Influenza: Vaccination
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the likely take-up rates of the influenza vaccine (a) among each age group, (b) among people with different vulnerabilities to the illness and (c) by geographic area in the current period; and how these figures compare to actual take-up rates among such groups 12 months ago. [91047]
Anne Milton: The Chief Medical Officer's letter of 14 March 2011 asked the national health service to plan locally to reach or exceed uptake of 75% in people aged 65 years and over; and 60% in people under 65 in clinical risk groups. Final figures on uptake for the 2011-12 flu season will be published in the spring.
Data on the uptake of seasonal flu vaccine in general practitioner patients recommended to receive the seasonal flu vaccine at strategic health authority and primary care trust level in the 2011-12 flu season, up to 31 December 2011, have already been placed in the Library and are available on the Department's website at:
http://immunisation.dh.gov.uk
A copy of the Health Protection Agency's annual influenza vaccination report for last winter, “Seasonal influenza vaccine uptake amongst GP patient groups in England 2010-11”, has already been placed in the Library.
Mental Health Services
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the contribution of UK mindfulness research centres and universities in developing in the NHS mindfulness-based practice and therapies. [91279]
Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 24 October 2011, Official Report, columns 12-13W, which lists research projects and research training awards directly funded by the National Institute for Health Research in the last three years relating to mindfulness-based therapies, and the institutions funded.
Mental Illness
Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) emergency and (b) elective admissions were recorded for patients with a diagnosis of (i) psychosis and (ii) schizophrenia in each primary care trust in England in the latest year for which figures are available. [90911]
Paul Burstow: A table showing emergency and elective admissions with psychosis and with a diagnosis of schizophrenia has been placed in the Library.
I should reiterate that psychosis refers to a condition with features such as delusions and hallucinations where the underlying diagnosis can vary and is not a diagnosis in and of itself.
Mental Illness: Research
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the NHS budget was allocated to research on the (a) causes and (b) treatments of (i) schizophrenia, (ii) depression and (iii) other serious mental illness in 2011-12; and how much the NHS allocated to research on the psychological and social effects of mental illness in 2011-12. [91448]
Paul Burstow: The usual practice of the Department’s National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 545W, which stated estimated spend by the NIHR in 2010-11 on directly-funded research relating to the causes and treatments of schizophrenia, depression and other serious mental illness, and relating to the psychological and social impact of mental illness as a proportion of total directly-funded NIHR research. Expenditure figures for 2011-12 are not yet available.
NHS: Dismissal
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to simplify the process for removing poorly performing NHS staff, including nurses, GPs and other medical doctors. [90986]
Anne Milton: Issues relating to the performance management of individual members of national health service staff are a matter for those NHS bodies that employ or contract with them.
The Department expects all NHS bodies to have robust conduct and performance management procedures in place, and to proactively manage poor performance in a manner consistent with wider employment law.
NHS: Internships
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the number of unpaid interns working in the NHS. [91048]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested on unpaid interns is not collected by the Department.
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Pregnancy: Obesity
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance is provided to those working in NHS maternity services with regard to care for women who are obese; [91127]
(2) what proportion of births in the most recent year for which figures are available were to women who (a) were underweight, (b) had a healthy weight, (c) were overweight and (d) were obese; [91128]
(3) what advice is given by the NHS to obese women who (a) want to conceive and (b) are pregnant; [91129]
(4) what statistics his Department collects with regard to obesity in pregnancy. [91130]
Anne Milton: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued guidance for medical and healthcare professionals on “Weight management in Pregnancy and after Childbirth” in July 2010. This guidance sets out recommendations for advising and supporting women to achieve and maintain a healthy weight and/or weight loss programmes before, during and after pregnancy.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) issued a joint guideline with Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries (CMACE) for medical and healthcare professionals on “Management of women with obesity in pregnancy” in March 2010. The guideline covers interventions prior to conception, during and after pregnancy.
In addition, RCOG has issued a patient information leaflet on “Why your weight, matters during pregnancy and after birth: information for you” in December 2011 about the extra care a woman will be offered during pregnancy and how she can minimise the risks to her and her baby in the current pregnancy, and in a future pregnancy. Obese women who want to conceive or are pregnant receive advice and support from their health professional.
Local trusts have local protocols to support the management of obese pregnant women that take account of the need of these women, and the facilities and services available to them. Arrangements through maternity and neonatal networks support these mothers and their babies.
The latest available data on obesity in pregnancy were published in the 2010 CMACE report “Maternal obesity in the UK: Findings from a national project”, which shows that in 2009 the prevalence of maternal obesity for England was 4.9% of women giving birth.
Prevalence statistics on women giving birth who were underweight, had a healthy weight, or were overweight are not collected centrally.
Streptococcus: Babies
Mr Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidelines in November 2003 on reducing the number of incidents of group B streptococcal infections in newborn babies. [90893]
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Anne Milton: The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) commissioned a clinical and cost effectiveness study comparing different approaches to group B streptococcus (GBS) infection. The main conclusion was that there was considerable uncertainty on the most effective approach to preventing early onset GBS infections in neonates.
The UK NCS is currently reviewing the evidence for screening for group B streptococcus carriage in pregnant women. The committee will review the international literature and a public consultation on the results will open in spring 2012.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is in the process of reviewing and updating the Green-Top guideline published in November 2003. The update will be published in spring 2012. In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has developed a new guideline on the prevention and treatment of early-onset neonatal infection, including GBS, which is currently published for public consultation.
