits; and whether such guidance is given to members of the royal family. [89446]
Mr Bellingham: The guidance for Ministers accepting gifts during official visits comes under the ministerial code issued by Cabinet Office and available on the Cabinet Office website(1).
The guidance and procedures governing the acceptance, classification, recording, retention and disposal of gifts by members of the royal family is published on the official website of the British monarchy(2).
(1)http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/ministerial-code-may-2010.pdf
(2)http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Pressreleases/2003/Guidelinesandproceduresrelatingtogifts.aspx
Libya: Females
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has (a) received on and (b) made to the Libyan authorities on the draft election law proposed by Libya's electoral commission allocating 10 per cent. of seats to women. [90452]
Alistair Burt:
Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have been contacted by a number of non-governmental organisations to express concerns about the draft legislation. Our embassy in Tripoli has been in contact with the National Transitional Council (NTC) and a range of Libyan civil society representatives, including representatives of women's groups, about the terms of the draft electoral legislation, including the terms of the quota for women and how this would be
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implemented. A senior member of the NTC Election Committee confirmed to our ambassador on 11 January that the 10% quota contained within the current draft was a minimum rather than a limit. The UN Support Mission in Libya, with whom our embassy is in close touch, is supporting the NTC's Election Committee, offering technical advice and discussing how to take into account the many representations received by that Committee.
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the National Transitional Council of Libya on the involvement of women in the democratic transition process. [90453]
Alistair Burt: When the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to Prime Minister al-Kib in November 2011 to congratulate him on his appointment, he underlined the importance of ensuring that women play an integral role in the evolving democratic process. The UK co-funded the first Libyan National Women's Conference in November 2011 during which women put their concerns directly to Chairman Jalil and Transitional Government Prime Minister al-Kib. During my visit to Tripoli in December 2011, I spoke to senior members of the Transitional Government and civil society groups about the importance of ensuring the full participation of women in shaping the democratic future of Libya. Our ambassador in Tripoli met a senior member of the National Transitional Council Election Committee on 11 January to discuss the recently published draft electoral legislation and to clarify the terms under which women would be included in the democratic process. Officials in London and Tripoli also supporting Libyan women's groups in developing effective mechanisms to ensure that women's views are heard and taken into consideration.
Libya: Nuclear Power
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent to which information that has recently become available in Libya indicates the involvement of A.Q. Khan in the previous Libyan Government's nuclear programme. [89954]
Alistair Burt: The involvement of A.Q. Khan and his network in supplying the Libyan nuclear programme between 1997 and 2003 has been extensively documented. Libya declared to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that it received documentation related to nuclear weapon design and fabrication, as well as pre-assembled centrifuges and components. No information has come to light that changes our assessment of the role of the Khan network, and our current priority for Libya's nuclear programme is unchanged, namely the securing of Libya's yellowcake stocks under IAEA supervision.
Nigeria: Politics and Government
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Nigeria. [89510]
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Mr Bellingham: The elections held in Nigeria last April were widely regarded as the most credible since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, and have strengthened the political and democratisation process there.
Increases in terrorist attacks and outbreaks of sectarian violence have posed serious challenges over past months to the Nigerian Government. Since the new year, protests and strikes against the Nigerian Government's decision to remove fuel subsidies have also caused disruption. The subsidy was economically unsustainable, but it is important that subsequent economic reforms benefit the people of Nigeria.
In September last year the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I discussed the general security situation with the Nigerian Foreign Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru. I reiterated our commitment to working with the Nigerian authorities to combat the threat of terrorism in Nigeria. During the Prime Minister's visit to Nigeria in July 2011, the Prime Minister and President Jonathan agreed that the UK would provide assistance and expertise to help strengthen and reform Nigeria's security apparatus and structures, including helping Nigeria establish a COBRA equivalent for use in situations of national emergency. The UK has shared its expertise on counter-terrorism policy, doctrine and legal frameworks, and also provided assistance with specific capabilities such as managing the consequences of terrorist attacks. In all cases the co-operation has emphasised compliance with international human rights. The British Government have supported non-governmental organisations in northern Nigeria to facilitate dialogue between communities, and the Department for International Development supports programmes that aim to address some of the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty and unequal division of power and resources.
