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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 23 January 2012
Culture, Media and Sport
Advertising: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was spent on advertising in the UK economy in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of GDP this figure represented. [90929]
Mr Vaizey: The advertising sector was estimated to have contributed £5.9 billion, or 0.48% to the UK’s CVA in 2009.
The latest “Creative Industries Economic Estimates” bulletin was released in December 2011, in which the contribution to the economy of the creative industries is estimated (including the advertising sector) covering gross value added (GVA), employment, exports in services and number of businesses. This can be found at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8682.aspx
Broadband: EU Grants and Loans
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on European regional development fund applications relating to superfast broadband. [91549]
Mr Vaizey: The Department has been working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the definition of eligible expenditure on superfast broadband from the European regional development fund and we have agreed some guidance which has been issued to broadband stakeholders. As set out in the National Infrastructure Plan and the Growth Review published in 2011, the Government are taking a flexible approach to ensure that local areas can benefit from the available funding.
Diamond Jubilee 2012
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what provision will be made for British Overseas Territories in the official Queen's diamond jubilee celebration; [91037]
(2) what assistance his Department is giving to British Overseas Territories to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee. [91038]
Hugh Robertson:
A series of key events will take place over the extended bank holiday weekend in June to mark Her Majesty's diamond jubilee. This Department is working closely with Foreign and Commonwealth Office colleagues and Buckingham palace to establish how the Overseas Territories can take part in these
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events, and to ensure they are given every opportunity to engage with the celebrations. For example, Overseas Territories Governments are being supported in their plans to hold diamond jubilee celebrations, which for many will include lighting a beacon to mark the occasion. Citizens of the Overseas Territories will be eligible for the diamond jubilee medal in line with the agreed eligibility criteria. And, as announced in December by Buckingham palace, members of the royal family will be visiting Overseas Territories throughout the diamond jubilee year on behalf of the Queen.
HMS Ark Royal
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment his Department has made on the possible financial benefits to the economy of Torbay from the sale of HMS Ark Royal to the Wreck the World organisation. [90011]
Peter Luff: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Defence.
All proposals received to buy HMS Ark Royal are being evaluated solely against published technical, financial and commercial criteria.
Work to evaluate the proposals is at an advanced stage and we hope to make a decision about the successful bid in the near future.
Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many listed places of worship have participated in the grant scheme for repairs in (a) Leicester and (b) England in the last 12 months. [91432]
John Penrose: From 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011, two listed places of worship in Leicester have claimed a grant from the listed places of worship grant scheme, and 2,223 listed places of worship in England have claimed a grant from the scheme.
Official Visits
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport which five sports (a) he and (b) the Minister for Sport and the Olympics visited most in an official capacity in 2011. [88918]
Hugh Robertson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport and I visited many sports in an official capacity in 2011. Some of the sports included were badminton, beach volleyball, cricket, cycling, football, golf, motor racing, rugby, sailing, tennis, wheelchair basketball, boxing, table tennis, equestrianism, handball, rowing, swimming, synchronised swimming, gymnastics, climbing and archery.
Television: Advertising
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has assessed the effect of (a) advertising specifically focused on children and (b) fictional acts of violence portrayed on television and in film on children’s subjective well-being levels. [90874]
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Mr Vaizey: No assessment has been made. The rules on media content standards are the responsibility of media regulators that are independent of Government. It is these regulators who assess the sort of material that is appropriate for different audiences.
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to measure progress on the implementation of policies supporting the Big Society initiative; and if he will make a statement. [91390]
John Penrose: This Department's Business Plan contains a number of commitments which will help boost the Big Society. Updates on progress against all milestones in the Business Plan are published monthly and are available here:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/about_us/8317.aspx
Defence
Armed Forces: Education
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the cost of the Standard Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15; [87897]
(2) what estimate he has made of the likely cost of the Enhanced Learning Credits scheme in (a) 20011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15. [88390]
Mr Robathan: We continue to promote lifelong learning and estimate the following will be refunded to claimants through the Standard, and Enhanced Learning Credits scheme:
| £ million | ||
| Financial year | Standard Learning Credits | Enhanced Learning Credits |
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to encourage more service personnel to take advantage of the funding assistance provided by his Department through schemes such as the Enhanced Learning Credits Scheme and Standard Learning Credits Scheme. [89433]
Mr Robathan:
The MOD promotes lifelong learning among members of the armed forces, and this is encouraged through the Learning Credits schemes. Recruits undertaking phase one training are provided with a briefing on the schemes and are automatically enrolled. These briefings are routinely followed up by learning and development officers and service resettlement advisers. In addition Learning Credits are regular features in the “Courses 4
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Forces” and “Quest” publications, both of which are widely distributed by service establishments and also online.
Arms Trade
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the National Security Council has discussed the Arms Trade Treaty; and whether he has asked the Council to discuss it. [88613]
Nick Harvey: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office by the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), on 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 75W.
Entertainers: Afghanistan
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding from the public purse has been spent on provision of accommodation, hospitality, transport or other facilities to enable showbusiness personalities, radio presenters and others in the entertainment industry to visit Afghanistan in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [90242]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Entertainment of members of the armed forces is, and has for many years been, an important element of the deployment welfare package. It helps to maintain morale and thereby combat effectiveness of service personnel. The Ministry of Defence has a contract with Combined Services Entertainment to provide entertainment to members of the armed forces deployed overseas, including Afghanistan. The value of entertainment provided for Afghanistan against this contract during 2011 was £437,637. This figure does include an element for UK travel and mobilisation costs, however. Entertainment personalities who visit Afghanistan under this contract or under other auspices are transported and accommodated alongside armed forces personnel at minimal extra cost to the public purse.
Ex-servicemen
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to assess whether levels of (a) alcohol dependency, (b) substance dependency, (c) homelessness, (d) mental health problems and (e) crime perpetration are higher than average among ex-service personnel. [89964]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence fully supports the need for high quality research in these areas. We have commissioned a number of well-received studies over a number of years into various aspects of Defence health, including mental health. One such ongoing study carried out by King’s college, London has, since 2003, researched the experiences of armed forces personnel who served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. The study has over 20,000 participants and it monitors the effects of operational service against a cohort group who did not deploy. Key findings to-date are:
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The overall mental health of the armed forces is good and prevalence of disorders among service personnel is generally in line with the rest of the population.
Some 13% of respondents displayed evidence of alcohol misuse, compared to a similar figure in the general population. Increased use is associated with operational deployment.
Some 4% of respondents displayed symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (compared with 3%-7% in the general population).
Common mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are more prevalent, with 19.7% of service personnel studied experiencing them.
The deployment on operations was associated with a small increase in symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder in reservists (5%). This should be viewed against the very low prevalence of symptoms for reservists (1.8%) who did not deploy on operations.
