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Child Protection
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what assessment he has made of progress in implementation of the Munro Review recommendations; [95805]
(2) how he plans to measure progress in the implementation of the Munro Review recommendations; and what action he plans to take against local authorities which do not implement the recommendations. [95806]
Tim Loughton: Good progress is being made across the full range of commitments in the Government response published in July.
We are reducing bureaucracy and making it easier for the front line to use their professional judgment through revisions to “Working Together to Safeguard Children” and the “Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families”. A multi-disciplinary professional advisory group is advising us on this work.
Government, Ofsted and the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) have come together with a range of other partners to develop and agree local child safeguarding performance information that puts professional expertise, rather than process, at the heart of local quality assurance. This was published on 13 December and is now available on the Department's website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/munroreview/downloads/LCSPIDec2011.pdf
We launched a public consultation asking for views on the proposed children's safeguarding national performance data:
http://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action =consultationDetails&consultationId=1803&external =no&menu=1
This consultation will run until 16 April 2012.
Over the summer, Ofsted consulted on local authority child protection inspection arrangements which are more child centred and, in January, published their new framework which will begin in May 2012. All relevant inspectorates have also now agreed in principle to Professor Munro's proposed model of joint inspection to ensure that the contribution of all local services to safeguarding is examined. The inspectorates are working through what such a model will look like and when it will begin, and will give a progress update by end March 2012.
On 31 October we published a co-produced work programme, “Safeguarding Children in the reformed NHS”. Phase one is under way, led by the Chief Nursing Officer. This work includes a recent consultation on a draft Accountabilities Framework.
We have been working with partners to consider the best route to secure Professor Munro's vision of a transparent and co-ordinated offer of early help for children and families. We have engaged with partners in ADCS, health, police and education and have concluded that we do not need a new statutory duty to deliver early help and that there is sufficient existing legislation to realise Professor Munro's recommendation. We are continuing to work with partners to clarify existing legislation to emphasise the importance of early help. In the meantime we encourage local areas to continue to work to provide early help for the compelling arguments that Professor Munro articulated.
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We are working with eight local authorities to trial more flexible approaches to assessment. The early evidence from these trials and emerging findings are encouraging and suggest that both removing the distinction between the initial and core assessments and replacing nationally prescribed timescales for assessment with timely, professional judgments can have the positive impact on practice envisaged by Professor Munro. Some of these trials have been running for only a few months and we need to explore further the impact of these changes, especially for children and young people. For this reason we have extended the trials to run until 31 March 2012.
After consultation, and a market sounding exercise, we have taken the decision to decommission the National electronic Common Assessment Framework system (National eCAF). This is consistent with Professor Munro's view that we should remove constraints to local innovation and professional judgment that are created by prescribing approaches such as national IT systems. We are currently working with the current users of the system to ensure a smooth transition. As part of the decommissioning process we will consider the options to secure value out of the Government-owned assets.
Our reforms of child protection are underpinned by workforce reform, in particular reform of the social work profession which is being led by the Social Work Reform Board and the College of Social Work.
The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and the College of Social Work are supporting local authorities in designating a Principal Child and Family Social Worker in every local area. These roles will play a key part in redesigning child and family social work. The Department for Education and the Department of Health have been making preparations for the appointment of a chief social worker to advise Government on social work practice and the effectiveness of help being provided to children, families and adults. We are confident that the chief social worker will be in post in 2012, ahead of the timeline envisaged in the Government's response.
We have consulted on new guidance for DCSs and lead members so that we have real clarity about their roles and will be publishing the revised guidance by the end of April. My officials and I have also held discussions with groups of Local Safeguarding Children Boards chairs to consider how all LSCBs can be effective in challenging and monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements. This will build on our reforms around learning, early help, inspection and performance information which emphasise the importance of LSCBs.
Improving learning from serious incidents is critical to driving improvements in practice in child protection. Following Professor Munro's recommendation to use systems methodologies for Serious Case Reviews (SCR), we are considering how the Social Care Institute for Excellence's (SCIE) "Learning Together" model can be developed further for use in SCRs. Three LSCBs, Coventry, Devon and Lancashire are piloting the SCIE model. While the pilots are in progress, my officials are also exploring learning from sectors such as aviation and health, other ways of ensuring effective, sustained learning from serious incidents embedded in every day practice, with greater transparency and accountability.
We have been working with Ofsted to develop transitional arrangements in response to Professor Munro's recommendation to end Ofsted's evaluation of SCRs.
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In January 2012, Ofsted introduced more streamlined evaluations of SCRs with a greater focus on identifying and embedding learning in order to support improvements in professional practice.
Implementing the Munro recommendations requires a shift in mindset. The Government response was not intended to be seen as a one-off set of recommended solutions to be imposed and monitored from the centre but, instead, it is now for local agencies and professionals to take this forward. Change will evolve and best practice will develop based on experience, innovation and evidence. Our aim is to create the conditions for sustained, long-term reform which enables and inspires professionals to do their best for vulnerable children and their families.
We have asked Professor Munro to undertake an interim assessment of progress in spring 2012.
Contact Orders: Grandparents
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to reform family law to provide greater access rights to grandparents when families break up; and if he will make a statement. [95761]
Tim Loughton: The Government recognise the unique role which grandparents can play in children's lives; this is highlighted in our response to the Family Justice Review, published on 6 February 2012.
The majority of families who separate make their own arrangements about who a child spends time with, and children are able to remain in contact with their extended family. Where parents are unable to agree on their own, we have made clear in our response to the Family Justice Review that we want the importance of relationships with wider family members—including grandparents—to be emphasised through the information,
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advice and support available to parents outside the court setting. In particular we want to ensure that this issue is given full consideration by parents as part of the process of agreeing a ‘parenting agreement’, and that it is reflected in bespoke parenting classes for separating parents.
For the minority of cases where a person applies to the courts regarding child contact arrangements, the courts are required to have the welfare of the child as their paramount consideration in reaching a decision. No individual has a legal right to have contact with a child and the Government have no plans to change this.
