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Protection of Children Act 1978
Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were (a) proceeded against, (b) cautioned and (c) convicted for offences under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978 in each of the last five years. [92550]
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Mr Blunt: The number of people who were (a) proceeded against, (b)cautioned and (c) convicted for offences under section 1 of the Protection of Children Act 1978 in each year between 2006 and 2010 (latest currently available) can be viewed in the following table.
Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.
Public Expenditure
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what underspends were identified in the budgets of his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last three years; and for what reasons; [95497]
(2) what estimate he has made of the extent of any underspend in the budgets of his Department and its non-departmental public bodies in 2011-12; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for any such underspend. [95498]
Mr Djanogly: To provide information on all underspends incurred in the previous three years to the level of detail requested would incur disproportionate cost. However, details of expenditure against budgets for the Department and its non-departmental public bodies are given in our annual resource accounts which are laid in Parliament each year and which are also available on the Department's website. A note to the accounts also explains any variances in excess of both £4 million and 5% of budget.
Information on departmental provisional expenditure against budget for 2011-12 will be published in July 2012 in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (PEOWP). The PEOWP will be available on the HM Treasury's website.
Tenancy Agreements
Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what assessment he has made of the decision that police forces should not provide pre-tenancy checks for local authorities; [94708]
(2) whether he has received any representations on the decision by the Information Commissioner that police forces should not provide pre-tenancy checks for local authorities. [94709]
Mr Djanogly: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is the independent body responsible for regulating and enforcing the Data Protection Act 1998.
The ICO has made no formal decision relating to police forces providing pre-tenancy checks for local authorities, but has provided advice to a number of forces outlining its concerns with such checks. This information was provided by the ICO.
The Ministry of Justice has not received any representations in relation to the matter.
Translation Services
Mr Slaughter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) if he will place in the Library (a) pre-qualification criteria and (b) acceptable non-price
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criteria used in the tender process for the Commercial Framework Agreement to deliver language services in the criminal justice system; [95526]
(2) pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2011, Official Report, column 310W, on Applied Language Solutions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the financial assessment of Applied Language Solutions. [95527]
Mr Blunt: In accordance with EU directives, questions and requirements in the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) sought to address the financial and technical capacity of companies seeking to provide the services.
The Procurement for the Language Services Framework was undertaken via a Competitive Dialogue Process. The project board set the non-price evaluation criteria as follows:
| Criteria | Percentage weighting |
Thereafter, the deciding factor was affordability and price. We would accept the lowest priced, affordable and compliant tender, ie there was a minimum threshold for the non-price criteria above which the lowest priced tender would be selected. This threshold was set at 80% (representing an "acceptable" tender standard). Any tenders received which did not meet this level following Invitation to submit Detailed Solution were rejected.
The financial assessment of Applied Language Solutions contains information that is commercially confidential therefore cannot be provided.
Trespass
Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward plans to create an offence of intentional trespass to permit the removal of people occupying property without the landowner's permission without the need for a court order. [95059]
Mr Blunt: The Government are considering how the law might be strengthened, but as yet no firm decisions have been made. Any changes would need to be considered against other commitments in the coalition agreement—including the right to peaceful protest—and resources available to the police and justice authorities.
In the meantime, the Government are proposing in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill to criminalise squatting in residential buildings. We hope that this will bring relief to those whose lives are blighted by having their homes occupied.
Victim Support Schemes
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much funding his Department has provided for counselling services for victims and witnesses of crime suffering from trauma or bereavement in each of the last five years; [95506]
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(2) how many (a) adults and (b) children are on waiting lists to receive trauma or bereavement counselling; and how many have been on the waiting list for (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months, (iv) four months, (v) five months, (vi) six months, (vii) nine months, (viii) 12 months, (ix) 18 months, (x) 24 months, (xi) 30 months and (xii) 36 months; [95519]
(3) what the average length of time is that (a) a child and (b) an adult spends on a waiting list to receive trauma or bereavement counselling after being a victim of crime; and what the longest length time has been for (i) a child and (ii) an adult to receive trauma or bereavement counselling in the last five years. [95520]
Mr Blunt: Prior to the start of the National Homicide Service in April 2010, there was little trauma and bereavement counselling available for victims and witnesses of crime outside the NHS. This led to them being placed on NHS waiting lists.
Since the Homicide Service began in April 2010, trauma and bereavement counselling has been available to those families bereaved by homicide who require it. It is run by Victim Support and has a £600,000 commissioning budget from which it commissions trauma and bereavement counselling from three organisations: ASSIST Trauma Care, Winston’s Wish and Cruse Bereavement Care.
The Ministry of Justice has also provided additional funding directly to these trauma/bereavement counselling providers to support people bereaved prior to the introduction of the Homicide Service as detailed in the following table.
| £ | ||
| Organisation | 2010-11 (1) | 2011-12 |
| (1) Funding specifically for trauma/bereavement counselling was not provided prior to 2010-11. | ||
At present, these providers do not have waiting lists in place.
The Homicide Service has made in excess of 400 referrals for trauma and bereavement counselling for families bereaved since April 2010.
Other victims groups funded by the Department may provide trauma/bereavement counselling to victims and witnesses of other crime types as part of the services they deliver but this funding would not specifically be for trauma/bereavement counselling only.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding his Department provided to each organisation, including third sector organisations, which provided support services for victims of crime in the latest period for which figures are available. [95559]
Mr Blunt: The following tables show the funding provided by the Ministry of Justice to organisations providing support to victims of crime in 2010-11:
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| (1)£900,000 MOJ/£950,000 HO. | |
Contributions to other G overnment D epartments
In addition to the above, the following contributions were made to other Departments to fund victim and witness initiatives.
| 2010/11 | |
| £ | |
|
Home Office—Victim Surcharge contribution towards Hate Crime and Homicide Victims Funds |
|
| (1 )Homicide Fund now administered by MOJ. | |
| 2010-11 | |
| Total spend (£) | |
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding he plans to allocate to each (a) peer support organisation for victims of crime and (b) third sector organisations supporting victims of crime his Department funds in each of the next three years. [95560]
Mr Blunt: The information is as follows:
(a) Many victims organisations provide an element of peer support as part of their work. We define peer support as support from providers who are able to demonstrate empathy for bereaved families through some personal experience. The Victims' Commissioner's report(1) highlighted the contribution that peer support organisations can play in supporting relatives bereaved by homicide before the Homicide Service was established in April 2010. We intend to run a specific peer support grants fund for these organisations to allocate £250,000 in 2012-13 and £250,000 in 2013-14. Organisations will be invited to apply for grants up to £30,000 per year. Decisions on funding beyond 2013-14 have not yet been made.