We currently estimate that about 3.5% of the prison population in England and Wales has previously served in the armed forces. We are committed to playing our part in supporting the Ministry of Justice and our voluntary and community sector partners, in identifying and supporting ex-service personnel who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
HMS Victory
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future management and conservation of the wreck of HMS Victory 1744; and if he will make a statement. [90968]
Mr Robathan: An agreement has been reached with the Maritime Heritage Foundation for the trust to undertake the future management of the Victory 1744 wreck site. The remains of the vessel have been gifted to the trust, with safeguards to ensure that any actions taken in respect of the wreck are consistent with the archaeological principles set out in Annex A to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.
Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme: Tankers
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RFA tankers are to be ordered in the MARS programme. [90755]
Peter Luff [holding answer 19 January 2012]: We have received the final bids for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Tankers programme and anticipate announcing the winning bid later this spring. Up to four MARS tankers are expected to be ordered.
Rescue Services
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 December 2011, Official Report, column 799W, on rescue services, what the minimum altitude was of the maritime patrol aircraft provided by the Irish Air Corps during the search and rescue operation for the Swanland; and if he will make a statement. [90815]
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Nick Harvey: The fixed-wing aircraft support to the Swanland rescue operation was provided by the Irish Coast Guard, part of the Irish Department of Transport. The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on the minimum altitude of the aircraft during the operation.
Deputy Prime Minister
Electoral Register
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the oral answer of 11 October 2011, Official Report, column 172W, on individual voter registration, for what reasons the level of voter registration will not decrease significantly following the introduction of individual electoral registration. [91277]
Mr Harper: The Government are putting safeguards in place to stop people “dropping off” the register, as well as looking at ways we can increase registration levels during the transition to individual electoral registration (IER).
We have learnt from the experience in Northern Ireland and are phasing in IER over two years. Existing electors will be invited to register under the new system in both the amended canvass in 2014 and the full household canvass in 2015 before they are removed from the register. In these canvasses we are funding extensive contact with all electors that will include invitations to register, reminders and door to door canvassing. This will be supported by an Electoral Commission publicity campaign.
Last year we tested data matching—the matching of electoral registers with public databases. We are now considering the emerging findings and how they might support completeness over the transition to IER.
The recent report by the Electoral Commission on completeness and accuracy of the electoral registers shows that it is important, now more than ever, that we modernise the system of electoral registration. That is what we are doing as part of the transition to IER, for example by enabling online registration. The Government remain committed to ensuring that the maximum number of eligible people are on the register.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has considered downgrading the remit of the Electoral Commission to monitor electoral registration. [91280]
Mr Harper: The Electoral Commission issues guidance to and sets standards for electoral registration officers on electoral administration and monitors their performance. The Government believe that this is an appropriate role for the Electoral Commission and have no plans to change it.
Education
Free Schools
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the outcome of the consideration he gave under section 9 of the Academies Act 2010 to the effect of establishing the free schools that opened in September 2011. [89054]
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Mr Gibb: The outcome of the consideration under section 9 of the Academies Act 2010, in respect of the impact of establishing a new school on educational institutions in the area in which the additional school is (or is proposed to be) situated, is the Funding Agreement. The 2011 Free School Funding Agreements will be published in due course.
Academies: Faith Schools
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether his Department is working with the Church of England to make it possible for community schools to convert to faith academies in one consultation; [90376]
(2) what equality impact assessment his Department has made on any plans to expand the number and proportion of (a) academy and (b) non-academy Church of England schools; [90377]
(3) what measures are in place to protect staff and students at former community schools that gain a faith ethos from religious discrimination by the school or the school's sponsor; [90378]
(4) whether a school without a religious character but with a faith ethos can place an occupational requirement on some senior posts requiring them to share the religion of the school. [90379]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 17 January 2012]: We believe that it is right that all schools, whether faith schools or not, should have the chance to enjoy the benefits of academy status. We have been clear however, that schools which are voluntarily converting to academy status should not be able to use the process of conversion itself to gain a faith designation.
The current requirement in respect of maintained schools for a school to close and then reopen as a faith school in order to gain a religious designation is set out in primary legislation. Any change would, therefore require legislation. The Department is currently reviewing school organisation regulations, which apply in relation to maintained schools, with the aim of streamlining processes and reducing bureaucracy.
The Department has no plans to expand the number and proportion of Church of England schools. Therefore, an equality impact assessment of such a proposal has not been necessary.
Where an existing academy wants to gain a religious designation, it must seek the permission of the Secretary of State to change its articles and funding agreement. We would always insist that a consultation of the local community had been carried out before considering whether such permission would be granted. Where an academy did gain a faith designation, we would ensure that in amending the funding agreement there was guaranteed protection for existing staff.
Only designated faith schools have an exemption from the Equality Act 2010 which allows them to apply religious criteria to certain posts, in line with the provisions of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998. Other schools may only discriminate in relation to senior posts if they can demonstrate that there is a genuine occupational requirement for the post holder to be of a particular religion or belief.
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Academies: Primary Education
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of any effects of the conversion of primary schools into academies on (a) head teacher salaries, (b) provision of cooked meals in schools and (c) provision of free school meals. [89067]
Mr Gibb: The Government believe that teachers and head teachers and governors know best how to run schools. This includes the freedom to set terms and conditions in relation to staff, including head teachers, to give them greater scope to innovate and raise standards for the pupils in their schools. Regardless of academy status, a school meal must also be provided to pupils who meet the eligibility criteria and who have made a request for the meal. It is for schools themselves to decide what form that meal should take, i.e. whether they provide a hot or cold meal, or a packed lunch. The academy's funding agreement requires the academy trust to ensure that a school lunch is provided for eligible pupils.
Children: Well-being
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to include reference to children's subjective well-being relating to school life within school inspection frameworks and performance measures. [90140]
Mr Gibb: A new school inspection framework came into effect at the start of January. This reflects provisions in the Education Act 2011 which require inspection reporting to be focused around the areas of pupils' achievement; teaching quality; leadership; and pupils' behaviour and safety. In reporting on these matters, inspectors need to consider how the school is meeting the needs of the range of pupils and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. All these aspects are relevant to pupils' subjective well-being.
The Government are publishing, through the school performance tables, comprehensive information about the standards pupils attain; the progress they make at school; and how gaps in performance between groups of pupils are narrowing. These matters impact strongly on pupils' well-being.
The Government are also committed to using the subjective well-being data that will become available through the Office for National Statistics' “Measuring national well-being programme”, alongside more traditional objective measures, to assess the impact of policies on people's quality of life.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the ending of educational maintenance allowance on levels of subjective well-being for 16 to 18-year-olds. [90139]
Mr Gibb: Recent well-being data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that young people aged between 16 and 19 were rated as having relatively high levels of life satisfaction and happiness.
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The Department's decision to end education maintenance allowance (EMA) was informed by research which indicated that most young people who received EMA would have participated in further education without it.