Education Welfare Officers
Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many education welfare officers were employed by local authorities in (a) London and (b) England and Wales in each year since 2002; and how many such education welfare officers he estimates will be employed in (i) London and (ii) England and Wales in (A) 2012 and (B) 2013. [96151]
Mr Gibb: The information requested is not collected centrally.
GCSE
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils obtained A* to C grades in GCSE (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) history, (d) geography, (e) double award science, (f) biology, (g) physics, (h) chemistry and (i) a modern foreign language in each year from 1997 to 2010. [95698]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 22 February 2012]: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Pupils achieving (1) GCSE grades A*-C in selected subjects at the end of key stage 4 in schools (numbers). Year: Timeseries 1997 to 2010 (2) . Coverage: England | |||||||||
| Thousand | |||||||||
| English | Mathematics | History | Geography | Double Award Science (5,6) | Biology | Physics | Chemistry | Any Modern foreign language | |
| n/a = not available. (1) For each subject only one attempt is counted - that which achieved the highest grade. (2) Including achievements and attainments by these pupils in previous academic years. (3) Figures from 1997 to 2004 relate to pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year. (4) Figures from 2005 onwards are for pupils at the end of key stage 4. (5) 2007 was the final year that students sat the Double Award Science GCSE, where students received two identical grades for a course with twice the content as the Single Award Science GCSE. As attainments from previous academic years are included, a very small number of students completed Double Award Science between 2008 and 2009. (6) From 2008, students study the single Science GCSE (known as core science) and then one of two complementary GCSEs: Additional Science GCSE (which has a more academic focus) or Applied Science GCSE (which has a more vocational focus). Candidates now receive separate grades for each of their Science GCSEs. | |||||||||
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Behavioural Disorders
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what parenting support his Department provides to families including teenagers with (a) ADHD and (b) other diagnosed behavioural disorders. [95859]
Sarah Teather:
In July 2011, the Department contracted with 11 organisations to provide family support through online and telephone services. Two of these, Young Minds and Family Lives provide particular support for families with children (including teenage children) diagnosed with behavioural disorders. Between July and January 2012, Young Minds supported 483 families with children diagnosed with ADHD and 1,852 families with children with other diagnosed behavioural disorders. Over the same period, Family Lives supported 134 families with children diagnosed with ADHD and 450 families with children with other diagnosed behavioural disorders.
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Support includes providing information on services available, factsheets and professional, practical advice and guidance to help manage their behaviour.
Leeds Education Authority: Fees and Charges
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students from (a) the Leeds Education Authority area and (b) England were in receipt of a student loan for (i) tuition fees and maintenance, (ii) tuition fees but not maintenance, (iii) maintenance but not tuition fees and (iv) neither maintenance nor tuition fees in each of the last five years. [95858]
Mr Willetts: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The following table shows the number of students from Leeds Education Authority and England receiving support for maintenance, tuition, or both in academic years 2006/07 to 2010/11.
| Customers in receipt of maintenance loan and/or tuition fee loan Leeds LEA area and England domiciled. Academic years: 2006/07 to 2010/11 | ||||||
| Leeds Education Authority | England | |||||
| At 31 August: | Maintenance loan only | Tuition fee loan only | Maintenance loan and tuition fee loan | Maintenance loan only | Tuition fee loan only | Maintenance loan and tuition fee loan |
| Source: Student Loans Company (SLC) | ||||||
Not all students who are eligible for a maintenance loan are eligible for a tuition fee loan and vice versa. The two eligible populations differ slightly due to the criteria used to determine eligibility for support. Guidance on support available to students is available at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Gettingstarted/DG_171572
In the table above students taking out a maintenance loan only or a tuition fee loan only will include students who were not eligible for the other type of support, as well as those who chose to take out only one type of support.
It is not possible to provide equivalent figures for students receiving neither maintenance nor tuition fee loans. There is insufficient information on whether or not students starting courses before 2006/07 who did not take out a loan had access to a full fee grant. However, the following table shows, for maintenance loans, the difference between students receiving support and the estimated eligible population. Figures are for English domiciles only; figures for the estimated eligible population are not available at education authority level. Figures are not yet available for 2010/11.
| English domiciled students not receiving maintenance loans who were eligible 2006/07 to 2010/11 | |
| Academic year | Eligible for a maintenance loan but did not receive one (thousand) |
| Source: Student Loans Company/BIS internal analysis of HESA data | |
BIS use data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and other sources with the closest approximation of eligibility criteria available from those sources to produce the estimated eligible population. Estimates are produced with a consistent method each year.
Reading: Teaching Methods
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) pupils and (b) teachers took part in the Every Child a Reader project in (i) England and (ii) each region in each year since 2008. [95809]
Mr Gibb: The following table gives figures broken down by teachers and children, and by region and for England as a whole, for the three full years that data are available:
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| Region | Number of ECaR teachers 2008-09 | Number of ECaR children 2008-09 | Number of ECaR teachers 2009-10 | Number of ECaR children 2009-10 | Number of ECaR teachers 2010-11 | Number of ECaR children 2010-11 |
Young People: Disadvantaged
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to help 16 to 19-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds to complete education or training. [96228]
Tim Loughton: The vast majority of young people are already participating in post-16 education or training. However, we know that those from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to participate than their peers. That is why the Government are committed to raising the participation age to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015, ensuring that all young people have the opportunities they need to complete their education or training. Our plans for achieving this are set out in “Building Engagement, Building Futures: Our strategy to maximise the Participation of 16 to 24-year-olds in Education, Training and Work”, which is available at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/a00200853/building-engagement-building-futures
Local authorities in England are responsible for supporting young people aged 16 to 19 to participate in education or training. This includes identifying those who have left learning and helping them to re-engage. They have the freedom to do this in a way that best meets the needs of local young people and may work with a range of organisations who provide specialist support for disadvantaged young people.
Through the new Youth Contract, the Government are investing £126 million in England over the next three years specifically to support the most disengaged 16 to 17-year-olds to move into sustained education, training or employment with training. Local authorities will work with successful providers to target those young people in their area who will benefit most, fitting this programme with other provision on offer locally.
