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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 7 March 2012
Treasury
Bank of England: Scottish Independence
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any preparations have been made for any change in the functions or remit of the Bank of England as they apply to Scotland in the event of Scotland leaving the UK. [95771]
Danny Alexander: The Government are clear that Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it. The Government are not making plans for independence as we are confident that people in Scotland will continue to support the United Kingdom in any referendum.
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Capital Allowances
Chris White: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the cost to the public purse was of capital allowances in each of the last three years; [98222]
(2) what the cost to the public purse was of the annual investment allowance in each of the last three years. [98221]
Mr Gauke: Information on the costs of capital allowances and the annual investment allowance in 2010-11 and 2011-12 is available in HMRC published statistics:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/tax_expenditures/table1-5.pdf
The cost of capital allowances in 2009-10 was £19 billion (of which the annual investment allowance accounted for £1.5 billion).
Capital Gains Tax
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the additional revenue raised as a result of changes to capital gains tax since May 2010. [98104]
Mr Gauke: Estimates of additional capital gains tax revenue resulting from changes since May 2010 have been published in the summer Budget 2010, Budget 2011 and autumn statement 2011 reports. Estimates from these publications for each of the measures are given in the following table:
Capital Gains Tax: Second Homes
Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to ensure that all second homeowners who are liable to pay capital gains tax do so. [98537]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs do not have information on whether any property in the UK is or is not a “second home”. In addition the relief that grants exemption from capital gains tax (CGT) on disposals of an individual's only or main residence allows an individual who owns more than one residence to nominate which property should qualify for that relief.
Where compliance risks are identified HMRC will pursue the appropriate inquiries.
Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks
Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures are in place to regulate bonded warehouses to prevent alcohol duty fraud. [98164]
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Miss Chloe Smith: In order to operate, a warehouse-keeper and excise (bonded) warehouse must first be approved by HM Revenue and Customs as a secure place for the deposit and storage of dutiable goods. Warehouse-keepers are required to provide a security, guaranteeing against the loss of goods in warehouse, and must submit monthly returns and declarations accounting for stock, movements to other warehouses, and volumes of goods released for consumption.
To safeguard against unsuitable persons gaining access to undutied goods, rigorous background checks are conducted, and applicants are required to submit business plans. HMRC conduct pre-approval interviews and conditions of operation may be set. Approvals may also be revoked or varied at any time for reasonable cause, such as evidence of duty fraud.
Approved excise warehouses are subject to a programme of risk-based compliance checking.
Where duty fraud is identified, the warehouse-keeper may be subject to criminal prosecution and/or heavy financial penalties. HMRC will seek to recover duty losses and may issue civil penalties, in addition, up to the equivalent duty value.
Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many successful (a) criminal and (b) civil prosecutions have been brought following steps taken by HM Revenue and Customs to tackle alcohol duty fraud; and what the value was of the duty recouped from such actions. [98165]
Miss Chloe Smith: 12 criminal prosecution cases involving alcohol fraud were completed with 16 defendants convicted in 2009-10, (the last year when figures are available). No prosecutions are brought in civil cases.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) focuses criminal investigations on the impact that can be achieved by closing down the criminal organisations responsible for fraud, rather than bringing a large number of small value convictions. HMRC continue to enhance the impact of its work as can be seen from recent convictions and significant sentences for the operators of an excise warehouse.
The estimated value of the alcohol duty protected as a result of HMRC's criminal investigations was £37 million in 2009-10 and £64 million in 2010-11.
Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of duty stamps on (a) spirits fraud, (b) alcohol fraud and (c) total indirect tax fraud; [98167]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the first year's operation of the alcohol fraud strategy; and whether he plans to review the effectiveness of that strategy; [98168]
(3) what assessment he has made of the transferability of measures to tackle duty fraud on spirits to other categories of alcohol; [98166]
(4) what plans he has to improve the record-keeping by cash and carry warehouses to reduce alcohol duty fraud; [98162]
(5) what assessment he has made of the cost to small and medium-sized breweries of additional legislative measures to tackle beer duty fraud. [98172]
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Miss Chloe Smith: Spirits duty stamps were introduced in 2006 as part of HMRC's strategy to address alcohol duty fraud. Estimated revenue losses from spirits fraud were £320 million in that year, and reduced to £130 million by the end of 2009-10. However, it has not been possible to isolate the specific effect of duty stamps on fraud as it is a single element of a co-ordinated overall strategy.
