Human Trafficking
Mr Bone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will support a public debate on the annual report of the Human Trafficking Centre. [96187]
Damian Green [holding answer 23 February 2012]: The UK Human Trafficking Centre is part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. It does not produce a separate annual report. Many human trafficking debates already occur within and outside Parliament.
28 Feb 2012 : Column 201W
Energy and Climate Change
Building Regulations
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussion officials in his Department had with the Department for Communities and Local Government on changes to Part L of Building Regulations prior to the consultation on such changes. [96505]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: DECC officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Department for Communities and Local Government and other Departments to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.
Combined Heat and Power: Finance
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had with HM Treasury on the effect on long-term support for combined heat and power of the (i) removal of levy exemption certificates and (ii) introduction of the carbon price floor. [97163]
Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers and officials meet regularly with their counterparts in HM Treasury to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.
Online Services
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what public services his Department delivers online only. [96893]
Gregory Barker: The following services are delivered solely online by the Department:
Onshore and offshore well drilling consents;
Permits for the use and discharge offshore of approved chemicals for drilling, maintenance and production activities;
Environmental directions under the Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 (as amended);
Submission by industry of European emissions monitoring returns;
Field production, flaring and venting consents;
Notification of offshore decommissioning liabilities;
Overhead electricity line consents.
The following services are delivered solely online by our sponsored bodies and partners:
Combined heat and power site assessment tool (AEA);
UK combined heat and power development map (AEA);
Microgeneration certification scheme supplier certificates (MCS);
Renewable obligation order feed-in tariff accreditation (Ofgem).
Departmental Secondment
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people have been seconded to his Department from the renewable energy sector. [96864]
28 Feb 2012 : Column 202W
Gregory Barker: There are currently no secondees working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change from the renewable energy sector.
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people have been seconded to his Department from the six largest energy suppliers. [96865]
Gregory Barker: There are currently no people seconded to the Department of Energy and Climate Change from the six largest energy suppliers.
Electric Vehicles
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will introduce a requirement for electric cars to make a noise to reduce the risk to (a) vision impaired and (b) other pedestrians of such vehicles. [96767]
Norman Baker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Transport.
The Department for Transport is currently engaged in discussions at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on recommendations for added sound from electric and electric hybrid vehicles. The Department will be seeking to ensure that such vehicles can be clearly heard and identified by visually impaired and other road users in sufficient time, and that the use of bells, chimes, sirens, music or other sounds that “confuse the identification of a vehicle and/or its operation” is prohibited.
Regulations concerning vehicle construction are set at EU level and a recent proposal from the European Commission includes provisions to deal with added sound from electric and electric hybrid vehicles.
Electricity
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to page 25 of Planning our electric future: a White Paper for secure, affordable and low-carbon electricity, what progress he has made towards reducing central Government greenhouse gas emissions by 25%; and by how much central Government greenhouse gas emissions reduced in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [95829]
Gregory Barker: Over the year commencing 14 May 2010 the CO2 emissions of the central Government office estate reduced by 13.8%, compared with the preceding 12 months.
We do not yet have complete data for the year 2011-12. It is intended to publish a report of the pan-Government picture later this year.
Energy: Housing
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress by the Local Energy Assessment Fund in supporting community projects which promote domestic energy efficiency. [97176]
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Gregory Barker: The second tranche of winning LEAF (Local Energy Assessment Fund) projects was announced on 6 February. It is therefore too soon to assess progress in any detail. Work on winning projects will continue to the end of the financial year.
The Department is using the bids to create baselines against which our evaluation of LEAF will be done, later this year when projects are completed.
There is an online facility for LEAF winning communities to enter updates on their projects on the interactive LEAF map. The LEAF map can be accessed at:
http://ceo.decc.gov.uk
Energy: Meters
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that any lack of consumer engagement does not adversely affect the timetable for the smart meter rollout. [97195]
Charles Hendry: Timely and effective consumer engagement will be vital to ensure that consumers benefit from smart meters. The Smart Meters Implementation Programme has been working on the development of a strategy for consumer engagement and we will publish a consultation on the strategy in spring, which will include proposals on the objectives and activities for consumer engagement. Among these will be activities which need to be undertaken between now and the start of mass rollout to help ensure that suppliers can gain access to domestic properties for the installation of smart meters.
Energy: Planning Permission
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 476W, on energy: planning permission, for what reasons the Government does not believe that the Secretary of State is the appropriate decision-maker for major energy infrastructure in Scotland and Northern Ireland. [96995]
Gregory Barker: The major infrastructure planning regimes are different in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for historical reasons and reflect each nation's devolution settlement. The Planning Act 2008 and Localism Act 2011, which broadly cover England and Wales, introduced the current major infrastructure planning regime. These changes were devolution neutral and did not make any significant changes to the division of responsibility between the local and national consenting authorities.
Northern Ireland operates a separate electricity network and market, which it shares with the Republic of Ireland. The electricity networks infrastructure in England and Wales have a much greater degree of connectivity than that for England and Scotland, particularly at 132kV. This is due primarily to geographic factors: the network in Scotland tends to be focused on the central belt around Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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Green Deal Scheme
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library the guidelines, briefings and policy option documents issued to stakeholders by the Green Deal Code of Practice team on warranties for measures fitted as part of the Green Deal. [96506]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: In light of responses received from the Green Deal consultation, we are currently reviewing the policy on what warranties should be provided as part of a Green Deal plan. A simple discussion paper was written and sent to potential Green Deal providers and other industry experts to provide an early indication of options suggested by stakeholders. The paper does not form an official Government response to the consultation but can be found at the following link:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/tackling-climate-change/green-deal/4459-green-deal-provider-warranty-proposals-draft-for-.pdf
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consultancy work his Department has commissioned related to the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation; and when he expects the outcomes of such work to be published. [96547]
Gregory Barker: We have commissioned advice from Grant Thornton, Ipsos Mori, Quadrangle, Deloitte LLP, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst and Young. This advice was for DECC's own use in the policy making process and programme management and did not produce reports which were intended for publication. Deloitte also produced two reports on Green Deal finance and accounting for external use which have been published:
Green Deal Finance: Public sector consideration for the Green Deal
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/gd_industry/gd_la/gd_la.aspx
Green Deal Finance: Accounting for the Green Deal in Energy Suppliers
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/gd_industry/energy_compani/energy_compani.aspx
Grant Thornton were commissioned to carry out a fraud risk review of the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation and present internal recommendations to DECC to ensure fraud is minimised in the design of both programmes.
