| Coronary artery bypass graft | ||||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | ||||
| Patient age group | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs |
1 Feb 2012 : Column 689W
1 Feb 2012 : Column 690W
| Cochlear implant | ||||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | ||||
| Patient age group | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs |
| Cholecystectomy | ||||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | ||||
| Patient age group | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs | Total FAEs | Emergency FAEs |
| (1) A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) An emergency admission is one where the admission method is recorded as one of the following codes: 21 Emergency—via Accident and Emergency (A and E) services, including the casualty department of the provider 22 Emergency—via General Practitioner (GP) 23 Emergency—via Bed Bureau, including the Central Bureau 24 Emergency—via consultant out-patient clinic 28 Emergency—other means, including patients who arrive via the A and E department (3) The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre | ||||||
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many anti social behaviour orders were issued in (a) Birmingham, (b) Derby, (c)Thurrock and (d) Bradford in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11; [92632]
(2) how many incidents of anti social behaviour were reported to the police in (a) Birmingham, (b) Bradford, (c) Thurrock and (d) Derby in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [92660]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 30 January 2012]:These data are not available in the format requested and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
CCTV
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the number of people who were (a) arrested and (b) convicted as a result of CCTV evidence in (i) Birmingham, (ii) Bradford, (iii) Derby, (iv) Thurrock and (v) Ashfield in (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11. [92633]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 30 January 2012]: Information on the evidence leading to arrests is not held centrally.
Knives: Crime
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many knife-point robberies occurred in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire in each of the last three years; and what assessment she has made of the British Crime Survey's findings that knife-point robberies have increased by 10 per cent. in the last 12 months. [91594]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 January 2012]: Data for selected offences involving the use of a knife or sharp instrument are collected by the Home Office at police force area level only, so data are not available for Ashfield constituency. Data are provided for Nottinghamshire police force area.
In the Nottinghamshire police force area, there were 436 robberies involving a knife or sharp instrument in the 12 months ending September 2009, 382 in the 12 months ending September 2010 and 303 in the 12 months ending September 2011.
Members: Surveillance
Mr Watson:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what safeguards her Department
1 Feb 2012 : Column 691W
has put in place to ensure that hon. Members do not have their telephone conversations covertly heard by
(a)
the police,
(b)
the Serious Organised Crime Agency and
(c)
other Government agencies. [91491]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 24 January 2012]:In answer to questions in the House of Commons on 17 November 1966, the then Prime Minister, the right hon. Harold Wilson, said that he had given instructions that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament and that if there were a development which required a change of policy he would make a statement in the House about it. The Prime Minister confirmed on 24 January 2011 that this policy has not changed.
Police
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to ratify in full the decisions of the Police Arbitration Tribunal on the Windsor 1 recommendations; what process she plans to follow when taking the decision on ratification of these decisions; and if she will make a statement. [92620]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 30 January 2012]:I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 30 January 2012, Official Report, columns 31-33WS.
Police: Bureaucracy
Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much time warranted police officers spent on average participating in human resources procedures including disciplinary, recruitment and retirement processes in (a) London and (b) England and Wales in each year between 2002 and 2012. [92430]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 31 January 2012]: The information requested is not held centrally.
Police: Conditions of Employment
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to publish the Government response to the recent report of the Police Arbitration Panel on pay and conditions for the police. [92705]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 31 January 2012]: I refer the right. hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), on 30 January 2012, Official Report, columns 31-33WS.
Police: ICT
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of results from the West Midlands pilot on mobile technology in policing; and if she will make a statement. [90965]
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Nick Herbert: West Midlands was one of a number of forces which took part in the pilot of the Lantern mobile fingerprinting identification service. Although no force specific assessments were made, an assessment of the pilot as a whole was undertaken by the National Policing Improvement Agency. A survey of officers who took part in the pilot found that:
the majority felt that there was an increase in the number of people they were able to identify;
almost all officers felt more confident in handling situations with the public; and
just over half of officers reported that the devices saved time.
The results of the pilots were used to inform a new and updated mobile fingerprint service known as MobileID.
Police: Motor Vehicles
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to ensure that local police forces put safeguards in place for suspects who have had vehicles taken away from them as a result of a police investigation. [92197]
Nick Herbert: The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and the accompanying codes of practice provide safeguards regarding police powers to seize and retain material—including vehicles—which are needed as evidence or for forensic examination.
The powers also cover the safekeeping and return of the vehicle and enable the suspect to have access to the vehicle under certain conditions, for example, to prevent evidence from being tampered with.
The use of these powers is an operational matter for Chief Police Officers.
If an individual considers that the police have not followed PACE and the Codes in their case, then they can make a complaint to the Chief Police Officer or to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). If the vehicle is damaged or the police refuse to return it then the individual can take action in court in the normal manner.
Young People: Stop and Search
Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of young adults aged 18 to 24 years old were (a) stopped and searched, (b) given conditional cautions, (c) given a penalty notice for disorder, (d) given a fixed penalty notice and (e) arrested by the police in each year since 2008. [91828]
Nick Herbert: Available information on arrests held by the Home Office relates to persons aged between 18 and 20 arrested for notifiable offences, and corresponding rates per 100,000 population in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and is provided in Table A. Data on arrests reported to the Home Office are reported in aggregate form covering specific age groups (10 to 17, 18 to 20, 21 and over) and cannot be separated further. Data for 2010-11 are scheduled to be published in April 2012.
Data on the number of stops and searches and fixed penalty notices (FPNS) cannot be provided as the Home Office does not require police forces in England and Wales to provide information on the ages of subjects searched or issued with FPNs as a part of these collections.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 693W
Data provided by the Ministry of Justice covering the number of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) issued to persons aged between 18 and 24, with rates per 100,000 population, from 2008 to 2010 (latest available) in England and Wales are provided in Table B. Data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.