A renewed ‘Tackling Alcohol Fraud’ strategy was introduced in 2010-11 targeting all forms of alcohol fraud. In its first full year of operation the impact of HMRC enforcement activity across all alcohol products increased by over 50%. The effectiveness of the strategy has recently been reviewed by the National Audit Office.
The Government will consult shortly on new legislative measures to reduce the supply of alcohol products to fraudsters and limit opportunities for the sale of illicit goods, for example, by cash and carry warehouses into retail supply chains. The consultation will explore a range of measures including those currently applying to spirits. The costs to the alcohol industry of any additional legislation to protect the legitimate alcohol trade will be assessed as part of the consultation process.
Government Departments: Procurement
David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures his Department has in place to ensure value-for-money for all procurement; and what savings have been identified by those procedures in the last year for which figures are available. [98093]
Miss Chloe Smith: HM Treasury has established new tougher internal procedures to ensure value for money is achieved for all procurements. It has, for example, implemented the Cabinet Office's strict controls on consultancy spend to ensure that spend is only incurred when there is a robust business case and the work cannot be undertaken by civil servants. Also, in line with Government policy and to benefit from public sector buying power, HM Treasury is centralising common commodity procurement through contracts awarded and managed by the Government Procurement Service.
HM Treasury does not specifically record savings secured through its procurement process. However, the overall procurement expenditure for HM Treasury Group in 2009-10 was £117.5 million (excluding VAT) which fell to £108 million (excluding VAT) in 2010-11.
Higher Education: Northern Ireland
Stephen Pound: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effect of any block grant reduction on the university and higher education sectors in Northern Ireland. [96508]
Danny Alexander: No assessment has been made of the likely effect of any block grant reduction on the university and higher education sectors in Northern Ireland. Once overall public expenditure budgets have been determined, the devolved Administrations have freedom to make their own spending decisions on devolved programmes within their overall totals.
Stephen Pound: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any element of the Northern Ireland block grant is hypothecated for further and higher education in Northern Ireland. [96509]
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Danny Alexander: No elements of the Northern Ireland block grants are hypothecated. Once overall public expenditure budgets have been determined, the devolved Administrations have freedom to make their own spending decisions on devolved programmes within their overall totals.
Housing Revenue Accounts: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has had discussions with Ministers in the Welsh Government on the return of funding from Wales to his Department as a result of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Scheme. [97203]
Danny Alexander: Treasury and Welsh Government Ministers meet from time to time to discuss matters of common interest including the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy Scheme.
Monetary Policy
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has conducted any preparatory work in respect of the (a) monetary policy and (b) currency union implications of an independent Scotland. [95061]
Danny Alexander: The Government are clear that Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it. I set out the Government's analysis of the issues relating to a currency union in my speech to the Scottish Council for Development and Industry on 9 December 2011, which is available on the HM Treasury website.
Moody's Investor Services: Press Releases
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 428W, on Moody's Investor Services, whether his Department requested changes to be made to the draft press release submitted to it by Moody's Investor Services on 13 February 2012; whether any such requested changes were incorporated by Moody's Investor Services into their final press release; and whether he personally was shown a copy of the draft press release and agreed the changes that would be proposed. [98645]
Mr Hoban: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my previous answers of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 840W and 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 428W.
National Insurance: Insolvency
Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many businesses have entered administration as a result of steps taken by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of national insurance payments since 2010; [98094]
(2) how many businesses HM Revenue and Customs has taken action against for late or non payment of national insurance in each of the last three years. [98095]
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Mr Gauke: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
NHS: Reorganisation
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the cost to the public purse of the reorganisation of the NHS since May 2010. [91811]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 26 January 2012]:I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to her oral question on 12 July 2011, Official Report, column 147.
Pensions: Teachers
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a representation from the Scottish Government requesting a valuation by the Government Actuary's Department of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme. [97519]
Danny Alexander: The Chancellor of the Exchequer has not received a representation from the Scottish Government requesting a valuation by the Government Actuary's Department of the Scottish Teachers' Superannuation Scheme.
