Police: Lasers
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to (a) allow the use by the police of and (b) regulate the police's use of lasers intended to blind people temporarily. [91362]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 23 January 2012]: The Home Office has no plans to trial lasers for use by the police service.
Police: Pay
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) total and (b) average overtime payments were for police officers in each police force in England and Wales in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available. [90881]
30 Jan 2012 : Column 404W
Nick Herbert: Information about police service expenditure, including overtime, is available on the website of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountants:
www.cipfastats.net
Information on police officer strength is published in the Police Service Strength Statistical Bulletin:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Police: Powers
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what independent checks are required to monitor the use of force against members of the public who are the subject of a police investigation. [92196]
Nick Herbert: Police Conduct Regulations (2008) govern the use of force by police officers. All officers are trained to exercise force responsibly in carrying out their duties. Police forces in England and Wales have a statutory duty to refer to the Independent Police Complaints Commission any serious incident that has arisen from police contact.
Police: Standards
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to simplify the process for removing poorly performing police officers. [90982]
Nick Herbert: Tom Winsor made recommendations in respect of police officer performance in Part One of his Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is currently considering the recommendation of the Police Advisory Board of England and Wales in relation to this.
Police: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unmanned aerial vehicles were in use by police forces in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012. [91365]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 23 January 2012]: The information held centrally via the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Unmanned Aerial System Steering Group (UASSG) states that the number of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) owned and in use by police forces are as follows:
(a) 2008—two UAVs (one operational)
(b) 2009—three UAVs (two operational)
(c) 2010—three UAVs (two operational)
(d) 2011—three UAVs (two operational)
(e) 2012 (to date)—two UAVs (one operational)
As forces are not required to inform ACPO UASSG when they purchase or operate a UAV, additional units may be in service, but data for these will not be held centrally.
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Northern Ireland
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92112]
Mr Paterson: My Department does not currently publish on its website responses to requests received under the Freedom of Information Act. The Northern Ireland Office is, however, committed to openness and transparency and preparations are being made to publish such information on the website at the earliest opportunity.
Welfare State: Reform
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the provisions of the Welfare Reform Bill on people living in Northern Ireland. [92415]
Mr Paterson: The Government's reforms to the welfare system will tackle the twin problems of poverty and welfare dependency. They will also end the something for nothing culture encouraged by the policies of the previous administration.
The Government's reforms will ensure that work pays and will always be seen to pay. Under our plans, for every hour a person works they will be better off. Universal credit will lift 900,000 individuals including more than 350,000 children and 550,000 working-age adults across the UK, including Northern Ireland, out of poverty. Our reforms will help significant numbers of people in Northern Ireland who are either unemployed or working on low pay.
The Personal Independence Payment will ensure that support is targeted to help those who face the greatest barriers to leading full, active and independent lives.
It is not fair that households on out-of-work benefits should receive a greater income from benefits than the average earnings of working households. To deal with this unfairness our reforms will also cap the amount of benefits in line with average weekly earnings.
We will also simplify the welfare system which under the previous administration had become hugely complex and bureaucratic, our reforms will tackle the unsustainable rise in spending on benefits and tax credits as part of the Government's continuing efforts to reduce the record deficit that we inherited from the administration in which the hon. Gentleman was a member.
Scotland
Credit
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Skills and Innovation on the operation and regulation of payday loan shops in Scotland. [92619]
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David Mundell: The Government acknowledge that there are real concerns about this type of lending. The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), raised the issue of access to credit and the potential for credit unions to provide an alternative source of finance during a recent meeting with the Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), this month.
Payday lending is a key area of regulatory focus for the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and it monitors the market for evidence of consumer detriment. The OFT has taken enforcement action against a number of companies in the payday loan market but as the market has increased in size it has seen an increase in reported consumer harm. In light of these concerns, the Government welcome the recent announcement by the OFT that they will be launching a comprehensive compliance review of its Irresponsible Lending Guidance that will specifically target the payday lending market. The review will focus on identifying those practices that are the cause of most harm to consumers and the findings will be used to take further enforcement action and drive up standards in this market. The OFT will also increase its scrutiny of applications for consumer credit licenses by those wishing to engage in this form of lending.
Sovereignty
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of registered voters who would be eligible to participate in a referendum on the constitutional future of Scotland under the (a) Westminster and (b) local authority franchise on the latest date for which figures are available. [92101]
David Mundell: As at 1 December 2010, in Scotland there were 3.93 million registered voters for UK Parliament elections, and 3.99 million registered voters for local government elections.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contribution his Department is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement. [92279]
David Mundell: The Compact referred to applies to England only. The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I are in contact with voluntary and civil society organisations in Scotland on a range of issues.
Transport
High Speed 2
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties not on the planned route of High Speed 2 have qualified for payments under the HS2 exceptional hardship scheme to date. [91827]
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Justine Greening: At this time it is not possible to tell which properties purchased under the exceptional hardship scheme (EHS) would have been compulsorily purchased as safeguarding directions are yet to be issued.
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials in her Department are working on the High Speed 2 project. [91919]
Justine Greening: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Chris White) on 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 916W.
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate she has made of the total cost to her Department of work to prepare, draft and support the passage of the proposed legislation for High Speed 2. [91920]
Justine Greening: The total funding allocated as part of the spending review to HS2 was £773 million. It includes preparation for and passage of the Hybrid Bill as well as preparatory work for phase 2 of the network.
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department has spent on planning and developing the High Speed Two project in each of the last three years. [87874]
Justine Greening: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| Actual spend on HS2 (unless otherwise stated, see footnote (1)) | |||
| £ million | |||
| Financial year | Resource Administration and Programme | Capital | Total |
| (1) This reflects the budget allocation and is subject to review in light of actual spend to date. | |||
Large Goods Vehicles
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 24-25WS, on high-volume semi-trailers, on what type of roads the longer lorry trials will take place. [92952]
Mike Penning: The high-volume semi-trailers will not be restricted to any type or types of roads.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 11 October 2011, Official Report, columns 24-25WS, on high-volume semi-trailers, how many lorries will be involved in the longer lorry trials. [92953]
Mike Penning: This information—1,800 lorries—is contained in the written ministerial statement.