Information on conditional cautions provided by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is taken from its case management system and covers the numbers of conditional cautions only. A breakdown of the number of young adults aged between 18 and 24 issued with conditional cautions in England and Wales since January 2008 is provided in Table C.
| Table A: Persons aged 18 to 20 arrested for notifiable offences, England and Wales, 2008-09 and 2009-10 | ||
| Number and rate | ||
| Number of persons arrested | Number arrested per 100,000 of the population (1) | |
| (1) Based upon mid-year population estimates provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 2008 and 2009, for persons aged 18 to 20. Source: Home Office | ||
| Table B: Penalty notices for disorder issued for all offences to persons aged 18 to 24, England and Wales, 2008-10 (1) | ||
| Number and rate | ||
| Number issued | Number issued per 100,000 of the population (2) | |
| (1) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (2) Based upon mid-year population estimates provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for 2008 and 2009, for persons aged 18 to 24. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | ||
| Table C: Conditional cautions issued to 18 to 24-year-olds: England and Wales, 2008 to 2011 | |
| Number | |
| Total conditional cautions issued | |
| Note: Includes conditional cautions issued both pre- and post-charge, This incorporates those cases where the defendant has been charged with an offence as part of the file review prior to the first court hearing, and in accordance with para 25 of the DPP's Guidance on Charging (4th Edition: January 2011), a prosecutor has determined that a conditional caution is a more appropriate way to process the charge. Data are obtained from a management information system. Source: Crown Prosecution Service | |
1 Feb 2012 : Column 694W
Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who the members are of the Government's Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures review group; and to which Secretary of State it will report. [92566]
James Brokenshire: Membership of the Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures Review Group (TRG) includes officials from the Home Office, the police and the Security Service. Officials from other agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service may also attend where appropriate. The TRG reports to the Secretary of State for the Home Department.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution her Department is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if she will make a statement. [92295]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office signed up to the Renewed Compact in 2010. Over the last year the Department has taken the following actions to ensure the Compact is being implemented:
A Director has been appointed as Compact Champion for the Department and a team has been identified to be responsible for the day to day promotion and management of Compact implementation;
We have successfully established a VCSE Stakeholder Forum with representatives of the voluntary sector to discuss issues of mutual interest including application of the Compact;
We have begun to undertake a departmental-wide mapping exercise to develop Compact awareness as well as understand funded and stakeholder relationships with the voluntary sector;
We participated in the National Audit Office's review of national Compact implementation.
My Department expects to include a statement on how the Compact is being implemented in the Home Office Business Plan for 2012-13 in the spring, and has also embedded Compact principles into our business plans in this year.
House of Commons Commission
Parliamentary ICT
Karl McCartney: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, who (a) is responsible for and (b) maintains the systems protecting communications within the parliamentary estate and on parliamentary IT servers; and whether any of this work is undertaken by a contractor. [92994]
John Thurso: PICT is responsible for and maintains the systems protecting communications within the parliamentary estate and on parliamentary IT servers. We do not comment on specific security arrangements.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 695W
Communications: Parliamentary Estate
Karl McCartney: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether there are any on-going warrants issued under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 under which (a) email communications and (b) hard-line or mobile telephone communications are monitored on the parliamentary estate or remotely through parliamentary estate servers. [92995]
John Thurso: We do not comment on matters of security.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Complaints: Members
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the average cost to the public purse was of processing a complaint made to IPSA's compliance officer against hon. Members in the latest period for which figures are available. [90802]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Compliance Officer for IPSA, who is statutorily independent of IPSA's executive branch. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Peter Davis, dated 31 January 2012:
As Compliance Officer for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about the cost to the public purse of processing a complaint made to IPSA's Compliance Officer.
The time taken to process a complaint against an MP will be the largest factor in determining the cost. This will depend upon the nature of the complaint; whether the Compliance Officer decides to progress the complaint to a preliminary investigation and, thereafter, whether it is advanced to a substantive investigation.
Data on the time taken to conclude complaints is not currently held in a format that would enable any meaningful costs to be assessed. An average cost per complaint is, therefore, not available.
IPSA's Annual Report and Accounts for 2011-12 will include details both of expenditure in this area and also of the work undertaken by the Compliance Officer throughout the year.
Freedom of Information
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the average cost to IPSA was of processing a request made under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the latest period for which figures are available. [90803]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated 31 January 2012:
In the absence of the Chief Executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about the average cost of processing a Freedom of Information request.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 696W
The staff time taken to process a Freedom of Information request is the largest factor in determining the cost. The time taken in each case will depend on the nature of the request, the amount of information requested and whether exemptions will apply. Where a request is particularly complex, it may require the involvement of senior members of staff or the IPSA Board.
We do not record how much time is spent on each Freedom of Information request we receive, and as a consequence an average cost per request is not available.
Confidentiality
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will request IPSA to provide a secure (a) postal address and (b) e-mail address within IPSA, with a named individual for hon. and right hon. Members to submit confidential staff information. [91188]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated 30 January 2012:
As Director of Operations of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about arrangements for providing information to IPSA in a secure manner.
Post arrives at IPSA in two ways. Either the mail is delivered via Royal Mail or it is collected from the Drop Box at Portcullis House. These collections are made solely by IPSA staff.
All mail is opened, scanned and sorted in a secure locked environment with limited access. Access to this room is restricted to four members of staff and no documents are removed from this room until they are scanned and an electronic record of them is made. The only exception to this is where envelopes are marked ‘personal’, in which case the unopened envelope will be placed on the desk of the addressee.
E-mails addressed to ‘IPSA INFO' are sorted centrally and either sent on to specific recipients or worked on by the Information team and responded as appropriate. The status of these e-mails is monitored daily to ensure that they are dealt with in a timely manner. E-mails to specific recipients are delivered directly to password protected e-mail accounts that may only be accessed by the account owner.