Public Expenditure
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether all payments made to devolved Administrations as a result of the Chancellor's autumn statement resulted from the Barnett Formula; and what the (a) amount and (b) purpose of such payments was. [98466]
Danny Alexander: The following Barnett consequentials were given to the devolved Administrations in the 2011 autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810:
| £ million | |||
| 2012-13 | 2013-1 4 | 2014-15 | |
In addition, £50 million was made available to the Scottish Government to co-fund the upgrade of the Caledonian Sleeper service.
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Public Expenditure: Wales
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department had with representatives of the Welsh Government on the Holtham Commission's proposals for funding reform in Wales and Welsh Ministers' existing borrowing powers; and when he expects to make an announcement on funding reform. [98357]
Danny Alexander: The Government committed in the 2011 Budget to consider all aspects of the Holtham Commission's reports, including funding reform for Wales. Discussions between the Government and the Welsh Government are taking place on a regular basis.
Public Sector Net Cash Requirement
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the public sector borrowing requirement; and if he will make a statement. [97770]
Danny Alexander: The Independent Office for Budget Responsibility's forecast for public sector net borrowing in 2011-12 is £127 billion, as set out in their November Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The OBR will publish updated economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the Budget.
Smuggling: Alcoholic Drinks
Mark Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the duty value of seizures of (a) spirits, (b) wine and (c) beer made by HM Revenue and Customs was in each year since 2002. [98169]
Miss Chloe Smith: The following table shows the total excise duty and VAT values of seizures of alcohol by HMRC and the UK Border Agency since 2002-03:
| £ | |||
| Beer | Spirits | Wine | |
Tax Avoidance: Civil Servants
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what contingency arrangements he has made for meeting the cost of unwinding the use of tax avoidance arrangements and personal service companies across the civil service; [98486]
(2) if he will publish details of the special circumstances in which the Treasury has permitted the use of personal service companies by senior civil servants; and what the principal public policy considerations are in permitting the use of such companies; [98487]
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(3) what representations he has received on the use of tax avoidance schemes and personal service companies in the civil service. [98488]
Danny Alexander: The Government are committed to tackling all forms of tax avoidance and do not believe that tax avoidance is appropriate in the public sector.
I have announced a review of public sector appointments to examine the extent to which use is made of arrangements whereby the tax position of appointees can be perceived to be minimised, including where they are paid through a personal service company, and to make appropriate recommendations.
It will not be possible to provide further information on the scale of these arrangements and the public policy considerations arising from them, until the review has been completed.
Tax Collection: Complaints
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints HM Revenue and Customs have received about the wording of demand notices in each of the last five years. [98138]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available.
HM Revenue and Customs does not categorise complaints in this way.
Taxation: Motor Vehicles
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to devolve vehicle licensing and taxation powers to the Northern Ireland Executive. [97444]
Danny Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland gave on 7 February 2012, Official Report, column 171W.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Burma
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps he is taking to encourage the government of Burma to end the conflict between the national army and ethnic groups in Kachin and Shan states; [98371]
(2) what steps he is taking to ensure that peace between the Government of Burma and the Karen National Union is long-lasting and that all political prisoners are released. [98372]
Mr Jeremy Browne: We remain deeply concerned about ethnic-based conflicts in Burma, particularly in Shan, Kachin and Karen States. During his visit to the country in January, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs put clearly to the Burmese President and Ministers the steps necessary to address these concerns and that need to be taken before a more fundamental shift in our relationship can take place. These are: humanitarian access to areas affected by conflict; the release of all political prisoners and free and fair by-elections; and a clear process of reconciliation between ethnic groups.
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The President told the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that the reforms would continue and that he was confident that the Burmese Government would soon achieve ceasefires nationwide. He acknowledged the need for humanitarian assistance in conflict areas, and also said that Burma's progress to democracy is irreversible. All Ministers that the Secretary of State met said that all political prisoners would be released. A reversal on this commitment would have serious implications for any further easing of EU restrictive measures.
Since the visit we have seen some encouraging developments. On 12 January the Burmese Government and Karen National Union signed an initial agreement that puts them on the path to a ceasefire. The following day, there was a significant release of political prisoners which will contribute to greater democratic participation in the parliamentary by-elections. We have seen a number of initial peace agreements in various ethnic areas, but the process remains fragile. We also hope to see further prisoner releases in near future.
