27 Feb 2012 : Column 32W
HMS Endurance
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to return HMS Endurance to active duty in Antarctica. [96351]
Mr Gerald Howarth: Options are currently being developed for how the Ministry of Defence will provide its ice patrol ship capability in the longer term. A decision on the way forward is expected later in 2012. While this process is under way, no work is being undertaken on HMS Endurance. HMS Protector currently provides this capability to the Royal Navy having commenced her maiden deployment in November 2011.
HMS Protector
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many remote operating vehicles are on board HMS Protector. [96261]
Nick Harvey: There are no remote operating vehicles on board HMS Protector.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of the US Department of Defence's decision to delay the procurement of 179 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft on the in-service date of Joint Combat Aircraft. [96181]
Peter Luff: As a level 1 partner on Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) the UK has worked closely with the US Department of Defence on JSF production costs following its recent declaration of production slowdown. The resultant increases in aircraft costs are currently judged to be within the provision that the Department has made in the current budget planning round and therefore will not impact upon the introduction of JSF into UK service in 2020. The costs of all our programmes, including JSF, are kept under constant review.
Military Bases: Kirknewton
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he plans to publish a detailed timetable and budget for the establishment of the proposed Army base at Kirknewton; [96116]
(2) what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) West Lothian council on the proposed Army Base at Kirknewton; [96117]
(3) what steps his Department has taken to upgrade the RAF Kirknewton site to enable it to become the base of one of the Army's multi-role brigades. [96120]
Mr Robathan: The announcement made on 18 July 2011, Official Report, columns 66-70WS, on Defence Transformation, set out our strategic long-term direction on the size of both regular and reserve forces in the Army. This led to the Army 2020 study which is expected to be complete in spring 2012.
Ahead of the outcomes of this study and further detailed planning work within the Department, no work has yet been undertaken at Kirknewton.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 33W
In the last few months there have been a number of engagement meetings held with the Scotland Office, Scottish Government, and local councils and these will continue to ensure all stakeholders are actively engaged and kept informed.
MOD Police and Guarding Agency: Gosport
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what roles are performed by Ministry of Defence police officers in Gosport constituency. [95981]
Mr Robathan: Within the Gosport constituency, the Ministry of Defence police provide armed and unarmed policing, mobile, foot and dog patrols, incident response and a criminal investigation capability.
Project Hadrian
Mr Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether his Department has conducted a risk assessment in respect of the potential movement of munitions and explosives on the road network arising from implementation of Option 2A of Project Hadrian; [96047]
(2) whether he has estimated the potential cost of the maintenance of facilities at other sites arising from the closure of DM Longtown; [96048]
(3) whether his Department has undertaken a social and economic impact study on the implementation of Option 2A of Project Hadrian; [96049]
(4) what assessment he has made of the potential risks of implementing Option 2A of Project Hadrian; [96050]
(5) what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of Project Hadrian to date. [96051]
Peter Luff [holding answer 23 February 2012]:No decisions on the future of Defence Munitions (DM) Longtown have been taken. Work under Project Hadrian to refine and evaluate the options for a munitions storage solution is ongoing, with a decision on the way forward expected later this year.
The ongoing work will assess the potential risks associated with all the options being examined under Project Hadrian, including the possible closure of DM Longtown and any associated potential changes to the transport of munitions and explosives. Project evaluation will consider the potential cost of maintenance of facilities at other sites and a social and economic impact study will also be undertaken.
The estimated cost of Project Hadrian to date is £2.7 million which includes £1.8 million for technical support.
Radar: Scotland
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to install Lockheed Martin TPS-77 3D long-range radar equipment in Scotland. [96366]
Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence currently has no plans to install Lockheed Martin TPS-77 3D long-range radar equipment in Scotland.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 34W
Third Sector
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project. [95775]
Mr Robathan: The Best Value Statutory Guidance is intended to apply to local authorities rather than to central Government Departments and their agencies. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is, however, committed to the principles set out in the renewed National Compact, the agreement which aims to ensure that Government and voluntary and community organisations work effectively together for the benefit of citizens and local communities. Along with all other central Government Departments, the MOD and its agencies are also signed up to the fair standards set out in paragraph five of the Best Value Statutory Guidance.
The MOD has a long history of working closely and successfully with voluntary and community organisations to support both local communities and the armed forces community.
USA: Nuclear Weapons
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on that country's planned reduction in its nuclear arsenal. [96182]
Nick Harvey: Officials and Ministers have regular dialogue with the United States on a range of defence issues, including deterrence and disarmament. The UK welcomes progress towards our vision of a world without nuclear weapons.
Communities and Local Government
Business Premises
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions his Department has had with Telford and Wrekin council and Shropshire council on the sharing of back-office services. [93150]
Robert Neill: The Department has held no discussions with Telford and Wrekin council and Shropshire on the sharing of back-office services. In relation to procurement expenditure in 2010-11 for each local authority in England, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 892-93W.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 35W
Council Tax Benefits
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the likely cost to local authorities of (a) designing and (b) consulting on a local council tax support scheme to replace council tax benefit. [95917]
Robert Neill: The Government are committed to undertaking a full new burdens assessment of the administration and transition costs of localising council tax support, the findings of which will be published in due course.
Enterprise Zones: North East
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress he has made in the establishment of enterprise zones in the North East; and if he will make a statement. [95532]
Greg Clark:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced in his autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, that the North East Enterprise Zone would be extended to include additional sites around the Port of Blyth. These have been added to the existing sites in the North East Enterprise Zone, located on the River Tyne North Bank and along the A19 Corridor. This extension was agreed on the basis of the considerable existing investment and future opportunities in renewable energy around the Port. The Chancellor also announced in November that both the North East Enterprise Zone and the Tees Valley Enterprise Zone would benefit from enhanced capital allowances on certain sites where companies makes large scale investments in plant and machinery.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 36W
These and other financial incentives in the zones will be available from April 2012. Planning simplification is also being brought forward in the zones by local planning authorities and will also be adopted in some sites, subject to consultation, by April.
Enterprise Zones: Operating Costs
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department expects to spend on administering each enterprise zone in each of the next five years. [94899]
Greg Clark [holding answer 20 February 2012]: Enterprise zones are being established by local delivery teams and are not administered centrally.
Fire Services: Emergency Calls
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious fire emergency calls have been received by the West Yorkshire fire and rescue service in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 to date; and how many such calls were received nationally in each of the last five years. [95856]
Robert Neill: This information is held centrally only for periods up to 2009-10. Following the consultation on fire and rescue service non-financial annual returns, a summary of which can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/frsand fosisummaryofresponses
fire and rescue services are no longer asked to provide returns of the number of emergency calls.