(1 )Review into the Needs of Families Bereaved by Homicide (July 2011).
(b) The following table shows the funding which will be provided by the Ministry of Justice to third sector organisations supporting victims of crime in the next three years:
| Funding amount (£) | |
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| (1 )Spending plans not yet decided. Decisions on funding beyond 2013-14 have not yet been made. The recently published consultation, “Getting it right for victims and witnesses” sets out our intention to raise additional monies from offenders to be spent on new services for victims. It also proposes that police and crime commissioners take on the role of commissioning victims' services in their local area so they in future will determine the organisations which will be funded, having made an assessment of the needs of victims in the community. Responsiveness to local circumstances will be a key benefit of the commissioning model that is being proposed and funding will be allocated to organisations that are able to meet local need as assessed by the police and crime commissioners. | |
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether he plans to allocate funding to the National Victims' Association; [95561]
(2) when he expects to announce the organisations allocated funding for peer support organisations providing victims support services. [95563]
Mr Blunt: The National Victims’ Association (NVA) received £15,000 in 2011-12 to provide peer support to families bereaved by homicide. We intend to run a homicide peer support grants programme for the next two financial years (2012-13 and 2013-14) which we plan to open to applications on 22 February 2012. The NVA will be invited to apply.
We intend to announce the names of the successful organisations in April 2012.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding he plans to provide to third sector organisations supporting the victims of crime in each of the next five years. [95562]
Mr Blunt: The following table shows the funding which will be provided by the Ministry of Justice to third sector organisations supporting victims of crime in the next three years:
| Funding amount (£) | |
| (1) In 2011-12 the charity Victim Support will receive, in addition to its grant funding, a sum yet to be determined raised under the Prisoners' Earnings Act. Over the 12 month period from 26 September 2011 to 30 September 2012 Victim Support will receipt up to £1 million from this source. (2) Spending plans not yet decided. Decisions on funding beyond 2013-14 have not yet been made. The recently published consultation, "Getting it right for victims and witnesses" sets out our intention to raise additional monies from offenders to be spent on new services for victims. It also proposes that police and crime commissioners take on the role of commissioning victims' services in their local area so they in future will determine the organisations which will be funded, having made an assessment of the needs of victims in the community. | |
Responsiveness to local circumstances will be a key benefit of the commissioning model that is being proposed and funding will be allocated to organisations that are able to meet local need as assessed by the police and crime commissioners.
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Treasury
Banks: Regulation
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking will be implemented. [84104]
Mr Hoban: The Government have committed to have all primary and secondary legislation in place by the end of this Parliament, in May 2015. Banks will be expected to comply as soon as possible thereafter, and by 2019 at the latest, in line with the Basel III timetable.
The Government have already begun work on introducing the competition proposals and are legislating for the objectives for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in this Session as part of the Financial Services Bill. The FCA is expected to be operational in 2013.
Other competition measures do not require legislation and are being implemented by industry and through existing regulatory powers. The Lloyds divestment is a commercial matter for Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) and is for the bank itself to execute, provided it sticks to the terms of state aid agreement with the European Commission.
Gemma Doyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which teams in his Department had responsibility for the Project Merlin agreement with the banks. [93201]
Mr Hoban: The work on the Project Merlin agreement has been led out of the Financial Services Group at HM Treasury.
Charitable Donations: Higher Education
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce fiscal measures to encourage philanthropic giving to higher education institutions in England. [94361]
Danny Alexander: The Government's three-year matched funding scheme for voluntary giving has supported the higher education sector in diversifying its income and generating additional funding from charitable giving. During the three years of this scheme, around £580 million of eligible gifts have gone to England's universities and colleges. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) will be reviewing progress in philanthropic giving and will make recommendations to the Government, the sector and donors on addressing any further challenges in this area. Professor Shirley Pearce (Vice Chancellor and President of Loughborough university) will chair the review, which is scheduled to start in March and report in July 2012.
Many higher education institutions in England are charities and, as such, can already claim Gift Aid on donations received. As charities, higher education institutions will also benefit from a range of measures announced at Budget 2011 to encourage charitable giving and to reduce administrative burdens on charities when claiming tax reliefs. These measures included a reduced rate of inheritance tax for estates leaving 10% or more to charity.
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All tax reliefs are kept under review and any decisions on new measures may be taken at fiscal events.
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the (a) Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (b) representatives of universities on provision of incentives to expand philanthropic giving to higher education institutions in England. [94720]
Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Child Benefit
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims for child benefit are awaiting processing. [94458]
Mr Gauke: At the close of business on 27 January 2012 the number of new child benefit claims awaiting processing was around 56,850.
Mark Menzies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the potential administrative costs of assessing the combined income of a couple as opposed to assessing income on the basis of one partner's tax band in respect of child benefit. [94601]
Mr Gauke: The Chancellor wanted to avoid a complex new means-test for household income that would have fundamentally changed the nature of child benefit. The policy will be administered through the tax system using existing PAYE and self-assessment systems. This means that HMRC does not need to contact all 7.8 million households in receipt of child benefit. From a customer perspective, this delivery option does not place a burden on all child benefit claimants; it limits the impact to those households containing a higher rate taxpayer.
Child Tax Credit
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether parents who receive a one-off bonus from their employer which means their annual income falls into the higher income tax band will cease to be eligible for child tax credit under his Department's proposals; and if he will make a statement. [91434]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 24 January 2012]: The treatment and definitions of income used for tax credit purposes is generally the definition of income to be used for income tax purposes. Entitlement to tax credits is based on a family's gross annual income, which would include any bonuses paid by an employer. The rate of income tax is not relevant.
