Work Programme
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employer contracts his Department has made in relation to the Work programme since its inception. [91408]
Chris Grayling: The DWP do not have contracts with employers in relation to the Work programme.
Attorney-General
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in the Law Officers' Departments engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement. [91109]
24 Jan 2012 : Column 166W
The Solicitor-General: The following table contains details on the number and proportion of staff who were in post as at 31 December 2011, which each of the Law Officers' Departments defines as frontline or corporate/back office staff.
| Law Officers’ Department: Staff in post (full-time equivalent) | ||||
| Frontline | Corporate/back office | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
Transport
A3: Hampshire
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answers of 12 July 2010, Official Report, column 467W, on A3, and 6 September 2010, Official Report, column 176W, on A3: Hampshire, what assessment she has made of (a) traffic levels and (b) noise on the A3 between Liphook and Petersfield (i) before and (ii) following the opening of the Hindhead Tunnel; what measurements of traffic levels have been made since the opening of the tunnel; and how the measurements compare to the pre-opening projection of traffic increase. [91580]
Mike Penning: As indicated in the answer given on 6 September 2010, Official Report, column 178W, the section of the A3 between Liphook and Petersfield is outside the area of scope for the A3 Hindhead project. Noise assessments were not made prior to scheme start because the increase in traffic flows are forecast to be less than 10%. Changes in traffic flows of less than 10% will generate noise increases of less than 1dB(A)—the limit to which change in traffic noise can be detected by the human ear.
Apprentices
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding her Department allocated to sponsor apprenticeships in her Department in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much such funding she plans to allocate in 2012-13. [89139]
Norman Baker: The amount of funding the Department allocated to sponsor apprenticeships is:
(a) £28,592
(b) £8,604
The amount of funding the Department currently plans to allocate in 2012-13 is:
(c) £18,000
24 Jan 2012 : Column 167W
Consultants
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 411-12W, on departmental consultants, how much (a) her Department and (b) franchised train operators have spent on each consultant or consultancy for the (i) Thameslink Programme, (ii) Thameslink Rolling Stock Procurement and (iii) Intercity Express Programme since the start of each programme; and how much her Department has budgeted for such consultancy in the remainder of the comprehensive spending review period; [88948]
(2) what expenditure her Department has incurred on (a) external consultants and (b) legal advice, including costs incurred by franchised train operators, in relation to the (i) Thameslink rolling stock and (ii) Intercity Express programmes. [89125]
Mrs Villiers: The information requested can be found in the following tables. I have since issued a ministerial correction to my answer of 23 November 2011, on 23 January 2012, Official Report, columns 1-4MC.
| Thameslink Rolling Stock Project | |||
| £ million | |||
| Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast | |
| Thameslink Programme | |||
| £ million | |||
| Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast | |
| IEP Programme | |||
| £ million | |||
| Costs incurred to May 2010 | Cost incurred June 2010 to September 2011 | October 2011 to March 2012 forecast | |
24 Jan 2012 : Column 168W
Detailed spending plans for years beyond the financial year 2011-12 have not yet been agreed.
Consultancy costs incurred by franchised train operators are a matter for themselves and not the Department.
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 411-12W, on departmental consultants, how many hours of work Mott MacDonald has invoiced for consultancy on the Intercity Express Programme. [88949]
Mrs Villiers: Mott MacDonald has invoiced the Department for around 112,000 hours of consultancy work on the Intercity Express Programme since its inception in 2005-06.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff in her Department are engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if she will make a statement. [91105]
Norman Baker: On 31 December 2011 there were 16,807 full-time equivalent staff working in the Department for Transport. Of these 12,673 were engaged in delivering frontline services. This represents 75% of the total. 4,134 were engaged in delivering corporate or back office services. This represents 25% of the total.
24 Jan 2012 : Column 169W
In the central Department (DFTc) there were 1,655 full-time equivalent staff. Of these 327 were engaged in delivering frontline services, representing 20% of the total. 1,327 were engaged in delivering corporate or back office services and this represents 80% of the total.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has considered introducing any pilot programmes in advance of the proposed centralisation of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency services. [90633]
Mike Penning [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Decisions about centralisation have not yet been taken. If the proposals are taken forward following the outcome of the public consultation, the DVLA will then consider how best to implement the changes. This could include the use of pilot programmes.
Network Rail
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with Network Rail and station operators on delays to station improvement works. [91345]
Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), and officials have meetings with both Network Rail and train operators on a regular basis at which a range of issues are discussed. These can include progress on various station improvement works and, where applicable, the steps being taken by the delivery agent to address any programme delays.
Railways: Fares
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what proportion regulated rail fares will increase in the remaining years of the comprehensive spending review period. [90627]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Details of planned changes to regulated rail fares are set out in the spending review.
Railways: Freight
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of the use of the Trans Pennine Line was used for haulage in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; [89985]
(2) what proportion of the use of the West Coast Main Line was used for haulage in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [89986]
Mrs Villiers: The Department does not hold this information. It is a matter for Network Rail.
24 Jan 2012 : Column 170W
Railways: Scotland
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the cost of new sleeper carriages for the Caledonian Sleeper service will fall beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [90631]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 19 January 2012]: The Caledonian Sleeper service is a devolved matter for Transport Scotland.
Southern: Rolling Stock
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to the public purse will be of new carriages for the Southern rail network in each of the remaining years of the comprehensive spending review period. [90628]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 19 January 2012]: The cost to the public purse for the new carriages is forecast to be circa £89 million. In 2011-12 this is up to £84.5 million with the remainder spread over the spending review period.
Southern Railway will be conducting a financing competition for the new trains which is expected to complete in financial year 2012-13.
Treasury
National Insurance Contributions
18. Mr Bailey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of jobs supported by the National Insurance Contributions holiday for new companies. [91209]
Mr Gauke: HMRC has received around 12,000 successful applications for the NICs holiday scheme (to 19 January 2012). In advance of year end returns, we estimate that 40,000 jobs have been supported in total.
