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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Treasury
Business: Government Assistance
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2011, Official Report, column 976W, on business: Government assistance, what progress he has made on funding the Business Finance Partnership; and if he will make a statement. [94207]
Mr Hoban: As set out in my previous answer, the Government announced at the autumn statement that they will make available an initial £1 billion to invest through non-bank lending channels, through a Business Finance Partnership. This will focus initially on co-investment in loan funds that lend directly to mid-sized businesses in the UK.
My previous answer also indicated that the Government would request proposals to manage these funds in early 2012. This request for proposals was issued on 30 January 2012, and is available on the HM Treasury website. This request will close on 20 February, and the Government intend to announce the funds with which it intends to invest in spring 2012.
The Government also intend to request further tranches of proposals in due course.
Business: Loans
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of total loans to small businesses that will have lower interest rates as a result of credit easing. [94200]
Mr Hoban: The National Loan Guarantee Scheme will provide up to £20 billion of guarantees to banks to raise funds to lend to smaller businesses at a lower cost.
Co-operatives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Law Commission to begin work on a Co-operative Consolidation Bill; how long he estimates it will take to complete its work; and if he will make a statement. [93651]
Mr Hoban: Government legislation will be announced in due course in the normal manner.
Devolution: Finance
Jonathan Edwards:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 25 November 2011, Official Report, columns 42-4WS, on Youth Contract, what Barnett
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consequentials will be provided for
(a)
Wales,
(b)
Scotland and
(c)
Northern Ireland in connection with the Youth Contract; [84326]
(2) with reference to the autumn statement, which measures generated a Barnett consequential; and what the size of the consequential was in each case for each devolved Administration. [87543]
Danny Alexander: The following table gives details of the Barnett consequentials within departmental expenditure limits arising from the Chancellor's autumn statement on 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810:
£ million | ||||
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | ||
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Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Barnett consequential funding will be available to each devolved Administration for payment of enhanced capital allowances in enterprise zones in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [85436]
Danny Alexander: Discussions between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations over the allocation of funding for enhanced capital allowances in enterprise zones are continuing.
Executives: Pay
Mr Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on setting the level of directors’ emoluments in companies in which the Government has a significant shareholding. [93142]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 2 February 2012]: The Government have two aims in setting remuneration levels for state-owned enterprises. It needs to ensure that these organisations are effectively managed, and consequently accepts that there may be prevailing market rates to recruit and retain suitably-qualified management. At the same time, the Government exercise considerable pay restraint. To ensure accountability in this matter, I sign-off any appointments for those earning over £142,500 in areas under ministerial control.
The Government’s shareholdings in the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group are managed on a commercial and arm’s length basis by UK Financial Investments (UKFI), a company which is wholly-owned by the Government. UKFI engages as shareholder to ensure incentives are based on long-term, sustainable performance, and will seek to ensure that neither bank pays any more than the minimum necessary. However, the Government are determined that the taxpayers’ investment in the banking system is recovered and therefore RBS and LBG must be able to attract and retain staff in order to protect and create value for the taxpayer.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has recently announced proposals aimed at improving the alignment of risk and reward in executive pay. These proposals include the expectation that in the future, remuneration committees will have to explain why they have used specific benchmarks and how they have taken into account employee earnings, including pay differentials, when setting pay.
Food: Additives
Mr Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal incentives his Department is considering to encourage food manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt, saturated fat and artificial ingredients in food products. [93291]
Miss Chloe Smith: Decisions on tax policy are a matter for the Chancellor as part of the Budget process. At present, the Government have no plans to introduce an additional tax on salt, saturated fat and artificial ingredients in food.
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Public Sector: Pensions
Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing a similar scheme to the Future Fund established in Australia. [93303]
Danny Alexander: Lord Hutton and the Independent Public Service Pension Commission considered whether unfunded public service pension liabilities should become funded. Their Interim report sets out the arguments but concludes that
“it remains reasonable to continue to operate arrangements without actual funds as the basic financing model, given the risks, lack of obvious economic benefit and transition costs of moving to a fully funded model. Equally, there is no reason to de-fund existing funded schemes.”
The Government accepted Lord Hutton’s recommendations as a basis for consultation with trade unions at Budget 2011.
Leader of the House
London Olympic 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Leader of the House how many invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his office and (c) senior officials in his office have accepted; and if he will make a statement. [93637]
Details of hospitality received by Ministers and special advisers and the most senior officials are published on a quarterly basis and will be available for July to September 2012 in due course.
Culture, Media and Sport
Broadband
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps Broadband Delivery UK is taking to ensure the competitive supply to local authorities of superfast broadband networks. [94115]
Mr Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) has advised local authorities that all procurements involving public funding must be consistent with European procurement guidelines, which includes requirement for competitive process and wholesale access. BDUK has also advised of the importance of potential suppliers being able to deliver sustainable projects.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps Broadband Delivery UK is taking to ensure that the superfast broadband networks supplied to local authorities operate to international interface standards. [94116]
Mr Vaizey: Broadband Delivery UK requires that all the companies participating in the framework provide solutions that are compliant with, match or better the appropriate standards specified by NICC, the UK Interoperability Standards group.
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Departmental Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 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. [93453]
John Penrose: There is a statutory requirement to pay all valid invoices within 30 calendar days. In addition, from November 2008, the Government introduced a requirement for all Departments to pay private sector supplier invoices within 10 working days of receipt. In May 2010, the requirement was changed to 80% within five working days of receipt.
A report of this Department’s performance against these targets is published on our website each month and can be found at:
http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/category/financial/prompt-payment/
We do not record data against other target dates.