We will continue to monitor changes in the Nigerian political landscape, and to support the Nigerian Government's aim of making Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) support and (b) advice his Department is providing to the Nigerian authorities on the security situation in Nigeria. [89511]
Mr Bellingham: The elections held in Nigeria last April were widely regarded as the most credible since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, and have strengthened the political and democratisation process there.
Increases in terrorist attacks and outbreaks of sectarian violence have posed serious challenges over past months to the Nigerian Government. Since the new year, protests and strikes against the Nigerian Government's decision to remove fuel subsidies have also caused disruption. The subsidy was economically unsustainable, but it is important that subsequent economic reforms benefit the people of Nigeria.
In September last year the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I discussed the general security situation with the Nigerian Foreign Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru. I reiterated our commitment to working with the Nigerian authorities
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to combat the threat of terrorism in Nigeria. During the Prime Minister's visit to Nigeria in July 2011, the Prime Minister and President Jonathan agreed that the UK would provide assistance and expertise to help strengthen and reform Nigeria's security apparatus and structures, including helping Nigeria establish a COBRA equivalent for use in situations of national emergency. The UK has shared its expertise on counter-terrorism policy, doctrine and legal frameworks, and also provided assistance with specific capabilities such as managing the consequences of terrorist attacks. In all cases the co-operation has emphasised compliance with international human rights. The British Government have supported non-governmental organisations in northern Nigeria to facilitate dialogue between communities, and the Department for International Development supports programmes that aim to address some of the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty and unequal division of power and resources. We will continue to monitor changes in the Nigerian political landscape, and to support the Nigerian Government's aim of making Nigeria a peaceful and prosperous nation.
Deputy Prime Minister
Departmental Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much was paid to officials in his office 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 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. [89710]
The Deputy Prime Minister: For the purposes of corporate administration and financial management, my office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude) today.
Education
Charities: Finance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his 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 he will make a statement. [89768]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 16 January 2012]: The Department has not provided funding with any of these organisations in financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Children
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the number of children under local authority care who are considered to have additional needs in (a) the UK and (b) each local authority. [90005]
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Tim Loughton: The number of children who had been looked after continuously for 12 months at 31 March 2010 in England who had a special educational need was 20,100 (68.7% of the total number of children who had been looked after continuously for 12 months).
This information is contained in the Statistical First Release (Outcomes for Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England, as at 31 March 2010) which was published on 16 December 2010 at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000978/index.shtml
Information is also published within this release at local authority level. This information is contained in table LA8, which can be accessed in the above Statistical First Release (via the Excel link “These tables includes local authority tables showing SEN, offending, substance misuse and health care of looked after children” on the release's web page).
Information for the year ending 31 March 2011 will be released in spring 2012.
The Department is responsible for children who are looked after by local authorities in England. Information on children who are looked after in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is collected by the devolved Administrations; however this is subject to different legislation and collected via different data systems.
Children: Disability
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what oversight his Department has over implementation of local authority policies for the distribution and use of direct payments for disabled children; [89712]
(2) what his policy is on the standardisation of local authority policies on how parents may spend direct payments for disabled children; [89713]
(3) what representations he has received on the policies of local authorities to restrict the use of direct payments for disabled children so as to prohibit their use for after school clubs and school holiday activities. [89714]
Sarah Teather: ‘Community care, services for carers and children's services (Direct Payments) guidance’ England 2009 provides guidance to local authorities making direct payments. The guidance sets out how local authorities might manage and administer direct payments based on local needs, priorities and resources.
Local authorities are advised to monitor and keep under review the direct payment to ensure that it continues to meet individual need and that the scheme is operating effectively.
