Business: Loans
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote sources of finance for small businesses other than bank lending. [99974]
Mr Prisk: It is important that businesses have access to a diverse range of finance sources, other than bank lending, including equity investment and alternative forms of finance.
The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has established an industry working group, led by Tim Breedon of the Association of British Insurers to explore how to further develop non-bank lending channels. This group will report by Budget 2012.
The Government have undertaken a range of measures to promote a range of finance:
To support equity investment in firms, Government have increased thier commitment to the Enterprise Capital Funds programme by £200 million over the four years to 2014-15, providing for more than £300 million of venture capital investment.
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Government have encouraged a better environment for Business Angel investment through the establishment of the new £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund, which aims to support angel investments into high growth potential early stage Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Government have reformed the Enterprise Investment scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), increasing the rate of income tax relief for EIS to 30% and increasing the amounts that can be invested in qualifying companies and the size of qualifying companies (subject to state-aid clearance). From April 2012 the Seed EIS (SEIS) scheme will provide income tax relief of 50% for individuals who invest in shares in qualifying seed companies, with an annual investment limit for individuals of £100,000 and a cumulative investment limit for companies of £150,000.
The Government's Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is also available until 2014-15, to guarantee, subject to demand, up to £2 billion in additional lending for those firms who lack the collateral or the track record to secure debt finance. From January 2012 this was extended to include businesses with up to £44 million annual turnover and a number of new lenders have been accredited.
To support firms' access to finance the Government have also announced £21 billion of credit easing measures to support smaller and mid-sized businesses which will include £20 billion of guarantees for bank funding to be made available over two years under the National Loan Guarantee scheme; and the £1 billion Business Finance Partnership which will be deployed to stimulate markets in alternative forms of finance.
As part of the Government's “Business in You” campaign, the Government's Business Link website provides advice and guidance for businesses on the range of finance options available and how to apply. This can be found at
www.improve.businesslink.gov.uk/resources/business-support-finder
Additionally, there are a number of government agencies which offer businesses alternatives to bank finance through more tailored support, including:
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) which provides a range of support for R and D and innovation including grants; support for Knowledge Transfer; and is establishing a network of elite Catapult Centres to commercialise R and D on new and emerging technologies.
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) which helps small and medium sized manufacturing firms achieve big improvements in their productivity and competitiveness by providing direct access to manufacturing experts who provide professional advice and practical, hands-on support
Business: Regulation
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward a review of the one-in-one-out system. [99857]
Mr Prisk: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 9 February 2012, Official Report, column 399-400W.
Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many small businesses have been helped under his Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme in the latest period for which figures are available. [99376]
Mr Prisk: As of February 2012, 17,339 small and medium-sized businesses had been offered loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. The total value of these loans is £1.76 billion. Not all of these loan offers have been drawn down by the companies that have been offered them. The total number of drawn down loans is 15,168 loans, valued at £1.52 bil1ion.
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EU Grants and Loans
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much and what proportion of the total funds available under convergence funding has been spent in each qualifying area. [98913]
Mr Prisk: The Structural Funds allocations for 2007-13 for areas of the UK with convergence funding status and figures for the proportion of those allocations committed and paid to projects (as at end December 2011) are set out in the following table. All of the programmes are on track to achieve full commitment and spend.
The figures relate to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF).
| Area | Allocation (£ million) | Contractual committed (£ million/(%)) | Paid to projects (£ million/(%)) | |||
| ERDF | ESF | ERDF | ESF | ERDF | ESF | |
These are multi-year programmes and there is a time lag between contractual commitment and actual spend, with spend lower in the earlier years of the programmes. Allocations must be contractually committed by the end of 2013 and spent by the end of 2015. In order to avoid funds being ‘decommitted’ and returned to Brussels, tranches of the allocation must be spent by set deadlines (allocation plus two years—‘N+2’). The UK has hit all N+2 targets in this funding period. In 2011, West Wales and the Valleys achieved 122% of N+2 for ERDF and 134% for ESF. Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly achieved 110% for ERDF and 150% for ESF.
Across the EU, as at end December 2011 the average percentage of the Structural Funds allocation paid out to member states by the Commission upon receipt of a valid claim for reimbursement for programmes was 24.2%. The UK's performance was above average at 29.2%.
Exports: Kurdistan
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value of each category of export to Kurdistan was in the last year for which figures are available. [99089]
Mr Prisk: HM Revenue and Customs Overseas Trade Statistics only collect figures for countries on the geo-nomenclature. Kurdistan is not listed as a separate country, so it is not possible to separate out trade figures for Kurdistan from the total trade figures for Iraq.
Film: Intellectual Property
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of the intellectual property owned by the UK animation industry. [98546]
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Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mark Field) on 1 March 2012, Official Report, column 445W.
Foreign Investment in UK
Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the longest period of time taken has been for (a) a regional inward investment organisation and (b) a local economic partnership to access international pipeline markets after having signed a memorandum of understanding with his Department. [99018]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 12 March 2012]:The longest waiting period from receipt of the relevant documentation from a local partner seeking access to the single national pipeline was approximately six weeks (Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership). The second longest waiting period experienced was five weeks (Locate in Kent). The more typical waiting period (following receipt of the relevant documentation) is 48 hours to receive access to the national pipeline.
The reason for the extended delay experienced by a few partners was due to technical problems they faced in accessing the National School of Government platform necessary for them to register for the e-learning training modules that are mandatory in accessing the material held in the pipeline. A solution has been developed to address this access problem.
Job Creation: Private Sector
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of private sector job creation in recent months. [98727]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 12 March 2012]:The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has not produced any estimates of the number of jobs created in the private sector in recent months.
While the Office for National Statistics also does not publish estimates of jobs created in the private sector, they do publish estimates of total employment in the private sector on a quarterly basis, which are shown in the following table, taken from the ONS Labour Market Statistics release on 15 February 2012.
| UK private sector employment | |
| Million, seasonally adjusted | |
London Development Agency: Pay
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any staff employed by the London Development Agency received retention bonuses after the announcement of the abolition of the regional development agencies. [99955]
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Mr Prisk: The functions, assets and liabilities of the London Development Agency (LDA) are being transferred to the Greater London Authority, along with some LDA staff. The LDA has not offered retention payments to any of its staff.
Manufacturing Industries
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will (a) place in the Library a copy of and (b) publish Sir Anthony Bamford's report on UK manufacturing. [97558]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 1 March 2012]:There are no plans to place the report in the Library of the House.
Manufacturing Industries: Government Assistance
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on supporting the manufacturing sector in each of the last three years. [98224]
Mr Prisk: BIS does not measure its expenditure by sector but by function, for example, during the past three years we have spent £43.8 million on the Grant for Business Investment, (which was the predecessor of the Regional Growth Fund and from which the manufacturing sector has been a key beneficiary) and £52.8 million on the Manufacturing Advisory Service.
Overall, the Government provides a wide range of support to the manufacturing sector. We announced a package of measures at the 2011 Budget in the “Plan for Growth” to help manufacturing firms commercialise technological innovations, boost access to a skilled workforce and improve the image of the sector.