Credit: Small Businesses
19. Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase the availability of credit to small businesses. [91210]
24. Jessica Lee: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase the availability of credit to small businesses. [91215]
25. Mr Rob Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase the availability of credit to small businesses. [91216]
Mr Hoban:
At the autumn statement the Government announced the launch of the national loan guarantee scheme which will lower the cost of loans for smaller businesses, and the extension of the Enterprise Finance
24 Jan 2012 : Column 171W
Guarantee to new lenders and a wider group of businesses. In addition, the Business Finance Partnership is making available an initial £1 billion to deliver additional finance to mid-sized companies through non-bank channels.
Economic Growth
20. Mr MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal steps he plans to take to encourage growth; and if he will make a statement. [91211]
Miss Chloe Smith: Sticking to the Government's fiscal consolidation plan is necessary to restore the public finances to sustainability and has helped to maintain low long-term interest rates.
21. John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the Office for Budget Responsibility's most recent forecast of levels of economic growth in 2012. [91212]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. In the November economic and fiscal outlook, the OBR forecast economic growth of 0.7% in 2012.
Taxation Changes: Families with Children
22. Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on families with children of taxation changes coming into force in 2012-13. [91213]
Mr Gauke: This Government have taken unprecedented steps to increase the transparency of decision making, publishing detailed analysis of the impacts of individual measures in Tax Impact Notes, and presenting the overall impact of tax-benefit reforms at fiscal events.
These show that all but the top decile gain from direct tax changes, and that the Government continues to help protect the most vulnerable.
Merlin Agreement
23. Mr Mudie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent progress he has made on the Merlin agreement on lending to small businesses. [91214]
Mr Hoban: In the first three quarters of last year, the Merlin banks lent £56 billion to SMEs—a 10% increase on lending this time last year. The Government have always been clear that they will use all of the tools available to ensure that the banks live up to their commitments on lending.
Biofuels: Crime
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to discourage the illegal production of biodiesel for commercial sale. [91441]
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Mr Gauke: The Government are aware of several cases where producers have tried to avoid registering to pay biofuels duty. Suppliers are liable to account for the duty if they produce 2,500 litres or more and supply the oil for fuel production. Production under 2,500 litres per year is exempt from duty.
Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ensure that the rules relating to this threshold are complied with through education, monitoring and targeted assurance activity. HMRC's activity resulted in the detection of 26 illicit biofuel plants in 2010-11.
HMRC have developed an e-mail template to assist members of the public in reporting cases of concern, which is available online at:
https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/shortforms/form/AAG_TAI
Christmas
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [91082]
Miss Chloe Smith: The HM Treasury Christmas tree and decorations were paid for by a single donation in 2011, as cuts precluded one being purchased from the Treasury’s departmental budget.
We are withholding the identity of the donor as they wish to remain anonymous. We consider that it would be unfair, under section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act, to reveal the name of an individual who has requested anonymity.
Climate Change Levy
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of households that will be prevented from falling into fuel poverty as a result of the measures set out in his Department's Control framework for Department of Energy and Climate Change levy-funded spending. [90806]
Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Energy and Climate Change.
The Warm Home Discount scheme is managed within the levy control framework. Estimates of the impact of the scheme on fuel poverty were published within the impact assessment made on the scheme. The scheme will assist around two million low income and vulnerable households each year. The fuel poverty impacts are set out in Table 1 as follows. Estimates of fuel poverty impacts of other policies within the levy control framework are not available.
| Table 1. Impact on fuel poverty of the Warm Home Discount scheme | ||||
| Metric | ||||
| 2011 - 12 | 2012 - 13 | 2013 - 14 | 2014- 15 | |
24 Jan 2012 : Column 173W
Community Development Tax Relief
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Community Development financial institutions are accredited under the Community Investment Tax Relief Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [90743]
Mr Prisk: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Currently there are 24 Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) accredited under Community Investment Tax Relief (CITR).
The Government announced in Budget 2011 their intention to continue the scheme and to this end that they would renotify CITR to the European Commission and consult in advance of renotification on how the scheme can be made more effective.
Community Investment Tax Relief
Mr Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Exchequer was of community investment tax relief in each year since it was introduced; what estimate he has made of such costs in each year to 2014-15; and if he will make a statement. [91288]
Mr Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for East Hampshire (Damian Hinds) on 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 19W.
Further to this answer, the Treasury has made no estimate of the costs of CITR for future years.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement. [91081]
Miss Chloe Smith: In line with the Government's wider transparency agenda the Treasury's organisation chart is published at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/hmt_orgchart.pdf
This shows the number and structure of HM Treasury's full-time equivalent staff. In general, staff within the Corporate Centre group provide Treasury's corporate services, but some staff in this group also deliver frontline services and services to other Departments.
Devolution: Finance
Mr Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration his Department has given to revising the Barnett Formula; and if he will make a statement. [91168]
Danny Alexander: As set out in the Coalition programme for government, this Government's priority must be to reduce the deficit, and therefore any change to the Barnett Formula must await the stabilisation of the public finances.
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Excise Duties: Gaming Machines
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the amusement industry on the effect of machine games duty on (a) the amusement sector and (b) seaside businesses. [91244]
Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Occupational Pensions
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the EU directive on Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision on (a) economic growth and (b) business pension provision in the UK. [90419]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Directive 2003/41/EC on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision has had no effect on economic growth or on the provision of occupational pensions.
However, we would oppose any proposals to align pension fund capital rules with those in the Solvency II Directive, and have made it clear that any proposals must be supported by a detailed and robust assessment of their impact on growth and pension provision.
Taxation: Northern Ireland
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his most recent estimate is of the total tax revenue from Northern Ireland in the latest year for which figures are available; [91487]
(2) what his most recent estimate is of the total revenue raised from Northern Ireland from (a) income tax at the basic rate, (b) income tax at the higher rate, (c) value added tax, (d) corporation tax and (e) national insurance in the latest year for which figures are available. [91499]
Mr Gauke: Estimates of the revenue raised from Northern Ireland are unavailable for some taxes, and therefore for tax revenues in total.
No information is available at sub-UK level on revenue from value added tax.
Based on Survey of Personal Incomes data, total income tax liabilities in Northern Ireland in 2007-08 are estimated at £3.08 billion (see Table 3.11 “Income and tax, by gender, region and country” available on the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/table-3-11-feb2010.pdf
Within this total, it is estimated that tax liabilities due at the then starting, basic and higher rates of income tax were £0.17 billion, £2.03 billion and £0.88 billion respectively.