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Motorways: Closures
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many motorway lanes were closed by the Highways Agency in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [92139]
(2) what proportion of lane closures on the motorway network were between the hours of 8.00 pm and 6.00 am in each of the last three years. [92140]
Mike Penning: The information requested is not currently available, but will be placed in the Libraries of the House by Friday 3 February.
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) deaths, (b) serious injuries and (c) slight injuries occurred on the motorway network in accidents or incidents at points of lane closures in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [92141]
Mike Penning: Neither the Highways Agency nor the central Department holds information on the number of deaths, serious or slight injuries which occurred at the point of lane closure on motorways.
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Highways Agency's policy is on the use of traffic management methods using (a) one and (b) two vehicles (i) with and (ii) without the use of impact protection; and what proportion of road closures have been implemented using each method in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [92142]
Mike Penning: Highways Agency service providers undertake urgent repairs and routine maintenance to the strategic road network, plus renewal and improvement work, as part of their maintenance contracts. They determine the method of traffic management required in each case based on a wide range of factors e.g. nature of the issue requiring a road closure, type of road, speed limit and traffic flows. The full criteria for traffic management carried out by its service providers, including the use of vehicles with and without impact protection are set out in three documents: the Agency's Network Management Manual; Routine and Winter Service Code; and Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual, which is the Department for Transport's standard for signing and management of traffic at static and mobile road works.
For incident management and other exceptional circumstances, in accordance with the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service Procedures Manual, Traffic Officers use the Rolling Road Block procedure and technique to control traffic flow and speed as an emergency traffic management method. The procedure requires traffic officers to perform a dynamic risk assessment considering factors such as traffic flows, weather conditions, general visibility and the number of running lanes to determine whether the technique should be executed with the use of one or two vehicles. At the scene, traffic officers use traffic management equipment such as cones and signs if required.
Information on the proportion of road closures implemented, broken down by the number of vehicles used and whether or not they had impact protection is
30 Jan 2012 : Column 409W
not readily available and could be obtained only through scrutiny of service provider individual traffic management provision records, at disproportionate cost to the Agency.
Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Autumn Statement, how much of the cost of completing the (a) M25 junctions 23 to 27 and (b) M1 junctions 39 to 42 improvements will fall beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [92238]
Mike Penning: Following the spending review announcement on 26 October 2010, the Government announced plans to invest £2.3 billion on major roads improvements through to the end of 2014-15. This included £1.4 billion to start 14 new schemes, including (a) M25 J23-27 and (b) M1 39-42 in the next four years. The Highways Agency has committed to reduce the total cost of the 14 capital major schemes by 20% against agreed baseline estimates. The autumn statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, announced funding of £100 million to accelerate the current major projects planned in the comprehensive spending review period, on the M25 (junctions 23-27) and the M1 (junctions 39-42).
For these accelerated schemes around 17% of the projects1 expenditure would fall into the next spending review period, dependent upon the total level of efficiencies realised for the Highways Agency's SR10 Major Roads Programme, when all 14 projects have completed.
The Highways Agency is working up detailed delivery time scales for the two accelerated schemes, to bring forward construction up to a year earlier than planned. We wilt make announcements on such time scales in due course.
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge: Closure
Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge on traffic levels in Thurrock on 5 January 2012; and if she will make a statement. [91786]
Mike Penning: On 4 January the QEII Bridge was closed from 21.43 and reopened at 17.09 on 5 January.
There are no cameras or other equipment along the A13 or A1089 to monitor traffic levels in real time. However, the Highways Agency was aware of morning peak hour queuing on the A13 westbound in the Thurrock area due to reduced capacity at the Dartford-Thurrock crossing as a result of the bridge closure.
Within Thurrock the Highways Agency are responsible for the M25, A282, A13 and A1089 trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport as highway authority. Monitoring of traffic levels on other roads within Thurrock is undertaken by the local highway authority, Thurrock council.
During each of the bridge closures traffic levels were monitored on the M25/A282 where CCTV cameras are available.
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Railways: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the total cost to the public purse of the east-west rail project falls beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [91585]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 24 January 2012]: As part of the Growth review, the Department for Transport committed to fund the east-west rail link, subject to finalising a detailed business case and a satisfactory local contribution being made.
Provided that these two conditions are satisfied, the Department will fund the scheme for delivery in Control Period 5 (CP5). The first year of CP5 is the final year of the current spending review period (i.e. 2014-15).
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the total cost to the public purse of electrification of the trans-Pennine Express falls beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [91588]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 24 January 2012]: Following the Department for Transport’s commitment to fund the electrification of the north trans-Pennine Express line as part of the Growth review, Network Rail have begun working up detailed plans for the delivery of this scheme. This includes considering the delivery programme for this work.
Early works will be delivered in Control Period 4 (i.e. by the end of 2013-14) in order to stimulate economic growth. However, it is anticipated that work will continue into Control Period 5 (CP5). The profile and cost of this work will be agreed as part of the CP5 settlement.
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the total cost to the public purse of measures to reduce disruption on the rail network falls beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [91589]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 24 January 2012]: As part of the Growth review, the Department for Transport asked Network Rail to undertake a further £100 million investment via the Network Rail Discretionary Fund (NRDF) to reduce disruption on the rail network and reduce the cost of running the railway. We anticipate that this expenditure will be completed by the end of Control Period 4 (i.e. by the end of 2013-14).
This investment will be financed via Network Rail’s regulated asset base. As with other regulated utilities, additions to the RAB are financed via a return paid to Network Rail and an amortisation (i.e. depreciation) charge. These payments are made over the life of the asset (generally around 30 years).
Railways: Franchises
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to section 30 of the coalition agreement, what progress she has made in granting longer rail franchises. [87377]
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Mrs Villiers: The Intercity West Coast franchise that is currently in the procurement stage will have a core term of 13 years and four months. The previous Government's policy was that franchises should have a core term of up to seven years, with a potential three-year extension, but in practice many were shorter. OJEU notices were published on 19 December 2011 in relation to new 15 year franchises for Essex Thameside and Great Western.
