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Financial Services: Advisory Services
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of expenditure by each local authority (a) overall and (b) per head of population on debt and financial advice services in each of the last 10 years. [92912]
Robert Neill: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
The information requested is not collected centrally.
Further Education: Adult Learners
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on the further education sector of the projected decrease in adult learners; and what assessment he has made of the effect such a decline will have on institutional stability. [93929]
Mr Hayes: The Skills Investment Statement 2011-14, published in December 2011, confirmed that overall investment in adult FE and skills will be £3.8 billion in the 2012-13 financial year. It confirmed that Government investment will be focused on supporting high-quality provision that delivers good value for money such as apprenticeships, with full Government subsidies for young adults, the low skilled and unemployed people on pre-employment training.
The Skills Investment Statement also provided an illustrative forecast of learners aged 19 and over who could be supported by the Government funding with estimated numbers reducing from over 3.2 million in the 2011/12 academic year to over 2.8 million in the 2013/14 academic year.
To maintain access to training in the absence of Government grant funding, FE colleges and providers are expected to continue to grow the level of co-investment from learners and employers. This will be facilitated through the introduction of FE loans for learners aged 24 and over undertaking level 3 or higher qualifications in the 2013/14 academic year.
The Skills Funding Agency and the Young People’s Learning Agency jointly review the risk profile of institutions in the further education sector on a regular basis. The agencies use planned allocations and current performance alongside individual colleges’ financial forecasts to assess the impact that allocations could have on the financial stability of individual colleges, and use that information to assess what action or intervention may be required. Final allocations from each agency will be available at the end of March and will be used to update the view on the risk to the financial stability of institutions.
Further Education: Finance
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding he has allocated to the provision of information, advice and guidance to prospective further education students affected by the introduction of tuition fee loans in further education. [93796]
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Mr Hayes: The National Careers Service will provide information, advice and guidance on careers and learning, including sources of financial support for learning. It will be available to everyone online and by telephone helpline, with face to face careers guidance available to adults aged 19 and above, or 18 and above if in receipt of out-of-work benefits. The budget for the National Careers Service is £84.4 million in 2012-13.
Further Education: Health and Safety
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to issue simplified guidance for further education colleges on health and safety; and if he will make a statement. [90458]
Mr Hayes: Responsibility for the health and safety of learners sits primarily with the college, training provider and employer who has taken on the trainee, and they must comply with the requirements of health and safety legislation. The Skills Funding Agency is responsible for allocating public funding to further education colleges, and supports learner health and safety through the contractual conditions which it imposes on those it funds. In line with the drive to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy on colleges, and following advice from the Health and Safety Executive, the agency has reviewed these contractual conditions so that colleges will not be required to do anything other than comply with the law. However, it is for colleges themselves to decide how to meet their legal obligations; and it is not the role of the agency to enforce health and safety legislation, to carry out inspections of providers, or to provide specialist advice or guidance about the arrangements which colleges should put in place.
Higher Education
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which institutions offer access to higher education courses in each subject area. [93939]
Mr Willetts: I am placing a list of institutions currently offering access to higher education courses by each subject area in the Libraries of the House.
The list of providers is derived from the Quality Assurance Agency's (QAA's) access courses database, to which authorised validating agencies (AVAs) enter information about the subject classification for each course that they approve. AVAs work in partnership with colleges and universities. The subject classifications are defined by the QAA and are a development of the sector subject areas (SSAs) used by the further education sector.
There are currently nearly 1,500 access to higher education courses recognised by the QAA in England and Wales and these are delivered by over 300 providers.
Further information on access to HE programmes is available at the following website:
www.accesstohe.ac.uk
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Higher Education: Admissions
Dr Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education to identify barriers to adult students entering higher education by the (a) full-time and (b) part-time mode; and if he will make a statement. [93177]
Mr Hayes: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not had recent discussions with the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) about barriers to adult students entering higher education.
In the guidance from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) issued in February 2011, the Government said they wanted to support mature students, and that they would like institutions to consider such students within their overall approach to access and would like OFFA to take account of their efforts in considering their access agreements. For the first time, we are making loans available to part time students to meet tuition costs.
Higher Education: North East
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 408W, on higher education: North East, how many UCAS applications had been submitted by residents in (a) Hartlepool constituency, (b) the Tees Valley and (c) the North East in the 2011-12 admissions cycle by 15 January 2012; and how many such applications had been submitted on the same date in the 2010-11 admissions cycle. [93317]
Mr Willetts: The information, provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), and showing all the constituencies in the Tees Valley, is shown in the table.
| All applicants to UCAS by the main 15 January deadline, by parliamentary constituency/region (1) | ||
| Application cycle | ||
| 2010-11 (2) | 2011-12 (3) | |
| (1) Parliamentary constituency has been identified using the home postcode of the applicant, irrespective of their declared area of permanent residence. (2) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2011, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2012. (3) Applicants applying to enter courses starting in autumn 2012, including those who applied for deferred entry in 2013. | ||
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Manufacturing Industries: Lancashire
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage manufacturing in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. [93305]
Mr Prisk: The Government have been encouraging manufacturing in Morecambe and Lunesdale and the surrounding area through the Regional Growth Fund (RGF). Funding has been provided to support investments by the Northern Tissue Group in Lancaster and for the Accelerating Business Growth in Lancashire initiative, which will provide county-wide support targeted at advanced manufacturing. A £1 billion increase in the Regional Growth Fund was announced as part of the autumn statement.