We also commissioned two pieces of work in relation to consumer research. Both of these were published alongside the Green Deal and ECO Consultation Document.
Consumer needs and wants for the Green Deal
Qualitative research exploring the consumer response to the Green Deal proposition among homeowners and small businesses
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green-deal/3505-green-deal-consumer-needs-wants.pdf
Green Deal and the Private Rented Sector
Consumer research among tenants and landlords
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green-deal/3506-green-deal-consumer-research-prs.pdf
28 Feb 2012 : Column 205W
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what key milestones his Department has set to monitor progress towards the launch of the Green Deal. [96548]
Gregory Barker: The Government published draft secondary legislation alongside their consultation on 23 November 2011 (available from the DECC website). Subject to parliamentary approval, we expect to have the final legislation on the statute book by the summer recess.
The Green Deal is a market driven mechanism and the Department is working closely with a wide range of stakeholders (including energy suppliers, financiers and potential Green Deal providers, assessors and installers) to ensure that the framework needed for Green Deals to happen is put in place by autumn 2012.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration he has given to data-sharing between the Government and energy suppliers as a means of identifying and targeting households to be assisted by the Green Deal. [96855]
Gregory Barker: The Department, with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), has considered the opportunities available to share information to enable targeting of the Green Deal. From April, DCLG expects to make energy efficiency information publicly available from the Register of Energy Performance Certificates in England and Wales. The information will also be available in bulk to certain authorised users, such as those certified under the Green Deal framework.
DCLG have published a Privacy Impact Assessment which sets out the safeguards that will be put in place to protect the privacy of individuals and ensure they can opt out of having their data made available in this way.
Housing: Insulation
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what policies his Department has put in place to realise the Government's goal to insulate all lofts and cavities by 2020. [96546]
Gregory Barker: The Government's Carbon Plan sets out our overall ambition to reduce emissions from domestic and commercial buildings. The Green Deal will be launched later this year to help drive energy efficiency in buildings. Although Government have not set a formal sub-target for any individual measures, loft and wall insulation will be central, including completing practicable lofts and cavities by 2020 and supporting solid wall insulation through the Energy Company Obligation.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many solid wall insulation installations there were under the Community Energy Saving Programme in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011; how many such installations he expects under this programme in 2012; and how many he expects there to be under the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation in (i) 2013, (ii) 2014 and (iii) 2015. [96549]
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Gregory Barker: Ofgem published their estimate of measures installed under the Community Energy Saving Scheme (CESP) in September 2011. This indicated that 6,660 solid wall measures (internal and external) had been installed under CESP up to June 2011. Data for the period up to the end of 2011 will be published in March this year.
The CESP impact assessment estimated that around 42,000 solid wall measures would be installed under CESP by the end of the scheme in December 2012.
The expected levels of solid wall insulation installation under Green Deal and ECO are in the process of being updated. The following figures were published in the consultation impact assessment in November 2011: (i) 149,822 in 2013, (ii) 181,133 in 2014, and (iii) 45,964 in Q1 of 2015 (up until the end of the initial ECO period in March 2015). These figures did not consider supply chain constraints and updated figures will be published in the final stage impact assessment due for publication this spring.
Nuclear Power Stations
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider visiting the Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire in 2012 for the purpose of meeting workers and management to discuss progress in reducing carbon dioxide emissions at this facility. [96271]
Gregory Barker: Subject to diary commitments a DECC Minister would be happy to visit Ironbridge Power Station when in the region. We are aware of plans to convert one unit at the station from coal to biomass.
Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 473, on feed-in tariffs, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there has been a 45 per cent. reduction in estimated installation costs since 2009. [96352]
Gregory Barker: DECC's latest evidence on falls in solar photovoltaic (PV) costs is set out in the draft impact assessment supporting the current consultation on solar PV cost control, and is available to view at:
www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 473, on feed-in tariffs, how many solar PV installations (a) were planned under the last administration and (b) are projected to take place by 2015. [96354]
Gregory Barker: Modelling undertaken prior to the launch of the FITs scheme projected that there would be approximately 310,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) installations under FITs by April 2015. Given uptake to date and under the central scenario for future uptake set out in the impact assessment accompanying the current consultation on solar PV, see:
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www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
we estimate that there could be approximately 930,000 solar PV installations by April 2015.
Estimates of future solar PV growth are extremely uncertain, and depend on a number of assumptions such as future PV costs, and the growth of the PV market. DECC is continuously reviewing its estimates in the light of the latest evidence, and will provide updated assessments for the final impact assessment published alongside the Government response to the current consultation.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 474, on feed-in tariffs, what the current installed capacity of solar power is; and what forecast his Department has made of the solar capacity expected to be installed by (a) 2013, (b) 2014, (c) 2015, (d) 2016, (e) 2017, (f) 2018, (g) 2019 and (h) 2020. [96356]
Gregory Barker: The Department publishes the number and installed capacity of installations supported by FITs on a monthly basis. These statistics are available at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/fits/fits.aspx
DECC's estimate of solar photovoltaic capacity estimated to come forward from 2012-13 to 2020-21 under our proposals is set out in the following table. This represents the central growth scenario that was modelled for the impact assessment supporting the current consultation on solar PV cost control see:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
| Mw, rounded capacity (Central Scenario) | |
The figures in the table give the central assumption on possible PV deployment levels if costs fall as rapidly as forecast in the independent analysis commissioned for DECC. The impact assessment sets out the considerable uncertainty surrounding these PV costs and learning rates assumptions, and sets out the wide range of potential deployment by 2020 under high and low PV cost assumptions. It is important to note that any deployment of PV at large scale would also depend on addressing issues around distribution and transmission network costs.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 474, on feed-in tariffs, what the evidential basis is for the statement that up to 20GW of solar power could be installed in the UK by 2020. [96357]
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Gregory Barker: Under the central deployment scenario set out in the Impact Assessment accompanying the current consultation on solar photovoltaic (PV) cost control:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
we estimate that there could be approximately 22 GW of solar PV by 2020 in the central scenario. The assumptions behind this estimate are set out in the Impact Assessment.
