| Table 3: Finished admission episodes (1) with a primary (2) diagnosis of conditions that are alcohol induced or due to alcohol (6) , for 2009-10 to 2011-12 (7) (provisional data for 2011-12) (8) | |||
| Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | |||
| Month | Male | Female | |
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| (1) Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (3) Secondary diagnosis As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 19 (13 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care. (4) Alcohol intoxication ICD codes used: F10.0 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, acute intoxication (Primary or Secondary diagnosis), Y91 Evidence of alcohol involvement determined by level of intoxication (Cause code—Secondary diagnosis only). (5) Alcohol abuse ICD codes used: F10.1-F10.9 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (excluding acute intoxication). (6) Conditions alcohol induced or due to alcohol ICD codes used: E24.4 Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's Syndrome, F10 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol, G31.2 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol, G62.1 Alcoholic polyneuropathy. G72.1 Alcoholic myopathy, 142.6 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy, K29.2 Alcoholic gastritis, K70—Alcoholic liver disease, K86.0 Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis, 035.4 Maternal care for (suspected) damage to foetus from alcohol, T51.0 Toxic effect of alcohol, Ethanol, Z50.2 Alcohol rehabilitation, Z72.1 Problems related to lifestyle, alcohol use, 099.3 Mental disorders and diseases of the nervous system complicating pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium immediately followed by a code from F10, G31.2, G62.1, or G72.1 in order to identify an alcohol-related disorder. (7) Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. (8) Provisional data These data are provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, i.e. November from the (month 9) April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Notes: 1. We have excluded E52.X Niacin deficiency (pellagra) as this includes but is not limited to alcoholic Pellagra. We have excluded T51.1-T51.9 Toxic effect of alcohol for non beverage alcohols (e.g. methanol). We have excluded Z03.6 Observation for suspected toxic effect from ingested substance as this includes but is not limited to observation for suspected toxic effect from alcohol. We have also excluded X65 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol as this relates to self-harm rather than usual alcohol use. 2. It should also be noted that codes for alcohol abuse and intoxication have been included in these figures and therefore figures from each table should not be added together. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre | |||
Baby Care Units
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to consider improvements to neonatal services and care in the context of the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention programme; and if he will make a statement. [101749]
Anne Milton: It is for the national health service locally to consider improvements to neonatal services and care in the context of the quality, innovation, productivity and prevention (QIPP) programme. To help commissioners understand variation in spending on neonatal services across England, the QIPP Right Care national workstream included a map within the NHS Right Care Atlas on neonatal care admissions. This can be viewed at:
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www.sepho.org.uk/extras/maps/NHSatlasChildHealth/atlas.html
To assist NHS commissioners and providers in the delivery of safe, high-quality neonatal services, the Department published the evidence-based “Toolkit for High Quality Neonatal Services” in 2009. This is available on the Department's website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_107845
The Toolkit is supported by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) “Quality Standard for specialist neonatal care”, published in 2010. This is available on NICE'S website at:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qualitystandards/specialistneonatalcare/specialistneonatalcarequalitystandard.jsp
Cancer
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage innovation in personalised cancer treatments. [102025]
Paul Burstow: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January, set out a commitment to establish appropriate commissioning and funding structures for molecular diagnostic testing for cancer. Molecular diagnostic testing can identify which patients are most likely to respond positively to a specific treatment, allowing treatment to be targeted or ‘personalised’.
From 2013-14 we expect to introduce a new national commissioning model for cancer molecular diagnostic tests. We will work closely with the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure these services are developed as an integral part of national commissioning.
Catering
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on complimentary refreshments for (a) staff and (b) visitors in the latest period for which figures are available. [101447]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department (including Connecting for Health) has spent £109,017 on refreshments from January 2012 to date, which is the latest period for which figures are available.
The figures includes that spent by arm's length bodies and other sponsored visitors using the Department's buildings in London. It is not possible to identify separately complimentary refreshments that are provided to staff attending such events.
Childbirth
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on caring for premature infants in the first six months of life in each of the last five years. [101462]
Anne Milton: The information requested is not collected centrally.
However, the following table sets out the spend on ‘conditions of neonates’ for the last five years.
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Please note these figures cover expenditure on a wide range of neonatal conditions (from birth to 28 days), which, in addition to care for premature infants, covers expenditure on a wide range of categories of care that babies may need regardless of whether they were born prematurely.