This arrangement provides a suitable control on the movement of e-mails and documents around the organisation and we have no plans to amend it.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will request IPSA to make it its policy that letters from the Authority to hon. and right hon. Members are signed and that the name of the person signing the letter is printed with their job title. [91189]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Scott Woolveridge, dated 30 January 2012:
As Director of Operations of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking about IPSA's policy on the signing of letters to MPs.
It is our general practice to include the name and job title on all e-mails and letters sent from IPSA. There are a few exceptions to this which include the automated e-mails sent to MPs from the online expense system advising the status of claims and the weekly e-mail bulletins to MPs offices.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 697W
International Development
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
9. Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on funding arrangements for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. [92785]
Mr O'Brien: The UK is ready to increase its funding to the Global Fund subject to rapid progress with reforms. I will discuss ways to leverage funds from others in the run up to the Mid Term Review of the Replenishment including possible additional resource mobilisation opportunities.
Development Policy
11. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to ensure that development policy takes full account of the interests of girls and women. [92787]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Following the Bilateral and Multilateral Aid Reviews girls and women are at the centre of everything we do. The results we will achieve are clearly set out in our document entitled ‘Strategic vision for girls and women'.
Foreign Aid Programmes
12. Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many countries to which the UK gives overseas aid have foreign aid programmes of their own. [92788]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: While it is true that India—and indeed South Africa—have aid programmes, most of it does not meet the internationally accepted definition of aid.
Global Schools Partnership Programme
13. Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of his Department's global schools partnership programme. [92789]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development-funded Global School Partnerships Programme has supported over 4,000 links between schools in the UK and developing countries. In 2011 we used an independent review to assess the programme's impact on students' learning. It found a significant and positive impact on students' knowledge and attitudes to global poverty.
Democratic Republic of Congo
14. Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of governance and humanitarian issues in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [92790]
1 Feb 2012 : Column 698W
Mr O'Brien: The state is weak with limited capacity in the Democratic Republic Congo. The system lacks transparency and accountability and corruption is endemic. The humanitarian situation is one of the most enduring globally. Conflict, malnutrition and disease epidemics render the population vulnerable with millions in need of emergency assistance.
15. Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of (a) human rights and (b) the integrity of the recent elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [92791]
Mr O'Brien: Human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo remain a serious concern. Detailed information is available in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's annual report on human rights.
Polling in the elections was largely peaceful with a good turnout. However, we are concerned about reports of irregularities, some serious, throughout the election process.
Horn of Africa
Kris Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of food security in the horn of Africa. [92780]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: British support has so far fed or vaccinated four million people in the horn of Africa. The international community must do more to promote food security in the longer term. Progress on this has been made in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
Afghanistan: Taxation
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Afghanistan on steps to improve tax revenue levels in that country. [92301]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government of Afghanistan's ability to raise revenue is central to the financial viability of the state. The UK has been working closely with the Afghanistan Revenue Department since 2003 and helped increase revenue to £1.65 billion in 2010-11, up 26% on the previous year. Revenue collection as a proportion of GDP grew from less than 3% in 2002 to 11.2% of GDP in 2010-11, an all-time high. In addition, tax collection targets have been exceeded for large, medium and provincial taxpayers.
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 1011W, on recruitment, how much of the £145,489.16 spent on recruitment agencies was spent on agency (a) fees and (b) staff. [92598]
Mr Duncan:
The Department for International Development (DFID) has a framework arrangement with two specific agency providers. A set hourly rate is paid direct to the agency provider depending on the
1 Feb 2012 : Column 699W
grade and level of work required. The rate paid to the agency member of staff is subject to a contractual arrangement between the agency provider and the individual. DFID is not advised of this rate.
Work Experience
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work experience or traineeship schemes his Department offers to minority groups. [92744]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development participates in the Whitehall summer diversity internship programme for under-represented groups, including black and ethnic minority communities and those from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. We will provide placements for three individuals on this scheme this summer.
East Africa: Droughts
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development through which (a) UN and (b) other humanitarian agencies he plans to deliver emergency aid for the food crisis in the Sahel; whether the aid is new funding; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that emergency response is integrated into a long-term resilience plan for the region. [92739]
Mr Duncan: On 22 January the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr Mitchell), announced a new package of lifesaving emergency assistance to help thousands of children facing severe hunger across the Sahel region of West Africa.
Negotiations are currently under way with various United Nations Organisations and non-governmental organisations as to the precise make-up of this assistance. Although it is too early to give precise programme details, it is likely that British assistance will help treat 68,000 severely malnourished children in Niger, Chad and Mali and provide animal feed and animal vaccinations to 30,000 families to keep their livestock alive.
The Department for International Development recognises the need to strengthen the resilience of the Sahel region, and is currently preparing a Sahel resilience strategy. This was one of the commitments we made in response to the Humanitarian Emergency Response Review last year.
East Africa: Overseas Aid
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what payments over £50,000 were made by his Department for international development work in (a) Sudan, (b) Malawi and (c) Zambia in 2010-11; what the name of the recipient was in each case; and what work was carried out. [92577]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Information on payments made by the Department for International Development (DFID) is freely available on our website.
This Government introduced the ‘Aid Transparency Guarantee', in order to make our aid fully transparent both to taxpayers in the UK and to citizens in recipient
1 Feb 2012 : Column 700W
countries. Details of every payment over the value of £25,000 made by DFID since 12 May 2010 can be found at:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/DFID-spend/
DFID now publishes details of every payment over £500 on a monthly basis.