24 Jan 2012 : Column 175W
With regard to corporation tax, I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4.34 (page 26) of the consultation document “Rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy”, published by HM Treasury on 24 March 2011, in which estimates of the amount of corporation tax for Northern Ireland based companies have been published. The figures there exclude revenues due to the activity of Northern Ireland based branches of GB companies.
A link to the full document is given here:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/rebalancing_the_northern_ireland_economy_consultation.pdf
The total amount of national insurance contributions received from Northern Ireland in 2010-11 is estimated to be £2.1 billion.
A link to the Northern Ireland National Insurance Fund Account is given here:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/ni-fund-ac-ni-1011.pdf
Welfare Tax Credits: Telephone Services
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has considered redeploying temporary HM Revenue and Customs staff to handle tax credit calls at the (a) Lillyhall, Cumbria and (b) Bathgate call centres; [90992]
(2) when he expects private sector companies to start work on tax credit calls at the HM Revenue and Customs call centres in Lillyhall, Cumbria and Bathgate. [90993]
Mr Gauke: HMRC regularly cross-train and redeploy very significant numbers of staff across their operations to help manage peaks in contact centre demand. HMRC envisage a continuing (and increasing) need for such flexibility in future.
Additionally and in line with a recommendation from the Accountant and Comptroller General, HMRC are about to begin small scale, short term trial to test whether—and if so how—using additional capacity from the private sector during peak periods might work and what the costs and benefits might be. The trial teams are expected to start taking their first calls in early February.
Cabinet Office
Christmas
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [91098]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office did not incur any expenditure on either Christmas trees or decorations in 2011.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many cases of data loss or breaches of confidentiality occurred in his Department in 2011. [90686]
24 Jan 2012 : Column 176W
Mr Maude [holding answer 19 January 2012]: During 2011, there were no instances of data loss or breaches of confidentiality which have required notification to the Information Commissioner's Office.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement. [91097]
Mr Maude: As part of the commitment to making Government more transparent and accountable, Departments are required to publish structure charts every six months showing the numbers of staff within their structural groupings. Departmental structure charts can be found at:
http://data.gov.uk/organogram
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which EU regulations his Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement. [90704]
Mr Maude: Information is not held in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The Cabinet Office holds information only on regulations that it has implemented.
New Businesses
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many small businesses have commenced trading in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England in the last six months. [91592]
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 how many small businesses have commenced trading in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England in the last six months [91592].
Annual statistics on the number of enterprise births within a calendar year are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at www.statistics.gov.uk. However, unfortunately these statistics are only available up to the calendar year 2010. The results for 2011 will be released on 6th December 2012.
Public Sector: Dismissal
David Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to simplify the process of removing poorly performing staff in the public sector; and if he will make a statement. [90977]
Mr Maude: In the civil service, for which I have responsibility, work is being taken forward to address the management of poor performance.
24 Jan 2012 : Column 177W
Defence
Air Force: Ammunition
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether WE.177 munitions have been stored at (a) RAF Kinloss, (b) RAF Lossiemouth, (c) RAF Leuchars and (d) RAF Machrihanish. [86833]
Peter Luff: Due to the length of time that WE.177 munitions have been out of service, a search of archived records is required. I will write to the hon. Member when this search is complete.
Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Angus Robertson:
I undertook to write to you on 10 January 2012 (Official Report, column 6W) in answer to your question about WE177 munitions.
WE177 munitions were brought into service in 1966 and were in continual service with the RAF for 32 years before being withdrawn in March 1998. My officials have completed a search of archived records and I can confirm that WE177 munitions were never permanently stored at RAF Kinloss, RAF Leuchars or RAF Lossiemouth. Relevant records are no longer held for RAF Machrihanish although aircraft specified to deploy WE177 were not permanently based at that station and therefore it is highly unlikely that the munitions would ever have been stored there.
Aircraft Carriers
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment his Department has made of the suitability of the Joint Combat Aircraft to operate from aircraft carriers; what assessment has been made of the prospects of rectifying any design deficiencies in that aircraft for carrier operations; what contingency plans his Department is preparing in the event of the non-availability of Joint Combat Aircraft for the Future Aircraft Carriers; and if he will make a statement. [90770]
Peter Luff: The UK's commitment to the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter to meet its Joint Combat Aircraft requirement was confirmed in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.
As a Level one partner in the Joint Strike Fighter development programme, the UK has constant access to data from the development and test programme. We are confident that the F-35C aircraft will be able to operate successfully from aircraft carriers and that any design deficiencies discovered during development will be resolved.
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he estimates that the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will be transferred from the manufacturers to the Royal Navy. [90882]
Peter Luff [holding answer 20 January 2012]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 421W.
Richard Drax:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the top speed will be of the aircraft carriers currently being manufactured for his Department; what assessment he has made of the
24 Jan 2012 : Column 178W
adequacy of the speed of such aircraft carriers for F35 striker jets taking off in still conditions; and if he will make a statement. [91302]
Peter Luff [holding answer 23 January 2012]: The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier will be capable of a top speed in excess of 25 knots, which is considered more than sufficient to be able to launch the F-35C and other fixed-wing aircraft regardless of wind speed conditions.
Richard Drax: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the F35 Joint Strike Fighter Concurrency Quick Look Review has concluded that the arrestor hook used to stop the F35 overshooting a carrier's landing deck once it has touched down is too close to the plane's wheels. [91303]
Peter Luff [holding answer 23 January 2012]: The joint strike fighter quick look review commissioned by the US Department of Defence highlighted deficiencies in the F-35C arrestor hook that had already been identified during testing in 2011. Such discoveries are common during a development programme and work is well advanced to develop the required modifications to correct this deficiency.
Animals: Euthanasia
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, columns 725-6W, on animals: euthanasia, what behaviour falls within the definition of temperament for the horses euthanised in 2011; [91545]
(2) what procedure his Department follows for disposal of euthanised (a) horses and (b) dogs; [91530]
(3) what his Department's policy is on disposing of (a) horses and (b) dogs that have come to the end of their working life. [91531]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 24 January 2012]: The Ministry of Defence's policy is to re-home all military working dogs and horses at the end of their service life wherever practicable.
Regrettably, however, there are occasions when military working animals have to be put down humanely. This action is only ever taken as a last resort, where it is judged to be unsafe to re-home the animal because of the risk it poses to the public, or where veterinary reasons indicate that re-homing it would conflict with the animal's welfare.