The data available on the number of malicious false alarm calls and all other emergency calls in England for the last five years are shown in the following table.
| Total emergency calls and malicious false alarms calls, England, 2006-07 to 2010-11 | |||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 (1) | |
| (1) Data held centrally only until 2009-10. Source: Annual returns to the Department for Communities and Local Government. | |||||
High Street Review
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the National Planning Policy Framework will take into account the planning recommendations included in the Portas Review if it is published prior to the Government's formal response to that Review. [94835]
Greg Clark: We are considering all the responses received as part of the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, In doing so, we will take account of the recommendations included in the Portas Review.
Housing
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of homes submitted for the purpose of New Homes Bonus claims in 2010-11 were (a) newly-constructed and (b) converted from existing properties in each local authority in England. [92876]
Grant Shapps [holding answer 31 January 2012]: The main data source used to calculate the New Homes Bonus is the council tax base form. The affordable housing premium is measured using separate affordable supply and Traveller caravan count data.
The council tax base form can be used to measure the net change in ‘effective’ stock (or stock in use). It does not distinguish between new build and conversions. The provisional allocations, announced in December, show that 136,920 homes were added in the year to October 2011 (this includes new build and conversions). Including long-term empty properties being brought back into use, an additional 159,000 homes were added to England’s housing stock.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 37W
Further to the right hon. Member’s question in the House on 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 542, I have asked officials to undertake a preliminary check of the situation in the Royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea. That initial assessment suggests that the additional band A dwellings mostly represent large houses converted into multiple flats; some additional flats being created in existing premises through structural alterations and some changes to composite hereditaments (commercial buildings with a residential element). It is not, as the right hon. Member has suggested, a simple reclassification but rather a consequence of substantive material changes to properties.
I would add that council tax bandings are overseen by an independent Executive agency, the Valuation Office Agency, which does not receive the New Homes Bonus. Their banding methodology has not changed, and their banding decisions are based on the facts in each case and clear principles laid down in statute and case law.
We believe many more homes need to be built in this country and November’s Housing Strategy outlines how we will work to deliver this. The New Homes Bonus is fundamentally different from the counter-productive top-down system of the last Administration. The 2007 Housing Green Paper set a Whitehall housing target of 240,000 additional homes a year, yet house building then fell to its lowest peacetime rate since the 1920s.
Housing Benefit
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of public sector workers who are involved in administering housing benefit. [94493]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Department for Work and Pensions estimates that 20,000 local authority staff work on housing benefit and council tax benefit. The processing of these benefits is largely combined and therefore we do not have an estimate of the number of staff working on each benefit.
Housing: Disability
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what financial assistance from the public purse is available for people with disabilities who need to modify their living accommodation; and if he will make a statement. [96681]
Andrew Stunell:
My Department provides funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant, which is a statutory entitlement and helps to fund the provision of adaptations which enable disabled people to live as comfortably and independently as possible in their own homes. DCLG secured £725 million for the grant in the 2010 spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15. In 2011-12 the annual allocation for the grant rose to £180 million, an increase of £11 million compared to the 2010-11 budget of £169 million. The allocation for the grant will increase further to £185 million by the end of the spending review (2014-15). In January 2012 Government invested an extra £20 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant
27 Feb 2012 : Column 38W
bringing the total grant in 2011-12 to £200 million. The funding is un-ringfenced, which provides local authorities with greater freedom and flexibility in delivering adaptations.
Local Government
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that local authorities achieve procurement benefits from (a) cross-council collaboration, (b) functional mergers and (c) shared services in 2012-15; [93314]
(2) what the annual third-party procurement expenditure of local authorities situated within the M25 was for each of the last three years; and what plans he has to encourage those authorities to achieve procurement efficiencies in the next three years. [93575]
Robert Neill [holding answer 6 February 2012]: In relation to procurement expenditure in 2010-11 for each local authority in England, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 893-94W.
Local Government: Assets
Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential liabilities faced by local authorities under the duty to hold a register of community assets; and if his Department will fund any compensation payments incurred by local authorities in this regard. [96571]
Andrew Stunell: An assessment of the costs to local authorities, as a result of their duty to maintain a list of community assets, has been completed and will be reflected in payments to local authorities in accordance with the New Burdens doctrine. The Government's New Burdens doctrine is designed so that the Department leading on a policy ensures that any net new burdens are fully and properly funded. The doctrine is supported by collective Cabinet agreement—DCLG works closely with all Whitehall Departments to assess policies and programmes as they are developed. We are committed to meeting the costs to local authorities of administering the Community Right to Bid scheme.
Local Government: Funerals
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the amount spent by local authorities on local authority funerals in (a) the UK and (b) Milton Keynes in each year from 2005 to 2011. [96031]
Robert Neill: The information requested is not held centrally.
Planning Permission
George Hollingbery: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how the cost of a referendum on the adoption of a neighbourhood development plan under the Localism Act 2011 will be funded; [94086]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 39W
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of the inspection of a neighbourhood development plan. [94087]
Greg Clark: The Government have committed to providing up to £50 million until March 2015 to support local councils in making neighbourhood planning a success. This includes funding referendums on neighbourhood development plans.
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to table P121, planning decisions by region, type of authority and speed of decision, what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the increase in time taken to determine planning applications for major and minor development, other than those in the south-west, in July to September 2011 compared with the same three-month period in 2010. [96510]
Robert Neill: The Department closely monitors statistics on planning applications. My officials have not made a specific assessment of the factors underlying changes in processing speeds, but are keeping the situation under review and will continue to engage with the local government sector and others in taking forward proposals to simplify and improve the performance of the planning system.
It is our intention to introduce a new ‘planning guarantee’ to ensure that no planning application should take longer than 12 months to get a decision.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department held discussions with stakeholders and business organisations prior to the introduction of the Non-domestic Self-funding Software Validation Service. [96569]
Andrew Stunell: The Department has held, and continues to hold, discussions with industry partners about how best to deliver, and maintain, the validation service for software developed by commercial practices for assessing the energy performance of non-domestic buildings. The changes to the Software Validation Service involved no regulatory changes that would, in the normal course of events, require a formal consultation process or impact assessment to be undertaken. However, we continue to hold discussions with industry partners in order to gain a full understanding of the impact of any changes and what more can be done to mitigate them.
Since the introduction on 25 January, we have said that neither DCLG nor the operator of the energy performance certificate register will introduce any changes for the purposes of complying with Part L of the Building Regulations or for generating energy performance certificates and display energy certificates that would trigger the need for software for non-domestic buildings to undergo validation in 2012. The only exception to this is air conditioning software, which will need to undergo validation prior to the statutory requirement to lodge air conditioning reports onto the non-domestic energy performance certificate register coming into force in April. Air conditioning software providers were advised in October that central funding was no longer available for third party software validation, and that alternative arrangements would be introduced.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 40W
Planning Permission: Fees and Charges
Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is his policy to localise the setting of fees for planning applications; and if he will make a statement. [95767]
Greg Clark: We are currently considering the responses to a consultation on this issue, and we will make a statement in due course.