The Government will also continue to target financial support directly towards the most disadvantaged young people, in order to help them continue in education or training. Through the £180 million Bursary Fund, the most vulnerable young people aged 16 to 19 receive bursaries of £1,200 a year. The remainder of the fund is made available for schools, colleges and training providers to respond to individual needs and local circumstances, by providing discretionary bursaries to any student who faces genuine financial barriers to participation, like the cost of transport, books, food or equipment.
Young People: Employment
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 year-olds without a level 2 qualification are in full-time employment with no training element. [95679]
Tim Loughton: The Labour Force Survey is the source of data for information about young people in full-time work with no training. However, the sample size in the Labour Force Survey is too small to allow robust estimates of the qualification levels of young people in full-time work with no training to be made for individual age groups. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 9 February 2011, Official Report, column 441W, which gives the estimate for 16 to 18-year-olds combined.
Transport
A49: Shropshire
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to upgrade and maintain the A49 dual carriageway between Church Stretton and Shrewsbury. [95865]
Mike Penning: In October 2010, the Department for Transport set out the outcomes of the Government’s 2010 comprehensive spending review, publishing details of its investment decisions for major road projects on the strategic road network.
Dualling of the A49 between Church Stretton and Shrewsbury was not included among the schemes identified, and there are no plans to develop such a proposal at this time.
Air Travel Organisers’ Licence
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects reforms to the Air Travel Organisers’ Licence to be fully implemented. [96619]
Mrs Villiers: I announced on 9 February that we will introduce new regulations to bring Flight-Plus holidays into the ATOL scheme and introduce a new ATOL Certificate. We intend these regulations to come into force from 30 April. This will bring much needed additional clarity to consumers about what holidays and flights are ATOL protected.
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The Civil Aviation Bill, introduced into Parliament on 19 January, includes a clause that would widen the Secretary of State for Transport’s existing power to regulate the provision of flight accommodation, which is the basis of the ATOL scheme. Subject to the parliamentary process, we propose to consult on options for using this expanded power to further reform the scheme in 2013. This consultation is expected to include bringing holidays sold by airlines into the ATOL scheme, as well as holidays procured on an “agent for the consumer' basis.
Bus Services: Disability
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 472W, on bus services: disability, what proportion of Public Service Vehicles operating in the north-east comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000. [96926]
Norman Baker: The Department does not collect this information.
Buses: Safety
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether coach drivers are required to take breaks on long journeys. [96949]
Mike Penning: Coach drivers (ie drivers of passenger carrying vehicles with nine or more passenger seats) come under the scope of the EU drivers' hours rules (Regulation (EC) No 561/2006), which require the use of tachographs and prescribe maximum limits on driving time and minimum requirements for breaks and rest periods. Under these rules drivers are limited to nine hours of driving a day. Drivers must take 45 minutes of break time once they have driven for 4.5 hours in a day. For each 24 hour period, drivers must take at least 11 continuous hours of rest.
Coaches
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider the merits of extending the proposals for charging heavy goods vehicles using UK roads to coach operators based outside the UK. [95988]
Mike Penning: A charge would have to apply to UK-registered vehicles as well as foreign ones, or it would be discriminatory and therefore illegal. The charge for heavy goods vehicles is intended to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers. I am not aware of sufficient evidence that the situation in the coach market is unfair to UK operators.
Departmental Correspondence
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Thomas) about the answering of a parliamentary question on senior staff being paid through a private company. [97047]
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Norman Baker: The letter in question was received in the Department less than a week ago on 21 February and is being considered. A reply will be sent as expeditiously as possible.
Online Services
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public services her Department delivers online only. [96899]
Norman Baker: The Department does provide MOT Test History, Find Your Nearest Driving Instructor, and Transport Direct public services online only.
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many away days her Department has held since May 2010; what the location was of each such away day; how many staff attended; and what the cost was of each such event. [93854]
Norman Baker: The following departmental agencies have no records of away days being held since May 2010: Vehicle Certification Agency, Government Car Despatch Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Driving Standards Agency, and Vehicle and Operator Services Agency.
Regarding the central Department, Highways Agency, and Maritime and Coastguard Agency, I regret that providing the requested information would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold, as the information is held by individual sections rather than in one central location. However, for information on DFT(c) from May 2010 to January 2011, I would refer the hon. Member to the Department's website:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/dft-f0007286/
The Department has a strict policy that away days, which are work-focused, and training events are held on departmental premises or non-chargeable venues unless there is no alternative, and there is a clear and quantifiable work-related outcome.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the staffing costs were of running the local office network of the DVLA in each calendar year since 2005. [96007]
Mike Penning: The following table shows the staff costs (salaries), in financial years, for the local office network from April 2007 to December 2011. The information for 2005 to March 2007 is not readily available and would incur disproportionate costs to gather.
| Staffing costs (salaries) | |
| £000 | |
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Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what functions the local office network of the DVLA performs. [96009]
Mike Penning: Functions carried out in local offices include vehicle registration and licensing, tax disc distribution to motor dealers, trade licensing, vehicle inspections, personalised registrations, enforcement activities and driver licensing services. Wimbledon local office also provides a dedicated diplomatic and consular service and Peterborough a dedicated service for visiting forces and British Forces Germany for registration and licensing transactions.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason no impact assessment accompanied the Transforming DVLA Services consultation. [96522]
Mike Penning: An impact assessment did not accompany the consultation document on Transforming DVLA Services as it sets out high level proposals on how the DVLA could adapt to meet the changing expectations of customers. Impact assessments and full business cases, where appropriate, are being undertaken on specific elements of the proposals.
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she took to ensure the Transforming DVLA Services consultation complied with the code of practice on consultations. [96678]
Mike Penning: The guidelines in the code of practice on consultation are applied to all formal, written consultations undertaken by my Department.
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the costs were of the recent mail trials within the DVLA; and if any savings were made. [96747]
Mike Penning: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has run two recent mail trials. The first took place between May and September 2010, where a number of applications were redirected and processed at the DVLA centre instead of at its local offices. The main purpose for this was to address resource pressures at the time. The cost of operating the trial is estimated at £104,800 which reflected a saving of approximately £23,000.
