Prisoners: Repatriation
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK EU citizens serving a custodial sentence in the UK that his Department expects to be able to repatriate to their home member state under the EU Prisoner Transfer framework in each of the next five years; [98443]
(2) how many non-UK EU citizens who were serving a custodial sentence in the UK his Department has repatriated to their home member state since the EU Prisoner Transfer framework came into force. [98444]
Mr Blunt: Council Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA (the EU Prisoner Transfer Agreement), which will govern the transfer of prisoners between member states of the European Union, entered into force on 5 December 2011. To date seven member states, including the United Kingdom, have implemented the compulsory arrangements. The Government have not made a specific assessment of the number of EU nationals who might be transferred under this agreement. However, we expect to see a steady increase in the number of EU nationals who are transferred as other member states implement the agreement. We are encouraging member states who have not yet done so to implement the agreement at the earliest opportunity.
Since 5 December 2011, 10 EU nationals have been transferred from England and Wales to other member states to continue serving their sentences. Transfer took place under existing voluntary arrangements for the transfer of prisoners between member states of the EU. No prisoners have yet been transferred under the new EU prisoner transfer agreement. In most cases a deportation order is necessary in order to effect the transfer. 24 prisoners have been identified as eligible for transfer. They have been referred to UKBA for consideration for deportation.
The transfer of prisoners from Scotland and from Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
Public Expenditure
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the business model for his Department's Public Value Programme; for what reasons a model based on privatisation was selected; and if he will make a statement. [98628]
Mr Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service is currently working on the Enforcement Public Value Programme with proposals to increase the level of magistrates court fine collection over existing levels while reducing the cost of collection.
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. Continued improvements would require substantial financial investment to develop and upgrade processes further still. A partnership would bring the investment and technology we need to achieve our aspirations for compliance and enforcement services in the future.
Reoffenders
Mrs Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many offenders were recalled to prison in (a) each English region and (b) Wales between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2012; [97334]
(2) how many offenders under the supervision of each probation trust in England and Wales were recalled to prison between 1 January 2008 and 1 January 2012. [97337]
Mr Blunt: Data are held centrally on the prison population on the last day of each month, so figures are not available for 1 January each year.
Adult offenders serving a sentence of 12 months and over (and all young offenders aged under 22) are released from prison, in most cases automatically at the halfway point of their sentence, under licensed supervision to the Probation Service. Offenders released on licence may be recalled to custody if their behaviour gives cause for concern.
The following table provides data by regions in England and Wales and by probation area for three quarters of 2008, all quarters for years 2009 and 2010 and the first three quarters of 2011 (latest available).
7 Mar 2012 : Column 753W
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.
| Licence recalls to prison, by England and Wales regions and probation areas, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 | ||||
| Region and probation area | 2008 (1) | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 (2) |
7 Mar 2012 : Column 754W
| (1) Reports started in the second quarter of 2008 and as such data are not available for the first quarter. (2) Data are not yet available for the last quarter of 2011. | ||||
Repossession Orders
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many repossessions took place in (a) Leeds North West constituency, (b) Yorkshire and (c) England in each year since 2009; and what estimate he has made of the likely number of repossessions in each area in each of the next three years. [98474]
Mr Djanogly: The following table shows the numbers of claims leading to orders being made for the repossession of property by mortgage lenders and landlords in (a) Leeds North West constituency, (b) West Yorkshire, (c)Yorkshire and the Humber, and (d) England in each year since 2009. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the total numbers of repossessions of property (including where keys are handed back voluntarily).
These figures represent the numbers of claims leading to orders being made. This is more accurate than the number of orders, removing the double-counting of instances where a single claim leads to more than one order. It is also a more meaningful measure of the number of homeowners who are subject to court repossession actions.
These figures do not indicate how many properties have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order, such as where borrowers hand the keys back to the lender. Also, not all possession orders result in repossession. Many orders are suspended and if the borrower complies with the repayment arrangements set out in the suspended order the property will not be repossessed.
Claims leading to orders figures for all parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales were this morning placed on the Ministry of Justice website at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/civil-justice/mortgage-possession
The Council of Mortgage Lenders in December 2011 released a forecast of 45,000 repossessions in the United Kingdom in 2012. They have not yet released a forecast for 2013 and do not publish regional estimates.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 755W
| Number of mortgage (1) and landlord (2,3) possession claims leading to orders made (4,5,6) for properties in Leeds North West constituency (7,8) , West Yorkshire (7) , Yorkshire and the Humber (7) and England (7) , 2009-11 | ||||||
| Mortgage possession | Landlord Possession | |||||
| 2009 | 2010 | (9) 2011 | 2009 | 2010 | (9) 2011 | |
| (1) Includes all types of mortgage lenders. (2) Includes all types of landlord whether social or private. (3) Landlord actions include those made under both standard and accelerated procedures. Landlord actions via the accelerated procedure enable the orders to be made solely on the basis of written evidence for shorthold tenancies, when the fixed period of tenancy has come to an end. (4) The number of claims that lead to an order includes all claims in which the first order, whether outright or suspended, is made during the period. (5) The court, following a judicial decision, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (6) Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced. (7) All figures are rounded to the nearest five. (8) Data up until the first quarter of 2010 (January to March) will reflect Leads North West constituency boundaries as fixed at the 2005 general election and for the rest of 2010 and 2011 the re-fixed boundaries as of May 2010. (9) All period figures are based on provisional data Source: Ministry of Justice | ||||||
Repossession Orders: North West
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many homes were repossessed by mortgage lenders in (a) the North West, (b) Tameside Borough and (c) Stockport Borough in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011. [98631]
Mr Djanogly: The table shows the numbers of claims leading to orders being made for the repossession of property by mortgage lenders in (a) the North West, (b) Tameside borough and (c) Stockport borough in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the total numbers of repossessions of property (including where keys are handed back voluntarily).