The 16-19 bursary fund, which began at the beginning of the current academic year, targets financial support towards those young people who are experiencing significant barriers to participating in education and training. The Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the bursary fund which is due to commence soon. The evaluation will consider the overall impact of the new arrangements, and will look particularly at the impact on vulnerable groups and those less likely to participate post-16.
Financial Services: Education
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the (a) quality and (b) level of financial education in schools. [91009]
Mr Gibb: Financial education is currently taught as part of the non-statutory framework for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
In July 2010, Ofsted published a report on PSHE education in schools, based on evidence from inspections of 165 maintained schools in England between September 2006 and July 2009. Inspectors found that students in those schools that were successfully developing personal finance education showed a good understanding of personal finance, used financial terms correctly and were able to apply their knowledge in making financial decisions. They highlighted inconsistency in provision for finance education.
We are reviewing PSHE, including financial capability, to determine how we can improve the quality of all PSHE teaching and support teachers to teach the subject well. The review will allow my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education to consider the place of financial education in the curriculum. We have completed our public evidence-gathering phase, and expect to publish proposals for public consultation later this year.
Free School Meals
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consideration he gives to the number of free school meals claimed when calculating levels of educational (a) attainment and (b) performance. [90886]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 20 January 2012]:The Government are committed to closing attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. Eligibility for free school meals (FSM) is used as a measure for disadvantage and the attainment of pupils who are eligible for FSM forms a key part of the published school performance data. The Department publishes national and local attainment data by pupil characteristics, including eligibility for FSM, annually. These data for Key Stage 2 were published on 15 December and data for Key Stages 4 and 5 will be published in February 2012.
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The new Ofsted framework for inspection specifically refers to pupils eligible for FSM and inspectors are required to consider the extent to which the school meets the needs of such pupils.
History: GCSE
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of children taking history at GCSE level. [90907]
Mr Gibb: The Government are concerned that GCSE entries to history, geography and foreign languages have been falling and have introduced the English Baccalaureate to reverse these declines.
The English Baccalaureate recognises schools' and pupils' GCSE achievements in English, maths, sciences, history, geography and languages. We have published information on GCSE performance in this combination of subjects to encourage schools to open their study up to more pupils.
A survey of nearly 700 schools, carried out last summer, indicated that the introduction of the English Baccalaureate is having an immediate impact on the proportion of children electing to take up study of GCSE history. Schools responding indicated that 39% of their pupils (taking GCSEs in 2013) are taking up history, against 31% of pupils entered for history GCSEs in 2010. This represents an approximate increase of 26% in the number of pupils taking up history in the schools responding.
Primary Education: Teachers
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) men and (b) women have qualified as primary school teachers in the last three years for which figures are available. [89162]
Mr Gibb: The latest available data are given in the following table:
| Number attaining qualified teacher status as primary teachers, by gender. Academic years 2007/08 to 2009/10. Coverage: England | |||
| Gender | |||
| Academic year | Male | Female | Total |
| Notes: 1. Includes all routes to qualified teacher status (postgraduate and undergraduate routes, college-based and employment-based routes). 2. Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, so totals might not appear to be the sum of their parts. | |||
Pupils: Disadvantaged
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of children eligible for the pupil premium in Carlisle constituency in academic year 2012-13. [89163]
Sarah Teather:
We do not yet have final figures for the number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in the 2012-13 academic year as they will, in part, be based on pupil numbers recorded in the January 2012 census
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returns. The Department has produced illustrative tables, based on the January 2011 pupil census, showing estimated allocations of the pupil premium for 2012-13. This estimate reflects the change in the criteria for eligibility for the pupil premium which I announced on 12 December 2011. This extends eligibility in 2012-13 to pupils who have been eligible for FSM at any point in the last six years. The tables can be found at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2013pupilpremium/a00200465/schools-funding-settlement-2012-13-including-pupil-premium
Based on the January 2011 pupil census, the estimated number of pupils in the Carlisle constituency who would be eligible for the pupil premium in 2012-13 is 2,530. The total number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in the Carlisle constituency may be higher, but it is not possible to identify the number of pupils in each parliamentary constituency recorded as being in care or recorded in the alternative provision census as, in both cases, the returns are provided at local authority level rather than at establishment level.
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children the pupil premium has been allocated to in Carlisle constituency since it was introduced. [89164]
Sarah Teather: The pupil premium was introduced in April 2011 and allocations have so far only been made for the 2011-12 financial year. Pupil premium funding is provided in respect of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children in care who have been continuously looked after for at least six months and children whose parents are serving in the armed forces. In the Carlisle constituency there were 1,710 pupils recorded on the January 2011 school census returns as known to be eligible for FSM or to be service children. The total number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium in the Carlisle constituency may be higher, but it is not possible to identify the number of pupils in each parliamentary constituency recorded as being in care or recorded in the alternative provision census as, in both cases, the returns are provided at local authority level rather than at establishment level.
Schools: Liverpool
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect on schools in Liverpool of reductions in his Department's budget in 2014-15. [86955]
Mr Gibb: In October 2010, the Government announced that funding for schools would be maintained at flat cash per pupil over the spending period. This means that, as the number of pupils rise, the overall budget will rise in line. The Government also announced a pupil premium for deprived pupils, which will rise to £2.5 billion by 2014-15. In 2011-12, Liverpool received £8.88 million from the pupil premium and £12.3 million in capital allocations. Funding levels for individual local authorities beyond 2012-13 have not yet been set.
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Secondary Education: Gifted and Talented Children
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of maintained secondary schools had nominated at least one pupil for the Gifted and Talented programme as at the end of each year of the programme. [89503]
Mr Gibb: The Department does not hold this information in the form requested.
In state-funded primary schools there were 353,865 pupils in the Gifted and Talented cohort, a small decrease from 365,970 in 2010, and representing 8.6% of the school population. In state-funded secondary schools there were 464,040 pupils in the Gifted and Talented cohort, a small decrease from 481,225 in 2010, and representing 14.2% of the school population.
CfBT Education Trust completed its three-year contract with the Department to manage the Gifted and Talented programme on 31 March 2010.
The identification of gifted and talented pupils has always been left to schools. The Government's approach is to give school leaders greater power and control to drive improvement in their schools so that they have the freedom and flexibility to offer tailored educational opportunities that will ensure that the most academically able children receive appropriate challenge and stretch.
Sixth Form Colleges: Safety
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether the updated health and safety guidance for schools and local authorities issued in July 2011 also applies to sixth form colleges; and if he will make a statement. [90461]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education's updated health and safety advice to schools issued in July last year summarises how existing health and safety law affects employers, be that the local authority or governing body depending on the type of institution. This advice is not statutory guidance but it summarises the legal duties and powers under health and safety legislation. Sixth form colleges are covered by the same health and safety legislation and may therefore find the updated advice useful to inform their approach to health and safety but it is not statutory.
The DFE guidance is due for review during the summer of 2012 and I will ask officials to discuss it with the Association of Colleges and the Sixth Form Colleges' Forum.