The second trial took place between April and August 2011, when the DVLA started to move some of its outbound correspondence from first class to second class postage. The DVLA also rationalised the number of envelopes that it uses. These trials were successful and have subsequently been adopted. There were no costs attached. It is not possible to provide the savings for the trial only, but the savings for the financial year 2011-12 are estimated to be £1,546,000.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect on enforcement of matters for which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is responsible of the closure of the DVLA enforcement centre in Chelmsford. [97107]
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Mike Penning: The DVLA has a clear commitment to ensure that enforcement activities remain fully effective. Initial assessments have shown that centralising enforcement should not lead to any degradation in service as the operational processes would remain the same.
East Coast Railway Line
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her Department has spent on (a) legal and (b) other professional fees to prepare the East Coast rail franchise for retender. [96032]
Mrs Villiers: During 2009-10 the Department for Transport spent £218,727 on professional fees to support preparation of the East Coast rail franchise for retender.
This work was suspended in late 2010 when the Department decided to carry out a review of franchising policy and the overall franchising programme and there has been no further spend on legal or professional fees relating to the East Coast franchise.
Electric Vehicles
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the written ministerial statement of 17 January 2012, Official Report, column 38WS, on plug-in car grant reviews, what additional funding will go to the plug-in van grant in each year of the current spending review period. [97009]
Norman Baker: At the spending review the Government announced provision of £300 million to support ultra low carbon vehicles, for the life of the Parliament. The Plug-in Van Grant is funded from this budget.
Heathrow Airport: Night Flying
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times dispensation under NOTAM S36/2008 has been granted for night flights at Heathrow airport in the latest period for which figures are available. [96886]
Mrs Villiers: For the winter season 2011-12 which commenced on 30 October 2011 up until 9 February 2012, 139 flights have been given dispensation or disregarded from the night restrictions at Heathrow.
Heathrow airport's flight evaluation unit publishes quarterly and annual data reports, which includes numbers of night movements and dispensations. Please refer to:
http://noise.heathrowairport.com/
Large Goods Vehicles: Safety
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received from (a) organisations and (b) individuals on the proposed 10-year trial of longer lorries and its effect on cyclists. [97083]
Mike Penning: The Department has received representations from CTC and other cycling organisations, Freight on Rail and a small number of individuals who have concerns about the potential impact of longer lorries.
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Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she will consider restricting the proposed 10 year trial of longer lorries to non-metropolitan areas. [97084]
Mike Penning: No. These vehicles conform with all technical requirements, including those relating to turning circles: such a restriction is therefore unnecessary.
Local Authorities: Newspaper Press
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what estimate she has made of the amount spent by local authorities on the publication of traffic regulation orders in local newspapers (a) in Liverpool and (b) nationally; [96507]
(2) what assessment she has made of the effect on the number of jobs at local and regional newspapers of ending the requirement to advertise traffic regulation orders in local print press. [96572]
Norman Baker: The consultation, which I launched on 30 January, offers those who may be affected by the proposals, including newspapers, the opportunity to lay out their concerns. That is part of the assessment process.
The consultation, following a pledge in our recent traffic signs policy review document—Signing the Way—to review the requirements placed on traffic authorities when they propose and make temporary and permanent traffic orders, was launched on 30 January 2012. Further information may be found on the Department for Transport website at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-06/
The consultation paper makes reference to a report published by the UK Network Management Board and the results of a survey carried out in 2010 among traffic authorities about money spent on local newspaper advertising of traffic orders. Liverpool did not respond to the survey, so we have no information on their specific spend. However, the report considered responses received and estimated that at that time that £22.3 million was being spent annually in England on advertising traffic orders. This figure was adjusted to £20 million for consultation purposes due to changes that have already been made by the Highways Agency, which has already significantly reduced its spend in this area.
I understand the concerns which have been expressed about the possible effect on the viability of local newspapers this change may have, and those concerns will be taken into account before a final decision is taken.
Members: Correspondence
Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Weaver Vale of (a) 20 July 2011 and (b) 14 December 2011 on behalf of W S D Lamb. [95841]
Mrs Villiers: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1180W.
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Midland Main Railway Line
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost benefit analysis her Department has carried out on the electrification of the Midland Main Line. [96617]
Mrs Villiers: Network Rail is developing a business case for the proposed electrification of the Midland Main Line which includes a cost benefit analysis.
Motor Vehicles: Hydrogen
Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she plans to fund the installation of hydrogen refuelling stations to encourage the use of hydrogen vehicles. [96327]
Norman Baker: Government have previously provided funding for a small number of hydrogen refuelling facilities, primarily used for research and development. However, as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles near commercialisation, it will be critical to understand what level of infrastructure will be required going forward. To this end, the Government have recently announced the launch of UK H2Mobility, a ground breaking industry-government project that will evaluate the potential for hydrogen as transport fuel in the UK.
UK H2Mobility will review the investments required to commercialise the technology, including refuelling infrastructure, to make hydrogen for transport a viable option for consumers.
We look forward with interest to the outcome of the evaluation phase which is targeted to complete by the end of the year.
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for York Central of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 481W, on motor vehicles: testing, how many (a) motorcycles, (b) motor cars and (c) commercial vehicles were submitted for an MOT test in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) Tyne and Wear and (iv) the City of Sunderland in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how many vehicles failed the test in each case. [96925]
Mike Penning: The number of MOT tests undertaken by test class and number of failures in (i) Great Britain, (ii) England, (iii) the former metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and (iv) Sunderland unitary authority during the calendar year 2010 are given in the following table.
| Tests undertaken | Fails | |
|
Classes 3 and 4: Cars, vans and passenger vehicles with up to 12 seats |
||
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MOT test results for Northern Ireland are not held by the Department.
MOT data are available in raw format from:
www.data.gov.uk
Public Transport: Fines
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many penalty fares were disputed through the Independent Revenue Collection and Support Service; and what proportion of such appeals were successful. [96869]
Norman Baker: I regret that the Department for Transport does not hold this information.
Railway Stations
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department (1) has conducted an economic assessment of the potential benefits of reopening railway stations including those in Ilkeston, Belford and Baschurch; [96558]
(2) has any plans to reopen railway stations in (a) Ilkeston, (b) Belford, (c) Baschurch and (d) other locations. [96559]
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Mrs Villiers: It is for the promoters of new stations, normally local authorities and PTEs, to carry out an economic assessment of the potential benefits of re-opening railway stations and to secure capital funding.