Food Aid
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Gateshead (Ian Mearns) of 17 January 2012, Official Report, columns 656-7W, on food aid, (1) what the seven Charter to End Extreme Hunger commitments that the Government is carrying out are; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness; [91867]
(2) which two Charter to End Extreme Hunger commitments the Government is considering; and when he expects to have made a decision on these two commitments; [91866]
(3) which four Charter to End Extreme Hunger commitments the Government considers to be unworkable; and on what basis this conclusion was reached. [91865]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government have already made commitments and are taking action that anticipates the concerns expressed through the first, third, fourth, sixth, 11th, 12th and 13th recommendations of the charter. The Government's commitments are built upon the recommendations of the Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR), which I commissioned in 2010. As part of the Government's response to the HERR, we will invite the International Development Committee to review progress against our commitments. The charter's fifth and 10th recommendations are the subject of ongoing work or trials.
The remaining recommendations were considered to be too vague, or incompatible with the Government's commitments to transparency and to maximising the value of UK aid by concentrating it in the countries where it is most needed.
Voluntary Organisations
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution his Department is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement. [92282]
Mr O'Brien: DFID is contributing to the Compact between UK Government and voluntary organisations.
DFID ensures that it consults voluntary organisations on matters that that are likely to impact on the Department's work with civil society. Examples of this include the 12 week open consultation on the design of UK Aid Match and consultation on the design of the Global Poverty Action Fund.
DFID Ministers and officials also meet regularly with a wide range of civil society groups to discuss opportunities for achieving common goals.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 701W
Yemen: Overseas Aid
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's budget was for aid to Yemen in each of the last three years; and how much of the budget was spent in each such year. [92538]
Mr Duncan: The following table sets out the Department for International Development's (DFID) country programme allocation, country programme expenditure and bilateral expenditure on Yemen over the last three financial years. Country programme expenditure is made against yearly country programme allocations. Bilateral expenditure includes other DFID programme expenditure benefitting Yemen but not directly administered by the Yemen country programme—for example a contribution of £3.8 million by the Global Funds Department to the education Fast Track Initiative in 2010-11. Figures for the latter are taken from ‘Statistics in Development 2011', which is published on the DFID website.
| £ million | |||
| Financial year | DFID Yemen country programme allocation | DFID Yemen country programme expenditure | DFID bilateral expenditure on Yemen |
Justice
Aarhus Convention
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent steps he has taken to comply with the requirements of the Aarhus convention in relation to civil litigation costs. [92562]
Mr Djanogly: The convention requires that costs not be ‘prohibitively expensive'. On 19 October the Government launched a consultation on proposals to limit the liability of the claimant to pay the defendant's costs to £5,000 and also limit the liability of the defendant to pay the claimant's costs to £30,000. The consultation closed on 18 January 2012 and the Government intend to publish their response, including proposals on the way forward shortly.
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, columns 266-7W, on recruitment, how much of the £15,698,302 spent on recruitment agencies was spent on agency (a) fees and (b) staff. [92601]
Mr Kenneth Clarke:
Payments made to recruitment agencies comprise the sourced labour costs, the agency administration costs and a sum for VAT. The value of the administration costs is normally a percentage of the total fee (excluding VAT) paid by the Ministry and it varies from agency to agency. The determination of the
1 Feb 2012 : Column 702W
administration cost is subject to commercial negotiations with the recruitment agencies. The administration fee and labour cost are amalgamated into a single unit cost and recorded on the Ministry's systems in this way thus enabling the reporting of a total figure inclusive of VAT as provided in the answer of 10 January 2012,
Official Report,
columns 266-7W. To arrive at a breakdown of monies paid to the sourced labour, the administrative fees and the VAT would require a manual examination of each invoice submitted by a recruitment agency and this would incur a disproportionate cost.
Work Experience
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what work experience or traineeship schemes his Department offers to minority groups. [92748]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice does not offer work experience or work placements to minority groups directly, and does not record centrally the ethnicity of persons undertaking unpaid work experience. To establish this information will require an examination of locally held records and this will incur a disproportionate cost.
Legal Aid: Personal Injury
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to the capacity of people with asbestosis to seek legal redress under his proposals for reform of legal aid. [92979]
Mr Djanogly: Legal aid for most personal injury claims (other than clinical negligence) was abolished by the Access to Justice Act 1999 because these claims could be funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement ("no win, no fee"). Under both the Access to Justice Act 1999, and the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill that is before Parliament, there remains a safety net for legal aid to be granted in individual cases. Funding will continue to be available under clause 9 of the Bill where failure to provide legal aid will breach the applicant's right to legal aid under the European Convention on Human Rights or any other enforceable right to legal aid under EU law.
Legal Aid: Asil Nadir
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much legal aid has been provided to Asil Nadir in the last 18 months. [92984]
Mr Djanogly: The case against Asil Nadir is ongoing. It would be wrong of me to either comment on or to disclose specific details concerning the costs of any case while it is still ongoing.
Prisoners
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of civil prisoners imprisoned in England and Wales; and whether he has made an estimate of the number of civil prisoners held in (a) open and (b) closed prisons. [92545]
1 Feb 2012 : Column 703W
Mr Blunt: As at 31 December 2011 there were 32 civil prisoners, all of whom were being held in closed conditions.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Prisoners: Human Rights
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what training and advice has been provided to members of independent monitoring boards of prisons on their duties under the UN Optional Protocol for the Prevention of Torture. [92097]
Mr Blunt: The UN Optional Protocol requires the National Preventative Mechanism to have certain powers including the regular examination of the treatment of people deprived of their liberty in places of detention. As Independent Monitoring Boards have the necessary statutory powers to unrestricted access to prisons and places of detention and the power to make unannounced visits they are a designated part of the United Kingdom's National Preventative Mechanism.
New members of an Independent Monitoring Board attend a foundation course which explains their powers and how they are to be exercised. If requested, advice and material relating to the Optional Protocol for the Prevention of Torture will be provided by the secretariat to the Independent Monitoring Boards.