| Expenditure (£ million) | |||||
| 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | |
| Notes: 1. Source of data is annual primary care trust (PCT) programme budgeting financial returns. England-level figures are calculated using PCT and strategic health authority (SHA) programme budgeting returns and Department of Health resource accounts data. Figures will include an estimation of special health authority expenditure. 2. In order to improve data quality, continual refinements have been made to the programme budgeting data calculation methodology since the first collection in 2003-04. The underlying data which support programme budgeting data are also subject to yearly changes. This was particularly significant in 2010-11. The amount of expenditure allocated to the ‘other miscellaneous’ category increased substantially in 2010-11, which means less expenditure is allocated to the individual programme categories. Caution is therefore advised when using programme budgeting data to draw conclusions on change in PCT spending patterns between years. 3. Figures include expenditure across all sectors. Disease-specific expenditure does not include expenditure on prevention, or general practitioner expenditure, but does include prescribing expenditure. 4. Calculating programme budgeting data is complex and not all health care activity or services can be classified directly to a programme budgeting category or care setting. When it is not possible reasonably to estimate a main programme from existing data sets, expenditure is either included within the ‘other miscellaneous’ subcategory, or apportioned over other categories. Treatment may vary between years. 5. When it is not possible to reasonably estimate a disease-specific subcategory from existing data sets, expenditure is included within the other subcategory of the relevant programme. The allocation of expenditure to programme budgeting subcategories is not always straightforward, and subcategory level data should therefore be used with caution. | |||||
Consultants
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any of his special advisers have held meetings with representatives from Mandate Communications since 2010. [101571]
Mr Simon Burns: Special advisers' diaries record two meetings with Health Mandate—formerly part of Mandate Communications, now MHPC. Since both occasions involved the receipt of hospitality, the meetings have already been or will be declared through the quarterly departmental declaration of special advisers' hospitality, available at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Departmentdirectors/DH_110759
Drugs: Misuse
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress was reported at the 15 March meeting convened by his Department of stakeholders on addiction to medicines against actions from the September meeting of the group; what future work and action points were agreed upon; whether a statement on tranquilliser addiction was agreed on; and when the group will be reconvened. [101747]
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Anne Milton: Stakeholders at the roundtable meeting on 15 March 2012 reported progress against all the actions that were agreed at the meeting in September. These actions include work to improve the local understanding of need in relation to addiction to medicines and over-the-counter drugs and the local commissioning of services to meet this need. Departmental officials will be sending a note of the actions of the meeting of 15 March 2012, including a draft consensus statement on addiction to medicines, to all attendees of the meeting prior to circulating more widely.
Departmental Expenditure: Flowers
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on (a) cut flowers and (b) pot plants between May 2010 and February 2012. [101433]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department has spent a total of £12,383.80 on plants and trees in the period May 2010 to March 2011 for its core headquarters estate but cannot separately identify any expenditure within that amount on cut flowers or pot plants. No specific expenditure has been incurred in the period from April 2011.
General Practitioners: Bolton
Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding per head of population he plans to allocate to the Bolton clinical commissioning group. [101508]
Mr Simon Burns: Subject to legislation, the NHS Commissioning Board would take over responsibility for the allocation of resources from the Department for 2013-14 onwards. The board would allocate resources to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in a way that supports the principle of securing equivalent access to national health service services relative to the prospective burden of disease and disability. How these allocations are determined would be a matter for the board.
Genetics: Screening
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the usefulness of (a) predictive and (b) predisposition genetic tests. [102024]
Anne Milton: The Department funds the UK Genetic Testing Network, a network of accredited genetic testing laboratories, which evaluates all new genetic tests, including predictive tests and tests for predisposition. The evaluation follows a standardised process for assessing, among other things, the test’s usefulness (clinical validity and clinical utility). Once a new test has been evaluated for use in the national health service, recommendations are made to NHS commissioners.
In January 2012, the Government’s Human Genomics Strategy Group (HGSG) published its recommendations on genomic technology adoption, including new genetic testing technologies, in the NHS. The Government have welcomed the HGSG’s report and are putting in place a shared strategic framework to take forward its recommendations.
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Gifts and Endowments
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what gifts were received by members of staff in his Department in the course of their duties since 2010. [101633]
Mr Simon Burns: Gifts which have been declared as received by staff in the Department from 2010-12 are shown in the following table:
Compact disc of Greig's music
Flowers during period of sickness absence
Bottle of champagne
Small ornamental fan from Japan
Two bottles of wine
Glass candle holder
Green silk table runner
Bottle of champagne
Wine for Christmas present
Book
Crystal glass Christmas tree decoration
Sweets
Two books
Plate
Engraved Glass obelisk
Engraved pen
Box containing tea, coffee and jam
Tea and Coffee Gift Box
Traditional Japanese business gifts—assorted Japanese teas and “Keisuke Serizawa” textiles
Decorative plate with display stand
Book
Bottle of white wine
Two bottles of wine
Ticket to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert
Backpack
Bottle of red wine
Ladies' ballpoint pen
Celtic Wood carving photo frame
Bottle of champagne
Small metal glove puzzle
Ballpoint pen
Glass model of Hong Kong city
Charitable donation made to “People First”
Compact disc
Photo frame
Box of Chocolates, a box of coffee and two teacups
Ceremonial plaque
Box of Korean ginseng tea
Japanese kimono
Ornament
Headaches
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to improve access to tests to support the earlier diagnosis of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival infection and tearing and episodic cluster headaches; [101689]
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(2) if he will take steps to improve the awareness of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival infection and tearing and episodic cluster headaches as part of medical training and professional development. [101690]
Paul Burstow: Responsibility for the content of medical training and professional development courses rests with the medical colleges.
Responsibility for ensuring that patients are able to obtain access to the appropriate tests to support a diagnosis of short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival infection and tearing rests with national health service commissioning.
Herbal Medicine: EU Law
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the interpretation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency of the traditional herbal medicinal products directive in respect of products used as either food supplements or medicines exempt from the need for a medicinal products licence; and if he will make a statement. [101668]
Mr Simon Burns: The classification of products as medicines is made on a case-by-case basis by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) under the Medicines for Human Use (Marketing Authorisations etc.) Regulations 1994 as amended. The MHRA is currently considering how effective and proportionate enforcement action can best ensure that the intended benefits of the European directive on traditional herbal medicinal products for consumers and for companies compliant with the legislation are achieved.