Horses are put down humanely for temperamental reasons when their behaviour is judged, by a panel comprising equitation instructors and veterinary officers, to be consistently dangerous to the rider and/or public and with no reasonable prospect of remedying the dangerous behaviour with humane corrective training and re-homing is not possible.
The bodies of deceased military working dogs and horses that have been put down at the Defence Animal Centre are disposed of via a contract with Nottingham University Veterinary School. Military working animals that are put down elsewhere are disposed of by local contract in compliance with local regulations.
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Armed Forces: Deployment
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of personnel in each armed service have been in breach of their harmony guidelines since March 2011; what assessment he has made of the effect of Operation Ellamy on the number of such people; and if he will make a statement. [89928]
Mr Robathan: It should be noted that Harmony is defined differently by each service, so direct comparisons can be misleading. Accordingly, the information requested is shown in the following three tables, along with each service's harmony definition. Where available, figures for 2010 have been included for comparison with Operation Ellamy dates (19 March to 31 October 2011).
UK Regular Naval Service Separated Service
Personnel on the trained strength are considered to be in breach of harmony guidelines on a particular date if they have spent more than 660 days away from home during the preceding 36-month period.
| Percentage of personnel in breach of Harmony guidelines | |
| Percentage | |
UK Regular Army Separated Service
Personnel on the trained strength are considered to be in breach of harmony in the final month of the specified reporting period if they have spent more than 415 days away from home in a 30-month period.
| Percentage of personnel in breach of Harmony guidelines | |
| Percentage | |
UK Regular Royal Air Force Separated Service
Personnel on the trained strength are considered to have breached harmony guidelines if they have spent more than 280 days away from home in a 24-month period.
| Percentage of personnel in breach of Harmony guidelines | |
| Percentage | |
24 Jan 2012 : Column 180W
The armed forces contribution to Operation Ellamy did not place such a burden on our manpower that individual harmony breaches were widespread. Unfortunately at a time of high operational commitment, breaches of harmony guidelines do occur but initiatives and regulators are used to help ameliorate the situation. These include flexible appointing between ranks, mobilisation of reservists, use of contractors, and regular review of the numbers of posts required for each operation.
Armed Forces: Dogs
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dogs owned by his Department were working in the Falkland Islands in the most recent period for which figures are available; how many were euthanized in 2011; and for what reasons. [91229]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 23 January 2012]: During 2011, there were 13 military working dogs and one mascot dog employed by the Ministry of Defence based in the Falkland Islands. During the same period three military working dogs were euthanized for veterinary medical reasons although the exact reasons are unknown.
Decisions to euthanise dogs are only taken as a last resort and in reaching these decisions both the welfare of the dog and public safety are carefully considered.
Armed Forces: Education
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the maximum annual contribution made to service personnel towards learning activities through (a) the Standard Learning Credits scheme and (b) the Advanced Learning Credits scheme. [89614]
Mr Robathan: The Standard Learning Credits scheme is valued at £175 per year. The Enhanced Learning Credits scheme offers three separate payments of £1,000 or £2,000 per year (depending on length of service accumulated) for a maximum of three years. As an incentive to complete a course of study, we require a minimum of 20% personal contribution. Given the difficult fiscal position the Government inherited, there are no plans to increase the value of either scheme.
Service leavers entering full-time higher education utilising Enhanced Learning Credits are not required to contribute towards tuition fees. Where the tuition fees exceed the sums mentioned above, the balance is met by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In cases, therefore, where educational institutions are increasing their tuition fees, the value of the Government contribution will rise accordingly.
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which training providers his Department contracts to provide the Enhanced Learning Credit Scheme. [91115]
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Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is not in a contractual relationship with approved providers for training. However, our commercial partner G4S, which administers the scheme on our behalf, maintains a list of approved providers. As this contains the details of approximately 900 providers the document will be placed in the Library of the House.
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost was of fees paid by service leavers accessing a first full level 3 or higher education qualification under the Enhanced Learning Credit scheme in (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09, (c) 2009-10 and (d) 2010-11. [91120]
Mr Robathan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 January 2012, Official Report, column 304W.
Armed Forces: Pensions
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made on the review of pensions for armed service personnel; and if he will make a statement. [89778]
Mr Robathan: Lord Hutton's independent Public Service Pensions Commission published its report on pensions reform in March 2011. It set out recommendations for future pension arrangements that are sustainable and affordable in the long term, fair to both the public service work force and the taxpayer and consistent with the fiscal challenges ahead, while protecting accrued rights. The Government accepted Lord Hutton's report as a basis for consultation on the various schemes it covered. Work on a new armed forces pension scheme is going forward with a view to producing outline proposals in the next few months. The armed forces (and other interested parties) will be fully consulted before a decision is made.
Armed Forces: Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings if any Ministers in his Department have had with PTSD Resolution since May 2010. [91134]
Mr Robathan: Defence Ministers regularly meet representatives of charities which raise money for, and represent the interests of, current and former members of our armed forces and their families, either on a one- to-one basis or as part of wider events organised by organisations such as Confederation of Service Charities or the Ministry of Defence's Welfare Conference.
Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on the Ministry of Defence website at the following address:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/Expenses/MinistersHospitalityReceived.htm
The information currently published covers May 2010 to June 2011 arid is being updated on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Government's transparency programme.
Ministers from the Ministry of Defence have had no meetings with representatives from PTSD Resolution.
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Armed Forces: Secondment
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were seconded to the armed forces of each foreign government in 2011; and what the cost to his Department was of such secondments. [88313]
Mr Robathan: The MOD seconded 13 service personnel to the armed forces of foreign governments in 2011. 11 were seconded to the Saudi Arabian National Guard and two to the Bermudan Defence Force; although this reduced to one in July 2011.
There is no cost to the Department against personnel seconded to the armed forces of other governments. Their full manpower costs including salary, allowances, national insurance and pension contributions, are met by the host nation.
