Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Mr O. Mayo. [106329]
Richard Benyon: I replied to the letter of 14 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 27 March. I will send a copy of my reply to the right hon. Member.
Ministerial Meetings
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had any meetings with (i) Simon Hoare, (ii) CGMS, (iii) Freshwater UK, (iv) Intermodality LLP, (v) BNP Paribas Real Estate, (vi) Helio Europe and (vii) Bircham Dyson Bell LLP since May 2010; and whether she has received any recent representations from each such individual or organisation since May 2010. [105188]
Richard Benyon: No Ministers or senior officials in core DEFRA (Permanent Secretary and Directors-General) have had any meetings with any of these individuals or organisations mentioned. Meetings held by the Permanent Secretary and Ministers with external organisations are published quarterly on the DEFRA website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/management/
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have had any discussions on (i) the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange proposal and (ii) other rail freight issues since May 2010; and whether they have received any representations on these issues since May 2010. [105189]
Richard Benyon:
No Ministers or senior officials in core DEFRA (Permanent Secretary and Directors-General) have had any such discussions. Meetings held by the
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Permanent Secretary and Ministers with external organisations are published quarterly on the DEFRA website at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/management/
Natural Gas: Exploration
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the (a) possible effect of fracking on local water supplies and (b) potential effect of current or future drought restrictions on the viability of shale gas extraction; and if she will make a statement. [105897]
Richard Benyon: My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State, Lord Taylor of Holbeach met with officials from the Environment Agency on 24 April 2012 to discuss various aspects of the development of unconventional gas in England and Wales, including the possible effects on water supplies.
The Environment Agency is currently undertaking a detailed environmental assessment of shale gas extraction in order to be able to regulate appropriately to protect the environment, including water resources. This will include an assessment of the effects that hydraulic fracturing may have on water resources. The assessment should show if there are water availability constraints that could have implications for future shale gas operations.
All hydraulic fracturing operations for shale gas are currently suspended pending consideration of the seismic events in Lancashire in April and May 2011. Should hydraulic fracturing resume, the Environment Agency will only authorise additional water abstraction when there is water available and there are no risks to the rights of existing abstraction licence holders. It has powers to impose appropriate restrictions where these are justified. Applications for abstraction for hydraulic fracturing would be treated in the same way as any other applications.
Official Secrets Act
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether any person employed by (a) her Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which her Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by her Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act 1989. [104846]
Richard Benyon: All Crown Servants and Government contractors (as defined by Sections 12(1) and 12(2) of the Act 1989) are subject to the requirements of the Act. Upon joining the Department, all staff are made aware that they are bound by the terms of the Act and that their actions resulting in unauthorised disclosure of official information may result in legal proceedings being taken against them.
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Pesticides
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of neonicotinoids and other nerve-agent pesticides on bee colonies. [103987]
Richard Benyon: Honeybee health is influenced by a number of factors, particularly pests and pathogens, environmental impacts, bee husbandry, nutrition and the weather. Government scientists have assessed published research reports with an open mind and continue to rigorously consider the implications of any new published information on neonicotinoid insecticides and fipronil (a similar active substance, but with a different mode of action). We are currently considering two studies published on 29 March.
The European Commission has asked the independent European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for a scientific assessment on whether the dose rates used in two recently published studies are comparable to the actual doses to which bees are exposed, based on the EU approval and on the authorisations granted by member states. EFSA is also producing a scientific opinion on the EU bee regulatory risk assessment and will produce a new guidance document on the bee risk assessment for member states to follow in authorising pesticide products.
The body of evidence assessed to date does not scientifically support a change to the conditions of authorisation for neonicotinoid insecticides in the UK. We are keeping this under active review, and will not hesitate to take action if the available evidence shows the need.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department has undertaken any research on the effect of nerve-agent pesticides on (a) UK food production, (b) global food production and (c) bee colonies (i) in the UK, (ii) across Europe and (iii) globally. [103991]
Richard Benyon: As part of its pesticides research programme, the Government continue to fund a number of projects in support of the development of the pesticides risk assessment process. Some of these specifically relate to the potential impact of pesticides on honeybees and other non-target arthropods, and are still in progress. Previous work on the risk posed to honeybees by systemic insecticides, such as imidacloprid, has fed into the international risk assessment models for honeybees being developed.
No specific work has been undertaken on the effect of neonicotinoid pesticides on food production. Neonicotinoid insecticides prevent damage to important food crops such as cereals, oilseed rape, brassicas and sugar beet from pests such as aphids. Use of neonicotinoid seed treatments provides an alternative mode of action to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides and plays a key role helping to prevent the build up of resistance in the pests concerned.
Poultry: Animal Welfare
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had on ensuring cross-EU compliance with the welfare of laying hens directive. [105570]
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Mr Paice: The Commission has done what it said it would do and has taken robust action to deal with the large-scale non-compliance across the EU with the conventional cage ban. In addition to writing formal infraction letters to all non-compliant member states, it is reviewing member states' action plans on a monthly basis in the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, most recently on 4-5 April.
We continue to discuss compliance with the conventional cage ban with member states and the Commission at every opportunity. We wish to see the rest of Europe come into compliance as swiftly as possible.