Counterfeit Manufacturing: Cambridgeshire
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to reduce the distribution of counterfeit alcohol and cigarettes in (a) Peterborough and (b) Cambridgeshire. [90224]
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Miss Chloe Smith: The Government are committed to tackling the illicit trade in non-UK duty paid alcohol and cigarettes, including counterfeit products. Last year it published a comprehensive new tobacco strategy which is available at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/news/tackling-tobacco.htm
The Government’s strategy to tackle alcohol fraud was published in 2009, which is available at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2009/tackling-alcohol-2850.pdf
These strategies seek to address the supply of illicit alcohol and tobacco at both a national and local level. Specifically in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire HMRC has carried out targeted operations aimed at outlets for untaxed and counterfeit products. This involved working with the police and trading standards officers to visit retail, business and domestic premises, removing potentially harmful goods from sale and wherever possible penalising those involved. Working together across agencies allows a much wider range of powers and sanctions to be applied, maximising the impact enforcement can have on localised illicit activity.
Crown Estate Commissioners
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will allow the Crown Estate to borrow money in the capital markets; and if he will make a statement; [95436]
(2) if he will require the Crown Estate to invest in (a) science, (b) life science, (c) commercial university-based and (d) social finance projects; and if he will make a statement. [95445]
Miss Chloe Smith: These activities are not permitted under the Crown Estate Act 1961.
Debts
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much household debt there was in each of the regions in the UK in December 2011. [95037]
Miss Chloe Smith: Aggregate household debt in the UK was £1.55 trillion in Quarter 3 2011. Information about how this is distributed across regions is not available.
Departmental Official Photographs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in his Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of his Department are expected to undertake photography of the ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if he will make a statement; [82565]
(2) when he plans to answer question 82565, on official photographs, tabled on 21 November 2011 for answer on 23 November 2011. [87573]
Miss Chloe Smith: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member's questions.
There has been one official photo taken of an HM Treasury Minister and three photos of senior officials for use in Government publications since May 2010.
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No staff within HM Treasury are expected to undertake photography as part of their duties.
Procurement: Capital Bonds
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of the total value of contracts issued or to be issued by his Department in 2011-12 have required successful organisations to put up a capital bond; and if he will make a statement; [94907]
(2) which contracts his Department has tendered or will tender in 2011-12 which require successful organisations to have a capital bond of more than £5 million; which contracts have not required such a bond; and if he will make a statement. [94927]
Miss Chloe Smith: No contracts issued or to be issued by HM Treasury in 2011-12 have required or will require successful organisations to put up a capital bond.
No contracts HM Treasury has tendered or expects to tender in 2011-12 have required or will require successful organisations to have a capital bond of more than £5 million.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [93840]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Department does not hold a central record of individual team building events and detailed information on the number of events, locations and the number of staff in attendance could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Total spending on all team building events for the period 1 May 2010 to 31 December 2011 was £22,800. Spending covering the 2009-10 financial year was £185,200.
EU Budget
Mr Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the circumstances in which the Government would decline to pay any further money to the EU in respect of any shortfall in the EU budget. [95615]
Mr Hoban: The UK is required to make its contributions under obligations imposed by the treaties. The European Communities Act 1972, and Section 2 in particular, gives effect within the UK to Community law.
The Government remain committed to delivering real budgetary restraint at EU level, having successfully frozen the 2012 EU budget in real terms. The European Commission needs to manage any additional spending pressures within existing budgets. This is a task that national Governments face every day and the EU must make the same tough decisions.
Financial Services: EU Law
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his policy is on the revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes proposed by the European Commission; [94667]
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(2) what the findings were of any regulatory impact assessments of the European Commission's proposed revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes; [94668]
(3) pursuant to his answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 947W, what plans he has to consult the Treasury Select Committee on the revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes proposed by the European Commission. [95124]
Mr Hoban: When EU legislation is being reviewed or prepared, responses by the UK authorities to a public consultation will be made available on the Commission website. When EU legislation is proposed, an explanatory memorandum is prepared outlining the Government's views. A provisional assessment of the proposal is also prepared. These are public documents that are available in the Library of the House.
The impact assessment on the European Commission's proposed revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes is available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/bank/guarantee/index_en.htm
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has discussed with his EU counterparts the revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes proposed by the European Commission; [94669]
(2) how many meetings his Department has attended with European Commission officials on the proposed revision of the directive on deposit guarantee schemes in 2011. [94670]
Mr Hoban: Ministers and officials, as part of the process of policy development and delivery, have meetings with and receive representations from many European and international counterparts, and a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sector. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and representations.
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, columns 946-9W, on financial services: EU law, what his policy is on the revision of the directive on investor compensation schemes proposed by the European Commission. [95603]
Mr Hoban: When EU legislation is being reviewed or prepared, responses by the UK authorities to a public consultation will be made available on the Commission website. When EU legislation is proposed, an explanatory memorandum is prepared outlining the Government's views. A provisional assessment of the proposal is also prepared. These are public documents that are available in the Library of the House.
John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, columns 946-9W, on financial services: EU law, (1) what communications he has received from industry on the revision of the directive on investor compensation schemes proposed by the European Commission in (a) November and (b) December 2011; [95604]
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(2) whether he has discussed with his EU colleagues the revision of the directive on investor compensation schemes proposed by the European Commission. [95605]
Mr Hoban: Ministers and officials, as part of the process of policy development and delivery, have meetings with and receive representations from many European and international counterparts and a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and representations.
Fossil Fuels: Reserves
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of progress on the identification of carbon bubbles in the financial investment system. [92855]
Mr Hoban: In anticipation of the Financial Services Bill, which is currently before Parliament, the Government have established the interim Financial Policy Committee under the chairmanship of the Governor of the Bank of England to identify and monitor systemic risks to the financial system. The interim Financial Policy Committee is aware of this issue and the Bank of England will explore this further with market participants.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on the merits of the Financial Policy Committee examining the implications of over-exposure to high-carbon assets by London-listed companies. [92856]
Mr Hoban: The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets regularly with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss a range of subjects relating to financial stability and other issues. In line with established practice, details of these meetings are not made public.