Food Procurement
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of food purchased by his Department was produced in the UK in each of the last five years. [93722]
John Penrose: The Department does not have its own food and catering service, following the closure of the staff canteen in December 2009. Prior to this, the proportion of food purchased by the Department that was of British origin increased from 44% in 2005 to 52% in 2006. In 2008-09, meats were 95%-100% British origin, vegetables 80%-90% and fruits 70%-75%.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many away days his Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93850]
John Penrose: Within the Department, away days are arranged by individual teams and details are not centrally recorded. The Department’s accounting system does not record expenditure on away days separately from other staff training and developmental costs, and to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
Digital Economy Act 2010
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to implement sections 9 to 17 of the Digital Economy Act 2010. [93868]
Mr Vaizey:
The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has no plans to impose technical obligations on internet service providers under section 10 of the Digital Economy Act at this time. The Secretary of State is currently working towards
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commencement of the initial obligations set out in sections 3 and 4 of the Digital Economy Act. The power to impose technical obligations to take technical measures against subscribers set out in section 10 is a reserve power that cannot be exercised until such time as the Initial Obligations Code has been in force for 12 months, and evidence of its effect has been reviewed. Furthermore, before considering whether to impose technical obligations, the Secretary of State will seek an assessment from Ofcom of the likely efficacy of technical measures.
As announced in August 2011, site-blocking regulations under sections 17 and 18 will not be brought forward at this time. This decision was reached following advice from Ofcom, also published in August 2011.
Mobile Phones
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the benefits to consumers of the proposal made by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications to fix retail costs for mobile data roaming in the European Union at three times wholesale costs. [94066]
Mr Vaizey: The Department is considering various proposals put forward on price caps for retail costs for mobile data roaming in the European Union. These include the initial Commission proposals; revised proposals from the European Parliament and advice submitted by the European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).
The principles that guide our negotiating position on both the wholesale and the retail price capping (and thus the margin between the two) for voice and data roaming remain that we wish to see price caps set at values that will continue to reduce roaming costs for consumers but at the same time provide sufficient incentive for new players to enter the market, therefore providing a sustainable competitive market place.
Olympic Games 2012
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what date his Department was first made aware of Dow Chemicals' interest in sponsoring the stadium wrap for the London 2012 Olympics. [94212]
Hugh Robertson: Contracting for services and supply of goods to the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is a matter for LOCOG, a private company operating independent of Government. On 7 February 2011, LOCOG publicly sought expressions of interest from the private sector to supply the wrap, published on the CompeteFor London 2012 business opportunities website, with a deadline of 18 February 2011.
Following this procurement process, LOCOG informed us they were in the final stages of contract negotiation with Dow Chemicals, on 25 May 2011. The conclusion of these discussions between LOCOG and their suppliers was announced on 4 August 2011, publically naming Dow as the Olympic Wrap supplier.
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The stadium wrap had been removed from the Public Sector Funding Package for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as part of the 2010 spending review.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Poultry: Animal Welfare
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to penalise egg producers who have not complied with the required transfer of hens to larger battery cages from 1 January 2012. [91936]
Mr Paice: Robust enforcement action is being taken under the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 and its equivalents in the devolved Administrations, which implement the laying hen directive 1999/74/EC, and failure to comply may result in a criminal conviction.
As of 6 February 2012 all producers in England, Scotland and Wales are compliant with the conventional cage ban and the three remaining sites in Northern Ireland are expected to be compliant by 13 February 2012.
Wales
Olympic Games 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics (a) she, (b) other Ministers in her Department and (c) senior officials in her Department have accepted; and if she will make a statement. [93633]
Mr David Jones: Details of hospitality received by Ministers, special advisers and the most senior officials are published on a quarterly basis and will be available for July to September 2012 in due course.
Scotland
Recruitment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [93557]
David Mundell: Since May 2010 the only expenditure incurred by the Scotland Office on recruitment services was £1,125 in May 2011. No expenditure was incurred on executive search agencies.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many away days his Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93852]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office has held no away days since May 2010.
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Nuclear Weapons
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the First Minister of Scotland on the future of the nuclear deterrent. [93360]
David Mundell: No discussions have been held with the First Minister on the future of the nuclear deterrent.
Transport
Active Travel Strategy
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made by her Department with the Department of Health on the development of an active travel strategy. [94067]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and the Department of Health have set out their support for active travel and its benefits in the “Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon” and “Healthy Lives, Healthy People” White Papers, in 2011 and 2010 respectively. The Departments continue to work together to promote and support active travel.
Cycleways
Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent assessment she has made of the cycle lane network across the UK; [93986]
(2) what plans she has to encourage the creation of new cycle lanes in urban areas. [94017]
Norman Baker: 98% of roads are managed and maintained by local highway authorities and it is their responsibility to consider and implement the appropriate cycle facilities for their area. We encourage local authorities to consider the needs of all road users. However, funding is generally not ring fenced as the coalition Government believe that local authorities, and not Whitehall, are best placed to determine the right solutions for individual areas. We therefore have made no assessment of the provision of cycle lanes across the UK.
The Department has created a new £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund to support packages of sustainable transport measures which support economic growth and help to reduce carbon emissions. Local authorities are expected to work in partnership with their communities to identify the right solutions to meet the economic and environmental challenges faced in their areas.
To date, £155 million has been awarded to 39 projects, many of which include new cycle lanes, supported by complementary measures such as cycle training, facilities and promotional activities. I intend to announce the successful bidders for the remaining funding by this summer.
Immobilisation of Vehicles
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps she (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to restrict the use of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vehicle database by rogue private sector wheel clampers; and if she will make a statement; [93374]
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(2) what assessment she has made of the use of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency vehicle database by rogue private sector wheel clampers; and if she will make a statement. [93377]
Norman Baker: Companies using wheel clamping to impose parking restrictions on private land rarely seek vehicle keeper information. The vehicle usually remains immobilised until the user satisfies the conditions for its release such as payment of a fee. These companies tend to request vehicle keeper information only in limited circumstances, for example where a vehicle has not been claimed, where damage has been done to the company's property or when the vehicle may have been abandoned.
Vehicle keeper information is disclosed only where it is fair and lawful. The law allows for the release of vehicle keeper information to those who can demonstrate reasonable cause for requiring it. A range of safeguards are in place to ensure that information is only provided to those with a legitimate right to receive it. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency requires wheel clampers to meet the same criteria as any other organisation. There are no plans to change the current arrangements.