These figures represent the numbers of claims leading to orders being made. This is more accurate than the number of orders, removing the double-counting of instances where a single claim leads to more than one order. It is also a more meaningful measure of the number of homeowners who are subject to court repossession actions.
These figures do not indicate how many properties have actually been repossessed. Repossessions can occur without a court order, such as where borrowers hand
7 Mar 2012 : Column 756W
the keys back to the lender. Also, not all possession orders result in repossession. Many orders are suspended and if the borrower complies with the repayment arrangements set out in the suspended order the property will not be repossessed.
Claims leading to orders figures for all regions and local authority areas in England and Wales in 2011 were recently published on 9 February 2012. This statistical bulletin is available from the Ministry of Justice website at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/civil-justice/mortgage-possession
| Number of mortgage (1) possession claims leading to orders made (2,3,4,5) for properties in north-w est, Tameside borough and Stockport borough, 2010-11 | ||
| 2010 | 2011 | |
| (1) Includes all types of mortgage lenders. (2) The number of claims that lead to an order includes all claims in which the first order, whether outright or suspended, is made during the period. (3) The court, following a judicial decision, may grant an order for possession immediately. This entitles the claimant to apply for a warrant to have the defendant evicted. However, even where a warrant for possession is issued, the parties can still negotiate a compromise to prevent eviction. (4) Includes outright and suspended orders, the latter being where the court grants the claimant possession but suspends the operation of the order. Provided the defendant complies with the terms of suspension, which usually require the defendant to pay the current mortgage or rent instalments plus some of the accrued arrears, the possession order cannot be enforced. (5) All figures are rounded to the nearest 5. Note: All period figures denoted by ‘*’ are based on provisional data. Source: Ministry of Justice | ||
Sentencing
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners serving an indeterminate public protection sentence in England and Wales who have been assessed as suitable to be held in open conditions but are still waiting to be moved to a Category D prison, have already served their tariff; [97996]
(2) how many prisoners serving an indeterminate public protection sentence in England and Wales who have been recommended for transfer to a Category D prison are still awaiting transfer, broken down by age; and for how long each prisoner has been waiting since being recommended. [97997]
Mr Blunt: As at 2 December 2011, there were 405 indeterminate sentence prisoners (ISPs) who had passed their tariff expiry date and had been approved by the Secretary of State for transfer to open conditions but were located in closed. This figure includes those serving a life sentence and those serving an indeterminate sentence of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP).
This figure is taken from a snapshot of data. ISPs are prioritised for transfer to open conditions using the date the Secretary of State approved their move. Whether prisoners are serving an IPP or a life sentence is not relevant to the prioritisation criteria and as a result was not, at that time, recorded as part of the process.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 757W
Providing a figure for IPPs and the age and length of waiting time would incur disproportionate costs as those have data has not been retained in a recorded form. In order to provide a breakdown of the data in the categories requested, retrospective checks of individual prisoners' records would have to be performed to recreate the list at the time it was generated.
These data are subject to variation due to progress of individual cases including prisoners' removal from open conditions following adverse developments and Parole Board decisions following review.
This figure was drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to ensure that magistrates are aware of community sentencing projects in their area. [98279]
Mr Djanogly: The Government welcome and encourage the sharing of information between probation and magistrates about local community sentencing and other offender-related projects. We agree that magistrates should be encouraged to visit probation on a regular basis and I am sure that probation trusts and others engaged in community sentencing initiatives welcome their interest.
At a national level the National Sentencer and Probation Forum enables probation, judges and the department to share information on the national picture. There are also arrangements for local liaison meetings governed by a protocol issued by the Senior Presiding Judge.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the recidivism rate is for children and young people up to the age of 25 who have received (a) custodial and (b) community sentences in each of the last 10 years for which data are available. [98280]
Mr Blunt: Your question has been answered using the Ministry of Justice's published proven reoffending statistics, for juvenile offenders aged 10 to 17 and adult offenders aged 18 or over. Proven reoffending is measured over a one-year period from the point an offender receives their first court order or, in the case of custody, when they are released from prison.
Table 1 shows the proportion of adults aged 18 to 24 and juveniles aged 10 to 17 that reoffended within a 12-month period.
| Table 1 | ||
| Reoffending rate of 18 to 24-year-olds released from custody | Reoffending rate of juveniles released from custody | |
7 Mar 2012 : Column 758W
Table 2 shows the same information for adults aged 18 to 24 starting a community sentence and juveniles aged 10 to 17 starting a community penalty.
| Table 2 | ||
| Reoffending rate of 18 to 24-year-olds starting a community sentence | Reoffending rate of juveniles starting a community penalty | |
Please note that reoffending data are not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on court orders.