Roads: Safety
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 484W, on roads: safety, what assessment she has made of the level of compliance with the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways; and how many fines have been issued in respect of a failure to comply with (a) the current edition of the Specification and (b) previous editions of the Specification since the commencement of section 71 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. [91787]
Norman Baker: Inspection of works to monitor compliance with the Specification is a matter for individual highway authorities, and accordingly the Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has made no central assessment of the level of compliance. Where authorities identify instances of non-compliance with the Specification, they normally exercise their powers under section 72 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to require the responsible person to carry out the necessary remedial works (at their own expense), rather than seeking to pursue the matter through the courts. It is in the interests of the local authorities themselves to identify below standard replacements works.
Persons proceeded against for offences under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 cannot be separately identified on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database, as they form part of a miscellaneous group.
Southern: Rolling Stock
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the cost of new carriages for the Southern rail network will fall beyond the comprehensive spending review period. [90629]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Southern Railway will be conducting a financing competition for the new trains which is expected to complete in financial year 2012-13. Until this competition is concluded the details of any further payments have not been agreed.
I am happy to provide this information once the competition has been concluded.
Railway Announcements
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if her Department will seek suggestions from members of the public on the wording of passenger announcements on trains and in stations. [91248]
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Mrs Villiers: The wording of passenger announcements is a matter for train and station operators. A small number of information items are required by accessibility standards, in order to give persons with reduced mobility confidence when travelling. The Department consulted with representatives of passengers and disabled people when deciding which items should be mandated. Other announcements may be appropriate for safety reasons.
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department has a role in the formulation of guidance for passenger announcements on trains and in stations. [91250]
Mrs Villiers: Passenger announcements are a matter for train and station operators.
The Department has previously provided guidance on the provision of information for persons of reduced mobility and this is available on the Department's website at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100406155128/http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/rail/vehicles/pubs/rva/rvareg1998/
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/accessible-train-station-design/
Wales
Employment: Private Sector
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what recent discussions she has had with HM Treasury on the effect of macro-economic policies on employment levels in the private sector in Wales; [91605]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the effects of macroeconomic policy on employment levels in the private sector in Wales. [92642]
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues in HM Treasury on a wide range of subjects including raising levels of private sector employment in Wales.
We recognise that it is the private sector who will lead the economic recovery in Wales, which has relied on public sector employment for too long. That is why we have taken a range of measures to create an environment where the private sector can grow and create much needed jobs in Wales.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has forecast that 1.7 million private sector jobs will be created across the UK by 2017 and Wales needs to be well positioned to create its share of these new jobs.
Shale Gas
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with (a) the First Minister of the Welsh Government and (b) the Welsh Local Government Association on the scale of planning applications for fracking in Wales; and if she will make a statement. [91906]
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Mr David Jones: The responsibility for the planning applications for hydraulic fracturing or ‘fracking’ falls to the local authorities in Wales and therefore is the responsibility of the Welsh Government.
The Welsh Government last week announced plans to hold a public inquiry in May into a test drilling application for shale gas in the Vale of Glamorgan; however, we are not aware of any planning applications currently before any Welsh authority for fracking operations.
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether her Department publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92110]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office publishes the information it releases in response to Freedom of Information Act requests on a dedicated section of its website, which can be accessed at:
http://www.walesoffice.gov.uk/foi/
The average time taken between responding to a request and its publication on the website is not recorded and could be calculated only at disproportionate cost. The Department does however aim to publish released information as soon as possible after a formal reply is despatched to the requester.
Higher Education
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what recent discussions she has had with the (a) First Minister of the Welsh Government, (b) Higher Education Funding Council Wales and (c) Higher Education Wales on improving the overall levels of science and technology funding in Wales; and if she will make a statement; [91904]
(2) what recent discussions she has had with the (a) First Minister of the Welsh Government, (b) Higher Education Funding Council Wales and (c) Higher Education Wales on improving the overall levels of research and development funds in Wales; and if she will make a statement. [91905]
Mr David Jones: The Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), and I have regular discussions with Welsh Ministers and public bodies in Wales about a range of matters relevant to Wales. These discussions have included research funding.
The Government are committed to protecting funding for science and research programmes in cash terms during the current spending review period. This includes over £2.5 billion per annum programme funding for the seven Research Councils which operate across the UK and demonstrates our commitment to promoting economic growth through innovation. I am keen for Wales to be at the heart of this and the issue will be discussed with Welsh businesses at the next meeting of the Wales Office Business Advisory Group.
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The Welsh Government also provide funding in support of research undertaken by higher education institutions in Wales.
Women and Equalities
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what contribution the Government Equalities Office is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if she will make a statement. [92294]
Lynne Featherstone: On 1 April 2011, the Government Equalities Office became part of the Home Office. The information requested will be provided by the Minister for Immigration, my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green).
Attorney-General
Euthanasia
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Attorney-General in how many cases of assisted suicide for the terminally ill the Director of Public Prosecution has decided it is not in the public interest to prosecute since December 2008. [91764]
The Attorney-General: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) headquarters centrally records cases of assisted suicide. However, its central records do not show whether cases were not proceeded with on evidential or public interest grounds, and it would not be possible to provide such information without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Mr Bain: To ask the Attorney-General if he will encourage the Director of Public Prosecutions to make available his decisions not to prosecute in cases of assisted suicide on request. [92183]
The Attorney-General: The publication of case decisions by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) depends upon the circumstances of each individual case. When it is appropriate to do so, the DPP ensures that the reasons for decisions in assisted suicide cases are published on the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) website.
Newspaper Press: Telephone Hacking
Mr Watson: To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the Crown Prosecution Service's review of the phone hacking evidence by Alison Levitt QC to report its findings; and if he will place a redacted copy of that document in the Library. [92623]
The Attorney-General: Given that there is a live investigation concerning these matters, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time. Issues such as the publication of the review will be revisited at the appropriate time.
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Prime Minister
Christianity
Jim Shannon: To ask the Prime Minister what steps he plans to take to promote Christian values in public life. [92031]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the speech I gave on 16 December 2011 commemorating the 400(th) anniversary of the King James Bible. A copy of the speech can be found on the No. 10 website at:
http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/king-james-bible/
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Prime Minister whether his Office publishes on the 10 Downing street website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92129]
Mr Maude: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
The Cabinet Office including the Prime Minister’s Office publishes on its website responses to requests for information where there is a substantial public, rather than private, interest. Details are published on the Freedom of Information pages of the website on each occasion. No information is available about the time taken between responding to a request and the information becoming available on the website but the aim is to do so as quickly as possible.