Private sector wheel clamping will be outlawed with the successful passage into law of the Protection of Freedoms Bill.
Local Sustainable Transport Fund
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how she plans to assess the performance of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund; and how she plans to assess the distribution of funds. [94069]
Norman Baker: The Department will continue to work with local authorities to monitor and evaluate implementation of Local Sustainable Transport Fund projects. The detailed evaluation framework is currently under development and will be published after decisions on large and Tranche Two projects are announced, which will be in the summer.
Funds are awarded to bidding authorities following a competitive process in which bids are assessed according to published criteria, principally economic growth and carbon reduction. Social distributional impacts are part of the bidding criteria for large projects but geographical distribution does not feature as part of these criteria.
Metal Theft
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the oral answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Redditch of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 316, on metal theft, how many incidents there have been of metal theft from railway lines in the Vale of Glamorgan in each of the last three years; and what the value was of the metal stolen. [94219]
Norman Baker: In the Wales route, in which the Vale of Glamorgan lies, there have been 84 incidents of metal theft in 2010-11 and 46 in 2011-12 (up till 7 January 2012). The Department does not have information on the value of the stolen metal itself.
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Network Rail: Compensation
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much compensation was paid to each train operating company by Network Rail for delays and cancellations attributed to Network Rail in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [94236]
Norman Baker: The information requested is not held by the Department. It is held by Network Rail. The compensation regime is a contractual element within the Track Access Agreement between Network Rail and each operator, and is overseen by the Office for Rail Regulation.
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much compensation was paid to passengers by each train operating company as a result of delays and cancellations attributed to Network Rail in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [94238]
Norman Baker: The information requested is not held by the Department. The Department only holds information on compensation payments to passengers for those train operating companies which operate the Delay/Repay compensation system. Such compensation payments are made regardless of whether the delay was attributed to Network Rail, or a train operator, so it is not possible to identify how much compensation is attributable to each.
Ports: Milford Haven
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had on the inclusion of Milford Haven as a core port in the Connecting Europe Facility. [93311]
Mike Penning: Ministers from the Department for Transport have not had any discussions regarding the inclusion of Milford Haven as a core port in the European Commission's proposal for a Connecting Europe Facility.
Public Transport: Schools
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of children (a) cycle, (b) walk, (c) take public transport and (d) are driven in a private car to school in England in each local authority. [94230]
Norman Baker: Data at a regional level are available from the Department's National Travel Survey. The latest figures are on the Department's website at:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/nts9908.xls
The Department for Education has published school level information on mode of travel to school for 2010-11. The data identify the local authority area within which each school lies. This information is contained within the Department for Education report ‘Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2011’, which is available for download at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics/allstatistics/a00196810/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2
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Public Transport: Violence
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many violent incidents were reported on London's (a) trains and (b) buses in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) each month since April 2011; and if she will make a statement. [94213]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested.
Information on London buses is a matter for Transport for London (TfL), which publishes quarterly statistical bulletins on crime on public transport in London at:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/19385.aspx
For more information on this report, please contact TfL at:
csepcommunications@tfl.gov.uk
Information on rail incidents is held by individual train operating companies (TOC's) or the British Transport police. The BTP can be contacted at:
British Transport Police
25 Camden Road
London NW1 9LN
E-mail:
parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk
Railways: South West
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation took place between her Department and Passenger Focus before the recent changes to railway ticket validity on the route from Bristol to Hereford via Bromsgrove were approved. [92404]
Norman Baker: The Association of Train Operating companies notified the Department for Transport and Passenger Focus of several changes to the National Routeing Guide on 9 December 2011. Passenger Focus replied to ATOC and DfT on 15 December 2011 indicating that it was satisfied with those proposals relating to routes via Bromsgrove.
Speed Limits: Roads
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to provide a toolkit to help local authorities assess the economic benefits of 20 mph schemes; and whether the toolkit will (a) take into account compliance levels in community-wide Total 20 schemes and (b) monetise the health benefits of lower speeds. [94068]
Norman Baker: The Strategic Framework for Road Safety, published last year, indicated that the Department for Transport will provide an economic tool to help local authorities assess the full costs and benefits of proposed speed limit schemes. Work has already started and I hope to publish a completed tool later this year.
The tool will be based on the available evidence. The intention is to take account of varying levels of compliance with speed limits. Where there is sufficient evidence and it is part of Government's established approach to appraisal, effects would be expressed in monetary terms. In respect of health effects these may include road safety, air quality and the use of healthier ways of travelling.
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Northern Ireland
Air Passenger Duty
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the consequences of reducing air passenger duty for flights departing from Northern Ireland. [93474]
Mr Paterson: The Government's decision to reduce air passenger duty on all direct long haul flights from Northern Ireland airports will help to support the retention and development of long-haul routes to and from Northern Ireland and the Belfast International to Newark route in particular.
Banks: Loans
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with banks on increasing levels of lending to small and medium-sized businesses in Northern Ireland. [93548]
Mr Paterson: I have discussed these matters with ministerial colleagues in the Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive. Any discussions with banks are primarily for those Ministers to take forward. The hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson), in his role as Minister for Finance and Personnel in the Northern Ireland Executive, chairs the Banking Finance and Lending subgroup of the Cross Sector Advisory Forum.
Diamond Jubilee 2012
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he and his Department have to mark Her Majesty's jubilee in Northern Ireland. [93541]
Mr Paterson: I look forward to welcoming Her Majesty to Northern Ireland as part of the national celebrations later in the year. Further details will be announced in due course. We believe that people in Northern Ireland will wish to celebrate the diamond jubilee, for example through holding street parties, tree planting and attending the many beacons that will be lit. Both the Government and the Royal Household, however, are keen to ensure that the celebrations reflect the current economic climate and are funded from within existing budgets. There are therefore no plans for Whitehall Departments to incur additional expenditure in order to mark the jubilee.