Estimates of future solar PV growth are extremely uncertain, and depend on a number of assumptions such as future PV costs, and the growth of the PV market.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 478, on feed-in tariffs, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the cost to consumers will be £1.5 billion if the Government loses its appeal to the Supreme Court. [96359]
Gregory Barker: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 479W, to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas).
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to the Impact Assessment, Comprehensive Review Phase 2A consultation on feed-in tariffs for solar PV, what forecast his Department has made of the number of properties that (a) have an energy efficiency rating of Level D or higher and (b) are expected to have an energy efficiency rating of Level D by (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14, (iii) 2014-15 and (iv) 2015-16. [96362]
Gregory Barker: The Impact Assessment supporting the Government's response to the consultation on Feed-in Tariffs for solar photovoltaics refers to estimates based on the 2009 English Household Survey dwelling sample data which suggest that the proportion of houses currently at or above Band D is just under 50% (or approximately 11.3 million dwellings), while slightly more non-domestic buildings were at this level.
Although the Department has not conducted analysis specifically on level E-G properties getting to a level of D, our analysis shows that through the uptake of forthcoming Green Deal finance an average of 60,000 households in bands D-G could be brought up to an energy performance certificate rating of above D each year between 2013 and 2022.
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of projected expenditure on feed-in tariffs within the spending envelope in each year to 2015. [96615]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: DECC's estimates of projected expenditure versus the FITs budget for the spending review period under our central scenario are set out in Annex A of the impact assessment supporting the current consultation on solar PV cost control:
www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/fits-review/4320-feedin-tariffs-review-phase-2a-draft-impact-asses.pdf
28 Feb 2012 : Column 209W
Estimates of future scheme costs are extremely uncertain, and depend on a number of assumptions such as future technology costs, and market growth. DECC is continuously reviewing its estimates in the light of the latest evidence, and will provide updated assessments for the final impact assessment published alongside the Government response to the current consultation.
Severn Water: Environment Protection
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will visit the new Severn Water headquarters in Shrewsbury to see the construction methods ensuring an environmentally friendly carbon neutral impact. [96265]
Gregory Barker: I welcome the news that Severn Trent Water has invested in its flagship headquarters, which demonstrates a strong commitment to saving energy and building a green future. It provides an encouraging exemplar for other UK businesses, and I wish them well with the project. I would be happy to consider an invitation to the building when next in the region.
Solar Power
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average level of income received was from the feed-in tariff by households with domestic solar PV installations in 2010-11. [95622]
Gregory Barker: For the 18,073 domestic (<4kW) installations in the 2010-11 period, Ofgem estimate that total generation payments of £5,919,525.48 and export payments of £209,752.80 were made. These figures are based on the total number of installations registered over the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March2011.
Ofgem does not, and is not required to, collect data on individual payments under the Feed-in Tariffs scheme.
Wales
Action for Employment
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contracts her Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) value is of each such contract. [97027]
Mr David Jones: The Wales Office holds no contracts with A4e.
Departmental Pay
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 or more and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum in the latest period for which figures are available. [96910]
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing
Mr Raynsford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2012, Official Report,
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column 577W, how many homes qualified for the affordable homes premium in years 1 and 2, in each local authority area in England. [R] [96680]
Grant Shapps [holding answer 27 February 2012]: A copy of the table giving the figures for year 2 has been placed in the Library of the House.
The first affordable homes premium will be paid as part of the year 2 new homes bonus final allocation. This is paid in respect of affordable homes completed between April 2010 and April 2011. This is because the affordable homes data are collected on an April to April basis, but not available until the following October. Data for the main grant are collected October to October and available by the end of October.
A total of £21.2 million affordable housing premium has been allocated for year 2 in respect of 60,690 gross affordable units, of which 60,643 were affordable housing and 47 were affordable Traveller pitches.
Affordable Housing: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new units of affordable housing in the London Borough of Bexley were (a) one bedroom, (b) two bedroom, (c) three bedroom and (d) four or more bedroom (i) flats and (ii) houses in each of the last five years. [96726]
Andrew Stunell: The following table provides information on new build affordable housing completions for the London borough of Bexley through the Homes and Communities Agency's National Affordable Housing Programme and previous programme over the five years 2006-07 to 2010-11.
| Number of new build completions of affordable housing in the London borough of Bexley, by type of accommodation and number of bedrooms, 2006 - 10 | |||||||||
| Flat | House | ||||||||
| Number of bedrooms: | Number of bedrooms: | ||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Total | |
| Source: Homes and Communities Agency Investment Management System | |||||||||
The figures do not include affordable homes delivered through acquisition and refurbishment schemes. The table does not include affordable homes delivered by the local authority or through Section 106 without grant.
Coastal Communities Fund
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what methodology was used to determine the amount of funding for each part of the UK in the Coastal Communities Fund. [96005]
Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 February 2012, Official Report, column 778W.
Council Housing: West Midlands
Karen Lumley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he
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has made of the number of new local authority homes to be built in
(a)
Redditch and
(b)
the West Midlands in 2012, arising from changes to the housing revenue account. [97269]
Andrew Stunell: Over time we expect local authorities to be in a position to self fund new housing and those authorities who have paid down debt in the past will be in a position to build new homes with or without further support. The circumstances will vary from authority to authority and will depend on their own assessments of housing need. The self financing settlement is necessarily formulaic and it is not possible for central Government to estimate the scope for new homes at the individual authority level.