In addition, Lancashire has been allocated £13 million from the Growing Places Fund and the Department for Transport has given the go-ahead for Heysham-M6 link road to improve access to and from Heysham Port.
Manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Morecambe and Lunesdale can take advantage of our new streamlined Solutions for Business portfolio: eligible companies can gain support in areas such as training and skill development, resource efficiency, exploiting ideas, accessing international opportunities and growing your business. For example, we have just launched the Business Coaching for Growth programme, which aims to help up to 10,000 high growth businesses a year to address barriers to growth and grow more rapidly.
Support is also available from the new Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS), which was announced on 3 January 2012 and offers manufacturing SMEs practical support on all aspects of manufacturing, including direct access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record.
Finally, manufacturing companies in Morecambe and Lunesdale will be eligible to apply for the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative, announced in December 2011, which will support investment in training to improve skills as well as expenditure on research and development and capital equipment.
Manufacturing Industries: Manpower
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what comparative assessment he has made of the number of people employed directly in the manufacturing industry in (a) the west midlands and (b) other regions of England; and if he will make a statement. [92557]
Mr Prisk: According to the latest figures published by the Office for National Statistics there were 290,000 work force jobs in the west midlands in the third quarter of 2011, 11.3% of the total.
Figures for other regions in the UK are given in the following table.
The north-west has the largest number of manufacturing jobs at 315,000, or 9.6% of the total number of jobs in the north-west, while London has the fewest at 112,000, or 2.3% of its total number of jobs.
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| Work force jobs in manufacturing—Q3 2011 | ||
| Region | Number work force in manufacturing (thousand) | Percentage of total work force jobs in manufacturing (%) |
| Source: ONS work force jobs | ||
Manufacturing Industries: Olympic Games 2012
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote (a) manufacturing and (b) export capabilities during the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement. [93909]
Mr Prisk: A key part of our plans for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games is the ‘Make it in Great Britain’ campaign, which launched on 15 November 2011. This will aim to raise the profile of manufacturing and promote the excellent career and investment opportunities that it presents. As part of the campaign, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will work with UK industry to stage a high-profile interactive exhibition of cutting-edge UK manufacturing at the Science Museum next summer to coincide with the Games. The campaign builds on the excellent work being done as part of the See Inside Manufacturing programme and the exhibitions of innovative UK- manufactured products that have been staged in BIS in recent months.
The British Business Embassy at Lancaster House will use the unprecedented levels of international attention the UK will receive from London 2012 to capture the imagination of global business leaders visiting the UK and showcase UK plc. Over time, this together with UKTI's broader Olympics programme aims to generate more than £1 billion value added for the UK economy and help secure Britain's Olympic economic legacy. It will showcase the UK's investment proposition through a series of high level, high impact, high quality seminars, events and receptions.
The Global Investment Conference will be held on the eve of the Olympic Games and see 200 of the world's leading business leaders meet with Government Ministers to discuss the opportunities for global investment and economic growth in the coming year.
On each day of the Olympics the British Business Embassy will host a programme of Business Summits focusing on a different high growth sector. There will also be a programme during the Paralympics.
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Overall the programme will provide a platform for over 3,000 UK based companies to seize the opportunity of the Olympics to do business.
The British Business Club launched September 2011 is an online resource for UK and overseas businesses that includes details of networking events, future business opportunities and potential partners. The content will not only include business activity around the 2012 Games, but also other future international sporting events.
Manufacturing Industries: Publicity
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his priorities are for promoting manufacturing in 2012. [93955]
Mr Prisk: Manufacturing is at the heart of the Government's plans to rebalance the economy and deliver sustainable growth. We are taking action to address the commercialisation of technology, improve manufacturing productivity, access the right skills, and promote the image of the sector. We are working with the sector in delivering on these ambitions and good progress is being made.
In February, we are holding a major manufacturing summit at the Bristol and Bath Science Park. This follows last year's inaugural summit and will again bring together key figures from Government and industry to review progress to date and the priorities going forward. A key part of our plans for 2012 is the ‘Make it in Great Britain’ campaign, which launched on 15 November 2011. This will aim to raise the profile of manufacturing and promote the excellent career and investment opportunities that it presents. As part of the campaign, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will work with UK industry to stage a high-profile interactive exhibition of cutting-edge UK manufacturing at the Science Museum next summer to coincide with the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. The campaign builds on the excellent work being done as part of the See Inside Manufacturing programme and the exhibitions of innovative UK- manufactured products that have been staged in BIS in recent months.
Pensions
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent consideration he has given to the recommendations of the Fair Pensions report entitled “Protecting our Best Interests: Rediscovering Fiduciary Obligation” on clarifying investors' fiduciary duties. [93741]
Norman Lamb: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has commissioned Professor John Kay to conduct an independent review of investment in UK equity markets and its impact on the long-term performance and governance of UK quoted companies. The review will consider a number of the issues raised by the Fair Pensions report. It will publish an interim report later this month, and a final report, with specific recommendations, in the summer.
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The Fair Pensions report also makes a specific recommendation on corporate reporting. My Department conducted a consultation on the future of narrative reporting last autumn, and will set out proposed next steps in due course.