Planning Permission: Finance
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to announce the second year of funding for the Supporting Communities and Neighbourhoods in Planning programme. [94810]
Greg Clark: I am currently considering the support needed by communities who wish to engage in planning at a neighbourhood level and will make an announcement shortly.
Planning Permission: Wind Power
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to make productivity of a wind turbine a material consideration in planning decisions. [94519]
Robert Neill [holding answer 9 February 2012]: Current planning policy is that the economics of a proposed development is a matter for the judgment of the applicant. We have no plans to change this principle.
Planning: Finance
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to community groups to support the development of neighbourhood and local plans in 2011-12; and how much such funding he estimates for 2012-13. [95395]
Greg Clark: The Department made available £3.2 million in 2011-12 as part of the Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning programme to enable communities that wish to engage in planning at either the neighbourhood or local level, to access free advice and support. In addition, the neighbourhood planning front runners programme has to date allocated £2.52 million to local authorities to support neighbourhood planning working closely with local communities leading the work. A further round of bids for this funding is under consideration and the outcome will be announced shortly.
With the commencement of provisions in the Localism Act 2011 that enable the Secretary of State to support communities directly we are considering options for funding communities from 2012-13 and will make an announcement in due course.
Roberta Blackman-Woods:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department allocated to local authorities
27 Feb 2012 : Column 41W
to support the development of neighbourhood plans in 2011-12; and how much such funding he plans to allocate in 2012-13. [95396]
Greg Clark: The Government have committed to providing up to £50 million until March 2015 to support local councils in making neighbourhood planning a success. In 2011-12 the neighbourhood planning front runners programme has, to date, made available £2.52 million to local planning authorities to support the development of neighbourhood plans. A further round of bids has been considered and the outcome will be announced shortly. We are considering funding options for 2012-13 and will make an announcement in due course.
Tenants’ Rights: Landlords
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the merits of encouraging local authorities to carry out housing condition surveys to protect tenants from irresponsible landlords. [96554]
Andrew Stunell: Local authorities have powers, under the Housing Act 2004, to assess the risks and hazards in residential properties using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. If a property is found to contain serious (category 1) hazards, the local authority has a duty to take the most appropriate action. This could range from trying to deal with the problems informally at first to prohibiting the use of the whole or part of the dwelling.
It is in the interests of local authorities to collect information across all housing tenures through housing condition surveys. The Government do not stipulate the precise detail of local housing condition surveys. It is for local authorities to decide the best approach for their area.
Urban Areas
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he proposes that a responsibility to ensure the success of British high streets and town centres will be permanently included within an existing ministerial portfolio of his Department. [95394]
Grant Shapps: The Prime Minister has asked me to take responsibility for high streets and town centres. My first task is to deliver the Government's response to the recommendations of the Portas review of the high streets. The response will be published in the spring.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to answer question 92876. [R] [95983]
Grant Shapps [holding answer 23 February 2012]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him today (PQ 92876).
27 Feb 2012 : Column 42W
Culture, Media and Sport
Action for Employment
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is. [97044]
John Penrose: The Department has no contracts with A4e.
Animation
Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the (a) value to the economy and (b) contribution to the balance of payments of the animation industry. [95660]
Mr Vaizey: The animation industry forms part of the creative industries, for which economic estimates are produced annually and can be found at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/8682.aspx
Separate estimates are not produced for the animation industry; however, the creative industries as a whole contributed £363 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK (or 2.9% of the UK's GVA) in 2009.
Animation UK produced a report in September 2011 which estimated the animation industry has revenue of £300 million although this figure does not include revenue associated with animation from larger production companies with animation production capabilities, visual effects companies and other animation support services including supplies and studio hire etc.
Arts: Counterfeit Manufacturing
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has plans to reassess Government policy on piracy and counterfeiting in the arts. [96561]
Mr Vaizey: The intellectual property crime strategy published in August 2011 sets out the Government's policy for tackling intellectual property crime (piracy and counterfeiting), roles and responsibilities in delivering it, and areas for action. There are no current plans to revise this.
Audio Equipment
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that wireless microphone equipment surrendered under the Channel 69 programme making and special events funding scheme is not sold to countries where it cannot be legally operated. [95796]
Mr Vaizey: Equiniti, the channel 69 funding scheme administrator, is contractually required to obtain Ofcom's approval for the disposal of equipment surrendered to it. Ofcom could withhold its approval if it considered there were inadequate safeguards against future unlawful use.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 43W
British Horseracing Authority
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the British Horseracing Authority on use of the whip at the Grand National. [95655]
Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not had any detailed discussions with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on the use of the whip at the Grand National. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is responsible for animal welfare policy and the Government are satisfied that the BHA, by working with animal welfare organisations, takes the necessary steps to make the Grand National as safe as possible for horses. In 2011, the BHA held comprehensive reviews into the Grand National, and of the use of the whip in horseracing, which each resulted in a number of changes aimed at further strengthening welfare and safety.
Broadband: Shropshire
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure greater broadband access across rural Shropshire. [96432]
Mr Vaizey: The Government have committed £530 million during the current spending review period to deliver the best superfast broadband network in Europe and has allocated £8.21 million to Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin to help improve superfast broadband coverage to 90% of premises and standard 2Mbps for virtually everyone by 2015.
Broadband Delivery UK is working with the county council on the development of their local broadband plan and procurement to achieve the Government's broadband objectives in Shropshire.
Anti-counterfeit Trade Agreement
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effects of the implementation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement on his Department's policies. [96023]
Mr Vaizey: The final Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) text has been reviewed by Government lawyers and the European Commission Legal Services who confirm that ACTA will not create new intellectual property rights, laws or criminal offences in the UK or EU. Implementing ACTA will provide EU and UK industry and creators with better protection in overseas markets, through the creation of common enforcement standards and practices and more effective international cooperation.
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department played a role in the drafting of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. [96025]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 44W
Mr Vaizey: The UK participation in the negotiation of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement was led by the UK Intellectual Property Office, which co-ordinated views from across Government and reached an agreed Government position. This Department was involved in that process.
Cultural Heritage
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what provisions his Department has put in place to ensure access to nationally important heritage sites in private ownership; and what plans his Department has to maintain access to such sites for members of the public. [95671]
John Penrose: Public access to nationally important heritage sites in private ownership is pursued via a number of provisions. For example, the Department provides grant in aid to English Heritage whose repair and conservation grants for privately owned historic buildings come with public access conditions. Equally, the Heritage Lottery Fund often applies similar conditions to its grants as well. Also, a number of privately owned properties are in English Heritage’s care under guardianship arrangements and English Heritage has a responsibility to allow public access to these sites. There are also public access requirements for heritage sites that participate in the Conditional Exemption from Capital Taxes Scheme which is administered by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.