In the autumn statement further measures were announced that will benefit manufacturers including an additional £6.3 billion—of which £1.3 billion was announced earlier in the year—in infrastructure investment over this spending review period, and a further £5 billion in the next. We are now committing £2.4 billion to the Regional Growth Fund and £25 million to a Higher Apprenticeships Fund. In addition, we will be providing £59 million to the modernised Manufacturing Advisory Service between 2012 and 2015. There will also be more funding for science and innovation. Furthermore, on 6 December 2011 we launched a £125 million challenge fund to boost UK advanced manufacturing supply chains.
Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to invite bids for the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative. [99943]
Mr Prisk: An advance notice of this competition was published on 9 February and further details will be available shortly. Information about this competition can be found on the Technology Strategy Board website:
www.innovateuk.org
Overseas Trade: Tunisia
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to help the Anglo-Tunisian Chamber of Commerce to increase bilateral trade. [99833]
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Mr Prisk: We have regular contact with the Tunisian-British Chamber of Commerce (TBBC) and are in the process of agreeing a Memorandum of Understanding with regard to collaboration on areas of mutual interest. We shall assist with a planned visit by the TBBC to the UK.
Public Consultation
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many consultations the Government has conducted since May 2010. [99290]
Mr Prisk: The Department does not record the number of consultations conducted by Government.
Shops: Empty Property
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) recent steps he has taken and (b) steps he plans to take to encourage small businesses to take over unoccupied high street shops. [98729]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 12 March 2012]:Mary Portas' independent review of the high street considered a wide range of issues and town centres. She made 28 recommendations including on the issue of unoccupied shops. The Minister for Housing and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps), will be responding on behalf of the Government to her report in the spring.
Further recent initiatives include the launch of the High Street Pilot Scheme, a competition to find 12 areas to pilot a strategy for improving the economic vitality of England's high streets. Following the publication of the growth report the Government extended the current small business rate relief holiday for one year from 1 October 2011.
South West Regional Development Agency: Government Procurement Card
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a list of the Government Procurement Card transactions, including each transaction (a) date, (b) recipient and (c) value made by the South West Regional Development Agency in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [99956]
Mr Prisk: The South West Regional Development Agency has not made use of Government Procurement Cards and there are therefore no transactions to list.
UK Trade & Investment: Oil
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which UK-based companies which develop and export oil shale technologies were in receipt of support from UK Trade & Investment on the most recent date for which information is available. [97434]
Mr Prisk:
The technology used to extract shale oil has not been seen as sufficiently distinct from more mainstream oil and gas technology to warrant a separate
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classification in UK Trade & Investment's Customer Relationship Management system. It is therefore not a straightforward matter to identify companies with specifically shale oil-related equipment and services that have made use of UKTI services. This means that collating a comprehensive list would incur a disproportionate cost.
Yorkshire Forward: Pay
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any staff formerly employed by the Yorkshire Forward Development Agency received retention bonuses after the announcement by the Government of the abolition of the regional development agencies. [99733]
Mr Prisk: The eight regional development agencies (RDAs) have put in place arrangements to secure the retention of key staff until the agencies are closed. They have made these arrangements with the approval of the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and HM Treasury. This is to safeguard the taxpayer's interest in making best use of the significant public assets that the RDAs have owned. A retention payment process had been recommended to be put into place by the National Audit Office. At Yorkshire Forward to date, no member of staff has received a retention payment.
Health
Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs
Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the (a) interim and (b) concluding reports from the drug and alcohol recovery payment by results pilots and the report on lessons learned from those pilots will be published. [99335]
Anne Milton: The Drugs and Alcohol Recovery Payment by Results (PbR) pilots programme is being launched in the week commencing 2 April 2012, and will be independently evaluated. The evaluation findings and lessons learned will be widely disseminated. Detailed publication plans will be developed in due course.
Eight pilot areas will launch new PbR models which have been co-designed in April. The purpose of the pilots is to explore how PbR can work for drug recovery for adults in the community and to incentivise providers to support people to achieve lasting recovery. The Department has commissioned the University of Manchester to carry out a three-year independent evaluation of the drugs and alcohol recovery PbR pilots programme. The evaluation team are required to produce the following outputs/reports:
In June 2012, following an initial scoping and feasibility phase, provide a report including a selective review of the relevant research literature, refined evaluation; proposals, detail on the engagement with pilot sites to date and any emerging findings;
Provide further interim reports on an annual basis;
Provide brief update reports on a quarterly basis, including submission of headline management information; and
Provide a final report in October 2014.
Under the terms and conditions of departmental research contracts, research contractors are expected to publish their findings. The evaluation team will be asked to produce a detailed publication and dissemination plan in due course.
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Cancer
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps he has taken to improve (a) cancer, (b) accident and emergency, (c) paediatric and (d) geriatric services in the West Midlands. [99332]
Paul Burstow: The provision of national health services is a matter for the local NHS.
The NHS Operating Framework for 2012-13, published by the Department in November 2011, states NHS organisations should continue to work to meet the expectations set out in “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”. Backed by more than £750 million over the next four years, the strategy sets out plans to improve earlier diagnosis, access to screening and treatment and patients' experience of care.
On 13 December 2011, the Department published the first annual report of the cancer strategy. The report highlights progress made; including improved data collection and analysis and campaigns to improve the public's awareness of cancer symptoms.
In October 2011, the Department piloted a five-week lung cancer awareness campaign in the Midlands using television, radio, press and face-to-face events, to encourage people who have had a cough for at least three weeks to see a general practitioner. Initial results indicate it has been successful in raising public awareness.
The eight new clinical quality indicators that replaced the accident and emergency four hour waiting time standard on 1 April 2011, have put in place more meaningful performance measures that balance timeliness of care with other indicators of quality, including clinical outcomes and patient experience. The aim is to encourage a spirit of continuous improvement that will drive up standards of care, rather than simply achieving targets.
The “National Framework for Children and Young People's Continuing Care”, sets out an equitable, transparent and timely process for those children and young people under the age of 18 who have continuing care needs that cannot be met by existing universal and specialist services alone and whose needs require bespoke commissioning of services. The “National Framework” leads to a child's needs being assessed against 10 care domains, irrespective of diagnosis.
In January 2012 the Department announced the development of a Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Strategy, as part of this Government's commitment to ensure the health system plays an effective part in supporting the development and life chances of young people. It will be published by summer 2012 so recommendations can inform the planning for 2013-14.
The Department of Health is working with the Department for Education on a number of aspects of the Green Paper on special educational needs and disability, published in March 2011, in response to calls for better support for children with disabilities.
The Department encourages providers to increase the quality of their services to older people, by sharing best practice, bringing people together, and putting in place the right system incentives.
The Department aims to keep older people well and out of hospital; to help older people regain their independence after a period of support; to provide
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older people with advice and choice around their end of life care; and to give older people a greater say in their care.
The Department is developing a cross-government Long-term Condition Outcomes Strategy that it aims to publish in late 2012, which will promote patient and carer involvement and shared decision-making in all of the support that people with long-term conditions receive.