Electricity: Prices
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of levels of electricity prices in Northern Ireland compared with those in England, Scotland and Wales. [93546]
Mr Paterson: Responsibility for energy policy, the strategic energy framework for Northern Ireland and consumer affairs are all devolved matters for which I have no responsibility. The price of electricity is a commercial matter and the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment advised the Assembly on 26 September 2011 that the Executive does not have the power to determine the prices charged by private power companies.
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Any increase in electricity tariffs in Northern Ireland is scrutinised and approved by the utility regulator, who has the responsibility for regulating Northern Ireland tariffs.
Enterprise Zones
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the introduction of enterprise zones in Northern Ireland. [93497]
Mr Paterson: The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced plans in the Budget to establish 21 new enterprise zones across England, but it is for Northern Ireland Ministers to determine how the introduction of aspects of enterprise zones policy might be applied in Northern Ireland.
The Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy is considering this matter, alongside a range of other policies aimed at promoting jobs and economic growth in Northern Ireland.
Fuels: Prices
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the cost of fuel in Northern Ireland. [93547]
Mr Paterson: I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues on a range of economic issues affecting Northern Ireland, including the cost of fuel.
The Government are well aware of the burden that high fuel prices place on the average family and on business. That is why the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced in the autumn statement that the 3.02p per litre fuel duty increase that was due to take effect on 1 January 2012 will be deferred to 1 August 2012, and the inflation increase that was planned for 1 August 2012, which was expected to cost 1.92p per litre, will be cancelled. This will mean that there will only be one RPI increase in 2012. This is on top of the support that was announced at Budget 2011, which included a 1p per litre cut in fuel duty and the introduction of a fair fuel stabiliser to replace the previous Government's fuel duty escalator.
Under the stabiliser, fuel duty across the UK will increase by inflation only, when oil prices are high. If the oil price falls below a set trigger price on a sustained basis duty will increase by RPI plus 1p per litre. The Government are informally consulting before setting the level and mechanism for the trigger.
Motor Vehicles: Licences
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the devolution of vehicle licensing and vehicle taxation powers. [93496]
Mr Paterson: The Government have no such plans at present.
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Olympic Games 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [93635]
Police: Army
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times army personnel were called out in support of Police Service of Northern Ireland security operations in each year from 2009 to 2011. [93535]
Mr Paterson: The Northern Ireland Office has a role in agreeing Military Aid to the Civil Power (MACP) requests.
Available figures for MACP requests for the years in question are shown in the following table.
Number of requests received/approved | |
Terrorism
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his assessment is of the present level of dissident IRA threat in Northern Ireland. [93536]
Mr Paterson: The threat level in Northern Ireland remains at ‘Severe’, meaning that a terrorist attack is highly likely.
Despite overwhelming community rejection of their murderous activity, terrorist groups continue to carry out attacks.
Combating terrorism in all its forms remains a top priority for this Government and we continue to work closely with our strategic partners in the PSNI, Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government to counter this threat.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Departmental Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [93452]
Mr Lidington: In the period 1 February 2011 to 1 February 2012, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office paid 98.9% of invoices from its private sector suppliers within 90 days. 92.5% of these were paid within 14 days. The specific breakdown of all invoices as requested can be seen in the following table.
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Invoice paid | Total number of invoices paid | Percentage |
Departmental Career Development
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account promotion boards in his Department take of language and area expertise when assessing staff for promotion. [94099]
Mr Bellingham: As part of our Diplomatic Excellence initiative, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) attaches great importance to improving area expertise and language skills.
The FCO promotion competitions test candidates in skills required for all FCO roles, such as strategic thinking, analytical skills, negotiating, influencing and written communication. We have considered including language skills as part of our promotions process. However, the promotion competitions cover all UK-based staff, including diplomatic staff, home civil servants, generalists and specialists. They are designed to determine whether staff are fitted to perform a wide range of jobs at the next level up. We have therefore concluded that it would be wrong to make specific language skills a formal requirement for all staff at promotion competitions.
Nevertheless, in individual career planning and at the point of applying for specific roles, relevant language skills and area expertise are important considerations. When jobs are advertised, great emphasis is placed on the key competences, languages and other skills to ensure that we are able to appoint the staff best suited to fill each role.
Embassies: Civil Partnerships
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to take steps to increase the number of British embassies authorised to perform civil partnership registrations. [93196]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, our posts overseas are only authorised to perform civil partnership registrations:
(a) where the local authorities of the country or territory in which they propose to register as civil partners do not object to the registration; and
(b) insufficient facilities exist for them to enter into an overseas relationship under the law of that country or territory.
The British Government already registers civil partnerships in our posts where these conditions are met. However, without the consent of the local authorities, we cannot increase the number of our posts where civil partnership registrations can take place.
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India: European Fighter Aircraft
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of the Indian Government on the Eurofighter. [94073]
Alistair Burt: The promotion of British commerce and international trade is a core UK foreign policy objective. UK Government Ministers and the British high commission in New Delhi have for several years been strongly promoting Typhoon at every suitable opportunity with representatives of the Indian Government, in close co-ordination with the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, and with our Eurofighter partners.
Iran: Sanctions
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the time period within which Iran could develop a nuclear capability under present circumstances. [93728]
Alistair Burt: Iran already has certain capabilities in the nuclear field, most notably the capability to enrich uranium. As the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) most recent report on the Iranian nuclear programme makes clear, Iran has conducted activities relevant, and in some cases specific, to the development of nuclear weapons. Iran continues to expand its stockpile of near-20% enriched uranium. Its continuing production of this material—in defiance of United Nations Security Council Resolutions—brings it closer to the day when it will have sufficient stocks to further enrich this material to weapons-grade and produce a nuclear device, should it so choose. This causes us grave concern about the ultimate purpose of the Iranian nuclear programme.