Heritage open days is the biggest public heritage event in the country, enabling around a million people a year to explore heritage sites, many of which are in private hands and not normally open to the public.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement. [96254]
John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has been shrinking its central staff in line with projections in the Government's comprehensive spending review. Since May 2010, 19 senior civil servants have left the Department and its executive agency, The Royal Parks, as set out in the following table:
| Month | Number of leavers |
27 Feb 2012 : Column 45W
The turnover rate in that period was 39.13%.
The names of individuals cannot be disclosed in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
Those working for the Department's arm's length bodies are public servants rather than civil servants as they do not work directly for the Crown.
Libraries Act 1964
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend or annul the Public libraries and Museums Act 1964; if so, when; and if he will make a statement. [96581]
Mr Vaizey: This Department has no plans at present to amend or annul the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
Listed Buildings
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what proportion of (a) scheduled monuments and (b) grade 1 listed buildings are in (i) private, (ii) charitable trust, including religious institutions, (iii) National Trust or public and (iv) other forms of ownership. [95672]
John Penrose: The information requested is not available. The National Heritage List for England does not record types of ownership for listed buildings or scheduled monuments.
National Lottery
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how the funding to be reimbursed to national lottery distributors will be divided between distributors; over what timescale such funding will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement. [96649]
John Penrose: The national lottery distributors will be reimbursed for their £675 million funding of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games from the receipts of sale of land on the Olympic Park, pro rata to their contribution to the £675 million. The development of the Olympic Park is a long-term programme with land sales due to take place over a period of 25 years. Given the timescale of the development programme and its dependence on market performance, we can not be certain about the timing, but the current estimate from the Olympic Park Legacy Company is that the distributors should start to receive payments in the mid-2020s.
Olympic Games 2012: Royal Yachting Association
Sir Roger Gale:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the Royal Yachting Association measures to ensure
27 Feb 2012 : Column 46W
that the activities of media boats do not interfere with competing yachtsmen during events for the London 2012 Olympics held in Dorset. [96417]
Hugh Robertson: We have no plans to discuss this matter with the Royal Yachting Association. The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is the organiser of the London 2012 sailing events, working with the International Sailing Federation and the local harbour authorities.
At the events, experienced LOCOG staff will authorise and manage any media boats that have access to competition areas. Media boats will be staffed by experienced drivers and crews that will receive guidance on course positioning, speed and proximity of media boats to the athletes. A harbour revision order is in place that prevents unauthorised media boats having access.
Olympic Games 2012: Translation Services
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (1) what impact assessment was carried out before awarding a contract for outsourced translation support for the London 2012 Olympics to Applied Language Solutions; [96529]
(2) what the monetary value is of the contract for outsourced translation support for the London 2012 Olympics with Applied Language Solutions. [96530]
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 independently of Government. The Department does not hold details of LOCOG's private procurement.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many person-hours of translation support the Department expects to require for the London 2012 Olympics from Applied Language Solutions. [96531]
Hugh Robertson: The Department does not hold a contract with Applied Language Solutions (ALS). The London 2012 Organising Committee, a private company operating independently of Government, appointed ALS to provide translation services after advertising the opportunity on CompeteFor and a competitive tender.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he had with Secretary of State for Justice on his Department's contract for translation services for the Courts Service with Applied Language Solutions (a) prior to and (b) after awarding a contract to the company for translation services for the Olympics. [96532]
Hugh Robertson:
The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no such discussions. The Department does not hold a contract with Applied Language Solutions (ALS). The London 2012 Organising Committee, a private company
27 Feb 2012 : Column 47W
operating independently of Government, appointed ALS to provide translation services after advertising the opportunity on CompeteFor and a competitive tender.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with alternative providers of translation services on contingency provision for the London 2012 Olympics for translation support to be provided by Applied Language Solutions; and if he will make a statement. [96533]
Hugh Robertson: The London 2012 Organising Company (LOCOG), a private company operating independently of Government, appointed Applied Language Solutions to provide translation services after a competitive tender. LOCOG appoints suppliers after a rigorous tender process and is confident that they will deliver the services it has procured. The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no such discussions.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to make alternative arrangements for translation services for the London 2012 Olympic games in the event that Applied Language Solutions does not provide required services in accordance with its contract; and if he will make a statement. [96623]
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 independently of Government. LOCOG appoints its suppliers after a rigorous tender process and is confident that they will deliver the services they have procured.
Public Libraries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress has been made by his Department in introducing a national library card. [96345]
Mr Vaizey: This Department, together with the Department for Education, is considering the options for a national library card in the context of other offers already available.
S4C
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department has taken to promote participation in the consultation on S4C's governance arrangements; and for what reason a written ministerial statement was not made on the consultation. [96113]
Mr Vaizey: On 1 February the Department opened a public consultation on proposals to amend S4C's governance arrangements. The consultation is open until 4 May 2012. I did not make a written ministerial statement on this as the consultation is publicly available online at:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations
and my officials informed more than 50 key stakeholders in Parliament by e-mail when the consultation was published.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 48W
Telecommunications
Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions his Department has had with BT on the roll-out of fibre to the cabinet in the north-west; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of this technology to small and medium-size businesses. [95680]
Mr Vaizey: BT are bidding to be on the Broadband Delivery UK delivery framework and discussions have taken place within the dialogue process about a range of issues, with respect to the roll-out superfast broadband across the UK.
The economic impact of broadband was considered when developing the Government's broadband objectives. For example, how the take up and effective use of broadband can help firms develop and adopt more productive and efficient ways of working. Also that it makes it quicker, cheaper and easier for businesses to communicate and exchange information with their suppliers and customers.
It is therefore anticipated that superfast broadband will enable small and medium enterprises to reach national and international markets which may not have been previously possible due to high barriers to entry.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he plans to publish the Communications Act Green Paper; and if he will make a statement. [96946]
Mr Vaizey: The Communications Review Green Paper will set out the Government’s approach to delivering a highly successful communications sector in the digital age. It will be published shortly.
Telecommunications: Sign Language
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received from (a) Virgin Media, (b) Vodafone, (c) BT, (d) Kingston Communications and (e) 3 on the video relay service for British Sign Language users. [95633]
Mr Vaizey: The Department has received an update from BT about the Video Relay Service pilot it has recently introduced for its British Sign Language (BSL) customers.
Correspondence has also been received from Virgin Media, Vodafone and Kingston Communications on next steps following the roundtable discussions that were held in autumn 2011 with industry and BSL representatives.
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received from (a) BSkyB, (b) O2 and (c) Everything Everywhere on the video relay service for British Sign Language users. [95839]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 49W
Mr Vaizey: This Department has received correspondence from BSkyB, O2 and Everything Everywhere on next steps following the roundtable discussions that were held in autumn 2011 with industry and British Sign Language representatives.