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the proportion of laying hens which have not been removed from conventional battery cages in (a) Austria, (b) Belgium, (c) Bulgaria, (d) Cyprus, (e) the Czech Republic, (f) Denmark, (g) Estonia, (h) Finland, (i) France, (j) Germany, (k) Greece, (l) Hungary, (m) Ireland, (n) Italy, (o) Latvia, (p) Lithuania, (q) Luxembourg, (r) Malta, (s) the Netherlands, (t) Poland, (u) Portugal, (v) Romania, (w) Slovakia, (x) Slovenia, (y) Spain and (z) Sweden. [105675]
Mr Paice: The European Commission holds the data on the level of compliance in the 12 EU member states which still have hens in conventional cages. The Commission has not released this information, but it has been reported that there are around 47 million hens still in these cages.
Procurement
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) the fourth quarter of 2010-11, (b) the first quarter of 2011-12 and (c) the second quarter of 2011-12. [105872]
Richard Benyon: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Retirement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) civil servants and (b) senior civil servants have retired from her Department since May 2010; and if she will make a statement. [104152]
Richard Benyon: 167 civil servants, including 24 senior civil servants, retired from core DEFRA between 1 May 2010 and 18 April 2012.
The figures include members of staff who left the Department for the following reasons:
Normal age-related retirement;
Actuarially reduced retirement;
Retirement on grounds of ill-health;
Voluntary exit scheme with receipt of pension.
Set-aside Schemes
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason her Department's Campaign for the Farmed Environment has been extended until December 2012. [105009]
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Mr Paice: The short extension to the Campaign for the Farmed Environment, from July 2012, which I have agreed (with the partner organisations) will ensure that current momentum is maintained, local delivery mechanisms are not dismantled and farmers can continue to demonstrate the capability to deliver good environmental management practice, while the future contribution of this industry-led voluntary partnership is considered. This is being done in the context of DEFRA commitments in the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper to assess advice and incentives to farmers and the role of voluntary approaches in delivering DEFRA’s environmental priorities, with the aim of introducing any new arrangements from January 2013.
Supermarkets
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will incorporate the provisions of the food waste Bill into the groceries code adjudicator Bill. [104006]
Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The groceries code adjudicator Bill will be limited to the creation of an Adjudicator to uphold the Groceries Code. It will not address other issues related to retailers.
Swine Flu
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the likelihood of a future swine influenza outbreak. [104279]
Mr Paice: Influenza is a relatively common infection of UK pigs and is diagnosed regularly in the domestic pig population. While swine influenza is not a notifiable disease under domestic or EU law, industry and Government maintain strong co-operation through a swine influenza surveillance programme. The Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Agency publishes quarterly surveillance findings on its website.
Travel
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many journeys (a) Ministers and (b) officials from her Department made by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months. [103636]
Richard Benyon: The information is as follows:
(a) Journeys made by DEFRA Ministers in each of the last six months are as follows:
| October | November | December | January | February | March | |
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No DEFRA Ministers have travelled by coach in an official capacity in the last six months.
Details of all journeys of Government cars made in an official capacity by DEFRA Ministers are not held centrally, and collation would incur disproportionate costs.
(b) The number of journeys made by officials from core DEFRA by (i) train, (ii) coach and (iii) Government car in an official capacity in each of the last six months is not identifiable from the operating system that DEFRA uses.
Job Vacancies: Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many job vacancies there were for (a) staff posts and (b) senior civil service posts in her Department on 31 March (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; and if she will make a statement. [104561]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the job vacancies for the periods requested. Vacancies have been defined as those within core DEFRA which could not be filled from within the civil service and therefore were authorised for external recruitment outside the civil service. Information is not held for vacancies existing on a particular date therefore information has been provided for the total number of vacancies authorised for external recruitment for the entire year.
| Dates | (a) Non-SCS Staff Posts | (b) SCS |
Water Companies
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will undertake a comparative assessment of the (a) charges paid by consumers and (b) performance in meeting leakage targets of water companies that are (i) privately-owned and pay dividends to shareholders and (ii) owned by their customers via a social enterprise not-for-profit model; and if she will make a statement. [105908]
Richard Benyon: There is no water and sewerage company in England or Wales that describes itself as being owned by its customers via a social enterprise not-for-profit model. Dwr Cymru (Welsh Water) is owned by Glas Cymru—a not-for-profit company.
Ofwat forecasts that the average water and sewerage bill across all companies will be £376. The average Dwr Cymru bill is £427. Companies' average bills are listed on Ofwat's website.
In 2010-11, six water companies—Northumbrian Water, Southern Water, Anglian Water, Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent Water and Dwr Cymru—failed their leakage targets
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and are now reporting regularly to Ofwat on progress towards meeting these. Of these companies, Yorkshire Water has offered an informal undertaking to meet its targets and Southern Water has agreed a binding, formal undertaking to meet its target. Southern Water has further committed to return £5 million to customers from 2015 for its failure of leakage targets. Ofwat continues to monitor the situations.
Where companies fail to meet leakage targets, Ofwat, as the economic regulator of the water and sewerage sector, can investigate and take the appropriate action.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) steps taken by and (b) the powers of Ofwat to (i) ensure water companies meet leakage targets, (ii) enable householders to save water and (iii) maintain water bills at affordable rates; and if she will make a statement. [105910]
Richard Benyon: Each water company has a target to reduce leakage. They report progress annually to Ofwat, the independent regulator, and when companies fail to meet these targets, Ofwat can investigate and take the appropriate action. For example, Ofwat can require a formal undertaking from a company to commit to meeting all future targets, or where necessary it can use its powers to fine companies.