Hospitals: Parking
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent guidance he has issued to hospitals on car parking charges. [101363]
Mr Simon Burns: This Government made clear in their consultation response in September 2010 that national health service organisations are responsible for their own policy on car parking, taking into account local operational circumstances and local community interests. These local policies should include fair concessions for all patients whose health care needs require extended or frequent access to hospital. NHS trust boards should be held to account by their local communities, including foundation trust memberships and other public groups.
The Department does not issue guidance to the NHS specifying how car parking, including charging, should be provided. Best practice guidance was issued by the NHS Confederation in its “Fair for all, not free for all” publication in April 2009.
Infectious Diseases
Dame Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the World Health Organisation's publication on the evolving threat of antimicrobial resistance. [101511]
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Mr Simon Burns: The evolving threat of ‘Antimicrobial Resistance—options for action’ is a detailed analysis of experience in implementing the recommendations of the 2001 WHO Global Strategy for Containment of Antimicrobial Resistance. This valuable and thorough report considers how to slow down the development of antimicrobial resistance and includes examples from a range of countries, including the United Kingdom.
Our expert committee, the Advisory Committee, on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection, will be considering whether there are any aspects which we need to build into our programme of activities.
Manpower
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed in interim posts by (a) his Department and (b) a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by the Department through (i) Penna Consulting, (ii) Reed Personnel Services and (iii) Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such people (A) had been in post for over a year and (B) worked full-time at that date. [101839]
Mr Simon Burns: For this response the Department has taken “interim posts” to be specialist contractors and interim managers rather than clerical and administrative temporary workers. The Department's arm’s length bodies have defined “interim posts” as short-term or temporary appointments, likely to be contractual in nature.
For the purposes of this question the Department does not have any interims through Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus). However, the Department does use the pan-Government DWP CIPHER framework, which provides managed service contracting arrangements through Capita for the provision of specialist and interim workers. There are 83 people working in this category.
The following table sets out the number of people working through Penna Consulting, Reed Personnel Services and Capita Resourcing (trading as Veredus) as at 29 February 2012.
| Penna Consulting | Reed Personnel Services | Capita Resourcing Ltd (trading as Veredus) | |
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Information on whether these individuals have been in post for over a year or worked full-time as at 29 February could be collected only at disproportionate cost.
Medical Equipment: Safety
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that safety concerns over (a) pharmaceutical products and (b) medical devices are shared between EU member states. [101346]
Mr Simon Burns: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the executive agency of the Department of Health responsible for the regulation of medicines and medical devices on the United Kingdom market, to ensure that they are acceptably safe, are efficacious/work properly and manufactured to agreed standards of quality.
Well-established procedures are currently in place to ensure that new safety concerns over pharmaceutical products arising within one European Union member state are shared promptly throughout Europe. The potential risk to public health of the issue dictates how quickly and by which route this occurs.
All safety reviews for products authorised in more than one member state of the EU are shared at the Pharmacovigilance Working Party of the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. This is to achieve a consensus on the need for regulatory action to minimise risk to patients and to co-ordinate implementation. The UK is fully represented at these discussions.
The pharmaceutical legislation within Europe has recently been substantially revised to strengthen pharmacovigilance systems. This will further clarify the roles and responsibilities of all parties and ensure that decisions on safety issues concerning pharmaceuticals are made to a timescale commensurate with the risk to public health and that communications are co-ordinated across the EU.
The MHRA also acts as the National Competent Authority for medical devices in the UK. The European medical devices directives require all Competent Authorities in the EU to operate a vigilance system for the reporting of adverse incidents involving medical devices. Each National Competent Authority generates a National Competent Authority Report (NCAR) to alert other EU Competent Authorities whenever a Field Safety Corrective Action (FSCA) is undertaken by a manufacturer, which affects other EU countries. The National Competent Authority may also issue a NCAR to inform other Competent Authorities of a safety issue, even when no FSCA has been issued by the manufacturer. The MHRA operates this system as the UK Competent Authority. Last year (2011) 157 NCARs were issued by the MHRA.
Medicine: Education
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he plans to announce tuition fee funding and NHS bursary arrangements for students beginning medical degrees in the 2013-14 academic year; [101358]
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(2) what discussions he has had with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills about the tuition fee funding and NHS bursary arrangements available to medical students beginning courses in the academic year 2013-14 onwards; and if he will make a statement. [101561]
Anne Milton: As part of the discussion on the interim solution for the funding of students beginning a medical course in 2012-13, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), and the Minister for Universities and Science, my right hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Mr Willetts), asked their departmental officials to take forward joint work to agree the funding arrangements for 2013-14. This work is continuing and we plan to make an announcement in due course.
Neurology: East Midlands
Louise Mensch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the NHS East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group in developing neuromuscular services in the region; and if he will make a statement. [101733]
Mr Simon Burns: The provision of neuromuscular services is a matter for the local national health service. The East Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group has created a neuromuscular network that includes clinicians, patients, patient groups and commissioners, with the aim of improving services for patients in the region.