The purpose of the direct payment is to give flexibility and choice to families with disabled children that will enable them to secure an individualised rather than standard package of support.
Over the last year, the Department has been asked to review one case involving the use of direct payments for disabled children in relation to after school clubs and school holiday activities.
This Government are committed to exploring how direct payments can be expanded beyond existing arrangements. New powers in the Education Act 1996, inserted by the Education Act 2011, give the Secretary
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of State for Education the power to create pilot schemes to test the use of direct payments to secure services for children and young people who have been assessed as having special educational needs.
Children’s Centres
Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much has been spent on (a) Sure Start, (b) early years entitlement and (c) Sure Start maternity grants in each year since 1997. [89107]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 12 January 2012]: The information requested is as follows:
Sure Start funding has been provided via a number of mechanisms throughout the life of the programme. Initially it was provided directly to Sure Start local programmes and subsequently to local authorities through the Sure Start Early Years and Childcare Grant and its predecessor the General Sure Start Grant.
The first Sure Start local programmes (SSLPs) were set up in 1999-2000 and received a single capital allocation for the period 1999 to 2006 of £479,638,144.
The spend by local authorities on Sure Start is shown in Table 1.
| Table 1 | |||
| £ million | |||
| Revenue | Capital | Total | |
| (1) In 2004-06 local authorities received a two-year allocation. | |||
Complete expenditure information on Sure Start for 2010-11 is not yet available. The Sure Start allocations for local authorities in 2010-11 were:
Revenue: £1,189,133,720
Capital: £367,499,500
Total: £2,206,633,220.
In addition to the spend reported in Table 1, local authorities also received funding from 1998 to 2003 for which local authority spend data are not available. These allocations are shown in Table 2.
| Table 2 | |||
| £ million | |||
| Revenue | Capital | Total | |
Since April 2011 the Department for Education has provided local authorities with funding through the Early Intervention Grant, which replaces a number of centrally-directed ring-fenced grants for children, young
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people and family services. The Early Intervention Grant is a non-ringfenced grant and provides funding to enable local authorities to act more strategically and target investment early, where it will have the greatest impact, with greater flexibility to respond to local needs and drive reform. The Early Intervention Grant allocated £2,231,981,341 to local authorities in 2011-12 and the indicative allocation for 2012-13 is £2,365,200,001. It is important to note here that the 2011-12 figure includes funding in recognition of pilot activity but funding for pilots in 2012-13 is still to be confirmed.
Funding for free early education places for three and four-year-olds is provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which supports the majority of education provision for children aged three to 16. Local authorities, in consultation with their Schools Forum, decide how best to distribute funding across their locality and local authorities set their own local rates of funding to early years providers. No national funding allocation figure is available.
Local authorities report on financial expenditure through section 251 returns. The Early Years Single Funding Formula (EYSFF) was introduced in every LA from April 2011. Because of the way section 251 operated prior to the introduction of the EYSFF, it is not possible to obtain complete data on free early education spend for LAs before the EYSFF. The estimated spend on three and four-year-old early education for 2011-12 is £1.9 billion.
The Sure Start maternity grant is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions. The expenditure on maternity payments and Sure Start maternity grants is shown in Table 3.
| Table 3 | ||
| Type of payment | Expenditure (£ million) | |
| (1 )Sure Start Maternity Grants (SSMGs) replaced Maternity Payments in 2000-01. SSMGs were phased in from 27 March 2000 to replace Maternity Payments hence expenditure on both 2000-01. | ||
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Children: Funding
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how much funding his Department allocated in total to (a) the British Association for Adoption and Fostering, (b) the British Association for Early Childhood Education, (c) the British Dyslexia Association, (d) Catch 22, (e) Children England, (f) the Children's Legal Centre, (g) the Daycare Trust, (h) the Family and Parenting Institute, (i) Family Action, (j) the Family Rights Group, (k) the National Children's Bureau, (l) National Family Mediation, (m) the NSPCC and (n) Netmums Ltd in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement; [88336]
(2) how much funding his Department allocated to (a) Parenting UK, (b) Parentline Plus, (c) Parentline Plus, Got a Teenager, (d) Personal Finance Education Group, (e) Pre-School Learning Alliance, (f) Relate, (g) The Prince's Trust, (h) The Princess Royal Trust, (i) Raleigh International and (j) Time For Families in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [87933]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 10 January 2012]:The following table sets out DFE spend with each of the organisations:
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The amount paid to each organisation is readily available from the Department's finance systems. Allocations often vary, sometimes considerably, between the initial funding decision and the final amount provided. For this reason, we answer funding questions using spend data rather than allocation data.