Telephone Calls
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will take steps to stop unsolicited marketing calls to individuals who may have been involved in a traffic accident. [96519]
Mr Vaizey: Registering with the Telephone Preference Scheme (TPS) protects individuals from unsolicited marketing calls. The free service is provided for under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (PECR). Companies making unsolicited marketing calls are legally required not to call a number that is registered with the TPS and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches of the regulations. The PECR also prohibits businesses from marketing to individuals via text message, unless prior consent has been obtained.
In addition, there are rules in place through the Claims Management Regulator (CMR), which is overseen by the Ministry of Justice. The CMR can take action, including suspending or cancelling a claims management company's licence, if they breach the regulations or the conduct rules. Also, the CMR is part of a cross industry working group, set up to tackle the use of unsolicited calls and text messages, which seek to generate claims. Members of the group include telecoms providers, the ICO, the Direct Marketing Association and Ofcom. The group shares information and works together to enforce the respective rules and regulations.
Third Sector
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department has taken to implement the principles of the Best Value Statutory Guidance in respect of (a) giving at least three months' notice to voluntary and community organisations and their service users when reducing or ending funding, (b) engaging with voluntary and community organisations and service users as early as possible before making a decision on the future of the service, any knock-on effects on assets used to provide this service and the wider impact on the local community and (c) making provision for voluntary and community organisations and service users to put forward options on how to reshape the service or project. [95776]
John Penrose: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their executive agencies. However, as the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), made clear in his foreword to the revised Best Value guidance, central Government Departments support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact.
In January the National Audit Office published ‘Central Government's implementation of the national Compact’,
27 Feb 2012 : Column 50W
a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. The Department for Communities and Local Government participated fully in the National Audit Office's review of the national Compact implementation and will be following up as appropriate the recommendations within the National Audit Office report in order to ensure that the Department continues to be a strong model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.
International Development
Burma
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he proposes that the proportion of cross-border aid allocated by his Department to Burma will increase in line with his Department's overall increase of aid to that country. [96858]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) is undertaking a comprehensive review of its last three years' assistance to conflict affected peoples in eastern Burma and Thailand, including aid delivered in refugee camps in Thailand and from Thailand over the border into Burma. This will include a full review of results achieved so far, how effective we have been at meeting programme objectives and whether the way that Britain is delivering its aid is providing good value for money. The review will help inform decisions on DFID's future programme of support for people affected by the conflict in eastern Burma, including overall funding levels and funding for cross-border aid. DFID remains fully committed to providing humanitarian aid to people affected by conflict in eastern Burma, through whichever channels are best suited to reaching particularly vulnerable populations. The coalition Government have increased significantly our development work in Burma and on the borders.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has approved support to the Thailand Burma Border Consortium to assist with financial problems caused by rising food prices, changing currency rates and the withdrawal of funding by the European Commission. [96938]
Mr Andrew Mitchell:
Funding of our development programme has increased significantly under this Government. The Department for International Development (DFID) supports the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) to provide food and shelter for the refugees in the camps and for internally displaced people (IDPs) inside Burma with funding of around £1.1 million per year for the last three years. DFID is currently reviewing our overall programme of support to IDPs and refugees along the Thai/Burma border, including funding for the TBBC. The results of the review, our assessment of the level of need and the impact of rising food prices, exchange rate fluctuation and contributions from other donors will inform my decision over future funding. DFID remains fully committed to providing humanitarian aid to Burmese
27 Feb 2012 : Column 51W
refugees in Thailand and people affected by conflict in eastern Burma, and encourages the European Commission and other donors to maintain their support.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the level of access being given to the United Nations and other agencies operating in Burma in order to allow them to assist civilians in Kachin State. [96939]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the United Nations and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. The UK is supporting non-governmental organisations which are providing assistance to 27,500 internally displaced people (IDP) in Kachin State over the next four months. The United Nations (UN) delivered 800 family kits containing basic items to internally-displaced people in areas of Kachin controlled by the Kachin Independence Organisation last December, and has been able to provide a limited range of goods to IDPs in other areas. More frequent access to all areas of Kachin and other conflict affected states is needed.
During our recent visits to Burma, both the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State and it is an issue repeatedly raised by the British ambassador, the UN and others at the highest levels. Some progress is clearly being made.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the levels of child malnutrition in refugee camps on the border between Thailand and Burma; and what assessment he has made of the likely effects of changes to rations in such camps on such malnutrition. [96942]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Department for International Development (DFID) officials have regular discussions with the Thailand Burma Border Consortium (TBBC), including on the recent changes to the nutrition programme within the refugee camps in Thailand which they run. Preliminary results from nutrition surveys conducted in 2011 indicate that the average Global Acute Malnutrition rates in children between six months and five years of age across the nine refugee camps in Thailand stood at 2.3%, using Centre for Disease Control reference rates. This is below World Health Organisation rates of concern. DFID is carefully monitoring the ration changes which are being implemented by TBBC in 2012, including ensuring the most vulnerable people receive the rations they need.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid supplies the UN was allowed to deliver to internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas under the control of the Kachin Independence Organisation on 10 December 2011; and if he will make a statement. [97110]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 52W
Mr Duncan: The United Nations (UN) delivered 800 family kits containing items relating to shelter and hygiene and sanitation to internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas under the control of the Kachin Independence Organisation between 12 and 14 December 2011.
There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the UN and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. During recent visits to Burma, both the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma through an inclusive process of political dialogue and national reconciliation, and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to assist internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma, in areas not controlled by the Government of Burma; and if he will make a statement. [97111]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development has recently approved funding of just under £1 million to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in areas not controlled by the Government of Burma. This funding will help alleviate the suffering of 22,400 displaced women, children and men through the provision of humanitarian assistance in the areas of food security, shelter, water, sanitation, health and bedding.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of internally-displaced people in Kachin State, Burma; how many internally-displaced people are in areas controlled by the Government of Burma; and if he will make a statement. [97112]
Mr Duncan: The United Nations estimates that there are approximately 49,000 internally-displaced people (IDPs) from Kachin State in Burma, of which approximately 18,000 are in government controlled areas. There is an urgent need for an increased level of access to be granted to the UN and other agencies operating in Burma to assist civilians in Kachin State. During recent visits to Burma, both the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for International Development pressed the Burmese President and his Ministers to move urgently towards a resolution to the ethnic conflicts in Burma through an inclusive process of political dialogue and national reconciliation, and to increase humanitarian access in border areas, including in Kachin State.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much new funding his Department has provided to Health Poverty Action to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [97113]
Mr Duncan:
The Department for International Development approved £475,000 of new funding to Health Poverty Action to assist internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma in January 2012. This
27 Feb 2012 : Column 53W
funding will alleviate the suffering of 13,000 displaced women, children and men in Kachin through the provision of food, shelter and basic health supplies.