Cancer: Drugs
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Portsmouth NHS Trust informed his Department of the death of Mr Ricky Peter Hayes as a result of the use of fluorouracil; and if he will make a statement. [99334]
Mr Simon Burns: We can confirm that the Department was not notified of the death of Mr Hayes. We are advised that Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust reported this case to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
Carers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that carers who care for a family member do not suffer ill-health as a consequence of their work. [99329]
Paul Burstow: “Recognised, valued and supported: Next steps for the Carers Strategy”, sets out the priority areas for action over four years, between 2011 and 2015. This includes supporting carers to remain mentally and physically well. The Department funded 25 Carers Strategy Demonstrator sites that looked at various ways of supporting carers to look after their own health. An independent evaluation “New Approaches to Supporting Carers' Health and Well-being”, was published last year. This document has been placed in the Library and can be found at the following website at:
www.sociology.leeds.ac.uk/circle/news/new-approaches.php
We are providing additional funding of £400 million to the national health service between 2011 and 2015 to support carers to take a break from their caring responsibilities.
We have made almost £1 million available for general practitioner training in 2011-12, to increase their awareness and understanding of carers' health needs so that they can receive appropriate advice and treatment and we plan to build on that further in 2012-13.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has held with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to prevent poverty for carers who care for a family member; and if he will make a statement. [99330]
Paul Burstow: The Department has regular discussions with the Department for Work and Pensions about benefits and support for those with caring responsibilities.
The cross-Government Carers Strategy “Recognised, valued and supported: Next steps for the Carers' Strategy”, recognises that carers should not face financial hardship and the Departments are working together to take forward various initiatives to support carers in their
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caring role, through welfare reform and in developing the White Paper on care and support. We are looking at putting the rights of carers on a firmer footing in social care so that they have similar rights to the people they care for.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government is taking to ensure consistent levels of provision of social care support. [99331]
Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 128W.
Clinical Commissioning Group
Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments are made to GPs for attendance at meetings of clinical commissioning groups. [99076]
Mr Simon Burns: Subject to the Health and Social Care Bill, once a clinical commissioning group (CCG) is established as a statutory body, its governing body will determine the remuneration, fees and allowances payable to the employees of the CCG, or to other persons providing services to it, and will be advised on this by the remuneration committee.
The CCG members will determine the remuneration, and travelling and other allowances for the governing body members.
A CCG may also pay such travelling and other allowances as it considers appropriate to members, individuals acting on behalf of members, and members of committees or sub-committees.
Any payments currently made to general practitioners for attending meetings in relation to clinical commissioning or the development of CCGs are a matter for the relevant primary care trust.
Disadvantaged: Families
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether funding of the troubled families initiative has had implications for the funding of other programmes operated by his Department; what such programmes are; and what funding has been so diverted in each case. [99550]
Paul Burstow: The Troubled Families programme is one of a number of new programmes the Department is funding over the spending review period.
Funding has been found through the normal budget setting process, in which the Department reviews its overall funding priorities, reallocates funding from work areas which are coming to an end or where costs have changed, and adjusts funding to meet new priorities. It is not possible therefore to identify exactly which changes, across the Department's budget, have contributed to funding for Troubled Families.
The Estimates Memorandum for each Department will be published by Parliament and the estimates themselves will be published by the Treasury in the early part of the new financial year 2012-13. These documents will carry the detail of programme budget changes.
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Eyesight: Surgery
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will commission an independent patient study on the results of laser eye surgery; [99418]
(2) what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the success of laser eye surgery. [99419]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not directly commissioned or evaluated research specifically on the success of laser eye surgery, and has no plans to directly commission an independent patient study of the results of such surgery.
The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds the UK Cochrane Centre. The centre supports the preparation, maintenance and accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of health care interventions produced by 20 NIHR-funded Cochrane Review Groups. Reviews carried out by the Eyes and Vision Group include:
Excimer laser refractive surgery versus phakic intraocular lenses for the correction of moderate to high myopia;
Photorefractive keratectomy versus laser assisted in situ keratomileusis for hyperopia correction; and
Photorefractive keratectomy versus laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis for myopia.
These reviews can be found on the Cochrane Library website at:
www.thecochranelibrary.com/details/browseReviews/576735/Refractive-errors.html
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to alert the general public to the potential risks involved in laser eye surgery; [99420]
(2) if he will consider the introduction of a legally enforceable minimum period between the issuing of patient consent to laser eye surgery and the operation. [99423]
Mr Simon Burns: Information for the public on laser eye surgery, including information about risks associated with the procedure, has been published through NHS Choices.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists published a Patients' Guide to Excimer Laser Refractive Surgery alongside its updated standards for laser refractive surgery in July 2011.
In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published Interventional Procedure Guidance in March 2006. This guidance sets out that clinicians undertaking photorefractive (laser) eye surgery should ensure that patients understand the benefits and potential risks of the procedure.
The article on NHS Choices provides links to the guidance from both the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the National Institute's guidance.
The General Medical Council published Good Medical Practice on 12 November 2006. This guidance describes what is expected of all doctors registered with the General Medical Council. It includes guidance on communicating the risks involved with treatment and that doctors must be satisfied that they have the consent or other valid authority before they provide treatment.
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The General Medical Council also published Consent: patients and doctors making decisions together on 2 June 2008, which draws attention to the need for allowing patients time to reflect before and after a decision is made.
The Royal College's standards cover the consent process which should follow General Medical Council guidelines.
In addition, all providers of regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and meet the essential requirements of safety and quality.
These requirements include a requirement to have suitable arrangements in place for obtaining, and acting in accordance with, the consent of service users in relation to the care and treatment provided for them.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements have been put in place for monitoring the performance of individual surgeons in undertaking laser eye surgery; [99421]
(2) if he will put in place arrangements for the publication annually of the success rates for individual surgeons of their performance of laser eye surgery; [99422]
(3) if he will reassess the standards of training, qualifications, experience and competence required by surgeons undertaking laser eye surgery. [99424]
Mr Simon Burns: Corrective laser eye surgery is not carried out routinely on the national health service other than for exceptional clinical reasons and these will be very rare. Performance monitoring of individual surgeons in the independent sector and publication of results will be for the relevant provider within the context of professional and regulatory requirements.
A doctor undertaking laser eye surgery must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). All doctors must work within the principles of ‘Good Medical Practice', the standards that a doctor must meet to ensure their continued registration with the GMC.
The standards state that in providing care you must recognise and work within the limits of your professional competence and be competent when making diagnoses and when giving or arranging treatment.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists published updated standards for laser refractive surgery in July 2011.
The standards cover the appropriate experience and qualifications of surgeons performing laser refractive surgery.
In addition, all providers of regulated activities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 must be registered with the Care Quality Commission and meet the essential requirements of safety and quality.
The requirements include requirements for the provider to ensure they have the suitably qualified skilled and experienced staff necessary.
General Practitioners
Kelvin Hopkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of how many extra GPs will be needed to compensate for time spent by
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existing GPs on the proposed new commissioning system; and what provision he plans to make for their recruitment and training. [99487]
Mr Simon Burns: Under the proposed new commissioning system, the predominant focus of general practitioners (GPs) will continue to be on providing high quality primary care to patients. The number of GPs actively involved in commissioning will depend on decisions made by individual GPs and by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). However, most day-to-day activities in support of commissioning are likely to be undertaken by staff employed by CCGs and by commissioning support services. A small number of GPs will hold leadership positions within CCGs. Each GP practice will have a GP or other health professional who represents the practice in dealings with the CCG. Other GPs may be involved in the clinical design of local services, building in some cases on existing GP involvement in practice-based commissioning.