The figures in the table above reflect only direct funding from DFE via national grants and contracts. The voluntary and community sector receives money indirectly from DFE through a number of routes, including funding through Executive agencies (and previously arm’s length bodies), through the money we give to local authorities and from services commissioned from schools.
The voluntary and community sector plays and will continue to play, a vital role in developing and delivering services for children, young people and families. However, in a tough financial climate where public finance constraints are required, we must focus the money we have effectively and ensure the best use of limited public funds. Only activities of national significance are being funded centrally by the Department. Inevitably the scale and scope of these activities will change year on year in order to address national priorities identified.
Departmental Pay
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total value was of performance-related pay received by staff in his Department at each grade in each of the last five years. [90020]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education (DfE) was created on 12 May 2010.
An accurate split of non-consolidated performance awards by grade is not available from the previous Departments' legacy systems. The following table shows the information which can be provided, which relates to
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the last two full financial years. These payments are central to the Department's total reward strategy and help to drive high performance and act as a positive incentive for staff.
Total value of performance-related pay received by staff in DFE by grade (please note these figures have been rounded and payments relate to performance in the previous financial year)
| £ | ||
| Grade | 2011/12 | 2010/11 |
While we cannot break down the performance related pay by grade for previous years, information can be provided on the total non-consolidated performance related awards made in the Department and its predecessors, the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Education and Skills, since 2007. This shows the total number of staff who received a bonus compared to the average numbers of staff in post over the year. The policy has always been to apply a percentage approach to the award of the bonuses by grade, to ensure that all grades have an equal opportunity to be awarded any bonuses which are in payment.
Total paid as non-consolidated performance related awards compared to the number of staff in post (please note these figures have been rounded)
Early Intervention Grant
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Gateshead of 10 March 2011, Official Report, column 1229W, on Early Intervention Fund, how much funding he allocated to the Early Intervention Fund in 2011-12; and how much each recipient received. [89841]
Sarah Teather: £2,231,981,341 was allocated to local authorities through the Early Intervention Grant in 2011-12. The total amount of funding allocated to the Early Intervention Grant has increased since the question asked by the hon. Member for Gateshead (Ian Mearns), in recognition of pilot activities being undertaken by a number of local authorities.
A breakdown of the allocation, detailing the level of funding each local authority received, can be found at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/a0070357/early-intervention-grant-frequently-asked-questions/?cid=LAemail&pla=25feb2011&type=email
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that the Early Intervention Grant allocation for 2011-12 does not represent a real terms funding reduction for local authorities after inflation is taken into account. [88532]
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Sarah Teather: The Early Intervention Grant came into existence in April 2011 and brought together existing funding streams from the Department for Education, excluding schools funding, into a single non-ringfenced grant. At the 2010 spending review it was necessary to reduce the amount of funding given to local authorities to begin the work of repairing the public finances. The allocations for EIG in 2011-12 represent an average 10.5% reduction compared with the predecessor grants in 2010-11. However, by removing the ringfences from the funding, the EIG gives LAs the flexibility to respond to local needs and drive reform, while supporting a focus on early intervention services across the age range.
The core EIG in 2011-12, excluding pilot funding, was £2.223 billion but the core EIG, excluding pilot funding, in 2012-13 will be worth £2.365 billion, which represents an increase of 6.4%.