Reoffending rates by sentence type should not be compared to assess the effectiveness of sentences, as there is no control for known differences in offender characteristics and the type of sentence given.
We recognise that the reoffending rate for young people leaving custody is too high. Custody for young people is a last resort and used only for the most serious and persistent offenders. Young people leaving custody are therefore a challenging group with complex and wide ranging problems which require intensive intervention and support.
Sentencing: Mental Health
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of (a) children and young adults and (b) adults who have received custodial sentences have been diagnosed as having mental health problems in the latest period for which figures are available. [98330]
Mr Blunt: The information requested is not collected centrally.
A survey by the Office for National Statistics in 1997 estimated that around 90% of adult prisoners had at least one of the five disorders considered in the survey (personality disorder, psychosis, neurosis, alcohol misuse and drug dependence).
In the study ‘Mental Health Needs and Effectiveness of Provision for Young Offenders in Custody and in the Community’ (Professor Richard Harrington and Professor Sue Bailey, Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 2005) 31% of young offenders were identified as having a mental health problem.
Sentencing: Young People
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based treatment of children and young people who have received custodial sentences. [98305]
Mr Blunt:
Mindfulness-based therapy techniques cover a range of therapeutic approaches which include looking at thinking and attitudes. Programmes drawing on elements of these approaches are administered in the adult and
7 Mar 2012 : Column 759W
juvenile secure estate. For example, the Jets programme, which is an under 18 accredited intervention, uses similar techniques.
The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based treatment for children and young people who have received custodial sentences.
Applied Language Solutions
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints his Department has received regarding Applied Language Solutions (ALS) in the last year; and if he will calculate the number of complaints that concerned (a) poor or substandard interpreters, (b) ALS failing to provide interpreters and (c) interpreters being placed on ALS list of interpreters without the consent of the interpreters concerned. [98203]
Mr Blunt: The contract for ALS to begin supplying language services to the Ministry of Justice commenced on 12 December 2011 for the criminal courts in the north-west and was fully implemented on 30 January 2012. Prior to the contract’s implementation, the Department received a number of representations from interpreters opposed to our plans to contract for interpreting services, these included some complaints about Applied Language Solutions. Interpreters, who have not signed up to work with ALS, continue to raise their concerns about the contract with us.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) pursuant to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, columns 71-2W, on Applied Language Solutions, what steps his Department has taken to improve the performance of Applied Language Solutions; [98501]
(2) what qualifications the Framework Agreement and the contract with Applied Language Solutions specify interpreters must have under (a) Tier 1, (b) Tier 2 and (c) Tier 3. [98516]
Mr Blunt: We are committed to ensuring the rights and needs of those who require interpreters are safeguarded and we have asked the contractor to take urgent steps to improve performance. The contractor is providing additional staff to deal with bookings, further targeted recruitment of interpreters in key languages and improvements to the call handling and complaints process.
The Framework specifies a number of potential qualifications for foreign language interpreters at each of the three Tiers:
The interpreter must have one or more of the following:
Chartered Institute of Linguists Diploma in Public Service Interpreting, DPSI, (English Law Option);
Chartered Institute of Linguists Certificate in Community Interpreting, CCI;
Metropolitan Police Test (post 1997) and an Honours Degree or higher in Interpreting.
Membership of National Register Public Sector Interpreters; or
Membership of Association of Police and Court Interpreters.
At least 100 hours public sector interpreting experience;
7 Mar 2012 : Column 760W
References; and
A pass at the assessment centre to the tier one standard.
The interpreter must have one or more of the following:
‘Partial DPSI’ i.e. the interpreter must have passed all modules with the exception of written translation;
A degree in linguistics, English philology, Modern Languages or MA in Teaching of English, or other language related diplomas where English figures as part of the course completed.
Previous or current employment in criminal justice services in their countries of origin,
Legal training in the UK or abroad, or other exposure to criminal justice work through other channels is also acceptable (volunteer and/or paid work in the community for police services or work for Victim Support, for example);
University level education (any degree);
At least 100 hours public sector interpreting experience;
References; and
A pass at the assessment centre to the tier two standard.
The interpreter must have one or more of the following:
Demonstrable experience in the public sector with appropriate linguistic background;
Formalised basic interpreter training including one of the following: the WEA programmes, Bi-Lingual Skills Certificates, Community Level Interpreting Degrees under the NVQ certification system.
References; and
A pass at the assessment centre to the tier three standard.
It is also desirable for tier three interpreters to have at least 100 hours public sector interpreting experience.
In the case of rare languages where the DPSI or equivalent qualification is not available, the interpreter must have the Cambridge Proficiency in English Certificate, 100 hours of public sector interpreting experience, evidence of continuous professional development, references and a pass at the assessment centre.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he was advised by (a) Applied Language Solutions (ALS) and (b) counsel to ALS not to launch the new interpreters' framework agreement across the whole country at one time. [98646]
Mr Blunt: We considered a range of implementation options in our discussions with Applied Language Solutions. ALS confirmed that they could deliver the services required through national implementation following a successful trial in the North West. We have not been party to any discussions with counsel to ALS.