Skerton Community Primary School
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions have taken place between his Department and Lancashire County Council on the future of the Skerton Community Primary School site. [89934]
Mr Gibb: No discussions have taken place between the Department for Education and Lancashire county council on the future of Skerton Community Primary School.
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Under Schedule 35A to the Education Act 1996 consent is required of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education before land at a community school can be disposed of or appropriated by a local authority. This applies to any community school land where that land has been used wholly or mainly for such a school in the eight years preceding the date of disposal. This long-standing provision is to allow the Secretary of State for Education to consider the suitability of community school land for use by an Academy or Free School.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration: EU Grants and Loans
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what written representations he has made to Commissioner Hedgegaard on UK readiness to co-finance carbon capture and storage projects under the NER300 process. [91316]
Charles Hendry: None. DG Climate are expected to seek formal assurances regarding member state support for successful NER300 projects in the autumn, before finalising Award Decisions and announcing projects at the end of the year. My officials are in contact with DG Climate to ensure the UK and European processes synchronise.
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assurances representatives of the European Commission's DG Climate have sought on the UK's readiness to co-finance carbon capture and storage projects under the NER300 process. [91317]
Charles Hendry: DG Climate are expected to seek formal assurances regarding member state support for successful NER300 projects in the autumn, before finalising award decisions and announcing projects at the end of the year. My officials are in contact with DG Climate to ensure the UK and European processes synchronise.
Christmas
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [91088]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change incurred nil expense in relation to Christmas trees or other Christmas decorations in 2011.
Environment Protection: Employment
Luciana Berger:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the impact assessment for the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation, what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs that would be lost
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in the insulation industry if the average annual take-up rate of
(a)
loft insulation fell from 1,060,000 to 70,000 and
(b)
cavity wall insulation fell from 510,000 to 170,000 installations. [91309]
Gregory Barker: DECC's impact assessment, published in November 2011, estimated that each year, £1.3 billion will be spent by energy companies and over £700 million in private finance on energy efficiency—meaning investment in the sector will be higher than ever before. It estimated that the Green Deal and ECO will support growth in employment in the insulation sector from 27,000 to 65,000 by 2015.
We are currently in the process of updating the impact assessment. This will take account of new research, and developments such as the £200 million announced in the Autumn Statement to drive the early uptake of the Green Deal. The final impact assessment will be published alongside the Government response to the consultation.
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department holds information on the EU regulations in its policy areas of responsibility which have not been implemented in (a) France and (b) Germany; on which dates those regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement. [90694]
Gregory Barker: The information requested is not held by the Government. Providing an answer would incur disproportionate cost. However, this information is held on the European Commission's EUR-Lex website:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/en/index.htm
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which EU regulations his Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement. [90709]
Gregory Barker: DECC is the lead Department responsible for the following EU directives and regulations which have not yet been fully implemented by the UK Government (this list does not include legislation made by the European Commission; or EU directives and regulations which have been implemented by the UK Government but where implementation remains to be completed by Gibraltar or by the devolved Administrations):
Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (came into force 25/06/2009);
Directive 2009/29/EC to improve and extend the greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme of the Community (came into force 25/06/2009);
Directive 2009/31/EC on the geological storage of carbon dioxide (came into force 25/09/2009);
Directive 2009/119/EC imposing an obligation to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products (came into force 29/10/2009);
Directive 2011 /70/EURATOM establishing a Community framework for the responsible and safe management of spent fuel and radioactive waste (came into force 22/08/2011);
Regulation (EU) No 1227/2011 on wholesale energy market integrity and transparency (came into force 28/11/2011).
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EU directives and regulations become EU law when they enter into force, which is usually 20 days following their publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. The date for transposition in the UK is usually a year or more later.
European Investment Bank
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he expects to be notified by the European Commission's DG Climate of the relative positions of UK projects in the ranking prepared by the European Investment Bank of proposals submitted under the NER300 process. [91315]
Charles Hendry: DG Climate is expected to approach member states to inform them of the relative positions of their projects shortly after the EIB 9 February deadline. No formal announcements will be made until Award Decisions are made at the end of the year. My officials will be in regular informal contact with DG Climate throughout the year.
Homesun Holdings
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what legal costs his Department has incurred in the case of Homesun Holdings Ltd v Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. [89860]
Gregory Barker: I estimate that the Government have incurred costs of approximately £66,400 to date in relation to the application for judicial review made jointly by Homesun, Solarcentury and Friends of the Earth. In the event that we are successful on appeal we would expect to recover all, or a substantial proportion, of our costs.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Subsidies
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Scottish farmers have received in subsidies from the EU in each of the last five years. [91283]
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much Scottish farmers have received in subsidies from the EU in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [91367]
Mr Paice: The available figures, in euros and relating to the EU CAP finance year running from 16 October to 15 October, are given as follows. They include all payments under the common agricultural policy European agricultural guarantee fund and the European agricultural fund for rural development (EAFRD) programmes (direct payments and rural development respectively) and also include the co-financed element of the EAFRD payments funded by the Scottish Government. Figures for the 2010-11 year are provisional.
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| € | |
Animal Welfare: Circuses
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legal obstacles prevent the enactment of a ban on wild animals in circuses in the UK. [90463]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Nic Dakin) on 3 October 2011, Official Report, columns 1405-06W. We are also considering the relevance of a judgment of the Austrian Constitutional Court that was published on 21 December 2011 and whether it is relevant to the legal position here.
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the recent decision by the Austrian Constitutional Court, whether she has taken further legal advice on the legality of a ban on the use of wild animals in circuses; and if she will make a statement. [91003]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 734W.
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 456W, on animal welfare: circuses, and with reference to the findings of the Radford Report, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of available scientific evidence on which her Department can base its conclusion that it will be possible to introduce a set of enforceable standards that will ensure the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses. [91371]
Mr Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 456W.
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2012, Official Report, columns 733-4W, on animal welfare: circuses, which licensing systems for animal welfare in the UK her Department has considered in its assessment; and what evidence was available to her Department on the efficacy of such licensing systems and their operation. [91374]
Mr Paice:
There are currently a number of animal welfare licensing systems operating in England, including for zoos, dangerous wild animals kept in private ownership, pet shops, riding schools, greyhound tracks, kennels and catteries, and dog breeding establishments. In particular, the standards required by the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 (the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo
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Practice) have been considered in the development of our proposed licensing scheme for wild animals in travelling circuses.
DEFRA keeps all its licensing schemes under review and we are not aware of any evidence that there are any inherent problems with the concept of licensing to safeguard animal welfare.
Animal Welfare: Exports
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency budget was allocated to the inspection of live animal export shipments from UK ports in the latest period for which figures are available. [90233]
Mr Paice: There is no specific budget for the inspection of live animal export shipments from UK ports. While some of this work is carried out by Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) inspectors, the majority is undertaken by private veterinarians appointed as official vets to work on AHVLA’s behalf, and these inspections are paid for by the exporter.