Prisons
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what new prison capacity he expects to become available at each establishment in each month of 2012. [92996]
Mr Blunt: The prison capacity programme is ongoing and will deliver additional prison capacity in 2012 at two new establishments: HMP Thameside in South East London (900 places from March) and HMP Oakwood in Staffordshire (1,605 places from April).
Options for increasing the number of prison places at existing establishments, including through new-build accommodation, existing accommodation being returned to use, an increase in multiple occupancy of prison cells and other measures are kept under ongoing review and activated when necessary. Decisions on increasing capacity will depend on the required number of places necessary to accommodate all those committed to custody by the courts.
Prisons: Private Sector
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on future tendering for the running of prisons; and if he will make a statement. [92628]
Mr Blunt:
The Government's policy on tendering for the running of prisons flows from our ambition for encouraging greater involvement of the private and voluntary sectors in the rehabilitation of offenders in order to cut re-offending and improve outcomes and
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efficiency. Competition will provide the opportunity to implement policy priorities, such as working prisons and payment by results.
The Competition Strategy for Offender Services, published in July last year outlines the principles that will determine the use of competition in offender services and sets out the custodial programme for the first year. This includes competitions for the management of eight public sector prisons and the re-competition of HMP Wolds.
We will publish an annual update of our competition programme in the summer. This will include both existing commitments and all planned new opportunities expected to be launched within twelve months of the date of the publication of the update.
Prostitution: Convictions
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there were for (a) soliciting for the purpose of prostitution in a public place, (b) keeping a brothel and (c) control of prostitution for offences committed in (i) London and (ii) West Yorkshire in each of the last three years. [92895]
Mr Blunt: The number of defendants found guilty of offences related to prostitution at all courts in the Greater London and West Yorkshire police force areas for the years 2008 to 2010 (latest currently available) can be viewed in the table.
Court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in the spring of 2012.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 705W
| (1) Comprises the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Includes the following statutes and corresponding offence descriptions: Kerb crawling: Sexual Offences Act 1985, S.1 kerb crawling Sexual Offences Act 1985, S.2 Persistent soliciting of person or persons for the purpose of prostitution Soliciting for the purposes of prostitution in a public place: Sexual Offences Act 1985, S.1 Common prostitute loitering or soliciting for the purpose of prostitution Sexual Offences Act 2003, S.51A Solicit another for the purpose of obtaining their sexual services as a prostitute in a street/public place Keeping a brothel: Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.33A as added by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 S.55 Keeping a brothel for prostitution Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.33 Keeping a brothel Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.34 Letting premises for use as a brothel Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.35 Tenant permitting premises to be used as a brothel Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.36 Tenant permitting premises to be used for prostitution Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.33 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act 1967 Keeping a brothel for homosexual practices Sexual Offences Act 1956 s.34 Letting premises for use as a brothel for homosexual practices Sexual Offences Act 1956 S.35 as amended by the Sexual Offences Act 2003 S.53 Tenant permitting premises to be used as a brothel for homosexual practices Similar provisions in Local Acts Other offences against keeping a brothel Control of prostitution: Sexual Offences Act 2001 s.53 Controlling prostitution for gain Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice. |
Repossessions
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) if he will estimate the number of home repossessions in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley borough in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013; [92669]
(2) how many homes were repossessed by mortgage lenders in (a) England, (b) the West Midlands and (c) Dudley borough in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011. [92672]
Mr Djanogly: There were 53,045 county court claims which led to orders being made for the repossession of property by mortgage lenders in England in 2010, the latest year for which figures are available. Of these, 5,915 related to properties in the West Midlands, and 295 in Dudley borough. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the total numbers of repossessions of property (including where keys are handed back voluntarily).
These figures represent the numbers of claims leading to orders being made. This is more accurate than the number of orders, removing the double-counting of
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instances where a single claim leads to more than one order. It is also a more meaningful measure of the number of homeowners who are subject to court repossession actions.
These figures do not indicate how many properties have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order, such as where borrowers hand the keys back to the lender. Also, not all possession orders result in repossession. Many orders are suspended and if the borrower complies with the repayment arrangements set out in the suspended order the property will not be repossessed.
Claims leading to orders figures for all regions and local authority areas in England and Wales in 2011 will be published on 9 February 2012. This statistical bulletin will be available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/statistics-and-data/civil-justice/mortgage-possession.htm
The Council of Mortgage Lenders in December 2011 released forecasts of 37,000 repossessions in the United Kingdom in 2011 (down from an initial 40,000) and 45,000 in 2012. They have not yet released a forecast for 2013 and do not publish regional estimates.
Youth Custody: Advocacy
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to ensure a statutory right to advocacy for every child in custody. [92368]
Mr Blunt: Young people aged under 18 years of age may be placed in three different types of secure accommodation; local authority secure children's homes, secure training centres or under 18 young offenders institutions.
The national minimum standards, underpinned by the Children's Homes Regulations 2001, set out requirements for enabling children in secure children's homes to have access to advocacy, and secure children's homes have visiting independent persons' services contracted by the relevant local authority.
The Secure Training Centre Rules 1998 make provision for the appointment of Independent Persons to visit young people in secure training centres and hear their representations. The Youth Justice Board commissions two children's charities to fulfil this function within secure training centres and they operate in line with the National Standards for Youth Advocacy.
The Youth Justice Board has also extended the advocacy service commissioned for secure training centres into under 18 young offenders institutions. The service is delivered by children's charities and operates in line with the National Standards for Youth Advocacy.
Leader of the House
Political Parties: Finance
Michael Fallon: To ask the Leader of the House whether he has considered changing the annual indexation of Short money to each Opposition party from the retail prices index to the consumer prices index. [92273]
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Northern Ireland
Recruitment
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 100W, on recruitment, how much of the £13,522.82 spent on recruitment agencies was spent on agency (a) fees and (b) staff. [92602]
Mr Paterson: The Department is charged an hourly rate for these staff. There is no separate fee, although the agency may include a fee element in the hourly rate it levies.