The example of the Qom uranium enrichment facility, which Iran initially kept secret from the IAEA, also raises our concerns that there may also be other, undeclared sites in Iran that could be engaged in work designed to shorten this timeline further. This is why it is important for Iran to allow the IAEA the access it requires to address the international community's concerns on these and other issues, as the UN Security Council has instructed it to do.
Sudan: Armed Conflict
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of withdrawal from the Abyei area by (a) Sudanese armed forces personnel and (b) Sudanese People’s Liberation Army personnel since 1 January 2012; and if he will make a statement. [93338]
Mr Bellingham: The UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has confirmed that the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan are both maintaining security forces within the Abyei area boundary.
We welcome the meeting of the Abyei Joint Oversight Committee on 18 and 19 January. We note and endorse its call for all unauthorised forces present in Abyei to withdraw now, and for the Abyei Area Administration
7 Feb 2012 : Column 175W
and Abyei Legislative Council to be established. We commend the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) for the positive role it has played in overseeing community-level dialogue, which has helped to ease tensions.
Tibet: Human Rights
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of China on the welfare of Dhondup Wangchen. [94053]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Mr Dhondup Wangchen's case was included in a list of individual cases of concern that the UK delegation handed over to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Special Representative on human rights, Qi Xiaoxia, at the 20th Round of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in January this year. Mr Wangchen's case has appeared in previous caselists handed over to the Chinese government. We have yet to receive a satisfactory response to our request for information on his case.
We will continue to monitor Mr Wangchen's case closely, and raise it with the Chinese authorities at suitable opportunities.
International Development
Departmental Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 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. [93438]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) systems do not distinguish between invoices received from private sector organisations and those received from non-private sector organisations. As a central Government Department DFID is required to comply with the prompt payment initiative. This requires that Departments aim to pay over 80% of valid invoices within five days of receipt, with the remainder paid within 30 days of receipt. For the calendar year 2011 DFID paid 80.19% of valid invoices within five days of receipt, a further 19.26% of invoices paid within 30 working days of receipt, 0.52% paid within 31 to 60 days and the remaining 0.03% paid within 61 to 90 days.
Food Procurement
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of food purchased by his Department was produced in the UK in each of the last five years. [93712]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development's (DFID) two UK office staff restaurants have operated under contract to Mitie Technical Facilities Management since December 2010 on a non-subsidised basis.
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Approximately 59% of the food purchased by Mitie Catering for DFID's London headquarters and approximately 68% of the food purchased by Mitie Catering for DFID's East Kilbride headquarters was produced in the UK.
Prior to December 2010, DFID's two UK office staff restaurants operated under contract to Charlton House. The CH & Co records containing the information for this period are not available to DFID. However, for the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009, the information provided to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for their annual report states that the proportion of UK produced food as a percentage of all food supplied to DFID was 45%. For the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008, the information provided to DEFRA for their annual report states that the percentage supplied to DFID was 32%.
Departmental Responsibilities
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of other Governments, companies or non-governmental organisations when no Government official has been present since May 2010. [92816]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Officials would normally be present for ministerial meetings. Details of all Ministers' official external meetings are available on the DFID website:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Our-organisation1/Ministers/
They are published every quarter in the normal way.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many away days his Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93849]
Mr Duncan: Away days for Department for International Development (DFID) staff are overwhelmingly undertaken on DFID or other Government Department premises where there is little or no cost involved.
Information on the number of DFID officials attending away days and the costs incurred is not held centrally and precise information is not readily available.
Ministerial Travel Costs
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 31WS, on cost of ministerial cars, whether his Department has any other arrangements for ministerial travel; and how much his Department has spent on (a) private hire vehicles and (b) taxis for each Minister since May 2010. [92831]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: As set out in the Ministerial Code, Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
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The Department for International Development entered into a new official car contract with the London Car Service in October 2011 to ensure greater value for money than the previous arrangement. The contract will be reviewed after 12 months.
Ministers in the Department for International Development have occasionally used taxis as they were sometimes better value for money than the Government Car Service. Ministers have also occasionally used taxis where the official car was not available, e.g. at our offices near Glasgow. Costs for taxi usage since May 2010 have been set out as follows.
Costs for taxi usage (£) | |
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress his Department has made in establishing the UK's first carbon capture and storage project. [93171]
Charles Hendry: The Government remain firmly committed to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and there are a number of promising projects proposed in the UK. We will launch a streamlined selection process for future CCS projects as soon as possible after the second CCS Industry Day on 22 February. £1 billion is available for this. The Industry Day will form part of our ongoing discussions with industry on the future CCS competition.
Departmental Hospitality
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much (a) his Department and (b) its public bodies have spent on (i) wine, (ii) other alcoholic refreshments and (iii) bottled water since May 2010. [92649]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 1 February 2012]: The Department's finance system does not record expenditure on (i) wine, or (ii) other alcoholic drinks separately from general refreshments. To answer this question the Department would need to review each individual expense claim and invoice for refreshments, entertaining, and hospitality since May 2010, which would incur disproportionate cost.
As with the core Department, the Department's non- departmental public bodies do not record expenditure on wine or other alcoholic drinks separately from general refreshments. To identify relevant expenditure since May 2010 would incur disproportionate costs. Any such expenditure is incurred in accordance with local hospitality policies which are designed to ensure hospitality is moderate, appropriate and properly approved.
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The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority does not record expenditure on bottled water separately from expenditure on other forms of refreshments.
The following table outlines bottle water expenditure in the financial years since the creation of DECC.
£ | ||
Organisation | Bottled water 2009-10 | Bottled water 2010-11 |
Energy: Infrastructure
Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress towards achieving the £200 billion of energy infrastructure expenditure identified by Ofgem; and if he will make a statement. [93392]
Charles Hendry: The Government recognise the contribution that Ofgem's Project Discovery made to the debate on future investment needs.