Organs: Donors
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were added to the organ donor register in Chatham and Aylesford constituency in each of the last five years. [101631]
Anne Milton: The information requested is provided in the following table:
| Number on the organ donor register in Chatham and Aylesford constituency, by year 2007 to 2011 | |
| Year of registration | Number of registrations |
| Source: NHS Blood and Transplant | |
Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were added to the organ donor register in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency in each of the last five years. [101705]
Anne Milton: The information requested is provided in the following table:
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| Number on the organ donor register in the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency, by year 2007 to 2011 | |
| Year of registration | Number of registrations |
| Source: NHS Blood and Transplant | |
Patients
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of NHS patients in England who are housebound. [101828]
Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally.
Perinatal Mortality
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of stillbirths. [101795]
Anne Milton: The Government have made reducing perinatal mortality, including stillbirth, an improvement area under domain one of the NHS Outcomes Frameworks for 2011-12 and 2012-13. To support the national health service in improving outcomes in pregnancy, labour and immediately after birth, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence will develop new quality standards, based on the best available evidence, on antenatal care, intrapartum: care and postnatal care.
The Department is currently working with Sands (the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity) and other organisations to identify what more can be done to reduce the number of stillborn babies. In addition, the Department continues to invest in research. A major focus of the Department's National Institute for Health Research programme on women's health is understanding the factors linked to stillbirth and to use that information to improve the clinical care of pregnant women.
Prescription Drugs
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether manufacturers have a responsibility to notify his Department of potential drug shortages; and what steps his Department takes to inform pharmacists and physicians of potential shortages; [101472]
(2) what steps his Department is taking to tackle shortages of (a) paediatric and (b) other tuberculosis drugs; and what steps it is taking to ensure that drug shortages do not occur in the future. [101480]
Mr Simon Burns:
The Department and the pharmaceutical industry have published joint best practice guidelines, “Notification and Management of Medicines Shortages”, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. These recommend that companies communicate with the Department as soon as possible about impending shortages that are likely to have an impact on patient care, so that the options for mitigating and managing the shortage can be explored. Marketing Authorisation Holders also have a statutory duty to
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inform the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency if a product is not going to be available either temporarily or permanently. The Department expects companies to communicate directly with pharmacists and physicians where there is an interruption to the supply of a medicine.
Although there have previously been occasional shortages of tuberculosis (TB) medicines, we are not aware of any current national shortages or of patients being adversely affected. The Department is working with a group of national health service experts to investigate what can be done to improve security of supply of TB medicines for children and others.
Taxis
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on taxis for (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants between August 2011 and January 2012. [101413]
Mr Simon Burns: The total taxi spend by staff working for the Department between August 2011 and January 2012 was £43,061.47, of which £775.60 relates to taxi spend by ministerial offices. It is not possible to split the taxi spend by ministerial offices between Ministers and their private office staff or between civil servants and non-permanent workers.
Tobacco: Packaging
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) he or (b) Ministers in his Department have met representatives of the Hands off our Packs campaign; and when any such meetings took place. [101466]
Anne Milton: Details of all official ministerial meetings with external parties are published quarterly in arrears on the Department's website. Data from 1 January 2010 up to the end of June 2011 can be found at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Aboutus/MinistersandDepartmentLeaders/Departmentdirectors/DH_110759
Data for July to September are due to be published shortly and data for October to December will be published in the summer.
As a party to the framework convention on tobacco control, the United Kingdom has an obligation to protect the development of public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry.
Tuberculosis
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with clinical commissioning groups on collaborative commissioning for tuberculosis services; and what the outcomes were of these discussions. [101479]
Mr Simon Burns:
None. In future, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) led by local clinicians will be responsible for commissioning the majority of NHS services, including tuberculosis services. Primary care trust clusters are currently working with emerging CCGs to support them
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in identifying the most appropriate population size for commissioning different services and establishing the most effective collaborative commissioning arrangements.
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason his Department does not classify tuberculosis risk as a priority for emergency or temporary accommodation. [101481]
Anne Milton: The Housing Act 1996 places a statutory duty on local housing authorities to secure accommodation where an applicant is homeless through no fault of their own, is eligible for assistance and is in priority need. The priority need categories include people who are vulnerable as a result of old age, mental illness or physical disability. Local authorities provide a range of emergency accommodation and priority will be determined locally.
In a small number of cases, local national health service organisations may assist in the provision of temporary accommodation for individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) who are not eligible for local authority funded accommodation so that treatment can be completed and lengthy in-patient stays avoided. As part of the proposed model of care for TB services in London, the NHS in London is considering establishing a pan-London protocol and fund to deal with such cases.
New guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on identifying and managing TB in hard-to-reach groups recommends that local NHS and partner organisations should collaborate to provide accommodation for homeless people diagnosed with active pulmonary TB irrespective of their eligibility.
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure tuberculosis services are delivered in a co-ordinated way under his proposals for NHS reform. [101493]
Anne Milton: The proposals to reform the national health service and public health system will provide opportunities for strengthening co-ordination of tuberculosis services:
The NHS Commissioning Board will have a leadership role in providing commissioning guidance for clinical commissioning groups based on quality standards and model NHS contracts.
Clinical commissioning groups will benefit from specialist clinical advice in commissioning services for their patients via wider professional input, clinical senates and public health advice from local directors of public health.
Health and wellbeing boards will drive more integrated service planning and commissioning across the NHS, social care and public health, and provide the opportunity for working with local partners to address the wider determinants of health, such as housing.
The new public health system will facilitate effective action at the local level, led by local directors of public health coupled with local health protection units.
Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to promote GP awareness of tuberculosis incidence and the importance of early detection; [101829]
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(2) what steps his Department is taking to maintain public awareness of tuberculosis in high-risk groups; and what consideration is given to the cultural-appropriateness of the information provided. [101830]
Anne Milton: The Department is funding TB Alert, the national tuberculosis (TB) charity to:
increase awareness of TB among groups most vulnerable to TB through building the capacity of local voluntary sector organisations, national health service organisations and the wider public sector to run local awareness-raising programmes, taking account of the need for culturally appropriate information.
develop an online learning resource about TB for primary health care professionals, which is being produced together with the Royal College of General Practitioners. The purpose of the resource is to help improve early TB detection and treatment completion, and it should be available by the end of the year.
In addition, the NHS in London is funding the ‘Find and Treat’ outreach service to identify and treat cases of TB among people who are most at risk, such as those who are homeless or have complex social needs. This service includes peer educators who raise awareness of TB among these groups and encourage them to get tested.
Recently published guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence on identifying and managing TB in hard-to-reach groups makes recommendations to the NHS and partner organisations about raising and sustaining awareness of TB among health care professionals and those at risk. This includes the need for information to be culturally and linguistically appropriate and in a range of media formats.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Aerospace Industry
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the UK centre for aerodynamics announced in the Budget Statement will be a Catapult centre; whether it will receive funding from (a) the Catapult scheme and (b) the Technology Strategy Board; and what estimate he has made of the level of private sector funding that will be leveraged from the public investment. [102016]
Norman Lamb: The precise structure of the new centre has yet to be determined and will follow detailed discussions with stakeholders. It will work closely with the Catapult centres, the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and other relevant bodies in industry and academia. The funding announced in the budget is additional and does not come from either the existing Catapult or TSB budgets. We anticipate that up to 50% of the funding for research projects sponsored by this initiative will come from industry.
Business
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what definition his Department uses for small and medium-sized enterprise; and what assessment he has made of the usefulness of the term in categorising businesses. [101858]
Norman Lamb: There is no single definitive or universally accepted definition of a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME).
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For statistical purposes, in the National Statistics publication ‘Business Population Estimates for the UK and Regions’ the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) defines SMEs as those businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
However, there are two further definitions used in the UK and Europe, which are as follows:
In EU law an SME is defined as an enterprise with fewer than 250 employees and with a turnover of less than €50 million or, alternatively, a balance sheet of less than €43 million.
2. UK law definition of an SME company
In the UK, the Companies Act 2006 defines an SME for the purpose of accounting requirements. According to this a small company is one that meets at least two of the following conditions:
(i) annual turnover of not more than £6.5 million
(ii) a balance sheet total of not more than £3.26 million
(iii) not more than 50 employees.
A medium-sized company is one that meets at least two of the following conditions:
(i) annual turnover of not more than £25.9 million
(ii) a balance sheet total of not more than £12.9 million
(iii) not more than 250 employees.
BIS has not made an assessment of the usefulness of the term SME for categorising businesses. The European Commission has commissioned an independent technical review of the coherence and effectiveness of the EU definition. The review is due to be published in October and the Government will fully participate in the discussion of its findings.
In BIS, the further disaggregation of SMEs into micro (0 to nine employees), small (fewer than 50 employees) and medium (50 to 249 employees) helps us identify the specific needs of these different groups of businesses and develop policy accordingly.
Business: Government Assistance
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department has made available to businesses through each of the business support schemes operated by his Department and its agencies. [101245]
Mr Prisk: The information requested is as follows.
Manufacturing Advisory service
The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) provides free and subsidised support to manufacturing companies in England to improve productivity and unlock growth. Information and basic advice, events and workshops and problem analysis in the form of a Manufacturing Review are generally free while access to in-depth consultancy support is offered to small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) at a 50% discounted rate up to a maximum of £10,000 for those with the greatest growth potential. Total funding for the MAS programme in FY 2011/12 is £11.3 million.
For the financial year to date, 3,058 SMEs have been offered loans under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, with a total value of £317.4 million.
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Collaborative Research and Development Product, Smart, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, Networking for Innovation
The Technology Strategy Board's current estimated spend for 2011/12 is as follows:
Collaborative R&D—£186 million
Smart—£20 million
Knowledge Transfer partnerships—£24 million
Knowledge Transfer Networks—£15.6 million
The Technology Strategy Board's current grant funding committed to date in 2011/12 (and which will be accrued and paid in 2011/12 and in to future years) is as follows:
Collaborative R&D—£100.5 million
Smart—£38.5 million
Knowledge Transfer partnerships—£28.5 million
Knowledge Transfer Networks—£16.3 million
Helping Your Business Grow Internationally (Bob Collier)
Work Place Training, Including Apprenticeships
The Adult Skills budget supports Apprenticeships for those aged 19 and over, first qualifications at level 2 and 3 for those aged 19 up to 24, co-funded training at level 2 for SMEs and literacy and numeracy. In line with the demand-led nature of the Adult Skills budget, and the freedoms and flexibilities given to FE colleges and providers, figures on the projected spend by individual programmes in 2011-12 are not available. The Adult Skills budget for 2011-12 financial year is £2.8 billion, of which the minimum expectation for Apprenticeships for those aged 19 and over is £644 million. The funding available for 16 to 18-year-old Apprenticeships in 2011-12 is £779 million. This gives a total for Apprenticeships of over £1.4 billion. As part of the Business Coaching for Growth programme, £20 million is available in 2011-12 to develop leadership and management skills focussing on SMEs that demonstrate the potential for high or fast growth.