Prime Minister
Bell Pottinger Group
Mr Watson: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from Bell Pottinger Group on behalf of the President of Uzbekistan since May 2010. [91489]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 15 December 2011, Official Report, column 874W.
Social Action
Mr Thomas: To ask the Prime Minister if he will set a national day to celebrate and encourage social action; and if he will make a statement. [91191]
The Prime Minister: The Government are engaging with a number of organisations to take forward the idea of a national day to celebrate social action.
Deputy Prime Minister
Departmental Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 480W, on departmental written questions, what procedures his office uses to track parliamentary questions which have been unanswered for 30 days. [90919]
The Deputy Prime Minister: All parliamentary questions tabled to me are monitored by the Cabinet Office Parliamentary Branch and by my private office.
Electoral Register
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2011, Official Report, column 532W, on the electoral register, whether
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any
(a)
Minister and
(b)
special adviser has had discussions with representatives of any US organisation that has promoted voter suppression. [90922]
Mr Harper: Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis. Information for the period April 2011 to June 2011 can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations-april-june
We have no record of a Cabinet Office Minister or special adviser during this Administration meeting or corresponding with any US organisation that has promoted voter suppression.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what timescale he has set for the completion of (a) pilots and (b) research on electoral registration commissioned by his Office; and what timescale he has set for the introduction of proposed electoral registration legislation. [90924]
Mr Harper: The statutory window for the 2011 data- matching pilots came to an end on 30 November 2011. The Electoral Commission have a statutory obligation to evaluate the pilots and report their findings by 1 March 2012. The Government are also in the process of making their own assessment of the pilots. The Government have a programme of research on electoral registration which sits alongside and supports the work to change the way in which people register to vote which will last for the length of this programme. We will introduce legislation when parliamentary time allows.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) other policing organisations on the potential effects of his plans for individual electoral registration on the size of the electoral register in areas with a high incidence of crime; [91131]
(2) what recent discussions he has had with black and minority ethnic community leaders on the potential effects of the Government's proposals for individual electoral registration on the level of registration in those groups; [91132]
(3) whether he has had discussions with members of the judiciary on the potential effects of the introduction of individual electoral registration on the number of eligible jurors. [91233]
Mr Harper: Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis. Information for the period April 2011 to June 2011 can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations-april-june
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 18 October 2011, Official Report, columns 822-23W, on electoral register, whether he has now estimated the potential effects of individual voter registration on the number of people registered to vote in each social category. [91170]
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Mr Harper: The Government have made no estimate of the potential effects of individual electoral registration (IER) on the number of people registered to vote in each social category. The Government funded research by the Electoral Commission into the state of the electoral register. This showed that people who have moved home in the last 12 months, young people, those in private rented accommodation, and certain black and ethnic minority groups were less likely to be registered. We will be carrying out further research with these under-registered groups to explore possible reasons for under-registration, views and perceptions of IER and ways in which they may be encouraged to register. These findings will be used to develop policy to tackle under-registration during the transition to individual electoral registration to ensure that as many eligible people as possible are registered to vote.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 343-4W, on electoral register, whether the range of stakeholders referred to in the answer include representatives of (a) the judiciary, (b) the police, (c) black and minority ethnic groups and (d) young people; and if he will publish the complete list of such stakeholders. [91171]
Mr Harper: The wide range of stakeholders referred to in my answer of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 343-44W, includes officials from the Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty's Court Service, representatives of the police, black and minority ethnic groups, and young people. There are no plans to publish such a list.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 207W, on electoral register, if he will place in the Library a copy of the evidence from local authority chief executives and electoral registration officers. [91172]
Mr Harper: A list of organisations which have responded to the White Paper consultation on individual electoral registration will be published as part of the Government response.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the percentage change in registration rates if the Government's current proposals on individual electoral registration are implemented. [91175]
Mr Harper: The Government have made no estimate of the percentage change in registration rates based on our plans to implement individual electoral registration (IER). The ambition for the transition to IER is to build a register that is both accurate and complete. The Government are investing heavily to achieve this.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what meetings he has had with (a) the National Union of Students, (b) the Youth Parliament and (c) other youth representatives to discuss the likely effects of the Government's proposals on individual electoral registration on levels of registration among young people; [91176]
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(2) what recent meetings he has had with (a) Liberty, (b) Unlock Democracy and (c) the Electoral Reform Society to discuss the potential effects of the Government's proposals on individual electoral registration. [91180]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Details of Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis. Information for the period April 2011 to June 2011 can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations-april-june
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 208W, on electoral register, what assessment he has made of the extent to which his Department has succeeded in making the public aware of individual electoral registration; and how he measures success in this regard. [91177]
Mr Harper: The Electoral Commission has a statutory responsibility to promote public awareness of electoral systems. We are working with the Commission on the plans for public awareness activity to inform the public of the move to individual electoral registration. This activity has not begun, so no assessment has been made.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2011, Official Report, column 352W, on electoral register, on the basis of what calculations the Government disagreed with the Electoral Commission's forecast of the likely reduction in registration if its proposals on individual electoral registration are implemented. [91179]
Mr Harper: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 October 2011, Official Report, column 627W. The Electoral Commission have made no forecast of registration rates following individual electoral registration (IER).
In their evidence to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, the Commission speculated about a worst case scenario based on only those turning out to vote at elections registering to vote. The Government do not share this view. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that this might occur.
