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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 31 January 2012

House of Commons Commission

Catering

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many customers used the Jubilee Café in the last year; what proportion of customers only purchased drinks; and what proportion of customers purchased food. [91829]

John Thurso: In the 12 months to December 2011, a total of 74,209 transactions were recorded in the Jubilee Café. A transaction is defined as a purchase, with payment, at the point of sale. The purchase may be for one or multiple customers paid for in a single transaction.

No record is kept of the proportion of customers purchasing drinks only or purchasing food in the Jubilee Café.

The hon. Lady might find it helpful to speak directly to the Director of Catering and Retail Services on these detailed matters.

Leader of the House

Freedom of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Leader of the House whether his office 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. [92127]

Sir George Young: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 415W.

Attorney-General

Crown Prosecution Service: Translation Services

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Attorney-General how much the Crown Prosecution Service spent on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five financial years; and if he will make a statement. [92429]

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The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spent the following amounts on translation and interpretation services in each of the last five financial years:

  Expenditure (£)

2006-07

1,340,401

2007-08

1,521,351

2008-09

1,639,160

2009-10

1,787,386

2010-11

2,065,813

Freedom of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Law Officers' Departments publishes on their websites their response to each request they receive under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of their websites on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on their websites. [92131]

The Attorney-General: The Attorney-General's Office (AGO), Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Treasury Solicitors Department (TSol) or Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) do not currently publish FOI responses on their websites.

The Serious Fraud Office publishes responses on its website where it has provided information, either wholly or partially. No record is kept on the time taken between responding to such requests and their publication on the website.

Third Sector

Mr Thomas: To ask the Attorney-General what contribution the Law Officers' Departments are making to implementation of the compact with the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement. [92293]

The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to the principles of the compact in its engagement with a range of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Such engagement takes place on a regular basis both at a national and local level through set structures.

At a national level engagement takes place on a quarterly basis through the Community Accountability Forum (CAF), which includes as its membership national CSOs. National engagement also takes place on specific policies to help ensure that these take on board the perspective, views and concerns of communities and are responsive to need.

At a local level the CPS has established Local Scrutiny and Involvement Panels (LSIPs), whose membership includes local CSOs, in order to meaningfully and regularly engage on local issues and concerns and to improve transparency. A range of other engagement and partnership working takes place locally on specific local issues and concerns—examples include violence against women and girls crimes and hate crimes.

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In relation to volunteering, the CPS successfully launched its Pro Bono and Volunteers Network (CPVN) in June 2009 in order to enable staff to take an active role in volunteering in the community.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) aims to ensure that it works in partnership with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to achieve common goals and outcomes for the benefit of communities and citizens in England. The SFO achieves this in a number of ways.

The SFO works with the Witness Service, Victim Support and Public Concern at Work to support the victims of fraud and whistleblowers. The SFO also supports events to raise public awareness of serious economic crime. These events are often run by CSOs such as Transparency International and Age Concern.

As part of its commitment to equality and diversity the SFO works with Stonewall to promote a fairer workplace.

Finally the SFO sponsors a volunteering scheme to enable members of staff to get involved with local projects to support the big society.

The Attorney-General's Office, Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSOL) and the HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate do not have direct working relationships with CSOs because the nature of their work is focused on providing services to other Government Departments. Consequently they are not involved in designing or delivering services, programmes or policies for citizens and communities, or providing funding to any civil society organisations.

TSOL does however have a number of staff who volunteer on a regular basis for the GLS Pro Bono Network, and provides special leave for those who act as a magistrate, school governor or trustee of a charity. In addition the Department allows staff one day's paid special leave per year to undertake 'community or voluntary work which is for the benefit of others outside their immediate friends and family.

Scotland

Freedom of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [92111]

David Mundell: The Scotland Office publishes its response to each request where the request is granted in full and other responses where there is a substantial public interest in the information being disclosed. We also keep our criteria for disclosure under regular review.

Latest releases are routinely published on the Scotland Office website at:

http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/15263.141.html

and releases relating to previous years can be viewed at:

http://www.scotlandoffice.gov.uk/scotlandoffice/9794.142.html

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The average time taken between responding to a request and the information being available on the Scotland Office website is not readily available without incurring disproportionate cost; however, responses are published each month. Requests responded to in December 2011 have already been published, and requests responded to in January 2012 will be published in early February.

Work and Pensions

Departmental Statistics

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what occasions the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority has written to him expressing concern about his Department's use of statistics since May 2010. [92703]

Chris Grayling: Correspondence between the UK Statistics Authority and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), is published on the authority's website and has been placed in the Library:

http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/reports---correspondence/correspondence/index.html

Employment and Support Allowance: HIV Infection

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he (a) last met and (b) next plans to meet representatives of HIV organisations to discuss ways of improving the work capability assessment handbook and other guidance material used by Atos. [92774]

Chris Grayling: Ministers and officials hold regular meetings about the work capability assessment (WCA) with a range of stakeholders including those representing people with HIV. The National Aids Trust were represented at ministerial launch of the second independent review of the WCA on 24 November 2011. The National Aids Trust are also part of the group of stakeholders Professor Harrington has asked to look at the way the WCA accounts for fluctuating conditions. Their report was submitted to the Department during late November and we are considering these proposals closely.

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that HIV awareness training is delivered to staff of (a) his Department and (b) Atos. [92775]

Chris Grayling: The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) trains its staff in the skills required to support a range of customers and claimants and to respect their individual needs. This approach ensures that our employees are equipped to deal with a diverse set of circumstances while treating everyone as an individual.

The learning programme for DWP focuses on raising awareness of the claimants' personal circumstances and also recognises that disabilities and health conditions can affect individuals in different ways and will change over time.

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(a) DWP staff receive learning which covers excellent customer service, diversity and customer needs. This learning deals with the wide range of circumstances that our claimants may have, some less obvious than others, and stresses how important it is to look for signs where the claimant does not give us this information directly and to offer appropriate support.

A number of job roles within DWP, including front- facing staff, visiting officers and decision makers undertake training which raises awareness of HIV-related illness and how this affects individuals. Specifically, an event called ‘Raising the Game’ is aimed at elevating staffs awareness of disability and perceptions of disabled people. This national event includes information on HIV and AIDS.

All DWP staff have access to information about HIV through guidance on the DWP intranet.

(b) All Atos health care professionals receive an evidence-based protocol on HIV/AIDS as part of their new entrant training. In addition they have access to a learning set on HIV/AIDs as part of the Atos programme of continuing medical education.

Employment Schemes: Third Sector

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he intends to publish data on the level of referrals to voluntary and community sector providers under the Work programme; how often such data will be published; and if he will make a statement. [92702]

Chris Grayling: Voluntary and community sector providers delivering the Work programme are represented at all levels i.e. as prime providers and as tier one, and tier two, supply chain partners. The Department has no plans to publish data for referrals below prime provider level or to release information by sector.

Work programme official statistics, including referrals data, will be published for the first time on 21 February 2012 with subsequent publications published quarterly, and will be prepared in accordance with the code of practice for official statistics.

The Department for Work and Pensions has commissioned a consortium led by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) to undertake an independent evaluation of the Work programme. Evaluation work started in autumn 2011 and will conclude in 2014.

New Deal Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the annual contract value of the flexible new deal was in each contract package area between October 2009 and the close of the programme. [92701]

Chris Grayling: The information you requested is contained in table 1 as follows, which shows annual contract values for each flexible new deal contract package area (CPA) from October 2009 to the close of the programme.