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff in the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency are responsible for inspecting live animal export shipments from UK ports. [90234]
Mr Paice: Resourcing portal inspections is largely dependent upon the number of vehicles coming in, and the risk these represent. As a minimum, portal inspections and supervised loadings are normally undertaken by one inspector although this may change if there are circumstances to warrant it.
These inspections form a very small percentage of the overall work undertaken by Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency staff at ports in GB.
Dangerous Dogs
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; [89945]
(2) what discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with ministerial colleagues on the powers of local authorities relating to the control of dogs; and if she will make a statement. [89946]
Mr Paice: The issue of dangerous dogs is one that encompasses several Government Departments. In particular, DEFRA Ministers have been in discussion with colleagues in the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Department for Communities and Local Government over the development of a package of measures aimed at promoting more responsible ownership of dogs. Discussions have included powers available to local authorities to deal with the control of dogs. I anticipate further discussions with colleagues on this issue will be taking place.
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Procurement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many contracts her Department has awarded directly to (a) small, (b) medium-sized and (c) large businesses in each month since May 2010; what the value was of such contracts; and if she will make a statement. [75135]
Richard Benyon: The information in the format requested is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his previous question which was published on 15 November 2011, Official Report, column 735W.
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on recruitment agencies in each month since September 2011. [88008]
Richard Benyon: Since September 2011, the Department has spent the following on recruitment agencies since September 2011 in core DEFRA:
| £ | |
These figures comprise of costs involved in using Executive Search Providers, including the outsourcing of recruitment activity to third parties.
Dogs: Tagging
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2012, Official Report, column 363W, to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South, on dogs: tagging, if she will publish her Department's assessment of all aspects of microchipping. [90387]
Mr Paice: We are currently working on a package of measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners. This will be announced soon and will include details of the benefits of compulsory microchipping of dogs.
Fisheries
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what assessment she has made of the effect of reductions in the number of days fishermen can spend at sea on the ability of the UK fishing fleet to use increased quotas of certain fish stocks; [88680]
(2) what assessment she has made of the effect of the outcome of the recent EU Fisheries Council on the number of fishing vessels that will be viable in 2012; [88681]
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(3) what assessment she has made of the number of fishing vessels in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland that will be affected by the reduction in the number of days fishermen can spend at sea; [88682]
(4) what assessment she has made of the effect of the reduction in the number of days fishermen can spend at sea on the financial viability of the fishing fleet in (a) Scotland and (b) the UK. [88684]
Richard Benyon: At the December Fisheries Council, we achieved an agreement that included significantly larger quota opportunities for British vessels than originally proposed by the European Commission. We also agreed much smaller reductions in days-at-sea for those parts of the fleet subject to the Cod Recovery Plan than were in prospect at the start of the Council.
The effect of the package on different parts of the fleet around the United Kingdom will vary according to the combination of quota and days-at-sea changes that affects different vessels, as well as the extent to which previous days at sea allocations were fully used. Also, the choices made by skippers to maximise their profitability, which may include participation in conservation initiatives that either exempt them from days-at-sea restrictions or allow an increase in their days at sea.
Fishing Catches
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what her policy is on over-fishing; what recent representations she has received on the issue; and if she will make a statement; [89879]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with the European Commission on over-fishing in EU waters; and if she will make a statement; [89881]
(3) what reports she has received of overfishing in each country in the EU; what discussions she has had with her counterpart in each EU member state on this issue since May 2010; and if she will make a statement. [89882]
Richard Benyon: Overfishing puts at risk the long term health of both fish stocks and the livelihoods of fishermen who depend on them; domestically, overfishing by UK fishermen risks prejudicing the legitimate fishing opportunities of other UK fishermen. It is therefore important that there are effective and dissuasive measures in place to discourage overfishing and, where it does occur, to penalise transgressors. This may include criminal prosecution as well as a requirement to pay quota penalties and to compensate others prejudiced by such actions.
In discussions with the EU Fisheries Commissioner and Ministers from other EU countries, I have made clear we must have a Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) that safeguards our fish stocks for the future, for the benefit of both fish stocks and fishermen. This must be a fundamental demand of CFP reform.
Forestry Commission
Mrs McGuire:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the relevance to her Department's policies of the
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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 she will make a statement. [90256]
Mr Paice: The Government Bioenergy Strategy, due for publication shortly, will set out the framework for future UK bioenergy policy and, along with evidence received as part of the consultation process, will support the Renewable Obligation Review. The Scottish Government have been providing their views on the strategy, drawing on the carbon research recently published by Forestry Commission Scotland. That evidence, alongside other issues, will be considered as part of the continuing development of the strategy.
Habitats Regulations
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effect of the Habitats Regulations between July 2011 and 29 November 2011; and on what dates any meetings to discuss this matter took place. [90348]
Richard Benyon: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had a number of discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer between July 2011 and 29 November 2011 on the implementation of the Habitats Directive.
Hydroelectric Power
Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applicants for hydro-electric power schemes there have been; and what progress she has made with the Nene Valley Hydro group scheme. [90624]
Richard Benyon: In 2011 the Environment Agency received 203 pre-applications and 101 formal applications for hydro-electric power schemes for England and Wales.
The Environment Agency's account manager for hydro power proposals has been in regular contact with the Nene Valley Hydro Group regarding their proposals for hydro schemes at six sites along the River Nene. The Environment Agency has attended a number of meetings with the group to discuss both general principles and site specific details. These discussions have enabled the group to progress its most advanced scheme (Hardwater Mill) and the Environment Agency continues to support the group further in the implementation of its other proposals.
Lakes and Reservoirs
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to encourage farmers and landowners to excavate and install lakes and reservoirs. [90192]
Mr Paice:
The Water White Paper published last December summarised the Government’s support to farmers to improve the management of water resources,
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including by the building of reservoirs. DEFRA’s surveys show that around one third of farms which are equipped to irrigate in England already have winter storage reservoirs. The Government encourage farmers to invest in building safe reservoirs through a number of measures, which include:
The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which has provided support for water management, including supporting the construction of 41 on-farm reservoirs and providing information and training on irrigation and soil management. Water management continues to be one of the measures supported by the new nationally consistent RDPE funded schemes. These are the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme, a small grants scheme launched last November, and the Rural Economy Grant, which is a grant scheme for larger projects to be launched in early 2012.
The Environment Agency can provide advice on positioning and construction methods for reservoirs to help farmers ensure they are safe and fit for purpose. The Government are working with the Environment Agency to develop technical guidance for farmers.
The Farming Advice Service has expanded the scope of its advice from 1 January 2012 and includes advice on abstraction licensing and on climate change adaptation, including water management.
The Water White Paper also gave further information on the Government’s commitment to reform the abstraction management regime. A key objective of this reform is to provide clearer signals to abstractors such as farmers to invest to meet water needs and protect water ecosystems, for example, through investment in reservoirs.