Faith Schools: Transport
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide additional ring-fenced funding to local education authorities for the purpose of funding home-to-school transport for pupils in faith schools. [90390]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 17 January 201 2 ]:The vast majority of home to school transport, for both statutory and discretionary activity, is funded through the Revenue Support Grant, paid by the Department for Communities and Local Government, and locally generated council tax. In addition, the Secretary of State allocated £85 million (for 2011-12 and 2012-13) to help local authorities meet their statutory duties in respect of home to school transporter low-income families. In the last spending review period (SR10) the Government announced an end to ring-fenced funding, other than for some education and health funding.
Mothers: Kent
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of mothers aged 16 to 19 were in (a) education, (b) employment and (c) training in (i) Chatham and Aylesford constituency, (ii) Medway unitary authority and (iii) Tonbridge and Malling borough council in each of the last 10 years. [90339]
Tim Loughton: The following table shows the proportion of teenage mothers who participated in education, employment and training (EET) between 2002 and 2011. Data at constituency and borough level are not available and the figures cannot be broken down for education, employment and training separately.
| Percentage of teenage mothers EET | ||||||||
| As at March each year: | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Data for 2002-04 available at Connexions Partnership level only. | ||||||||
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Nursery Schools
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many disadvantaged two-year olds will be eligible for free nursery care in (a) South Thanet constituency, (b) South East and (c) England. [89308]
Sarah Teather: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced in the Autumn Statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, that the early education entitlement for two-year-olds will be expanded to around 260,000 children. The Government intend to take a phased approach to the implementation of the new entitlement. Around 20% of all two-year-olds will be eligible from September 2013. From 2014, the entitlement will be extended to around 40% of two-year-olds.
The Government have published indicative figures for how many children will be eligible in each local authority area in the first phase of the entitlement in 2013. These are available as part of the current Early Education and Childcare consultation, at the following link:
www.education.gov.uk/consultations
We estimate that around 136,400 two-year-olds in England, including 16,800 in the South East, and 3,300 in Kent will be eligible for the entitlement in 2013. Estimated numbers of eligible children are not available by parliamentary constituency.
We will publish further proposals in due course on eligibility criteria to reach 40% of two-year-olds from 2014.
Pupils: Assessments
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on variations in examination results between different examination boards prior to the introduction of GCSEs. [88182]
Mr Gibb: The Department only holds summary statistics on the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education) and GCE (General Certificate of Education) O-level examinations as published in the ‘Statistics of Education’ series. These are based on a sample of pupils and do not provide information which enables results from different examination boards to be compared.
Schools: Sports
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the effect of reductions in school sports partnerships on the level of participation in school sports. [89531]
Tim Loughton:
We have made no recent assessment of this. Schools should provide competitive sport for all pupils as part of a rounded education. To ensure this is happening, we are refocusing the programme of study for National Curriculum physical education so that it is clear that all pupils should play competitive sport regularly throughout the year. It is for schools to decide how best to organise school sport, whether through partnerships of by other means. By creating the School Games, the
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Government are also encouraging a range of sports to improve both the quality and quantity of sporting competitions on offer.
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the level of participation in triathlon events among school children. [89564]
Tim Loughton: We have not assessed participation in triathlon in schools in the last year and have not received any representations from expert bodies such as Ofsted or the Association for Physical Education about any significant change in participation levels. Triathlon is not a compulsory part of the National Curriculum and there are no plans to make it so. The PE and Sport Survey 2009-10 found that 5% of all schools provided triathlon for their pupils.
Schools: Swimming
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of changes in the level of participation in swimming in schools in the last year. [89532]
Tim Loughton: We have not assessed participation in swimming in schools in the last year and have not received any representations from expert bodies such as Ofsted, the Amateur Swimming Association or the Association for Physical Education about any significant change in participation levels. Swimming is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for all primary pupils. The PE and Sport Survey 2009-10 found that 84% of all schools provided swimming for their pupils.