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Table 1: Flexible new deal spend by contract package area and year
Spend £ million
CPA Districts Oct ober 20 09 to Sep tember 20 10 Oct ober 20 10 to t ermination

CPA01

Ayrshire, Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde; Edinburgh, Lothian and borders

37.3

17.9

CPA02

North East Yorkshire and the Humber; Tees Valley

44.8

22.6

CPA03

Greater Manchester Central; Greater Manchester West and East

41.7

21.6

CPA04

Derbyshire; South Yorkshire

38.6

19.6

CPA05

South East Wales, North and Mid Wales

19.7

10.3

CPA06

Coventry and Warwickshire; The Marches; Staffordshire

39.9

15.9

CPA07

Leicestershire and Northamptonshire; Nottinghamshire

40.2

21.3

CPA08

Cambridgeshire and Suffolk; Lincolnshire and Rutland; Norfolk

34.7

16.8

CPA09

Birmingham and Solihull

43.1

15.7

CPA10

Black Country

31.0

17.4

CPA11

South West Wales, South Wales Valleys

20.4

11.8

CPA12

Central London; Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth

55.1

24.6

CPA13

Surrey and Sussex; Kent

46.8

21.4

CPA14

Devon and Cornwall

12.8

7.0

All

 

505.8

244.0

Source: DWP accounting system.

The costs to termination includes spending on exit costs due to the early termination of flexible new deal contracts arising from roll-out of the new Work programme. Negotiations with two service providers have not yet been concluded and therefore the final figures may change.

Pensioners: Housing Benefit

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the proportion of social housing tenants likely to be affected by the proposed changes to housing benefit relating to under-occupancy who will be pensioners. [92963]

Steve Webb: The information is not available.

The introduction of size criteria from 2013/14 for housing benefit claimants living in the social rented sector will only affect working-age claimants.

The age threshold for distinguishing working-age from pension-age for benefit purposes is generally based upon the qualifying age for pension credit. This age threshold is gradually increasing over time. A small number of claimants over this age threshold may choose to claim a working-age benefit, such as income-based jobseeker's allowance instead of pension credit. These claimants would also be treated as working-age for housing benefit purposes.

For couples currently claiming housing benefit, both the claimant and their partner need to be under the qualifying age for pension credit to be treated as working-age. When universal credit is introduced, if either member in a couple is under the qualifying age for pension credit then the couple would be treated as working-age. They would then be expected to access universal credit rather than pension credit.

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It is intended that those already in receipt of pension credit at the point of change will be protected, and continue to receive pension credit as long as they continue to meet the other qualifying conditions.

Unemployed People: Mental Illness

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the assessment of mental health disorders amongst people undergoing return-to-work interviews at jobcentres. [92106]

Chris Grayling: I am not aware of any representations in relation to the specific question asked. However, it is Jobcentre Plus policy to develop its people in the skills required to support a range of customers with a variety of health conditions, including mental health conditions. This approach ensures that they are equipped to deal with a diverse set of circumstances whilst treating customers as individuals. Skilled employment advisers look at the interaction between the person, the job and an individual's ability, advisers ensure that job goals relate to the persons' abilities and that work solutions are sought which overcome any barriers a customer might face in a particular job.

All Jobcentre Plus staff who require a basic introduction to mental illness and working with customers with a diagnosis of mental illness have the opportunity to attend a one day event which discusses what mental illness is, how it is viewed, and provides an understanding of the mental illness spectrum.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants undertaking return-to-work interviews have (a) indicated they have ongoing mental health disorders, (b) subsequently been placed on jobseeker's allowance and (c) appealed against a decision to place them on jobseeker's allowance; and what the outcome of such appeals was in each of the last 18 months. [92108]

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on which date he expects all applications for in-work support to be for universal credit rather than tax credits. [92700]

Chris Grayling: The universal credit migration approach published on 1 November set out how DWP will start to take new claims to universal credit from October 2013 and that new claims to the current benefits and credits will gradually be phased out, with claims to tax credits ending in April 2014.

Work continues with HMRC and local authorities to understand the precise timing and detail of how this will work, but this approach will ensure that universal credit is phased in safely from October 2013, minimising the risk to claimants.

Once agreed, the DWP will keep the approach under regular review as it recognises that this needs to be flexible enough the respond to national and local circumstances as they change in the years before the migration to universal credit is concluded in 2017.

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Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy that tenants should normally submit their documents by post rather than over the counter when making applications for universal credit. [92704]

Chris Grayling: My Department is currently working on its plans for gathering the evidence required to support a universal credit claim, and is yet to reach a conclusion on this issue.

Work Capability Assessment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many stream 2 referrals were made in relation to Atos Healthcare professionals in the last year for which figures are available. [92427]

Chris Grayling: Atos has received inquiries from the GMC relating to 19 doctors during 2011 that were categorised as stream 2 by the GMC.

Culture, Media and Sport

Advertising: Abortion Services

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what powers he has to oversee advertisements for abortion services by for-profit organisations before they are broadcast; and if he will make a statement. [92151]

Mr Vaizey: The advertising rule changes recently announced relate to the provision of post-conception advice services not abortion services.

The controls on the broadcast advertising of post-conception advice services are the responsibility of the advertising regulators, Ofcom, the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). These bodies are independent of Government and they set the standards for all broadcast advertising.

The Government have no powers to review advertisements before they are broadcast.

Departmental Travel

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department has agreed any contracts with (a) private hire vehicle and (b) taxi companies since May 2010. [92838]

John Penrose: No contracts have been agreed with either (a) private hire vehicle or (b) taxi companies since May 2010.

Work Experience

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what work experience or traineeship schemes his Department offers to minority groups. [92742]

John Penrose: This Department provided two students with a two-week work experience placement in 2011, as part of the Whitehall Internship Scheme which provides

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internships and work experience for people from under-represented groups, including black, Asian and ethnic minority communities. We are aiming to offer the same opportunities this year to students in the scheme.

Historic Buildings

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps the Government has taken to encourage the public to visit historic buildings since May 2010. [91452]

John Penrose: English Heritage promotes access and visiting to over 400 historic sites—from castles to country houses—using advertising, public relations, social media and other forms of marketing communication. In 2010-11, English Heritage sites attracted 5.5 million visitors. Its significant thematic events programme, which includes historical re-enactments amongst a broader range of activities, is an important part of attracting visitors. Additionally, its membership programme now involves around 800,000 individuals, with this number continuing to grow. Members receive special publications including a handbook of all English Heritage sites, a members' magazine called, Heritage Today and a dedicated all year events programme.

Historic Buildings: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps the Government has taken to promote the preservation of historic buildings in the West Midlands since May 2010. [91451]

John Penrose: In the West Midlands, English Heritage provided £1.35 million in 2010-11 and £1.39 million in 2011-12 towards the preservation of historic buildings, monuments and landscapes.

English Heritage has published a West Midlands Heritage at Risk Register each year since 2008: the most recent edition was released in October 2011. Throughout the year English Heritage works with a number of partners to move heritage assets off the register. For the first time, in 2011 English Heritage published a list of priority sites—important heritage at risk sites in the West Midlands where it will focus its resources to secure their future.

Since 2002 English Heritage has co-ordinated the production of Heritage Counts West Midlands—the annual report on the state of the historic environment—on behalf of the local historic environment sector. Since May 2010, two editions of this annual publication have raised awareness about the work of a wide range of public, voluntary and charitable organisations from across the heritage sector. The 2011 West Midlands region Heritage Counts

http://hc.english-heritage.org.uk/content/pub/2011/hc-2011-west-midlands.pdf

reports that in the region there are 1,423 Scheduled Monuments, 615 Grade I Listed Buildings, 2,144 Grade II* Listed Buildings and 31,481 Grade II Listed Buildings. It also states that Heritage Lottery Fund made awards worth £12.8 million in 2010-11.

Nearly 310,500 people visited English Heritage's staffed sites in the West Midlands in 2010-11.

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Olympic Games 2012: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the recognition of Northern Ireland in the name of the UK squad for the London 2012 Olympic Games; and what discussions he has had with the British Olympic Association on that matter. [92190]

Hugh Robertson: There have been no recent representations. The issue was raised in a paper at the Sports Cabinet in February 2011, following which the Welsh Minister for Heritage, in his capacity as Chair of the meeting, wrote on behalf of the Sports Cabinet to ask the British Olympic Association (BOA) to consider changing the name and branding of Team GB to better reflect the whole of the UK.