There is no change in practice from the previous Administration.
Iraq Conflict
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Prime Minister if he will commission a National Security Council paper on the diplomatic and military lessons learnt from the Iraq campaigns. [92248]
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The Prime Minister: The Iraq Inquiry, chaired by Sir John Chilcot, was established to identify lessons learned from the UK's involvement in Iraq between 2001 and 2009.
Defence
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to continue additional payments for daily rates for service personnel in Afghanistan at the present level. [92333]
Mr Robathan: Yes. Our armed forces are currently deployed to the most demanding areas of conflict. It is right that they receive allowances, such as the tax free operational allowance, for the day-to-day demands of a deployment in Afghanistan.
Armed Forces: Death
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel were killed in action in each country in each calendar year since 2000. [90443]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 17 January 2012]: A breakdown of the 494 UK armed forces personnel killed as a result of hostile action between 2000 and 2012 is provided in the following table, broken down by year, operation and country. Hostile action includes deaths categorised as Killed in Action—a battle casualty who is killed outright or who dies as a result of wounds or other injuries before reaching a medical treatment facility; and Died of Wounds—a battle casualty who dies of wounds or other injuries received in action after having reached a medical facility.
For information, in the same time period, 99 service personnel have died on operations from other causes such as accidents and natural causes.
| UK armed forces personnel hostile action deaths by year and operation between 2000 and 2012 | |||||||||||||||
| Operation | Country | All | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
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Armed Forces: Redundancy
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) Yorkshire Regiment and (b) Gurkha (i) full-time soldiers and (ii) reservists were based in (A) Yorkshire and the Humber, (B) North Yorkshire and York and (C) City of York in (1) May 2010 and (2) December 2011; and how many such soldiers he expects to be based in each of these areas at the conclusion of Tranche 2 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme; [90958]
(2) how many (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) RAF (i) full-time personnel and (ii) reservists were based in (A) Yorkshire and the Humber, (B) North Yorkshire and York and (C) City of York in (1) May 2010 and (2) December 2011; and how many such personnel he expects to be based in each of these areas at the conclusion of Tranche 2 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme. [90959]
Mr Robathan: The information requested in respect of Regular armed forces personnel is shown in the following tables.
| Naval Service | Army | Royal Air Force | ||||
| May 2010 | December 2011 | May 2010 | December 2011 | May 2010 | December 2011 | |
|
Yorkshire and Humber (encompassing north Yorkshire and York) |
||||||
Location information in respect of reserve forces is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Tranche 2 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme was launched on 17 January 2012 and the outcome will not be known until June of this year. It is therefore too early to say at this stage how many people in each of these regions will be affected.
Cadets
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the funding allocated by his Department for the Yardley Chase Cadet Centre will be made available. [91816]
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Mr Robathan [holding answer 26 January 2012]: The Ministry of Defence is undertaking an in-depth review of its estate and how it may be used to optimise usage and value for money. This will include the Reserves and Cadets estate and is expected to conclude around mid-2012 at which time the position will become clearer.
Challenger Tanks
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 15W, on Challenger tanks, whether it is his policy that the CHARM3 weapon system could be used before the outcome of the review under Article 36 of Additional Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. [91835]
Nick Harvey: Should the security situation demand it, before the legal review is ready at the end of February 2012, then Challenger 2 tanks would be deployed in combat operations with appropriate anti-armour capabilities that provide our service personnel with the best possible protection.
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons his Department does not have contingency plans for the event that the outcome of the review of the legality of the CHARM3 weapon system under Article 36 of the Additional Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 concludes that its use could breach international humanitarian law. [91855]
Nick Harvey: CHARM3 provides our armed forces with a unique tank-based anti-armour capability which cannot be provided by other munitions.
Cleaning Services
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on dry cleaning and laundry since May 2010; and what his Department’s policy is on allowing its staff to claim for such expenditure. [90949]
Peter Luff [holding answer 20 January 2012]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The MOD’s military and civilian staff do not claim reimbursement for dry cleaning and laundry services, although they are permitted to use the flat-rate incidental expenses allowance for this purpose when on official business involving an overnight stay.
Where dry cleaning and laundry services are otherwise a permissible charge to the public purse, they are provided under contract (mainly as part of multi-activity contract arrangements), under local arrangements, through unit laundry facilities or by operational hygiene troops under field conditions.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr Kevan Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, (c) Chief of the Air Staff, (d) Chief of the General Staff and
30 Jan 2012 : Column 419W
(e)
First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff have spent on (i) gardening, (ii) entertainment and (iii) renovation and decoration of their official residences in 2011; [88309]
(2) how many staff were employed in the official residences of the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, (c) Chief of the Air Staff, (d) Chief of the General Staff and (e) First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in 2011; and what the cost to his Department was of such staff; [88316]
(3) how much his Department spent on accommodation for the (a) Chief of the Defence Staff, (b) Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, (c) Chief of the Air Staff, (d) Chief of the General Staff and (e) First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in 2011. [88338]
Mr Philip Hammond
[holding answer 10 January 2012]: Under previous arrangements, Official Service
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Residences (OSRs) were provided for senior officers in posts which required them to undertake official hospitality for defence purposes. As announced by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan), on 12 December 2011,
Official Report,
column 63WS, these arrangements have now been discontinued and a new Domestic Assistance policy will realise savings of at least £3 million per year from April 2012.
Figures for expenditure on Official Service Residences in the financial year 2010-11 are currently being finalised. For the financial year 2009-10, the costs associated with the properties occupied by the senior officers specified are set out in the following table. It should be emphasised that responsibility for decisions on expenditure relating to these properties lies with the Ministry of Defence, and not with the officers who occupied them at the time, or the current occupants.
| Post | Accommodation (£) | Planned maintenance (inc. gardening) (£) | Entertainment costs (£) | Number of household staff | Cost of household staff (£) |
| (1) This property is part of the Crown Estate and a grant-in-aid is payable. | |||||
Departmental Data Protection
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents of data loss or breaches of confidentiality occurred in his Department in 2011. [91723]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 25 January 2012]: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 24 November 2011, Official Report, columns 545-46W. During 2011, in 13 cases which involved the loss of personal data, the information involved was assessed as protected personal data and so can be considered to involve a breach of confidentiality.