Armed Forces: Security
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the military will have in the provision of security for Olympic events taking place in Dorset. [91063]
Nick Harvey: The Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced to the House on 15 December 2011, Official Report, columns 116-17WS, that the Ministry of Defence has been working closely with Dorset police to scope the provision of specialist support for maritime security operations in Weymouth Bay. It is currently planned for HMS Bulwark to be based there during the games, providing maritime surveillance and a temporary maritime command, control, communications and co-ordination centre. Defence will also be providing support to the police for above and below-water venue search, the capability to interdict vessels and assets for maritime logistic support.
Olympic Games 2012: Security
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what resources his Department will provide for bomb detection during the period of the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement. [91022]
Nick Harvey: The Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced to the House on 15 December 2011, Official Report, columns 116-17WS, that the Ministry of Defence will increase the normal capacity of the armed forces in several specialist areas which are routinely provided to civil authorities in order to enhance their security capabilities. This includes the provision of Explosive Ordnance Disposal, military working dogs and specialist military search capability for, vehicles and buildings at Olympic venues across the UK.
Christmas
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [91090]
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Mr Robathan: We do not permit public expenditure on Christmas trees and decorations, with the exception of expenditure which is covered by the Family Welfare Grant. This supports activities that enhance the morale of families of service personnel who are separated from their loved ones serving in operational theatres.
We have identified expenditure of £172 on Christmas trees and £428 on decorations in 2011 from this grant.
Coulport Depot
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the asset value of the Royal Armaments Depot at Coulport. [91252]
Mr Robathan: The most recent estimate of the asset value of the Royal Armaments Depot at Coulport is £133.6 million.
Defence
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's brief for the Assistant Director of Information dated October 1998 D/DAO/14/3/5. [72725]
Dr Fox: I will write to the hon. Member.
Substantive answer from Philip Hammond to Angus Robertson:
My predecessor undertook to write to you in answer to your parliamentary question answered on 11 October 2011 (Official Report, column 334W) requesting a copy of the brief for the Assistant Director of Information dated October 1998 D/DAO/14/3/5 to be placed in the Library of the House.
Officials have carried out an extensive search for the document you requested, totalling around 125 man-hours. This far exceeds the Parliamentary guidelines on cost limits for complying with Parliamentary Questions.
As you are aware the requested document was referenced in the Haddon-Cave inquiry report and was provided to the Inquiry in 2008. The Haddon-Cave Inquiry was, with the XV230 Board of Inquiry and Coroner’s Inquest, the third major review of Nimrod Safety. MOD officials supported the Haddon-Cave Inquiry for over one year, collating and submitting documents from a large number of sources and archive sites. All safety lessons that could be identified from the documents were recorded. As you know the Department accepted responsibility for the loss of XV230 and again recorded safety critical observations and recommendations from these reviews. However, the individual documents were returned to their archive sites.
The Nimrod is now out of service and the dedicated teams of Nimrod staffs have been dispersed. Safety critical lessons from the Nimrod review which have relevance for our in-service aircraft fleets have been fully captured and are available to Departmental personnel in safety related posts. However, to relocate the individual documents from archive that supported those lessons would place a significant additional burden on departmental staff.
Consequently, while I realise this will come as a disappointment to you, the requested document could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Public Expenditure
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost of administration of the (a) agencies and (b) trading funds within his responsibility. [86824]
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Mr Robathan: The annual cost of administration, based on total staff costs for 2010-11 of the Ministry of Defence’s current agencies given in their annual reports, is shown in the following table.
| Agency | £ million |
The costs for MOD’s trading fund agencies (UK Hydrographic Office, Defence Support Group and DSTL) are not a direct cost to MOD, but rather part of the overheads that are indirectly charged to all their customers.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's planned budget is for (a) the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations and (b) the London 2012 Olympic Games; and under what budget headings such expenditure will be made. [88568]
Nick Harvey: Funding of up to £4 million has been approved for the armed forces involvement in celebrations to mark Her Majesty the Queen's diamond jubilee. This includes the cost of the Diamond Jubilee Medal, to be awarded to all members of the armed forces meeting the eligibility criteria, and the cost of specific ceremonial events to mark this most important anniversary. Details of these events remain at the planning stage and will be announced in the coming months.
The Department is in the process of finalising the allocation of the financial resources necessary to meet Defence support requests in relation to the London 2012 Olympic Games. The final allocation of resources will not be confirmed until the outcome of the current Defence Planning Round is endorsed by Ministers.
Internships
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines his Department issues to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of unpaid interns. [89387]
Mr Robathan: The MOD has not issued specific advice to its non-departmental public bodies on the employment of interns but if advice is sought from the Department, non-departmental public bodies are referred to ‘The Common Best Practice Guide for High Quality Internships’, published by the Gateways to the Professions Collaborative Forum, a copy of which can be found on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/higher-education/docs/c/11-1068-common-best-practice-code-for-quality-internships.pdf
Olympic Games 2012: Security
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many of his Department's sniffer dogs will return to the UK from Afghanistan for the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement; [91017]
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(2) what steps his Department is taking to manage the withdrawal of sniffer dogs from Afghanistan during the period of the London 2012 Olympics. [91021]
Nick Harvey: The Ministry of Defence has been asked to provide search dogs to support the London 2012 Olympic Games and these animals will be trained during the first half of 2012 by the Defence Animal Centre. No military working dogs will be withdrawn from Afghanistan in order to support this commitment.
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [90688]
Mr Robathan: This information is publicly available on the European Commission's EUR-Lex website:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which EU regulations his Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if he will make a statement. [90708]
Mr Robathan: The only EU directive that has not yet been implemented by the Ministry of Defence is Directive 2010/64/EU of 20 October 2010 on the right to interpretation and translation in criminal proceedings. This directive must be implemented by 27 October 2013.
Ex-servicemen: Armed Forces
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel left the armed forces in each year since 2008. [91118]
Mr Robathan: The following table lists the outflow from the armed forces for each financial year since 1 April 2008. Further information can be found in the publication United Kingdom Defence Statistics 2011 in the Library of the House and at:
http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index.php?page=48&pubType=1&thiscontent=10&PublishTime= 09:30:00&date=2011-09-28&disText=2011&from=listing&topDate=2011-09-28
| Financial year | Total outflow from the trained strength |
Falkland Islands: Public Expenditure
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Government has spent defending and protecting the Falkland Islands in each of the last five years. [91122]
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Nick Harvey: These costs to the Chief of Joint Operations Top Level Budget which is responsible for the Falkland Islands are as follows:
| Financial year | £ million |
The MOD's core budget is separated into seven top level budget holders (TLBs), each responsible for delivering individual military objectives. Within these TLBs, the budget is not routinely allocated to regions. To provide the level of detailed breakdown for each TLBs expenditure in relation to the Falkland Islands would incur disproportionate cost.