Furthermore, we now know that Northern Ireland, which implemented IER in 2002, has a registration rate comparable to the rest of Great Britain.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the briefing for the House of Lords debate of 12 January 2012 on electoral registration published by the Electoral Commission, what assessment he has made of the recommendation by the Commission that the Government should amend its approach to building electoral registers using individual electoral registration in 2014. [91181]
Mr Harper: The Government's response to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee's pre-legislative scrutiny report and the White Paper consultation on individual electoral registration will be published shortly.
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Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister with reference to the briefing for the Opposition Day debate on individual electoral registration published by the Electoral Commission, what assessment he has made of the Commission's conclusions on the potential effects of individual electoral registration on the completeness of the electoral register. [91182]
Mr Harper: The Government will very shortly be responding to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee's report on individual electoral registration (IER) and Electoral Administration provisions, and the IER White Paper consultation. This will include the Government's response to all the recommendations that the Electoral Commission has made on our proposals to implement IER. Our response will be laid before Parliament and will be available on the Cabinet Office website.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the civic functions that are aided by a complete electoral register apart from voting. [91183]
Mr Harper: The Government have not made a formal assessment. However, a more accurate and complete register would deliver increased benefits to those who are entitled to be supplied with a copy for permitted purposes as set out in legislation. This includes those civic and other functions for which the register is used, for example, jury selection.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the recommendation by the Electoral Commissioners that electoral registration officers conduct a full canvass in 2014. [91184]
Mr Harper: The Government will very shortly be responding to the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee's report on individual electoral registration (IER) and Electoral Administration provisions, and the IER White Paper consultation. This will include responding to the Electoral Commission's recommendation that electoral registration officers conduct a full canvass in 2014. Our response will be laid before Parliament and will be available on the Cabinet Office website.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on the potential effects of the introduction of individual electoral registration on registration rates in areas with a high incidence of crime. [91186]
Mr Harper: As has been the practice of previous Administrations, information relating to internal meetings is not normally disclosed.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what representations he has received in support of implementing an opt-out for electoral registration from organisations concerned with the administration of electoral registration; [91560]
24 Jan 2012 : Column 205W
(2) what assessment has been made of the potential effects of implementing an opt-out for electoral registration on the number of people registered to vote. [91561]
Mr Harper: The proposal for an opt-out for electoral registration was raised in numerous consultation responses to the individual electoral registration White Paper. The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (PCRC) also raised this issue in their pre-legislative scrutiny report on individual electoral registration (IER). The Government's response to the PCRC report and the White Paper consultation on IER will be published shortly.
Electoral Register: Finance
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 207W, on electoral register, whether funding for the introduction of individual electoral registration will be ring-fenced. [91174]
Mr Harper: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 207W. The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee (PCRC) have recommended that we ring-fence the funding made available for the transition to individual electoral registration (IER). The Government will very shortly be responding to the PCRC report on IER.
Electoral Register: Northern Ireland
Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 11 October 2011, Official Report, column 342W, on electoral register, what assessment he has made of the use of prize draws to improve electoral registration in Northern Ireland. [91173]
Mr Harper: No assessment has been made by the Cabinet Office of the use of prize draws to improve electoral registration in Northern Ireland. We are however learning from the experience of Northern Ireland as we develop our plans for implementing individual electoral registration (IER) in Great Britain. We will introduce a carry forward so that current electors who do not register under IER in 2014 will be able to vote at the 2015 general election. We will also not be requiring registered electors who remain at the same address to resupply personal identifiers each year. We will continue to learn from the best practices in Northern Ireland, and I myself have seen the excellent outreach they do to get attainers onto the electoral register.
Education
Academies: Governing Bodies
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on local councillors remaining on the governing bodies of schools that have been converted to academies. [89132]
Mr Gibb:
The Government believes that Academy Trusts should be free to put in place the governance arrangements which they feel most appropriate for each academy for which they are responsible. The academy's
24 Jan 2012 : Column 206W
articles of association, therefore, give a lot of flexibility to each Trust to shape governance arrangements as it sees fit. Local councillors can serve as any category of academy governor. The only restriction is that requirements under the Local Government and Housing Act restrict the number of local authority associated persons, including local authority employees or councillors.
Children
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of variations in the levels of children's subjective well-being in each (a) constituent part of the UK, (b) region and (c) socio-economic class. [90875]
Tim Loughton: No such assessment has been made by the Department for Education. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is developing subjective well-being measures for children and young people as part of the overall Measuring National Well-being Programme. The Department is working with the ONS to help them develop these measures.
As discussed in their consultation document published on 31 October, the Office for National Statistics are aiming to develop measures in the Measuring National Well-being Programme which can be shown and compared for countries in the UK, regions of England, and smaller geographic units (where required) and can be analysed in ways which show distribution of outcomes for individuals or households, such as between poorest and richest households or by age group or employment status.
The consultation document can be accessed via the Office for National Statistics website at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171766_240726.pdf
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what recent revised guidance his Department has issued to school inspectors on assessing (a) behaviour, (b) safety, (c) health and (d) emotional well-being of pupils; [91028]
(2) for what reasons Ofsted’s framework document for school inspection in 2012 does not refer to pupil well-being. [91232]
Mr Gibb: The Department has not issued guidance to school inspectors on these matters. It is for HM chief inspector to ensure that inspectors have the necessary guidance to enable them to inspect effectively against the requirements of the school inspection framework.