The report on the Farming Regulation Task Force included recommendations on the regulation of on-farm reservoirs and on the licensing of abstraction. The Government response will be published early this year and set out our response to these recommendations.
Natural Capital Committee
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what criteria she proposes the Natural Capital Committee will use to determine if natural assets are being used unsustainably; and if she will make a statement; [90811]
(2) what indicators she proposes the Natural Capital Committee will use to report to Government on the state of natural capital in England. [90813]
Richard Benyon: The Natural Capital Committee will advise the Government on the state of English natural capital and it will be set up initially for the duration of this Parliament. Recruitment for the positions of Chair and Members of the Committee is under way. Once this is completed it will be for the Committee, as an independent advisory body, to develop suitable methodologies and approaches that will enable it to advise the Government in accordance with its remit, including in relation to unsustainable use of natural capital.
Endangered Species
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to stop the sale of endangered species as pets. [90596]
Richard Benyon:
The UK Government are a party to the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES), which seeks to regulate commercial
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trade in specimens of listed species of wild fauna and flora in order to ensure that any trade in endangered species is not detrimental to their long-term survival. However, those species most at risk are listed on appendix I of CITES, and their importation for commercial purposes, including their sale as pets, would be prohibited under CITES the sale of endangered species taken from the wild can be allowed as long as it is sustainable.
Rivers: Surrey
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of river flows in Surrey and West Sussex; and if she will make a statement. [90207]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency continuously monitors river flows of the major rivers in Surrey and West Sussex. River flows are compared to long term averages, mapped and summarised in monthly Water Situation Reports on the Environment Agency's website:
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/
The last 15 months in Surrey and West Sussex have been the driest since 1996. However, despite the impact of rain in December, the Rivers Ouse, Adur, Cuckmere and Arun in Sussex and the Mole and Wey in Surrey are either "low" or "notably low" when compared to average flows for this time of year. Low river flows can affect water supplies, business and the environment. The Environment Agency continues to work closely with local communities and the water supply companies to minimise the impact.
The Environment Agency completed a detailed screening of water abstractions in West Sussex and Surrey, as part of the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction initiative. This did not highlight any significant issues, and there is no evidence that unsustainable abstraction is an issue affecting river flows in West Sussex and Surrey. The current low flows being measured and reported by the Environment Agency on their website are caused by the period of significantly dry weather we have been experiencing in the South East.
More broadly the Environment Agency is taking action to investigate and identify solutions to unsustainable abstraction. On 8 December 2011, I launched a new approach to water management as set out in Water for Life, the Water White Paper. In particular it includes a package of measures to help us do this more efficiently and promote increased trading of abstraction licences to support economic growth.
Water: Climate Change
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has assessed the available annual water resource in the UK under the (a) 2°C and (b) 4°C global temperatures increase scenario. [90805]
Richard Benyon:
DEFRA, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Environment Agency and UK Water Industry Research are jointly funding a project to look at changes in river flows and groundwater levels associated with the UKCP09 climate projections. These are not specifically 2°C and 4°C global temperature increase scenarios, but they will provide a useful guide
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to the range of possible changes in flow. The project will finish in April 2012. Initial results, showing changes in flow in the 2050s for the medium emissions scenario, were included in the recently published "Water for Life" White Paper.
Northern Ireland
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland: Public Appointments
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to announce the appointment of the next Chief Executive of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland; and what account he has taken in the recruitment process of the need to address the under representation of the Protestant community in recruitment to parts of the public sector. [91358]
Mr Swire: The appointment of the chief executive of the Equality Commission is a matter for the Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission and Commission Members.
The appointment process for a new Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission is being conducted in compliance with all relevant statutory duties and guidelines. We hope to announce the result shortly.
Transport
Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate she has made of the number of vehicles which used the Dartford crossing in each of the last 18 months; [90533]
(2) what estimate she has made of the amount of toll revenue which accrued from vehicles using the Dartford crossing in each of the last 18 months. [90534]
Mike Penning: The Dartford crossing encompasses the two tunnels and the QE2 bridge and charging applies in both directions. The figures in the table cover the Dartford crossing as a whole. It shows how many vehicles used the Dartford crossing in each of the last 18 months and also how much revenue was accrued in each month, including revenue for the escorting of abnormal loads.
| Total traffic count | Charging revenue (£) | Abnormal load escort revenue (£) | Total (£) | |
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Tyne and Wear Metro
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate she has made of how much of the cost to the public purse of the Tyne and Wear Metro falls beyond the comprehensive spending review period; [90944]
(2) what estimate she has made of the total cost to the public purse of the Tyne and Wear Metro in each of the remaining years of the comprehensive spending review period. [90945]
Norman Baker [holding answer 20 January 2012]: The Department agreed funding with Nexus for the Tyne and Wear Metro on 2 February 2010. This included revenue support funding for the period 2010-11 to 2018-19 and capital grant funding towards the Metro Reinvigoration programme for the period 2010-11 to 2020-21.
The sums are set out in the following tables by year:
| Resource Grant | |
| £ million | |
| Note: The above figures are subject to indexation. | |
| Capital Grant | |
| £ million | |
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The amounts of Capital Grant set out above represent a firm commitment from the Department to Nexus. In addition, an element of funding (as set out in the following table) is not subject to the firm commitment at this stage and may be subject to adjustment according to consideration of the following factors:
the need to maintain the infrastructure to a condition that enables train services to be provided by the operator as required under the concession agreement;
Nexus's performance to date on delivery of the Asset Renewal Plan (criteria to be agreed); and
affordability within the context of the Department's overall budget.
| £ million | |
In addition to the sums set out above, there is a local contribution of 10% of the capital funding.
East Coast Railway Line
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Ministers have been involved in the decision by East Coast Trains to apply to the Office of Rail Regulation for train paths to enable them to extend their two hourly service between London and Newark Northgate. [91331]
Mrs Villiers: East Coast’s application to the Office of Rail Regulation to obtain track access rights is a matter for the train operator not for Ministers. East Coast provides train services in accordance with a services agreement with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Any changes to that agreement to exercise new access rights would require ministerial approval. East Coast has not requested any such changes.
Heathrow Airport: Railways
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on a rail connection from the Great Western Main Line to Heathrow airport and the proposed High Speed 2 scheme. [89358]
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Mrs Villiers: Network Rail is currently undertaking an assessment of the proposal to build a rail connection between the Great Western main line and Heathrow airport. This will inform any decision on whether the scheme should progress. On 10 January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport announced that route options should be developed for a spur link to Heathrow airport to form part of the second phase of HS2, which would be subject to future public consultation. Network Rail is working with HS2 Ltd to assess the potential interfaces between the two schemes.
Highways Agency: Motor Vehicles
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles of each type are available to incident support units in each area of the Highways Agency network; and how many such vehicles of each type were available in each of the last two years. [91310]
Mike Penning: Details of the number of incident support unit (ISU) vehicles available for use on the Highways Agency’s network, shown by area and by type, can be found in table “Strategic Road Network—ISUs by Type” which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The table provides current figures, plus those for 2011 and 2010.