Derbyshire county council is promoting a new station at Ilkeston and is endeavouring to secure capital funding. Northumberland county council is considering whether to proceed with a new station at Belford. We have had no indication that Shropshire county council is planning to re-open the station at Baschurch.
Railways: Disability
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the decision by train operating companies to charge disabled passengers for booking services. [93740]
Norman Baker [holding answer 6 February 2012]: The Association of Train Operating Companies has introduced improvements to the passenger assistance service which is now administered through a new call centre. Depending on the train company number used, calls are free or charged at local rates. Station staff will still give free advice and assistance to passengers to plan journeys and can, if required, contact the call centre on behalf of the passenger. Under the new arrangements passengers can also book assistance online.
If my hon. Friend has specific concerns, I would ask him to write to me about these.
Railways: Richmond Park
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the number of health and safety regulations to prevent overcrowding on commuter rail services serving stations in Richmond Park constituency that are enforced. [95850]
Mrs Villiers: Train operating companies have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 to reduce health and safety risks so far as is reasonably practical.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has a responsibility for ensuring railway companies protect passengers from any health and safety risks caused by crowded trains, within the terms of that Act. The ORR also has a more specific role on crowding issues in relation to circumstances such as emergency evacuations and crowding on stations or platforms.
The extent of monitoring and enforcement of these duties is an operational safety matter for the ORR. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the ORR directly for further details.
Railways: South West
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had with (i) South West Trains and (ii) Network Rail on integrated running of track and trains on the Wessex route. [96755]
Mrs Villiers:
Ministers and officials are involved in extensive and ongoing discussions with South West Trains, Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation
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on the development of proposals by Network Rail and South West Trains for partnership working on the Wessex Route. The Government support industry efforts to improve the efficiency of the railways, with the aim of realising improvements for passengers and long term, sustainable, benefits for taxpayers.
Rescue Services: Fareham
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total cost to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is of leasing the Marine Operations Centre in Fareham. [97274]
Mike Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is in negotiation with the Department for Communities and Local Government on the transfer of responsibility for the Maritime Operations Centre. Once this is formalised and agreed, information on the duration and cost of the agreement will be published on the Government electronic Property Information Management System.
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the lease is on the Marine Operations Centre in Fareham. [97275]
Mike Penning: The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) currently hold a lease with the landlord which commenced on 14 May 2008 for a period of 25 years. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is working with DCLG to formalise an agreement that will transfer the property for MCA use through to the completion of the main lease.
Rescue Services: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Statement of 14 July 2011, Official Report, column 506, on coastguard modernisation, what the (a) costs and (b) savings will be in each year of the current spending review period of the changes to coastguard stations. [97010]
Mike Penning: Actual costs and savings for the current spending review period arising from the coastguard modernisation programme will be dependent on the outcome of ongoing negotiations and procurement activity.
The then Secretary of State made clear on 14 July 2011, Official Report, columns 507 and 508, that the additional cost of revisions to the original proposals would be offset in part by the programme itself, and that costs overall would remain within our planned funding for the coastguard as a whole.
This is outlined in more detail in section eight of the second consultation document published to support the statement on 14 July 2011. A copy of this document is available in the Libraries of the House.
Roads: Crimes of Violence
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of objects being thrown at vehicles from bridges were recorded on the Highways Agency network in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will undertake a review of the adequacy of measures in place to prevent such occurrences. [96046]
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Mike Penning: The number of recorded incidents of objects being thrown at vehicles from bridges on the Highways Agency network in each of the last three years for which figures are available are shown as follows:
| Number of objects thrown | |
The figures are taken from the Highways Agency's command and control system which is used to record details of incidents where the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service has an involvement. These figures are not exhaustive as they only include incidents from those parts of the network patrolled by Highways Agency traffic officers and because this incident specific detail is not routinely collected more widely.
Safety on our roads is a top priority and the agency is fully committed to doing everything it can to assist the police in bringing these dangerous and irresponsible activities to an end. Service providers maintaining the network are aware of agency requirements to minimise the amount of loose material at or near high-risk locations.
There are nearly 9,000 bridges on the motorway and trunk road network in England. While on occasion it has been possible to raise the height of bridge parapets and provide domed cages on footbridges and over railways in urban areas, in most cases it is neither cost effective nor practical.
Initiatives have, however, been put in place with the aim of reducing these incidents. These include educating young people through campaigns and the installation of close circuit television cameras and warning signs at high risk locations.
Roads: Litter
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to improve the removal of litter from the road network. [96874]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency is responsible for clearing litter from motorways and a small number of trunk roads in England. Its Managing Agents are contracted to remove litter as part of a rolling programme.
The existing Managing Agent contract also includes a ‘blitz' clause which gives the Agency greater powers to instruct their Agents to carry out extra litter clearance in addition to the contract's performance requirements.
The removal of litter from the majority of trunk roads and other roads in England is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. The Agency encourages partnership working between its Agents and local councils so that litter picking can be coordinated with other work to minimise disruption to the public.
The Agency removes around 250,000 sacks of litter from the motorways every year and is encouraging drivers to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicles, until it can be disposed of in a bin. The Agency is repeating this message and extending its “Bag it, Bin it!” message campaign during the build up to the London 2012
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Olympic and Paralympic games. Additionally, during the summer holiday period, it will be using social media channels and some roadside variable message signs to remind drivers to dispose of their litter responsibly.
The Agency is also working with the relevant stakeholders on litter issues, including encouraging commercial vehicle operators to ensure their vehicles do not spill litter or debris. The Agency works with DEFRA and Keep Britain Tidy to raise public awareness of the dangers and costs of litter, and coordinates its activity under the national litter campaign “Love Where You Live”.