During 2011/12 a total of £1,306,972 of public money has been put into the Designing Demand design mentoring scheme for SMEs.
This is a website portal allowing businesses to access information on business support schemes. No business support is offered directly through the link.
There is no direct funding for business available through the High Growth Coaching product.
Grants for Business Investment;
Regional Growth Fund.
Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many UK exporters have received assistance through the Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee since it was established. [101760]
Norman Lamb: The Export Enterprise Finance Guarantee (ExEFG) was launched as a pilot in April 2011, as part of a menu of extra help for exporters which includes schemes provided by UK Export Finance (the trading name of the Export Credit Guarantee Department).
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To date, ExEFG has helped facilitate short-term export finance facilities for five small and medium-size enterprises, with a total value of £2.9 million. These are corrected figures from those that I provided to the hon. Member for Streatham (Mr Umunna) in response to PQ 88750, 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 187W, as a business offered a facility decided against using it.
Foreign Companies: Debts
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assistance his Department gives to UK companies seeking to recover monies owed by companies based abroad. [101375]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 22 March 2012]: Through UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy and assists overseas companies to bring their high-quality investment to the UK, the Department can provide advice and guidance to UK- based businesses looking to recover monies owed to them by overseas businesses.
UKTI does not actively engage in such disputes as they are effectively a legal matter between two parties. However, UKTI teams based in the UK and overseas can provide advice on commercial practice in any particular market and on means of enforcing commercial debts, including providing lists of lawyers and/or debt collection agencies. Where appropriate, UKTI can also register concern with the local administration on behalf of the UK company.
Northwest 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 (a) transaction date, (b) supplier and (c) value, for the Northwest Regional Development Agency in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11. [99731]
Mr Prisk: A list of all Government procurement card transactions of the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 2009-10 and 2010-11, showing transaction date, supplier and amount, will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Overseas Students: Entry Clearances
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Ministers in the devolved Administrations on higher education matters and tier 4 visas. [101354]
Mr Willetts: I have not had any direct discussions with Ministers from the devolved Administrations specifically on tier 4 visas. Officials in BIS have worked with officials in the devolved Administrations to ensure that the new arrangements for inspection and accreditation of the further education and higher education sectors work across the whole of the UK.
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Overseas Trade: West Africa
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what UKTI trade delegations have travelled to (a) Nigeria and (b) west Africa since May 2010; and how many firms took part from (i) Newcastle, (ii) the North East and (c) in total in each case. [101548]
Mr Prisk: United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI) has taken one trade delegation to Nigeria since May 2010. 15 companies participated. One was from the North East but none were from Newcastle. UKTI did not take any other trade delegations to west Africa during this period. Other organisations, such as Chambers of Commerce, have taken missions. UKTI assisted these missions.
Research
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the financial statement of 21 March 2012, where and when funding for new university research facilities will be spent; how much of the funding announced is from the public purse; and what plans he has to use the funding to leverage further private sector funding. [102017]
Mr Willetts: In the Budget 2012, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), announced £100 million of capital funding for universities to accelerate private investment in UK university research infrastructure. This public funding will be available over the spending review period and will be dedicated to large capital projects which lever significant additional private investment. The funding is intended to leverage upwards of £200 million more investment from the private sector and charities into UK university research infrastructure.
The funding will be available across the UK and will be administered on a competitive basis by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, working in collaboration with the devolved higher education funding bodies. Further details will be announced in due course.
Square Kilometre Array Telescope
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on implementation of the recommendations of the Square Kilometre Array Site Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement. [101678]
Mr Willetts: Members of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation will consider the report and recommendation of the SKA Site Advisory Committee and agree on next steps and actions. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) represents the UK in the SKA Organisation and liaises closely with the Department on SKA discussions.
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish the location recommended by the independent Square Kilometre Array Site Advisory Committee; and if he will make a statement. [101956]
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Mr Willetts: The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Site Advisory Committee has undertaken a detailed evaluation of the two candidate sites and has presented its report and recommendation on the preferred site for the SKA to the SKA Board.
All parties involved have agreed that this information should remain confidential while the process for arriving at the SKA site location decision is under way.
Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) whether the independent Square Kilometre Site Advisory Committee has completed its evaluation of the cost and infrastructure implications of the African and Australian and New Zealand bids to host the Square Kilometre Array telescope; and if he will make a statement; [101957]
(2) whether the independent Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Advisory Committee has submitted its recommendations regarding the location of the SKA; and if he will make a statement. [101958]
Mr Willetts: The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Site Advisory Committee has undertaken a detailed evaluation of the two candidate sites and has presented its report and recommendation on the preferred site for the SKA to the SKA Board.
Students: Fees and Charges
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) if he will encourage universities to adopt a transparent approach to publicising all costs associated with courses in addition to tuition fees in their course prospectuses; [100616]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of the Higher Education Funding Council to monitor costs to students of university courses additional to tuition fees; [100617]
(3) what recent assessment he has made of the effects of additional fees levied in some higher education institutions for items such as (a) core textbooks, (b) field trips and (c) laboratory equipment on the course decisions of undergraduates. [100619]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 21 March 2012]: Increasing transparency and providing more information to students is central to our higher education reforms.