Departmental Expenditure
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to his Department's finance transparency dataset, (1) for what reasons £1,260.95 was spent on trips to bowling alleys by his Department; and who was present on those trips; [91326]
(2) for what reasons £69,923.26 was spent on music and piano stores by his Department; [91327]
(3) for what reasons £48,057 was spent on bars, pubs and nightclubs by his Department; what the dates were of such trips; who was present; and which venues were visited on each occasion; [91328]
(4) for what reasons £6,012.82 was spent on shopping trips to cosmetic stores by his Department; [91329]
(5) for what reasons £8,769.02 was spent on jewellery by his Department; [91330]
(6) for what reasons £2,004.80 was spent on cinema trips; and who was present on those trips; [91641]
(7) for what reasons £55,316.41 was spent on theatrical producers; [91642]
(8) for what reasons £16,584 was spent on trailer parks; and who was present on those trips; [91643]
(9) for what reasons £9,215.62 was spent at tourist attractions and exhibits; and who was present on those trips. [91644]
Peter Luff: Ministry of Defence expenditure paid for by Government Procurement Card is, for security and administrative reasons, reported against merchant transaction categories of VISA'S own taxonomy. The categories, which are designed to provide VISA with data on their customers' business sectors, do not always accurately explain the nature of goods or services procured by the Department, and do not in themselves represent the full audit trail.
Expenditure listed as ‘trips to bowling alleys’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to leisure activities organised for Army new recruits as part of their induction into their training programme.
Expenditure listed as ‘music and piano stores’ (totalling £296,198.34) was incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 in support of the Royal School of Music's training programme and on musical instruments for military bands.
Expenditure listed as ‘bars, pubs and nightclubs’, incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011, represents the costs of accommodation and meals provided for military and civilian staff on detached duty, military
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operations and training exercises. I am withholding information on venues to protect the safety of our staff and suppliers.
Expenditure listed as ‘shopping trips to cosmetic stores’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to the purchases of demineralised water for a search radar in service with the Royal Navy and the purchase of air fresheners for waitng rooms and toilets in Careers Offices throughout the country.
Expenditure listed as ‘jewellery’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to the maintenance of a clocking-in machine at an MOD establishment, the purchase of new signs at an MOD establishment and for the provision of infantry dog tags and MOD police warrant card holders.
Expenditure listed as ‘cinema trips’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to the hire of a local venue for the Army Presentation Team and a leisure activity for new junior soldiers.
Expenditure listed as ‘theatrical producers’ incurred between 1 April and 31 October 2011 relates to:
Car parking fees for Army and RAF Careers Offices in the west country.
Cultural awareness training for Army Officers.
Conference facilities for a staff awayday.
Exhibition stands for the disposal of surplus military equipment.
Local Education services for a Service School.
Corporate hospitality for visiting VIPs from overseas.
Ferry tickets for rwd Arrows’ support vehicles.
RAF recruitment activities.
Activity in support of new junior soldier training.
Expenditure listed as ‘trailer parks’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to:
The use of a local swimming pool by an RAF station to provide sports facilities for new trainees, sports afternoons and rehabilitation therapy.
Accommodation for an RAF adventure training course.
Accommodation for a Joint Service Mountain Training Centre adventure training course.
Duke of Edinburgh award scheme activities in support of new junior soldier training.
Expenditure listed as ‘tourist attractions and exhibits’ incurred between 1 April and 30 September 2011 relates to:
Annual car parking for an armed forces careers office.
Army officer training.
Acquaint visits to the Portsmouth Naval Base and Museum for potential recruits to the Royal Navy.
The annual Navy Day.
An RAF adventure training course.
Leisure activities in support of new junior soldier training.
Departmental Manpower
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former employees of Alix Partners are employed by his Department; how many former employees of his Department are employed by Alix Partners; and if he will make a statement. [92008]
Mr Robathan: No former employees of AlixPartners are employed by the Ministry of Defence and, as far as we are aware, no former Ministry of Defence employees are employed by AlixPartners.
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Departmental Theft
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what items with a monetary value of more than £100 have been taken without authorisation from his Department in each month since March 2011; and if he will make a statement. [90989]
Peter Luff: The information requested will be placed in the Library of the House. The MOD takes detecting and deterring theft very seriously. Where a suspected perpetrator is identified prosecution or internal disciplinary action will follow as appropriate.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what thefts there have been from Ministry of Defence establishments since March 2011; and what the value was of the items taken. [89842]
Mr Robathan: The information will be placed in the Library of the House.
Disclosure of Information
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 14 November 2011, Official Report, column 526W, on disclosure of information, if he will publish the findings of the inquiry into the unauthorised disclosure of the letter between the former Secretary of State and the Prime Minister which appeared in The Daily Telegraph on 28 September 2010. [90290]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 17 January 2012]: The investigation remains open. The person responsible for the leak has not been identified.
Ex-Servicemen: Mental Health Services
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department is providing to veterans who are experiencing mental health disorders as a result of their service in the armed forces. [92418]
Mr Robathan: Medical care for our former armed forces personnel remains the responsibility of the national health service. However, the Ministry of Defence continues to work closely with the Department of Health to implement all the recommendations contained in the ‘Fighting Fit’ report produced by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison). These include the launch of a 24-hour helpline, the introduction of an enhanced mental health assessment in discharge medicals, the introduction of an online early intervention service, the Big White Wall, and the launch in April 2012 of a Veterans Information Service.
We also greatly value the work being done by the mental health charities, such as Combat Stress, and look forward to continuing to work with them.
Ex-Servicemen: Military Decorations
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to recognise the service of military veterans through a medal. [92307]
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Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 11W, to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Martin Horwood).
Falkland Islands: Defence
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding he plans to allocate to defence of the Falkland Islands in each of the next three years. [91671]
Nick Harvey: The current, provisional, forecast for provision of funding for British Forces South Atlantic Islands, through the Joint Forces Command Top Level Budget which will shortly assume this budgetary responsibility, is as follows:
| Financial year | £ million |
From 2011-12, responsibility and funding for estates management, including accommodation costs and utilities such as electricity and fuel oil, transferred to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation; this and funding in the other top level budgets is not shown in the table, to provide each top level budget's expenditure in relation to the Falkland Islands would incur disproportionate cost.