Green Deal Scheme
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the expected level of take-up for the Green Deal in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 as of result of the new requirements placed on consequential improvements under his proposals for new building regulation standards. [96550]
Andrew Stunell: The consultation stage impact assessment published on 31 January 2012 alongside the wider paper proposing changes to Part L of the Building Regulations to introduce new requirements for consequential improvements for existing buildings estimates that the potential number of properties to which this policy would relate would be 120,000 in 2013, 910,000 in 2014 and 970,000 in 2015. The Part L consultation states that Green Deal must be available as an option to meet the up-front cost of any consequential improvements, although building owners are free to choose another financing mechanism.
Non-domestic Rates
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the merits of introducing a 2% cap on business rates; and if he will make a statement. [96276]
Robert Neill: No assessment has been made of the merits of introducing a 2% cap on business rates.
We are giving businesses the option of spreading the retail prices index increase for 2012-13 over the next three years. Businesses will be able to defer payment of 60% of the retail prices index increase in their 2012-13 rates bills until 2013-14 and 2014-15. This will give businesses flexibility to manage their rates bills in the current economic climate, help their cash flow, and give them time to adjust to the impact of inflation.
We have also extended the small business rate relief holiday, effectively doubling small business rate relief throughout 2012-13, providing reliable financial help to small firms and small shops.
Justin Tomlinson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how much was provided to businesses through the business rate relief scheme in each of the last five years; and what
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the total cost of the business rate relief scheme was in each year; [96277]
(2) how much was collected in business rates in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [96278]
Robert Neill: Details of the net yield from national non-domestic rates collected in England between 2006-07 and 2010-11—ie the amount collected after reliefs have been deducted but before an allowance for collection costs and losses—are available in Table 1 of the Statistical Release ‘National non-domestic rates collected by local authorities in England 2010-11’ that was published on the DCLG website on 25 August 2011 and can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/nondomesticrates/outturn/
Table 1 also gives details of the type and value of relief granted in each year; these figures are explained more fully in Tables 3a to 3c in the same publication.
Planning Permission
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions officials in his Department had with officials in the Regulations Oversight Group of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills prior to the introduction of the Non-domestic Self-funding Software Validation Service. [96568]
Andrew Stunell [holding answer 27 February 2012]: The introduction of the Non-domestic Self-funding Software Validation Service involved no regulatory changes that would, in the normal course of events, require discussion with the Regulations Oversight Group of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
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.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he carried out (a) a consultation exercise and (b) an impact assessment prior to the introduction of the Non-domestic Self-funding Software Validation Service. [96570]
Andrew Stunell
[holding answer 27 February 2012]: The Department has held, and continues to hold, discussions with industry partners about how best to
28 Feb 2012 : Column 213W
deliver, and maintain, the validation service for software developed by, and to understand the impact of any changes on, 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.
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.
Social Services: Disadvantaged
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many councils have allocated the 60 per cent. of funding to access the 40 per cent. matched funding from central Government to deal with troubled families. [97156]
Grant Shapps: This information is not currently available. Funding for the Troubled Families programme becomes available from 2012-13. However local authorities' preparations for the Troubled Families programme are under way; every upper tier local authority has accepted an offer of £20,000 preparatory funding in this financial year for the programme.
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new family workers he has recruited to work with troubled families; and with which councils they work. [97157]
Grant Shapps:
Recruitment of individual Troubled Families co-ordinators will be handled by upper tier local authorities. Troubled Families co-ordinators will have a strategic role in local authorities to plan, develop and co-ordinate services for troubled families and lever in resources from partners locally. Funding for these
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co-ordinators will be provided to local authorities from April 2012, so we would expect them to be in post soon after that.
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the £448 million allocated to the 120,000 families has been allocated to date; and what expressions of interest he has received from local authorities outside the areas of the family support pilots in the creation of community budget schemes. [97285]
Grant Shapps: The £448 million will become available from April 2012 to all upper tier local authorities. All of these authorities have accepted an offer of £20,000 preparatory funding in this financial year for the programme, which is a strong indication of interest across England. Further details on the arrangements for the new programme, including the payment arrangements, will be announced shortly as they are currently under development.
Urban Areas: Planning Permission
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of new retail floor space completed in each year since 2006 based on Valuation Office Agency data was in a town centre. [96624]
Robert Neill: This information is not held centrally.
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of new retail development, in terms of floor space, that has been granted planning permission since January 2008 is in town centres. [96631]
Robert Neill: Information is not available centrally on the proportion of new retail development granted planning permission in town centres.
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many appeals for major retail developments have been recovered for decision by him since January 2008; what those developments were; whether they were for town centre schemes or in out-of-centre locations; and what the outcome was of each appeal. [96632]
Robert Neill: The Secretary of State has recovered 10 appeals for major retail development since January 2008. Details are shown in the following table:
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28 Feb 2012 : Column 216W
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps (a) to assess the effectiveness of the Government's ‘town centres first’ policy by monitoring (i) the location of new planning consents for major retail applications and (ii) completions of retail developments and (b) to issue frequent and regular reports on the outcome of those assessments. [96648]
Robert Neill: The DCLG draft Statistics Plan in 2011 confirmed that options would be considered for providing statistics to monitor town centre policy.
The Government are committed to supporting town centres; the draft National Planning Policy Framework clearly asks local authorities to recognise town centres as the heart of their communities and pursue policies to support their viability and vitality.
The Government's response to the Portas Review will also outline proposals to support town centres and local high streets.
Wind Power: Planning Permission
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will commission a review of planning policy statement 22 on renewable energy. [96610]
Robert Neill: In our consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework we proposed cancelling Planning Policy Statement 22: “Renewable Energy” together with other policy documents which will be replaced by the framework. We are committed to publishing the final version of the framework by 31 March 2012.
Scotland
Devolution: Advocate-General for Scotland
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent devolution issues the Advocate-General has considered. [96423]
David Mundell: The hon. Member asked a similar question on 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 102W.
Since 10 January 2012, the Advocate-General for Scotland has received a total of 67 minutes notifying him of devolution issues, all of which relate to criminal matters.