Through the publication of the Key Information Set, which will be available from September 2012, we are encouraging universities to publish information in those areas that research has shown that students find most useful. This will include the costs of tuition fees, bursaries and the costs of accommodation. Accommodation costs will cover both provision owned/sponsored by institutions and accommodation managed by private landlords and agents.
We are also encouraging universities to produce student charters to set out what the university will provide and what is expected of students in return. Charters link to more detailed information (e.g. handbooks) for each course. The ‘suggested list of items’ for charters includes “essential course costs and estimate of additional costs”. It is expected that charters are jointly developed and agreed with local students' unions, to ensure that priority areas are covered.
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No assessment has been made of the Higher Education Funding Council's (HEFCE's) capacity to monitor the costs to students in addition to tuition fees; this is not within HEFCE's responsibility.
No assessment has been made of the effects of additional fees on course decisions made by prospective students. University prospectuses, and the range of courses they offer, will vary year on year in response to student and business demand.
Students: Finance
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Government are taking to retain bursaries and ensure they remain available to students. [100016]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 15 March 2012]: According to estimates from the Office for Fair Access (OFFA), including the Government's contribution to the National Scholarship Programme, by 2015 English institutions will make £286 million available to students in the form of bursaries and scholarships.
Institutions charging above the basic fee level must agree Access Agreements with the Director of Fair Access. In Access Agreements, institutions set out: the financial support they will offer to disadvantaged students, including bursaries and fee waivers; the additional outreach activities they will undertake; and the measures of achievement that they have set themselves. The Director of Fair Access has made it clear in his guidance to institutions that he will normally expect such support to be targeted at the most disadvantaged students.
According to analysis conducted by OFFA, bursaries, as part of the previous student funding arrangements, have had no impact on students' universities choices. With student finance changes coming into force from autumn 2012, OFFA will closely monitor the impact of fee waivers and bursaries and plans to conduct research and analysis to see if one method of financial support is more effective than another in supporting and promoting fair access.
Student Loans
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of undergraduate students eligible for loans under the Student Loan Scheme at (a) for-profit institutions and (b) not-for-profit institutions that are not funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in 2012-13. [100919]
Mr Willetts [holding answer 19 March 2012]: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) does not hold complete information on the number of students enrolled, and therefore potentially eligible for student support, at institutions not funded by the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) as these institutions are not required to provide student numbers data to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) or to BIS. Therefore, we cannot provide estimates on the number of students eligible for support in 2012/13.
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Sunday Trading: Olympic Games 2012
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment before the end of 2012 of whether any permanent change to Sunday trading hours should be made following the Olympic trial of relaxed Sunday trading hours; and if he will make a statement. [101730]
Norman Lamb: During the Olympic and Paralympic Games we want to ensure that visitors to the UK have the best experience possible. It is also an opportunity to show that the UK is ‘open for business’. As part of this, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Government were suspending the current rules that prohibit some large shops from opening on a Sunday from the week before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games through to the date of the closing ceremony of the Paralympics, from 22 July 2012 to 9 September 2012.
The temporary suspension of Sunday trading restrictions is not a trial and will assist in ensuring that visitors to the Olympics can take full advantage of all the UK has to offer, including its world-class shops. It is not a pilot for a wider liberalisation of Sunday trading, nor will the Bill contain powers for wider liberalisation.
Should the Government ever decide that a more permanent suspension of the Sunday trading rules is necessary, legislation and a full consultation would be required.
Yorkshire Forward: 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 transactions of the Yorkshire Forward Development Agency in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11 by individual (i) transaction date, (ii) supplier and (iii) amount. [99343]
Mr Prisk: Yorkshire Forward has made use of Government procurement cards (GPC) for information and communications technology and facilities-related purchases since November 2009. A list of all Yorkshire Forward GPC transactions in 2010-11, showing transaction date, supplier and amount, will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Information on individual transactions in 2009-10 can be provided only at disproportionate cost, but a summary of balances, per employee, for November 2009 to March 2010 will also be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Education
Academies: Nottingham
Mr Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress has been made on academy status for Top Valley school, Nottingham. [101273]
Mr Gibb: Officials are working with the sponsor and the local authority to finalise an Academy Expression of Interest for this school. We hope to announce the outcome very shortly.
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Domestic Visits
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many visits in an official capacity he has made to each region since May 2010. [100431]
Tim Loughton: The following table shows the number of visits which the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has made in an official capacity to each region since May 2010.
| Region | Number of visits made |
Free School Meals
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which English local authorities provided free school meals to all their pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the most recent period for which figures are available. [100334]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 19 March 2012]: In January 2011 there were no English local authorities where all primary or secondary school pupils were eligible for and claiming free school meals.
Durham, Newham and Wolverhampton local authorities participated in a two-year free school meal pilot which ended in July 2011. Durham and Newham provided universal free school meals to all primary pupils, and Wolverhampton extended the current eligibility criteria to provide free school meals to primary and secondary pupils from families in receipt of working tax credit.
I understand that other local authorities have introduced reduced price or free school meals for limited periods to encourage more pupils to take a school lunch, but the Department does not routinely collect this information.
Free Schools
Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has provided to free school applicants to pay consultants. [99757]
Mr Gibb [holding answer 13 March 2012]: The Department does not hold figures on consultancy spend by academy trusts establishing free schools. For free schools opened in 2011 or currently in development, the average figure for development costs to date is £105,000 per project. The average total cost of developing a sponsored academy under the previous Administration was over £1,000,000.