PhonepayPlus

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what information his Department holds on how many companies were investigated by PhonepayPlus in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [92450]

Mr Vaizey: Information of this nature is not held by the Department. PhonepayPlus is independent from Government and delivers the day-to-day regulation of Premium Rate Services (PRS) on behalf of Ofcom, under the terms of the Communications Act 2003.

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many complaints his Department received about PhonepayPlus in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11. [92451]

Mr Vaizey: No complaints have been received. Ofcom has responsibility and accountability for the regulation of premium rate services under the terms of the Communications Act 2003 and has designated PhonepayPlus to deliver the day-to-day regulation through their code of practice.

RTE: Northern Ireland

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress he has made on the memorandum of understanding between the UK and Ireland on the availability of RTE in Northern Ireland. [92543]

Mr Vaizey: Considerable progress has been made in facilitating the provision of the Irish television services, RTE1, RTE2 and TG4 in Northern Ireland since the signing, on 1 February 2010, of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of UK and Ireland aimed at providing a framework for co-operation on broadcasting issues in Northern Ireland.

RTE and TG4 are currently in the process of forming a not-for-profit joint venture that will be responsible for the procurement and installation of the transmission facilities to deliver RTE1, RTE2 and TG4 in Northern Ireland. Both Governments have reached agreement on the technical standards to be used for transmitting these

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services from transmitters in Northern Ireland, and the frequency plans for these transmitters have been agreed internationally.

World War I

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what steps he has taken to (a) publish a register of and (b) protect war memorials and other monuments to those who died in World War One; [91981]

(2) if he will include the protection, restoration and promotion of memorials and other monuments in his plans to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War One. [91990]

John Penrose: The United Kingdom Inventory of War Memorials, based at the Imperial War Museum, is working to compile a record of all war memorials in the UK and to promote their appreciation, use and preservation. Further details are available at:

http://www.ukniwm.org.uk/

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) is taking forward plans for a War Memorial Action Group (WMAG) to consider the recording, understanding and protection and repair of war memorials. The membership of the WMAG will comprise DCMS, funders, heritage organisations and representatives of the local and voluntary sectors.

Around 1,200 war memorials are listed or scheduled and subject to the protections afforded by those designation regimes. In addition, English Heritage is working in partnership with local authorities, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and concerned local groups on the Heritage Crime Programme. This programme aims to protect vulnerable buildings and sites, including war memorials, from all threats, particularly metal theft and criminal damage.

English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation, in association with the War Memorials Trust, have provided over £757,000 for the repair and conservation of free-standing war memorials in England. Furthermore, this Department's Memorial Grant Scheme makes grants equivalent to the value added tax incurred by charities and faith groups in erecting, maintaining or repairing public memorials, including war memorials. HLF has also launched a new initiative to encourage applications for projects related to the centenaries of the First World War.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agriculture: Subsidies

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions her Department has had with (a) the European Commission, (b) its counterparts in other EU member states and (c) representatives of the agriculture sector on the future of agri-environment schemes linking greening measures to payments; and if she will make a statement. [91922]

Mr Paice: The European Commission published proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on 12 October 2011. We are actively engaged in

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discussions with the Commission to understand and clarify how the proposals will impact on those directly affected by the CAP, including the proposals on ‘greening’. We are also in discussion with other Member States with similar interests.

The Department holds regular formal and informal discussions with representatives of the agricultural and other sectors on a whole range of CAP Reform issues.

On 12 December 2011 we published a discussion paper in England seeking views from farmers, environmental groups, rural communities, non-governmental organisations and other interested parties on how these proposals may impact on the different sectors affected by the CAP. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are undertaking separate consultation activities. All these views will inform the UK's negotiating position.

The discussion paper specifically asks for views on the 'greening' proposal:

whether it would provide environmental benefits; whether it should be compulsory;

what land should be targeted in a farm's ecological focus area; and

whether organic farms should be exempt from the proposed requirement.

Bees: Pesticides

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department is carrying out on the mechanisms by which honey bees are exposed to agricultural pesticides; and if she will make a statement. [90659]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA has funded research on the potential impact of pesticides on honey bees, through direct or indirect exposure, both from wide scale professional use in agriculture and other sectors, and from home-garden use. Information can be found on the science and research project database on DEFRA’s website. Research on the impact of chemicals on the learning capacity and performance of honey bees is being carried out under the Insect Pollinators Initiative, which is a joint initiative between DEFRA, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Scottish Executive and the Wellcome Trust.

The rigorous process for authorisation of pesticides protects human health and the environment, including honey bees, providing products are used in accordance with the authorisation. The pesticides regulator, the Health and Safety Executive's Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD), is involved with the development of bee risk assessment methodology. The CRD will continue to monitor research and developments in other EU member states and elsewhere for relevance to the UK. Government scientists are involved in a number of major international initiatives, such as the European Commission's plan for Honeybee Health, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Pesticides Effects on Insect Pollinators initiative and the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry's work on the pesticides risk assessment for pollinators (honey bees and non-Apis bees).

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Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many confirmed breakdowns of bovine tuberculosis were recorded in the area covered by the random badger culling trials in the year following the last proactive cull of badgers; and how many such breakdowns were recorded in the same area in the previous year. [87788]

Mr Paice: During the lifetime of the randomised badger culling trial, proactive culling of badgers led to a 23% reduction in bovine TB incidence in cattle herds in the culled areas when compared to survey-only areas. However, there was a 25% increase in incidence in the surrounding 2km of un-culled ring adjacent to proactively culled areas when compared to survey-only areas.

More detailed results from this analysis can be found in the scientific paper by Christl Donnelly and colleagues available at:

http://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(07)00071-9/fulltext

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how cases of bovine tuberculosis have been recorded in the last 12 months for which figures are available after a proactive cull of badgers; and how many such cases were recorded in the previous 12 months. [87789]

Mr Paice: Ongoing monitoring since the end of the randomised badger culling trial has shown that the positive impacts on herd breakdowns within the culled areas were maintained for at least six years after culling stopped and that the negative effect on herd breakdowns in the surrounding areas had disappeared by 1.5 years after culling stopped. When cattle TB incidence figures from the period after culling are included, the benefits of proactive culling are greater than those observed during the trial itself.

The latest scientific paper published on these results analyses cattle breakdown rates from the time of the first cull to four years after the last cull. Over this period, there was a 28.7% reduction in TB cattle herd incidence in proactively culled areas,

and TB herd incidence within the 2km-wide ring around the culling areas was comparable with that in survey-only areas. Data collection in these areas is ongoing, and the most recent update shows a reduction in TB incidence in cattle due to culling persists up to six years after the last cull.

More details of this analysis can be found in the scientific paper available at:

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0009090

Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of progress in developing a useable vaccine for bovine TB. [91782]

Mr Paice: An injectable badger vaccine is available for use on prescription. We are working hard to develop an injectable vaccine for cattle and an oral badger

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vaccine, but there are still significant technical, practical and legal issues to overcome before these vaccines will be available It is not possible to say when they will be ready to be deployed in the field.

Bracken

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance her Department has issued on the effective control of bracken in upland areas. [91791]

Richard Benyon: Natural England, the Government's adviser on the natural environment, publishes guidance on the control of bracken, on DEFRA's behalf, which is available on Natural England's website and via its Wildlife Licensing Unit. The published guidance offers general advice on the control of bracken and also contains specific reference to its control in upland areas.

The Government are concerned about the EU decision not to approve asulam, as this is an important method of controlling bracken in upland areas. The Health and Safety Executive's Chemicals Regulation Directorate is in discussion with the manufacturer regarding a new submission to support EU approval of asulam.

British Waterways

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the likely cost of (a) repairs, (b) dredging and (c) pension liabilities in respect of British Waterways in the next 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [89479]

Richard Benyon: Repairs are an operational matter for British Waterways (BW), and will be a matter for the Canal & River Trust (CRT) once the assets and functions of BW in England and Wales are transferred to it. BW has a robust asset management process, enabling prioritisation of repairs which have the greatest impact on operations and health and safety. This asset management process will continue when the assets transfer to CRT.