Transport
Bus Services: Complaints
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many service complaints the Transport Commission has received about bus and coach operators in Vehicle and Operator Services Agency area 3, including (a) Go North East, (b) Stagecoach Cumbria, (c) Stagecoach North East, (d) Snaiths Coaches, (e) Scarlet Band Motor Services, (f) Redby Travel, (g) Kingsley Coaches, (h) Henry Cooper, (i) First Choice Travel, (j) Classic Coaches, (k) Arriva North East and (l) A-line Coaches in each of the last five years. [91682]
Mike Penning: The number of complaints held on operators is not available as the data are commercially in-confidence. Complaints are not recorded by area so to find out the total number for area 3 would invoke disproportionate cost.
Buses: Testing
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many (a) PSV414 advisory notices and (b) PG9s were issued by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency to bus and coach operators in area 3, including (i) Go North East, (ii) Stagecoach Cumbria, (iii) Stagecoach North East, (iv) Snaiths Coaches, (v) Scarlet Band Motor Services, (vi) Redby Travel, (vii) Kingsley Coaches, (viii) Henry Cooper, (ix) First Choice Travel, (x) Classic Coaches, (xi) Arriva North East and (xii) A-line Coaches in each of the last five years; [91687]
(2) how many prohibitions were found by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency operating area 3, involving bus and coach operators in the north-east in each of the last five years. [91688]
Mike Penning: Prohibition and advisory note results are not available by operator as the data are commercially in-confidence.
PG9s are another name for prohibitions.
The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's north-east area figures for bus and coach operators (PSV's) are in the following table:
1 Feb 2012 : Column 708W
| Roadworthiness | Drivers hours | ||||
| Checks | Prohibitions | Advisory notices | Checks | Prohibition | |
| (1) Advisory notice in 2006-07 and 2008 were recorded using a different method and should not be compared with later years. | |||||
Departmental Contracts
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent contracts her Department has entered into with Northgate Information Solutions Limited and its subsidiaries; and what the value was of each such contract. [91004]
Norman Baker [holding answer 20 January 2012]: The Department has not entered into any recent contracts with Northgate Information Solutions Ltd or its subsidiaries.
Electric Vehicles: Finance
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has for the future funding of the Plug-In Car Grant. [89557]
Norman Baker: The 2010 spending review confirmed funding for consumer incentives for ultra low emission vehicles for the lifetime of this parliament and that we will monitor the most effective way to deliver this investment.
Last month, I announced that the scheme is being extended to electric vans, with a potential discount of £8,000, or up to 20% of the total value of the vehicle.
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which EU regulations her Department has not implemented; on what date the regulations became EU law; and if she will make a statement. [90716]
Norman Baker: I have taken this question to mean which of the EU directives my Department is directly involved in have not been implemented. EU regulations have direct effect and so do not require transposition, although it may be necessary to introduce some related measures, for example to ensure that there are effective remedies and penalties.
EU law provides that directives become part of EU law once they are adopted. The EU directives requiring transposition which my Department is directly involved in implementing are:
Directive 2003/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 April 2003 amending Council Directive 91/671/EEC on the approximation of laws of the member states relating to compulsory use of safety belts in vehicles of less than 3.5 tonnes (one discrete aspect remaining);
Directive 2006/126/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on driving licences;
Directive 2008/57/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 on the interoperability of the rail system within the Community;
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Commission Directive 2008/65/EEC of 27 June 2008 amending Directive 91/439/EEC on driving licences;
Directive 2008/110/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2008 amending Directive 2004/49/EC on safety of the Community's railways (Railway Safety Directive);
Council Directive 2009/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2009 implementing the Agreement concluded by the European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) on the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, and amending Directive 1999/63/EC;
Directive 2009/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 establishing the fundamental principles governing the investigation of accidents in the maritime transport sector and amending Council Directive 1999/35/EC and Directive 2002/59/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council;
Directive 2009/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the insurance of shipowners for maritime claims;
Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC;
Directive 2009/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 amending Directive 98/70/EC as regards the specification of petrol, diesel and gas oil and introducing a mechanism to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and amending Council Directive 1999/32/EC as regards the specification of fuel used by inland waterway vessels and repealing Directive 93/12/EEC;
Directive 2009/40/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 May 2009 on roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers;
Commission Directive 2009/149/EC of 27 November 2009 amending Directive 2004/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards Common Safety Indicators and common methods to calculate accident costs;
Commission Directive 2010/36/EU of 1 June 2010 amending Directive 2009/45/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on safety rules and standards for passenger ships;
Commission Directive 2010/47/EU of 5 July 2010 adapting to technical progress Directive 2000/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the technical roadside inspection of the roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Community;
Directive 2010/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2010 on the framework for the deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems in the field of road transport and for interfaces with other modes of transport;
Directive 2010/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 October 2010 on reporting formalities for ships arriving in and/or departing from ports of the member states and repealing Directive 2002/6/EC;
Commission Directive 2011/18/EU of 1 March 2011 amending Annexes II, V and VI to Directive 2008/57/EC of the Parliament and of the Council on the interoperability of the rail system within the Community;
Commission Directive 2011/63/EU of 1 June 2011 amending, for the purposes of its adaptation to technical progress, Directive 98/70/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels;
Commission Directive 2011/75/EU of 2 September 2011 amending Directive 96/98/EC on marine equipment; and
Directive 2011/72/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 September 2011 amending Directive 2000/25/EC as regards the provision for tractors placed on the market under the flexibility scheme.