The Government are confident that the actions set out in the White Paper and National Infrastructure Plan 2011 will incentivise sufficient investment to deliver secure, affordable low carbon energy. Since May 2010, around 2.5GW of operational renewable electricity capacity has been added to the system. According to National Grid's latest Transmission Entry Capacity Database, around 3GW of other capacity has also been added which includes CCGT capacity and the final 400MW stage of the Britned interconnector. Additionally we have consented to 17 Section 36 planning applications with a total generating capacity of over 9GW (renewables 1,601 MW, thermal 7,570 MW).
Additionally licences have been granted to four Offshore Transmission Owners (OFTOs) which represents a collective investment by them of £254 million.
Nuclear Power
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the stakeholder engagement programmes on nuclear power issues established by the (a) Office for Nuclear Regulation, (b) Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and (c) Environment Agency. [94120]
Charles Hendry: All three organisations mentioned are responsible for their own stakeholder engagement on nuclear power issues.
DECC has made no formal assessment, however we engage regularly with these organisations and we are comfortable that they all have well-developed and effective stakeholder engagement programmes, which endeavour to be both open and transparent.
Shale Gas: Exploration
Caroline Lucas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with (i) Cuadrilla, (ii) British Gas and (iii) any other
7 Feb 2012 : Column 179W
company on regulations for shale gas drilling since June 2011; and if what the (A) participants and (B) matters discussed were at each such meeting. [93914]
Charles Hendry: Details of meetings between DECC Ministers and external organisations are published quarterly on the department's website. Since June 2011 DECC officials have met Cuadrilla 10 times, with DECC's Head of Licensing Exploration and Development and Mark Miller (CEO, Cuadrilla) attending eight of these. These meetings, which did not cover regulations, were to discuss operational issues, exploration results, and/or seismicity. There are no regulations on shale gas drilling as such. Shale gas activities are subject to the same regulations as other oil and gas exploration and production activities, and there have been no meetings since June 2011 between DECC officials and Centrica (British Gas) or any other company on these regulations.
House of Commons Commission
Portcullis House
Mr Jenkin: To ask the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, representing the House of Commons Commission, for how many days each lift in Portcullis House was out of service in (a) 2011 and (b) January 2012; for what reasons lifts in Portcullis House have been taken out of service; what the cause was of any delay in repairing lifts; what measures are being taken to prevent such delays and loss of service; and if he will make a statement. [93411]
Mr Doran: The hours during which lifts in Portcullis House were out of service in 2011 and January 2012 were as follows:
2011 | |
Lift reference | Hours out of service |
January 2012 | |
Lift reference | Hours out of service |
The main reasons for taking the lifts out of service have been difficulties with lighting, drive motors, guide rollers, safety edges and door locks.
7 Feb 2012 : Column 180W
The guide rollers are bespoke items and replacements had to be specially made. The drive units which failed are now obsolete and therefore had to be repaired. In case these parts fail in the future, a number of spare guide rollers were made at the same time and alternative replacement drive units are being investigated.
There has been an unusually high number of lift breakdowns since the start of the new year and the reasons are being investigated. The Parliamentary Estates Directorate (PED) is working with the lift contractor to address the matter. Contributing factors have been staff sickness and a temporary loss of expertise following a change in lift contractor in August 2011.
A new lift monitoring system is currently being installed which will monitor the performance of all lifts in Portcullis House and will provide better information on any problems. In addition, an estate-wide lift refurbishment programme is currently being developed by the PED Programme Office.
The hon. Member might find it helpful to speak directly to the Parliamentary Director of Estates on these detailed matters.
Deputy Prime Minister
Register of Lobbyists
9. Mr Carswell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent progress he has made on his plans to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists. [93689]
10. Rehman Chishti: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent progress he has made on his plans to introduce a statutory register of lobbyists. [93690]
Mr Harper: The Government published our initial proposals in the form of a consultation document on 20 January. We hope that everyone with an interest in this important issue will take the opportunity to respond.
Individual Voter Registration
12. Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he plans to publish draft secondary legislation at the same time as primary legislation for individual electoral registration. [93692]
Mr Harper: The Government are committed to providing as much information on individual electoral registration as is possible at the right point. We will publish draft secondary legislation during the Bill's passage.
Members of Parliament: Misconduct
14. Mrs Glindon: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on constituents recalling an hon. Member who has committed serious misconduct. [93695]
Mr Harper: The Government published a White Paper and draft Bill on the recall of MPs on 13 December 2011. The draft Bill sets out in some detail a process by which an MP could lose their seat in the House of Commons as a result of a successful recall petition.
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House of Lords: Operating Costs
Andrew Percy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) with reference to his proposed reforms to the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the annual cost of an elected upper House; [94210]
(2) with reference to his planned reform of the House of Lords, what assessment he has made of the cost of the House of Lords in each of the last five years. [94211]
Mr Harper: The costs of a reformed House of Lords will depend on a number of variables. In particular, the number of Members and the transitional arrangements will affect the costs of Members’ salaries and allowances. We intend to consider the views of the Joint Committee when it publishes its report at the end of March, before finalising our proposals for reform. We will publish full costs when we introduce a Bill.
The costs of the present House of Lords are published in the House of Lords annual reports, available on the Parliament website.
London Olympics 2012
Mr Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many invitations to attend events at the London 2012 Olympics (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his office and (c) senior officials in his office have accepted; and if he will make a statement. [93631]
The Deputy Prime Minister: Details of hospitality received by Ministers and Special Advisers and the most senior officials are published on a quarterly basis and will be available for July-September 2012 in due course.
Ministerial Duties
Mr Bone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent activities he has undertaken in his capacity as Deputy Head of the Government. [94076]
The Deputy Prime Minister: As Deputy Prime Minister, I support the Prime Minister on a full range of Government policy and initiatives, and within Government I take special responsibility for this Government's programme of political and constitutional reform.
Defence
Armed Forces: Falkland Islands
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are tasked with defence of the Falkland Islands. [93540]
Nick Harvey: There are around 1,300 service personnel serving in the Falkland Islands. This number is subject to variation throughout the year as a result of individual posting plots and unit movements.