Water companies have a duty to promote the efficient use of water by their customers. In addition, at the last price review, Ofwat also set annual targets for companies to reduce per capita consumption of water by one litre per property per day. Companies can use a variety of means to meet their targets, such as advice to customers or offering free or subsidised water efficiency devices.
Ofwat calculates that the average household water and sewerage bill for 2012-13 is £376. Its periodic reviews of prices set limits on the amounts that companies can charge, while allowing payments for necessary improvements in services.
Deputy Prime Minister
Bill of Rights
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 23 April 2012, Official Report, column 622W, on Bill of Rights, with which three members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights he had a telephone conference; on what date that telephone conference took place; and whether a record was kept of that telephone conference. [106169]
The Deputy Prime Minister: On 4 May 2011 I had a telephone conference with Professor Philippe Sands QC, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws QC and Professor Sir David Edward QC. There is not a record of the call.
International Development
Africa
Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided to fund voucher schemes for private schools in Africa in the latest period for which figures are available. [105862]
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Mr O'Brien: The Department for International Development has made no spend on voucher schemes for private schools in Africa. Our only support for voucher schemes is in Pakistan where DFID has supported the Punjab Education Foundation since 2009 to deliver quality education to 1 million children through its foundation assisted schools as well as voucher programmes. We currently provide approximately £190,000 per year to the voucher programme, which is designed to support out of school children, and is being expanded to all 36 districts of Punjab and will support 300,000 children in the next three years.
Overseas Aid
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to support efforts to reform the UN's humanitarian reform initiative; and if he will make a statement. [106391]
Mr Duncan: DFID is taking a number of steps to drive forward reform of the UN's humanitarian system. For example, the UK is supporting the UN's Emergency Response Co-ordinator, Baroness Amos, to implement a series of reforms to support a faster, effective and efficient humanitarian response. These reforms are set out in the Inter Agency Standing Committee's (IASC) Transformative Agenda (TA). They include stronger leadership and better co-ordination and accountability in large scale rapid onset natural disasters and complex emergencies. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development, is in regular dialogue with Baroness Amos, UN agency heads and other IASC members on these issues.
DFID is leading a new Disaster Resilience Political Champions Group which is working to promote and support disaster resilience in poor countries. For example, supporting better early warning systems, new partnerships with the private sector on risk financing, testing out new approaches to cope with disasters such as building schools that can double up as cyclone shelters, strengthening the links development and humanitarian action. This in turn will result in more effective aid, enhanced results and greater value for money.
West Africa
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action he is taking to support those affected by food shortages in West Africa; and if he will make a statement. [106390]
Mr O'Brien: In direct response to severe food shortages in the Sahel region of West Africa, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development announced two urgent packages of UK support to help mitigate the crisis, one in January and the other in March. Through this assistance, British aid will support over 400,000 people across the Sahel in 2012. This will help:
155,000 children and women to benefit from improved nutrition, of which over 87,000 children under five will be treated for severe acute malnutrition;
153,000 people to receive food;
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a further 104,000 men, women and children to benefit from community livelihoods support such as animal feed and animal vaccinations and cash and or in-kind transfers.
As well as responding to the current crisis the UK is supporting multilateral efforts to promote resilience in the Sahel. We believe that helping communities in the Sahel to become more resistant to climatic and economic shocks must be a priority for all to prevent future food insecurity in the region.
UK officials continue to monitor the situation closely and liaise with their opposite numbers in other Governments to ensure that other countries take their fair share of the response.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Business: Radio
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans his Department has regarding charges levied on small businesses for licences to play radio stations in their place of work. [106155]
Norman Lamb: The Department has no such plans. The charges in question are levied on small businesses by bodies known as collecting societies, who collect on behalf of owners of rights in the music. These bodies are privately-run entities, and the fees they charge for licences are not regulated by Government. However, individual businesses or their representative associations can make a reference to the Copyright Tribunal (an independent judicial body) if they believe these charges are excessive.
Construction: Industry
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of (a) the reasons for the fall in construction output in the first quarter of 2012 and (b) whether there is a correlation between Government policy and output levels in the construction sector. [106070]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 30 April 2012]:The quarterly (UK, seasonally adjusted) data published in the ONS GDP release on 25 April did not break down by type of work in the construction industry.
The latest available figures on construction output are for February 2012. These cover Great Britain only and are not seasonally adjusted. They show that construction output fell by 15.6% in the three months to February compared to the previous three months.
The Government are a significant funder of construction work and the effects of decisions on public spending clearly have an impact on the construction industry. That is why we are working hard with the construction industry on a number of fronts including, for instance, the Government Construction Strategy (to ensure that the public procurement process is more efficient and effective), the Green Construction Board (to ensure that Government and industry understands the potential of new and emerging business opportunities) as well as the reforms to the planning system (to free up land supply) and measures to stimulate the housing market.
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Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will convene a meeting for the purpose of establishing what additional assistance could be provided to the construction sector and its supply chain to (a) raise output and (b) increase employment within the sector; and if he will make a statement. [106125]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 30 April 2012]:I meet regularly with the construction industry, its Strategic Forum for Construction and the Green Construction Board to discuss the issues it faces and the state of the market and employment opportunities frequently feature.