High Speed 2
Steve Baker:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which consultants are being or have been used on the
1 Feb 2012 : Column 710W
High Speed 2 project; and what the
(a)
remit and
(b)
cost to the public purse was of their services in each case. [91918]
Justine Greening: The following table provides information on the consultants used by both HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport since the inception of HS2 Ltd in 2009 to present. It also gives information on their remit and associated costs.
| Company | Remit | Costs |
1 Feb 2012 : Column 711W
Motorways: Accidents
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the risks of proposed changes to the Incident and Support Unit (ISU) service in respect of (a) the public and (b) employees of the ISU. [90597]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency is responsible for operating and maintaining the strategic road network (SRN). When reviewing the specification of incident response the agency has ensured that its primary objective is the safety of road users, Highways Agency traffic officers, road workers and emergency service personnel.
Currently, managing agent contract (MAC) service providers are contractually required to attend all incidents on the SRN within a specified time and incident clear up times are not specified. In over 60% of cases incidents are resolved by Highways Agency traffic officers or emergency service personnel and therefore do not require service provider involvement. The new incident response requirement mandates service providers to clear up incidents within set times. The revised requirement is based on current clear up times and hence the outcome for road users should be similar in most cases.
The development of the incident response requirements included an approach which identified hazards and evaluated and mitigated associated risks.
Traffic management will continue to be provided in accordance with current guidance (DFT, Traffic Signs Manual, chapter 8—roadworks and temporary situations) in a manner which maintains a safe working environment.
Northern Rail: Expenditure
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much grant funding her Department provided to the holding company operating the Northern Rail franchise in each year of its operation. [92239]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 30 January 2012]: Subsidy and premium payments in respect of all rail franchises are published annually by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in National Rail Trends (NRT). Copies of NRT are available in the Library of the House and on the ORR's website at:
www.rail-reg.gov.uk
Queen Elizabeth II Bridge: Closures
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to take steps to reduce the instances of closure of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge between Dartford and Thurrock during adverse weather conditions. [92144]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency routinely reviews its operational procedures to ensure they remain appropriate. Following the recent closures of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge I have asked the Highways Agency to look into whether total closure of the bridge is the only viable option, when the risk is limited to high-sided vehicles, or whether the bridge could in future remain open to cars only.
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Railways: East of England
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to improve rail infrastructure connectivity between urban areas in the East of England; and if she will make a statement. [92643]
Mike Penning [holding answer 31 January 2012]: The Government have committed to deliver the Thameslink programme which will improve rail connectivity between several urban areas in the East of England. As a result of its policy to let longer franchises of up to 15-years, the Government expects that the future Greater Anglia and Essex Thames-side franchises will deliver further improvements in rail connectivity in the East of England.
Railways: South West
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date she approved the application for a change to the ticket validity on the route from Bristol to Hereford via Bromsgrove submitted by the Association of Train Operating Companies. [92403]
Norman Baker: The Association of Train Operating Companies notified us of several changes to the National Routeing Guide in December relating to journeys made via Bromsgrove. No formal request was made by ATOC for the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport to these changes as no valid routeing permissions were withdrawn. Separate changes were made by the train operator to the time of day restrictions on the regulated off peak return tickets priced by Cross Country Trains in the Midlands and other regions. These alterations were all made within the prescribed limits set out in the franchise agreement of every train operator, and consequently no consent from the Secretary of State is required in such circumstances.
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she considered introducing separate targets for biodiesel and ethanol in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation. [91455]
Norman Baker: The Department received representations on a number of issues related to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) during consultations on the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). These included suggestions that the RTFO should distinguish between bioethanol and biodiesel, arguing that if it did, this might provide a mechanism to drive equal demand for both products. The suggestion was taken into account through the consultation exercise.
It is important to recognise that the RTFO is a mechanism designed to reduce carbon emissions and promote the supply of sustainable biofuels. The RTFO has now been amended to implement the transport elements of the RED. This requires reporting against mandatory sustainability criteria and allows biofuel which is produced from wastes, residues, non-food cellulosic material and ligno-cellulosic material feedstocks to be eligible for double rewards. However, the current RTFO is not a mechanism to direct the market towards a specific sustainable biofuel product or method of production.
1 Feb 2012 : Column 713W
Treasury
Executives: Pay
Guy Opperman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps is he taking to restrict excessive executive pay. [91231]
Mr Davey: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
As my hon. Friend knows, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), announced a number of proposals to the House on 23 January 2012, Official Report, columns 23-25. These included measures for greater transparency on pay, more shareholder power—binding votes on annual re-election of directors, binding votes on sections of the remuneration report which contains future proposed policy and other proposals to address the market failures that exist in the executive pay setting process. Further details can be found in the written ministerial statement, available in the Libraries of the House.
HM Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what security checks staff employed by Sitel and Teleperformance at HM Revenue and Customs contact centres are subject to; [92389]
(2) what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to establish whether staff employed by Sitel and Teleperformance at its contact centres have undergone appropriate security checks. [92390]
Mr Gauke: HM Government's Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) is the pre-employment control check for all civil servants, members of the armed forces, and private sector employees working on Government contracts, it is a check of identity, employment history, nationality and immigration status, and criminal record (unspent convictions).
HMRC have required—as a contractual condition—that both service providers comply with the BPSS in respect of all persons employed or engaged in the provision of the services under the contract. In addition to the BPSS, HMRC have also required a criminal record check of spent convictions and a credit reference check be undertaken by the providers. These additional checks over and above the BPSS, mirror those currently made of all people seeking direct employment with HMRC.
It is a further contractual condition that the service provider warrants that the checks specified in the BPSS have been carried out and that the results of those checks are satisfactory. HMRC undertakes robust audit and assurance activities to satisfy itself that the required checks have been completed and the required standards met.