Central America: HIV Infection
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to tackle HIV/AIDS in Central American Integration System member states. [96200]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is helping to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV and AIDS in Belize through a regional programme implemented by the Pan Caribbean Programme Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP). Between 2003 and 2009, DFID also provided support to the Central American Secretariat for Social Integration for their efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS across central America.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement. [96247]
Mr Duncan: Since May 2010, 28 senior civil servants (SCS) have left the Department for International Development (DFID). Of these:
17 left through voluntary redundancy;
three retired; and
eight resigned to take up other posts or left at the end of inward secondments.
The number of leavers by month is summarised below:
| Number | |
27 Feb 2012 : Column 54W
The above departures represent a turnover of 32%(1).
In 2009 the Cabinet Office directed all Departments to reduce SCS costs by 20% in a bid to save at least £100 million per year by 2013.
The 17 DFID voluntary redundancies were part of a planned change programme to restructure our SCS and reduce its size and costs.
Between May 2010 and January 2012 we reduced the size of our SCS from 100 posts to 81 posts.
It is not appropriate to list SCS employees by name.
(1 )Using an average of the number of SCS employed at 1 May 2010 and at 31 January 2012.
Developing Countries: Employment
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to provide women in developing countries with more opportunities to work. [95653]
Mr O'Brien: The UK's Department for International Development is developing and implementing programmes across a number of our focus countries in the developing world, including Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Vietnam, to provide women in developing countries with more opportunities to work. These interventions predominantly focus on:
improving access to finance and other economic resources for women and enterprises that create jobs for women;
improving security of property rights;
providing education and training to improve employment prospects;
removing discriminatory legal and regulatory barriers to women's employment;
investing in infrastructure which can free up women's time.
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many jobs his Department has created in developing countries since May 2010. [95665]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is developing/implementing programmes across a number of our focus countries e.g. Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan which aim to create employment and other economic opportunities for poor people. It is not possible to say precisely how many jobs have been created since May 2010 because results are reported on the basis of periodic reviews and evaluations which are not yet available.
DFID country offices also choose definitions/indicators of job creation appropriate to the local context. We are currently working with other donors such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to develop improved methods for measuring job creation.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 55W
Ex-servicemen
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will encourage service men and women leaving the armed forces to apply for suitable vacancies in his Department. [97240]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) would encourage any former service man or woman to apply for suitable vacancies in DFID. We are fortunate to already have a number of ex-service men and women in DFID roles ranging from information technology to conflict adviser positions.
All DFID vacancies are advertised on our website and in the national press, specialist journals or specialist websites.
Nigeria
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Pauline Lathan) of 10 March 2011, Official Report, column 1286W, on Nigeria: corruption, how much funding his Department allocated to the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2011; what the reason was for the decrease in funding between 2009 and 2010; and if he will make a statement. [96582]
Mr Andrew Mitchell: Support to Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) totalled £45,000 in 2009, £5,000 in 2010 and £100,000 in 2011. The main reason for the drop in 2010 was the completion of the “Security, Justice and Growth” programme in March 2010. The successor programme, “Justice for All” started in November 2010.
Overseas Aid
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department (a) allocated and (b) disbursed for (i) agriculture and (ii) food security through (A) bilateral expenditure, (B) multilateral contributions and (C) research in each of the last five years; and how much such funding his Department plans to disburse in each of the next three years. [96765]
Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not disaggregate spend on agriculture and food security as there is considerable overlap between these areas. In 2009, the UK agreed to contribute £1.1 billion over three years in support of the Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI). In 2009-10 and 2010-11, DFID disbursed £445 million and £502 million, respectively, against its AFSI commitment. The figure for 2011-12 is not yet available.
In the four financial years between 2007-08 and 2010-11, DFID's total multilateral contribution to the three Rome based agencies who work on food security—the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—was £63.3 million, £144.3 million, £121.9 million and £141.2 million.
Between 2007-08 and 2010-11, DFID's agricultural research budget was £38 million, £42 million; £65 million; and £67 million. The equivalent figure for 2011-12 is
27 Feb 2012 : Column 56W
expected to be approximately £87 million. This has funded a wide range of projects, including crop research by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), a consortium of international agricultural research centres. CGIAR rice and maize breeding is attributed with lifting 2 million people out of poverty per year in India and 740,000 per year in Africa.
DFID published the results of its Aid Reviews in March 2011, setting out its priorities and expected results over the period of the comprehensive spending review. Over the next three years, DFID will provide support to agriculture, food security and nutrition in developing countries in order to stop 20 million more children going hungry and to ensure another 4 million people have enough food throughout the year.
Private Education
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in his Department were in receipt of the continuity of education allowance in 2010-11; and what the cost to his Department was in respect of staff based (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas in each year. [96592]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) reimburses employees on overseas postings for private schooling overseas or boarding school fees in the UK for their children, within financial ceilings.
The information provided is based on centrally held information relating to education continuity payments to Home Civil Service staff and does not include school fees paid locally by DFID overseas offices.
In financial year 2010-11, 47 members of DFID's staff on overseas postings received education continuity payments at a total cost of £1,061,307. Five of these 47 employees returned to the UK but had continuing entitlement to education payments at a cost of £96,374.
Sri Lanka
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether staff of his Department have visited political prisoners in Sri Lanka. [96964]
Mr Duncan: Department for International Development (DFID) staff have not visited political prisoners in Sri Lanka. The bilateral DFID programme in Sri Lanka closed in 2006 and no DFID staff are based in Sri Lanka.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to the Turks and Caicos Islands in the last 12 months. [96208]
Mr Duncan:
From February 2011 to January 2012, the Department of International Development (DFID) provided £1.7 million in technical assistance to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). This paid for the costs of a range of technical expertise, including a chief financial officer, to help the TCI Government (TCIG)
27 Feb 2012 : Column 57W
address their structural deficit and designed to put them on a course towards a sustainable fiscal surplus in the financial year 2012-13.
In February 2011, DFID arranged a HM Treasury guarantee to provide TCIG with access to a commercial borrowing of up to US$260 million over the following five years.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his officials are stationed in the Turks and Caicos Islands. [96209]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not have any DFID officials stationed in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Treasury
Bankruptcy
Mark Durkan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) petitions for bankruptcy were filed and (b) winding up orders were issued by HM Revenue and Customs against businesses in (i) Northern Ireland, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England and Wales in each of the last four years. [87128]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 19 December 2011]: HMRC does not aim to have companies wound up, or individuals made bankrupt, but rather to collect debts that are due from those who have chosen not to pay over the tax that is needed to fund vital public services in the United Kingdom. HMRC only initiates winding up or bankruptcy action where it believes this really is the best course of action to protect the interests of the Exchequer.