Regional Development Agencies
Mr Marsden:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what recent estimate he has made of the value of the liabilities held by each
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regional development agency (RDA); and which liabilities are held by each RDA; [93952]
(2) what liabilities are held by each regional development agency (RDA) in the form of (a) land and property holdings, (b) residual agreements, (c) expenditure connected with the winding-up of all RDAs and (d) other liabilities. [93953]
Mr Prisk: The liabilities of the eight regional development agencies (RDAs) outside London shown in their accounts, available in the Library of the House, as at 31 March 2011 are as follows:
| Summary of RDA liabilities | |||||||||
| £ million | |||||||||
| AWM | EEDA | EMDA | NWDA | ONE | SEEDA | SWRDA | YF | Total | |
|
Investments in subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates (net liabilities) |
|||||||||
The expenditure to which the current liabilities relate was recorded as a use of resources in the year ending 31 March 2011 and the liabilities should have been settled by now, in the ordinary course of business.
RDA accounts record contingent liabilities as at 31 March 2011 as follows:
| Summary of RDA contingent liabilities | |||||||||
| £ million | |||||||||
| AWM | EEDA | EMDA | NWDA | ONE | SEEDA | SWRDA | YF | Total | |
In some cases RDA accounts also describe unquantified contingent liabilities.
The annual liability for the cost of the residual RDA office estate expected to transfer to BIS before 31 March 2012 is estimated as £6.9 million for 2012/13. This liability reduces over time as leases come to an end and will reduce further if BIS disposes of these properties or finds new tenants.
The cost of RDAs' remaining, residual obligations under existing contracts is covered by existing budgets. Where contracts are transferring to successor bodies to oversee their completion, the appropriate budget cover is also being transferred.
The estimates of the expenditure connected with the winding up of RDAs from 1 January 2012 are as follows:
| Summary of RDA closure costs from 1 January 2012 | |||||||||
| £ million | |||||||||
| AWM | EEDA | EMDA | NWDA | ONE | SEEDA | SWRDA | YF | Total | |
These estimates exclude expenses that will be recorded by BIS.
Research: EU Action
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on measures to protect the EU's science and research budget. [93940]
Mr Willetts: My ministerial colleagues and I remain in regular contact with our European counterparts over the future European research funding programmes and have participated in several discussions on this issue in the context of meetings of the Competitiveness Council.
Research: Finance
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the UK's progress towards meeting the Innovation Union target of spending 3% of gross domestic product on research and development. [93938]
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Mr Willetts: The UK has not committed to meeting the Innovation Union target of spending 3% of gross domestic product on research and development (R&D). This is in line with the Government's policy not to implement such top-down targets.
In June 2010, the European Council concluded that the Innovation Union policy priorities should be implemented according to national decision making procedures. As the UK's decision making procedure is not to have a target for R&D intensity, the decision not to commit to the Innovation Union target is consistent with the EC's conclusions.
In December, the Government published their Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth. This set out a range of measures being implemented to enable innovative businesses in the UK. These measures include increasing the level of the Small Company R&D tax credit from 200% to 225% by April this year, increasing investment for the Technology Strategy Board to expand the Small Business Research Initiative and increased funding to the Smart programme which provides grants to companies for R&D projects.
Research: Science
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he (1) plans to take to encourage growth and innovation in UK biosciences; [93478]
(2) is taking to incentivise private investment in UK biosciences. [93574]
Mr Willetts: On 5 December 2010, the Prime Minister launched the ‘Strategy for UK Life Sciences' which builds on many of the actions of the Growth Review. The strategy was launched alongside ‘Innovation Health and Wealth—Accelerating Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS’, a review of innovation in the NHS by the NHS chief executive. Together they will encourage investment, drive innovation to improve patient care and enable the life sciences sector to grow further.
The strategy introduces a suite of fiscal measures to stimulate innovation and growth for start-ups and SMEs through to large global enterprise and includes £180 million for a new Bio-medical Catalyst Fund that will support the commercialisation of medical technologies across the research base and business. It will also incentivise early-stage investment to nurture innovative technologies from the academic and commercial sectors to attract private equity investment. We have also announced an expansion of the Smart (R&D grants), the SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative) and the extension of the SME R&D Tax Credit to 225% from April 2012 and will launch the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme from 1 April 2012 to stimulate private investment into early stage companies.
Measures from the Strategy include:
£310 million to support the discovery, development and commercialisation of research, including £130 million for Stratified Medicine and £180 million for a Biomedical Catalyst Fund.
Investing up to £10 million per annum, through the Technology Strategy Board, in a Cell Therapy Catapult Centre.
Investing £75 million to expand the European Bioinformatics Institute to provide a new facility for biological data-storage which will support life sciences research and its translation.
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Through MHRA, working with industry and other international regulators to create a more enabling regulatory environment for the adoption of innovative manufacturing technology.
Bringing forward in spring 2012 consultation proposals for an ‘Early Access Scheme'.
Empowering patients and delivering more choice with better and quicker access to innovative treatments through an enhanced web-based UK Clinical Trials Gateway and supporting patients to gain access to innovative treatments.
Opening up access to anonymised patient data in a safe and secure way.
Helping smaller high risk early stage companies by introducing this year a new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) offering a 50% income tax relief on investments. To kick start the scheme, the Government will offer a capital gains tax exemption on gains realised from the disposal of an asset in 2012/13 invested in SEIS in the same year.