HM Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs has taken to tackle staff turnover and low morale at its contact centres. [92384]
Mr Gauke: Staff turnover in HMRC's contact centres, as measured by attrition rates, has fallen in recent years from 19.6% in the year ended 31 March 2009 to 8.3% in the year ended 31 March 2011.
Results from the latest departmental people survey show a 6 percentage point increase in the overall employee engagement index. HMRC has put in place a range of actions to enable it to continue to build on the progress it has started to make in this area. These include:
Identification and analysis of the underlying factors across the Department that have an effect on employee engagement.
Setting out clearly the expectations that HMRC has of its people and what they can expect to receive in return for their hard work and commitment.
Focusing on leadership and organisational structure and design.
Developing a customer-centric business strategy that provides clarity on HMRC's direction over the next four years.
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Incentives
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects board members at the (a) Financial Conduct Authority, (b) Prudential Regulation Authority and (c) Bank of England to be paid in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14 in (A) salary, (B) bonuses and (C) incentive schemes; and if he will make a statement. [94878]
Mr Hoban: The remuneration arrangements for members of the Bank of England’s court of directors are detailed in the Bank’s annual report, which is available on the Bank’s website at:
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/annualreport/2011/remuneration2011.pdf
The Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will be established under provisions in the Financial Services Bill, currently before Parliament.
The Bill provides for remuneration of board members of the PRA to be set by the Court of the Bank of England, reflecting the PRA’s status as a subsidiary of the Bank of England. The Bill provides for the Treasury to determine remuneration of non-executive appointed members of the FCA board and for the FCA to determine the remuneration of executive appointed members.
It is anticipated that details of directors’ remuneration for the new bodies will be published annually, in line with standard corporate practice.
Income Tax: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people resident in the London borough of Bexley pay income tax at (a) 20 per cent., (b) 40 per cent. and (c) 50 per cent. [93049]
Mr Gauke: Estimates of the number of taxpayers in the London borough of Bexley, categorised by their highest marginal tax rate for 2007-08, the latest year for which detailed survey data is available, are provided in the following table.
| London borough of Bexley 2007-08 | |
| Marginal tax rate | Number of taxpayers (thousand) |
| Note: Table shows number of taxpayers by their highest marginal tax rate. Source: Survey of Personal Incomes, 2007-08 See: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/inc-distribution-note.pdf | |
Projections of taxpayer numbers by marginal rate to 2011-12 are available for the UK and each Government office region on the HMRC website in tables 2.1 and 2.2, at the following addresses:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-1.pdf
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-2.pdf
The projections are not available at lower levels of geography, due to greater uncertainties in making projections for small geographical areas and small sample sizes.
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Income Tax: Overpayments
Mr David Davis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who have (a) overpaid and (b) underpaid income tax in (i) Haltemprice and Howden constituency, (ii) East Yorkshire and (iii) Yorkshire and Humber in each of the last five years. [95583]
Mr Gauke: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as the relevant HMRC systems do not include details of taxpayers' parliamentary constituency.
Individual Savings Accounts
Debbie Abrahams:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on
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the number of individual savings account holders who have ISAs with a market value of
(a)
£15,000 to £19,999,
(b)
£20,000 to £29,999,
(c)
£30,000 to £49,999,
(d)
£50,000 to £99,999,
(e)
£100,000 to £199,999,
(f)
£200,000 to £499,999,
(g)
£500,000 to £999,999 and
(h)
£1,000,000 who had incomes of (i) £0 to £4,999, (ii) £5,000 to £9,999, (iii) £10,000 to £19,999, (iv) £20,000 to £29,999, (v) £30,000 to £49,999, (vi) £50,000 to £99,999 and (vii) £100,000 or more in (A) 2008-09 and (B) 2009-10. [95579]
Mr Hoban: The following table contains the information requested in relation to the latest year for which statistical estimates are available.
| Individual savings accounts (ISA) 2008-09 | ||||||||
| Thousand | ||||||||
| Market Values (lower and upper limits) | ||||||||
| Range of income | £15,000 to £19,999 | £20,000 to £29,999 | £30,000 to £49,999 | £50,000 to £99,999 | £100,000 to £199,999 | £200,000 to £499,999 | £500,000 to £999,999 | £1 million or more |
| (1) Information in respect of ISA market values above £500,000 is not separately available because of the limitations of the statistical sample from which the analysis has been drawn. However, fewer than 500 individuals are estimated to be .represented in each of the separate ISA market value categories taking all the income ranges together. | ||||||||
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) median and (b) mean market value was of individual savings accounts held by people with incomes of (i) £0 to £4,999, (ii) £5,000 to £9,999, (iii) £10,000 to £19,999, (iv) £20,000 to £29,999, (v) £30,000 to £49,999, (vi) £50,000 to £99,999 and (vii) £100,000 or more per annum at the end of (A) 2008-09 and (B) 2009-10. [95580]
Mr Hoban: The following table contains the information requested in relation to the latest year for which statistical estimates are available.
| Individual Savings Account (ISA) market values: 2008-09 | ||
| £ | ||
| Range of income | Median ISA market value | Average ISA market value |
Insurance
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will bring forward proposals to require insurance companies to disclose by (a) council ward and (b) postcode how many people in each such area hold (i) house, (ii) contents, (iii) car, (iv) life and (v) other forms of insurance with them; and if he will make a statement; [94603]
(2) if he will bring forward proposals to require insurance companies to publish indications by (a) council ward and (b) postcode of the difference in cost of similar insurance policies; and if he will make a statement; [93609]
(3) what assessment he has made of the extent to which insurance costs are higher for those living in the poorest 5% of local authority wards; and if he will make a statement. [90736]
Mr Hoban: In general, the Government do not require businesses to publish data relating to the geographical distribution of their customers. Excessive reporting requirements impose cost burdens on businesses which are eventually paid for by consumers. The Government are committed to reducing the burden of regulation on business.
However, officials do take available distributional statistics into account in the course of policy development where relevant, including on the take-up of insurance.
Insurers often use location as a risk factor when calculating the price for some products, such as home or motor insurance. While, in itself, location does not determine whether or not a person will make a claim, it can be an accurate indicator of the likelihood of a claim. For example the risks of crime, collisions, volume of personal injury claims and uninsured drivers all correlate with location.