Ofsted’s January 2012 school inspection framework reflects the provisions in section 41 of the Education Act 2011, which focuses reporting requirements around the core areas of pupils’ achievement; teaching quality; leadership; and pupils’ behaviour and safety. Inspectors are also required to consider how the school meets the needs of the range of pupils and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. All these matters are relevant to pupils’ well-being. The inspection framework enables aspects of well-being to be considered in an integrated way linked to the core inspection areas.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on developing policies on well-being in schools. [91029]
24 Jan 2012 : Column 207W
Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), meets the Prime Minister frequently to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the Department for Education, which has or shares policy responsibility for a number of the key determinants of children's well-being. These include policies designed to: raise educational attainment; tackle bullying in schools; reduce child poverty; and provide opportunities for young people to engage in personal development programmes, such as the National Citizens Service.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what account he has taken of the (a) Cambridge Primary Review and (b) Rose Review in developing policies on well-being in primary schools. [91030]
Mr Gibb: The Government are slimming down the statutory curriculum for England so that it properly reflects the body of essential knowledge in key subjects and gives schools the freedom and space they need to teach a curriculum that engages their pupils. A slimmed-down national curriculum will also free up teachers to use their professional judgement to design curricula that meet the needs of their pupils.
All recent reviews of the national curriculum have been considered in the current national curriculum review, including (a) the Cambridge Primary Review and (b) Sir Jim Rose's Review of the Primary Curriculum.
The review of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), which is a non-statutory subject for both primary and secondary schools, was launched on 21 July. The PSHE review will identify the core body of knowledge that pupils need, as well as ways to improve the quality of teaching. In addition to considering the submissions of evidence and good practice the review will also evaluate the existing research available on PSHE education and its teaching.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make an assessment of the potential of Chicago University's meta analysis of social and emotional learning programme to inform policies on children's well-being in the UK. [91133]
Mr Gibb: As part of the legal requirement on schools to take care of the well-being of their pupils, schools in England are expected to identify the needs of their pupils and provide them with pastoral care and support. This support can range from providing breakfast clubs, to ensuring pupils have a nutritious start to the day, to offering out of school activities to enrich the curriculum, or providing mentoring and peer support activities.
Schools are best placed to determine the appropriateness of alternative programmes for meeting their responsibilities.
The government's review of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education will identify the core body of knowledge that pupils need, as well as ways to improve the quality of PSHE teaching. The review will also evaluate the existing research available on PSHE education and its teaching.
24 Jan 2012 : Column 208W
Christmas
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on (a) Christmas trees and (b) other Christmas decorations in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [91096]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education did not incur expenditure on the purchase of Christmas trees or other Christmas decorations in 2011.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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. [91095]
Tim Loughton: At 30 November 2011 the Department for Education had:
(a) 1,717.1 full-time equivalent staff delivering frontline services; and
(b) 916.1 full-time equivalent staff engaged in corporate or back office services.
Recruitment
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new staff at each grade were employed by his Department in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and how many of those new employees, in each such year, came from jobs outside the civil service and non-departmental public bodies. [90018]
Tim Loughton: The Department has employed new staff as follows.
| Grade group | New joiners in 2009-10 | New joiners from outside the civil service 2009-10 | New joiners in 2010-11 | New joiners from outside the civil service in 2010-11 |
Departmental Temporary Employment
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many temporary staff have been employed by his Department in each month since May 2010; and what the (a) period of employment and (b) total cost to the public purse was in each case. [90019]
24 Jan 2012 : Column 209W
Tim Loughton: The numbers of new temporary engagements for agency staff per month for the period May 2010 to November 2011 for the Department for Education are as follows:
| Month | Number of new agency staff hired | Total cost of agency staff (1) (£) |
| (1) This figure is the monthly cost to the Department for the use of agency staff (not just new engagements). | ||
Information on the period of each engagement and the total for each engagement is not available centrally.
Job Vacancies
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many job vacancies at each grade there were in his Department in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [90017]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education and its predecessors had 60 vacancies in the period from November 2009(1) to March 2010 and 351 vacancies in the period April 2010 to March 2011. A breakdown of these vacancies by grade is given as follows.
| Grade | Vacancies between Nov ember 2009 and March 2010 (1) | Vacancies between April 2010 and March 2011 |
24 Jan 2012 : Column 210W
| (1) Data are only available from November 2009 when the Department moved to a new Shared Services Provider. (2) SCS vacancies are managed differently and managed moves are quite often used to meet the business needs of the Department. No central record is held on the number of SCS vacancies; however, in the two years (2009-10 and 2010-11) there were 16 new SCS appointments, nine of which were from outside the civil service. | ||
Education
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has assessed the potential effects of mindfulness-based practices on educational attainment. [90897]
Mr Gibb: The Department has carried out no assessment to date on the effects of mindfulness-based practices on educational attainment.
Education: Finance
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many learners aged 19 years at the start of their course claimed Care to Learn in (a) Middlesbrough local authority, (b) Redcar and Cleveland local authority, (c) the Tees Valley and (d) the north east in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) 2011-12 to date. [91292]
Mr Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA), which has operational responsibility for Care to Learn. The YPLA's Chief Executive, Peter Lauener, will write to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland directly with a breakdown of the figures requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his Department plans to publish (a) a summary and (b) full results of its consultation on the future of Care to Learn funding. [91333]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 23 January 2012]: We are considering the results of the consultation and will set out decisions concerning future arrangements and the publication of the consultation outcomes in due course.
Education: Leeds
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions his officials have had with Leeds city council on the Leeds Education Challenge. [87059]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 19 December 2011]: Leeds Education Challenge was submitted to the Department on 15 April 2011 in response to the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), letter of 1 March 2011 asking local authorities to draw up plans for improving performance in all schools below the national floor standards.