Introducing in 2013, an above the line R&D tax credit, to improve the visibility and certainty of R&D tax relief to attract large scale innovation in innovation. Details of how the relief will apply to Contract Research Organisations and others when routine R&D testing is subcontracted will be provided at a later date.
We will provide further details on a simpler pre-clearance system for smaller companies (such as spin-outs) making their first claim.
Links to the Strategy for Life Sciences and the NHS Chief Executives Review ‘Innovation Health and Wealth—Accelerating Adoption and Diffusion in the NHS’ are:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/innovation/docs/s/11-1429-strategy-for-uk-life-sciences
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_131299
Student Loans Company: Finance
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether additional funding will be allocated to the Student Loans Company for the administration of further education student loans; and if he will make a statement. [93795]
Mr Hayes: The model for administration of further education loans is being developed in partnership with the Student Loans Company (SLC) and the Skills Funding Agency. Where possible, we are seeking to build on existing systems and processes. All funding allocated to the SLC by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills will be shown in SLC's annual grant letter or supplementary funding letters issued on behalf of the UK Government Administrations, and will be published on the SLC website.
Students: Age
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the maximum number will be of students aged 24 years and over studying a level 3 or above qualification for the cohort in 2013-14. [93928]
Mr Hayes:
The Department estimates that a total of 186,000 learners aged 24 and over will begin further education courses at level 3 and above in the 2013-14 financial year. This includes learners supported through loans, from when the policy is introduced at the start of the academic year, and those supported through existing grant funding arrangements prior to that. This is the Department’s best estimate of the number of learners
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who will be supported to undertake these qualifications; it has not produced estimates of the maximum number who would wish to do so.
The Department’s estimates, and the underpinning analysis, are outlined in the consultation stage impact assessment “Further Education—Level 3+ Loans”, which can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/f/11-1218-further-education-loans-impact-assessment
A final stage impact assessment, containing updated estimates of learner numbers, will be published by May 2012.
Students: Finance
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the introduction of further education student loans will add to the student loan book in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15 and (c) 2015-16. [93359]
Mr Hayes: The amount that further education (FE) loans will add to the student loan book is dependent on the amount of loan that is taken out by individual learners. However, the total value of FE loans that can be awarded is constrained by the limits set in the spending review. These are £129 million in 2013-14 and £398 million in 2014-15. No budget for FE loans has been set for 2015-16, as this will be determined through a subsequent spending review process.
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact on women of the introduction of further education student loans for access courses; and what proportion of access students are female. [93588]
Mr Hayes: We are currently undertaking an equality impact assessment of the introduction of Further Education Loans from the 2013/14 academic year. This follows the screening equality impact assessment that was published in August 2011, alongside the Government's public consultation on the implementation of FE loans. We plan to publish the equality impact assessment by April 2012.
Figures taken from the Individualised Learner Record show that 73% of Government-funded learners participating in Access to Higher Education courses in further education in England in 2010/11 were female.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of (a) doctoral, (b) taught masters and (c) research masters postgraduate degree course places in each subject area that will be funded by (i) the Higher Education Funding Council for England, (ii) the research councils and (iii) other organisations in the public sector in 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [93597]
Mr Willetts: The information requested is as follows:
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)
Estimates of the number of Postgraduate taught (PGT) Full Time Equivalent students (FTEs) to be counted in the HEFCE teaching methodology for England are shown in Table i. Estimates of 2012-13 postgraduate research (PGR) student numbers are not yet available.
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PGT numbers are broken down into the following broad subject areas:
A. The clinical stages of medicine and dentistry courses and veterinary science.
B. Laboratory-based subjects (science, pre-clinical stages of medicine and dentistry, engineering and technology).
C. Subjects with a studio, laboratory or fieldwork element.
D. All other subjects.
| Table i: Estimate of number of postgraduate taught (PGT) FTEs (English Institutions) | |
| Price Group | Estimate of 2012-13 HEFCE-fundable and co-funded PGT FTEs |
| Note: Data presented are institutional estimates/forecasts about students which may be recruited in 2012-13. | |
Estimates of the number of Research Council postgraduate student new starts (2012-13) are shown in Table ii, with explanatory notes. The abbreviations are used:
AHRC is the Arts and Humanities Research Council
BBSRC is the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
EPSRC is the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
ESRC is the Economic and Social Research Council
MRC is the Medical Research Council
NERC is the Natural Environment Research Council
STFC is the Science and Technology Facilities Council
| Table ii: Estimate of Research Council postgraduate new starts | |||
| Estimate of 2012-13 New Starts | |||
| Council | (a) Doctoral | (b) Taught Masters | (c) Research Masters |
| Notes: 1. The Research Councils provide a specific level of funding for postgraduate support. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) then decide how many students this supports. Historic funding patterns have been used to create the data in Table ii. 2. Actual student enrolments at HEIs may vary from these estimates if HEIs supplement Research Council funding with funds from other sources. The proportion of part-time and fees-only students will also affect student numbers. 3. MRC figures do not include students funded directly in MRC units and institutes, or studentships awarded to medically qualified clinical researchers (~£18 million). In addition, PhD students may also be supported through larger Research Grants from some Research Councils. 4. The postgraduate student numbers split between individual Research Councils provides an estimate of the broad subject distribution of new postgraduate students. | |||
Grahame M. Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he
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has made of the effect of further education student loans on levels of
(a)
individual and
(b)
household debt in 2013-14. [93797]
Mr Hayes: The Government published an initial impact assessment of the introduction of further education loans in August 2011. This confirmed that the potential liability attributable to loans in 2013-14 is a maximum £129 million. The amount of loan a learner takes out will depend on the course they choose, and no learner will start to repay their loan until they are earning £21,000 or more. Repayments will be at 9% of income above this level, and any outstanding balance will be written off after 30 years. A full impact assessment will be published by May.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the (a) average size of student loan for further education and (b) total cost of students loans for further education students when such loans are introduced. [93927]
Mr Hayes: The average size of student loan for further education (FE) will depend on a range of factors which cannot be accurately predicted, including: the fees charged by colleges and training organisations, and the extent to which learners will make up front contributions to the cost of their course, reducing the amount of loan required. The consultation stage impact assessment “Further Education—Level 3+ Loans”, published in July 2011, can be accessed at the following link:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/f/11-1218-further-education-loans-impact-assessment
The amount of FE loan repaid will depend on the learner’s income. For illustration, we have assumed that learners take out an average loan of £3,000, that their course starts in 2013/14 and lasts for two years, and that the learner begins repayment in 2018 (to make the answer comparable with the related parliamentary questions 8948 and 8949). We have also assumed four different incomes—£21,000, £25,000, £30,000 and £35,000 in 2016 terms—that the incomes increase with general earnings growth beyond that year, and that the learner remains in full-time employment for the whole of the 30-year period.
On this basis, the total amounts borrowed, the total repayments over the repayment period of 30 years and the total gross earnings for that period are shown in the following table.
| £ | |||
| Initial earnings | Amount borrowed | Total amount repaid over 30 years (nominal) | Total income over 30 years (nominal) |
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on offering maintenance loans for further education when further education student loans are introduced in 2013-14. [93941]
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Mr Hayes: Further education loans will be available for learners aged 24 and above studying at Level 3 or above. Most courses taken by these learners are considerably shorter than programmes of study in higher education. However, we recognise that some students with FE loans will need additional financial support.
Funding will be available for colleges and training organisations to provide additional financial support for learners. In 2012-13 the amount of funding allocated for this purpose will be around £125 million. It is important that colleges and training organisations have the flexibility to respond to the needs of learners on an individual basis.
Technology: Research
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Technology Transfer Office system in the commercialisation of intellectual property; [93321]
(2) what plans he has to review the Technology Transfer Office system. [93322]
Mr Willetts: The Government have asked Professor Sir Tim Wilson, former vice-chancellor of the university of Hertfordshire and Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) board member, to undertake a review into how to make the UK the best place in the world for university-industry collaboration. Professor Wilson's review will cover the exploitation of collaborative research and innovation between businesses and universities. The report will be submitted to Government soon.
TICC Skill Centres: Redundancy
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 6 October 2008, Official Report, column 292W, on TICC: redundancy, whether any of the 21 claims made to the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service were made by recipients of ex-gratia compensation payments from public funds. [93612]
Norman Lamb: The Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service no longer holds information on statutory payments made to former employees of TICC Ltd which went into liquidation on 18 November 2002. The files were destroyed in 2010 in line with the destruction of documents policy for destroying files seven years after the financial year in which payments were made.
TICC Skill Centres: Redundancy
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the answer of 29 October 2008, Official Report, column 1079W, on TICC skill centres: redundancy, whether any civil servants made redundant by TICC Ltd did not receive ex-gratia payments. [93611]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the now Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my hon. Friend Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) on 12 January 2012, Official Report, columns 412-13W.
It is now more than 20 years since the company went into liquidation and there are no known records of any redundant TICC Ltd employees who did not receive ex-gratia payments. A search of all the remaining documents
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to find any records of redundant TICC Ltd employees who did not receive ex-gratia payments could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost with no certainty of finding any such records (if any previously existed).
Veterinary Medicine: Fees and Charges
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will discuss with the Office of Fair Trading the pricing of (a) general practice and (b) specialist veterinary fees. [R] [93090]
Norman Lamb: I have no plans to do so.
Ministers do not have powers to direct the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate specific cases. As an independent authority, the OFT has discretion to investigate cases according to its prioritisation principles.
However, I understand that the OFT is aware of your concerns and is considering the points which you have brought to its attention.
Health
Abortion: Counselling
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hon. Members Ministers in his Department have met recently to discuss abortion counselling (a) individually and (b) at all-party parliamentary group meetings. [93503]
Anne Milton: I have met with the following Members of a cross-party group to discuss counselling options for women considering abortion: my hon. Friends the Members for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (Dr Poulter), for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), for Cambridge (Dr Huppert), for Corby (Louise Mensch), for Mid Bedfordshire (Nadine Dorries), for Peterborough (Mr Jackson) and for Wells (Tessa Munt), my right hon. Friend the Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake), the hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott), and the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field); and the Baroness Gould of Potternewton.
Accident and Emergency Departments: Location
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the maximum distance a person should have to travel to reach a hospital accident and emergency department. [93099]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not issued guidance on the maximum distance a person should have to travel to reach a hospital accident and emergency department.
It is a matter for the local national health service to ensure that there is appropriate provision of urgent and emergency services that are responsive to people's needs.