This Government are pursuing growth in the construction sector through a number of measures including the Government Construction Strategy (to ensure that the public procurement process is more efficient and effective), the Green Construction Board (to ensure that Government and industry understands the potential of new and emerging business opportunities) as well as the reforms to the planning system (to free up land supply) and measures to stimulate the housing market.
Consumers: Scotland
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consumer protection legislation the Scottish Government has requested be devolved to the Scottish Parliament. [103567]
Norman Lamb: On 22 September 2011, the Scottish Government wrote to the Minister with responsibility for consumer affairs seeking consideration of the devolution of consumer-focused powers to Scotland. The Minister indicated that he was willing to consider these. He asked that the Scottish Government set out their views as to which powers they are considering and how the new model would operate. He also agreed that the issues around the devolution of consumer-focused powers continue to be discussed further at official level. No specific proposals have been put forward by the Scottish Government.
Departmental Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of his Department's invoices from its private sector suppliers were paid (a) within 14 days, (b) between 15 and 30 days, (c) between 31 and 60 days, (d) between 61 and 90 days and (e) more than 90 days after receipt in the last 12 months. [93446]
Norman Lamb: The Department does not currently report on the numbers and percentages of supplier invoices paid in the periods quoted above and this information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
However, the Department does report on the number and percentage of supplier invoices paid within 30 calendar days and five working days. In the 12 months to January 2012 the Department paid 23,130 supplier invoices and of these 99.7% were paid within 30 calendar days and 95.1% were paid within five working days.
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EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Manufacturing Industries
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the manufacturing industry of the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. [103709]
Mr Prisk: In July 2010 the UK Government published an impact assessment on the second stage of transposition of EU legislation to include aviation in the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS). However, there was no assessment of the direct impact of the aviation ETS on manufacturing.
A copy of the impact assessment can be found at
http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Consultations/euetsaviationsecondstage/909-ia-second-stage-transposition-euets.pdf
Exports: Pigs
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to facilitate access to the Australian market for UK pork exporters. [105818]
Mr Prisk: Officials in DEFRA have submitted a response to the questionnaire sent by the relevant Australian authorities earlier in the year. The latter are still evaluating the information, but initial feedback indicates that they are satisfied with what has been provided. DEFRA officials will continue to keep industry representatives informed of developments.
Higher Education: Devolution
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had on Tier 2 visas with ministerial colleagues in the devolved Administrations responsible for higher education. [103885]
Mr Willetts: I discuss a range of topics with my ministerial colleagues responsible for higher education in the devolved Administrations. My officials also work with counterparts in the nations and Universities UK, who represent the devolved Administrations, on issues including Tier 2 visas.
Higher Education: Insolvency
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what contingency plans his Department has put in place in the event of institutions of higher education becoming insolvent; and what statutory provision has been made for such an eventuality. [106107]
Mr Willetts: The Higher Education Council for England (HEFCE) has powers that enable them to monitor the financial health of the higher education sector. This allows them to provide early warning of any institutions that are getting into difficulty. HEFCE would seek to protect the interests of students to ensure they could at a minimum, complete their studies. If any institution were to fail, our primary concern is assuring the continuing education of its students.
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Manufacturing Industries: EU Action
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has undertaken into the effect of EU legislation on currency hedging on manufacturing industries. [106252]
Mr Prisk: There are a number of EU proposals for financial services legislation that are designed to improve the resilience of the financial system and may have an impact on derivative products and therefore on currency hedging by manufacturing industries.
Financial services legislation is negotiated by HM Treasury and I refer the hon. Member to the Explanatory Memoranda on the Commission's proposals, of which copies are available in the Library.
I would however be happy to receive any evidence that the hon. Member has of how this may impact manufacturing industries.
Mature Students: Finance
Mr Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of (a) higher education maintenance grants, (b) tuition fee loans and (c) maintenance loans went to students over the age of 24 years in (i) the 2011-12 academic year to date and (ii) each of the previous three academic years. [105544]
Mr Willetts: Information on the proportion of expenditure of each support type paid to students aged over 24 will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Ministerial Meetings
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had any meetings with (i) Simon Hoare, (ii) CGMS, (iii) Freshwater UK, (iv) Intermodality LLP, (v) BNP Paribas Real Estate, (vi) Helio Europe and (vii) Bircham Dyson Bell LLP since May 2010; and whether he has received any recent representations from each such individual or organisation since May 2010. [105196]
Norman Lamb: Meetings between Ministers and external organisations and the Permanent Secretary and external organisations are now published: quarterly.
http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
Quarters not yet published (from October 2011 onwards) will be published in due course. Information about meetings with other officials could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Money Lenders: Teesside
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of unscrupulous money lending on Teesside. [106151]
Norman Lamb: On 11 April 2012, the Government published its response to the consultation on empowering and protecting consumers, which set out the decision to establish a National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) for England and Wales.
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The NTSB has responsibility for prioritising national and cross-local authority boundary enforcement in England and Wales, including:
an integrated national intelligence system;
the coordination of Trading Standards enforcement activity across local authority boundaries and nationally including management of enforcement databases;
the analysis of intelligence and setting of priorities for cross-boundary enforcement;
funding and supervision of Trading Standards teams in English and Wales and a small number of national centres of excellence;
the maintenance and use of a national indemnity fund to support local authorities bringing large or risky cases in the national interest;
the tasking of problematic supra-local enforcement cases within the Trading Standards network;
the collection of better data on Trading Standards activity and the evaluation of impact; and
reporting to BIS, and where necessary to the LGA and to Parliament, on Trading Standards activity which crosses local authority boundaries and the use of central Government funding.