Germany: Armed Forces
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with mobile telephone companies on enabling UK service personnel in Germany to obtain mobile telephone contracts although they have no credit rating in the UK. [92332]
Mr Robathan: We have had no such discussions with commercial mobile telephone organisations. However, as part of our work on the Armed Forces Covenant we continue to work with credit reference agencies on a proposed technical solution that will allow British Forces Post Office addresses to be recognised in the same way as a United Kingdom postcode. This will facilitate financial services and online retail for those with such addresses overseas.
International Law: Cybercrime
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent (a) multilateral and (b) bilateral discussions he has had with his (i) international and (ii) European counterparts on establishing international law in the area of cyber security; and if he will make a statement. [91880]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 26 January 2012]: The Ministry of Defence has been working closely with NATO allies at a number of multilateral discussions on the formulation of the NATO cyber defence action plan.
The action plan is a living document that will be continuously updated to ensure NATO is at the forefront of developments in cyberspace and maintains the necessary flexibility to meet the challenges posed by cyber-threats.
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The action plan was a product of the 2010 Lisbon summit, where the Heads of State tasked the North Atlantic Council to develop a revised NATO cyber defence policy. The policy itself was then developed and approved by NATO Defence Ministers on 8 June 2011; the action plan is the implementation tool for the policy.
Cyberspace must be regarded as an operating environment. Therefore, it is our current position that to deal with so called cybercrime, cyber-terrorism and cyber-war, existing legal structures should be used rather than cyber-specific legislation being introduced.
Military Attachés: Pakistan
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are attached to the British high commission in Islamabad; what the rank of such personnel is; and what duties they perform. [91849]
Nick Harvey: There are five service personnel that form the Defence Section in the British high commission in Islamabad. Their current roles and ranks are shown in the following table:
| Defence section role | Rank |
The Defence Attaché is appointed to the high commissioner in Islamabad as the Chief of the Defence Staff's representative and Head of the Defence Section representing the Ministry of Defence and UK armed forces. The Defence Section works closely with the Government of Pakistan to pursue a close bilateral defence relationship, build partnerships between our armed forces, and provide bespoke military support to Her Majesty's Government's policy priorities to protect and promote the UK's influence and interests.
Nuclear Submarines
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which locations are being considered as an alternative operating base for the Vanguard class SSBN submarines; [90795]
(2) what criteria his Department plans to use to evaluate future locations for the operating base of Vanguard class SSBN submarines; [90796]
(3) which Royal Navy sites are equipped to become the operating base of Vanguard class SSBN submarines; [90797]
(4) if he will estimate the likely cost of developing a new operating base for the Vanguard class SSBN submarines. [90798]
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of moving (a) T class and (b) Astute class submarines to Plymouth. [90637]
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Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has made plans for the base porting of Royal Navy nuclear submarines in the case of future independence of Scotland and Scotland becoming a nuclear-free zone. [90644]
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the possibility of Scottish independence, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of moving Vanguard class SSBN submarines from Faslane to Devonport. [91071]
Peter Luff [holding answers 19, 20 and 23 January 2012]:The Ministry of Defence is not making plans to change the base ports of those classes of submarines currently base-ported at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. The Department does not therefore hold cost estimates or other information that would relate to such changes.
The Government are clear that Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it. The Government are not making plans for independence as we are confident that people in Scotland will continue to support the Union in any referendum.
Pakistan: Military Alliances
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) nature and (b) extent of military links with the Government of Pakistan are; and if he will make a statement. [91820]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 26 January 2012]: The Defence Section in Islamabad works closely with the Government of Pakistan, and the Pakistan military, to pursue a close bilateral defence relationship, build partnerships between our armed forces and provide bespoke military support to Her Majesty's Government's policy priorities to protect and promote the UK's influence and interests.
We encourage senior UK officers to foster a good working relationship with their Pakistan military counterparts, and there are a large number of regimental affiliations between UK and Pakistani military units, which can include exchanges of officers.
Departmental Expenditure: Restaurants
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure his Department has incurred on restaurant meals for civil servants since May 2010; and (a) on how many occasions and (b) in respect of which restaurants his Department incurred such expenditure in that period; and if he will make a statement. [91068]
Peter Luff [holding answer 20 January 2012]: Expenditure on meals in restaurants reimbursed to civil servants on official duty away from their normal place of work is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A robust spot audit process is in place to ensure that claims are legitimate and correct.
Moreover, information on venues and locations of such expenditure would be withheld to protect the safety of our staff and suppliers.
Crown servants are not permitted to entertain each other at public expense.
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Territorial Army
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish his plan for the future of the Territorial Army. [91819]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 26 January 2012]: As part of Defence transformation it is envisaged that there will be an integrated Army of around 120,000 by 2020, comprising a trained strength of 82,000 regular and at least 30,000 reserves, with a training margin of 8,000 reserves. Across Defence, the reserves will benefit from £1.5 billion investment over 10 years to reinvigorate their contribution to all three services.
These changes will require the Army to review and rebalance its structure, both in terms of its regular and reserve forces, in order to identify when and how these changes will take place. This detailed work is now under way as part of Army 2020 which I expect to receive for consideration in spring 2012.
Trident Missiles
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what annual service fees are paid to the US Administration for the storage and reprocessing of Trident missiles at the Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic, Kings Bay, Georgia. [91253]
Peter Luff: Under the Polaris Sales Agreement as amended for Trident, the UK pays the US Department of Defence an annual contribution towards the overall cost of the US Navy's Strategic Weapons Facility at Kings Bay, Georgia.
This contribution, which includes storage and reprocessing work, is based on the UK's share of the overall missile inventory, and amounts to around £12 million a year.
Education
Academies
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he holds on how schools which have converted to academies are fulfilling their duty to assist less successful schools. [91476]
Mr Gibb: Schools that are performing well are in a strong position to help other schools raise standards by sharing good practice and expertise. 1,194 converter academies are supporting over 1,600 named schools.
As part of the academy conversion process applicant schools provide the Department with the name of the school or schools they will be supporting and what that support is likely to involve. We do not monitor how schools choose to work together following conversion.
Adoption
Mr Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many sets of parents (a) began and (b) completed the registration process for adoption in each year from 1997 to 2010. [91796]
Tim Loughton: This information is not collected centrally.