7 Feb 2012 : Column 182W
Armed Forces: Museums and Galleries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on Ministry of Defence (a) museum and (b) library services in each of the last three years; and how much is forecast to be spent on such services in each of the next three years. [92935]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 31 January 2012]: The figures for the three principal service museums are set out in the following tables:
Expenditure (£ million) | |
Planned expenditure (£ million) | |
Information on expenditure relating to other museums and library services is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
British Overseas Territories: Fisheries
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department provides to British Overseas Territories to protect their waters from illegal fishing. [93159]
Nick Harvey: The Royal Navy is not specifically tasked with the protection of the waters of British Overseas Territories from illegal fishing. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 30 November 2011, Official Report, column 979W, to the hon. Member for Romford (Andrew Rosindell). I explained that as part of their secondary duties, maritime assets will assist local authorities in monitoring and deterring illegal activity; and I provided a list of the taskings and visits to our Overseas Territories.
Service Personnel: Hospitality
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will ensure that his Department publishes details of expenditure on items categorised as food or hospitality other than for service personnel engaged in active service from December 2011 to December 2012 inclusive; [87963]
(2) what arrangements his Department makes to account for its expenditure on (a) food and (b) hospitality; [88140]
(3) from which of his Department's budgets expenditure on (a) food and (b) hospitality of (i) officials and (ii) Ministers in his Department are met; and how such expenditure is monitored. [88141]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 19 January 2012]: Information on MOD expenditure on food is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
7 Feb 2012 : Column 183W
Service personnel in the UK and permanent bases overseas who occupy single living accommodation are catered for through multi-activity contracts that include a number of catering, retail, and leisure facilities.
Civilian and service personnel are provided with food at public expense when on detached duty in the UK and overseas, but food costs are not separately identified in travel and subsistence expenditure.
Where canteen facilities are provided at MOD establishments for civilian personnel at their normal duty station, food is not provided to staff at public expense.
Information on overall hospitality expenditure is published in the Annual Report and Accounts. Separately, information on hospitality provided, and received, by senior staff is published in the ‘Senior staff business expenses’ information on the MOD website at the following address:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/Expenses/
Expenditure on food and hospitality is met from the MOD's core budget except for that incurred for overseas operations where the net additional costs are met from the Treasury reserve.
Expenditure incurred under contract is monitored by the contracts and finance branches responsible. Expenditure incurred by individuals is subject to departmental regulations, which specify the circumstances in which the costs can be incurred. Such expenditure is monitored by the budget management branch for the relevant area and individual MOD staff are subject to spot audit of all travel and subsistence costs, including food.
Depleted Uranium
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the legal review currently being carried out on CHARM3 in accordance with Article 36 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions will be published. [92891]
Nick Harvey: The review conclusion will be published.
Legal weapons reviews are privileged legal advice, and may be exempt from publication, as they concern details of military capability. These factors may prevent the publication of the full report.
Ex-servicemen: Education
Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many and what proportion of service leavers (a) used and (b) received funding from the Publicly Funded Further and Higher Education scheme in (A) 2009-10 and (B) 2010-11; [91987]
(2) what the total cost was of the Publicly Funded Further and Higher Education scheme for service leavers in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; [91988]
(3) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Publicly Funded Further and Higher Education Scheme for service leavers; [91989]
(4) what the average contribution was from the public purse to the cost of course fees undertaken by service personnel through the Public Funded Higher and Further Education scheme in the latest period for which figures are available. [91994]
7 Feb 2012 : Column 184W
Mr Robathan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 January 2012, Official Report, column 314W.
Former service personnel who are taking advantage of the opportunity to undertake full time education free of tuition fees have not concluded their studies. It is therefore not feasible to make an assessment of the effectiveness of the scheme.
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92118]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) publishes a selection of Freedom of Information Act responses considered to be of wider public interest to the MOD website.
The MOD also proactively releases information deemed to be in the public interest through its publication scheme. Judgment as to what is in the public interest is based on repeat or popular topics of FOI requests. These documents are published to the most appropriate area of the MOD website, or the appropriate single service or agency websites.
The average time taken between responding to a request and its publication to the website varies greatly, dependent on available resources.
Helicopters: Rescue Services
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times (a) search and rescue helicopters based at RAF Lossiemouth and (b) RAF Mountain Rescue based at (i) RAF Kinloss and (ii) RAF Leuchars have been involved in operations to rescue individuals from mountains in Scotland in each of the last five years. [93182]
Nick Harvey: The number of search and rescue callouts that occurred on land in Scotland is shown in the following table.
RAF Lossiemouth | MRT Kinloss | MRT Leuchars | |
(1) Up to 30 November |
The data above show all RAF Search and Rescue Force helicopter callouts over land from Lossiemouth and Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) callouts from Kinloss and Leuchars. The number of these callouts which were specifically for mountain rescue missions could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
7 Feb 2012 : Column 185W
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times his Department has provided top-cover fixed wing search and rescue assets for a search and rescue mission in each of the last three years; and what aircraft were used in each case. [93460]
Nick Harvey: A number of aircraft have been used for SAR since the previous Government withdrew the Nimrod MR2 in March 2010.
Information on the occasions when RAF aircraft have provided top-cover fixed wing search and rescue assets in the last three years is provided in the following table.
Aircraft type | Number of SAR missions | |
Aircraft provided by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency or overseas Governments may also be tasked by the Ministry of Defence to participate in rescue missions.
Military Bases: Northern Ireland
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF personnel are based at each base in Northern Ireland. [93534]
Nick Harvey: As of 1 December 2011, there were 80 Royal Air Force personnel based at the Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station, Aldergrove; 10 at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn and 10 at Palace Barracks, North Down.
These figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in accordance with the Data Protection Act to protect personal information.
In addition, a part time Royal Auxiliary Air Force Officer fills the post of Air Officer Northern Ireland and is employed for 30 days a year at Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station, Aldergrove.