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library copies of information collated from Crown Courts in London on a weekly basis on problems with the implementation of the Applied Languages Solutions contract. [98648]
Mr Djanogly: We are aware that some courts may be gathering information to use as local management tools. Any such information is not being collated centrally. The Ministry will consider what information it can usefully publish in due course.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 761W
Transport
A453
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when her Department plans to publish the timetable to widen the A453 between Nottingham and the M1. [98174]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency is working up detailed timescales for schemes announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement on 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810, to identify the most efficient start of work dates. All of the schemes named in the autumn statement are expected to start construction and make significant progress in the next three years.
We will make announcements on the timescales for each scheme in due course.
Action for Employment
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts her Department has with A4e; and what the (a) purpose and (b) value is of each such contract. [97023]
Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, the Department for Transport has no outstanding contracts with A4e.
Bus Services: Concessions
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has any plans to extend the provision of bus passes to enable free passage of pensioners and disabled persons between England and Wales. [96348]
Norman Baker: There are no current plans to introduce mutual recognition of concessionary bus passes between England and Wales. Concessionary travel is a devolved policy area so the arrangements differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It is however perfectly possible for local authorities to put in place arrangements for mutual recognition of schemes across borders.
Crossrail: Contracts
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total value is of Crossrail contracts awarded to companies with head offices based outside the UK, including joint ventures between domestic and international companies. [98075]
Mrs Villiers: Crossrail Ltd has awarded approximately £1.4 billion of work to construction companies that do not have a UK-based headquarters, including joint ventures where at least one company has a headquarters outside of the UK. This is out of a total value of awarded contracts of approximately £4 billion to date.
The vast majority of these contractors will sub-contract with UK-based companies, and Crossrail Ltd currently estimates that around 90% to 95% of the total Crossrail works awarded by value will be undertaken in the UK supply chain.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 762W
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Disclosure of Information
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what conditions private parking enforcement companies have to comply with to be able to access DVLA information systems; [98384]
(2) whether those who access DVLA information systems must be members of the British Parking Association; and what conditions apply to such access. [98385]
Mike Penning: No organisation has direct access to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) information systems. Information to help contact the registered keepers of vehicles can be released to private car parking management companies provided they demonstrate reasonable cause for requiring the information. Requests are received via both paper based and electronic routes.
All private parking management companies requesting this information must be members of the British Parking Association (BPA). The BPA's Approved Operator Scheme requires that all members must adhere to a code of practice stipulating the standards of operation required. Failure to adhere to the code may result in expulsion from the scheme meaning that no further information will be provided by the DVLA.
Parking management companies are audited by both BPA and DVLA to ensure that they are meeting the standards required.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with rail companies on High Speed 2 trains serving stations on High Speed 1. [98651]
Justine Greening: The HS2 Decisions and Next Steps document makes clear that the Government will explore options for HS2 trains to serve Stratford, Ebsfleet and other stations on HS1 going forward.
Motorways: Speed Limits
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has to introduce a speed limit on motorways of 80 mph. [98284]
Mike Penning: We have announced our intention to consult on proposals to increase the speed limit on motorways to 80 miles per hour. As part of this process we are carrying out further work to assess the potential economic, safety and environmental impacts of implementing this change. We plan to bring forward detailed proposals and start consultation in the coming months.
Oil: EU Action
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the inclusion of a default value for oil shale in the European fuel quality directive; and what her policy is on the European Commission's proposal for a greenhouse gas emissions value for oil shale. [97727]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 763W
Norman Baker: On 23 February member states voted on a European Commission proposal for the implementing measures of article 7a of the fuel quality directive.
The proposal voted on included default values for petrol and diesel derived from oil shale. At the vote a ‘no opinion’ result was delivered under the weighted voting procedure known as Qualified Majority Voting. The proposal will now proceed for consideration by the Environment Council.
The Government are committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and want the fuel quality directive to be a key tool in achieving this aim. We are therefore continuing to seek an effective solution to address the carbon emissions from all highly polluting crudes, including oil shale.
Transport: Industrial Disputes
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the use of (a) recruitment companies, (b) subsidiaries and (c) in-house recruitment processes to provide labour during periods of industrial action in the transport sector. [R] [96659]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not have a specific policy on the use of recruitment companies, subsidiaries or in-house recruitment processes to provide labour during periods of industrial action in the transport sector, but would expect transport businesses to comply with the law, in particular with the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 which prohibit employment businesses from knowingly supplying replacement workers in an official industrial dispute.
House of Commons Commission
Big Ben: Tourism
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, (1) what assessment the House of Commons Commission has made of the likely number of persons booking tours of the Clock Tower following the introduction of charges; and if he will make a statement; [98388]
(2) who will administer the charges to visit the Clock Tower; and if he will make a statement. [98395]
John Thurso: There is an annual capacity of around 10,400 spaces on Clock Tower tours. During the 2011 calendar year 9,319 visitors participated in the tours. Given the popularity of Clock Tower tours, we do not expect any significant fall in demand. The ticket price has been set to cover the cost of the tours' operation, taking into account VAT and assuming a take-up rate of 90%.
The Visitor Services team will administer the charges to visit the Clock Tower.
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what representations the House of Commons Commission has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the introduction of visitor charges for visiting the Clock Tower; and if he will make a statement. [98389]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 764W
John Thurso: Since announcing the charge in an e-mail to Members and their staff on 24 February 2012, three e-mails expressing concern regarding the charge for Clock Tower Tours have been received by the Central Communications Team in the Office of the Chief Executive. None has been received directly by the Commission. An Early Day Motion opposing the introduction of charges has been tabled, and has been signed by 23 hon. Members (as at 7 March).