A copy of the BPSS is available on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/baseline-personnel-security-standard.pdf
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M6 Toll
David Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration his Department has given to underwriting the re-financing of the M6 Toll Company in order to provide a direct link from the M54 to the M6 north and the M6 toll road south. [90265]
Danny Alexander: The Department for Transport set out its plans for the strategic roads programme in the document “Investment in Highways Transport Schemes” which accompanied the statement to the House by the then Secretary of State for Transport, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), of 26 October 2010, Official Report, columns 177-79WS. The M54/M6/M6 Toll Link road scheme, was identified among 18 ‘future schemes' for potential construction in future spending review periods and among four schemes to be reviewed by the Highways Agency to ensure that the design of the scheme is the best possible.
The Department is presently considering how these future schemes should be developed during the current spending review period.
Revenue and Customs: Data Protection
Mike Crockart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many years HM Revenue and Customs is required to keep records of (a) tax and (b) national insurance contributions paid by an individual. [92554]
Mr Gauke: HMRC has a standard records retention policy of six years plus the current year for direct taxes and indirect taxes information. There will be exceptions due to business need; for example a personal tax record may become part of a record held in relation to a tribunal hearing. In such cases, a different retention policy may come into play because the business need requires it. Once this business need has passed the record returns to its normal retention policy
There is no legislative time limit for keeping records of national insurance contributions (NICs) paid by an individual. Since the introduction of the National Insurance Recording System 2 (now called the National Insurance contributions and PAYE Service (NPS)) the information is retained indefinitely because there is a business need for contributory benefit purposes.
Social Services: Finance
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for (a) Health, (b) Communities and Local Government and (c) Work and Pensions on the potential for reform of the funding of social care to result in savings to the public purse across Government. [92772]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 31 January 2012]: HM Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues. On the funding of social care, the Government welcomed the work of the Commission on Funding of Care and Support chaired by Andrew Dilnot, and committed to consider the recommendations carefully.
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The Government have been engaging with the care sector to develop and refine their priorities and plans for action, bearing in mind the financial context. They will publish a White Paper on wider social care issues including a progress report on funding reform in the spring.
Tax Allowances
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what revenue accrued to the Exchequer in respect of (a) inheritance tax in each year since 1998 and (b) capital transfer tax between 1982 and 1986 from each (i) region, (ii) constituency and (iii) local authority area; [92988]
(2) what relief was claimed in respect of (a) business relief from inheritance tax in each year since 1996, (b) forgiveness of capital gains tax at death in each of the last five years and (c) spouse or civil partner exemptions on gifts paid over a lifetime in each of the last five years in each (i) region, (ii) constituency and (iii) local authority area. [92989]
Mr Gauke: Data on inheritance tax receipts since 2001-02 is published in the National Statistics HMRC receipts table available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/tax-receipts-and-taxpayers.pdf
Receipts from inheritance tax for earlier years are published in archived Table 1.2 Annual Receipts of former Inland Revenue Taxes available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/1_2_v2_dec05.pdf
Regional inheritance tax receipts for 2008-09 are published in Table 12.10, available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-10.pdf
Based on the same table, regional receipts for 2007-08 in £ million were:
| Tax £ million | |
Data on inheritance tax receipts by region for earlier years are not available.
Data on the numbers of taxpayers by constituency and by Local Administrative Unit Level 1 (which coincide with District/Unitary Authorities in England and Wales) are published in Tables 12.12 and 12.11 respectively which are available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-12.pdf
1 Feb 2012 : Column 716W
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-11.pdf
Data on inheritance tax receipts at this level are not available.
Receipts from capital transfer tax for the period 1982 to 1986 are published in archived Table 1.2 Annual Receipts of former Inland Revenue Taxes available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_receipts/1_2_v2_decQ5.xfs
A breakdown of these receipts by geographic area is not available.
The amounts of assets which are relieved from inheritance tax due to business property relief for estates over the inheritance tax threshold for 2004-05 to 2008-09 are published in National Statistics table 12.2 available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/inheritance_tax/table12-2.xls
Based on this table the amount of assets relieved since 1996-97 are given in the following table.
| Relief set against assets £ million | |
An estimate of the cost of the exemption for capital gains tax accrued but unrealised at death is published by HMRC in Table 1.5 Main Tax Expenditures and Structural Reliefs available from the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.xls
Estimates of the historical costs of this relief are not available.
The information on spouse or civil partner relief on lifetime gifts is not available as these gifts do not need to be recorded on the inheritance tax return.
Data on business relief, forgiveness of capital gains tax at death and spouse or civil partner exemptions on gifts paid over a lifetime by region, constituency and local authority area is not available.
Taxation: Sports
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people have paid tax on testimonial matches in each year since 2000; [92924]
(2) what revenue accrued to the Exchequer from testimonial matches in each year since 2000; [92925]
(3) how many successful appeals against the payment of tax on testimonial matches there were in each year since 2000. [92926]
1 Feb 2012 : Column 717W
Mr Gauke: There is no requirement for the parties involved in a testimonial match to individually report payments related to an event beyond their normal taxpayer obligations and HMRC does not hold separate data on testimonials. Any such payments would be considered in the course of a review of a taxpayer's affairs and HMRC is unable to disclose such details. The tax treatment of the proceeds from sporting testimonials and similar events will depend on the facts of a given case.
VAT: Scotland
Mr Davidson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses were registered for value added tax in (a) Glasgow South West constituency, (b) Glasgow and (c) Scotland in each year since 2000. [92729]
Mr Gauke: Between 2000 and 2008, the number of businesses registered for value added tax at the start of the year is shown in the following table:
| Glasgow South West | Glasgow | Scotland | |
These figures came from the report ‘Business Start-ups and Closures: VAT Registrations and De-registrations’, published by The Department for Businesses Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in November 2008. This report has now been discontinued. An extended series covering the last three years could be produced only at disproportionate costs.