In December the Government set up a working group of key partners from across the adoption sector to redesign the recruitment, preparation, training and assessment process for prospective adopters including what, if any, new monitoring mechanisms might be needed. We expect the group's proposals to inform further reform in due course.
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Mr Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were adopted by UK couples from (a) the domestic care system and (b) overseas in each year from 1997 to 2011. [91797]
Tim Loughton: The information on the number of looked after children who have been adopted from care can be found in table G1 of Statistical First Release “Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011”, which is available on the Department's website via the following link. This table can be found in the Excel file which is available via the link entitled ‘England Summary Tables’
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml
Adoption is a devolved function and the Department does not hold data on adoption in the devolved Administrations.
Data on the number of intercountry adoptions are only available for 2010 and 2011, and the figures are estimates only:
| Number | |
These figures include intercountry adoptions by prospective adopters resident in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the isle of Man who have made an inter-country adoption from countries that have not implemented the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
Children
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has assessed the effects of downshifting on (a) family life and (b) children’s subjective well-being. [90899]
Tim Loughton: No such assessment has been made by the Department.
Children in Care
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that each young person in transition from the looked after system into adulthood has a dedicated key worker. [92363]
Tim Loughton: Local authorities have clearly defined duties and responsibilities for their care leavers. The Care Leavers (England) Regulations 2010 and guidance “Planning Transition for Adulthood for Care Leavers” requires local authorities to provide young people reaching the age of 18 with appropriate leaving care support. This includes a regularly reviewed pathway plan and the allocation of a personal adviser who will provide advice and support on a range of matters including accommodation. This help continues up until the young person reaches the age of 21, or beyond if the young person is still in education.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure greater stability of care placements in accordance with the Foster Carers' Charter. [92364]
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Tim Loughton: Of the children looked after at 31 March 2011, 67% (43,870) had only one placement during the year, and 11% had three or more placements. This compares to 65% and 13% respectively in 2007(1). But although placement stability is improving, we need to do more.
The Prime Minister announced in October his intention to secure a new focus on improving services for looked after children. We are developing an extensive programme of work to support improvements in the care system, and as part of this we will be assessing the take-up and impact of the Foster Carers' Charter. We will set out further detail on our wider reform proposals in due course.
(1) Department for Education: Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011.
Children: Adoption
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether there are circumstances under which children adopted from overseas can be given priority under the School Admissions Code, in recognition that they may have suffered hardships similar to those who are accorded such priority. [91012]
Tim Loughton: Looked after children have, since February 2006, had priority access under the School Admissions Code. We have proposed a number of changes to the Admissions Code, including that looked after children who leave care under an adoption order (or special guardianship or residence order) retain the entitlement they previously had as a looked after child. The amendments to the code are intended to support the adoption of children from care.
Children adopted from abroad do not have this entitlement, although I do, of course, recognise that some children adopted from overseas will also have difficult and challenging needs, as do many children who live with their birth families.
There are already provisions in place to support children with special educational needs (SEN) identified at School Action or School Action Plus. School admission processes must not discriminate against or disadvantage disabled children or those with SEN. For all children whose statement of special educational needs names the school, the child must be admitted. For a child with a statement of SEN, parents have the right to express a preference for any maintained school, and the LA must comply with the parental preference unless the school is unsuitable to the child's age, ability, aptitude or special educational needs, or the placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of the other children with whom the child would be educated, or with the efficient use of resources.
Children: Day Care
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 461-2W, on child care, whether his Department has made an assessment of changes to the availability and cost of out-of-school childcare; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that local authorities meet their statutory duties. [91517]
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Sarah Teather: Data on the availability and cost of out-of-school childcare is collected through two surveys: the Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents and the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey. These surveys provide the Department and the public with information to help monitor the changes in the availability and cost of child care. The 2010 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents is due to be published in June 2012. The 2010 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey was published in September 2011.
The 2009 Childcare and Early Years Survey of Parents is available on the Department's website at the following address:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/RSG/Earlyyearsandchildcareworkforce/Page1/DFE-RRQ54
The 2010 Childcare and Early Years Providers is available from the Department's website at the following address:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/OSR17/2011
Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure sufficient child care locally to meet the needs of working parents, particularly families with disabled children. We want local authorities to do more to keep parents informed about how they are meeting this duty. We are currently consulting on whether an annual report would enable parents to hold their local authority to account for the availability of suitable child care, including provision for disabled children. The consultation is available on the Department's website and will remain open until 3 February.
Child Protection
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many serious case reviews have been undertaken (a) in total and (b) in each English local authority area in each of the last five years. [91650]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 25 January 2012]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 11 July 2011, Official Report, column 85W.
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the number of serious case reviews undertaken by local authorities where a child or family have moved between local authorities in the previous year. [91651]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 25 January 2012]: Data about the number of Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) where a child or family have moved between local authorities in the previous year is not available centrally.
The Government's statutory guidance, “Working Together to Safeguard Children (2010)”, is clear about which Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) should take lead responsibility for conducting a SCR when partner agencies from more than one LSCB area have had contact with a child and their family.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will assess the findings of the report entitled Child Neglect in 2011 published by Action for Children in January 2012; and if he will make a statement. [92615]
Tim Loughton:
The earlier that help is given to vulnerable children and families, the more chance there is of turning lives around and protecting children from harm. The
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Government are currently addressing many of the concerns raised in the Action for Children report, shifting the focus onto earlier intervention. This is one reason why last year we asked Professor Munro to carry out an independent review of child protection. She identified that services are often too reactive, and we are now helping children's services, police and the NHS to work together and focus on early identification before problems escalate. We are also working with Ofsted to make sure their inspections look at whether children are getting the help they need.
Through revisions to the Government's statutory guidance “Working Together to Safeguard Children” (2010) we are planning to free social workers from bureaucracy and reduce statutory guidance so they have more time and space for better quality assessments.
The Department for Education through the children in need (CIN) census collects data on individual children assessed as being in need due to neglect and on those who are the subject of a child protection plan because of neglect. On 23 January the Department launched a public consultation on the national children's safeguarding performance information recommended by Professor Eileen Munro. This includes additional information on neglect. Depending on the results of the consultation some items collected in the CIN census may change prior to the children's safeguarding performance information framework being published in May 2012. We have also developed and agreed with the sector the performance information that local areas should collect to monitor children's safeguarding which includes a local understanding of the impact of services and the needs of the children and young people.