We will remain in close dialogue with EU partners on next steps, and with Aung San Suu Kyi, to ensure any further decisions support her dialogue and the process of reform. We will, of course, continue to raise our concerns with the Government, through the UN and countries in the region.
Departmental Data Protection
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish details of the six incidents of data loss during 2011; and whether such cases were referred to the Information Commissioner's Office. [98430]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office takes its data handling responsibilities very seriously. Our policies and procedures are designed to ensure that we are compliant with the Data Protection Act 1998 and HMG's Security Policy Framework. All our staff, including those who work for our delivery partners, have a responsibility to manage personal data effectively and securely in line with those policies and procedures. Training in data handling is mandatory for all staff.
Of the six data loss incidents recorded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2011, one was reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This incident involved the possible compromise of sensitive information after the arson attack on the British embassy in Tehran in November.
A breakdown of all six incidents is as follows:
In January 2011 two separate incidents occurred in Madrid whereby DHL vans were broken into and a total of 32 British passports stolen. All passports were cancelled and all customers contacted. DHL reported both incidents to the police and embassy officials held a meeting with DHL to discuss arrangements to ensure the secure delivery of passports.
In March 2011 cancelled passports containing personal details, visa, and residence permits went missing in Pretoria. All passports were cancelled and alerts sent to all ports. All staff members were interviewed, a review of procedures conducted and appropriate changes implemented.
In May 2011 a member of staff had their briefcase stolen from their vehicle in Chicago. Nine applicant CVs and the member of
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staffs own appraisal were in the briefcase. The incident was reported to the police and the applicants were informed of the incident.
In July 2011 registered mail from Dublin went missing in transit and a prisoner repatriation request document was never recovered. Both the appropriate Consular officers and the prisoner were informed. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that the prisoner transfer process was not affected by the loss of the document.
In August 2011 a member of staff had a USB stick stolen during a visit to the British embassy in Abu Dhabi. It contained the names and details of the skills, previous places of employment and qualifications of around 320 employees. All affected members of staff were informed and appropriate security breach points were awarded to the member of staff who had saved the data on the stick.
In November 2011 the attack on, and subsequent evacuation of, the British embassy compound in Tehran meant that sensitive information, including personal data, could have been compromised. In line with emergency procedures, UK and locally engaged staff were able to destroy some official material before they evacuated. Other materials are known to have been destroyed during the arson attack. The majority of the consular and entry clearance materials left on site are stored in secure cabinets. The Information Commissioner's Office has been notified about this incident and has recently acknowledged our notification with a request for an update.
Henderson Island
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the Henderson Island rat eradication programme. [96350]
Mr Bellingham: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) conducted a ground-breaking operation in August last year as part of the programme to rid Henderson Island of non-indigenous rats. In a project supported by the British and Pitcairn Governments, the RSPB conducted a bait drop on precise Global Positioning Satellite co-ordinates using two helicopters operating from an improvised aircraft carrier. Although the final results will not be known until a survey next year, initial indications are that the project has been successful in removing the rats and protecting the unique biodiversity of this World Heritage Site.
Mali
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Mali. [98069]
Mr Bellingham: Britain, along with our EU partners, is deeply concerned by recent incidents of violence in northern Mali, including the displacement of people throughout the region. Our ambassador in Bamako engages regularly with the Malian authorities and has raised our concerns with the Malian Foreign Minister.
In direct response to severe food shortages in the region, Britain has announced an urgent package of support to help mitigate the crisis. British aid will help treat 83,000 severely malnourished children in Niger, Chad and Mali and provide emergency livelihood support to some 34,000 families to enable them to buy food for the coming months. In addition, British aid is already reaching those in need across the Sahel through the
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release of £10.7 million from the United Nation's Central Emergency Response Fund—to which Britain is a major contributor.
We continue to monitor the situation closely.
Nigeria
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the security situation in Nigeria. [98281]
Mr Bellingham: The Government of Nigeria continue to face significant security challenges. Both ongoing inter-communal conflict and violent attacks continue to cause suffering in Nigerian communities. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear his condemnation of the attacks carried out in Kano City on 20 January, for which Boko Haram claimed responsibility and which resulted in the death of over 180 people. The Prime Minister met President Goodluck Jonathan on 22 February and reaffirmed our commitment to supporting the Nigerian Government in their efforts to resolve the causes of conflict.