Gurkhas: Redundancy
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he is using to select people in Gurkha regiments for compulsory redundancy; and what his policy is on targeting a particular age range in the redundancy programme. [91318]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 23 January 2012]: The criteria used to select individuals for redundancy are the same for all army personnel, including Gurkhas. Those eligible under the Army Redundancy programme are scored by a board and placed in an order of merit based upon the evidence contained within their annual reports. These Boards take into consideration an individual's performance, potential and wider employability.
Generally, applicants are then selected in preference to non-applicants, with the lowest scoring applicants taken first. Where there are insufficient applicants to meet the requirement the lowest scoring non-applicants are then selected for redundancy.
Eligibility for redundancy is based upon identifying areas of surplus manpower, including the Gurkhas, by rank and trade, against a future reduced size of the regular Army. Within each Arm and Service of the Army there is an optimal number of personnel at each rank, distributed over a range of lengths of service.
Any identified areas of excess are targeted for redundancy. Age is not a criterion for the selection of eligible soldiers in Tranche 2 of the Army Redundancy programme.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support for resettlement his Department plans to provide to Gurkhas being made redundant. [91319]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 23 January 2012]: Gurkhas being made redundant will qualify for the same resettlement package as that available to all Army personnel. This includes financial related briefings covering budget and debt management, specialist housing advice, and advice on the importance of seeking medical help, including the ability to access mental health services should they feel it necessary. In addition, the UK Border Agency has agreed that Gurkhas can have their settlement applications to remain and work in the UK processed under special arrangements.
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Further support is also available through the Career Transition Partnership (a partnership between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Right Management) through training courses; career transition workshops; employment and future career advice; assistance with curriculum vitae writing and job preparation; vocational training; and a job-search/recruitment facility.
As part of the special arrangements for redundancy all Army personnel, including Gurkhas, will receive the same level of graduated resettlement time (GRT) and training to which they would have been entitled had they completed their full commission or engagement. GRT is flexible time which may be used by personnel to complete resettlement activities such as training courses, civilian work attachments and other requirements including job and house hunting.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what alternatives he considered to the deployment of the F35 Joint Strike Fighter on aircraft carriers. [90909]
Peter Luff: A number of potential solutions to the UK's requirement for a joint combat aircraft able to provide a survivable and sustainable expeditionary air capability were considered prior to the decision in 2001 to select the F-35 joint strike fighter. These alternative solutions included an Advanced Harrier, a navalised Typhoon and the F/A 18 Super Hornet.
The decision to select the F-35 joint strike fighter was reconfirmed during the 2010 strategic defence and security review.
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he last met his US counterpart to discuss the progress of the F35 programme; [90910]
(2) what progress reports on the F35 programme he has received from his US counterpart in the last 12 months. [90939]
Peter Luff [holding answer 20 January 2012]: The UK maintains close daily liaison with the US and is aware of the current status of the joint strike fighter (JSF) programme. Additionally, the UK has civilian and military personnel embedded within the JSF project office. The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed JSF during his visit to the US on 5 January.
Libya: Armed Conflict
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the rate of re-supply of Tomahawk after Operation Ellamy; and if he will make a statement. [90757]
Peter Luff [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Replenishment of UK stocks of Tomahawk missiles, following the conclusion of Operation Ellamy in October, is currently under review as part of the Department's planning process. As yet no decisions have been made.
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Olympic Games 2012: Security
Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed services personnel providing security for the London 2012 Olympic Games will be given temporary accommodation in Newham. [91262]
Nick Harvey: It is currently envisaged that up to 300 service personnel, providing security for the London 2012 Olympic Games, will be accommodated in temporary accommodation in the Newham area.
Ministry of Defence Language Schools
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the proposed closure of Ministry of Defence language schools. [90567]
Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has plans to close his Department's language schools; and if he will make a statement. [91343]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 19 January 2012]: The Ministry of Defence has been reviewing its arrangements for language training including examining options for closer collaboration with the Foreign Office. Responsibility for language training has been transferred to the Defence Academy, which is assessing potential future delivery models and will make recommendations in due course.
Navy: Pitcairn Islands
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Royal Navy vessels have made a goodwill visit to the Pitcairn Islands in each of the last 10 years; [91043]
(2) whether he plans to deploy Royal Navy vessels on goodwill visits to the Pitcairn Islands. [91050]
Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2011, Official Report, column 981W. The remoteness of Pitcairn Island is such that these visits are infrequent. The Royal Navy currently has no plans to visit the island.
Radiation Exposure
Mr Gordon Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received of the finding of radiation particles at Crowhill Wood, Fife; and what steps he plans to take in this respect. [90572]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 19 January 2012]: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) received a paper from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency on 16 December 2011 showing radioactive concentration ratios which do not appear to be naturally occurring. We are currently seeking to establish whether Crowhill was formerly owned by the department and whether any MOD activities were undertaken at Crowhill.
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Submarines
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Royal Navy's requirement for (a) numbers and (b) types of submarines to be available for operations in the next 10 years. [90756]
Peter Luff [holding answer 19 January 2012]: The Royal Navy's requirement for submarines was assessed during the strategic defence and security review. Over the next 10 years we plan to maintain a fleet of four Vanguard class ballistic-missile submarines delivering the strategic nuclear deterrent, and a fleet of seven nuclear attack submarines consisting of a mixture of Trafalgar class boats and the new Astute class boats which are replacing them.
Unmanned Air Vehicles
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to modify the MQ-9 Reaper with the new General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' trailing arm design main landing gear. [91023]
Peter Luff: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems have developed a solution for the main landing gear for both in-service MQ-9 Reapers and those that are due to enter service in the near future. We are discussing this option with the United States Air Force and considering it alongside a range of other potential modifications to the UK's Reaper systems.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which foreign aircraft personnel from 148 Battery Royal Artillery directed UK naval fire during Operation Ellamy. [91024]
Nick Harvey: US P3 Orion aircraft and Canadian CP-140 aircraft were used by UK personnel directing naval fire support from UK ships during Operation Ellamy. These personnel were trained, qualified, competent and current in directing naval fire support and had previous experience from 148 Battery Royal Artillery.