However, insurers also use their claims experience and other industry-wide statistics to assess the risks posed by an individual and set the terms and price at which they will offer insurance cover. As such, direct
20 Feb 2012 : Column 637W
comparisons between policies can be challenging and it is not always practical to separate out the impact of location.
Manufacturing Industries: Loans
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department will consider bringing forward proposals to encourage banks to lend to advanced manufacturers. [88328]
Mr Hoban: The Government recognise that businesses are fundamental to the economic recovery and this is why we are taking action to support them to ensure they have the access to the finance they need in order to grow.
At the autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of credit easing interventions worth up to £21 billion to improve the flow of credit to businesses that do not have ready access to capital markets, with scope to increase the scale of this package in future if necessary, including:
A National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS) which will lead to reductions in the cost of bank loans for smaller businesses (those with turnover of up to £50 million). The scheme will allow banks to raise up to £20 billion of funding with a Government guarantee, to lend directly to smaller businesses at a lower cost. In many cases this will lead to a reduction of up to one percentage point on business loan rates. More information regarding the NLGS will be announced at Budget.
A Business Finance Partnership (BFP), initially of £1 billion, to deliver additional finance to mid-sized businesses through non-bank lending channels. The BFP will initially co-invest, with private sector investors like insurance companies, in loan funds that will lend directly to mid-sized businesses.
National Insurance Contributions
David Miliband: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue accrued to the Exchequer from national insurance contributions paid by (a) employers and (b) employees in respect of the employment of a person less than 25 years of age. [92509]
Mr Gauke: The amount of national insurance contributions payable in respect of individuals under 25 years of age in 2009-10 is shown in the following table:
| £ billion | |
Estimates are based on a 1% sample of NICs and PAYE service data.
National Insurance Contributions: Young People
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much employer’s national insurance was received for employees who were 18 years or under in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [94585]
Mr Gauke: The amount of employer's national insurance contributions payable in respect of individuals aged 18 and under was £80 million in 2009-10. Estimates are based on a 1% sample of NICs and PAYE service data.
Figures for 2010-11 are not available.
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Network Rail: Debts
Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with (1) the (a) National Audit Office and (b) the Secretary of State for Transport on Network Rail's debt being reclassified as on-balance rather than private; [95405]
(2) the Secretary of State for Transport on Network Rail's debt. [95406]
Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials have regular discussions with their counterparts in other Government Departments and external bodies as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
It is a matter for the independent Office for National Statistics to determine the most appropriate classification of organisations such as Network Rail.
Non-Domestic Rates: East Midlands
Mr Robin Walker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many outstanding appeals on decisions on business rate revaluation remain from the 2005 valuation in (a) Worcester constituency, (b) Worcestershire and (c) the west midlands; [92163]
(2) how many appeals against decisions on business rate revaluation from the 2010 valuation have been made in (a) Worcester constituency, (b) Worcestershire and (c) the west midlands. [92164]
Mr Gauke: Official statistics published by the Valuation Office Agency show numbers of challenges in the following tables.
| 2005 rating list | ||
| Outstanding challenges at 31 March 2011 | Outstanding challenges at 31 December 2011 | |
| 2010 rating list | ||
| C hallenges received 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 | Ch allenges received 1 April 2011 to 31 December 2011 | |
Breakdowns by county and administrative area are only provided on a financial year basis due to sparseness of the data and will be added to the release in May following the end of the 2011-12 financial year.
Equivalent statistics broken down by parliamentary constituency can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Outstanding challenges against the 2005 list and challenges received against 2010 list, as at 31 March 2011, are taken from Tables 7.4 and 3.2 respectively and can be found in the following location:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/statisticalReleases/localRatingListChallenges.html
(12 May 2011)
20 Feb 2012 : Column 639W
Outstanding challenges against the 2005 list and challenges received against the 2010 list, as at 31 December 2011, are taken from Tables 7.4 and 2.2 respectively and can be found in the following location:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/statisticalReleases/120119_LocalRatingListChallenges.html
(19 January 2012)
PAYE
Paul Uppal: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on developing the PAYE Real Time Information project; and if he will make a statement. [94428]
Mr Gauke: The policy on developing PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) is to provide a 21st century PAYE system, making it easier for employers, pension providers and HMRC to administer and more accurate for individuals.
RTI will also support the operation of universal credit—the Government's flagship welfare programme—by providing up-to-date information about employment and pension income so that the claimants' welfare payments can be adjusted to reflect their circumstances.
Paul Uppal: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the development of the PAYE Real Time Information project; and if he will make a statement. [94463]
Mr Gauke: Treasury Ministers receive a wide range of representations on tax policy and operational issues. PAYE Real Time Information represents a significant reform to the PAYE system and has therefore been raised by a broad range of stakeholders including the accountancy profession, payroll providers and the banking industry. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.
Pensions
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Autumn Statement, what discussions he has had with pension funds on the allocation of funding for infrastructure under his memorandum of understanding with pension funds; how many pension funds have signed up to provide such funding; and how much funding he has allocated in each year of the current Parliament under the memorandum of understanding. [94687]
Danny Alexander: The Treasury is currently in discussions with the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to develop a Pension Infrastructure Platform which will be wholly owned by UK Pension Funds.
A public update of progress will be published at the Budget.
Performance Related Pay
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the maximum end-of-year, non-consolidated, performance-related pay award was for secondees and interim staff in his Department since May 2010. [94960]
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Miss Chloe Smith: HM Treasury has not made any non-consolidated, performance-related pay awards to secondees or interims since May 2010.
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value was of non-consolidated, performance-related payments made to commercial specialists at HM Revenue and Customs at each year end since May 2010. [94964]
Mr Gauke: HMRC operates two bonus arrangements:
Performance awards tied to the annual performance for delegated grades (AA to Grade 6) and senior civil servants (SCS); and
A recognition bonus scheme for delegated grades which recognises exceptional in-year performance. This scheme is not open to members of the SCS.
The value of non-consolidated, performance-related payments made to HMRC commercial specialists:
In financial year 2010-11 relating to performance in 2009/10 was £18,186.