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The plan was discussed at a meeting with the local authority on 19 July and there have been a number of subsequent meetings where the plan has been referred to in discussions on identifying academy solutions for underperforming schools.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to reply to the letter of 13 December 2011 from the hon. Member for Harrow West; and if he will make a statement. [90752]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 19 January 2012]: I replied on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), to the hon. Member on 19 January 2012.
Mindfulness
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the contribution of UK mindfulness research centres and universities in developing in schools mindfulness-based practice and therapies. [91278]
Mr Gibb: The Department for Education has made no assessment of this issue.
Schools: Sports
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on how many pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary education took part in (i) an activity in a swimming pool, (ii) water sports, (iii) boating, (iv) go-karting, (v) horse riding and equestrian sports and (vi) adventure activity and education field studies in (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. [91356]
Tim Loughton: Information for 2009/10 from the PE and Sport Survey is set out in the following table. Information is no longer collected.
| Percentage provided to any | ||
| Primary schools | Secondary schools | |
Schools: Swindon
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils in South Swindon constituency gained Level 4 at Key Stage 2 in each of the last five years. [91139]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is given in the following table:
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| Achievements at the expected level (1) by pupils at the end of key stage 2 in South Swindon parliamentary constituency (2) , South West region (3) and England (4) —Years: 2007-11 (5) —Coverage: England (6) | |||||
| Percentage of KS2 pupils achieving expected level in: | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Includes pupils who achieved level 4 or above. Level 4 is the expected level of achievement for pupils at the end of key stage 2. (2) Parliamentary constituency figures are based on the postcode of the school. (3) Regional figures are based on the region of the local authority maintaining the school. (4) England figures are the sum of all local authority figures and match the England totals in the local authority tables of the statistical first release: http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001047/index.shtml These may differ to the England totals in the national tables in the statistical first release. (5) Data are final data for all years apart from 2011 which are based on amended data. (6) Includes LA-maintained schools and academies. Figures do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. Source: National Pupil Database | |||||
South West and England figures are taken from table 23 in the statistical first release “National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2 in England 2010/2011 (revised)”, published at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001047/index.shtml
Schools: Technology
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate his Department has made of the excess costs that have been incurred by schools sold or leased IT equipment at above market prices. [89785]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not hold estimates of the excess costs that have been incurred by schools sold or leased-IT equipment at above market prices.
The Department collects a consistent financial reporting (CFR) return for all schools maintained by local authorities (LAs) at the end of each financial year. CFR does not record spending in a way that specifically identifies how much each school has spent on bought or leased IT equipment.
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to prevent schools from being sold or leased IT equipment at above market prices. [89787]
Tim Loughton: The Department have been working for some time to support schools to improve the way they buy goods and services, including IT equipment.
Schools have autonomy over their budgets, and the Department has worked and continues to work with a wide range of organisations and key stakeholders to ensure that the information available on the Department's
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website on best practice, guidance on leasing and clear advice on how to get the best value for money is cascaded to schools.
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of schools that have been sold or leased IT equipment at above market prices. [89788]
Tim Loughton: The Department does not hold estimates of the excess costs that have been incurred by schools sold or leased IT equipment at above market prices.
The Department collects a Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) return for all schools maintained by local authorities (LAs) at the end of each financial year. CFR does not record spending in a way that specifically identifies how much each school has spent on bought or leased IT equipment.
Social and Emotional Learning
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on promoting social and emotional learning. [91281]
Mr Gibb: As we said in “The Importance of Teaching,” the majority of the important work that schools do is not as a result of Government prescription. Good schools play a vital role as promoters of health and wellbeing in the local community and have always had good pastoral systems. We believe that good schools are better able to achieve this important role without central government promotion of social and emotional learning.
The national curriculum for England is being reviewed so that it properly reflects the body of essential knowledge in key subjects and gives schools the freedom and space they need to teach a curriculum that engages their pupils. A slimmed-down national curriculum will also free up teachers to use their professional judgement to design curricula that meet the needs of their pupils. This is consistent with the underlying principles set out in “The Importance of Teaching”.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what policies his Department is implementing as part of the Government's well-being agenda. [91282]
Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), is responsible for a wide-range of issues which relate to a number of the key determinants of children's well-being. These include policies designed to: raise educational attainment; tackle bullying in schools; reduce child poverty; and provide opportunities for young people to engage in personal development programmes, such as the National Citizens Service.
Teachers
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to simplify the process for removing poorly performing teachers; and whether he has considered allowing schools that remove teachers to pass such information to schools that are considering employing them in the future. [90983]
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Mr Gibb: On 13 January, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), announced new arrangements for tackling underperformance. We have published an optional model policy for schools which includes procedures to use when dealing with underperforming teachers. These procedures are shorter and less complex than the current procedure and will make it possible, in some cases, for schools to dismiss incompetent teachers in about a term.
We are also consulting on a proposal to introduce a new requirement on governing bodies to share information about whether or not a teacher or head teacher has been in capability procedures when this is requested by prospective employers. This is intended to help reduce the recycling of poor performers from school to school by enabling governing bodies to make better informed decisions when making teaching appointments.
Teachers: Disciplinary Proceedings
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education under what procedure outstanding disciplinary cases referred to England’s General Teaching Council (GTC) since August 2011 will be dealt with when the GTC is replaced by the Teaching Agency. [90816]
Mr Gibb: Cases referred to the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) since August 2011 that have not been concluded by the GTCE prior to its abolition will transfer to the Teaching Agency where they are within the scope of its regulatory arrangements. Under the new regulatory arrangements set out in the Education Act 2011, the Teaching Agency will consider only the most serious cases of misconduct. Lesser allegations will not continue to be considered at the national level.