Health
Accidents: Pedicabs
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were treated in hospital for injuries resulting from accidents which occurred while they were passengers in pedicabs or rickshaws in the last three years. [90917]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not held in the format requested. The NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care has advised that the data it collects would include any type of cycle or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Therefore, it is not possible to extract data for injuries sustained by passengers in pedicabs or rickshaws.
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Plastic Surgery: Breasts
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support he is providing for patients who received implant surgery (a) privately and (b) on the NHS to receive a scan to determine whether their implants have ruptured or leaked. [91256]
Mr Simon Burns: Patients who received an implant from Poly Implant Prothèse as part of NHS treatment in England will be contacted and offered a consultation and, if they wish, a scan to determine whether their implants have ruptured or leaked. They will also be given the option, after discussion, with their GP or with the surgical team that carried out the original operation, of having the implants removed and replaced, whether or not there is evidence that the implants have ruptured.
We have made it clear that we expect to private providers of cosmetic surgery to make the same provision, without cost, for their patients. A number of organisations have already announced that they will do so and we expect the remainder to follow suit. For any patient whose original provider has gone out of business, or which refuses to meet its moral and legal obligations, the NHS as provider of last resort will offer a consultation, a scan if desired, and removal (but not replacement) of the implants.
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provided to GPs on the treatment of patients who express concern about implants. [91257]
Mr Simon Burns: The Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, wrote to all general practitioners (GPs) in England on 6 January summarising the conclusions and advice of Sir Bruce Keogh's expert group on the breast implants made by Poly Implant Prothèse. More detailed guidance to GPs and specialists is included at Annex E of the expert group report, which was referenced in the letter.
Copies of both documents have already been placed in the Library.
Business Interests
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior civil servants in his Department left to take up jobs in the (a) for-profit and (b) not-for-profit healthcare sector in the last two years. [91044]
Mr Simon Burns: Members of the senior civil service (SCS) are subject to the rules of the Civil Service Management Code (section 4.3) on their taking up of outside appointments. This involves applications to ask for permission to take up the appointments and confirmation of any restrictions involved.
During the last two years (to 31 December 2011) the Department received applications from 24 members of the SCS wanting to take up appointments in the health care sector outside the Department. Of the potential employers, nine applications were for-profit organisations and 17 were non-profit organisations. Two individuals applied for permission to join both profit and non-profit health-related organisations.
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In all cases, approval was granted but the Department cannot confirm that the individuals took up the appointment. The Department does not keep records of where its former staff gain employment once they have left the organisation.
Care Quality Commission
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical staff in each speciality work for the Care Quality Commission. [91378]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has provided the following information:
The CQC employs a number of National Professional Advisors from a variety of specialties who support both policy and operational regulatory activity. These include five doctors from various specialties, including surgery, general medicine, psychiatry, and general practice, as well a nurse/midwifery expert, a dentist, a social work expert, and an expert in ambulance services.
The CQC has some specific responsibilities in relation to Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IRMER) and Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations 2006, where it both employs and has associate clinical experts to deliver these responsibilities. For this work, the CQC currently has approximately 26 staff in post hired for their pharmaceutical background and approximately three full-time equivalent IRMER inspectors in post who have clinical backgrounds as a requirement for these roles.
The CQC uses professional experts in its thematic reviews including its dignity and nutrition inspections (DANI) and learning disability inspections. These experts are practising clinicians supporting the inspector. The experts are not CQC employees but are external experts who are selected on the basis of their own up-to-date practice and current expertise. Each DANI inspection had a frontline practising nurse in the inspection team.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average (a) time taken and (b) cost was of training an inspector at the Care Quality Commission in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [91379]
Mr Simon Burns: As the independent regulator for health and adult social care, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for the appropriate training for its staff and assessing and ensuring the quality of its inspection and monitoring of specific providers on a day-to-day basis.
The following information has been provided by the CQC:
The average time to train an inspector or assessor:
(1) 2009-10—11 days. This comprised of 6.5 days in workshops and 4.5 days e-learning.
(2) 2010-11—20 days. This comprised of 17.5 days in workshops and 2.5 days e-learning.
The average cost of training an inspector or assessor per year:
(1) 2009-10. Workshop training cost £390 per individual and the e-learning cost £60 per individual. This would bring the average cost per individual to £450 for 2009-10.
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(2) 2010-11. Workshop training cost £810 per individual and the e-learning cost £183 per individual. This would bring the average cost per individual to £993 for 2010-11.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many inspections were carried out by the Care Quality Commission in respect of (a) hospitals and (b) care homes which involved on-site visits in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; [91380]
(2) how many routine hospital inspections were carried out by the Care Quality Commission in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and how many such inspections involved a site visit by an inspector with a clinical qualification. [91450]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England and is responsible for developing and consulting on its methodology for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
The CQC took over the regulation of health and adult social care under the Care Standards Act 2000. From April 2009, NHS providers were registered with the CQC against a single registration requirement relating to cleanliness and infection control.