The NTSB has decided to continue to operate the Tackling Illegal Money Lending Team, and has made the following assessment.
For Teeside, the number of complaints regarding intermediary credit business for 2011/12 was 125. This was made up of complaints about payday loans, home credit provision, retaining fees for brokers and other areas of credit unspecified.
The team has received 22 reports of intelligence regarding illegal money lending for the same period for the Teeside area.
In the north-east, there are a number of strategies looking at financial inclusion and financial capability, which address the effects of unlicensed doorstep lending, including the Thrive project and Financial Inclusion and Capability Northeast.
Overseas Trade
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to encourage collaboration and networking by UK businesses with international partners. [106220]
Norman Lamb: The economic rationale for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) services includes acting as an intermediary in identifying international partners for UK businesses. Therefore, its activities, services, help and advice, both in the UK and overseas, are geared towards helping UK companies to collaborate and network with international partners.
Details of how UKTI is planning to do this are set out in its strategy 'Britain Open for Business', which was launched in May 2011. The UKTI website
www.ukti.gov.uk
gives further information on UKTI services and its strategy.
Post Office
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received from Consumer Focus on challenges with the introduction of the post office local operating model. [106143]
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Norman Lamb: My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Chris Huhne) had discussions with Consumer Focus in the context of their report 'Local but Limited' published on 1 April 2011. In that report, Consumer Focus described the network transformation programme, which includes the introduction of up to 2,000 Post Office local branches,
“as significant, if not more challenging than previous restructure exercises”
but, in the same report, also found that the Post Office Local model has the
“clear potential to modernise the network, and to protect post office services.”
Post Office: Credit Unions
Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in allowing access to credit union accounts through the Post Office network. [103866]
Mr Prisk: Post offices currently work with the credit union sector in a number of ways. For example more than 20 credit unions use Co-operative Finance's banking platform for cash receipts, payments and balance inquiries at the post office. Over 60 credit unions use Post Office's bill payment facilities to enable repayments of their loans. The Department for Work and Pensions' feasibility study into credit unions is an important next step in understanding how the credit union sector could further develop, and how this might enable it to work more widely with Post Office Ltd in the future.
Procurement
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on procurement from small and medium-sized enterprises in the fourth quarter of 2010-11. [105878]
Norman Lamb: In 2010-11 the Department only collected annual SME procurement data and from an annual procurement total of £253.6 million procurement with SMEs totalled £48.2 million. Quarterly figures for 2010-11 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Routine reporting on quarterly SME procurement data commenced in 2011-12 and is published on the Department's website at
http://www.bis.gov.uk/QDS
Railways: Freight
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have received on strategic rail freight interchanges. [104484]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 23 April 2012]:As part of growth review stakeholder engagement, officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) held a roundtable with representatives from the logistics sector in August 2011 at which strategic rail freight interchanges were discussed.
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In November 2011, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, received correspondence about the St Albans Strategic Railfreight Interchange from a private company. This included a request for a meeting. He declined the request, stating that as growth needed to take place in line with local priorities, it would be inappropriate for BIS to intervene.
Railways: Radlett
Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had any discussions on (i) the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange proposal and (ii) other rail freight issues since May 2010; and whether they have received any representations on these issues since May 2010. [105197]
Mr Prisk: Ministers and officials have not had specific meetings with external stakeholders on the Helioslough Radlett rail freight exchange since May 2010.
In July 2010, I received correspondence from the hon. Member for Southampton, Test (Dr Whitehead) which stated the importance of rail freight to the port of Southampton, in particular the W10 gauge enhancement work. In my response, I acknowledged the importance of gauge clearance to the port and rail freight industries, as well as to the economy as a whole. I added that all Government expenditure, including the Department for Transport's plans for rail infrastructure, would be subject to review as part of the Government's comprehensive spending review.
As part of Growth Review stakeholder engagement, officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) held a roundtable with representatives from the logistics sector in August 2011 at which strategic rail freight interchanges were discussed. In November 2011, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills received correspondence about the St Albans Strategic Railfreight Interchange from a private company. This included a request for a meeting. He declined the request, stating that as growth needed to take place in line with local priorities, it would be inappropriate for BIS to intervene.
Regional Growth Fund
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many bids made as of 23 February 2012 to the Regional Growth Fund have now received the money allocated to them in (a) round 1 and (b) round 2 in each English administrative region. [96945]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 27 February 2012]: Regional Growth Fund (RGF) awards from Round 1 and Round 2 are normally phased over the three financial years 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14 and paid in arrears of private sector investment.
To date a total of £464,969,601 has been paid in relation to RGF Round 1 and RGF Round 2 bids. The following table presents a regional breakdown. Note that this table only represents bids where the “final offer letter” has been agreed and where the bidder has had one or more claims paid.
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| Round 1 | Round 2 | Total | ||||
| Bid | £ million | Bid | £ million | Bid | £ million | |
Sunday Trading
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of relaxing the Sunday trading laws between 22 July and 9 September 2012 on retailers in (a) Dartford, (b) Kent and (c) the south-east. [105038]
Mr Prisk: To make an accurate assessment of the potential impact would be difficult due to the unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics. A separate study of the impact on different parts of the country has not been carried out.