The number of GP trainees has increased in recent years and the Centre for Workforce Intelligence, the Government's independent advisory body on health care work force planning, recommends that England increases the number of entry level training posts by 450 to around 3,250, phased over the next four years.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of hours GPs will have to commit to commissioning work under the proposals in the Health and Social Care Bill. [99532]
Mr Simon Burns: Under the proposed new commissioning system, the time spent by individual general practitioners (GPs) in relation to commissioning will depend on decisions made by GPs and by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). GPs' predominant focus will continue to be on providing high quality primary care to patients. Most day-to-day activities in support of commissioning are likely to be undertaken by staff employed by CCGs and by commissioning support services. A small number of GPs will hold leadership positions within CCGs. Each GP practice will have a GP or other health professional who represents the practice in dealings with the CCG. Other GPs may be involved in the clinical design of local services, building in some cases on existing GP involvement in practice-based commissioning.
General Practitioners: Bexley
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from GPs in the London borough of Bexley on the Health and Social Care Bill. [99308]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government have listened to a wide range of representations throughout the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, including from general practitioners (GPs).
A search of the Department's ministerial correspondence database has been unable to identify any correspondence received since 12 January 2011 from GPs in the London borough of Bexley about the Health and Social Care Bill.
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Gynaecology: Medical Treatments
Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the (a) effects of the best practice tariffs for uterine fibroid embolisation and (b) other best practice tariffs in improving quality and best practice in the NHS; [98508]
(2) what assessment he has made of the (a) cost-effectiveness and (b) invasiveness of uterine fibroid embolisation as a treatment for women diagnosed with fibroids. [98509]
Mr Simon Burns: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published interventional procedures guidance on uterine artery embolisation for fibroids in November 2010. NICE interventional procedures guidance makes recommendations on whether procedures are sufficiently safe and efficacious for use in clinical practice, but does not provide guidance on whether they represent a clinically and cost-effective use of national health service resources. It is for the NHS to take account of NICE guidance when determining treatment options.
A best practice tariff for uterine artery embolisation for fibroids was introduced in April 2011, with the aim of improving patient outcomes and experience by incentivising the use of this procedure where clinically appropriate.
The Department's Payment by Results team have commissioned an evaluation of best practice tariffs introduced from April 2010. The evaluation will provide structured qualitative and quantitative information regarding the impact of best practice tariffs in order to evaluate the effectiveness of using the national tariff as a lever to improve clinical quality.
The outcomes and recommendations of the evaluation are currently subject to peer review and we anticipate that these will be published in spring 2012. In advance of the publication, we can confirm that we are receiving positive feedback relating to how the best practice tariffs are helping to change existing practice and engage clinicians and managers.
Hospitals: Waiting Lists
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of any change in the number of people waiting more than six weeks for diagnostic tests in south Birmingham; for what reasons any such change has taken place; and if he will make a statement. [99458]
Mr Simon Burns: The information is shown in the following table:
| Number of patients waiting six weeks or longer for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests at the end of each month in the last three years at South Birmingham Primary Care Trust(PCT) | ||
| Month | Patients waiting six weeks or more | Total patients waiting |
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| Source: Department of Health Unify2 data collection—DM01 | ||
At the end of January 2012, the number of patients waiting over six weeks for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests at South Birmingham PCT was 48 (1.2% of the total waiting list). Nationally, at the end of January 2012, 1.5% of patients were waiting six weeks or more for one of the 15 key diagnostic tests.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to support (a) men, (b) women, (c) children and (d) older people with Crohn's disease. [99927]
Paul Burstow:
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is developing a clinical guideline for the treatment of Crohn's disease with publication expected in December 2012. We also consulted last summer on a proposed library of NICE quality standards
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which would include a quality standard on Crohn's disease, and a final decision will be announced shortly.. Through the NHS Outcomes Framework we will be holding the national health service to account for improving the quality of life of people with long term conditions, including Crohn's disease.
Medical Equipment: EU Action
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has held with the European Commission on the potential effect of its proposed revision of medical device regulation on timely patient access to the full range of new and existing devices. [99294]
Mr Simon Burns: Following the publication of a consultation on the proposed revision of the legal framework for medical devices in May 2008, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has worked closely with the European Commission to influence the proposals for the revision exercise. This has included formal and informal discussions and exchanges at both official and ministerial level; most recently the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), met with Commissioner Dalli in February 2012 to discuss aspects of the revision.
The overall aim of the Government for the revision is to maintain the strengths of the existing regulatory system, of which rapid access to market for new devices is a key aspect, while addressing the acknowledged weaknesses in the system. These include improving the standard and consistency of Notified Bodies, enhancing vigilance and post-market safety surveillance systems, and improving the consistency of implementation of medical device legislation across the European Union.
Following the recent concerns about PIP implants, the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my noble Friend Earl Howe, and Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director, are leading reviews that may identify areas where improvements could be made to the regulatory system. The outcomes of these reviews will feed into ongoing discussions with the European Commission.
Mortality Rates
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people from Newark were certified dead upon arrival at the accident and emergency department of (a) the Queens Medical Centre, (b) Nottingham City Hospital, (c) Kingsmill Hospital, (d) Lincoln Hospital and (e) Grantham Hospital in each of the last three years; [99718]
(2) how many people from Worksop were certified dead upon arrival at the accident and emergency department of (a) Bassetlaw District General, (b) Sheffield Hallam Hospital and (c) Doncaster Royal Infirmary in each of the last three years; [99719]
(3) how many people from Grantham were certified dead upon arrival at the accident and emergency department of (a) Grantham Hospital, (b) the Queens Medical Centre, (c) Nottingham City Hospital and (d) Lincoln Hospital in each of the last three years. [99720]
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Mr Simon Burns: The data are not available in the format requested. However, data for all Dead on Arrival(1) ( )at accident and emergency (A&E)(2) from primary care trust (PCT) of residence(3) by hospital provider(4) is shown in the following table:
| Hospital provider (A&E) | PCT | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 |
| (1) Dead on Arrival are categorised under Patient group (“70 Brought in Dead”). Within this field, 95.3% of entries are valid records ie excluding ‘Not known’. However, the majority of these 14,575,503 (or 89.7% of all records) are classified as either ‘other accident’ or ‘other’. (2) A&E attendances include all attendances at major A&E departments, single specialty A&E departments, walk-in centres and minor injury units in England. It will not always represent the number of people attending A&E as one person may attend on several different occasions. (3) The strategic health authority (SHA) or PCT containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (4) Hospital providers can also include treatment centres (TC). Normally, if data are tabulated by healthcare provider, the figure for an NHS trust gives the activity of all the sites as one aggregated figure. However, in the case of those with embedded TC, these data are quoted separately. In these cases, '-X' is appended to the code for the rest of the trust, to remind users that the figures are for all sites of the trust excluding the treatment centres. The quality of TC returns are such that data may not be complete. Some NHS trusts have not registered their TC as a separate site, and it is therefore not possible to identify their activity separately. Data from some independent sector providers, where the onus for arrangement of dataflows is on the commissioner, may be missing. Care must be taken when using these data as the counts may be lower than true figures. Notes: 1. Data Quality It should be noted that the Department is the official source of A&E statistics through Quarterly Monitoring of Accident and Emergency (QMAE). While QMAE remains the official source of A&E attendance numbers and four hour wait target information, A&E HES is able to offer more detailed analysis. A&E HES coverage (74% of the QMAE attendances) has improved since the first publication of these experimental statistics in 2007-08 (62%), aligning more closely to QMAE data. 2. Small Numbers To protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been replaced with “*” (an asterisk). Where it was still possible to identify numbers from the total an additional number (the next smallest) has been replaced. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre | ||||
Mortality Rates: East Midlands
Patrick Mercer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the mortality rate was of (a) patients from Newark admitted to (i) the Queens Medical Centre, (ii) Nottingham City Hospital, (iii) Kingsmill Hospital, (iv)
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Lincoln Hospital and (v) Grantham Hospital,
(b)
patients from Worksop admitted to (i) Bassetlaw District General, (ii) Sheffield Hallam Hospital and (iii) Doncaster Royal Infirmary and
(c)
patients from Grantham admitted to (i) Grantham Hospital, (ii) the Queens Medical Centre, (iii) Nottingham City Hospital and (iv) Lincoln Hospital. [99717]
Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not held by the Department.