Ambulance Services: Northamptonshire
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department holds on the response times of the East Midlands Ambulance Service in Northamptonshire in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [93425]
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(2) what estimate he has made of response times to emergency calls (a) by the East Midlands Ambulance Service and (b) nationally in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the ambulance service with the fastest response time in England. [93429]
Mr Simon Burns: Data are available only at Ambulance Service level, so it is not possible to provide figures for response times specifically in Northamptonshire.
In November 2011, the most recent period for which figures are available, East Midlands Ambulance Service responded to 76.5% of category A calls within eight minutes. 92.4% of category A calls requiring transport received this within 19 minutes.
In the same period, the national figure was 77% of category A calls responded to within eight minutes. 96.8% of category A calls requiring transport received this within 19 minutes.
The Ambulance Service with the fastest response time for this period was South East Coast Ambulance Service, which responded to 80.3% of category A calls within eight minutes. 98.6% of category A calls requiring transport received this within 19 minutes.
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the East Midlands Ambulance Service achieves its target level of reaching 75% of life-threatening 999 calls in Northamptonshire within eight minutes. [93426]
Mr Simon Burns: The performance of East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust is published monthly and monitored through regular discussions between the Department and NHS Midlands and East Strategic Health Authority and against the NHS Performance Framework.
The latest performance (November 2011) for East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust on the proportion of Category A calls resulting in an emergency response arriving within eight minutes was 76.5%, with year to date performance at 75.4%. This is above the national threshold of 75%, with national performance at 77.1%.
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the level of staff sickness in (a) the East Midlands Ambulance Service and (b) that part of the service based in Northamptonshire in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [93427]
Mr Simon Burns: Data held by the National Health Service Information Centre for health and social care show that the East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust had a sickness absence(1) rate of 7.11% in September 2011, the latest date for which figures are available.
(1)The sickness absence rate is calculated by dividing the sum total sickness absence days by the sum total days available per month for each member of staff as recorded in the Electronic Staff Record. The NHS Information Centre is unable to determine the rate for the part of this trust that is based in Northamptonshire as it does not collect data at this level.
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the governance arrangements for the East Midlands Ambulance Service for preventing and responding to failures in service delivery. [93428]
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Mr Simon Burns: Local commissioners are responsible for assessing the adequacy of the governance arrangements for the East Midlands Ambulance Service.
Breast Cancer: Plastic Surgery
Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he plans to issue to the NHS on categorising breast reconstruction as clinically necessary for breast cancer patients in cases where a private provider of PIP implants (a) no longer exists and (b) refuses to remove the implants; and if he will make a statement. [93054]
Mr Simon Burns: The Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, wrote to national health service general practitioners and specialists on 27 January to highlight certain points in her earlier letter of 6 January. Among other points, she drew attention to existing guidance, “Information for Commissioners of Plastic Surgery Services”, originally issued by the former Modernisation Agency, on the criteria for providing primary breast augmentation at NHS expense. Patients who have had a partial or complete mastectomy are explicitly referred to in the criteria. NHS commissioners will wish to take account of this guidance in deciding whether to fund replacement implants for patients whose provider no longer exists or refuses to honour their legal and moral obligations. Copies of all these documents have been placed in the Library.
Cancer: Drugs
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Cancer Drugs Fund. [93792]
Paul Burstow: The Cancer Drugs Fund was launched on 1 April 2011 to help thousands of cancer patients access the drugs their clinicians believe will help them. We also made an additional £50 million available to strategic health authorities in 2010-11 to support improved access to cancer drugs.
Since 1 October 2010, this funding has helped over 10,000 cancer patients in England to access the cancer drugs their clinicians recommend.
Cancer: Health Education
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the provision of educational material on diet to patients with cancer in other European countries; and what steps it plans to take to provide equivalent material to NHS patients. [93899]
Paul Burstow: The Department has not assessed the provision of educational material on diet to cancer patients in other European countries. There is a range of evidence to show that a healthy lifestyle including physical activity and diet after a diagnosis of cancer can influence outcomes and improve survival.
In 2010-11, the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative piloted a number of health and wellbeing clinics for people who are living with or beyond cancer. Each clinic provided a one-stop-shop service providing
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comprehensive and holistic information and support including advice on diet and exercise and referrals to physiotherapy/dietician services.
Evidence emerging from an evaluation report published in September 2011 by the Office for Public Management (commissioned by Macmillan Cancer Support) suggests that patients who received supportive information and access to networking reported an increased confidence to self-manage their health; the ability to manage emotional distress and to take part in social activities; and a reduced use of health services.
The evaluation report will inform the provision of any future health and wellbeing clinics.
The National Cancer Action Team is also working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK to support the use of information prescriptions across various cancer care pathways to ensure that all cancer patients are able to access written information, including information regarding diet and cancer.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Children
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the results of research published in the online journal BMJ Open into the proportion of school children who have chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME); and what steps he plans to take in response to the finding of that research that less than 25 per cent. of children in England affected by CFS/ME have access to the health provision required by National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines. [93326]
Anne Milton: The Government are committed to ensuring all children and young people have access to the health services they need, and we welcome the research report on the BMJ Online website and the recommendations within it. It will be a useful addition to the evidence base in this area.