Japan Tobacco International: Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any (a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in her Department have received hospitality from Japan Tobacco International since May 2010. [87614]
Norman Baker: No DFT Ministers or special advisers have received hospitality from Japan Tobacco International in a departmental or ministerial capacity since May 2010. However, Japan Tobacco International's UK headquarters are based in Weybridge in the constituency of the former Secretary of State for Transport. In his capacity as constituency MP, he received hospitality in the form of tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2010 and May 2011.
Pearson VUE
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have met with representatives of Pearson VUE since 25 October 2011; and what future meetings have been scheduled. [90668]
Norman Baker: Neither the Secretary of State for Transport nor other Ministers in the Department have met with representatives of Pearson VUE since 25 October 2011. Nor are any meetings scheduled at present.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are routinely published every quarter and can be accessed via the following link:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ministerial-transparency/#meetings
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Pedestrian Crossings: Accidents
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of accidents that occurred on zebra crossings in the latest period for which figures are available. [90955]
Mike Penning: The Department collects information only on reported personal injury road accidents. The number of accidents involving pedestrian casualties that occurred on zebra crossings in Great Britain in 2010 was 764. This total excludes accidents on zebra crossings that did not involve pedestrian casualties.
Pedicabs
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations she has received on the application of traffic regulations to pedicabs since June 2010; [90894]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with (a) the Mayor of London and (b) Transport for London on the safety of pedicabs; [90915]
(3) what discussions she has had with (a) the police and (b) the Secretary of State for the Home Department on parking and traffic offences committed by riders of pedicabs or rickshaws. [90916]
Mrs Villiers: Pedicabs outside London are already regarded in law as "hackney carriages" (taxis) and local licensing authorities have the power to license them under the existing legislation which applies to hackney carriages. However, in London, pedicabs do not fall within the legal classification of a hackney carriage and are therefore not subject to formal licensing controls.
In London, pedicabs are the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has not received any applications of traffic regulations to pedicabs since 2010.
Enforcement of traffic regulations in London is the responsibility of Transport for London, London borough councils, the Metropolitan Police and ultimately the Home Office.
We have no record of these matters being discussed recently.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the provisions of the Disability Discrimination (Transport Vehicle) Regulations 2006 apply to pedicabs; and what assessment her Department has made of the compliance of pedicabs with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [90914]
Mrs Villiers: The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has now been replaced by the Equality Act 2010. Section 29 of the Equality Act essentially prohibits discrimination in the provision of services; this would include the provision of a pedicab service.
Pedicabs outside London are already regarded in law as "hackney carriages" (taxis) and local licensing authorities have the power to license them under the existing legislation which applies to hackney carriages. However, in London,
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pedicabs do not fall within the legal classification of a hackney carriage and are therefore not subject to formal licensing controls.
In London, pedicabs are the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London. As such the Department has not carried out any specific assessment of compliance with Section 29.
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment her Department has made of the (a) safety and (b) roadworthiness of pedicabs. [90964]
Mike Penning: The Department has made no assessment of the safety and roadworthiness of pedicabs, however, they must comply with the requirements of the Pedal Bicycle (Safety) Regulations 2010, the Pedal Cycle (Construction & Use) Regulations 1983, the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989, and if they are electrically assisted, the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles Regulations 1983.
If an electrically assisted pedicab is over 60 kg unladen weight, then it must also comply with the requirements of the Road Vehicles (Construction & Use Regulations) 1986 (as amended) as it is classed as a motor vehicle and would therefore need to be registered, insured and be issued with the appropriate road fund licence. The rider would also need to hold the correct licence.
Enforcement of these requirements would be a matter for the police.
Port Security
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress she has made on implementing the Port Security Regulations 2009. [90297]
Mike Penning: The Port Security Regulations 2009, which provides for the designation of port security authorities covered by Directive 2005/65/EC on enhancing port security, came into force in September 2009. A consequent pilot implementation exercise resulted in the port at Bristol being designated in March 2010.
Subsequent to scrutiny by the European Commission of the reduced implementation programme that was notified in September 2010, the Department has been reviewing the port facilities in the UK and will set out any changes in implementation shortly. In the meantime, the Department has continued to implement the plan, challenging rigorously the impact to ensure that the regulatory burden is kept to a minimum. As a result, the designation order for the port of Dover will come into force at the end of January, and the remaining ports are now geared to the timing of an evaluation report that the European Commission is due to submit to the European Parliament in December 2013.
In parallel, the pre-existent Port Security Committees and Police Portal Groups across the country have enabled the enhancement of port security ahead of formal implementation at the ports.
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Railways: Disability
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many UK cities do not have disabled access at mainline railway stations. [91346]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Information about station facilities is a matter for the Association of Train Operating Companies. They provide comprehensive information on accessibility at all stations via the National Rail Enquiries website. This allows passengers to decide if the facilities at a station allow them to access it, based on the individual nature of their disability.
Railways: Exchange Rates
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the foreign exchange rate risk was considered as part of the major projects and rail investment review. [89887]
Mrs Villiers: It is not clear which review the question is intended to relate to. If the reference in the question is to the recent study on rail value for money led by Sir Roy McNulty, I can confirm that foreign exchange risk was not an area highlighted by the report.
The Department performs sensitivity analysis of exchange rate movements, and their repercussions on contract awards, on an ongoing basis.
Railways: Metal Theft
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases of theft of metal from railways lines there have been in (a) Newton Abbot constituency and (b) Devon in each of the last three years. [90956]
Norman Baker: Network Rail has advised that it only holds information on metal theft on railway lines at Network Rail route level, rather than in geographical regions. The Devon area now falls within Network Rail’s west of England route, for which the number of thefts is shown in the following table.
| Number of thefts | |
Prior to November 2011, Network Rail’s western route included Wales. Now that Wales has been a separate route since November 2011, these numbers do not align with previously published route breakdowns.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who she consulted on her decision to alter standards in respect of (a) response time to incidents and (b) winter maintenance on roads under the jurisdiction of the Highways Agency. [91578]
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Mike Penning: The Highways Agency is responsible for operating and maintaining the Strategic Road Network (SRN). In respect to service provider incident response the agency has undertaken liaison with its suppliers and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Discussions have taken place at ACPO/Highways Agency Partnership Board (November 2011) and the North West Police Liaison meeting (September 2011). This liaison was supplemented by the agency's attendance at the Roads Policing Operations Forum on 19 January 2012.