Dredging is also an operational matter for BW and it applies a risk-based prioritisation to its maintenance expenditure. The Government require BW to operate and maintain waterways to standards that reflect use and prospects of use. BW estimates that the cost of clearing the current backlog of dredging would be approximately £40 million. BW has not set a timescale for dealing with the dredging backlog because it is subject to BW's need to prioritise expenditure on its major infrastructure assets and therefore it is not possible to confirm which dredging works will remain outstanding when the charity is vested. However, BW prioritises dredging at locations that cause particular boating constraints. Once BW's assets and functions are transferred to CRT, it will be a matter for the Trust to prioritise expenditure on the operation and maintenance of the waterways.

With regard to pension liabilities, the last triennial valuation of the BW pension fund was carried out by the Scheme Actuary on 31 March 2010. The actuarial valuation of the British Waterways Pension Fund pension deficit was £65.6 million. No formal valuation has been

31 Jan 2012 : Column 531W

prepared since March 2010, although estimated updates have been prepared by the Scheme Actuary for the pension fund Trustees.

The Government are negotiating a long term funding agreement with the Trustees of CRT. Those negotiations are considering a range of issues which could impact on funding to maintain the canal network, including the costs of repairs and maintenance and future liabilities arising from CRT's pension arrangements.

The outcome of the negotiations will be announced before the Government lay the necessary order under the Public Bodies Act to transfer British Waterways' functions to CRT.

Dairy Farming

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the dairy industry on her Department's support for the industry. [91978]

Mr Paice: In recent months I have met with representatives of dairy farmers, processors and retailers on a number of occasions. On 23 November, I chaired the latest meeting of the Dairy Supply Chain Forum which includes key people from the whole supply chain. This is an important vehicle for encouraging progress with initiatives such as Dairy 2020 (considering how the industry can work together to secure a sustainable future), the Dairy Roadmap (managing environmental impacts), and a voluntary code of contractual best practice.

Renewable Energy

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department is on target to achieve its commitment to generating 15 per cent. of energy from renewable sources by 2020; and what recent assessment she has made of progress towards meeting this commitment. [92680]

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

In December 2011 we submitted our first Progress Report to the European Commission, as required under the Renewable Energy Directive. This shows that at the end of 2010 (the latest data available) 3.3% of our energy came from renewable sources, and that we are currently on track to meet our first interim target of 4% over 2011-12. The Progress Report can be downloaded from our website at:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/renewable_ener/renewable_ener.aspx

Droughts: East of England

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the (a) risk of drought and (b) recent dry weather conditions in (i) Essex and (ii) the east of England; and what assessment she has made of the effect of such weather conditions on the region's farmers and agricultural sector. [91921]

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Richard Benyon: The east of England received 71% of the normal long term average rainfall for 2011, making it the driest year since 1921. The rainfall we have had so far in January should help to start easing the situation for Essex and other areas in the east of England in the short-term to enable farmers to begin refilling their reservoirs.

The Environment Agency's Drought Prospects report was published in December and is currently being updated. It has highlighted that even with average rainfall over the winter and spring, there is unlikely to be a full recovery from drought conditions during 2012, and this may cause significant agricultural impacts. There is a high possibility that without above average rainfall there will be voluntary and formal abstraction restrictions for Essex rivers in late spring/summer.

Dogs: Tapeworm

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the EU derogation for echinococcus multilocularis still applies to the UK; and what measures are in place to prevent dogs from bringing this infection into the UK. [92030]

Mr Paice: The UK has successfully argued to maintain its controls against the tapeworm echinococcus multilocularis. From 1 January 2012 import controls relating to this tapeworm have been implemented under EU Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No. 1152/2011. This regulation lays down the tapeworm import conditions which pet dogs must comply with when being moved into the UK from other countries. Under these rules, all dogs must be treated by a vet against tapeworm not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (1-5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in the UK.

The treatment window of 1-5 days ensures that the risk of this tapeworm entering the UK from pets remains low. The slightly wider treatment window under the new rules balances the need to manage risks in a proportionate way, while helping to increase compliance thereby reducing the risk of untreated animals entering the UK.

Pet dogs moving to the UK from Ireland, Malta and Finland do not have to meet the tapeworm import conditions as those countries have submitted evidence to the EU Commission to confirm they, like the UK, are tapeworm free.

Further information for pet owners on the revised pet travel scheme rules is available on the DEFRA website.

Eggs: EU Law

Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to how many companies she has written on ensuring that eggs are sourced from production systems which comply with EU Council Directive 1999/74/EC; and how many such companies have not responded. [91766]

Mr Paice: In the autumn of last year I wrote to the Food and Drink Federation and the British Hospitality Association to ask them whether their members could follow the British Retail Consortium's lead and sign up to a voluntary approach to not source conventional

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caged eggs after 1 January 2012, when the ban on keeping laying hens in conventional cages came into force.

In addition, I also wrote to Compass who hold a number of Government contracts for catering, and DEFRA officials wrote to the major processors to ask the same question. The list of companies who have made this voluntary pledge is published on the DEFRA website.

Environment Protection

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress she has made on the implementation of the measures contained in the Natural Environment White Paper. [91982]

Richard Benyon: The Natural Environment White Paper includes 92 commitments for action. Seven months after publication, seven commitments are complete and good progress has been made including: awarding Local Nature Partnership capacity building funding; selecting 20 Nature Improvement Area applications to go to the second stage of the competition; and launching both the Ecosystem Markets Task Force and the Green Infrastructure Partnership.

Environment Protection: Finance

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 10 categories of climate change mitigation measures received the highest level of Government funding in each year since 2005; and how much funding was allocated in each case. [91636]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA's Adapting to Climate Change programme works across Government Departments to provide evidence, analysis and tools to advise, support and challenge policy development, delivery and prioritisation.

DEFRA's adaptation-related measures span many policy areas, from farming and the food sector to flood management. The policy area will attribute spending to adaptive measures from its wider budget; however, this level of information is not held centrally.

DEFRA's accounts are available on its website:

(1) DEFRA annual report and accounts, 2010-11:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/reports/

(2) DEFRA departmental reports for previous years:

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/reports/annual.htm

As impacts of climate change affect all areas of life, Government Departments build the impacts of a changing climate in to what they do and deliver a range of adaptation measures into their own policies and programmes.

Government Departments prepare their own annual accounts that contain funding details. Information on each Department's Adaption Plan can be found under “departmental adaptation plans” in the “government” section of the Defra website.

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Fisheries

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to ensure the illegal fishing allegations made against the Spanish Vidal family network in October 2011 are investigated by the European Commission and the Spanish Government. [91856]

Richard Benyon: Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains a major threat to the world's fish stocks, its marine biodiversity and the livelihoods and security of coastal communities. I have not intervened in this matter, but would certainly expect the Commission to establish the facts behind the allegations as a matter of urgency, and to take swift action should wrongdoing be found to have occurred. The new EU Control Regulation, 1224/2009, makes clear that the payment of funds to member states is conditional upon respect by the member states of their obligation to ensure compliance with and enforcement of the rules of the common fisheries policy. It also provides the Commission with the necessary powers to suspend or cancel financial assistance where the effectiveness of the measures being financed is, or is likely to be, affected by non-compliance with those rules.

Flood Control: Coastal Areas

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what legislative proposals she is considering to reduce levels of bureaucracy affecting landowners undertaking repairs to sea walls. [92033]

Richard Benyon: Landowners or others wishing to undertake repairs to sea walls or other flood defences may need to seek a flood defence consent before doing so. We are considering integrating flood defence consents into the Environmental Permitting framework to reduce burdens on applicants, including landowners, and allow regulators to target resources at higher risk activities.