In financial year 2011-12 relating to performance in 2010-11 was £27,171.
Personal Pensions
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to require more transparent information on private pension fund companies to be provided; and if he will make a statement; [88524]
(2) what steps he plans to take to increase transparency in the charges, fees and commissions paid by consumers on private pensions; and if he will make a statement; [88761]
(3) if he will ask the Financial Services Authority to investigate the (a) level of competition, (b) fees or commissions paid by consumers and (c) accuracy of information provided to consumers in the private pensions industry. [88633]
Mr Hoban: The Government welcome recent initiatives, involving the National Association of Pension Funds and other stakeholders with an interest in pension provision, to develop an industry code of practice to support greater transparency in the charges made on workplace pensions.
The regulation of private pension products, providers and schemes is a matter for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and the Pensions Regulator. The FSA's Retail Distribution Review (RDR) is examining the transparency and fairness of fees and charges across the financial advice landscape and, as part of its ongoing work, has published new rules that will come into force on 31 December 2012.
Public Sector: Manpower
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2011, Official Report, column 20W, on employment: public sector, what the details are of his plan to actively monitor potential work force reductions; and what steps he plans to take as a result of such monitoring. [81841]
Danny Alexander: The ONS publishes quarterly statistics on public sector employment, including levels of employment in the public and private sectors. The latest release can be found at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_232222.pdf
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HM Treasury does not centrally manage changes to public sector work forces. It is for individual employers to decide what would be the most cost-effective work force to enable them to deliver public services and live within their spending review settlements.
Employers have been reforming their work forces since the spending review, to make the necessary savings and maximise value for money within their settlements. Different work forces have approached the task in different ways. For example, in the civil service a recruitment freeze has been in place since May last year.
Social Investment Task Force
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Final Report of the Social Investment Task Force, April 2010; and if he will make a statement. [90739]
Miss Chloe Smith: Since the publication of the Final Report of the Social Investment Task Force in April 2010, the Government have made substantial progress in implementing its three main recommendations.
In September 2010, the Ministry of Justice launched the world's first social impact bond, which aims to reduce re-offending at Peterborough prison.
Work to establish a social investment wholesaler, Big Society Capital, is now almost complete. We expect the institution to become fully operational very shortly.
The Government will re-notify Community Investment Tax Relief to the European Commission and are currently consulting in advance of re-notification on how the scheme can be made more effective.
All of these steps form part of the Government's overall strategy for growing the social investment market. Full details were published in February 2011, and the strategy document is available at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/growing-social-investment-market-vision-and-strategy
Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of potential changes in levels of revenue to the Exchequer arising from the proposed reduction in solar photovoltaic feed-in tariffs. [85252]
Miss Chloe Smith: While there is likely to be some reduction in revenues from the solar sector due to the proposed reduction on solar PV tariffs, this will be offset against the higher electricity costs, and so reduced economic activity and lower tax revenues, that would otherwise result in the rest of the economy.
Raising taxes by transferring money from consumers to those installing solar PV through over-generous subsidies is not fair, efficient or sustainable tax policy.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Chi Onwurah:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 708W, on stamp duty land tax (1) how many inquiries HM Revenue and Customs has
20 Feb 2012 : Column 642W
opened into the schemes of the type described in Spotlight 10: Stamp Duty Land Tax Avoidance since May 2010; [94956]
(2) on how many occasions stamp duty land tax returns have been submitted and full disclosure of the use of an avoidance scheme been made. [94957]
Miss Chloe Smith: HMRC does not publish detailed information which might prejudice the effective conduct of its compliance activities. An inquiry will be opened into a land transaction return in every case where it appears that an avoidance scheme has been used. A disclosure may be received in the absence of a return: in this case a determination of the tax due will be issued.
Stamp Duty Land Tax: Tax Avoidance
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 389W, on stamp duty land tax: tax avoidance, what the policy of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is in respect of insurance policies which protect a purchaser against the possibility of HMRC pursuing them for stamp duty land tax on the full amount paid for a property. [94958]
Miss Chloe Smith: Any such insurance policies would be a commercial matter between the user of an avoidance scheme and the scheme provider or insurer.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 389W, on stamp duty land tax: tax avoidance, if he will place in the Library a copy of the analysis which shows that tax avoidance schemes are not effective in reducing stamp duty land tax liability. [94959]
Miss Chloe Smith: As this analysis relies on legal advice which is subject to legal professional privilege, I am unable to do so.
Student Loans Company: Pay
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the costs of unwinding the arrangements for remunerating the chief executive of the Student Loans Company; and if he will estimate the potential costs of unwinding any similar remuneration arrangements within the public service. [94587]
Mr Willetts: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Student Loans Company (SLC) has agreed that for the remainder of the chief executive's contract SLC will account for PAYE and NI at source. The chief executive's salary level will not change.
The Government have not estimated the cost of unwinding any similar arrangements within the public sector. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander) has announced a review which will examine the extent to which such arrangements are in use across the public sector and make appropriate recommendations.
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Tax Allowances: Pensions
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 541W, on tax allowances pensions, what proportion of income tax relief on contributions accrues to, or is expected to accrue to, individuals with an annual income of (a) up to £19,999, (b) between £20,000 and £44,999, (c) between £45,000 and £74,999, (d) between £75,000 and £99,999, (e) between £100,000 and £149,999 and (f) over £150,000 in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13. [95617]
Mr Hoban: The proportion of income tax relief on pension contributions for the given income ranges, and years, is provided in the following table:
| Percentage of income tax relief on contributions | |||
| Income bands | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
The effect of the reductions in the annual allowance in 2011-12 and lifetime allowance from 2012-13 are reflected in the table as they mostly relate to individuals with incomes over £150,000.
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 541W, on tax allowances pensions, if he will update the table published by HM Revenue and Customs referred to in the answer for 2010-11; and if he will publish equivalent forecasts for 2011-12 and 2012-13. [95618]
Mr Hoban: The table 7.9 that is referred to in the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 541W, on tax allowances pensions, is scheduled to be updated and published on 27 February 2012 on the HMRC website.