Occupied Territories
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to press for an end to the construction and expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank. [98269]
Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the right hon. Member for Paisley and Renfrewshire South (Mr Alexander), on 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 367W.
Most recently I again raised this issue with the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister on 27 February.
Private Education
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual cost to his Department was of meeting the costs of education of employees' children who were (a) boarding in the UK, (b) attending fee paying schools in the UK as non-boarders, (c) boarding in countries other than the UK and (d) attending fee paying schools outside the UK as non-boarders in the most recent period for which figures are available. [98647]
Mr Bellingham:
It is a condition of their employment that members of the diplomatic service must be prepared to serve anywhere in the world at any time during their career, sometimes at very short notice. Those with children have a legal obligation as parents to ensure that their children receive a full-time education from the age of five years. Most parents prefer to take their children with them abroad, but in some countries we do not permit staff to take their children either for health or security reasons. In others, local schools of an acceptable standard are not available. It is longstanding practice that the FCO helps staff meet their potentially conflicting
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obligations by providing financial support for their children's education overseas where necessary, or in the UK where staff choose this, or are obliged to do so given local conditions in the country to which they are posted. Continuity of education is also an important factor, particularly at secondary level.
The FCO spent a total of £13,067,398 on UK schooling in financial year 2010-11, and £11,520,900 on day schooling for children who accompanied their parents overseas. We do not hold the information in the form necessary to break it down in the details requested and to answer the question in that format would involve disproportionate cost.
We do not routinely pay for children to attend independent day schools in the UK. But children who have previously boarded while parents were overseas, may become day pupils at the same school to continue their education while their parents are in the UK between postings. Additionally, a few children who accompany parents overseas and are educated in the international system may need to attend a private school in the UK to continue their education in that system during time spent here.
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next meeting of the Friends of Yemen will take place. [98125]
Alistair Burt: Re-convening the Friends of Yemen group has been conditional on the Yemeni Government showing commitment to implementing political transition. There has been significant progress in Yemen, notably the holding of successful interim presidential elections and the inauguration of President Hadi. We plan to hold an early Friends of Yemen ministerial meeting to discuss how the international community can support Yemen's transition. An announcement will shortly be made once agreement on an agenda and logistics has been reached by all co-chairs.
Zimbabwe
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe. [98369]
Mr Bellingham: Although human rights abuses are far less widespread than at their peak in 2008, politically targeted violence continues against Movement for Democratic Change activists, civil society activists and Anglicans in Harare and Manicaland. We anticipate that if and when elections do take place, the human rights situation is likely to deteriorate in the run up to polls if further pre-election reforms do not take place.
If Zimbabwe is to move forward it is important that it addresses its human rights record and implements essential reforms in advance of elections. The ongoing engagement by the South African Development Community, as facilitator of discussions between the parties in the Inclusive Government, will be important for this to happen. We will continue to support this process.
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Justice
Antisocial Behaviour Orders
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of applications for antisocial behaviour orders in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) London were successful in each of the last five years. [97430]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The proportion of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) granted in the Greater London Criminal Justice System area in each year between 2006 and 2010 (the latest year for which data are currently available) is provided in Table A. Data collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice on antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) are not compiled at borough level.
| Antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued following application (1) at all magistrates courts and county courts (2) in the Greater London Criminal Justice System (CJS) area, the number of such application refused and the proportion granted, as reported to the Ministry of Justice (3) by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service, 2006 to 2010 | |||||
| Greater London CJS area | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| (1) The following bodies can apply to courts to get an ASBO issued: British Transport police, Housing Action Trusts, local government authorities, police, registered social landlords, Transport for London and the Environment Agency. Transport for London was granted the power to apply for ASBOs in its own right by the Secretary of State for the Home Department in September 2006. (2) Includes ASBOs issued on application by magistrates courts acting in their civil capacity and county courts. These orders became available on 1 April 1999. Does not include those ASBOs made following conviction for a relevant criminal offence. (3) Prior to the creation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, numbers of ASBOs issued were reported to Home Office by the Court Service. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. | |||||
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative. [97937]
Mr Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice did not sign up to the 10:10 campaign.