There are already initiatives being undertaken by Government that are seeking to improve health related services for children. On 26 January, we launched the Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Strategy, which aims to maximise health outcomes that matter the most to children, young people their families and the professionals that support them. It will also show how all parts of the health system, with partners, will contribute to enabling every child and young, person to reach their full potential. The broad scope of the strategy will help to ensure that the issues in the report are considered.
Clinical Commissioning Groups: North East
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made on establishing clinical commissioning groups and determining their membership in the North East. [93200]
Mr Simon Burns:
The sixth cohort of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) pathfinders was announced in October 2011, taking the number of pathfinders in the North East to 14, covering the entire population.
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Emerging CCGs are working with primary care trust and strategic health authority clusters on developing the right configurations, and consequently the number of individual CCGs would change when practices decide to configure differently.
Clinical Trials
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure rapid patient access to drugs at phase II of the clinical trial process; [93749]
(2) whether he has any plans to reduce the number of patients involved in clinical trial processes for the purposes of increasing patient safety. [93750]
Mr Simon Burns: The Strategy for Life Sciences published by the Government on 5 December 2011 commits the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to bring forward for consultation proposals for an “Early Access Scheme” in early 2012. The strategy states that this new approach will support the use of promising new drugs to treat, diagnose or prevent life-threatening conditions where these conditions lack effective medical treatments.
There is no plan to review the number of patients involved in clinical trial processes. The number of patients included in a clinical trial is determined by the trial design and the research, question being asked and the minimum number of patients required must be commensurate with reliable results.
Departmental Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of his Department's invoices from its private sector suppliers were paid (a) within 14 days, (b) between 15 and 30 days, (c) between 31 and 60 days, (d) between 61 and 90 days and (e) more than 90 days after receipt in the last 12 months. [93443]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department operates standard contractual payment terms of 30 days. However, the Department has also signed up to the Government's Prompt Payment policy under which the target is to pay all valid supplier invoices that are received at the nominated address within five days of receipt. Performance against this target is published on the Department web site within six days of the previous month.
We also monitor the number of payments made within 10 days (the previous Prompt Payment target) and 30 days, which is our contractual obligation. We do not have data that reflect the other timescales requested. Details of the numbers and percentages of payments made to commercial suppliers in the period 1 February 2011 to 31 January 2012 are as follows:
Total number of payments for commercial organisations: 16,756
Total paid within five days for commercial organisations: 10,111
Percentage paid within five days for commercial organisations: 60.34%
Total paid within 10 days for commercial organisations: 13,542
Percentage paid within 10 days for commercial organisations: 80.82%
Total paid within 30 days for commercial organisations: 15,692
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Percentage paid within 30 days for commercial organisations: 93.65%
Total paid over 30 days for commercial organisations: 1,064
Percentage paid over 30 days for commercial organisations: 6.35%
Departmental Manpower
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many jobs in (a) his Department and (b) the agencies and non-departmental bodies for which he is responsible were transferred to the private sector in 2010-11. [91340]
Mr Simon Burns: In the financial year 2010-11 no jobs were transferred to the private sector from the Department, its Agency (the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) or from its non-departmental bodies.
Diabetes
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the national diabetes audit. [93339]
Paul Burstow: The National Diabetes Audit (Adults) 2010-11 publication timetable is shown as follows:
| 2012 | |
|
National Diabetes Audit Report: Clinical processes and Outcomes |
|
Exact dates will be announced by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership as they are confirmed.
The National Diabetes Audit 2009-10 (and previous years from 2003-04) is available publicly from the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at:
www.ic.nhs.uk/nda
Diabetes: Chiropody
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to National Institute for Clinical Excellence Clinical Guideline 10, how many podiatrists are required to provide foot health care to people diagnosed with diabetes; and what estimate he has made of the number of podiatrists needed to provide such care in 2022. [93335]
Paul Burstow: The annual NHS work force census shows that at 30 September 2010 there were 3,190 full-time equivalent podiatrists employed in the national health service in England. We have no estimate of how many will be employed by the NHS in 2022.
Work force planning is a matter for local NHS organisations. They are best placed to assess the health needs of their local health community and plan the work force to meet those needs.
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Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instigate an audit of the implementation of National Institute for Clinical Excellence Clinical Guideline 10 on the prevention and management of diabetic foot complications. [93336]
Paul Burstow: Foot complications of diabetes are usually preventable, and if identified early enough can be treated effectively. Reducing the number of amputations due to diabetes relies on good self-management of diabetes and good services to support people with diabetes. Improvement to service provision is supported by robust audit processes, which are currently being implemented.
Diabetes: Amputation
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many amputations were carried out for each 1,000 adults with diabetes in each primary care trust in England. [93527]
Paul Burstow: A table showing the incidence of minor and major amputations in practices participating in the 2009-10 National Diabetes Audit—which are the most recent data available—for each primary care trust (PCT) in England has been placed in the Library.
The audit indicates that the incidence of minor amputations per 1,000 of population is 1.4 (with a range of 0.3 to 4.5 across all PCTs in England). Figures for major amputations are 0.7 per 1,000 of population (with a range of 0.0 to 1.8 across PCTs).
The National Diabetes Audit reports incidence of amputations rather than prevalence of amputations. It shows the total number of amputations per 1,000 adults, not the number of adults with one or more amputations per 1,000 adults.