NHS: Disclosure of Information
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure adequate protection for whistleblowers in the NHS. [99328]
Anne Milton: A number of measures have already been undertaken by this Government, which are designed to provide support to whistleblowers. Guidance has been issued to national health service employing organisations providing advice on whistleblowing policies. A new contractual right to raise concerns has been implemented, with accompanying guidance explaining that all contracts of employment should cover this right.
On 11 January the Chief Executive of the NHS wrote to all NHS bodies to remind them of their obligations under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) and the support organisations should offer staff seeking to raise concerns in the public interest.
Changes to the NHS constitution in respect of whistleblowing were also published on 8 March, along with a written ministerial statement given by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), Official Report, column 71W.
The Department has recontracted for the provision of an independent whistleblowing helpline for NHS and social care staff. Should workers be unsure of how to raise concerns or what protections they would receive, through PIDA, individuals can call the advice line and receive free legal advice.
We are continuing to explore options for further measures to support whistleblowers in the NHS.
NHS: Pay
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average pay increase received by each individual in the NHS was in each of the last three years. [99856]
Mr Simon Burns: This information could be collected only at a disproportionate cost. Information on the national pay increases to basic pay for the last three years for NHS Very Senior Managers, NHS Medical staff and NHS non-medical staff employed under Agenda for Change is shown in the following table.
| NHS Very Senior Managers | Medical staff | Agenda for Change non-medical staff | |
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|
Foundation house officer 1s in unhanded posts received a supplement of 5% in addition to basic salary |
|||
In addition to any increase in basic pay, medical staff and Agenda for Change staff have incremental progression. Consultants may also receive Clinical Excellence Awards. At the end of each financial year Very Senior Managers are considered for a non-consolidated bonus payment.
NHS: Private Sector
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2012, Official Report, column 721W, on the NHS: private sector, what comparative cost-benefit analysis his Department has carried out on (a) an NHS provider providing a service meeting NHS prices or tariffs and directing any profit back into the NHS and (b) a private sector provider providing a service meeting NHS prices or tariffs and taking any profit out of the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [99991]
Mr Simon Burns: The Government are not proposing to increase the proportion of national health service services delivered by private providers and have not, therefore, undertaken any analysis to that end.
Obesity
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to encourage people to maintain a healthy weight through healthy eating and exercise. [99313]
Anne Milton: In October 2011, the Government published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on obesity in England”, which sets out how obesity among children and adults will be tackled in the new public health and NHS systems. The document also sets out details of two new national ambitions for reversing the trend in the level of excess weight in children and adults by 2020. A copy of the “Call to action” has been already placed in the Library.
The Government are taking action to support progress towards these ambitions, for example through:
Change4Life, which aims to inspire a social movement to prevent people becoming overweight and obese. Current and planned projects for Change4Life are detailed within the Change4Life Social Marketing Strategy, published on 13 October, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library;
The Public Health Responsibility Deal. Its Food Network has recently agreed the terms of a calorie reduction pledge under
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which companies can make commitments to support and enable their customers to eat and drink fewer calories in order to help them maintain a healthy weight; and
Supporting the commitment to achieve a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through significant investment in the School Games and Change4Life Clubs in schools. There will also be a Change4Life campaign in summer 2012 promoting healthy, active lifestyles in the context of the games.
Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on capital funding for Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. [99310]
Mr Simon Burns: A search of the Department's ministerial correspondence database has been unable to identify any correspondence received specifically relating to this subject. This represents correspondence received by the Department's central correspondence team only.
Proposals and a strategic outline case for a health and well-being campus at Queen Mary's, Sidcup were submitted to NHS London in October 2011. Since then local clinicians, commissioners, London borough of Bexley and South London Healthcare NHS Trust have been working to further develop these plans.
Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many regulations his Department repealed between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012; and what estimate he has made of the likely savings in each case. [97918]
Mr Simon Burns: Information on the likely savings to those affected by each of the regulations revoked between 1 June 2011 and 31 January is not held centrally, therefore to provide an estimate could be achieved only at disproportionate cost to the Department.
Tobacco: Packaging
Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure that respondents to his Department's consultation on plain packaging for tobacco products declare any funding from the (a) Government and (b) pharmaceutical industry; [99400]
(2) what steps he plans to take to ensure that respondents to his Department's consultation on plain packaging for tobacco products declare (a) organisational membership of anti-smoking pressure groups, (b) organisational funding from Action on Smoking and Health and other anti-smoking pressure groups, (c) contracts for providing services to or receiving fees from anti-smoking pressure groups and (d) responses generated through campaigns funded directly or indirectly by anti-smoking pressure groups. [99401]
Anne Milton:
As set out in Chapter 10 of ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England’, to fulfil our obligations as a party to the World Health Organisation's framework convention on tobacco control, we will be asking all respondents to consultation exercises on tobacco control measures run by the Department to disclose any links with, or funding received from, the tobacco industry. We would encourage
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all respondents to provide an answer to this question in the interests of transparency. There will be a free-text response box for respondents to describe the nature of their link with the tobacco industry where relevant.
However, where a response to a consultation is made on behalf of an organisation or business, respondents will be asked to indicate the nature of their business or organisation in order that the Department can better understand their views and the views of different groups.
The only required information for consultation responses will be the respondent's name and contact details. This information is requested so that the Department can contact the respondent if further clarification of their response is needed.
A copy of the Tobacco Control Plan has already been placed in the Library.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Sequestration
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the potential for industrial and power carbon capture and storage clusters in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [99596]
Charles Hendry: The Government have supported a number of studies into CCS cluster development in England, both directly and indirectly. Similar work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would be funded through the appropriate devolved Administration.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he intends to bring forward a strategy for the development of carbon capture and storage. [99805]
Charles Hendry: The Government remain firmly committed to supporting the commercialisation of CCS and there are a number of promising projects proposed in the UK.