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, who the House of Commons Commission consulted before taking the decision to introduce charges for visiting the Clock Tower; on what basis the amount to be charged was decided; and if he will make a statement. [98396]
John Thurso: The proposal to charge for visiting the Clock Tower was included in the package of proposed initial savings, on which Members, Members' staff and House staff were consulted in November 2010. Members were sent a letter from the Chair of the Finance and Services Committee inviting comments on the proposals. The Chair's message and the consultation document were published on the intranet.
Once the House of Commons Commission had considered the proposals following consultation, Mr Speaker sent a message to all Members on 14 December 2010 announcing the agreed savings package. Mr Speaker's message and the agreed savings package can be found on the intranet. The package of agreed savings was also published on Parliament's website:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commonscommission/Commons_Management_Board/HoC_agreed_savings.pdf
Following agreement that the cost of Clock Tower tours should be covered through the introduction of charging as part of the savings programme, Visitor Services managers calculated the appropriate charge. The ticket price of £15 has been set to cover the cost of the tours’ operation, taking into account VAT and assuming a take-up rate of 90%. The ticket price and administrative arrangements, were reported to the Administration Committee on 30 January 2012. The £15 ticket price is in line with other commercial tours at Parliament—tours of the Visitor Route and the specialist art and architecture tours—details of which can be found on Parliament’s website:
http://www.parliament.uk/visiting/
Catering
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission how many bookings were made by (a) hon. Members, (b) staff of hon. Members and (c) other pass holders for the Strangers Dining Room in each of the last six months for which information is available. [98390]
John Thurso: Bookings in the dining rooms are identified in two categories only: (a) hon. Members and (b) other pass holders. Bookings for the Strangers' Dining Room in each of the last six months by each of these categories of users were as follows:
7 Mar 2012 : Column 765W
| MPs | Other pass holders | |
Mr Amess: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many bookings were made at the (a) Strangers Dining Room, (b) Churchill Room and (c) Members' Dining Room in each month in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2008, (iv) 2010 and (v) the most recent month in 2012; and if he will make a statement. [98397]
John Thurso: In accordance with the House of Commons Records Management Policy, information is held for a period of three years and therefore no bookings information is available for (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, or (iii) 2008. Information for (iv) 2010 is as follows:
| 2010 | Strangers' Dining Room | Churchill Dining Room |
| (1) Closed. | ||
(v) The most recent month in 2012 for which information is available is February. During that month, a total of 260 bookings were made for the Strangers' Dining room and 110 for the Churchill Room.
The hon. Gentleman might find it helpful to speak directly to the Director of Catering and Retail Services on these detailed matters.
Communities and Local Government
Coastal Communities Fund
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total spending of the Coastal Communities Fund is to date; what the average size of grant is; whether funding is available for both infrastructure projects and for the running costs of existing projects; and what assistance his Department offers to smaller groups seeking funding. [98230]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 766W
Grant Shapps: £23.7 million has been allocated to the UK-wide Coastal Communities Fund in 2012-13, but there has been no expenditure to date as funding only becomes available on 1 April. Funds can be made available for infrastructure and running costs. The new fund is being delivered in partnership with the Big Lottery Fund (BIG), who will be holding a series of pre-application workshops to assist organisations, including smaller groups, who may wish to apply for a grant. There is also a BIG advice line—0845 410 20 30.
Fire Services: Emergency Calls
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious emergency calls were received by Kent Fire and Rescue Service in each of the last three years. [98259]
Robert Neill: This information is held centrally only for periods up to 2009-10. Following the consultation on fire and rescue service non-financial annual returns, a summary of which can be found at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/frsandfosisummaryofresponses
fire and rescue services are no longer asked to provide returns of numbers of emergency calls.
The data available on the number of malicious false alarm calls and all other emergency calls to Kent Fire and Rescue Service for the last three years are shown in the following table:
| Total emergency calls and malicious false alarms calls, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, 2008-09 to 2010-11 | |||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 (1) | |
| (1) Data held centrally only until 2009-10 | |||
First-time Buyers
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the number of privately rented properties on access to the property market for first-time buyers. [98481]
Andrew Stunell: I am assuming that the hon. Member wishes to know what impact the size of the privately rented sector has on access to the property market for first-time buyers.
Access to the housing market for first-time buyers is largely dependent on access to mortgage finance. The most recent data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that, in 2011, buy to let mortgages accounted for 12% of all loans for house purchase. The equivalent figure for first-time buyers is 34%. In terms of value, buy to let mortgages only accounted for 8% of total lending for house purchase.
At the same time private renting provides a vital safety net for those who cannot access home ownership, as well as a flexible option for those who choose to rent.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 767W
It also underpins economic development by allowing those who cannot sell their existing home the flexibility to move to take up employment opportunities.