Drugs: Safety
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the views and expertise of non-medical prescribing leads are represented within clinical commissioning groups; and if he will make a statement. [93399]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government want clinical commissioning groups to have the flexibility to engage with the full range of health and care professionals to support the design of pathways of care and to shape services. Clinical commissioning groups will be required to obtain appropriate advice from a broad range of professionals, which can include non-medical professionals with prescribing responsibilities.
Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for issuing guidance to commissioning groups (to which they must have regard) on their duty to obtain appropriate professional advice, for example, in relation to working with multi-disciplinary clinical networks and senates.
Fertility: Medical Treatments
Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the potential savings from the commissioning of tertiary infertility services on a national basis; and if he will make a statement. [93300]
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Anne Milton: The Department is considering the future commissioning arrangements for infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilisation services. No final decisions have been taken at this stage.
Health Services: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much has been spent on redundancy payments by (a) Brent Primary Care Trust, (b) Harrow Primary Care Trust and (c) North West London Hospitals NHS Trust since May 2010; and if he will make a statement; [93789]
(2) how much has been spent on establishing the eight clinical commissioning groups in North West London since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [93790]
Mr Simon Burns: This information is not centrally held. The hon. Member may wish to approach the relevant local national health service organisations.
Hospitals: Chiropody
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals do not have an in-patient podiatry service in England. [93337]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally. It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to commission services to meet the needs of their community including the provision of podiatry services for hospital in-patients.
IVF
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future arrangements for commissioning of in vitro fertilization treatment on the NHS. [93586]
Anne Milton: The Department is considering the future commissioning arrangements for infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilisation services. No final decisions have been taken at this stage.
London Olympics 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) senior officials in his Department have accepted; and if he will make a statement. [93626]
Mr Simon Burns: No Ministers have been invited to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics. Information on whether senior officials have accepted invitations to any events could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Mental Health Services: Prisoners
Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the target time is for referral by responsible clinicians working in prisons to complete the administrative process for the transfer of mentally ill offenders to alternative hospitals settings; and what the average time taken was in the latest period for which figures are available. [93383]
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Paul Burstow: Mentally ill offenders are transferred from prison to alternative hospital settings under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983; there are no target times set for the administrative processes involved. A good practice procedure guide issued to the national health service in April 2011 includes an indicative timescale of 14 days from first assessment to transfer to hospital. Information about the time taken for referral by responsible clinicians is not collected centrally.
Midwives: Manpower
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives were working in the NHS in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [93911]
Anne Milton: The Information Centre for health and social care collects data on the number of midwives working in the national health service. The following table shows the number of qualified midwives working in the NHS in each of the last 10 years.
| NHS hospital and community health services: Qualified midwives in England as at 30 September each year | |
| Registered midwife | Headcount |
| Note: The new headcount methodology for 2010 data is not fully comparable with previous years data due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the Census publication. Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care Non-medical Workforce Census | |
Midwives: Training
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of training a midwife in the latest period for which figures are available. [93093]
Anne Milton: Midwifery degrees are generally a three- year course, for which the tuition and student support costs are funded through the Multi Professional Education and Training (MPET) budget issued to strategic health authorities.
The tuition costs per midwifery degree student are covered by the national benchmark prices and trainees are also entitled to student support funding through MPET, in the form of a bursary. The average costs of training midwife over a three-year degree course, for the latest period available, are shown in the following table:
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| Average cost of a midwifery degree 2008-09 to 2010-11 | ||||
| £ | ||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | Total | |
| (1) The average bursary includes both degree and diploma students. Source: National standard benchmark price contract NHS student bursaries scheme database | ||||
In addition to the above costs, most midwifery degree students will also be eligible for a student loan. This loan is provided by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
There are several other ways midwives can be trained and where an existing national health service employee is seconded on to a midwifery programme, the student would be entitled to a salary, rather than student support. These salary costs are not collected centrally.
NHS
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy to change the process for registration with a GP or accessing treatment by the NHS. [93319]
Mr Simon Burns: There are no current plans to change the process for registration with a general practitioner (GP). The policy is set out in the GP contract regulations.
The Government announced in March 2011 that they will review the rules and practices around charging overseas visitors to the United Kingdom for national health service treatment, including the current qualifying criteria for accessing free NHS hospital treatment and whether charges should apply to overseas visitors for GP services and other non-hospital NHS treatment. This review is ongoing and no decisions have yet been made.
NHS: Procurement
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on procuring products and services by each NHS trust in 2010-11. [93492]
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Mr Simon Burns: The following table shows revenue expenditure at national health service trusts for finance year on clinical supplies and services and general supplies and services.
Expenditure on clinical supplies and services is taken to include drugs, dressings, medical and surgical equipment, X-ray equipment and supplies, laboratory equipment, appliances (e.g. artificial limbs and wheelchair hardware) and the maintenance of equipment.
Expenditure on general supplies and services is taken to include provisions and kitchen, contract hotel services (including cleaning and catering), uniforms and clothing, laundry and cleaning equipment and bedding and linen.
The data are taken from NHS trusts audited summarisation schedules from which the NHS (England) Summarised Accounts are prepared. The Department does not collect accounting information from NHS foundation trusts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.
| £000 | ||
| Supplies and services | ||
| NHS trust | Clinical | General |
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|
Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust |
||
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| Source: Audited summarisation schedules, 2010-11. | ||