Debt Recovery
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many times his Department has used the services of debt recovery companies since May 2010; which companies were used; and if he will make a statement. [88369]
Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), can confirm that his Department has not used the services of debt recovery companies prior to or since May 2010.
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the Information Commissioner's guidance on official information held in private email accounts, how much his Department has spent on legal advice on the compliance of the practice of deleting private emails concerning Government business sent or received by him or his special advisers with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [91488]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 24 January 2012]: The Department has not incurred any expenditure on this matter.
Ministerial Office: Funding
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he receives any external funding for (a) his ministerial office and (b) his advisers; and what the (i) source and (ii) amount is of any such funding. [78018]
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Tim Loughton: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), does not receive any external funding for either his ministerial office or his advisers.
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 227W, on departmental recruitment, how much of the £274,452.26 spent on recruitment agencies was spent on agency (a) fees and (b) staff. [92595]
Tim Loughton: The fees for both the Department's agency worker providers are factored in to each of their agreed set of rates. The rates for each provider vary according to the grade of the agency worker and their location—currently five groups across four locations. The agency rates are revised, as appropriate, to take account of any statutory changes in national insurance.
The information requested is not held centrally because the Department's invoicing process does not separate the fee from the amount paid direct to the agency worker.
English Baccalaureate
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consider including (a) music and (b) other intellectually rigorous, creative and technical subjects within a sixth pillar of the English Baccalaureate. [91701]
Mr Gibb: The English Baccalaureate recognises schools' and pupils' GCSE achievements in a core set of academic subjects. The subjects included in the English Baccalaureate are those most commonly required at A level for entry onto leading universities' courses; some of these subjects—languages, history and geography—have been in decline and the Government want more pupils to have the opportunity to study them.
We do not want schools to restrict pupils' options to just this academic core. The composition of the English Baccalaureate has been kept small to allow for additional study including music and intellectually rigorous technical and creative subjects. We have no immediate plans to change the composition of the English Baccalaureate but will keep its composition under review, and continue to monitor its impact on GCSE subject choices, including by reviewing GCSE entries in 2012.
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92122]
Tim Loughton: Disclosure logs for the publication of departmental responses to requests made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 are not mandatory for public authorities.
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Nevertheless, in line with best practice, the Department maintains a disclosure log on its website where it publishes anonymised FOI responses likely to be of wider interest to the general public.
There are currently some 234 responses to FOI requests on the disclosure log, sub-divided by category to aid navigation. The time taken to upload the response varies, but the most recent example was a request made on 16 November 2011; the information was published on the website on 20 January 2012. The disclosure log can be accessed at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/aboutdfe/foi
GCE A-Level
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1219W on GCE A-level, what proportion of pupils from (a) comprehensive schools and (b) independent mainstream schools achieved (i) three or more A Levels graded A or A* and (ii) three or more A Level passes at any grade in (A) the furthest year back for which figures are available without incurring disproportionate cost and (B) 2010. [89094]
Mr Gibb: The information for the years 2006 and 2010 is given as follows (the A* grade was not awarded in 2006):
| Percentage of students (1, 2, 3) achieving three or more A levels graded A or A* and three or more A level passes at comprehensive and independent mainstream schools | ||||
| Percentage | ||||
| (A) 2006 | (B) 2010 | |||
| Admissions policy of school (4) | Students achieving three or more A levels graded A | Students achieving three or more A level passes at any grade | Students achieving three or more A levels graded A or A* | Students achieving three or more A level passes at any grade |
| (1 )Students entered for a GCE or Applied GCE A level or double award, not including equivalent qualifications. (2 )Including attempts and achievements by these students in previous academic years. (3 )16 to 18-year-old students entered for GCE/VCE A level qualifications. (4 )School type as recorded in Edubase. (5 )Including city technology colleges and academies. (6 )Excluding non-maintained and independent special schools. Source: Post 16 School Performance Tables (Final data). | ||||
GCSE: Assessments
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many entrants for GCSE examinations were permitted additional time to complete the examination in each of the last 15 years; and how many children were recorded as having (a) specific learning difficulties and (b) statements of special educational needs in (i) Year 7 and (ii) Year 11 in each of those years. [91251]
Mr Gibb:
The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) and its predecessor the Joint Council for General Qualifications (JCGQ) have collected data on those
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students awarded extra time in exams of up to 25% since the 2004/05 academic year. These arrangements are for candidates with a range of disabilities and medical conditions. The figures are set out in Table 1 as follows and relate to both GCSE and GCE qualifications as data are not collected specifically for GCSEs.
| Table 1: Extra time in exams of up to 25% | |
| Number of requests approved | |
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| Notes: 1. In exceptional circumstances candidates can be entitled to extra time of more than 25%. 2. The way in which data have been collected has changed significantly over this period. 3. Candidates may have had more than one agreed access arrangement in place such as extra time of up to 25% and a reader, or extra time of up to 25% and a scribe. | |
The number of pupils recorded as having specific learning difficulties and statements of special education needs (SEN) in years 7 and 11 from 2004 onwards (the earliest period for which data are available) can be found in Table 2 as follows:
| Table 2: State-funded primary, state-funded secondary and special schools (1) . () Number of pupils (2) with a statement of special educational need (SEN) or a specific learning difficulty (type of need) (3) in national curriculum years 7 and 11. January 2004 to January 2011, England | ||||||||
| National curriculum year 7 | National curriculum year 11 | |||||||
| Specific learning difficulty (3) | Specific learning difficulty (3) | |||||||
| Pupils with a statement of SEN | School Action Plus | Statement of SEN | Total | Pupils with a statement of SEN | School Action Plus | Statement of SEN | Total | |
| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed, primary academies, secondary academies, city technology colleges and maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (2) Includes pupils with sole or dual main registration. (3) Pupils at School Action Plus and those pupils with a statement of SEN provided information on their primary need and, if appropriate, their secondary need. Information on primary need only is given here. (4) In 2004, may include some pupils recorded at statutory assessment stage. Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest five. Source: School Census | ||||||||