We will publish a CCS Roadmap and launch a streamlined selection process for future CCS projects in the coming weeks.
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Coal Fired Power Stations: Carbon Sequestration
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress on the Coalition Agreement commitment to continue public sector investment in carbon capture and storage technology for four coal-fired power stations. [99592]
Charles Hendry: The coalition commitment still stands. The Department will be publishing a CCS Roadmap shortly, which will assess progress in the development of CCS for both the power and industrial sectors.
Following the decision on the Longannet project last October, the £l billion committed by the Government remains available for the CCS programme. We will launch a streamlined selection process for future CCS projects alongside publication of the Roadmap in the coming weeks. The number of projects to be supported out of the new competition will depend on the proposals received and the assessment of which project or projects best meet the selection criteria.
Electricity: Prices
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the electricity cost differential for energy intensive industries in the UK to France and Germany; and if he will publish any such assessment. [99544]
Charles Hendry: DECC publishes Eurostat data on the electricity prices paid by industrial users of various sizes in the EU 15 in its Quarterly Energy Prices publication, available online at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/prices/prices.aspx
UK electricity prices (inc. taxes) for extra large(1) industrial users are higher than those of France and have been lower than those of Germany since the period January to June 2010 (see table).
(1) Extra large industrial electricity users are defined as those consuming 70,000 MWh to 150,000 MWh of electricity per year. Many UK energy intensive users are above this threshold for electricity. Data for users that consume more than 150,000 MWh a year of electricity are available on the Eurostat website at:
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/energy/data/database
but only for a limited number of countries (including the UK but not France and Germany). It is therefore unclear whether the same comparison in the table, which applies to users up to the 150,000 MWh threshold will apply to larger users.
| Average industrial electricity prices for extra large consumers (including taxes), p/kWh | ||||||||
| July to December 2007 | January to June 2008 | July to December 2008 | January to June 2009 | July to December 2009 | January to June 2010 | July to December 2010 | January to June 2011 | |
On 12 March, the Government launched a call for evidence on the impact of electricity costs on energy intensive industries in the UK to inform implementation of the package of measures announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne’s), autumn statement for these industries, available online at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/low-carbon-business-opportunities/energy-intensive-industries
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Energy Supply
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of progress on the Coalition Agreement commitment to instruct Ofgem to establish a security guarantee of energy supplies. [99598]
Charles Hendry: Since the formation of the coalition, the Government have made excellent progress towards improving the future security of energy supplies, including the commitment in the coalition agreement.
In terms of electricity security, the Energy Act 2011 introduced a requirement for Ofgem to assess future supply of, and demand for, electricity and report to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), annually before 1 September 2012. It will cover the period of each of the four calendar years following publication of the report. The Secretary of State is then required to publish his assessment of the capacity needed to meet electricity demand in Great Britain.
In addition, the Government have committed to legislate to introduce a capacity mechanism, in the form of a Capacity Market, to ensure we have adequate levels of reliable capacity in the future.
In terms of gas security, the Energy Act 2011 conferred on Ofgem a power to sharpen the commercial incentives on gas market participants to reduce the likelihood, duration or severity of a gas supply emergency.
Ofgem is now considering potential use of the power through their ongoing Gas Security Significant Code Review. DECC has also asked Ofgem to consider the case for further measures to ensure the security of our gas supplies, and asked them to produce a report by May 2012.
Energy: Billing
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households that have been back-billed by their energy supplier in each of the last five years. [99746]
Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold any information on customers who have been back billed by their energy supplier.
Since 2007, energy suppliers have not been able to require payment beyond a year from the date of a subsequent bill if they are at fault for not billing a domestic customer.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many investigations Ofgem has undertaken on back-billing of (a) domestic customers and (b) small businesses by energy suppliers in each of the last 10 years. [99814]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem has not undertaken a formal investigation specifically about back billing of domestic or non domestic customers.
Since 2007, energy suppliers have not been able to require payment beyond a year from the date of a subsequent bill if they are at fault for not billing their domestic customers.
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Following receipt of evidence from consumer groups on the behaviour of suppliers on back billing in the non domestic sector over the last year, Ofgem asked the industry to develop a set of self-regulatory standards to address these issues. The standards are due to come into effect in April this year and Ofgem will monitor their effect. In addition, Ofgem plan to carry out further analysis of the impact of limiting the back billing period where a supplier is at fault.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many complaints Ofgem has received from small businesses in relation to back-billing by energy suppliers in each of the last 10 years. [99815]
Charles Hendry: Ofgem does not deal with individual consumer complaints. Over the last year Ofgem has received evidence, through complaints dealt with by Consumer Direct and Consumer Focus, together with information provided by business representative organisations, relating to back billing of business customers.
Energy: International Co-operation
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of progress on the development of a European supergrid. [99375]
Charles Hendry: The term “supergrid” is used to refer to a number of different visions, ranging from a more integrated offshore grid in the seas around the UK, to a network of large interconnectors linking low carbon generation with centres of demand across the EU. The Government are engaged in a number of work programmes which are looking at the issues raised by such developments. We are considering the costs, benefits and technical challenges of a more integrated offshore grid in the North and Irish seas, as part of the North Seas Countries' Offshore Grid Initiative, which was launched in December 2010. A similar assessment is being made of transmission and generation developments which might facilitate the cost-effective exploitation of the renewables potential of the British Islands and Ireland under the All Islands Approach, which was agreed at the British Irish Council summit in June 2011. The initial results of this work are expected in early 2013.
At the UK-Nordic-Baltic summit in January 2011 the Prime Minister launched an initiative to promote low-carbon growth across the region. Further interconnection, possibly linking renewable energy sources, is a key component of this vision. The Government welcomes the many interconnection projects which developers are currently investigating with countries such as Norway, Iceland and France. Such interconnections would be an important element in the modular development of any future European “supergrid”. And late last year the European Commission published proposals for a regulation to facilitate investment in priority energy infrastructure across the EU, including an offshore grid in the North, Irish and Baltic seas and the first electricity “highways”, designed to transmit high-voltage power over long distances to link up low-carbon energy sources. Any developments are likely to take place in an incremental manner over a period of years.
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Energy: Prices
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of energy to high-energy firms in the UK; and what comparison he has made with similar costs in (a) Germany, (b) France, (c) the US, (d) China, (e) Brazil and (f) Japan. [99724]
Charles Hendry: DECC publishes energy prices data for the UK and other EU 15 and G7 countries from Eurostat (for various size-bands) and the International Energy Agency (average industrial prices) in its “Quarterly Energy Prices” publication, available online at:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/publications/prices/prices.aspx
Comparisons using these data show average UK gas prices (inc. taxes) for industrial users in 2010 were higher than those of the US but below those of Germany, France and Brazil(1). Gas price data for Japan are unavailable for the period 2008-10 but average Japanese gas prices for industrial users have historically been higher than the UK's. Average UK electricity prices (inc. taxes) for industrial users in 2010 were higher than those for the US and France but lower than those for Germany, Japan and Brazil. Consistent gas and electricity price data for industrial users in China are currently unavailable.