Swimming is one of the sports included in the new School Games which we are creating to encourage more competitive sport in schools.
Social Services: Children
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate he has made of the number of children in the care of social services in (a) the UK and (b) Milton Keynes. [90006]
Tim Loughton: The number of looked after children in England as at 31 March 2011 was 65,520. The number of looked after children in Milton Keynes local authority as at 31 March 2011 was 270. This information is contained in the Statistical First Release (Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011) which was published on 28 September 2011 at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml
Information on the number of children looked after in each local authority for the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2011 is contained in table LAA1 and has been placed in the House Libraries. The information can also be accessed in the above Statistical First Release (via the Excel link “Local Authority summary tables”) on the release's web page.
The Department is responsible for children who are looked after by local authorities in England, information on children who are looked after in Scotland, Wales
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and Northern Ireland is collected by the devolved Administrations; however this is subject to different legislation and collected via different data systems.
Special Educational Needs
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children aged two years have a statement of special educational needs. [88669]
Sarah Teather: The Department only holds special educational needs status, by age, for pupils in publically funded schools (including nursery schools). The majority of two-year-olds do not attend such institutions.
Within the institutions for which we do hold data, in January 2011 there were 257 pupils aged two (aged two as at 31 August 2010) with a statement of special educational needs (SEN) in schools(1) in England.
The latest available information on pupils with special educational needs is published as Statistical First Release 14/2011 'Special Educational Needs in England: January 2011' at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001007/index.shtml
The Government are putting in place a range of measures to improve the early identification of SEN. An additional 4,200 health visitors are being recruited and trained so that early health and development reviews at age two are better able to pick up children's needs early; the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile is being revised to focus on three prime areas of development—communication and language; physical development; and social and emotional development; and an Early Language Development Programme is being put in place to help staff working with children to identify needs and provide appropriate support.
(1) Includes nursery schools, state-funded primary and secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units. Excludes pupils in independent and general hospital schools.
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department allocated to (a) Centrepoint, (b) Crisis, (c) Skill Force and (d) Shelter in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [90396]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 17 January 2012]: Based on the information available in the Department's finance system the funding to the named organisations in financial year 2010-11 is given in the following table, together with the spend to-date, as at 31 December 2011, for the financial year 2011-12.
| £ | ||
| Funding in financial year 2010-11 | Funding 2011-12 | |
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Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices: Day Care
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which professionals working in the child care sector are able to undertake apprenticeships under the Children's Care Learning and Development Apprenticeship Framework. [89452]
Mr Hayes: The Children's Care Learning and Development Apprenticeship Framework is currently available in Wales and covers the following job titles: Nursery Assistant, Cynorthwydd Cylch, Out-of-School Childcare Assistant, Playgroup Assistant, Crèche Assistant, Nursery Practitioner, Senior Nursery Practitioner/Room Leader, Child Minder, Centre Practitioner, and Crèche Leader/Practitioner.
In England the Children and Young Person's Workforce Apprenticeship Framework covers similar roles: Early Years Worker/Assistant, Care Worker/Assistant, Assistant Youth Support and Community Worker, Nursery Worker/Supervisor, Child Minder, Nursery Nurse/Nursery Teaching Assistant, Residential Care Worker, Foster Carer, and Short Break Carer.
Under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, 2009, a person working for another in any of these roles is able to undertake an apprenticeship.
Full details about all apprenticeship frameworks including which professions they cover and any specific entry requirements can be found on the Apprenticeship Frameworks Online website:
http://www.afo.sscalliance.org/
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many registered child minders (a) enrolled on and (b) completed an apprenticeship in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [89453]
Mr Hayes: Information about the number of registered child minders that enrolled on or completed an apprenticeship is not available.