Royal Irish Regiment: Iraq
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Irish Regiment soldiers have been killed in action in Iraq since the commencement of the Iraq war. [93538]
Nick Harvey: Between 1 January 2003 (the start of Operation Telic) and 21 May 2011 (the date Operation Telic ended) there were no Royal Irish Regiment deaths in action as a result of operations in Iraq, due to either hostile action or other causes.
Territorial Army: Recruitment
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effect on recruitment to the Territorial Army of the effect on benefits of receiving army pay. [93490]
7 Feb 2012 : Column 186W
Mr Robathan: We are not aware of any problems recruiting to the Territorial Army (TA) specifically as a direct result of the impact of army pay on benefits. We do, however, understand that there have been some issues surrounding job seekers allowance and remuneration for the two-week TA annual camp for TA reservists. Both the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Work and Pensions recognise the valuable contribution reservists make and work closely together to resolve such issues.
Home Department
Asylum: Iran
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements her Department has made to support failed Iranian asylum seekers to arrange their departure to Iran. [94063]
Damian Green: Failed Iranian asylum seekers wishing to arrange their departure to Iran can do so under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme, which provides counselling and support prior to departure, finance for and help with obtaining a travel document if possible, a flight to their country of origin, financial support in the form of a relocation grant on departure and access to additional reintegration assistance available up to six months after return. Alternatively, for those still wishing to depart but without the benefit of AVR, the UK Border Agency will assist by providing an airline ticket if appropriate.
British Parking Association
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials of her Department have had with the British Parking Association on wheel clamping on private land; and if she will make a statement. [93373]
Lynne Featherstone: I can confirm that the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has had no recent meetings with the British Parking Association (BPA). However in the last six months Home Office Ministers met with the BPA in connection with wheel clamping on private land once, on 17 January 2012; and Home Office officials have met with the BPA twice, on 24 August 2011 and 17 January 2012.
Departmental Food
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of food purchased by her Department was produced in the UK in each of the last five years. [93713]
Damian Green:
The Home Office does not directly contract for food supplies but procures catering services through wider facilities management or operating service contracts. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA's) new Government Buying Standard (GBS) for food and catering services came into operation in September 2011 and work has begun to establish the proportion of food procured by our facilities management and operating services suppliers that meets GBS criteria. From April 2006 to March
7 Feb 2012 : Column 187W
2009 Home Office also contributed to DEFRA's Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative which published three annual reports between 2007 and 2010, the link to these reports is:
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/policy/publicsectorfood/awareness.htm
Recruitment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on (a) recruitment services and (b) executive search agencies in each month since May 2010; and if she will make a statement. [93565]
Damian Green: In Home Office HQ and the UK Border Agency, information is not held centrally on arrangements for recruitment to posts below the senior civil service, and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
For the Identity and Passport Service, expenditure incurred can be found in the following table. The Criminal Records Bureau has incurred no expenditure on recruitment services or executive search agencies since May 2010.
Annex A | |
£ | |
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many away days her Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93855]
Damian Green: The Home Office accounting system does not record expenditure on staff away days at this level of detail. Expenditure on away days is incurred in accordance with the principles of managing public money and the Treasury handbook on regularity and propriety.
Detention Centres: Children
Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been held by the UK Border Agency in pre-departure accommodation at (a) Tinsley house, (b) Brook house, (c) Colnbrook, (d) Campsfield house and (e) Yarl's Wood in each month since May 2010; and for how long they were held on average. [82043]
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Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 November 2011, Official Report, columns 400-01W. The family included in the answer who were detained at Tinsley house included two children.
Brook house, Colnbrook, Campsfield house and Yarl's Wood have never been used for pre-departure accommodation.
Extradition
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests for extradition from the UK in 2011 (a) were granted, (b) were denied and (c) remain outstanding; and from which countries these requests were received. [91692]
Damian Green: The UK’s extradition arrangements are divided into two areas. Part 1 concerns the European Arrest Warrant (EAW), while part 2 concerns extradition with non-EU territories. There is no Home Office involvement in the EAW. The Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (for cases involving Scotland) are the designated authorities for processing EAWs in the UK.
A person is not always extradited in the same year that a request is received.
The figures for the 2011 calendar year are not yet available. The latest available figures concerning EAWs issued to the UK were given in response to a question tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton (Mr Raab) on 24 November 2011, Official Report, column 479W, and 1 December 2011, Official Report, column 1064W.
A total of 79 requests for extradition were received by the UK (excluding Scotland) from non-EU countries in 2011. As a matter of long-standing policy and practice, the Home Office will not disclose whether an extradition request has been made or received until such time as a person is arrested in relation to the request.
The following table provides details of arrests, surrenders and those not returned during 2011 broken down by country. It should be emphasised that an extradition request is not always finalised in the same year as a request is made. The figures quoted, therefore, may include extradition requests made prior to 2011.
At the end of 2011, the Home Office had 119 outstanding requests made under both the Extradition Act 1989 and the Extradition Act 2003. The Home Office does not record these figures by year of request.
Country | Arrests | Surrenders | Not returned (1) |
7 Feb 2012 : Column 189W
(1) This includes extradition requests that have been refused by the courts or the Secretary of State; or have been withdrawn by the requesting state after the person has been arrested. (2) Requests to the Isle of Man are still made under the Extradition Act 1989 as the 2003 Act has not been extended to the Isle of Man. (3) This request was made to the UK before the Extradition Act 2003 came into force. |
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any evidence was received by the independent review of the UK's extradition arrangements that the Government plans not to publish; and on what grounds such non-disclosure would be made. [93320]
Damian Green: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is currently considering the recommendations of the review panel and the Government will announce what action they intend to take in response to the review in due course.
Publication of the written and oral evidence received by the extradition review panel will be subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Data Protection Act 1998.
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish the full evidence received by the Baker review into extradition. [93593]
Damian Green [holding answer 6 February 2012]: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is currently considering the review panel's recommendations and the Government will announce what action they will take in due course.