Flood Risk Management

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 19 December 2011, Official Report, columns 140-1WS, on flood risk management, what meetings (a) have taken place since 19 December 2011 and (b) are planned between her Department and HM Treasury to discuss progress on ensuring universal availability of flood insurance from July 2013. [92167]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA and HM Treasury have had regular meetings regarding the future of flood insurance beyond June 2013, which is when the current agreement with insurers expires. We will continue to meet regularly as we consider options over the winter months, with the aim of making further announcements in the spring. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. The Government remain committed to making sure flood insurance remains widely available.

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Food Industry Support

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the economic contribution of the food and drink industry; and what steps she is taking to support the sector. [91912]

Mr Paice: The farming, food and drink sector plays a significant part in our economy. It is worth nearly £85 billion to the UK economy and employs 3.5 million people. Comparing 2010 with 2009, all sectors of the food chain have seen year on year increases in productivity, resulting in a 0.8% rise in total factor productivity of the food chain.

A sustainable food and farming industry is at the forefront of DEFRA’s aims. We are working to help increase the competitiveness and resilience of farms, fisheries and the whole food chain to ensure a secure, environmentally sustainable and healthy supply of food, for example through the green food project and the recent growth review. The Government is committed to working closely with industry stakeholders to boost exports, promote innovation and encourage further growth, particularly among SMEs through the Agri-food and Drink Exports Forum and the Green Food Project Steering Group. Across the food chain we all have a role in promoting efficiency and competitiveness, sharing research and knowledge to promote best practice, and eliminating waste.

The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), recently attended the launch of the Food and Drink Federation's 20/20 Vision for growth of the industry and DEFRA will be working with them to help deliver the ambition.

We have recently published an action plan to promote exports and we will be holding an Innovation for Growth summit in March to raise awareness of the resources for innovation. We will also be holding a competition aimed at helping SMEs carry out pilots or feasibility studies for their innovative ideas.

Forestry Commission

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether she plans to dissolve the Forestry Commission of Great Britain after the removal of Forestry Commission Wales; and whether she has any plans to seek to reclaim any of the costs of any such dissolution from the Welsh Government; [91771]

(2) what steps she plans to take to maintain links with Forestry Commission Wales to ensure a unified approach to biosecurity in the UK after its removal from the Forestry Commission of Great Britain; [91772]

(3) what plans she has for future funding of the shared services provided by the Forestry Commission of Great Britain after the removal of Forestry Commission Wales; [91773]

(4) whether the Forestry Commission of Great Britain will incur any costs as a result of the removal of Forestry Commission Wales; and what estimate she has made of the level of any such costs. [91774]

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Mr Paice: The Welsh Government have recently announced their intention to form a single environmental body. This is a matter for the Welsh, but we will be looking to ensure that there is an orderly transfer of work, and that the Welsh Government fund all costs associated with the change, the details of which have still to be determined. It will be important that future working arrangements ensure close working on biosecurity risks and other issues of common interest. The Independent Panel on Forestry is currently reviewing forestry policy in England, including the role of the Forestry Commission in delivering this. The Government will consider its advice before reaching any conclusions on the operation of Forestry Commission GB.

Livestock: Disease Control

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on measures to control the spread of plasmid borne antibiotic resistance in food producing animals. [91762]

Mr Paice: The Government have long promoted the responsible use of all veterinary medicines and works closely with the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) Alliance and the British Veterinary Association.

Plasmid borne antibiotic resistance is not a new phenomenon and has been described for many years. The measures appropriate for the control of plasmid borne antibiotic resistance include those generally applied for the control of all types of antibiotic resistance.

Snares

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish the report on the extent of use and humaneness of snares in England and Wales. [92259]

Mr Paice: We hope to publish the report in February 2012.

Sustainable Development: Business

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the introduction of mandatory sustainability reporting for companies. [89555]

Mr Paice: For quoted companies, the Companies Act 2006 already requires that the business review, which is part of a company's annual report, must include information about environmental matters (including the impact of the organisation's business on the environment). This is provided to the extent necessary to give an understanding of the development, performance or position of the firm's business.

As stated in the Natural Environment White Paper, we will publish new guidance detailing how companies should measure and report their corporate environmental impacts this year.

Territorial Waters

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she last discussed with her EU counterparts UK control over its 12-nautical mile territorial waters. [91794]

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Richard Benyon: As UK Fisheries Minister, I have recently had discussions on fisheries management arrangements concerning a reformed common fisheries policy (CFP) at November Council, and in the course of other meetings in Brussels during December, with the European Commission, members of the UK and European Parliaments, and ministerial colleagues of other member states.

As negotiations continue, I will press our case for reform, particularly around the decentralisation of the CFP, thus allowing member states to agree the measures appropriate for the fisheries they share and enabling them to manage marine resources more effectively through better integration of fisheries management with other marine policies.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Natural Environment and Fisheries of 14 July 2011, Official Report, columns 472-81, what progress her Department has made on negotiations for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy to restore UK control over its 12 nautical mile territorial waters. [91845]

Richard Benyon: As UK Fisheries Minister I am continuing to seek, through negotiations on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, a simplified and decentralised decision-making framework. As part of this I am pressing for clear arrangements providing for member states to take non-discriminatory measures for the conservation and management of fish stocks and to minimise the effect of fishing on the conservation of marine ecosystems within their 12 mile limits. Such measures should apply to all vessels fishing within that zone, no matter what member state they are from.

Trees

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tree planting hectares have been (a) planted and (b) cut down by the Forestry Commission in the last five years. [92350]

Mr Paice: In the last five years (2006-07 to 2010-11) 400 hectares of new woodland were planted and 9,800 hectares were restocked by planting or natural regeneration on the public forest estate in England by the Forestry Commission.

Information on felling areas which is not held centrally could be provided only at disproportionate cost; however, unless designated for an alternative land use, restocking after clear felling is normally carried out within two to three planting seasons.

The entire public forest estate has been independently certified for sustainable forest management, which means that the clear felling and restocking practices have been independently audited.

Veterinary Medicine: Fees and Charges

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department provides financial assistance to assist (a) individuals and (b) farms with meeting the cost of veterinary fees; and if she will make a statement. [92147]

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Mr Paice: DEFRA does not provide financial assistance to either individuals or farmers to meet the cost of veterinary fees.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what estimate she has made of the average veterinary fee for (a) individuals and (b) farms in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement; [92150]

(2) what information her Department holds on average veterinary costs to farms in each year since 1997 by type of farm. [92219]

Mr Paice: No such records are held by DEFRA and to research and obtain this detailed information would incur a disproportionate cost. There is no statutory control on veterinary fees and as such it is not for Government to intervene in this matter. It is for individual customers to decide whichever veterinary practice most suits their needs.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on veterinary costs; what response she gave to each such representation; and if she will make a statement. [92220]

Mr Paice: DEFRA receives a wide range of representations on veterinary and other issues which, where appropriate, we seek to take account of in formulating policies. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of such representations unless they form part of a formal consultation exercise.

Voluntary Organisations

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if she will make a statement. [92285]

Richard Benyon: Civil society organisations make a vital contribution to the delivery of many of DEFRA's objectives and commitments, and our work with the sector is underpinned by the principles set out in the Compact. These principles have been disseminated to all staff in core-DEFRA who are likely to have contact with representatives of civil society.

Following the publication of DEFRA's refreshed Business Plan later this year, we will take steps to improve our understanding of how effectively DEFRA is complying with Compact principles, and to ensure that the Compact is systematically embedded in the way DEFRA works with civil society.

Waste: Landfill

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tonnes of UK waste have been transported to landfill sites abroad since May 2010. [91974]

Richard Benyon: Under the UK Plan for Shipments of Waste, exports of waste for disposal, which includes landfill, are prohibited with very few exceptions. No exports for landfill are recorded.

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Water Abstraction

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions have taken place between her Department, the Environment Agency and farmers on water abstraction. [92009]

Richard Benyon: DEFRA and the Environment Agency officials met agriculture representatives on 19 December 2011 to consider the latest position on the ongoing drought conditions. They discussed the latest Drought Prospects report, and how low groundwater and river flows are limiting normal winter abstraction in drought-affected areas. The Environment Agency advised that it was responding to help licence holders revise their licences where water was available for abstraction.