Homelessness: Greater London
Mr Evennett:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) the London borough of Bexley and (b) London who were deemed
7 Mar 2012 : Column 768W
(i) intentionally and (ii) unintentionally homeless in each of the last five years. [98109]
Grant Shapps: The available information is given in the following table. The Department collects information from local authorities on whether or not a household is intentionally homeless only in those cases where it has decided that the household is homeless and in priority need. The Department does not therefore hold information on how many of the households that were decided to be homeless but not in priority need were intentionally homeless.
| Number of households | |||||
| Eligible, unintentionally homeless and in priority need | Eligible, homeless and in priority need, but intentionally so | Eligible, homeless but not in priority need | Eligible, but not homeless | Total decisions | |
| Source: Quarterly P1E returns | |||||
Housing Benefit
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding his Department has allocated for the redundancy costs associated with a reduction of housing benefit staff in local authorities upon implementation of universal credit. [94495]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Department for Work and Pensions is working with the Department for Communities and Local Government, the devolved Administrations and the local authority associations to understand the impact on cost and associated resource of the introduction of universal credit and housing costs for pensioners on current local authority benefit services.
We are working together to develop and understand the service design and migration process, a detailed migration schedule and the impact of universal credit in the context of the wider welfare reform. Only then will we be able to assess the implications for local authority resource and associated costs.
Housing Improvement: Finance
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities in England provide renovation grants for owner-occupiers and private tenants. [98707]
Andrew Stunell: This information is not held centrally.
The Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002 gives local authorities wide powers to provide assistance for repairs, improvements and adaptations and to demolish and re-construct homes. This assistance may take the form of a grant, loan, equity release, or more practical assistance such as home surveys or small repairs services. Local authorities must have policies in place setting out how they will use these powers and they must make summaries of their policy available.
Housing: Construction
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of houses for which planning permission has been obtained but which have not yet been built in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire. [97836]
Robert Neill [holding answer 5 March 2012]: The number of dwellings where permission has been granted but where development has not yet started as at 31 December 2011 is estimated at 229,177 units for England. A breakdown by local authority for Gloucestershire (including the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire) is given in the following table:
7 Mar 2012 : Column 769W
| Units with planning permission which had not started on site | |
This information is collected by Glenigan on behalf of the Homes and Communities Agency. Glenigan only track “large” schemes which are defined as those with 10 or more units (although some schemes with fewer than 10 units are included which have sufficient value to be classified as “large”).
The Government are taking a number of steps to help unlock development on sites with planning permission:
The £420 million Get Britain Building Fund will help get builders back on stalled housing sites with planning permission that have been shut down because of difficulties in accessing development finance;
We are proposing to allow reconsideration of planning obligations agreed prior to April 2010 where development is stalled. We have already encouraged local authorities to be flexible in reviewing Section 106 agreements;
The £500 million Growing Places Fund will support infrastructure that unblocks housing and economic growth; and
The NewBuy Guarantee scheme brings lenders, builders and Government together to offer mortgages on new-build properties with a fraction of the deposit currently required, which in turn will encourage house builders to build more homes.
Land: Planning Permission
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the status will be of (a) Rural Buffer Zones, (b) Areas of Great Landscape Value, (c) Areas of Special Landscape, (d) Areas of Special County Value, (e) Land of Local Landscape Importance, (f) Green Wedges and (g) other local landscape designations following proposed reforms to planning. [96463]
Robert Neill: The National Planning Policy Framework, which we are committed to publishing by the end of March, will set out our policies for the planning system. The draft framework we published for consultation in 2011 underlined the importance of local planning in protecting and enhancing the natural environment, including landscapes, and identifying land which it is genuinely important to protect from development. Local planning policy designations in a local plan will continue to be a material consideration, and our proposed reforms will mean that local plans have a more important role in the planning process.
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the area of English land not covered by nationally-recognised land designations. [96464]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 770W
Robert Neill: The Department has not commissioned research on the area of land not covered by national-recognised land designations.
This information can be derived from publicly available data, for example digital maps of the various national-land designations are available from the Department for Farming and Rural Affairs mapping website:
http://magic.defra.gov.uk/
Land: Sales
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation governing the sale of land by (a) individuals, (b) private companies and (c) statutory or public authorities and the role of local authorities to (i) block and (ii) take pre-emptive action against decisions which are not in the local interest. [98037]
Andrew Stunell: The Localism Act 2011 increases the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development and the abuse of retrospective planning permission.
The Act also introduces new community rights which will give local residents greater opportunities to influence development in their areas, bid to buy local assets that are important to them and bid to run local services differently and better.
In relation to guidance to local authorities on the sale of properties, I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 731W.
As the impact assessment made clear, a review of the Localism Act's provisions will be conducted in the normal way.
Local Government: Calderdale
Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether he plans to merge Calderdale and Kirklees councils; [96923]
(2) what plans he has to re-draw the boundaries of Calderdale council. [96922]
Robert Neill: We have no plans to impose local government restructuring, as evident from this Government's implementation of the Local Government Act 2010 which cancelled the last Administration's unitary restructuring. Such restructuring would be expensive, diverting time and resources away from improving frontline services.
However, there is considerable scope for greater joint working and sharing of staff and back office services between local authorities. Such innovation does not need the permission of central Government, especially given the new general power of competence under the Localism Act 2011.
Changes to boundaries are initially a matter for the independent Local Government Boundary Commission. Their guidance is available at:
www.lgbce.org.uk/guidance-policy-and-publications/guidance
7 Mar 2012 : Column 771W
Local Government: Complaints
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of complaints submitted to local authority standards committees in 2011; and whether he has made any assessment of the number of such complaints that were upheld. [98291]
Robert Neill: We have made no such estimates.