Neither HMRC, nor any other creditor, winds up companies or makes individuals bankrupt. Winding up and bankruptcy orders are made by the courts.
Information on the number of bankruptcy petitions and winding up orders granted in the last four years is shown in the following tables:
| England and Wales | ||
| Winding up orders granted | Bankruptcy orders granted | |
| Scotland | ||
| Winding up orders granted | Sequestration awards | |
| Northern Ireland | |
| Winding up orders granted | |
| (1 )No information available. | |
27 Feb 2012 : Column 58W
Business Link
Toby Perkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) estimate he has made of the number of visits to and (b) assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Business Link website since November 2011. [96523]
Mr Gauke: Visits to the Business Link website have increased year on year since it was first launched in 2005. Between 1 November 2011 and 31 January 2012, some 5.9 million visits have been made to the site—an increase of 25% in comparison with the same period last year.
The effectiveness of the website is assessed in a number of ways—for example, by comparing results for 1 November 2011 to 31 January 2012 with the same period last year, return visits to the site have increased by nearly 50% and the number of people registering to access enhanced services has risen by over 75%.
The most recent customer survey, which took place in October 2011, demonstrated that overall customer satisfaction with the service remains at over 90%. There is no evidence to suggest that customer satisfaction has decreased since this survey was done.
Child Benefit
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much child benefit was paid to households with (a) a higher rate taxpayer and (b) an additional rate taxpayer for (i) one child, (ii) two children, (iii) three children, (iv) four children and (v) five or more children in (A) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and (B) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available; [97054]
(2) how many households with (a) a higher rate taxpayer and (b) an additional rate taxpayer were in receipt of child benefit for (i) one child, (ii) two children, (iii) three children, (iv) four children and (v) five or more children in (A) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and (B) the UK in the latest period for which figures are available. [97053]
Mr Gauke: We have made no estimate of the number of families with a higher rate taxpayer in the current child benefit population. However, we have forecast that the number of households in 2013-14 with a higher rate taxpayer will be 1.5 million. We estimate that £2,420 million pounds in child benefit would have been paid to these families if the policy, announced in the spending review 2010, to remove child benefit from higher rate taxpayers was not implemented. This information is published at:
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_policycostings.pdf
Estimates of total payment or number of households broken down by additional rate tax-payers, and numbers of children in household would be available only at disproportionate cost. Estimates broken down by constituency are not available.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 59W
Children
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of children living in households with (a) an additional rate taxpayer and (b) a higher rate taxpayer. [97055]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available.
Council Tax
Mr Raynsford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many homes in council tax bands D to H were deregistered from the council tax register in each local authority in England in each of the last three years. [R] [96679]
Mr Gauke: A copy of the requested information has been placed in the Library.
Credit Cards: Surcharges
Caroline Nokes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public sector bodies levy surcharges on customers making payments by credit card; and at what rates any such charges are levied. [95934]
Mr Hoban: Guidance on fees and charges for publicly provided services is set out in HM Treasury's publication ‘Managing Public Money’. This guidance makes clear that, where charges are made, the norm is for public sector bodies to charge at full cost. As part of full cost recovery, public sector bodies only recover the costs they incur for the use of credit cards for payments with no levy in excess of that reasonable charge.
This is an example of best practice and Government are taking action to ensure this is extended across private sector businesses. Therefore on 23 December 2011 I announced that Government will take action to tackle excessive card surcharges and will consult on draft legislation later this year.
A copy of my letter to the Director General of the Office of Fair Trading setting out the details has been laid in the Library of the House.
Crown Estate: Manufacturing Industries
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Crown Estate (a) has any assets and (b) receives any income from manufacturing and advanced engineering business activity; and if he will make a statement. [96588]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Crown Estate Act 1961 allows the Crown Estate to hold only land, real property and cash. The Crown Estate holds no manufacturing or engineering assets and receives no direct income from businesses of these kinds. The Crown Estate receives rents from some tenants which operate in these fields, eg wind farms.
Crown Estate: Finance
Jonathan Edwards:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held on allowing profits from the Crown Estate's marine assets to be
27 Feb 2012 : Column 60W
provided directly to devolved Administrations to allow them to determine their own spending priorities. [96518]
Miss Chloe Smith: No such discussions have taken place.
Economic Situation: Greece
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely cost to the Government of any Greek default. [95832]
Mr Hoban: The existing package of financial assistance for Greece, worth €110 billion over three years, was agreed in May 2010. This comprises an International Monetary Fund Stand-By Arrangement of €30 billion and a package of bilateral loans from euro area member states of €80 billion. A total of €73 billion (of which €20.1 billion has come from the IMF) has been disbursed to date.
There was no contribution either from the EU budget or from the European Financial Stabilisation Mechanism (EFSM), which is backed by the EU budget. Therefore the UK's exposure to Greece's financial assistance package is through the IMF alone.
The broad terms of a second package of assistance were agreed by euro area Finance Ministers on 21 February 2012, including a 53.5% face-value reduction on existing Greek bonds as part of an offer being made, by the Greek Government, to private sector bond holders. The final size of the package is yet to be determined, and will be decided once the private sector's participation is known and Greece has implemented a set of agreed prior actions. There has been no formal decision on an IMF contribution to the second package.
The UK lends to the IMF as an institution and not to particular programmes; therefore it is not possible to provide an exact estimate of the UK's contribution to individual IMF programmes. As a rough estimate we would expect the UK's exposure to overall IMF lending to be in line with its quota share of 4.5%. However, the IMF has preferred creditor status and no country has ever lost money lending to the IMF.
Housing Benefit
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of cancelling contracts with the private sector for the delivery of housing benefit when universal credit is introduced. [73810]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Westminster North (Ms Buck) on 25 November 2011, Official Report, column 640W.
Mortgages: Legal Opinion
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to bring forward proposals to end the practice of mortgage lenders using selected panels of preferred or prescribed conveyancers for legal advice during property purchases. [96422]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 61W
Mr Hoban: The Government are aware that several banks have recently made changes to the membership of their conveyancing panels.
Commercial decisions remain a matter for the boards of banks and building societies, and the Government do not seek to intervene in these decisions.
National Income
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will adopt policies to create greater equality in gross value added between different countries and regions of the UK. [96566]
Miss Chloe Smith: Economic development policy is devolved.
In England the Government are supporting regional growth by introducing 24 new Enterprise Zones where all business rates will be retained by Local Enterprise Partnerships for re-investment; making 100% capital allowances available in six Enterprise Zones; allocating £1.4 billion of investment through the Regional Growth Fund (with a further £1 billion allocated by the Chancellor at the autumn statement); and providing £500 million to Local Enterprise Partnerships through the Growth Places Fund.
In addition, the Local Government Resource Review creates an incentive for localities to grow their business rates base, and provides greater rewards to those areas with low tax bases compared to their communities’ current needs.