(1) Brazil data are not published in Quarterly Energy Prices but are available directly via the IEA's Energy Prices and Taxes publication, which includes data for 2011.
On 12 March, the Government launched a call for evidence on the impact of electricity costs on Energy Intensive Industries in the UK to inform implementation of the package of measures announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne’s), autumn statement for these industries. Available online at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/business-sectors/low-carbon-business-opportunities/energy-intensive-industries
Nuclear Power Stations: Safety
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the level of additional resource allocated by the nuclear regulators for nuclear safety reassessments following the nuclear accident at Fukushima in March last year; and whether any such expenditure has been recovered from nuclear operators. [99004]
Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
On 14 March 2011, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change asked HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations to examine the circumstances of the Fukushima accident to see what lessons could be learnt to enhance the safety of the UK nuclear industry. Subsequently, on 24 March 2011, the European Council (EC) requested a review of safety at all European nuclear power plants, known as the Stress Tests.
As a result, resources were re-prioritised, within the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) for post-Fukushima nuclear safety related work, which included applying the Stress Test process to all UK licensed nuclear installations.
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Following the accident at Fukushima the Office for Nuclear Regulation provided authoritative advice on nuclear aspects throughout the crisis and utilised resources to look at the lessons learned from the accident. This included the reprioritisation of staff to work with the industry to reassess safety arrangements. It is estimated that since the incident, the resources utilised amount to the equivalent of 11.5 staff years. (Total staffing within ONR is c.450) Costs for such activity are recovered from the industry through the Health and Safety Executive's normal cost recovery processes.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on proposals put to site stakeholder groups at civil nuclear sites to extend nuclear accident evacuation zones at UK nuclear installations following the accident at Fukushima in March 2011. [99006]
Charles Hendry: DECC does not hold information on proposals put to site stakeholder groups at civil nuclear sites.
Offshore Industry: Safety
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he next plans to meet the European Commission to discuss draft EU regulations on the offshore safety regime. [99535]
Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), spoke to the Energy Commissioner about this and other issues on 28 February. They have agreed to meet as soon as is convenient for further discussions but as yet no date has been set.
Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many regulations his Department repealed between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012; and what estimate he has made of the likely savings in each case. [97922]
Charles Hendry: Between 1 June 2011 and 31 January 2012 the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) repealed the following:
Exemption orders under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. These are set out as follows:
The Radioactive Substances (Exhibitions) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Phosphatic Substances, Rare Earths etc.) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Lead) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Uranium and Thorium) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Prepared Uranium and Thorium Compounds) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Geological Specimens) Exemption Order 1962
The Radioactive Substances (Waste Closed Sources) Exemption Order 1963
The Radioactive Substances (Schools etc.) Exemption Order 1963
The Radioactive Substances (Precipitated Phosphate) Exemption Order 1963
The Radioactive Substances (Electronic Valves) Exemption Order 1967
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The Radioactive Substances (Smoke Detectors) Exemption Order 1980
The Radioactive Substances (Gaseous Tritium Light Devices) Exemption Order 1985
The Radioactive Substances (Luminous Articles) Exemption Order 1985
The Radioactive Substances (Substances of Low Activity) Exemption Order 1986
The Radioactive Substances (Hospitals) Exemption Order 1990
The Radioactive Substances (Smoke Detectors) Exemption (Amendment) Order 1991
The Radioactive Substances (Substances of Low Activity) Exemption (Amendment) Order 1992
The Radioactive Substances (Hospitals) Exemption (Amendment) Order 1995
The Radioactive Substances (Clocks and Watches) (England and Wales) Regulations 2001
The Radioactive Substances (Natural Gas) Exemption Order 2002
The Radioactive Substances (Testing Instruments) Exemption (England and Wales) Order 2006
These regulations were repealed by the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011. This secondary legislation saved business £1.1 million, as validated by the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC).
Within the specified period, DECC also repealed the following regulation with minimal or no identifiable savings:
Regulation 2 of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2007. This secondary legislation was repealed by the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Nitrous Oxide) Regulations 2011
The following primary legislation with minimal or no identifiable savings will be repealed by the Energy Act 2011 when the relevant provisions come into force.
Section 217 of the Housing Act 2004
Section 1(1)(e) of the Sustainability Act 2003
Section 2 of the Sustainability Act 2003
Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 in respect of Scotland and Wales
We are continuing our efforts to identify opportunities to eliminate any unnecessary burdensome regulation via the Department's Energy themed ‘Red Tape Challenge'.
In addition to these repeals, DECC also saved business an additional £1.4 million by amending existing regulations by:
Raising the threshold for energy supplier participation in the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) and the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). This brought about significant benefits for smaller suppliers
Reforming current legislation on third party access to upstream petroleum infrastructure. These changes will facilitate timely development of oil and gas resources
These measures were included in DECC's second Statement of New Regulation.
Renewable Energy
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will undertake an audit of the total level of generating capacity of each type of renewable energy in each parliamentary constituency. [99254]
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Charles Hendry: In order to meet our 2020 renewable energy target, we will need to boost deployment across the UK. The Renewable Energy Roadmap (published July 2011) sets out a UK-wide targeted plan of actions for eight key technologies in order to meet our renewable energy target.
There are no plans to undertake an audit of the total level of generating capacity of each type of renewable energy in each parliamentary constituency. However, information on the current installed renewable energy generating capacity (as well as projects in planning and in construction) for each region in the UK can be found on the DECC website:
https://restats.decc.gov.uk/cms/welcome-to-the-restats-web-site
In addition, to help ensure a robust evidence base to support the deployment of renewable energy, DECC published a renewable and low-carbon capacity assessment methodology in October 2010. The evidence produced by applying the methodology will help to support local authorities and communities to make the most of opportunities for renewable energy deployment in their areas.
Renewable Energy: EU Action
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he last met the European Commissioner for Energy to discuss the NER 300 programme. [99526]
Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), has not yet met Commissioner Oettinger since taking up post. They have spoken by telephone, but not about the NER as the commissioner does not have direct responsibility for the NER 300 programme.
DECC Ministers and officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in the European Commission on a range of issues, including the NER 300 programme.
Wind Power
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the proportion of wind turbines that have auxiliary power installed to assist with their operation; and if he will estimate the proportion of those auxiliary power supplies that are provided by diesel engines. [99457]
Charles Hendry: Only genuine renewable electricity generation will be subsidised through either the Renewables Obligation or Feed-in Tariffs mechanism and count towards meeting our renewable energy target.
It is for renewable energy companies to choose the most appropriate turbine models for individual sites.
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of switching wind turbines off due to high wind. [99721]
Charles Hendry: The Government have commissioned estimates of the overall levelised costs of wind as reported in Arup (2011):
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http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/cons_ro_review/cons_ro_review.aspx
These are based on assumed average load factors which take into account periods when wind turbines do not generate including due to high winds. Beyond this, the costs of switching off wind turbines fall to scheme owners and so therefore does the task of estimating them.