The impact of these conditions on farming was outlined by the industry representatives and the options available to farmers were discussed.

DEFRA and the Environment Agency also had dialogue with the National Farmers Union and Country Land and Business Association on water abstraction issues in relationship to development of the Water White Paper: Water for Life.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she has any plans to propose changes to the regulations relating to water abstraction in response to the long-term effects of dry weather and drought conditions on farmers. [92010]

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency is reviewing its regulatory position to identify any changes that it can make, without detriment to other abstractors or the environment, to assist farmers during the ongoing dry weather.

DEFRA met with representatives of the agricultural community on 19 December 2011, and the Environment Agency is working closely with the farmers affected by drought to help them access water where it is available, and where appropriate, to change abstraction licences.

The Water White Paper, ‘Water for Life’, has announced the Government's intention to reform the abstraction licensing regime over the longer term. The new regime will be designed to support adaptation to climate change by abstractors, including farmers.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to simplify the process of application from farmers to vary (a) water abstraction licences and (b) arrangements for water abstraction. [92011]

Richard Benyon: We will be looking at changes to water abstraction licences and arrangements for water abstraction while developing and implementing a reformed abstraction regime. This was outlined in the recently published Water White Paper: Water for Life.

The Environment Agency is committed to assisting farmers with abstraction licence variations brought on by the impacts of the current drought. Where this is appropriate, it will ensure the process is simplified to achieve prompt revisions for applicants.

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Also the Environment Agency is encouraging farmers to come forward early if they have concerns for their water needs and will advise if more water is available. Where licence changes would affect others or involve significant risks to the environment, appropriate detail is required, but assistance is being provided to help with such urgent cases.

Water: Meters

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has estimated the average length of time for which water meters remain accurate. [92272]

Richard Benyon: Ofwat estimates that standard water meters last for approximately 15 years. Some "smart", meters can be activated (read) by customers pushing a button and this can shorten the battery life.

Weedkillers

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what guidance she plans to issue to landowners on effective replacement selective herbicides in advance of the prohibition of asulam; [91806]

(2) what steps she can take to extend the use of asulam beyond 2012. [91846]

Richard Benyon: The EU prohibition on the use of asulam comes into operation at the end of 2012. Beyond this date it may be possible for the UK Government to issue emergency authorisations for the use of asulam if there are no alternative means of control available. The Chemicals Regulation Directorate has provided guidance to the Bracken Control Group, which is co-ordinating for interested parties on an application for an emergency authorisation for asulam for its key use for bracken control.

I understand that a current approval holder for asulam intends to make a further submission to the European Commission seeking approval of the substance. Since this submission has to be supported by additional scientific studies, a new submission is unlikely to be made soon.

There are currently no selective herbicides approved for use in the UK that could replace asulam for bracken control. I understand that some research has been conducted on several sulphonyl urea herbicides, but no applications for approval have yet been made. In some situations, non-selective herbicides or mechanical control may be appropriate ways to tackle bracken.

Health

Bowel Cancer: Screening

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bowel cancer screenings have been carried out in each of the last three years. [92345]

Paul Burstow: The number of adequate screening tests for bowel cancer carried out in England as part of the NHS bowel cancer screening programme in each of the last three years can be found in the following table. An adequate screening test is one that produces a definitive result.

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  Number of adequate tests

2008

1,033,429

2009

1,344,127

2010

1,868,658

Cancer: Medical Treatments

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to the public purse of a patient's cancer treatment. [92936]

Paul Burstow: We have made no estimate of the average cost to the public purse of the treatment a cancer patient receives. Cancer treatments can vary greatly from patient to patient, both in terms of the types of treatment they receive and the duration of those treatments.

Care Homes: Standards

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government has taken to improve standards in residential care homes since May 2010. [91533]

Paul Burstow: Since October 2010, all providers of regulated activities, including care homes, have had to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and meet 16 registration requirements governing essential levels of safety and quality. The CQC has a wide range of independent enforcement powers that it can use if it considers providers are not meeting the requirements.

The CQC is presently conducting the Dignity and Nutrition Inspection programme. Between March and June 2011, the CQC inspected care of older people on 100 national health service wards, focussing on dignity and nutrition. Between April and June this year, the CQC will inspect a further 50 hospitals. In addition, the care of older people in approximately 500 care homes will be inspected.

The Department has funded a £100,000 project in the residential care sector to improve and address medication issues within care homes. The work is being led by the National Care Forum, working as part of a wider cross-sector partnership, which includes the Royal Colleges and other professional leadership organisations.

The Department is also funding a project which is managed through the Social Care Institute for Excellence, under which Mental Capacity Act provider development managers are being used to provide advice on mental capacity issues across a network of care providers, including care homes.

Around two thirds of residents in care homes have some form of dementia. 'Living well with dementia in care homes' was identified as one of the Government's four key priorities for improving dementia care in our revised implementation plan, “Quality Outcomes for People with Dementia: Building on the work of the National Dementia Strategy (2010)”. The plan sets out the Government's commitment to putting patients and the public first and improving health and social care outcomes for people with dementia and their carers.

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Job Satisfaction

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of trends in staff responses on organisational objectives and purpose in his Department's Civil Service People Survey, October 2011; and if he will make a statement. [92193]

Mr Simon Burns: The results of the Department's people survey indicate that employee engagement has remained broadly level in a year of change. While response rates to questions related to 'organisational objectives and purpose' are down four percentage points on last year, 68% of staff responded positively to these questions. The Department is taking action based on the survey findings with a view to making improvements this year.

Depressive Illnesses: Medical Treatments

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to improve treatment for people with depression. [91884]

Paul Burstow: The Government committed in their mental health strategy, ‘No Health Without Mental Health’, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, to investing around £400 million in completing the roll-out of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme over the spending review period. This will ensure that adults with depression and anxiety in all parts of England have access to a choice of psychological therapies.

Diabetes: Young People

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps the Government has taken to assist young people with diabetes. [91887]

Paul Burstow: The majority of children and young people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

We are introducing a mandatory best practice tariff (BPT) for paediatric diabetes from April 2012, the aim of which is to enable access to consistent high quality management of diabetes. The new BFT is an annual payment that covers outpatient care from the date of discharge from hospital after the initial diagnosis of diabetes is made, until the young person is transferred to adult services at the age of 19. The components of the BPT have been developed and agreed with clinicians and NHS Diabetes.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have published guidelines on the diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in children and young people. NHS Diabetes have also published a commissioning guide for diabetes services for children and young people. The guide includes an intervention map detailing all of the elements needed for the service as well as a contracting framework and service specification template. The guide is available at:

www.diabetes.nhs.uk/document.php?o=43

In 2009, NHS Diabetes also initiated the national Children and Young People Network, to address unwarranted variation in services for this group, and to

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improve the care and treatment they receive. The national network constitutes 12 clinical champions roughly representing the strategic health authority regions across England, led, funded and coordinated by NHS Diabetes.

Food Labelling

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to require the labelling of foods to encourage people to eat a healthier diet; [92536]

(2) whether he plans to consider the raw and cooked properties of foods when considering proposals for food labelling. [92582]

Anne Milton: Labelling rules are set at European Union level and a new EU Food Information Regulation came into force on 13 December 2011.

The regulation requires the provision of certain nutrition information (normally on the back of the packaging). It specifies that the nutrient information provided should be that of the food 'as sold' in its raw state but allows such information to be based on food after it has been prepared/cooked (“as consumed”) instead, where this is useful to consumers, and provided that the preparation instructions are clearly given.

To supplement this information, the regulation also allows the voluntary repetition of the nutrients of particular concern to public health—energy, fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar—in a per portion format on the front of the pack. The Government will shortly be consulting on how they can work with businesses to bring more consistency to the format of this information and to increase its use across more food products.