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Further Education
Mr Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what value for money criteria he uses to assess bids for increased revenue and capital expenditure on new entrants and converter institutions for the 16 to 18 phase of education; and what (a) has been spent and (b) is projected to be spent within these categories in Blackburn constituency between 2010-11 and 2014-15. [99880]
Mr Gibb: New 16 to 19 providers and maintained schools with sixth forms which become academies do not bid for their ongoing revenue funding. We have processes to enable new providers to enter the 16 to 19 market and for maintained schools to become academies. These providers then receive an allocation of revenue funding based on lagged student recruitment (for established providers) or expected recruitment (for new providers) in order to ensure value for money.
New standalone 16 to 19 providers (as opposed to established providers adding a sixth form) are eligible for start-up funding. In these cases we carefully consider the funding needed in order to enable the provider to function properly on the day of opening.
Schools becoming academies (with or without sixth forms) receive a grant of £25,000 if they are voluntarily converting, and more if they have a sponsor to help with improving standards as part of the move to academy status, but this is not 16 to 19 specific.
In 2011-12 capital funding has been made available, through the Demographic Growth Capital Fund (DGCF), to support the provision of new 16 to 19 places in areas of demographic growth. To qualify for funding, local authorities/institutions needed to provide a cost-effective, preferred option to provide new capacity supported by evidence that the extra capacity was needed. The DGCF will also be available in 2012-13. In addition, local authorities have been allocated capital funds for new pupil places in schools and academies, although this funding is likely to be targeted at creating primary places where there is greatest need across the country. Successful 16 to 19 free school applicants are granted capital funding following an assessment of their needs and value for money and those costs will be published once confirmed.
In the 2010-11 and 2011-12 academic years there were no new providers of 16 to 19 education and training in Blackburn local authority. Funding details for new 16 to 19 provision in Blackburn local authority for 2012-13 have not yet been finalised and for 2013-14 onwards will not yet be known.
Harassment
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) bullying and (b) sexual harassment complaints have been made against (i) director-level employees or above and (ii) special advisers in his Department in each quarter since 1 January 2010. [101715]
Tim Loughton
[holding answer 23 March 2012]: Since January 2010, the Department has not received any sexual harassment complaints against employees at either director level and above or special advisers. During the
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same period, less than five allegations of bullying were received against members of staff at director level or above or special advisers.
Higher Education: Admissions
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on his policies of the 2012 university applications figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service showing a reduction in applications for courses in European languages. [101813]
Mr Willetts: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
We estimate that in 2012 there will still be many more applications for higher education (HE) language courses than places available. 2011 was a record year in the overall number of people applying for HE places and a reduction this year could be considered inevitable, with a high proportion of applications for language courses coming from a reducing population of 18-year-olds.
In the recent grant letter, we asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to prioritise funding support for strategically important and vulnerable subjects, including modern foreign languages, to ensure the continued availability of language places in higher education institutions.
Lost Property
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what property has been lost or stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what the estimated cost was of replacement of such property. [100890]
Tim Loughton: In the last 12 months the following departmental property has been (a) lost and (b) stolen:
| Lost | Stolen | Total | |
The estimated cost of replacement is £14,000.00
All DFE IT equipment is fully security encrypted. The replacement cost of laptops includes encryption software to allow the handling of sensitive material up to ‘Restricted’ and to meet the Code of Connection for the Government Secure Intranet, the operating system (including log-on keys) for secure remote access to the Department's ICT system for operational and resilience purposes, license, set-up and support costs.
Manpower
Stephen Barclay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people were employed in interim posts by (a) his Department and (b) a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by the Department through (i) Penna Consulting, (ii) Reed Personnel Services and (iii) Capita Resourcing Ltd
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(trading as Veredus) on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many such people (A) had been in post for over a year and (B) worked full-time at that date. [101840]
Tim Loughton: The Department for Education can confirm the following information is correct as at 31 January 2012:
| (a) Number of people employed in interim posts by the Department for Education | |||
| Provider | Number | Number in post over one year | Number who worked full-time at that date |
| (b) Number of people employed in interim posts by a non-ministerial department or arm's length body controlled by the Department for Education | |||
| Provider | Number | Number in post over one year | Number who worked full time at that date |
Pupils: Per Capita Costs
Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will rank English local authorities by the percentage change in real terms of expenditure per pupil for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools between 2010-11 and 2011-12, showing the cash amount in each case. [101534]
Tim Loughton [holding answer 22 March 2012]:Since 2006-07, the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is the main source of school funding. As the DSG is distributed through a single guaranteed unit of funding per pupil and is distributed from central Government to local government, a primary/secondary split on a central to local government basis is not available.
In addition to the DSG, in 2011-12 local authorities received a pupil premium grant for each pupil who is either in receipt of free school meals, a service child or a looked-after child at the census date. The amounts given for each pupil in 2011-12 are also given as follows.
The Guaranteed Unit of Funding (GUF) in 2011-12 comprised the guaranteed unit of funding from 2010-11 and a per pupil amount of mainstreamed grants paid to local authorities in 2010-11, and has been kept cash-flat at the 2010-11 level.
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| Dedicated Schools Grant—Guaranteed Unit of Funding (GUF) for 2010-11 and 2011-12 | ||
| £ | ||
| Total GUF baseline for 2010-11 (DSG GUF + Grants GUF) | Total GUF for 2011-12 | |
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