Local Government: North East
Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to devolve power to cities and towns in the North East. [98465]
Greg Clark: The Government are taking considerable steps to devolve power to cities and towns both in the North East and across the country.
We have introduced the Localism Act giving councils the general power of competence that enables councils to do anything that an individual might, apart from that which is specifically prohibited.
We are committed to devolving powers to elected mayors, to ensure that our biggest cities are genuine drivers of economic growth, for the benefit of both the city and the surrounding area. In May, we will see referendums on elected mayors in 10 of our largest cities including Newcastle. However, the option to have an elected mayor is not restricted to cities; councils can resolve to move to the mayoral model or hold a mayoral referendum in their area.
We are also working to deliver a series of ‘city deals'. We have invited the core cities and their wider economic areas to negotiate the devolution of the specific powers, resources and responsibilities required to meet locally-determined economic and social objectives. In return, cities will need to accept a proportionate degree of risk and demonstrate a strong governance structure.
Local Government: Pay
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has issued guidance to local authorities on the payment of senior local government staff other than through PAYE for tax advantage reasons. [94655]
Robert Neill [holding answer 9 February 2012]: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 63WS. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has also written to the Local Government Association asking them to consider how they can encourage the sector to take action on tackling tax avoidance.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any senior staff in local government have made tax efficient payment arrangements. [95010]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 772W
Robert Neill [holding answer 20 February 2012]:I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement of 20 February 2012, Official Report, 63WS.
Planning Permission
Mr Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to transfer further planning powers from regional and national level to local councils. [96852]
Robert Neill: Decentralising planning powers is a key element of the Government's planning reforms. The Localism Act has removed the regional planning tier which will prevent the creation of new regional strategies and the top down targets they imposed on local councils and communities. The Government also intend to abolish the existing regional strategies outside London subject to the outcome of environmental assessments that we are currently undertaking.
Our reforms will enable local councils to take the lead in planning for growth and development in their areas, working closely with local communities. We are helping councils by providing them with more control and flexibility when they are preparing local plans.
The Government have also introduced radical new powers to enable local communities to establish neighbourhood plans. These plans give citizens the right to shape the development and growth of their local area and identify where development should occur. Once these plans come into force, they will form part of the local plan which is the basis on which planning applications are determined.
Planning Permission: Incinerators
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning appeals in respect of incinerators were considered by the Planning Inspectorate in each planning category in each of the last five years; and what proportion of such appeals in each category were (a) upheld and (b) dismissed. [94776]
Robert Neill: The following table shows the number of planning appeals in respect of incinerators in each category allowed and upheld for each of the last five complete calendar years.
| Decision year | Procedure | Allowed | Upheld | Total |
7 Mar 2012 : Column 773W
Urban Areas: Planning Permission
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many retail developments proposed for out-of-town locations have been (a) notified to and (b) called in by him in each year since 2008; what each such development was; and what the outcome of the planning process was in each case. [96634]
Robert Neill: On the basis of available records, no retail developments proposed for out-of-town locations have been notified to and called in by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government since 2008.
Urban Areas: Regeneration
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to disseminate best practice learned from urban regeneration at the Olympic Park. [98252]
Grant Shapps: The Olympic Delivery Authority Learning Legacy project is disseminating how the development of the Olympic Park has set a new direction for the way major regeneration projects can be delivered in the UK and internationally.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors commissioned external research into the regeneration legacy and the impact of the 2012 Games in September 2011. It found that the London 2012 project had secured a positive physical regeneration legacy through the early onset of legacy planning and unequivocal support from UK Government and by involving a wide range of different stakeholders.
Waste Management
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which councils that currently collect refuse in alternate weeks have made a commitment to return to a weekly collection service. [97601]
Robert Neill [holding answer 5 March 2012]: We launched the Weekly Collection Support Scheme on 3 February; the deadline for expressions of interest is 16 March.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 774W
I also strongly encourage councils to not ignore the opportunity this scheme offers to help reinstate better weekly collections while helping to drive down costs and boost environmental performance.
Northern Ireland
Anniversaries
9. Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the commemoration of high profile anniversaries. [97682]
12. Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the commemoration of high profile anniversaries. [97686]
Mr Swire: Both the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and I regularly meet with the First Minister, deputy First Minister and other Executive Ministers to discuss relevant issues including the forthcoming decade of key anniversaries.
Corporation Tax
10. David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on differential levels of corporation tax for different regions in the UK. [97683]
Mr Paterson: I have had several discussions on this matter with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne). The Ministerial Working Group meets again this afternoon and is considering the practicalities and implications of the potential devolution of powers to vary the corporation tax rate to the Northern Ireland Executive.
Eurozone
13. Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of economic conditions in the eurozone on Northern Ireland. [97687]
Mr Swire: The eurozone is our largest trading partner and 5.8% of UK exports in goods and services go to the Republic of Ireland. I am in regular contact with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), who is closely monitoring the conditions in the eurozone and its effect on the UK economy.
Security
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [97685]
Mr Paterson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Mid Derbyshire (Pauline Latham).