The Ministry of Justice achieved an 11.5% reduction between May 2010 and May 2011 against the Prime Minister's target for central Government to reduce their carbon emissions by 10%. More information can be found here:
http://data.gov.uk/departmental-performance-co2-emissions-reduction-date
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Departmental Public Expenditure
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress he has made on his Department's Public Value Programme; and what the (a) number of civil service staff in scope for privatisation is and (b) timescale is for implementation; whether a value for money assessment will be undertaken; and whether there will be an opportunity for an in-house bid or bids. [98649]
Mr Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service is currently working on the Enforcement Public Value Programme which proposes to increase the level of magistrates court fine collection over existing levels while reducing the cost of collection.
After consideration of the current services and future requirements, I have agreed that HM Courts and Tribunals Service should explore the potential of creating a service delivery partnership, with the objective of building on the improvements we have already made. It is envisaged that any such partnership would be able to provide the level of investment necessary to achieve these objectives.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service has not yet finalised the precise elements of current service that will be in scope, and therefore it is not yet definite who is likely to be affected by any resulting change.
A procurement process will be conducted to identify a potential partner, and this process will include appropriate assessment of both qualitative and quantitative factors, with a view to identifying the best value for money solution. The procurement will be conducted in a fair, open and transparent manner and in accordance with Public Sector Procurement Directive (2004/18/EC) as implemented through the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) (SI2006/5).
We have not yet determined whether there will be an opportunity to accept an in-house bid.
Domestic Violence
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many additional legal aid cases he expects will be covered by the change of definition to domestic violence announced on 29 February 2012. [98408]
Mr Djanogly: The Government have been clear throughout the passage of the Legal Aid Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill that we expect no additional legal aid cases arising from using the Association of Chief Police Officers’ definition of domestic violence compared to the definition of domestic violence originally used in the Bill.
Fines
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what data from government departments the Public Value Programme's successful bidder will have available to it for the collection and enforcement of criminal fines. [98627]
Mr Djanogly: I have agreed that HM Courts and Tribunals Service should explore the potential of creating a service delivery partnership, with the objective of building on the improvements we have already made. We have not yet determined what data access may be required at this stage.
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Prisoners: EU Nationals
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many non-UK EU citizens were serving a custodial sentence in the UK in each of the last 10 years broken down by the (a) offence, (b) length of sentence and (c) prison in which they were held. [98442]
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Mr Blunt: The requested breakdowns of European Union national prisoners in England and Wales 2002 to 2011 are shown in tables 1 to 3.
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
| Table 1: Immediate custodial sentenced prison population of EU nationals by offence group, 30 June 2002 to 2011 England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Offence group | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. | ||||||||||
| Table 2: Immediate custodial sentenced prison population of EU nationals by sentence length, 30 June 2002 to 2011 England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Sentence length | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1 )Due to the introduction of a new prison IT system, prior to 2009 the prison population was taken from a different source and recalls are shown separately (previously shown in the relevant sentence length band). Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. | ||||||||||
| Table 3: Prison population of EU nationals by prison establishment, 30 June 2002 to 2011 England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Establishment | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
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| IRC = Immigration removal centre. (1) HMP Hewell was created by an amalgamation of the three former prisons, Blakenhurst, Brockhill and Hewell Grange on 25 June 2008; as of 30 September 2011 the Brockhill site closed. (2) HMP and YOI Isis, which opened on 28 July 2010, is sited within the perimeter wall of HMP Belmarsh. (3) HMP Isle of Wight was created by an amalgamation of the three former prisons, Albany, Camp Hill and Parkhurst on 1 April 2009. (4) On 13 January 2011 the Secretary of State for Justice announced that HMP Morton Hall, will close (having previously been a female prison) and then re-open as an Immigration Removal Centre, holding immigration detainees on behalf of UKBA. On 16 May Morton Hall began operating as an immigration removal centre. (5) HMP Northumberland is the new name for Acklington and Castington. (6) Peterborough is a dual purpose prison for men and women. (7) Sheppey cluster includes: Elmley, Stanford Hill and Swaleside. Note: These figures differ from tables 1 and 2 as they include all custody types: Remand, Sentenced, Fine Defaulters and Non-criminal prisoners. Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. | ||||||||||