In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum.
Should the Government ever decide to look at a permanent relaxation of these restrictions then a full impact assessment would be carried out. As part of this impact assessment the Government would consider evidence on the impact that this temporary suspension may have had on relevant business large and small.
Sunday Trading: Olympic Games 2012
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consultation he undertook with smaller retailers before announcing the relaxation of the sunday trading laws for the period around the London Olympic Games 2012. [103446]
Mr Prisk: My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice announced as part of the Budget that the Government intends to suspend the current restrictions on some large stores opening on Sundays during the Olympics.
There was no consultation undertaken with smaller retailers before the announcement. However I have held a number of discussions with representatives of small shops, including the Association of Convenience Stores, the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Federation of Small Business. In addition we have held meetings with trade unions, large retailers including the large supermarkets, the CBI, the Church of England and Members of both Houses.
In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum. However there are no plans to pursue full liberalisation.
Sunday Trading: Redditch
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effects of a change in Sunday trading hours on small businesses in Redditch. [105446]
Mr Prisk: To make an accurate assessment of the potential impact would be difficult due to the unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics. A separate study of the impact on different parts of the country has not been carried out.
In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation could be worth around £1.4 billion per annum. However, there are no plans to pursue full liberalisation.
Sunday Trading: Wrexham
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on small businesses in Wrexham constituency of relaxing the provisions of the Sunday Trading Act 1994 between 22 July and 9 September 2012. [103794]
Mr Prisk: The unique nature of the Olympics and Paralympics makes an accurate assessment of the potential impact difficult and no separate study of the impact of the Sunday Trading (London Olympic and Paralympic Games) Bill on different parts of the country has been carried out. In 2006, as part of a wider review of Sunday trading restrictions, the Government commissioned Indepen Consulting Ltd to carry out an analysis of the economic costs and benefits of easing restrictions on large shops trading on Sundays. The conclusion of the cost benefit analysis was that the net economic benefit of full liberalisation is worth £20.3 billion over 20 years or £1.4 billion per annum.
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The Government recognise that the speed of this Bill has led to concerns about what the Bill actually does. To address this and to highlight the temporary nature of this Bill we have held a number of discussions with representatives of small shops, including the Association of Convenience Stores, the National Federation of Retail Newsagents and the Federation of Small Business.
Supermarkets: Competition
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will bring forward legislative proposals to grant powers to the forthcoming Groceries Code Adjudicator to fine supermarkets and launch investigations based on evidence from third parties. [106360]
Norman Lamb: The Government believes that the Adjudicator will be able to secure compliance with the Code without needing to fine retailers. However, it intends to include a reserve power to impose financial penalties, to be activated by order of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if the other sanctions do not prove effective.
The Government has agreed to consider further the arguments for allowing third party information made by the BIS Select Committee. It will announce the final decision on this matter at such time that the Bill is introduced into Parliament.
Taxis: Minimum Wage
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what controls are in place to ensure that drivers working for (a) Addison Lee and (b) other minicab companies receive the national minimum wage. [106210]
Norman Lamb: This Government is firmly committed to the national minimum wage (NMW). To support this, we are committed to effective, risk-based enforcement to ensure a level playing field for legitimate businesses and to protect workers who are at risk of abuse by those who refuse to play by the rules.
Our policy is to ensure that all workers who are entitled to the NMW receive it. HM Revenue & Customs investigate all complaints made to them about underpayment of the NMW. Anyone who believes they are being underpaid should contact the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.
Teachers: Training
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications for postgraduate teacher training there were in each year from 1997 to 2011. [106276]
Mr Willetts: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Travel: Fees and Charges
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the additional revenue accrued by travel companies by charging higher prices during school holidays; and if he will make a statement. [105676]
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Norman Lamb: This Department does not monitor the day to day revenue accrued by travel companies and has no plans to do so. It is for business to decide what to charge for its services. In doing so leisure travel companies no doubt take into account the peaks and troughs in demand they experience over the course of a year and the need to attract consumers in a competitive market.
UK National Contact Point
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment of the outcomes of the UK National Contact Point's determinations. [105796]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk), on 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 562W.
Under the published arrangements for determining and monitoring the outcomes of cases referred to the UK National Contact Point (NCP), there is no direct oversight role for Ministers. The independent Steering Board, which contains representatives from key Government Departments and external stakeholder organisations, monitors whether or not the handling and outcome of individual cases is in line with the published arrangements.
At the end of the Process, the NCP prepares a Final Statement, setting out the outcome of either Mediation between both Parties to the dispute, or the Examination Process under which the NCP determines whether or not the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises have been breached. The Final Statement may include recommendations for follow-up action to bring the company into compliance with the Guidelines, with a date by which it must report on progress. Final Statements and Follow-Ups to Final Statements are published on the BIS website at:
www.bis.gov.uk/nationalcontactpoint
UK-Israel Life Sciences Council
Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the work of the UK-Israel Life Sciences Council. [105783]
Mr Willetts: The creation of the UK Israel Life Sciences Council (LSC) was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs during his visit to Israel in November 2010, in order to enhance scientific collaboration between the two countries.
The first meeting of the LSC took place in January 2011 and decided to focus on Regenerative Medicine—an area in which both countries have much to offer each other. A fund of £10 million for a period of five years, raised mostly from private sources, will support this effort.