Broadcasting
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on the production status of STV. [97208]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I are in contact with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on a range of matters that are relevant to broadcasting in Scotland, including the digital infrastructure and local television.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on the timing of the renewal of the Channel 3 licence in Scotland. [97209]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I are in contact with the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), on a range of matters of matters that are relevant to broadcasting in Scotland, including renewal of the Channel 3 Licence, the digital infrastructure and local television.
Transport
Air Travel Organisers' Licence
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many full-time equivalent staff in her Department are working on reform of the Air Travel Organisers’ Licence. [96618]
Mrs Villiers [holding answer 27 February 2012]: Due to work practices it is difficult to be precise, but I estimate that there is the equivalent of up to two and a half full-time members of staff in the Department for Transport working on reform of the Air Travel Organisers' Licence scheme.
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Bus Services: Concessions
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on means-testing of pensioners' bus passes. [96474]
Norman Baker: We have no plans to introduce means testing to assess eligibility for concessionary bus travel for older people. The right to free bus travel for both older and disabled people is enshrined in primary legislation. In the 2010 spending review, the Government stated that they will protect the statutory entitlement for concessionary bus travel.
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pensioners claimed free bus travel in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) England in each year since the concession's inception. [97342]
Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him to his identical question on 14 September 2011, Official Report, columns 1193-94W.
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on concessionary bus travel for pensioners in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since the scheme was introduced. [97343]
Norman Baker: From 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011, the Department for Transport provided Special Grant funding to local authorities to cover the extra costs of the England-wide statutory off-peak bus travel concession for older and disabled people, which was introduced on 1 April 2008. The Special Grant funding allocated to each travel concession authority (TCA) is shown in the following table:
| £ million | |||
| TCA | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
Concessionary travel is a devolved issue so the Department does not hold information about the funding arrangements for travel concessions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In England, until 31 March 2011, the Department for Transport's Special Grant funded a portion of the statutory concession but the majority of funding was provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government through Formula Grant. The previous government decided that from 1 April 2011, all funding should be through Formula Grant.
Formula Grant is a block grant which is not ring-fenced, so local authorities are free to spend it on any services, not just transport services, in order to meet their statutory obligations. It is not possible to identify how much Formula Grant has been allocated to a TCA for a particular service, such as concessionary travel.
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The Department for Transport also provided £31 million of grant to TCAs in England in 2007-08 for the cost of producing and issuing the England-wide bus passes to all those eligible, of which a total of £2.171 million went to local authorities in the North East—this includes Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority's allocation of £1.028 million.
Bus Services: Finance
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much in (a) capital and (b) revenue her Department will spend on (i) the Better Bus Fund, (ii) community transport and (iii) the Green Bus Fund in each year of the current spending review period. [96757]
Norman Baker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: Funds have been committed for 2011-12, as follows:
(i) the Better Bus Areas Fund (£25 million Capital/£25 million Revenue);
(ii) community transport (£10 million Revenue); and
(iii) the Green Bus Fund (£20 million Capital).
Decisions about the funding allocations for future years in the spend review period will be made at that appropriate time.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many senior civil servants left her 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 her Department was during this period; and if she will make a statement. [96241]
Norman Baker: Since May 2010 77 senior civil servants have left the central Department, its seven Executive agencies and its public bodies.
The average rate of turnover of senior civil servants in the central Department, its seven Executive agencies and its public bodies was 37.25% during this period.
The rate of turnover reflects the restructuring of the Department that took place for senior civil servants during 2010-11.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she took to ensure Transforming DVLA Services consultation complied with the code of practice on consultations. [97080]
Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, column 153W.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Enforcement
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the revenue generated by Area Enforcement DVLA enforcement centres in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement. [97229]
Mike Penning: The information requested is not held in the format requested and would incur disproportionate costs to gather.
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Electric Vehicles
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding has been allocated to the Plugged-in-Places programme for the purpose of the establishment of plug-in vehicle recharging infrastructure across the UK in each year of the comprehensive spending review period. [96621]
Norman Baker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: £30 million has been allocated to the Plugged-In Places programme from April 2010 to March 2013, nominally split into £10 million each financial year. The profile of spend is dependant on draw down of the available funds by the Plugged-In Places schemes.
Fuels: Excise duties
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on feebate schemes which provide a refund to buyers of new cars for purchasing low-emission vehicles funded by taxation on high-emission vehicles. [95847]
Norman Baker: DFT has not commissioned or evaluated any recent research on feebate schemes which provide a refund to buyers of new cars for purchasing low-emission vehicles funded by taxation on high-emission vehicles, this work would be the responsibility of HMT. The Government continue to support the uptake of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles through the provision of around £300 million to support customer incentives like the existing Plug-In Car Grant, which has recently been extended to include vans.
Large Goods Vehicles: Safety
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what impact assessment her Department carried out prior to plans for the trial of longer semi-trailers in respect of the potential effects on (a) cyclists and (b) other vulnerable road users; and if she will make a statement. [97165]
Mike Penning: The Department's revised Impact Assessment on the trial of longer semi-trailers took into account evidence submitted on the potential impact on vulnerable road users, including cyclists.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will consider commissioning research into the potential risks posed by longer semi-trailers to cyclists and other vulnerable road users; and if she will suspend the trial pending the outcome of that research. [97166]
Mike Penning: No. Thorough research has already been undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory on the risk to all road users, including cyclists. This indicates that there should be no detectable difference in safety between existing trailers and the proposed longer trailers.
Ian Austin:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport has met
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representatives from
(a)
cycling organisations,
(b)
haulage organisations and
(c)
motoring organisations since May 2010. [97167]
Mike Penning: My fellow parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), and I have frequently met with representatives from such organisations.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the oral answer to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) of 15 September 2011, Official Report, column 1163, on heavy goods vehicles, if she will set out the evidential basis for his claim that, ‘We considered carefully whether longer semi-trailers posed a risk to cyclists in particular, and the risk is not there'; and if she will place a copy of any supporting evidence in the Library. [97289]
Mike Penning: The research report by the Transport Research Laboratory, TRL PPR526 (available on the Department for Transport website) concluded that:
“Overall it is considered likely that the effects of the measures under consideration will be sufficiently small to make it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to identify them in a reliable post-hoc analysis after implementation or to have any measurable effect on the overall long-term downward trend in HGV accident involvement rates.”