Shipping: Safety
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the withdrawal of support by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency for the Maritime Incident Response Group on 14 December 2011, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of passengers and crew on board ships (a) sailing in British coastal waters and (b) at anchor in a harbour or port should they develop a major fire or related incident on board. [97117]
Mike Penning: The international conventions for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) provide that vessel operators must ensure the operational safety of their vessels through the application of a safety management system, in accordance with the International Safety Management Code. Among other things this requires companies to operate their ships in accordance with mandatory rules and regulations and in such a way that prevents human injuries or loss of life, and avoids damage to the marine environment. This includes fire prevention and fire fighting measures.
The responsibility of Government is to ensure that companies arrange their activities in compliance with the code.
It is the statutory duty of the fire and rescue services to fight fires in ships within harbour or port limits.
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether UK coastal fire and rescue services will continue to train for major incidents on ships (a) sailing in British coastal waters and (b) at anchor in a British harbour or port; and what steps she has taken to ensure that such training is adequately funded and that the equipment required is up-to-date and well maintained. [97118]
Mike Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency understands that a fire response at sea capability is being maintained, at least until the end of March 2012, by the following fire and rescue services: East Sussex, Hampshire, Highlands and Islands, Humberside, Kent, Northumberland and Strathclyde.
The extent to which those fire and rescue services are trained, receive funding and maintain their equipment is a matter for each service to consider.
Her Majesty's Coastguard will task declared facilities as appropriate. Where there are no declared facilities from a fire and rescue service then the Coastguard will call on a commercial service to carry out an onboard fire assessment that will provide a judgment as to the
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viability of moving a casualty into a place of refuge where the fire would be fought by the fire and rescue under its statutory duty.
Speed Limits
Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consultations she has undertaken on (a) introducing more 20 mph zones in residential areas and (b) the fitting of mirrors to HGV vehicles so that cyclists can be seen. [94557]
Mike Penning: There have been no recent formal consultations regarding introducing more 20 mph zones in residential areas and the fitting of mirrors to HGVs so that cyclists can be seen.
The Strategic Framework for Road Safety, published last year, recognised the value that 20 mph speed limits can bring, in some locations, including on lesser residential roads.
It indicated that the Department's guidance about speed limits in urban areas would be revised with the aim of increasing flexibility. Work on revised guidance is under way and a consultation is planned for later this year.
The framework also indicated that the Department would provide an economic tool to help local authorities assess the full costs and benefits of proposed speed limit schemes. Work has already started and I hope to publish a completed tool later this year.
In the meantime, the Department has provided every English local highway authority with a traffic sign authorisation to use speed limit repeater signs in the place of physical measures in 20 mph zones, where vehicle speeds do not greatly exceed 20 mph. While traffic calming features cannot be omitted or removed altogether (at least one such feature is required within a 20 mph zone) this will provide greater flexibility and reduce costs for local authorities.
To further reduce costs and sign clutter, the authorisation permits local authorities to place speed roundel markings without upright signs in 20 mph limits or zones.
To help improve cycle safety, the Department has recently issued an authorisation to all highway authorities in England, permitting the use of ‘Trixi’ mirrors at traffic signal junctions.
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund has been used for (a) 20mph limit or zone schemes and (b) other schemes to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. [97106]
Norman Baker: Eight of the 39 Local Sustainable Transport Fund projects mention delivering 20 mph limit or zones schemes, but there are likely to be more projects that include such initiatives within wider schemes. Some 38 of the 39 projects contain improvements for cyclists, which will also improve safety for pedestrians. Based on local authority information, we estimate that this equates to at least £40 million departmental funding to 2015.
In addition, a further £11 million of the fund per year is ring-fenced for delivering Bikeability across the country. It is estimated this will deliver cycle training to over 1 million children between 2011 to 2015.
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I also recently announced a further £15 million for sustainable travel initiatives, some of which will go towards developing off-road infrastructure for cyclists which will improve cycle safety.
Thameslink: Contracts
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the mandatory standstill period to be applied to the Thameslink contract. [96620]
Mrs Villiers: The Department will initiate the alcatel period a minimum of 10 days prior to contract award, as provided for by Regulation 33 of the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006.
Third Sector
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her 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. [95781]
Norman Baker: The Best Value guidance does not legally apply to central Government Departments or their Executive agencies. However, central Government Departments, including the Department for Transport, support the fair standards set out in the guidance and have reaffirmed their commitment to the national Compact which sets the foundation for the relationship between Government and civil society organisations. The issues raised are covered by the Compact.
In January, the National Audit Office published “Central Government’s implementation of the national Compact”, a report which provides commentary on the implementation of the national Compact across Government. DFT participated 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 model of collaborative working between Government and the voluntary sector.
Transport: Industrial Disputes
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has had discussions with representatives from (a) the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union and (b) Rentokil Initial on the industrial dispute over rates of pay on the company's Eurostar contract. [R] [96660]
Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has had no meetings with either the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union or Rentokil Initial regarding the industrial dispute over rates of pay on the company's Eurostar contract.
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Business, Innovation and Skills
Action for Employment
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contracts his Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) value is of each such contract. [97045]
Norman Lamb: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have no contracts with A4e.
Billing: EU Law
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other EU member states on when they plan to implement the EU Late Payment Directive. [96503]
Mr Prisk: Officials attended the first meeting of the late payment expert group, facilitated by the European Commission, on 3 February 2012. The group has been created to support member states to complete transposition of the recast directive by the deadline of 16 March 2013.
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received on the timing of the introduction of the EU Late Payment Directive. [96585]
Mr Prisk: The deadline for transposition of the recast EU late payment directive is 16 March 2013.
Officials have been in regular discussion with UK business and finance bodies, and with individual businesses, about the content of the directive and the implementation process, including our intention to consult on implementation in coming months.
Late payment was also discussed at my regular meeting with representatives of the UK's leading business and finance organisations earlier this month. The meeting acknowledged that the recast directive, which is essentially based upon current UK legislation and best practice, provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities the legislation provides and of best practice in managing customer relationships and cash flow.
Citizens’ Advice Bureaux: Finance
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what public funding is available to Citizens Advice offices; and if he will make a statement. [96758]
Norman Lamb: The Government value highly the work of the Citizens Advice Service and supports the service through the provision of annual grant in aid to Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland—the umbrella bodies for the service in England and Wales and in Scotland. Total core funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in 2011-12 to both organisations was £21.8 million. That level of funding will be maintained in 2012-13.