The first call for proposals and the first UK-Israel Regenerative Medicine Conference took place last year. A large number of joint UK-IL research proposals have already been received and are currently under review.
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I believe the LSC is a very useful forum for focusing UK and Israeli joint efforts and is providing guidance and advice to the Regenerative Medicine initiative. The next meeting of the LSC will take place in Israel 20-21 May 2012.
Vodafone Group
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Permanent Secretary in his Department has met Vodafone representatives in the last 12 months. [103188]
Norman Lamb: The Permanent Secretary at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has met representatives from Vodafone three times in the last 12 months. This includes an introductory meeting and, as part of a study that Vodafone carried out for the Department, an interview and a workshop attended by the Permanent Secretary and members of the senior management team.
Work and Pensions
Atos
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the monetary value is of each current contract between his Department and Atos. [103718]
Chris Grayling: Currently there are five separate contracts with Atos, each covering a different timeframe and policy area. The total monetary value for each contract, together with the appropriate contract timeframe is detailed in the following table.
| Policy area | Contract start date | Current end date | Spend in 2011-12 full year (£) |
Attendance Allowance
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families received attendance allowance at (a) the higher rate and (b) the lower rate in the Bury North constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [104686]
Maria Miller: The information is contained in the following table:
| Attendance allowance (AA) cases in payment in Bury North parliamentary constituency by award type: August 2011 | |
| Cases | |
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| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament May 2010. 4. These data are available on the Department’s tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 100% WPLS | |
Child Maintenance
Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish the names of the members of the Independent Panel established by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to consider child maintenance arrears and advise on how such arrears might be dealt with most effectively in the long term. [102654]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the names of the members of the Independent Panel established by the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission to consider child maintenance arrears and advise on how such arrears might be dealt with most effectively in the long term. [102654]
The Secretary of State asked Najib Nathoo, former President of the Credit Services Association to Chair the panel. The other panel members included Chris Nightingale, Director of Public Sector, Experian; Ian Cherry, Managing Director, Ventura UK; and Andrew Fisher, Finance Director, Provident Financial. The secretariat was provided by David Smith and Roger Marsh from PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has agreed the detail of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's proposed target operating model; and which stakeholders have been consulted by the Commission on the target operating model. [103279]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has agreed the detail of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's proposed target operating model; and which stakeholders have been consulted by the Commission on the target operating model. [103279]
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The Commission's Target Operating Model is an internal document that encapsulates the Commission's objectives, strategies and approach. It has been reviewed within the Commission and the Department for Work and Pensions, but there are no plans to consult on it externally.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the reasons are for the change in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's estimated operational savings over the next 10 years since June 2010; and for what reason the expected benefits from closing the existing child support schemes have fallen. [103280]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the reasons are for the change in the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission's estimated operational savings over the next 10 years since June 2010; and for what reason the expected benefits from closing the existing child support schemes have fallen. [103280]
The benefits (in financial terms) of the Commission's reform programme are measured over 10 years using as a comparison a counterfactual scenario where the child maintenance system continues to be delivered as it is currently—the Child Support Agency (CSA) using two separate child maintenance computer systems and managing a significant number of cases manually due to system defects.
There have been a significant number of policies surrounding the future scheme funded since June 2010 which have refined the Commission's projections and significant new operational improvements that were not part of the plan in June 2010. Significantly, the operational improvements affect both the projected costs of future operations and the estimated costs of delivering the CSA caseload without reform.
The change in 'savings' as defined by the National Audit Office (NAO) in its recent report has three components:
First, the projections for the reform programme. These are largely unchanged between these dates.
Second, fee revenues which arise as a result of the introduction of charging. These reduce the net service cost to Government but are not discussed in detail here as they are a) not included in the operational cost totals and b) are not applicable to the counterfactual scenario.
Finally, the change in the projected costs of the counterfactual scenario—Improvements in the CSA cost performance since June 2010 have meant that the cost projection for the counterfactual scenario is lower (e.g.: in 09/10 CSA delivery was £503m in the annual report and accounts. By 2010/11 this had reduced by 10% to £450m.)
The two key changes impacting the counterfactual scenario projection are:
Anticipated growth in off-system (clerical) case volumes (growing at almost 30,000 per annum in 2010) is now lower at 4,000 per annum because of improvements in process and performance. This means that the counterfactual costs of continuing with the CSA are now predicted to be lower than in earlier comparisons; and
The ongoing efficiency programme instigated (including separate major reviews in August 2011 and in February 2012) has reduced ongoing cost forecasts for Head Office and Operational staff, IT., expenses, operational contracts and our estates costs among others. The majority of these impacts are beyond SR10.
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Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects all child support cases, including clerical cases, to be reassessed under the guidelines of the new system for assessment. [103808]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects all child support cases, including clerical cases, to be reassessed under the guidelines of the new system for assessment. [103808]
When the new scheme using HM Revenue and Customs income data is launched, we will run it for at least six months to ensure it is working and delivering an improved client service before we introduce charges. At that point, we will begin to close all existing Child Support Agency cases and invite parents to choose whether they wish to apply to the new scheme or whether they would rather seek to agree their own arrangement between themselves. We will be bringing forward our plans for case closure in a public consultation this summer.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to encourage the Child Support Agency to impose stricter sanctions on parents who evade monetary responsibility for their children. [105556]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the child maintenance commissioner to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to encourage the Child Support Agency to impose stricter sanctions on parents who evade monetary responsibility for their children. [105556]
The Child Support Agency already has a wide range of enforcement powers for the purposes of securing child maintenance from non-resident parents, who would otherwise fail to pay. Money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent’s earnings if the non-resident parent is employed, money can be taken directly from a non-resident parent’s bank or building society account, or action can be taken through the courts.