Rescue Services: Air Force
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions fixed wing top cover search and rescue RAF aircraft were (a) requested by and (b) provided to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in each of the last five years; and where each incident took place. [96184]
Mike Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency will request, if required, that the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss scramble the most appropriate aircraft for a search and rescue mission. The number of times a Nimrod has been scrambled in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Number | |
This information is available on the Defence Analytical Services and Advice website
www.dasa.mod.uk
Details about the location of each of the incidents are available in the search and rescue annual reports, available at:
http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index. php?page=67&pubType=0&thiscontent=1500&date=2012-02-22
Rescue Services: Contracts
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans that the bidders for the Long Term Search and Rescue Helicopter contract will be down selected. [97004]
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Mike Penning: The down selection will take place very shortly. When it has taken place, details will be published on the DFT website.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which companies bid for the Long Term Search and Rescue Helicopter contract; and which bidding lot or combination of bidding lots they bid for. [97005]
Mike Penning: A number of organisations have expressed an interest in this procurement competition. The DFT will release information on which organisations are to be invited to participate in the competitive dialogue phase when the result of the pre-qualification evaluation is announced.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans that the (a) shortlisted bidder down selection, (b) final tender submission and (c) final contract award will be announced for the Long Term Search and Rescue Helicopter contract. [97006]
Mike Penning: The down selection will take place very shortly and a public announcement will be made at that time. The timetable for future stages of the procurement will be made clear to bidders when the Invitation to Participate in Dialogue documentation is issued, but I expect the final contract to be awarded early in 2013.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the contract length between bidding Lot 1 and Lot 2 in the Long Term Search and Rescue Helicopter contract is different. [97007]
Mike Penning: The contract lengths have been designed to ensure the contracts provide value for money to the taxpayer. These contracts are similar in length to other commercial helicopter contracts, for example in the oil and gas industry. They also ensure the large and small aircraft required under the different contracts retain a useful residual value after the contracts have expired, and prevent DFT from taking long term risks on salary forecasts for SAR personnel.
Rescue Services: Scotland
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the (a) high risk, (b) very high risk and (c) medium risk cells within the Threshold Search and Operating Area are wholly in Scottish territorial waters. [97008]
Mike Penning: Cells are not designated territorially within the UK search and rescue region. I refer the hon. Member to page 10 of the UK Search and Rescue Helicopter Provision and Coverage Criteria Report 2001 (updated 2006), where the classification of each cell in the UK SAR region can be seen:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/anatec_2006_update_to_coverage_report.doc
Roads: Accidents
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to reduce the length of time that roads are closed after accidents. [96675]
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Mike Penning: Tackling the disruption caused by incidents on the road network is a key priority for this Government. As such, this Department is leading a joint initiative called CLEAR with the emergency services, Highways Agency and the Home Office to reduce the time taken to re-open motorways following an incident.
As part of this initiative we published a review and action plan in May 2011. This action plan included a £3.14 million fund to assist police forces in purchasing 3D laser scanning technology to help speed up accident investigation and reduce the length of time that roads may need to be closed.
On 29 December 2011 I announced the outcome of awards from this fund. A total of £2.7 million was awarded to 27 forces across the country, enabling 37 scanners to be purchased, which will start to be used from spring 2012.
Speed Limits
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to encourage more widespread use of 20 mph limits in communities for the purposes of enabling safer walking and cycling; and whether she plans to issue revised guidance on setting local speed limits. [97105]
Norman Baker [holding answer 27 February 2012]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 January 2012, Official Report, column 314. Ministers plan to issue revised guidance on setting local speed limits later this year.
Transport: Expenditure
Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2012, Official Report, column 39W, on transport: expenditure, what methodology was used to calculate the total identifiable expenditure figures in Table 6 and Table 7; and whether this methodology took account of the benefits of expenditure in one region for other regions. [95814]
Norman Baker: The tables referred to were compiled as a part of the Country and Regional Analysis carried out annually by HM Treasury across public authorities and for which HM Treasury publishes guidance
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/cra_guidance_annexb.pdf
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/cra_guidance_annexc.pdf
HM Treasury looks across a number of years on expenditure to decide whether a funding line is large enough to be allotted to reduce the reporting burden. Some items are considered non-identifiable. For example funding for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is usually considered to benefit the country as a whole and thus not identifiable.
Departments are asked to consider who benefits from the expenditure. This is done where it is straight forward but for some transport areas this can be difficult. For example the benefit of expenditure on a stretch of a major motorway can be difficult to assign to regions. Where it is not possible to assign benefits to regions, allocation is usually done by examining where the money is spent.
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Home Department
Ministers: Official Residences
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Ministers in her Department have the use of grace and favour homes. [96868]
Damian Green: Home Office Ministers do not have the use of grace and favour homes.
Animal Welfare: Standards
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the likely effects of transposing the EU Directive 2010/63/EU on animal welfare standards into UK law. [96847]
James Brokenshire: European Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes must to be transposed into United Kingdom legislation by 10 November 2012 and implemented from 1 January 2013. We currently aim to table regulations to transpose the provisions of the Directive in May 2012. An impact assessment of the options for transposition is being prepared and will consider the effects of the transposition options on animal welfare standards as well as other impacts. The impact assessment will be published in due course with the regulations.
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Asylum
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers left the country (a) voluntarily and (b) through enforced deportation in each of the last five years. [96602]
Damian Green: Deportations are a specific subset of removals which are enforced either following a criminal conviction or when it is judged that a person's removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The deportation order prohibits the person returning to the UK until such time as it may be revoked. Most illegal immigrants are removed under administrative or illegal entry powers from the UK rather than being deported.