Freedom of Information

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [92121]

Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not publish all replies to its freedom of information (FOI) requests on its website.

However, quarterly logs of the Department's FOI releases are published, along with some FOI answers where a policy team has chosen to provide this further detail.

These are all available in the same area of the Department's website at:

www.transparency.dh.gov.uk/category/foi/foi-releases/

In addition, the Department, has a publication scheme to provide information that is of wide public interest. This is available at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/FreedomOfInformation/Freedomofinformationpublicationschemefeedback/Classesofinformation/DH_092400

The Department does not routinely collate the average time taken between responding to a request and the information being made available on its website. To establish this would incur disproportionate cost.

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No time frame has been set by the Department between responding to a request and the information being made available on its website. However, officials will aim to undertake this task as quickly as possible.

Health Services: Detention Centres

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his intention that the NHS Commissioning Board will have responsibility for commissioning healthcare in immigration removal centres from April 2013. [92094]

Paul Burstow: The Department will assume policy responsibility for immigration removal centre (IRC) healthcare commissioning policy from the United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) from 1 April 2012.

UKBA budgetary provision and commissioning responsibility for healthcare in IRCs will be transferred to the Department during 2012-13 and, subject to legislation, these responsibilities will be fully transferred to the National Health Service Commissioning Board by April 2014.

Health Services: Learning Disabled

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to provide training for NHS medical staff to improve services for patients with learning disabilities. [91883]

Paul Burstow: The content and standard of health care training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council, the independent regulatory body for medical training in the United Kingdom.

However, the Department is currently undertaking a review of learning disabilities nursing in collaboration with the other devolved Administrations. The review has received evidence regarding the pre- and post-registration training of learning disabilities nurses. The report is due to be launched later this year.

Health Services: North East

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of model governance arrangements for pathfinder commissioning groups in the North East; and if he will make a statement. [92187]

Mr Simon Burns: The Department supported NHS North East in its work with local emerging clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to develop “Interim Governance Arrangements for Pathfinder CCGs”. This document has been used to support local emerging CCGs to put in place robust governance arrangements that would enable them to operate with delegated authority from primary care trust boards and build experience of commissioning.

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public engagement events were held by each pathfinder commissioning group in the North East in each month since January 2011. [92188]

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Mr Simon Burns: Information on public engagement events held by emerging clinical commissioning groups is not centrally held.

Hypopituitarism

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the (a) causes and (b) effects of post-traumatic hypopituitarism. [92776]

Paul Burstow: We have made no recent assessment of the causes, and effects, of post-traumatic hypopituitarism.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage those primary care trusts who have suspended IVF funding to review their decision; and if he will make a statement. [92958]

Anne Milton: Primary care trusts are fully aware of their statutory commissioning responsibilities and the need to base commissioning decisions on clinical evidence and discussions with local general practitioner commissioners, secondary care clinicians and providers. The national health service deputy chief executive, David Flory, wrote to primary care trust commissioners last year to highlight to those involved in commissioning fertility services the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence fertility guidelines, including the recommendation that up to three cycles of in vitro fertilisation are offered to eligible couples where the woman is aged between 23 and 39.

Additionally, we support Infertility Network UK, a leading patient support organisation, to develop and promote standardised access criteria and to work in partnership with commissioners to encourage good practice in the provision of fertility services.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts have decommissioned IVF services in each of the last two years. [92463]

Anne Milton: The information is not held centrally.

NHS: Contracts

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS bodies commissioning services from any qualified provider will be required to conduct due diligence of the financial and commercial background of such providers before placing contracts. [91895]

Mr Simon Burns: Under any qualified provider, all providers will have to complete successfully the rigorous qualification process before signing the NHS standard contract and prior to delivering services. Commissioners will carry out checks on the financial and commercial standing of potential providers as part of the qualification process.

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Nutrition: Health Education

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of his Department's provision of information on maintaining a healthy weight through healthy eating and exercise; [92520]

(2) what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of Government initiatives in changing people's behaviour in respect of food. [92583]

Anne Milton: We are committed to building the evidence base on effective interventions to support people in improving their health, including in respect of diet, exercise and maintaining a healthy weight. Evaluation of Government initiatives forms a key part of this. For example, Change4Life aims to inspire a social movement to prevent people becoming overweight and. has a built-in programme of evaluation to monitor its effectiveness.

Organs: Donors

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a pilot scheme for organ donation for those with rare blood types to enable organ donations to be used in exceptional circumstances without the need for consent from a family member if there is no record of opting out of organ donation. [92342]

Anne Milton: The national organ allocation scheme, administered by NHS Blood and Transplant, aims to improve outcomes, ensure equity of access to transplantation and to maximise the number of transplants performed. The allocation scheme is based very strongly on getting the best tissue match for the recipient. The scheme was substantially revised in April 2006 and further modified in 2010, and is constantly reviewed to provide the best outcomes for all patients. The Human Tissue Act 2004 and the Human Tissue (Scotland) Act 2006 each requires consent or authorisation for all organ donations either by the deceased while alive or by the family after his or her death.

Pain

Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in the current personal health budget pilot have chronic pain as either (a) their primary condition or (b) as a consequence of the long-term condition for which they are receiving a personal health budget; [92546]

(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that people with chronic pain will be able to access personal health budgets in the absence of a quality outcomes framework for chronic pain. [92548]

Paul Burstow: Personal health budgets offer patients more control and choice over how their outcomes are met. They are currently being piloted across England. Over 2,700 people have been recruited into an independent evaluation programme. Around half of them will have personal health budgets; the remainder are in a control group. Although it is likely that many people with chronic pain (either as a primary condition or as a consequence of a long-term condition) are involved in

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the pilot, we do not yet know how many, or to what extent their needs are being supported through a personal health budget.

However, the evaluation team will gather information and report on the health needs that people have, including chronic pain. The final evaluation report is due in October 2012.

It is the Government's longer term aim to introduce a right to a personal health budget for people who would benefit from them, subject to the results of the evaluation of the pilot programme. This could include people with chronic pain. A number of anecdotal case studies from the pilot programme include people using personal health budgets to improve their pain control. These include people using their budgets to access services such as massage, hydrotherapy, or acupuncture.

Palliative Care

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the provision of palliative care services. [91885]

Paul Burstow: The Government have confirmed their commitment to improving quality and choice in palliative and end of life care in the White Paper ‘Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS’. The Department's end of life care strategy provides a blueprint for improving these services for adults and we are pressing on with its implementation.

We are making progress in implementing the strategy. This includes: providing support for staff training and development in end of life care; completing pilots of locality registers (now called Electronic Palliative Care Co-ordination Systems), which will allow all local services to co-ordinate care more effectively; introducing a national survey of the bereaved, to help us understand the experience for patients and carers; and establishing a national coalition of organisations, Dying Matters, to raise public awareness of issues around death, dying and bereavement. The ‘End of Life Care Strategy Third Annual Report’, which sets out progress in implementing the strategy, was published in September 2011. A copy has been placed in the Library and is available on the Department website at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_130239

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published a Quality Standard on end of life care for adults.

In. addition, we are undertaking work to develop a fairer funding system for palliative care, following on from the report of the independent Palliative Care Funding Review.

Palliative Care: Children

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department provides to parents of children with terminal illnesses. [91886]

Anne Milton: Many children and young people with terminal illnesses or life-limiting conditions will have complex needs over a number of years and therefore require specific and intensive support from parents and

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carers. This is why the Government recognise the vital contribution that carers of all ages make to society, and has taken action to support them.

We set out our priorities in ‘Recognised, valued and supported, next steps for the Carers Strategy’, a copy of which had already been placed in the Library, in November 2010 and are providing additional funding of £400 million to the national health service between 2011 and 2015 for carers' breaks.

The Government also made available £19 million during 2010-11 to support service development in the palliative care sector. A number of the funded projects focused on issues relating to parents and carers.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure increased funding for relationship advice and sexual health services for teenagers. [92319]

Anne Milton: Funding for local services is a matter for individual primary care trusts (PCTs), taking into account the needs of the local population. The amount spent by PCTs on sexual health services is not prescribed by the Department.