Justice
Bronzefield Prison
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many Police National Computer checks the police have carried out on visitors to Bronzefield prison. [90891]
Mr Blunt: There are no records regarding police PNC checks of visitors at HMP Bronzefield and to answer the question would result in disproportionate cost by having to obtain a list of all visitors to HMP Bronzefield and for that list to be cross checked against activity logs from the PNC.
Community Orders: Per Capita Costs
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his most recent estimate is of the average annual cost to the probation service of supervising an individual on a community order. [79249]
Mr Blunt: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is currently specifying and costing activities undertaken by probation trusts.
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As part of the Government’s commitment to provide greater transparency, to enable the public to hold services to account and assess whether they are receiving value for money from the services we provide, NOMS will publish, in autumn 2012, three probation level input indicators, one of which is the cost per community order. This will be the average, fully-apportioned cost to probation of delivering a community order or suspended sentence order sentence to the service definition as detailed in the NOMS service specification. This will include both managing the sentence and delivering court-ordered requirements. The cost of the latter will be derived from the average number and type of requirements attached to a sentence for an offender on each tier.
Contact Orders
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for a contact order under the Children Act 1989 were made by (a) males and (b) females (i) between April 2010 and March 2011 and (ii) in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what the respective proportions were of applications from each sex. [87455]
Mr Djanogly: Information on the number and percentage of applications for a contact order under the Children Act 1989 made by males and females between April 2010 and March 2011, and for the latest period available (April to June 2011) are provided in the following table. The statistics are not available split by males and females for applications made at Family Proceedings Courts in the former period.
Statistics for private law applications in the quarter July to September 2011 are due to be published in the next edition of the report Court Statistics Quarterly, which was published on 12 January 2012 and available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/courts-and-sentencing/judicial-quarterly.htm
| Number of children involved in applications for section 8 contact orders made by males and females within private law cases in England and Wales | ||||
| April 2010 to March 2011 | April to June 2011 | |||
| Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | |
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| Notes: 1. The figures relate to the number of children involved in each application. 2. The figures relate to the total number of section 8 contact orders applied for within private law cases in the Family Proceedings Courts, the county courts and the High Court of England and Wales. 3. Prior to 2011, some Family Proceedings Courts submitted their data on a summary return which does not provide information on the gender of the applicant. As such, a gender breakdown has not been provided for Family Proceedings Courts in 2010-11. 4. The figures exclude applications for section 8 contact orders made within public law cases. 5. Applicants include, for example, parents, step-parents and grandparents. 6. ‘Both’ refers to instances where there were records for both a female and male applicant. 7. ‘Unknown’ refers to instances where the gender of the applicant was not recorded. 8. The figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. Therefore, totals may not add up due to rounding. Source: HMCTS FamilyMan and summary returns. | ||||
Crown Dependencies: Diamond Jubilee 2012
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assistance his Department is giving to Crown Dependencies to mark Her Majesty the Queen's diamond jubilee. [91036]
Mr Djanogly: The Crown Dependencies are self-governing jurisdictions, and each is making its own plans to mark the diamond jubilee. No requests have been made to the Ministry of Justice for assistance in planning these events.
Consultants
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on each external consulting firm it has engaged since May 2010. [91357]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: This information has been placed in the House Library.
Departmental Manpower
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff in his Department are engaged in delivering (a) frontline and (b) corporate or back office services; and if he will make a statement. [91146]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice delivers most of its services through its executive agencies. As these executive agency staff in local offices, prisons, courts and tribunals across England and Wales work in both public facing and back office roles, it not possible to clearly distinguish front line employees from other workers.
However, as at November 2011, out of a total of 68,255 full-time equivalent civil servants employed by the Ministry of Justice 44,325 worked in the National Offender Management Service; 19,254 worked for HM Courts and Tribunals Service; and 493 worked for The Office of the Public Guardian. These executive agencies have a primarily public service delivery role.
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The remaining 4,183 staff are employed in the Ministry of Justice corporate and policy functions, including ministerial offices, finance, estates management, security, HR, shared services, legal, criminal justice policy and communications. Details about staff numbers can be found on the Ministry's website at the following address:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/transparency-data/workforce-management-info.htm
Employment Tribunals
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of cases brought before employment tribunals were successful in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [90974]
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(2) what the total value was of compensation payments ordered by employment tribunals in the latest period for which figures are available; [90975]
(3) what the total cost to the public purse was of employment tribunals in the latest period for which figures are available. [90976]
Mr Djanogly: The information is as follows:
(1) A claim to an employment tribunal can be made on a number of different grounds; these are known as jurisdictional complaints. The latest period for which figures are available and are published is 1 July 2011-30 September 2011. In that period, the total number of claims received was 40,300. These claims consist of some 75,500 jurisdictional complaints. In that same period, 58,700 jurisdictional complaints were disposed of. The following table provides details of the disposal of those cases.
| Disposal of employment tribunal claims | |||||||
| Successful at tribunal | Dismissed at a preliminary hearing | Unsuccessful at hearing | Default judgment | Withdrawn | Acas conciliated | Struck out (not at hearing) | |
| Note: Figures may not add to totals because of rounding. Quarterly data is reconciled at the end of the year. | |||||||
(2) The latest period for which figures are available and published are in the annual Employment Tribunals and EAT Statistics, 2010/11. Employment tribunals (ETs) do not gather details of the awards made in all cases heard but only those cases in which a compensatory award is made, i.e. claims relating to unfair dismissal and discrimination. The following table shows the number of awards made in each of the jurisdictions for which information is gathered and the maximum, median and average of the awards made.