Central management systems cannot accurately identify the numbers of enforced removals from the UK, from the number of voluntary departures after enforcement action had been initiated.
It is also not possible to identify the stage in the asylum process that the nationals of any country have reached at the time of their removal, including whether their claim has failed at that point and that they are failed asylum seekers, because those departing voluntarily can do so at any stage without notifying the UK Border Agency.
The following table shows the total number of asylum cases removed (including those who have been deported) or departed voluntarily from the UK by type in each year from 2007 to 2011.
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics within the Immigration Statistics release. A copy of the latest release, Immigration Statistics October to December 2011, published on 23 February 2012, is available from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
and will be placed in the Library of the House.
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of legacy asylum cases that are archived due to lack of communication with the applicant. [96730]
Damian Green: As Rob Whiteman reported to the Home Affairs Select Committee on 22 December 2011, the number of cases placed in the controlled archive has reduced from an initial figure of 98,000 cases to 93,000 cases.
Biometrics
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has made an estimate of the number of people who have biometric data stored in the UK. [96026]
Damian Green:
The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) does not keep records in the format requested. IPS holds biometric data in the form of facial photographs.
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These images are stored on file by IPS, printed in the passport book and, in newer passports, stored on the chip in the passport book. There are currently approximately 48.5 million UK passports in circulation. An exact figure cannot be given because lost and stolen passports may not be replaced immediately.
Civil Disorder
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to require police authorities to record crimes relating to public disorder as rioting rather than as violent disorder for the purposes of enabling businesses to claim compensation. [95020]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 21 February 2012]: Under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886, police authorities are responsible for assessing individual claims made to them, including whether the activities that took place should be classed as a riot. This is based on the legal definition of a riot as set out in Section 1 of the Public Order Act 1986.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if she will assess the practice of recording rioting as violent disorder by Nottingham Police Authority and Leicestershire Police Authority; [95021]
(2) what assessment she has made of the practice by police authorities of recording rioting as violent disorder; [95022]
(3) whether she has any plans to take steps to improve consistency among police authorities in the recording of riot-related crime. [95023]
Nick Herbert [holding answer 21 February 2012]: The recording of all crimes, including riot, is governed by the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR). In the case of Riot and Violent Disorder, which are offences under sections 1 and 2 respectively of the 1986 Public Order Act, the HOCR require that police forces record such an offence when the crime is made out as laid down in that legislation. It is a matter for forces to assess each incident on a case-by-case basis and determine the appropriate recording decision.
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has recently completed an assessment of the quality of crime and incident data in all forces in England and Wales, which found that in the case of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire their data presented a fair picture. HMIC will carry out further such assessments in due course as part of their future work programme.
Criminal Records: EU Action
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department since what date the UK has been exchanging data with other EU member states under the terms of the Prüm decision of 2008. [97214]
James Brokenshire:
The United Kingdom has not yet implemented the Prüm Council Decisions. The reasons for this were set out in my letter of 9 November 2011 to the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee.
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As the United Kingdom has not implemented the Prüm Decisions it has not exchanged any data with other EU member states under their terms.
Departmental ICT
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 353W, on the internet, if her Department will make public any decision made to (a) enhance existing capabilities within law enforcement and (b) provide additional resources for new capabilities. [96473]
James Brokenshire: We will consider public announcements in due course, taking into account both public accountability and the need to protect the operational integrity of capabilities.
Departmental Pay
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in (a) her Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum. [97040]
Damian Green: In line with the coalition Government's commitment to greater transparency in the way public bodies deploy their resources, the Department is required to publish the names and salary information of its most senior civil servants on a six-monthly basis. This information can be found on the Home Office website or at:
www.data.gov.uk
The names and salary information of all members of the senior civil service (SCS) in the Home Office, its Agencies and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary at Pay Band 2 level and above are disclosed there; all earn over £82,900, which is the minimum pay scale for directors.
In addition, 12 members of the SCS in the Home Office and its Agencies at Pay Band 1 level receive a base annual salary of £100,000 or more.
The names and salary information of senior staff in the Department's non-departmental public bodies can also be found on
www.data.gov.uk
Departmental Training
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2012, Official Report, column 187W, on departmental training, where such information is recorded. [95718]
Damian Green [holding answer 23 February 2012]: Information on away days held by the Home Office is not collated centrally and this could be achieved only at disproportionate cost. Departmental training expenditure is recorded on the Home Office's internal accounting system.
Departmental Travel Costs
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has agreed any contracts with (a) private hire vehicle and (b) taxi companies since May 2010. [92846]
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Damian Green: Since May 2010 the Home Department, including its executive agencies, has awarded (a) no contracts with private hire vehicle companies and (b)one contract with a value of £25,000 to a taxi company. The departments expenditure on taxis for the year 2010-11 was £487,000, previous years expenditure has been £920,000 in 2008-09 and £773,000 in 2009-10.
Deportation
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the compliance of G4S under its contract with the UK Border Agency with the guidance in the Ministry of Justice's 2010 Physical Control in Care training manual on the treatment of minors. [92915]
Damian Green: We take the welfare of children in our care very seriously and act in accordance with Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act, which requires all UK Border Agency staff and contractors to carry out their functions with regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
The UK Border Agency contract for escorting services is with Reliance Secure Task Management. The services were provided by G4S Care and Justice Services prior to May 2011.
In order to exercise any use of restraint, detainee custody officers and escorts must be certified by the Secretary of State, a condition of which is that they have undergone training of techniques approved by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS). Officers receive refresher training every 12 months. Any use of restraint must be justified, proportionate and for the shortest possible period to achieve the objective.
Officers employed to escort children under the age of 18 are trained and certified to use the physical control in care (PCC) techniques and procedures contained in the NOMS PCC manual. The manual and training packages were written and accredited by NOMS and the training is delivered by approved PCC instructors. The techniques and the delivery of training are regularly reviewed and assessed by NOMS staff.