In future, incident management will focus more on clear up times than initial incident response of service providers. With respect to closure procedures for motorway incidents, a review was carried out jointly with the Home Office, ACPO, Department for Transport (DFT) and the Highways Agency. This was undertaken to identify what can be achieved collectively to reduce incident clear up times. A preliminary report published on 19 May 2011 can be found on the DFT website under publications/roads/appraisal and evaluation or via the following link:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/investigation-and-closure-procedures-for-motorway-incidents
With respect to winter service, I can confirm that the Highways Agency has not altered its standards for winter service. Following a review of the efficiency of its winter service, the agency has made minor changes to the winter service specification, to allow its contractors greater flexibility in developing and delivering winter service treatments, while maintaining the same level and standard of service delivered over previous winter seasons.
Roads: Snow and Ice
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the appropriateness of the volumes of road grit reserves. [91031]
Norman Baker: Total salt stock holdings in Great Britain at the start of December 2011 were just over 2.7 million tonnes, including strategic stockpiles of 539,000 tonnes. This is a significant improvement on the stock levels held in previous years.
Due to the actions on winter resilience this Government have taken, we assess that the country retains an appropriate volume of road salt reserve for any severe winter weather we may encounter.
Travel Information
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to ensure that travel information is available in a variety of formats. [88900]
Norman Baker [holding answer 12 January 2012]: Travel information is primarily a responsibility of the transport operators and local government. The United Kingdom has many world-leading information services that operate at national, regional and local level and which cover single modes and multi-modal services.
The UK Government's Transport Direct service provides journey planning between any address, postcode, settlement or transport access point across Great Britain. Journeys
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can be planned on any mode of transport or combination of modes. Transport Direct can be accessed via the internet, mobile phones and digital television and also, provides numerous services via third parties including the BBC, Visit Britain, the Department for Work and Pensions and the National Trust.
Other providers include Transport for London's journey planner, National Rail, Traveline, the AA, Traffic England, Google and many others. The services include planned services, real-time information, planned and unplanned disruption and fares information.
To ensure these services remain relevant and contemporary and also to encourage the provision of new and user-centred services, the Government encourage the transport industry to create and operate using common standards and protocols in areas such as location and service definition. They are also encouraging the adoption of open data principles with their own and wider industry data to enable the rapid creation of innovative products and services such as those delivered via mobile phone applications and user-generated websites.
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will regulate the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the Government and police. [91364]
Mrs Villiers: The use of unmanned aircraft systems is already covered by the Air Navigation Order 2009 and the Rules of the Air Regulations 2007. Guidance on the use of such aircraft is contained in the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) publication "CAP 722—Unmanned Aircraft System Operations in UK Airspace" which is available from the CAA website.
Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of air passenger duty on the airline industry. [91034]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government published their response to the consultation on reform of air passenger duty on 6 December.
Air passenger duty is fundamentally a revenue-raising duty which makes an important contribution to the public finances. In meeting their revenue requirements, the Government consider aviation taxes in the round.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps all taxes under review along Budget timelines.
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the potential economic effects of levying variable air passenger duties in different parts of the UK. [91577]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government published their response to the consultation on reform of air passenger duty on 6 December 2011. This can be found online at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_airpassenger.htm
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The Government are committed to rebalancing the UK economy across the regions and to maintaining the status of the UK as an international hub for aviation. The Government will continue to work with stakeholders to examine the role of the tax system in support of these objectives.
The Department for Transport is also considering regional connectivity and regional airports policy as part of its development of a sustainable framework for UK aviation, which will be issued for public consultation in March 2012.
Banks: Pay
Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to make the bonuses awarded to employees of state-owned and state-funded banks more transparent. [90677]
Mr Hoban: The Government are currently consulting on extending executive pay disclosure arrangements made under Project Merlin to eight executives below board level at all large banks from 2012 onwards. This is in addition to the financial sector-wide remuneration disclosure regime introduced by the Financial Services Authority designed to facilitate better oversight of the relationship between pay and risk. These reforms will help ensure that UK disclosure requirements are the most comprehensive of any major financial centre.
Banks: Unfair Practices
Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority on the number of cases where banks were found to be in breach of Conduct of Business Sourcebook rules when selling hedging products to clients; [90900]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority on the enforcement of the Conduct of Business Sourcebook rules on mis-selling by banks of interest rate swap products to clients. [90901]
Mr Hoban: Treasury Ministers regularly meet with the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to discuss a range of issues. The FSA, as a statutory independent body, is responsible for decisions relating to the Conduct of Business Sourcebook and its enforcement are a matter for them.
Business: Taxation
Karl McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued to officials in HM Revenue and Customs on the practice of offering sweetheart deals; and what his policy is on the future of such deals. [91237]
Mr Gauke: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 495W.
Child Benefit
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average annual saving to the Exchequer of abolishing child benefit for (a) higher rate taxpayers and (b) third and subsequent children for all taxpayers over the next three years. [91430]
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Mr Gauke: Page 12 of the spending review document provides this information for abolishing child benefit for higher rate taxpayers:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_completereport.pdf
An estimate of the saving for abolishing child benefit for third and subsequent children would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Climate Change Levy
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the spending cap to be reached for every policy covered by his Department's Control framework for Department of Energy and Climate Change levy-funded spending. [90810]
Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
Under the terms of the levies control framework, DECC's levies policies have an aggregate annual spending limit as set out in the following table. We are currently working through consultation responses on both the Feed In Tariffs Review and the Renewables Obligation Banding Review and so it is impossible to provide up-to-date estimates of future projections. However, current deployment trends suggest we expect to reach the levies caps in 2012-13 and 2013-14.
| Spending review levies b udgets | |
| £ million | |
Community Development Tax Relief
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Community Development Tax Relief Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [90742]
Mr Gauke: At Budget 2011 the Government announced they will renotify community investment tax relief to the European Commission and consult in advance of renotification on how the scheme can be made more effective.
Co-operatives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [88610]
Miss Chloe Smith: HM Treasury 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 is co-ordinating Departments’ support for the International Year of Co-operatives, with Co-operatives UK leading the taskforce's work in this area.
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Credit Reference Agencies: Scotland
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will estimate the (a) credit rating an independent Scotland would receive from international ratings agencies and (b) the 10-year bond spread that an independent Scotland could expect when borrowing. [90723]
Mr Hoban: The judgments involved in assessing credit ratings are a matter for the international ratings agencies. In recent months, the major credit rating agencies have re-affirmed the UK rating at triple-A with a stable outlook. As part of the United Kingdom, Scotland clearly benefits from the UK's strong credit rating. UK Government bond yields are currently at record lows. It would be a matter for credit rating agencies to decide if an independent Scotland would have a triple-A rating, and how the financial markets view the terms of independence could have an impact on its borrowing costs.
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether his Department holds information on the EU regulations in its policy areas of responsibility which have not been implemented in (a) France and (b) Germany; on which dates those regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement; [90702]
(2) which EU regulations his Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement. [90717]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government do not hold the information requested on implementation of EU regulations by France and Germany.
Information on HM Treasury's implementation of regulations is not currently held centrally. I have asked my officials to compile this information to the extent possible and I will write to the hon. Member with details when these are available and deposit a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.