| Employment tribunal awards (£) | |||||||
| Jurisdiction | Age d iscrimination | Disability d iscrimination | Race d iscrimination | Religious d iscrimination | Sex d iscrimination | Sexual orientation d iscrimination | Unfair d ismissal (1) |
| (1 )The maximum award for compensation in unfair dismissal cases is limited on 1 February each year by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. From 1 February 2011 the limit is £68,400. However, awards can be above the maximum when they include a basic award element in addition to the compensatory element. There is no statutory cap where the dismissal is for health and safety reasons or for making a protected disclosure or in cases of discrimination. | |||||||
The distribution of awards in unfair dismissal and discrimination cases is detailed in Tables 5 to 11 of the annual Employment Tribunals and EAT Statistics, 2010-11.
(3) Employment tribunals (ETs) are administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), which has a central operating budget. The direct element of that budget in relation to ETs was £60.9 million for 2010-11 and £59.7 million for 2011-12. These figures do not include apportioned corporate overheads. No detailed budgets have yet been agreed or finalised for future financial years.
The reduction in budget allocation between 2010-11 and 2011-12 reflects the HMCTS drive for continual efficiency improvements. It also reflected a slight decrease in workloads before the ETs. The assessment made by HMCTS is that the reduction should not lead to any lengthier period between receipt and disposal of cases.
MCTS publishes annual and quarterly statistics which cover workloads and performance against timeliness measures, including (where available) historic trends. This material is available on the Ministry of Justice website at the following internet address:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/tribunals/index.htm
Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes
Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what support he is giving to the Salvation Army's Trafficking Victim Support Scheme. [91526]
Mr Blunt: Between them the Ministry of Justice and Home Office are providing the Salvation Army with £2 million funding per year to co-ordinate the provision of support services for victims of human trafficking.
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The Ministry of Justice is working closely with the Salvation Army, with which it has a contract which came in to force last July, to ensure that victims of human trafficking receive the support they need.
Hunting: Prosecutions
Kerry McCarthy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were (a) cautioned, (b) proceeded against and (c) convicted of an offence under the provisions of the (i) Game Act 1831, (ii) Deer Act 1991, (iii) Protection of Badgers Act 1992, (iv) Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, (v) Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, (vi) Animal Welfare Act 2006, (vii) Conservation (Natural Habitats)
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Regulations 1994 and Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010, (viii) Hunting Act 2004 and (ix) Night Poaching Act 1828 in each year from 2005 to 2010. [91307]
Mr Blunt: The number of persons cautioned, and defendants proceeded against at magistrates court and found guilty at all courts for the requested offences in England and Wales from 2005 to 2010 can be viewed in the following tables.
The Ministry of Justice has not received any reports of cautions, prosecutions or convictions under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations Act 2010.
| Persons (1) cautioned, and defendants (1) proceeded against and found guilty of offences under selected legislation, England and Wales, 2005 - 10 (2) | |||||||||
| Defendants | |||||||||
| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | |||||||
| Legislation | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
| Defendants | |||||||||
| 2008 (3) | 2009 | 2010 | |||||||
| Legislation | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty | Cautioned | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
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| n/a = Not applicable. (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (4) The Animal Welfare Act 2006 came into effect on 8 November 2006 (5) Excludes offences that form part of a miscellaneous group that cannot be separately analysed. | |||||||||
Offenders: Literacy
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to help minor offenders overcome difficulties with reading and writing. [90672]
Mr Blunt: Young offenders held in the secure estate receive an individual learning plan to address their learning needs and objectives while in custody. If not already known, offenders have their literacy and numeracy skills assessed on arrival in custody. Education providers use a Hidden Disabilities Questionnaire developed by Dyslexia Action to test anyone who shows signs of having a learning difficulty and/or disability. This identifies a range of learning difficulties, allowing the education provider to direct the learner to the appropriate learning support and for further assessments if necessary.
Prison: Visits
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons have made arrangements with the police to carry out Police National Computer checks on visitors. [90892]
Mr Blunt: All prisons that hold category A prisoners have arrangements with the police to carry out PNC checks on visitors under the Approved Visitor Scheme. There is nothing to stop governors of other establishments applying for visitor information and the police will consider the lawfulness of the request. Governors can themselves access the PNC for information on prisoners.
Prisoners: Death
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many non-UK citizens have died in prison in each year from 1995. [91295]
Mr Blunt: The number of non UK citizens who have died in prison since 1995 is contained in the following table. The information is based on the self-declared nationality given by a prisoner on reception into custody.
| Deaths non-UK nationals | |
| (1) Subject to revision | |
Suspended Sentence Orders: Community Orders
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that public bodies imposing (a) community orders and (b) suspended sentence orders ensure that the terms and requirements of the order are understood by their recipient, including people with a learning disability; and if he will make a statement. [88622]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: There are policies and processes in place that require probation staff to explain the requirements of a community order and/or a suspended sentence order to an offender at the commencement of the order and to ensure that offenders are reminded of them throughout the sentence. Probation staff will take account of the needs of an individual offender and will adapt the style of communication given as maybe necessary.
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [91399]
Mr Djanogly: Departmental Business Plans set out clear priorities across Government, including what we are putting in place to support the growth of big society, and we continue to report publicly on progress against these priorities at:
http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/transparency/srp/
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Within the Ministry of Justice this includes reporting progress on initiatives such as various payment by results pilots, Neighbourhood Justice Panels and alternative dispute resolution.