Officers are required to complete a report of any use of PCC, which sets out why it was used and what occurred during the incident, including attempts to de-escalate the situation. The report should also reference the role of others in the team. Such reports are reviewed by a senior manager and are then passed to the UK Border Agency for review. It is open to either party to commission an investigation if there are questions as to whether the use of PCC was justified.
Detention Centres
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees have entered each immigration removal centre in each of the last five years; and how many detainees have been removed from the UK directly from each immigration removal centre in each of the last five years. [92035]
Damian Green: The requested information is not available for all of the last five years.
People entering detention, held solely under Immigration Act powers by initial place of detention, have been published since 2009 and are available in table dt.03
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(annual) and dt.03.q (quarterly), by country of nationality of Immigration Statistics July to September 2011 available from the Library of the House and the Home Office Science, Research and Statistics web pages at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
The following table shows people removed on leaving detention by last place of detention from 2007 to Q3 2011:
| People removed on leaving detention by place of last detention and year | |||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | Q1-Q3 2011 | |
| (1) Not applicable. (2) Not available. Notes: 1. Data from Q1 2010 onwards are provisional. 2. All people held are detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers and exclude those in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short-term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. 3. Relates to most recent period of sole detention. The period of detention starts when a person first enters the UK Border Agency estate. If the person is then moved from a removal centre to a police cell or Prison Service establishment, this period of stay will be included if the detention is solely under Immigration Act powers. 4. 2008: Pennine House (formerly named Manchester airport short-term holding facility which closed on 15 June 2008), reopened on 30 November 2008. 5. 2009: Brook House opened on 18 March 2009. 6. 2010: Dover Harbour closed on 31 July 2010. Oakington Reception Centre closed on 12 November 2010. Harwich short-term holding facility closed on 30 November 2010. Yarl's Wood closed to families with children on 16 December 2010. 7. 2011: Morton Hall opened on 16 May 2011. Larne House opened on 5 July 2011. Cedars opened on 17 August 2011 only for families deemed suitable by UK Border Agency, advised by the independent Family Returns Panel, for pre-departure accommodation. | |||||
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people entering and leaving detention, held solely under Immigration Act powers,
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within Immigration Statistics. October to December 2011 detention figures will be published on 23 February 2012 and will be available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, Research and Statistics web pages.
Forensic Science Service
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the survey of forensic scientists carried out by New Scientist, whether she plans to monitor any effects of the closure of the Forensic Science Service on the number of cases of miscarriage of justice. [96292]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 February 2012]:The closure process has ensured an orderly transition of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) services to alternative suppliers and has given suppliers time to develop additional capacity. There is no reason to believe that the closure of the FSS will lead to miscarriages of justice.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the likely level of expenditure by police forces on forensic services following the closure of the Forensic Science Service. [96294]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 February 2012]:The police are planning to reduce their spending on forensics over the next few years, as forces seek to maximise efficiencies in this area. At the end of 2010, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary estimated that the external market for forensic science services would reduce by around 35%, from £170 million in 2009 towards around £110 million by 2015. We are keeping this under review with key stakeholders, including ACPO. The Home Office does not compile details of internal police expenditure on forensics capability, as it is up to individual police authorities and chief constables to decide how best to spend their money.
Fraud: Crime Prevention
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions her Department has had with police forces on the level of resources for tackling financial crime and fraud. [95989]
James Brokenshire: Police authorities are responsible for setting the budget for their individual force in consultation with the chief constable.
The development of the Economic Crime Command of the National Crime Agency will provide an opportunity to examine the enforcement response to financial crime and fraud with a view to improving that response, particularly through improved intelligence and collaborative working.
Fraud: International Co-operation
Mr Raab:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of co-operation in the (a) investigation and (b) prosecution of fraud under
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the convention on the protection of the European Communities' financial interests there have been between the UK and other EU member states in the last five years; and what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the convention. [96752]
Mr Hoban [holding answer 27 February 2012]: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
Co-operation between the UK authorities, other member states and the European Anti-fraud Office, OLAF, has been ongoing over the last five years. The Serious Fraud Office is currently handling two cases referred to it by OLAF, and assists with cases involving other member states as necessary.
The Government believe the current instrument in conjunction with various forms of voluntary co-operation provides an adequate basis for tackling fraud against the EU Budget.
Illegal Immigrants: Northern Ireland
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were detained for attempting to enter the UK illegally through ports and airports in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years were (a) deported and (b) allowed entry into the UK following their detention. [95051]
Damian Green: From 5 July to 30 September 2011, 110 persons entered Northern Ireland’s short-term holding facility. 45 have been subsequently removed and none was granted leave to enter the UK.
This information covers all the UK Border Agency persons in detention and not just Border Force cases seeking to enter the UK through ports and airports in Northern Ireland.
The official published statistics on detention can be found in “Immigration Statistics: July to September 2011”, available from the Library or the Home Office website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q3-2011/detention-q3-11-tabs
Internet: Organised Crime
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will consider the accuracy of the statements made by the Serious Organised Crime Agency in respect of rnbxclusive.com that (a) individuals behind the website had been arrested for fraud and (b) that the majority of files on the website were stolen from artists. [97225]
Nick Herbert: The statements made by the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) are an operational matter. The Home Secretary is not directly involved in SOCA's operational matters, which are the responsibility of its director general.
Marriage of Convenience
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many planned sham marriages were detected and prevented in each of the last five years. [95884]
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Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not hold data on the number of planned sham marriages that were detected and prevented in each of the last five years.
Production Orders: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 517W, on production orders: Wales, and the answer to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington of 30 January 2012, Official Report, column 403W, on police: court orders, for what reason such information is not collected centrally; and whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of production orders issued in (a) the UK and (b) Wales in the last five years. [96779]
Nick Herbert: The information requested is not provided by police forces because it does not form part of the Annual Data Requirement (ADR) which the Home Office makes of police forces. The ADR is considered carefully with a view to reducing the bureaucratic burden on police forces and, as an operational matter which is subject to judicial oversight, we do not see the need to collect this information.
Because the data are not collected centrally, no reasonable estimate of the number of production orders issued can be made.