The Renewables Obligation (RO) and Feed in Tariff (FIT) are the Government's main instruments for incentivising renewable electricity. Both are generation-based subsidies meaning support is granted for each unit of electricity actually generated. A wind farm will therefore only receive support when it generates.
Justice
Alternatives to Prison: Wales
Alun Michael: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to extend the Intensive Alternative to Custody pilot schemes in South Wales and Dyfed-Powys to other parts of Wales. [98510]
Mr Blunt:
The Intensive Alternatives to Custody (IAC) pilot programme ran from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Since the pilot ended Wales Probation have mainstreamed
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provision of IAC across all local delivery units in Wales. IAC remains available as a sentencing option for all criminal courts in Wales and this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future.
Counterfeit Manufacturing: Convictions
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted in a UK court for counterfeiting offences involving the euro in each of the last 10 years. [99466]
Mr Blunt: The number of offenders convicted at all courts in England and Wales for offences under the Protection of the Euro Against Counterfeiting Regulations 2001, in each year between their commencement on 1 January 2002 and 2010 (latest currently available) can be viewed in the following table.
Data relating to offences of counterfeiting collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice and held on the Court Proceedings Database do not enable those counterfeiting offences relating to euro currency to be separately identified from those involving other currencies.
Offences committed in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Office respectively.
Annual court proceedings data for 2011 are planned for publication in May 2012.
| Offenders (1) found guilty at all courts in England and Wales of offences under the Protection of the Euro Against Counterfeiting Regulations 2001 (2) in each year between 2001 and 2010 (3) —England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Offenders | ||||||||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 (4) | 2009 | 2010 | |
| n/a = Not applicable (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) The Protection of the Euro Against Counterfeiting Regulations came into force on 1 January 2002. They include the following offences: Failure to withdraw from circulation a euro note or coin which is believed to be counterfeit, and Failure to hand over a euro note or coin received believing it to be counterfeit. (3) 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 and police forces. 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. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services within the Ministry of Justice. | ||||||||||
Courts: Video Recordings
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what safeguards he plans to put in place to ensure that filming of court proceedings presents balanced reporting. [99261]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: I will not permit our courts to become theatre. Victims, witnesses, defendants and jurors will not be filmed, and existing reporting restrictions will apply. The judge will always have discretion to stop filming in each case.
Food Procurement
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of food procured by his Department (a) meets the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering and (b) is from British sources. [99799]
Mr Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) procures in accordance with UK and EU legislation and supports the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in achieving compliance with the Government Buying Standards (GBS) for Food and Catering. The Department's suppliers are obligated to source in line with DEFRA policy on GBS subject to no overall increase in costs and meeting UK or equivalent standards of production to ensure supply achieves value for money.
(a) In line with the GBS Food and Catering Services overarching commitments:
1. Production standards—100% of food procured by the Department meets UK or equivalent standards of production.
2. Origin of meat and dairy—in line with the industry principles on country of origin information, food and catering suppliers are able to indicate the origin of all meat, meat products and dairy products when the information is requested by the consumer.
Examples where the Department has achieved the mandatory food and catering services standards subject
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to no overall increase in costs or where there is a legal requirement to do so include the following:
(1) Animal welfare: 100% of eggs (in shell) sourced from systems that do not use conventional cages. If from a caged system, enriched cages are used.
(2) Fish: 100% seafood procured compliant with sustainability standards indicated by Marine Conservation Society's or Marine Stewardship Council’s list of fish to eat.
(3) Recycling: There is a mandatory agreement for prisons which account for 99.6% of direct food spend within the Department for the disposal of waste oils and fats through the controlled waste regulations.
(4) All new contracts are tendered to reflect GBS policy where possible, subject to no overall increase in costs and meeting UK or equivalent standards of production.
(b) The Department and its contractors continue to look for opportunities to enable domestic producers to compete for supply contracts while seeking to achieve value for money. The Department encourages its suppliers to procure food from UK producers where possible.
The proportion of food (by value) purchased by MoJ NOMS that was produced in the UK for the financial year 2010-11 was 44% which is equivalent to £20 million per annum.
Notes:
1. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) covers MOJ HQ and Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) for contracted out food service provision. Figures for 2010-11 are currently not available due to the contract being awarded in late 2010. Consolidated figures for 2010-11 and 2011-12 are due to be completed at the end of this financial year.
2. National Offender Management Services figures relate to the actual percentage of spend (value) on direct food costs for providing food to the prison population in England and Wales.
Illegal Drugs: Prisons
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons have been free from the use of illegal drugs for a 12 month period in the latest period for which figures are available. [99002]
Mr Blunt: Very high numbers report a drug problem prior to prison, 71% of prisoners had used drugs prior to custody and 55% of new prisoners report having a serious drug problem. Potentially this creates a significant demand for drugs in prison.
Prisons have achieved considerable success in reducing the level of drug misuse against a background of a continuing high demand for drugs. Drug misuse as measured by random mandatory drug testing (MDT) has fallen 71% since 1996-97.
MDT, which runs to standardised procedures across prisons, has three main aims, one of which is to supply detailed information on patterns of drugs-misuse in prisons and is used by the National Offender Management Service to measure the level of drug misuse in prisons.
A single episode of drug misuse over a defined period, strictly interpreted, would deprive a prison of drug free status. Prisons can perform very well in keeping drugs out of prison but technically not be drug free. Over the 2010-11 financial year, two prisons in England and Wales reported no drug misuse as measured by random MDT.
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The following list demonstrates that 101 prisons in England and Wales reported no drug misuse, as measured by random MDT, in at least one month of the 2010-11 financial year.
Prisons that recorded no positive random MDT results in at least one month in 2010-11.
Albany
Ashfield
Ashwell
Askham Grange
Aylesbury
Bedford
Blantyre House
Blundeston
Brinsford
Bronzefield
Buckley Hall
Bullwood Hall
Bure
Camp Hill
Canterbury
Cardiff
Castington
Chelmsford
Coldingley
Dartmoor
Deerbolt
Dorchester
Downview
Drake Hall
East Sutton Park
Edmonds Hill
Erlestoke
Everthorpe
Exeter
Featherstone
Feltham
Foston Hall
Frankland
Full Sutton
Garth
Gartree
Glen Parva
Gloucester
Grendon
Haverigg
High Down
Highpoint
Hindley
Hollesley Bay
Holloway
Huntercombe
Isis
Kennet
Kingston
Kirkham
Kirklevington
Lancaster
Lancaster Farms
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Latchmere House
Lewes
Leyhill
Littlehey
Long Lartin
Low Newton
Maidstone
Moorland
Moorland Open
Morton Hall
Mount
New Hall
North Sea Camp
Northallerton
Norwich
Onley
Pare
Parkhurst
Peterborough Female
Portland
Preston
Reading
Risley
Rochester
Rye Hill
Send
Shepton Mallet
Shewsbury
Spring Hill
Stafford
Standford Hill
Stocken
Stoke Heath
Styal
Sudbury
Swaleside
Swinfen Hall
Thorn Cross
Usk/Prescoed
Verne
Wakefield
Warren Hill
Werrington
Wetherby
Whatton
Whitemoor
Winchester
Wymott
The preceding list has been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.