For example, the Ministry of Justice will collect data on payments by results to complete evaluations to determine the best way to implement payment-by- results principles. The evaluation will be published in due course.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of removing welfare benefits from the scope of legal aid on the number of successful appeals against work capability assessments. [87912]
Mr Djanogly: The impact assessments published alongside both the consultation paper and the response to consultation lay out the best estimates of the potential effects of the reform programme. However, these did not specifically consider the effects of the reform programme on the number of successful appeals against work capability assessments.
Youth Justice: Enfield
Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his assessment is of the outcome of the recent HM Inspectorate of Probation inspection of youth offending work in the London borough of Enfield; and if he will make a statement. [85260]
Mr Blunt: I welcome the recent report by HM Inspectorate of Probation on youth offending work in Enfield.
This is an encouraging report showing progress in a challenging context. The Government are committed to improving the performance of all Youth Offending Teams. The Youth Justice Board has worked in partnership with Enfield to improve their performance and will continue to work with them to develop and deliver their post-inspection improvement plan.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure that schools and colleges provide effective advice on apprenticeship routes for young people. [90457]
Mr Hayes: From September, all schools in England will be placed under a legal duty to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance. We will issue statutory guidance to schools making their responsibility absolutely clear. This will include information about apprenticeships. The National Apprenticeship Service is working with schools to inform and prepare young people for apprenticeships. And we are reforming the national curriculum and raising standards in all our schools so that young people are better prepared for further learning, training or work.
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Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken to encourage employers and providers to provide level 3 and higher apprenticeship programmes in addition to higher volumes of level 2 apprenticeship programmes. [90459]
Mr Hayes: The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), works with employers and providers on a day-to-day basis to encourage them to provide advanced and higher level apprenticeships and through events such as National Apprenticeship Week which runs from 6 February this year.
We have seen increases in the numbers of people starting and completing apprenticeships at all levels. Provisional data for the 2010/11 academic year show that there were 147,900 advanced level apprenticeship starts, up by around two-thirds on 2009/10 and up by around three-quarters on 2008/09, and that there were 2,100 higher apprenticeship starts, up by more than a third on 2009/10 and up from only 200 in 2008/09.
NAS has allocated £18.7 million of the Higher Apprenticeship Fund which will support the development of an initial 19,000 new higher apprenticeships in sectors including construction, advanced engineering, insurance and financial services. A second round of bidding to the fund will be announced shortly which will grow this number further. We will be assessing the impact of these projects over the coming 18 months.
Apprentices: Wiltshire
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many employers in (a) Swindon, (b) Wiltshire and (c) England have received payments to take on their first young apprentice under the Government's incentive scheme. [90817]
Mr Hayes: The apprenticeship programme is demand led and take-up of apprenticeships by area depends on employer demand. We are therefore unable to provide estimates of the geographical distribution of those companies that will benefit from the incentive payments that the Government announced in November.
Nationally we plan to make 40,000 incentive payments available for small companies that are not currently engaged in the apprenticeships programme that take on their first apprentices aged 16 to 24. The National Apprenticeship Service is currently working up a detailed delivery plan and companies will be able to benefit by April this year.
Bankruptcy
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many small and medium-sized businesses have filed for bankruptcy in the last 12 months in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England. [91595]
Mr Davey: Statistics covering corporate insolvencies for England and Wales are not currently available at sub-national level, or differentiated by firm size.
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Business: Dismissal
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what timetable he expects to set for the consultation on no-fault dismissal for small businesses. [91590]
Mr Davey: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced in November 2011 that the Government would seek evidence on the idea of introducing compensated no-fault dismissal for micro firms (i.e. firms that employ fewer than 10 staff). Officials in the Department are currently seeking views on progressing this and we will publish a formal call for evidence in due course. Decisions on whether to consult further will not be taken until the ensuing evidence has been fully assessed.
Catering: Public Consultation
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what conclusions relevant to the food and drink industry his Department has drawn from its Red Tape Challenge consultation to date. [89668]
Mr Prisk: The hospitality, food and drink theme was in the Red Tape Challenge spotlight from 6 May to 2 June 2011. The agreed deregulatory package was announced on 29 September 2011 and set out the plans to scrap or improve over 60 different rules and regulations. The full package is available at:
http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2011/09/hospitality-food-and-drink-regulations
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what conclusions relevant to the food and drink industry his Department has drawn from its consultation on modern workplaces to date. [89669]
Mr Davey: The approach to the modern workplaces consultation was not based on business sectors and our analysis will incorporate views from a broad spectrum of business and non-business responses.
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what conclusions relevant to the food and drink industry his Department has drawn from its consultation on “A Competition Regime for Growth” to date. [89670]
Mr Davey: The Government expect to publish their response to the consultation on “A Competition Regime for Growth” shortly. Conclusions will be relevant the role of the competition authorities across all sectors of the economy.
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what responses his Department has received to its consultation entitled “A Long-Term Focus for Corporate Britain: A Call for Evidence” in relation to the food and drink industry. [89984]
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Mr Davey: During the consultation entitled “A Long-Term Focus for Corporate Britain: A Call for Evidence”, which closed in January 2011, the Department received a response from Tate & Lyle. No other responses from the food and drink industry were received. All of the responses to the consultation can be found on the BIS website at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/Consultations/a-long-term-focus-for-corporate-britain?cat=closedawaitingresponse