However, table 1.5 on the HMRC website does provide a forecast for income tax relief for registered pensions for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 and can be found at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.xls
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 541W, on tax allowances pensions, what proportion of the £4 billion per annum reduction in the cost of relief from the reductions in the annual allowance in 2011-12 and lifetime allowance from 2012-13 is forecast to relate to individuals with incomes over £150,000. [95619]
Mr Hoban: The reductions in the annual allowance introduced in 2011-12 and the lifetime allowance from 2012-13 were forecast to reduce the cost of relief by around £4 billion per annum.
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The proportion of the reduction which relates to individuals with incomes over £150,000 is 86% in the case of the annual allowance.
There is no detailed breakdown of the proportion for the lifetime allowance but it is expected to be similar.
Tax Avoidance
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice is issued by his Department on the use of tax avoidance devices and personal service companies by (a) individual Government Departments, (b) senior civil servants and (c) departmental agencies. [95181]
Danny Alexander: Guidance on the use of tax advisers and tax avoidance is provided in Managing Public Money, paragraphs 4.2.6 to 4.2.7
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/mpm_ch4.pdf
Managing Public Money applies to all central Government organisations and civil servants.
Tax Credit
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 41W, on working tax credit: Shrewsbury, what estimate he has made of how many households in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority will no longer be entitled to tax credits following the introduction of changes to credits from April 2012. [92158]
Mr Gauke: The information requested has been deposited in the Library of the House.
The Plan For Growth
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the likely contribution to growth made by each of the 137 supply-side measures set out in “The Plan for Growth” in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15. [95160]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts.
The Government are implementing a wide-reaching programme of structural reforms. Work has started on all 137 commitments in “The Plan for Growth” and substantial progress has been made. Building on this, the Government announced further action in the autumn statement to accelerate their supply side reforms to invest in infrastructure, support enterprise and build a stronger and more balanced economy.
UK Farm Finance Group
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had recent discussions with US financial regulators regarding UK Farm Finance Group and Commercial First Burgess Salmond; and if he will make a statement. [94842]
20 Feb 2012 : Column 645W
Mr Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of such discussions.
Welfare Tax Credits
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2012, Official Report, column 303W, on tax credit, how many tax credit claims were awaiting processing on 5 January 2012. [94460]
Mr Gauke: At the close of business on 5 January 2012 there were around 44,500 new tax credit claims to be processed.
Working Tax Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (1) saving to the public purse he expects as a result of the reduction from 80 per cent. to 70 per cent. in the proportion of childcare costs covered by the childcare element of working tax credits in the year to April 2012; [95422]
(2) estimate he has made of the number of households that have suffered a loss as a result of the reduction in the proportion of childcare costs covered by the childcare element of working tax credits from 80 per cent. to 70 per cent.; and what the average loss has been. [95571]
Miss Chloe Smith: The savings from reducing the proportion of child care costs covered by the child care element of working tax credits can be found on page 16 of the policy costing document for the Spending Review 2010:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_policycostings.pdf
The savings from this policy are inserted here:
| Savings | |
20 Feb 2012 : Column 646W
This policy is part of a range of reforms to the tax credits system announced at the spending review.
Estimating the number of households impacted by an individual measure does not give a clear indication of the full monetary impact on an individual household.
The Government have published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of announced tax and benefit measures on the June Budget and Spending Review 2010, which can be found at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to answer questions (a) 77333, (b) 82565 and (c) 87573; and if he will explain the reasons for the time taken. [95567]
Miss Chloe Smith: PQ number 77333 was answered on 9 February 2011, Official Report, column 356W. PQ numbers 82565 and 87573 have been answered today.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to answer Questions (a) 88761, (b) 88633, (c) 88524, (d) 90739 and (e) 90736; and if he will explain the time taken in answering these questions. [95587]
Mr Hoban: Questions (a) 88761, (b) 88633, (c) 88254, (d) 90739 and (e) 90736 have been answered today.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer question 91434 tabled on 18 January 2012 for answer on 24 January 2012. [95568]
Mr Gauke: I have today replied to the hon. Member’s question. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 20 February 2012
Work and Pensions
Atos Healthcare
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Atos contract for work capability assessments includes penalty clauses; whether those clauses have come into effect; and whether he has any plans to implement any such penalty clauses. [95410]
Chris Grayling: The Department’s contractual agreement with Atos Healthcare contains performance service levels. The contract also contains financial remedies where there is service level failure based on a pre-estimate of loss to the Department which are described as service credits.
Service credits are considered on a month-by-month basis, taking into consideration any mitigation presented to the Department by the contractor. The contracts service credits regime allows the contractor, in certain circumstances, to recover some or all of the service credit accrued. This mechanism incentivises the service provider, following failure, to re-achieve and maintain the service level position within a reasonable time period.
The actual application of service credits is commercial in confidence as, if disclosed, the information may prejudice the commercial interests of Atos Healthcare and the Department's future dealings with the Atos Healthcare or other service providers.
The contractual performance and service credits are monitored and decided by the Medical Services Contract Management Team in accordance with the contractual arrangement.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Atos assessment centre in Glasgow has recently extended its opening hours for the work capability assessment. [95574]
Chris Grayling: The assessment centre within Corunna House, Glasgow has been scheduling appointments in the early evenings in addition to the normal core hours from February 2012.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Atos assessment centre in Glasgow operates a (a) Saturday and (b) Sunday service; and if so when this service began. [95575]
Chris Grayling: Assessments have been scheduled on a regular basis on both Saturdays and Sundays at the assessment centre within Corruna House in Glasgow for several years. The number of assessments scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays has increased since the beginning of 2012.
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Carer’s Allowance
Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of carers that were (a) entitled to and (b) in receipt of carer’s allowance as a result of caring for someone who was in receipt of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance in the latest period for which figures are available. [94318]
Maria Miller: The information requested is not available.
The National Statistics datasets on carer’s allowance do not contain any information on the identity or characteristics of the person being cared for. Similarly, the National Statistics datasets on disability living allowance and attendance allowance claimants do not contain any information on the identity or characteristics of any person caring for the claimant. Some early analysis has been undertaken to use additional information to link the datasets, but to quality assure the results to the standard required for parliamentary questions would incur disproportionate costs.