Improving sexual health by reducing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections is very important, particularly for young people. “Improving outcomes and supporting transparency: A public health, outcomes framework for England 2013-16”, which was published on 23 January 2012 includes indicators for both under-18 conceptions and Chlamydia diagnoses in 15 to 24-year-olds. A copy has already been placed in the Library. The Department will publish a new sexual health policy document in the spring.

Pregnancy: Drugs

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the prescription of diethylstilboestrol to pregnant women; and if he will take steps to identify and locate (a) women who were prescribed diethylstilboestrol and (b) the children of such women. [92145]

Mr Simon Burns: Diethylstilboestrol (DES) is an oestrogenic hormone formerly used in the treatment of threatened miscarriage. In 2002, the Department asked the Advisory Committee for Cervical Screening to consider the need for, and the potential effectiveness of, a publicity campaign to identify DES-exposed women and their children. The Committee advised that proactive campaigning would not help to identify women who are currently unaware of their DES exposure status and would serve only to create anxiety, as the vast majority of women in the United Kingdom have never been exposed to DES.

We have received a number of representations on this matter since 2002. These include 18 parliamentary questions and letters from hon. Members, 14 from members of the public and six applications under the Freedom of Information Act. These included questions relating to the number of women exposed to DES in utero, screening for cancer in those who had been exposed, efforts made

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to trace those who had been exposed, effects in male offspring who had been exposed, and further research relating to possible risks.

Skin Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of melanoma skin cancer there have been in the last three years; and what the cost to the public purse was of treatment of this kind of cancer in that period. [92339]

Paul Burstow: The number of cases of melanoma in England and the estimated national health service expenditure on the treatment and management of skin cancer for the latest three-year period for which comparable data could be provided can be found in the following table.

The expenditure figures include both non-melanoma and malignant melanoma as it is not possible to break this figure down to identify expenditure on a particular type of skin cancer. It is also not currently possible to estimate expenditure on chemotherapy and radiotherapy by cancer type. Expenditure on these treatments is therefore included within the ‘Cancers and Tumours—Other’ category.

In addition, expenditure on some service areas or activities is excluded if it is not possible to make a reasonable estimation of expenditure by specific disease area. For this reason expenditure on general practitioner services, diagnostics and some outpatient services are excluded from estimates of expenditure on cancers and tumours.

Expenditure figures are from estimated England level programme budgeting data, which are calculated using primary, care trust and strategic health authority programme budgeting returns and Department resource accounts data. Figures also include an estimation of special health authority expenditure.

  Gases of melanoma (1) Cancers and tumours—skin (2 ) (£ million) Cancers and tumours—other (3) (£ billion)

2007-08

8,809

110

2.32

2008-09

9,695

100

2.39

2009-10

9,771

110

2.75

(1) Office of National Statistics (2) Programme budgeting data (3) Programme budgeting data

Skin Cancer: Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make available the skin cancer treatment drug ipilimumab in NHS facilities. [92340]

Paul Burstow: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently appraising ipilimumab (Yervoy) for the treatment of previously treated unresectable stage III or IV malignant melanoma and has not yet published its final guidance.

The manufacturer of ipilimumab has proposed a patient access scheme and the Department has agreed that the proposed scheme can be considered by NICE. NICE has indicated that the appraisal will now be referred back to its appraisal committee for further consideration.

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NICE is an independent body and it would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in an ongoing technology appraisal.

In the absence of final NICE guidance on a drug, it is for local primary care trusts (PCTs) to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence. Where a cancer drug is not routinely funded by a PCT, patients may be able to access the drug through the Cancer Drugs Fund.

Smoking: Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has had any discussions with the (a) British Medical Association and (b) others on the effect on health of the Champix form of the anti-smoking drug varenicline. [92341]

Mr Simon Burns: Neither the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), nor his officials have had discussions with the British Medical Association about the anti-smoking drug varenicline (brand name Champix).

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), an executive agency of the Department, is responsible for ensuring that all medicines available in the United Kingdom are effective and are acceptably safe. The MHRA has actively participated, along with other European Union member states, in Europe-wide discussions of the benefits and risks of treatment with varenicline. These discussions have concluded that the benefits of stopping smoking using varenicline outweigh the known side-effects. The health benefits of stopping smoking are well recognised.

The MHRA continues to monitor closely the safety of varenicline. Emerging data on the benefits and risks of varenicline are carefully evaluated as they become available and updated prescribing guidance is issued as appropriate. MHRA has communicated information on the safety profile of varenicline to health care professionals in the UK via its monthly bulletin 'Drug Safety Update'. The target audience for this publication includes doctors (who are the main membership of the British Medical Association).

Social Services

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the difference between the number of people eligible for social care support in England and those receiving formal support from public or private sector agencies. [92393]

Paul Burstow: The Department has not made estimates of the difference between the number of people eligible for social care support in England and those receiving formal support from public or private sector agencies.

The Department acknowledges that unmet need is difficult to precisely define and measure. The eligibility framework issued by the Department seeks to support councils in prioritising funding on those with the highest need. The Government are clear that everyone who thinks they may be in need of care and support is entitled to an assessment, and if this assessment concludes

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that services are required to meet the person's assessed needs and the person qualifies under the means-test, services must be provided.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the prospects for using increased resources for social care to reduce avoidable emergency admissions and NHS costs; [92773]

(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the social care system on the financial sustainability of the NHS. [92938]

Paul Burstow: Effective partnership working and integration are key enablers in delivering against the Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention challenge within the national health service, and supporting improved efficiency within social care. This includes ensuring that people do not stay in hospital longer than they need to.

The Department has put in place practical measures to support social care services, in the context of a challenging local government settlement, and to encourage improved joint working between primary care trusts (PCTs) and local authorities. In 2011-12, £648 million has been allocated to PCTs to transfer to councils for spending on social care services that also benefit health. The Department has been clear that PCTs and local authorities will need to work together closely in order to agree appropriate areas of social care investment, taking account of joint priorities identified by the joint strategic needs assessment for their local populations. Evidence from a survey of PCTs suggests that this funding is being used both to prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital (through crisis response services, for example); and to ensure people are able to leave hospital quickly (through intermediate care and re-ablement services for example).

A further £150 million (rising to £300 million in 2012-13) has been allocated to PCTs for the development. of post-discharge support and re-ablement services. There is local discretion over how this money is to be spent, but in a letter to the service the Department has been clear that:

“This funding is intended specifically to develop current reablement capacity in councils, community health services, the independent and voluntary sectors, with the objective of ensuring rapid recovery from an acute episode and reducing people's dependency on social care services following discharge”.

Finally in addition to these funding streams, the Department announced on 3 January 2012 that it was making a further £150 million available to PCTs, to transfer to local authorities for spending on social care. The Department has set out that this funding should be used to target delayed transfers of care which are attributable to social care services.

Social Services: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that children's needs are assessed as part of their parents' assessment by social services. [92361]

Paul Burstow: The Department issued best practice guidance on social care needs assessment, “Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First: A whole

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system approach to eligibility for social care”, to local authorities in 2010. A copy has already been placed in the Library and it is available on the Department's website at:

www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_113154

The guidance includes the following:

“Councils should identify any children or young people acting in a caring role and consider the impact on them. Community care packages should not rely on the input of an inappropriate level of care from a child or young person. In this respect, in addition to the provision of adult care assessment and support, councils should be prepared, to address their duty under the Children Act 1989 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area. The Children Act 1989 also specifies the need to take the views and interests of children into account, In discharging these duties, it is essential that Councils take account of the cumulative effects of responsibilities of family members within the household and where necessary, adult and children's services should work together to protect children from having to undertake unreasonable levels of care.”

In the course of assessing an individual's needs, councils should recognise that adults who have parenting responsibilities for a child under 18-years may require help with these responsibilities.