From 1 April 2010 NHS providers were registered with CQC against the full set of registration requirements under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
From 1 October 2010,. independent health care providers and adult social care providers came into the new regulatory framework and were registered under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
The CQC has provided the following information:
| (a) independent sector providers | |||
| Independent healthcare inspections | Independent hospital inspections | Independent hospital inspections including a site visit | |
| Note: The table shows: inspections of independent hospitals under the Care Standards Act 2000 for the period 1 April 2009-30 September 2010; and reviews of compliance undertaken for acute independent sector hospitals under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 from October 2010-March 2011. | |||
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| 2010-11 | |
| Note: The figures show reviews of compliance undertaken for acute hospitals under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, from April 2010-March 2011. | |
| Adult social care inspections | Care homes inspections | Care home inspections including a site visit | |
| Notes: 1. The table shows: completed key and random inspections of care homes under the Care Standards Act 2000 for the period 1 April 2009-30 September 2010; and reviews of compliance undertaken for care homes under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 from 1 October 2010-31 March 2011. 2. Between April 2009 and end of September 2010 for adult social care and independent healthcare, sectors are based on registration data under the Care Standards Act 2000. From October 2010 (April 2010 for NHS providers), this is based on organisation type in the CQC database under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Small numbers of NHS and independent healthcare organisations provide social care type services under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. 3. Figures for adult social care inspections for 2009-10 do not match the CQC annual report for that period as the annual report was based on the number of reviews of compliance completed which were scheduled for the period. The figure here show all completed reviews of compliance in that period regardless of when they were scheduled. 4. Inspections of adult social care under the Care Standards Act 2000 include announced and unannounced key and random inspections. 5. The figures for the NHS do not include Ionising Radiation (medical exposure) Regulations inspections, controlled drugs inspections, OFSTED joint safeguarding inspections or mental health act visits. 6. The date against which completed reviews of compliance are counted is when we make a judgment about compliance with, the essential standards. Due to the challenge processes available to providers in the publication process this may be up to three months before the review of compliance is published and can be marked as ‘completed'. Figures from more recent months (late 2011) are therefore subject to change. The aggregate figures almost always rise. | |||
Information on how many planned reviews involved an inspector with a clinical qualification is not held centrally by the CQC. The CQC has advised that to gather this data would incur disproportionate cost.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the (a) start, (b) completion or expected completion date and (c) subject is of each investigation being conducted by the Care Quality Commission. [91439]
Mr Simon Burns: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Section 48 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Act enables the CQC to look into actual or potential serious systematic failings within an organisation, without being limited to the essential standards, which the CQC routinely assesses organisations against.
The following information has been supplied by the CQC:
The CQC has carried out the following investigations under section 48 of the 2008 Act:
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Start date: May 2009
Publication date: July 2010
Subject: The CQC investigated out-of-hours services provided by Take Care Now, following a number of cases in which patients suffered harm. The CQC had been asked to review the out-of-hours arrangements in relation to these specific cases and generally, in order to be assured that all lessons have been identified and appropriate action taken.
2. West London Mental Health NHS Trust
Start date: March 2008 (under the Healthcare Commission)
Publication date: July 2009
Subject: The investigation focused on the systems that the trust had in place to ensure the safety of patients, and the quality of the services provided by the trust, covering the period from April 2005 to the end of 2007.
3. Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Start date: May 2009
Publication date: June 2010
Subject: At request of trust. The investigation focused on the provision of older people’s mental health services at all units across Devon.
4. Barking, Havering and Redbridge NHS Trust
Start date: June 2011
Publication date: October 2011
Subject: The CQC investigated the systems and procedures that are in place to ensure that people are protected against the risk of inappropriate or unsafe care and treatment.
5. Pilgrim Hospital, United Lincolnshire NHS Trust
Start date: June 2011
Publication date: November 2011
Subject: The CQC investigated the systems and procedures that are in place to ensure that people are protected against the risk of inappropriate or unsafe care and treatment.
6. University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust
Start date: January 2012
Expected completion date: eight to 14 weeks likely April/May 2012
Subject: The CQC will be investigating the trust’s emergency care pathway and looking to see if there are any problems with the services a patient uses on that pathway and, if there are, to see if these are confined to those services or whether they reflect broader problems with trust processes and procedures.
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the board minutes relating to the decision by the Care Quality Commission to abolish (a) its national investigation team, (b) its health care associated infection team and (c) a whistleblower telephone line. [91440]
Mr Simon Burns: The following information has been provided by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The decision to move to a new field force model for the CQC inspectors included the abolition of the CQC national investigations team and health care associated infection teams. This was discussed in a private meeting of the CQC board on 9 December 2009.
The CQC has provided a copy of the relevant part of the minutes of that meeting, which has been placed in the Library.
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Whistleblowing calls have always been and continue to be handled through the CQC’s national customer service centre telephone line. Anyone wishing to raise concerns about a provider, should call the CQC on 03000 616161.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement. [91073]
Mr Simon Burns: The number of departmental staff engaged in corporate services on 31 December 2011 was 401 full-time equivalent staff. This represents 17% of the permanent workforce.
Much of the work of the Department is critical to the successful operational delivery of many frontline services but it is not usual for its staff to have direct contact with patients and service users.
Doctors: Dismissal
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors have been dismissed from the NHS as a result of having been struck off by the General Medical Council (GMC) in each of the last five years; how many doctors were dismissed without having been struck off by the GMC; and how many doctors have been struck off by the GMC but redeployed within the NHS. [90987]
Anne Milton: The Department does not collect these statistics.
Information about numbers of doctors struck off is held by the General Medical Council (GMC), as the independent regulator of doctors.
The Department does not collect information relating to local national health service disciplinary procedures or about the redeployment of doctors struck of by the GMC.
Drugs: Imports
Barry Gardiner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the requirement for import licences for
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controlled drugs for approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency with the anti-competitiveness provisions of article 28 of the EU treaty. [91582]
Mr Simon Burns: The United Kingdom Parallel Import Licensing (PLPI) scheme allows medicinal products authorised in other European Union member states to be marketed in the UK, provided the imported products have no therapeutic difference from equivalent UK authorised products. The PLPI scheme involves an assessment of a dossier of information relating to the product to be imported. A fee is charged to recover operating costs associated with that assessment. This scheme may include medicines containing substances that are termed controlled drugs under Home Office legislation to control substances such as cocaine and certain substances used therapeutically. Where those substances are involved, the importer will need to comply with the relevant Home Office legislation as well.
Hospitals
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) general acute, (b) multi-service, (c) short-term non-acute, (d) long-stay, (e) specialist and (f) community hospitals there were in England according to the most recent Estates Return Information Collection data in each financial year from 1997-98 to 2010-11. [91045]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested.
The Estates Returns Information Collection was established in 2000-01, therefore data are not available before this period. Specific data on the number of multi-service hospitals and specialist hospitals were first collected in 2001-02. The collection of specific data on the number of community hospitals began in 2006-07. These changes will mean that over time, hospitals in one category may have been moved to another category, which will affect the validity of direct comparisons year on year.
The data which are available for each year from 2000-01 are shown in the table.
The information has been supplied by the national health service and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
| Number of sites | |||||||
| General acute hospitals | Multiservice hospitals | Short-term non-acute hospitals | Long-stay hospitals | Specialist hospitals | Community hospitals | Total | |
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| (1) Data not collected. | |||||||