7 Mar 2012 : Column 775W
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Droughts
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to protect the farming industry against future droughts. [98190]
Richard Benyon: We are ensuring close working between farmers and the Environment Agency to make sure all available water for abstractors this growing season is used as efficiently as possible. We announced in the water White Paper that we will introduce a reformed water abstraction regime resilient to the challenges of climate change and population growth, and this will help farmers and other abstractors to meet their water needs efficiently and protect water ecosystems. We will work closely with stakeholders in designing the new system and will establish a national advisory group to guide the process. We plan to consult on proposals in 2013, and aim to introduce legislation to reform the regime early in the next Parliament.
Assistance for farmers to build winter storage reservoirs is available through DEFRA's Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). The RDPE has also supported training/knowledge transfer regarding irrigation management and soil management, as well as a range of small water resource projects, for instance with rainwater harvesting equipment.
Broadband: Finance
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the £20 million fund for superfast broadband has been distributed to date; and which communities have received funding. [98402]
Richard Benyon: The first round for Expressions of Interest under the Rural Community Broadband Fund closed on 31 January. 39 Expressions of Interest applications were received, with a value equivalent to around £12 million in grant.
No funding has been distributed to date. Formal assessment of the Expressions of Interest received is currently under way. It is expected that the outcome of this assessment process will be notified to applicants during March 2012.
For those Expressions of Interests that are endorsed to proceed to the next stage, the selected applicants will be asked to submit a full application providing the detail of the project (including a business plan). No funding will be committed to a project until a full application has been received, appraised, and approved.
Droughts: Subsidence
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the drought on (a) subsidence in buildings and (b) highways; and if she will make a statement. [97992]
Richard Benyon: The potential effects of drought on buildings and highways fall within the competency of a number of Government bodies.
7 Mar 2012 : Column 776W
For building work the building regulations require that the structural safety of buildings shall not be affected by any movements caused by swelling, shrinkage or freezing of the ground. Supporting statutory guidance gives practical advice on meeting this requirement by providing minimum founding depths for common foundation types. This includes foundations constructed in ground prone to volume change as a consequence of seasonal climatic conditions and also drought. The regulations are subject to ongoing review.
While the Government recognise that drought can affect road surfaces as a result of the lack of moisture in the soil (particularly in peat soil), causing the soil beneath the road to shrink, it is for highway authorities to ensure that they undertake scheduled maintenance to manage the problems that drought may cause to the road network for which they are responsible.
Despite the current severe fiscal restraints we are providing £3 billion (to 2014-15) to councils for road maintenance and also provided an additional £200 million last year for authorities to repair damage caused by severe weather. It is for authorities to decide how to allocate these funds, including ensuring they have a contingency to deal with any emerging maintenance issues, such as drought, that may arise.
In 2008 the Department for Transport published a guidance document in order to help local authority highway engineers assess the risk from climate change to their network and take suitable adaptation actions. The guidance is available from The Stationery Office.
Fish: Marketing
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate her Department has made of the number of supermarket fish products marketed as (a) dolphin friendly, (b) pole and line caught and (c) sustainably sourced in each of the last five years. [98311]
Richard Benyon: We use figures from the Ethical Consumerism Report by the Co-operative Bank. The data are based on administrative records held by ethical labelling organisations and trade associations. The last five years on record are estimated as follows:
| Spend (£ million) | ||
| Sustainable Fish | Dolphin Friendly Tuna | |
| (1) The spend on dolphin friendly tuna is not available for 2009. Source: Ethical Consumerism Reports (ECR). The Co-operative Bank http://www.goodwithmoney.co.uk/ethicalconsumerismreport | ||
DEFRA does not hold figures or estimates of pole and line caught supermarket fish products.
Pet Animals Act 1951
Jane Ellison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to amend section 2 of the Pet Animals Act 1951 to include (a) public houses and (b) websites. [98173]
7 Mar 2012 : Column 777W
Mr Paice: There are no plans to amend the Pet Animals Act 1951.
River Thames: Sewage
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with (a) Thames Water, (b) the Environment Agency and (c) Ofwat on the volume of spoil to be removed and the means of its removal for the construction of the Thames tunnel. [98137]
Richard Benyon: Thames Water has estimated that around 4.6 million tonnes of excavated material would be generated during construction of the proposed Thames tunnel. The eventual contractor will be responsible for the management and handling of the excavated material, and also for ensuring appropriate re-use, treatment, and/or disposal of the material. This is in line with an overarching waste strategy which I understand Thames Water is currently finalising in conjunction with the Environment Agency. I also understand that Thames Water is undertaking a detailed assessment, following waste hierarchy principles, to identify the preferred options for the management of the excavated material. This includes removal from riverside construction sites by barge, where it is practical and economic to do so, in line with Government planning policy guidance.
The Environment Agency has been working with Thames Water's Thames tunnel team to produce the draft waste strategy, which is available on Thames Water's Thames tunnel consultation website.
The Excavated Materials Options Methodology and Assessment will be available in due course as part of the Development Consent Order application process.
Tyres: Exports
Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many illegally exported containers of used tyres the Environment Agency recovered in the last 12 months; and how much such recovery cost. [98056]
Richard Benyon: During the calendar year of 2011 the Environment Agency reports that no illegally exported containers of used tyres were repatriated.
During the same period, six containers of waste tyres destined for export were intercepted and held. They were granted permission to proceed only after the Malaysian authorities confirmed they were content. Therefore, they were no recovery costs.