The following table shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts and apprenticeship programme achievements in the ‘Children's Care Learning and Development’ framework, between 2005/06 and 2009/10, the latest year for which final data are available.
| Apprenticeship starts and achievements in the ‘Children's Care Learning and Development’ framework, 2005/06 to 2009/10 | |||||
| 2005/06 | 2006/07 | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | |
| Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Individualised Learner Record | |||||
Information on the number of apprenticeship framework starts and achievements is published in a supplementary table to the quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/
18 Jan 2012 : Column 898W
The latest SFR was published on 27 October 2011:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current/
Co-operatives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 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. [88601]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) will work closely with 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.
The Mutuals Taskforce has recently indicated it will play a co-ordinating role for Departments to support the International Year of Co-operatives, with Co-operatives UK leading the Taskforce's work in this area.
Coventry Gateway
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on the Coventry Gateway project. [89804]
Mr Prisk: Senior officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Transport, and the Highways Agency (HA) met representatives of the promoters of the Coventry Gateway project and Coventry City Council. The potential interaction of the A45 Tollbar End improvement on the implementation of the Gateway project was discussed. It was agreed that the HA would have further detailed discussions with the promoters with the aim of ensuring that the two projects are compatible.
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department require transposition into UK law; and what estimate he has made of the cost to (i) the public purse and (ii) the private sector of such measures. [89677]
Mr Davey: The information requested is not held centrally and is currently being researched. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon the information is available and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Fossil Fuels
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent support the Export Credits Guarantee Department has given to fossil fuel energy projects operated by Petrobras. [89318]
18 Jan 2012 : Column 899W
Mr Davey: Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) recently agreed to support a line of credit for US $1 billion to Petrobras to finance the export of supplies from UK based companies. Further details are contained in ECGD's Notice of Support, which was published on its website:
www.ecgd.gov.uk/news-and-events/news/petrobras-line-of-credit-announced
on 30 November 2011. No export contracts have yet been financed under the line of credit.
Further Education: Finance
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to take steps to secure funding for any further education infrastructure projects that meet the criteria of phase two of the enhanced renewal grant fund but could not be funded from the fund. [89533]
Mr Hayes:
Since May 2010, this Government have made £175 million available to support further education college capital investment. I will continue to work to secure the investment our colleges need in the future. In addition, I have asked officials in the Skills Funding Agency to continue to work with those colleges that met the criteria and quality thresholds for the phase two
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enhanced renewal grant fund but which could not be funded, to consider how their projects might be helped to proceed in the future.
I made a written ministerial statement on this matter on 12 January 2012, Official Report, columns 17-18WS.
Further Education: Higher Education
Mr Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of courses leading to a (a) higher national diploma, (b) higher national certificate and (c) foundation degree were taught in further education colleges in academic year (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [88305]
Mr Hayes: The numbers and proportions of full person equivalents studying higher national diploma, higher national certificate and foundation degree courses at further education colleges and higher education institutions in England are shown in the following table. Figures have been provided by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for the 2008/09 and 2009/10 academic years. Information for the 2010/11 academic year is not available. More information on higher education in further education is available at this link to the HEFCE website:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/regions/profiles/
| Full person equivalents (1) studying higher national diploma (HND), higher national certificate (HNC) and foundation degree courses (2) . English higher education institutions (HEIs) and further education colleges (FECs), academic years 2008/09 and 2009/10 | |||||||
| Academic year | HND | HNC | Foundation degree | ||||
| Type of provision | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
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| (1) In order to accurately measure higher education provision where students are taught at more than one institution or are studying more than one subject, head-counts are split across the institutions/subjects involved in proportion to the activity in each—this results in counts of full person equivalents. This gives a more accurate measure than direct head-counts, where the student would have to be arbitrarily assigned to one of the teaching institutions and/or one of the subjects. (2) Covers students of all ages and domiciles on full-time and part-time courses. Note: Numbers in this table are on a full person equivalent basis and have been rounded up or down to the nearest five, so components may not sum to totals. Percentages are based on unrounded numbers and given to one decimal place. Source: HEFCE analysis of the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record and Skills Funding Agency Individualised Learning Record F05 | |||||||