BIS funding is provided on behalf of all Government Departments, the Welsh and Scottish Governments and enables both to provide essential business services to the
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bureaux network (IT infrastructure and content, research, training, and standards), without which the bureaux would not be able to provide services direct to the public.
Central Government do not fund individual bureaux who receive core funding from their local authority who are better able to determine the level and nature of funding of advice services that meet the needs of their communities.
Employment: Tyne and Wear
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support the employment base of Tyneside. [95533]
Mr Prisk: The Plan for Growth, published alongside Budget 2011, set out the Government's plan to put the UK on a path to sustainable, long-term economic growth. We are creating the right conditions for businesses to start up, invest, grow and create jobs.
The Government have a range of policies to support growth. For example, the Regional Growth Fund supports areas currently reliant on the public sector in their transition to sustainable private sector-led growth and prosperity. The North East made 47 successful bids in the first two rounds which will help create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
The North Eastern Local Enterprise Partnership was chosen as one of the first locations for an enterprise zone. The enterprise zone, an extension to which was announced at autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, is one of six in which the Government are making available enhanced capital allowances to incentivise investment. The zone will provide opportunities for growth and jobs in sectors which the area has particular strengths.
Tyneside is also one of five English locations that has been identified with strong Local Enterprise Partnerships, where company interest, traditional and developing industrial strengths in maritime and offshore engineering are combining to become a Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering.
Engineering
Rebecca Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received on the introduction of a chief engineering adviser for the purposes of advising the Government on how to support engineering in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [95838]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has received no recent representations regarding the introduction of a chief engineering adviser. Professor John Perkins was appointed as BIS chief scientific adviser on 10 January 2012. His responsibilities include ensuring that the Department’s policies are informed by fit-for-purpose science, technology and engineering advice. As an experienced engineer, Professor Perkins is well placed to advise on engineering issues.
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EU External Trade: Colombia
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department assessed the effects of the EU trade agreement with (a) Colombia and (b) Peru; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each such assessment. [95638]
Norman Lamb: The European Commission published a Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) of a potential Free Trade Agreement with the Andean countries in October 2009. This SIA used computable general equilibrium modelling to assess the possible impacts of an agreement on both the EU and Andean countries. It is available at
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2010/april/tradoc_146014.pdf
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 January 2012, Official Report, columns 37-8WS, on trade policy (opt-ins), what steps he plans to take to ratify the EU trade agreement with Colombia and Peru; and whether he plans to schedule debate and decision on the matter in the House. [95817]
Norman Lamb: The trade agreement between the EU and Colombia and Peru will be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) in March. Thereafter signature will take place. The consent of the European Parliament will be sought in late summer after which aspects of the agreement will be provisionally applied, before final conclusion. In due course a Command Paper and statutory instrument will be laid, and I expect to schedule discussions on the agreement in both Houses.
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 31 January 2012, Official Report, columns 37-8WS, on trade policy (opt-ins), what assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) Colombia and (b) Peru with the human rights clause of the EU trade agreement. [95818]
Norman Lamb: Provisional application of the EU-Andean Multiparty Trade Agreement will not commence until after the European Parliament gives consent to the agreement which we do not expect to take place until July 2012 or later: therefore no assessment can yet be made of parties' compliance with the human rights clause. The Government believe that trade agreements can help to create circumstances of stability in which human rights have a better chance of flourishing. The UK pressed hard for a robust and legally binding human rights clause in the agreement.
Higher Education: Admissions
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of contextual admissions criteria for evaluating applicants for university entrance at (a) Oxbridge or Russell Group universities and (b) other universities. [96985]
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Mr Willetts: Universities are responsible for their own admissions policies and decisions. Whether to use such information is up to each university, as they will be best placed to decide on the information that will help to identify the candidates with the talent and potential to succeed at that institution or on a particular course. The Government believe that the use of such data is a valid and appropriate way for institutions to broaden access while maintaining excellence, so long as individuals are considered on their merits, and institutions’ procedures are fair, transparent and evidence-based.
Insolvency
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of businesses that have gone into administration in (a) England, (b) the north west and (c) Cumbria in each of the last five years. [96500]
Norman Lamb: No such estimates have been made. Official statistics covering administration and other corporate insolvency procedures within England and Wales are sourced from Companies House and are not currently available for England separately or at sub-national level.
Annual totals for company administrations in England and Wales together are presented in Table 3 of the quarterly Insolvency Statistics, the latest publication of which can be found on the Insolvency Service website here:
http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/201202/index.htm
Lighters: Safety
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, whether he expects to issue a direction to local authorities to implement Commission Decision 2006/502/EC in May 2012; and when he expects the UK to be able to support consistent enforcement across the EU. [96110]
Mr Prisk: I expect to issue a direction to local authorities by 11 May 2012. We support a consistent approach to market surveillance both nationally and across the EU. However, Trading Standards are autonomous of central Government and are free to set their own priorities based on a proportionate approach to risk in line with better regulation principles.
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, which authorities have taken action in response to concerns from industry. [96111]
Mr Prisk: Local authorities are not required to inform us of their market surveillance activities regarding lighters and as a result we do not have a complete picture of the activities that have been undertaken in response to concerns from industry.
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Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2011, Official Report, column 275W, on lighters: safety, what assessment he has made of the implementation by local authorities of Commission Decision 2006/502/EC on child-resistant lighters; and if he will publish any such assessment. [96112]
Mr Prisk: No assessment has been made of the implementation of Commission Decision 2006/502/EC in the UK. This is not a legal requirement for member states.
Medicine: Research
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress his Department has made in implementing the Strategy for UK Life Sciences. [96761]
Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is working closely with other Government Departments and Regulators to drive the Strategy forward. Progress to date includes:
The appointment of two independent Life Sciences Champions: Professor Sir John Bell and Chris Brinsmead. They will act as advocates of the UK life sciences industry; provide support and challenge on implementation of the Strategy; and report bi-annually to Ministers and No. 10 on progress.
We have commenced a review of the existing governance structures across the life sciences sector to identify whether a suitable group already exists to act as the Life Sciences Advisory Board. My officials are working with the Life Sciences Champions and key Departments to develop appropriate programme management and metrics.
The Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board are working on details of the Biomedical Catalyst which is expected to be launched later in the spring.
The Medicines and Health Care products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is bringing forward consultation proposals for an 'Earlier Access Scheme'. The MHRA is currently finalising the consultation documents for the month of March. Additionally, an Impact Assessment is being carried out for the scheme, with input from my Department.
Nine apprenticeships at post A-level education commenced on 7 February 2012. These apprenticeships form the first tranche of a programme led by Cogent to provide an alternative pathway for entry into industry at the technician level. Our ambition is to deliver 420 apprenticeships over the next five years.
A Technical Apprenticeship Service (TAS) which acts as a one stop shop for life sciences employers to access the apprenticeship programme has been up and running since January 2012.
To increase the uptake of industry placements in the UK an initial proposal for an industrial placement strategy has been drawn up.
New Businesses: Cumbria
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the availability of credit to new businesses in (a) Cumbria and (b) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency; and what steps he is taking to increase this availability. [96284]
Mr Prisk: The Government have made it clear that ensuring the flow of credit to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is essential for supporting growth and is a core priority.
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Bank lending data are not collated at regional or constituency level by the Department. However, the recent conclusion of the Merlin Agreement shows that the five main UK banks made £74.9 billion of credit available to small and medium-sized businesses in 2011.
Further to this, during the last 18 months, the number and value of Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loans to businesses in (a) Cumbria is 82 with a value of £6.67 million and (b) Westmorland and Lonsdale 23 with a value of £1.60 million.
The Government also recently announced the National Loan Guarantee scheme, which will increase the affordability of bank credit to small businesses. Details on how the scheme can be accessed by SMEs will be given shortly.
Oxford and Cambridge Universities: Admissions
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people in each parliamentary constituency applied to study at Oxford and Cambridge universities in the last 10 years. [94537]
Mr Willetts: The information provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Offices
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) post offices have closed and (b) sub-post office franchises have not been renewed or replaced since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [96591]
Norman Lamb: Post Office Ltd is responsible for operational matters pertaining to the post office network, which includes the information requested. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the managing director of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
This Government have been clear that there will be no further programme of post office closures. We have provided £1.34 billion to maintain a post office network of at least 11,500 branches, and for Post Office Ltd to continue to meet the strict access criteria. Network figures published in a written ministerial statement on 24 January 2012, Official Report, columns 8-12WS, show that there were 11,801 post office branches open and trading at the end of December 2011.
Self-employed: Adoption
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether self-employed adoptive parents are entitled to adoption allowances; and if he will make a statement. [96259]
Norman Lamb:
Self-employed adopters do not qualify for statutory adoption pay (SAP). Under the qualifying conditions for SAP, an individual must: be an employee; work for someone who is liable to pay the employer's share of their class one national insurance contributions; earn at least the lower earnings limit; and have 26 weeks'
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continuous service with their employer by the time they are notified of having been matched with a child for adoption.
However, under statutory adoption guidance, local authorities are asked to consider making a payment equivalent to maternity allowance in cases where adopters do not qualify for SAP. This might happen where an adopter is self-employed, does not have sufficient qualifying service with their employer or is low-paid.
In addition, all prospective adopters (irrespective of whether they are self-employed or not) are entitled to an assessment for financial support in certain circumstances. The provision of that support is discretionary and, in deciding whether to provide adoption support, local authorities must take into account the particular circumstances of the individuals concerned. Local authorities are required to provide an Adoption Support Services Adviser whose role is to give out advice and information to those affected by adoption regarding the services that are available within the local area and how to access those services.
Students: Fees and Charges
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what tuition fee arrangements will apply to students who have deferred for medical reasons prior to the start date of their degree course. [97164]
Mr Willetts: Students who accepted a place on a course to begin in the 2011/12 academic year, but have deferred starting the course due to specific reasons (such as medical reasons) until 1 September 2012 or after, will be subject to the new tuition and maintenance arrangements. The university or college will therefore be able to charge them up to a maximum of £9,000 a year for tuition.
Universities and colleges have the discretion to decide to charge a lower amount for tuition for particular students where they consider it to be appropriate.
Supermarkets: Competition
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward a Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill in the next Session. [95975]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2012, Official Report, column 251W.
The following questions were answered on 22 February 2012
Copyright: Arts
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of audio-visual works and works embedded within them that would need to be licensed under his proposals for the use of works for education under (a) option 5 and (b) option 6 of the Copyright Consultation. [95592]
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Norman Lamb: No estimate has been made of the number of audio-visual works that would need to be licensed. The Government are currently consulting on the scope of copyright exceptions for education, and the costs and benefits of these exceptions and the licenses that relate to them. Interested parties are invited to submit all relevant evidence and data to the Government’s consultation to help assist with analysis of the options under consideration.
Departmental Hospitality
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has spent on (a) wine, (b) other alcoholic refreshments and (c) bottled water since May 2010. [91631]
Norman Lamb [holding answer 25 January 2012]: After research by officials which has resulted in the delay to this answer, I confirm that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Department has installed a system to filter and bottle tap water on site. The Department now no longer purchases bottled water.
Patents: Science
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote innovation through the application of patent law to biomedical inventions. [94859]
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Norman Lamb [holding answer 20 February 2012]: Patent law in the UK is applied to patent applications for inventions arising from all fields of technology including biomedical inventions. The UK’s patent system is designed to encourage invention by enabling inventors to protect new ideas and secure a return for their effort. This protection is provided to patent holders by the grant of time-limited exclusive rights in the UK market. In addition, further research by third parties is stimulated because it is a feature of the patent system that details of the invention are made public. This encourages inventions which follow on or work around existing inventions.
UK Export Finance
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 729W, on UK Export Finance, which exporters applied to use UK Export Finance products in 2011-12. [95918]
Norman Lamb: It is not the practice of the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) to routinely publish the names of applicants for its products for reasons of commercial confidentiality. If, subsequently, ECGD issues support for an export contract, details, including the names of exporters, are normally published in ECGD’s Annual Report and Accounts which is laid before Parliament.