Child Support Agency
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the transition to the new Child Support Agency system to be complete. [94722]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the child maintenance commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. As the Child Maintenance Commissioner is currently away I am responding on his behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the transition to the new Child Support Agency system to be complete. [94722]
Following the introduction of the new scheme in late 2012, we aim to carry out a process of closing existing CSA cases; however, we intend to have at least a six-month period of live running with new cases before we then start to move the first cases off the old CSA systems. We expect the period of case closure to take around three years. The regulations which will govern the detail of this process have yet to be subject to public consultation. Once a case has been closed, parents will then have the choice either to make a family-based arrangement or to apply to the new scheme.
Further details of our plans for the introduction of the new statutory maintenance scheme can be found in the Government Green Paper, Strengthening families, promoting parental responsibility: the future of child maintenance, available at the following link:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/strengthening-families.pdf
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people used the Child Support Agency system in the last year; and how many of these were in receipt of benefits. [94724]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
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In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. As the Child Maintenance Commissioner is currently away I am responding on his behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people used the Child Support Agency system in the last year; and how many of these were in receipt of benefits. [94724]
Published benefit data is only available up to May 2011, therefore the numbers of parents with care and non-resident parents have been provided up to this point. Further details of the Child Support Agency caseload up to December 2011 can be found in the latest Quarterly Summery of Statistics available at:
http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/qss/QSS_dec_2011.pdf
The information you have requested for the year to May 2011 is shown in the following table:
| Number involved with a CSA case | Number in receipt of benefit | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. Figures do not include cases managed off-system 3. Figures reflect the period of 1 June 2010 to 31 May 2011. 4. In the above analysis, a parent with care is deemed to be in receipt of benefit if they are on income support or income-based jobseekers allowance. A non-resident parent is classified as on benefit if they are in receipt of income support, jobseekers allowance or incapacity benefit. 5. The benefit status of the individual parent with care or non-resident parent has been included in the above analysis. The benefit status of the household, i.e. benefit status of the partner of the parent with care or non-resident parent has not been included. | ||
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria will be used to determine which parent will be subject to the up-front charge for accessing the Child Support Agency. [94750]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. As the Child Maintenance Commissioner is currently away I am responding on his behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria will be used to determine which parent will be subject to the up-front charge for accessing the Child Support Agency. [94750]
I ought first of all to state that there is no intention to charge for accessing the Child Support Agency. When the new scheme using HM Revenue and Customs income data is launched, we will run it for at least six months to ensure it is working and delivering an improved client service before we introduce charges. At that point, we will begin to close all existing Child Support Agency cases and invite parents to choose whether they wish to apply to the new scheme or whether they would rather seek to agree their own arrangement between themselves.
The up-front charge for accessing the new scheme will be payable by whoever makes the application. This is because it is this person whom we want to pause and reflect whether the statutory solution is really the best option.
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Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the level of the Child Support Agency flat rate threshold if it had been subject to the same annual increase as benefits in each year between 2000 and 2011. [95017]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. As the Child Maintenance Commissioner is currently away I am responding on his behalf.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will estimate the level of the Child Support Agency flat rate threshold if it had been subject to the same annual increase as benefits in each year between 2000 and 2011. [95017]
In 2003, the flat rate of £5 per week was introduced within the child maintenance scheme, payable by non-resident parents who receive any of a number of benefits, including Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance.
To answer your question of the percentage increase in benefits; since April 2000 benefits such as Income Support have been increased annually by the ROSSI measure of inflation, changing to CPI inflation from April 2011. If the flat rate threshold lower and upper limits of £5 and £100 had been increased in the same way as Income Support, the lower and upper limits would have increased to £6.45 and £129.30 respectively. Similarly, the £5 flat rate deduction would have increased to £6.45.
Children: Day Care
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to extend provision of high-quality childcare for children aged under five. [92371]
Sarah Teather: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Education.
The Government increased the entitlement to free early education for all three and four-year-olds in England from 12 and a half to 15 hours per week, from September 2010, and are now extending the entitlement to the 20% most disadvantaged two-year-olds by 2013, rising to some 40% by 2014.
We want to strengthen further the quality of free early education. As part of a consultation launched in November 2011, we are proposing that local authorities require providers to meet one or more quality criteria in order to be eligible to receive funding.
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework for all registered early education and child care for young children under five ensures that parents can be confident of a consistent quality experience for their child whichever provider they choose. The Government's reform of the framework will reduce paperwork and bureaucracy for professionals and better support children's healthy development and future learning. The revised framework will be implemented from September 2012.
Professor Cathy Nutbrown's review for the Department for Education is considering how best to strengthen staff qualifications and career pathways in the foundation
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years to build a work force of skilled, knowledgeable and professional practitioners. She will publish an interim report in March 2012.
Cold Weather Payments
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley have received a cold weather payment in each of the last three years. [93878]
Steve Webb: Gravesend is the weather station linked to Bexleyheath and Crayford and the London borough of Bexley. The number of benefit units we estimate to have had a payment in the area covered by the weather station is in the following table.
| Estimated number of benefit units that received at least one cold weather payment for postcode districts in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) London borough of Bexley | |
| Weather station Gravesend | |
| (1) To date. Notes: 1. The information provided is management information. Our preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using official/National Statistics but in this case we only have management information available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data. For example, figures given are estimates. Actuals are not available. Estimates for 2011-12 may be revised after the end of the cold weather payment season but will still be estimates, not actuals. 2. A cold weather payment is made to an eligible customer when the average temperature has been recorded as, or is forecast to be, 0°C or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to the customer's postcode. (When the temperature criterion is met, the weather station is said to trigger.) 3. Gravesend weather stations is linked both to an area within the London borough of Bexley and Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and also to an area outside the London borough of Bexley and Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency. Estimated numbers given are for the weather station as a whole, not for the part of the London borough of Bexley and Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency linked to the weather station. 4. Cold weather payments are made to benefit units. A benefit unit can be a single person or a couple and can include children. 5. Some benefit units received more than one payment in a year. 6. Estimated numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100. Sources: Postcode district to weather station links: Department for Work and Pensions records. Records of triggers and estimates of potential qualifiers by weather station: Department for Work and Pensions records. | |