National Insurance
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered linking the IT systems at each HM Revenue and Customs tax office to enable an individual to be linked and traced via their national insurance number. [96154]
Mr Gauke: HMRC already uses the national insurance number to record details about individuals. In June 2009 HMRC's Modernisation of PAYE Processing Programme removed the last elements of the Department's dependency on 12 unlinked regional databases containing pay-as-you earn data. Since then HMRC's staff in all of its offices dealing with individuals have had the ability to link and trace people via national insurance numbers.
National Insurance: Pensioners
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much employers' national insurance was received in respect of employees who were pensioners in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; [95670]
(2) how much employers' national insurance was received in respect of employees who were pensioners in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [96298]
Mr Gauke: The amount of employer's national insurance contributions payable in respect of individuals over state pension age was £1.7 billion in 2009-10. Estimates are based on a 1% sample of NICs and pay-as-you-earn service data.
Figures for 2010-11 are not available.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 62W
National Insurance: Scotland
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the number of businesses that have participated in the national insurance holiday scheme in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland in each month since its inception; [96601]
(2) if he will estimate the number of jobs created in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme in each month since its inception; [96603]
(3) what his most recent estimate is of the amount of national insurance revenue forgone in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme, in each year since its inception; [96628]
(4) if he will estimate the net change in tax revenues per job created in (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority area in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland as a result of the national insurance holiday scheme in each year since its inception. [96600]
Mr Gauke: A breakdown of the number of jobs that have been supported by the national insurance contributions holiday, by region and constituency, was provided in a NICs Holiday Factsheet that was made available to the House by way of a written ministerial statement on 15 December 2011, Official Report, column 107WS.
The figures pertain to the period 6 September 2010 to 21 November 2011, comprising only those employers who submitted a NICs holiday end-of-year return for 2010-11.
The number of eligible employers in Scotland claiming NICs holiday is 479 (Table 3.1 of Factsheet).
The number of jobs in Scotland that have been supported by the holiday is 1,646 (Table 4.1).
The total amount claimed by eligible employers in Scotland is £930,000 (Table 4.1).
The amount claimed per job supported in Scotland is £565 (using the above figures from Table 4.1).
Breakdowns by parliamentary constituency in Scotland are found in Tables 3.2 and 4.2 of the Factsheet. A breakdown by local authority area is not available.
Nature Improvement Areas
Neil Parish: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials of his Department have had with (i) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and (ii) others on the development and implementation of Nature Improvement Areas. [96223]
Miss Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
27 Feb 2012 : Column 63W
Pay
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of (a) men and (b) women whose income per annum in 2010-11 was (a) less that £7,475, (b) between £7,475 and £8,105, (c) between £8,105 and £20,000, (d) between £20,000 and £30,000, (e) between £30,000 and £40,000, (f) between £40,000 and £50,000, (g) between £50,000 and £60,000, (h) between £60,000 and £70,000, (i) between £70,000 and £80,000, (j) between £80,000 and £90,000, (k) between £90,000 and £100,000 and (l) over £100,000. [94767]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| 2010-11 taxpayers | ||
| Gender | ||
| Total income | Male | Female |
Numbers are in thousands and are rounded to three significant figures. As a result the totals will not equal the sum of the component figures.
The estimates relate to income taxpayers only. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs does not hold complete information on the incomes of individuals who do not pay income tax. They are consistent with Table 2.5, available on the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_tax/table2-5.pdf
These estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.
Public Expenditure: Scotland
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the status of arrangements for exercise of the revenue and capital borrowing powers proposed in the Scotland Bill. [96604]
Danny Alexander: Ministers from Her Majesty’s Government have regular discussions with Ministers from the Scottish Government on the Scotland Bill. Following recommendations made by the Calman commission, a new cross-Administration Committee, the Joint Exchequer Committee, has been established which will discuss the implementation of the Scotland Bill's powers, including the operation of its borrowing provisions.
27 Feb 2012 : Column 64W
Rangers Football Club: Taxation
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions HM Revenue and Customs have had with the Scottish Government on Rangers Football Club. [96859]
Mr Gauke: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officials are under a statutory duty to maintain taxpayer confidentiality and so are unable to provide an answer to this question.
Revenue and Customs: Correspondence
Mr Winnick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 23 January 2012 to the Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs, about a constituent, ref: 193995 1201 1645. [96297]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs have now replied to the hon. Member. They apologise for the delay.
Student Loans Company: Pay
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish (a) the internal policy guidelines used by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of its taxation of private firms and individuals, (b) any variations to this policy and (c) the position and grade of the officials who signed off any such variation; [96948]
(2) if he will publish (a) HM Revenue and Customs internal policy guidelines used to assess the taxation of any payments made by the Student Loans Company, (b) the position and grade of any official who authorised a change to the internal guidelines used and (c) when any variation was made. [96947]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs does not have any internal policy guidelines in respect of taxation of private firms or specifically in respect of the Student Loans Company.
HM Revenue and Customs guidance can be accessed on the internet at:
www.hmrc.gov.uk
Taxation: Animation and Research
Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid in tax by the animation sector in the most recent year for which figures are available. [95659]
Mr Gauke: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Taxation: Company Cars
David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to reduce taxation on company cars. [96919]
27 Feb 2012 : Column 65W
Miss Chloe Smith: Company car tax rates are announced at least two years in advance of implementation. The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review along Budget timelines and will give the Budget 2012 statement on 21 March.
VAT: Electronic Publishing
Teresa Pearce: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with HM Revenue and Customs about extending the VAT exemption for books to e-books. [96738]
Mr Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given on 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 539W.
Working Tax Credit
Mr Crausby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will undertake an impact assessment of the effect on families who cannot undertake extra working hours each week of his proposed changes to working tax credit. [96884]
Mr Gauke: The measure that the hon. Member refers to in his question 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 published estimates of the distributional impact of the packages of announced tax and benefit measures which can be found at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_annexa.pdf
http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/sr2010_annexb.pdf
Working Tax Credit: Wales
Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many couples with children there are in each constituency in Wales who work between 16 and 24 hours a week and who will lose entitlement to working tax credit unless they increase their hours of work to over 24 hours a week. [84707]
Mr Gauke [holding answer 5 December 2011]: The following table provides the number of in-work couples reporting between 16 and 23 hours per week, for each constituency in Wales, as at April 2011.
| Constituency | Number of households affected ( T housand) |
27 Feb 2012 : Column 66W
Although the figures show the number of households who stand to lose their entitlement to working tax credit post-April 2012, the overall change in their entitlement (including child tax credit) is unclear, as the change to working tax credit eligibility for couples with children was part of a wider package of measures announced at Spending Review 2010.
Therefore these figures are not necessarily representative of the number of households who will see their entitlement fall as a result of the measure.