The most serious forms of enforcement are commitment to prison or disqualification from driving. The decision whether to impose such measures, and the length of the order, is at the discretion of a Magistrates’ Court (or Sheriff in Scotland) where they are satisfied that a non-resident parent has “wilfully refused or culpably neglected” to pay child maintenance—but this is not a criminal sanction.
We will continue to review our success in the exercise of these enforcement powers, and the Government may opt to introduce further measures contained in the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008 (subject to a public consultation where appropriate) if it is deemed in the public interest to do so.
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Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what proportion of Child Support Agency cases where maintenance is paid via the Agency it is done so by (a) direct debit, (b) a deduction from earnings order and (c) a deduction order. [105791]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what proportion of Child Support Agency cases where maintenance is paid via the Agency it is done so by (a) direct debit, (b) a deduction from earnings order and (c) a deduction order. [105791]
The Child Support Agency does not hold information on the actual method of collection, but does record the non-resident parent's preferred method of collection.
As of March 2012, 14.2% of cases paying maintenance had a preferred method of collection of direct debit, and 19.1% of deduction from earnings order/request.
A deduction order is not classed as a method of maintenance collection; instead it is classed as an enforcement action. Therefore, those who have paid via deduction order will also have a preferred method of collection recorded on the system.
In the year to February 2012, 660 regular deduction orders were authorised and 395 lump sum deduction orders were authorised.
Enforcement information is routinely published in the Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics which is available through the following link:
http://www.childmaintenance.org/en/pdf/qss/Qss_mar_2012.pdf
Mr Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes or additions have been made to the IT contract agreed between the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and Tata Consultancy Services in 2009; and what the extra cost to his Department has been of any such changes or additions. [105988]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what changes or additions have been made to the IT contract agreed between the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission and Tata Consultancy Services in 2009; and what the extra cost to his Department has been of any such changes or additions. [105988]
The National Audit Office's recent report, Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission: Cost Reduction highlighted that the Commission's costs in developing and implementing the new child maintenance system had increased.
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Part of this increase relates to the Tata Consulting Services (TCS) contract that covers requirements analysis, design, build, test and implementation support of the new child maintenance system which will replace the Child Support Agency's two bespoke legacy systems. During the lifetime of the contract, the contract has been revised via five detailed commercial negotiations.
The original contract value including the purchase of a banking software licence was for around £15m.
A contract change was agreed in September 2009. It had no effect on contract value and simply amended the contract wording. A second contract change was agreed in June 2010 which added £5m.
In March 2011, a third contract change was agreed. This added £7.6m for a fixed price agreement, within which TCS had to deliver the core system build to the end of system integration testing. £3.5m was added for minor change requests up to March 2011, and £2.8m was agreed for further change requests arising after that date.
In November, a fourth contract change changed the contract wording with no impact on value. Finally, in April 2012, a fifth contract change extended the fixed price agreement for three months at no additional cost.
Disability Living Allowance
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he plans to make of the effects of reform of disability living allowance on the health and social care system. [102355]
Maria Miller: We will evaluate the introduction of personal independence payment. The precise scope of the evaluation is yet to be determined but results will be made publicly available.
We will also publish a report to Parliament, two years after the introduction of personal independence payment, on the assessment.
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed disability living allowance in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011. [104970]
Maria Miller: The information is contained in the following table:
| Disability living allowance (DLA) cases in payment in Motherwell and Wishaw parliamentary constituency | |
| Cases | |
| Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and excludes people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital. 3. A diagnosed medical condition does not mean that someone is automatically entitled to DLA. Entitlement is dependent on an assessment of how much help someone needs with personal care and/or mobility because of their disability. These statistics are only collected for administrative purposes. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament May 2010. 5. These data are available on the Department’s tabulation tool at: http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 100% WPLS | |
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Employment and Support Allowance
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training and support his Department provides for people in the Work Related Activity Group to help them into work. [105491]
Chris Grayling: Claimants in the Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Related Activity Group (WRAG) can access the personalised advice and support available through Jobcentre Plus, and the tailored support offered through the Work Programme.
They may also be able to get support offered through Work Choice which is a specialist employment programme for disabled people, and Access to Work which provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many blind people will have their income reduced as a result of changes to contributory employment and support allowance. [106349]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Those moving off contributory employment and support allowance (ESA) as a result of the time limit will be able to apply for income-related ESA if they are eligible. Only those who have other resources available to them will not be entitled to income-related benefit.
Employment Schemes
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people successfully placed in jobs by work programme contractors in Barnsley East constituency in each of the last three months; and how many people claiming employment and support allowance were referred into the work programme in Barnsley East constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [105868]
Chris Grayling: The Department aims to publish official statistics on Work programme job outcomes in autumn 2012 and it is intended that these figures will include a constituency breakdown.
| Number of Work programme referrals by employment and support allowance payment groups in Barnsley east parliamentary constituency: June 2011 to October2011 | |
| Payment group | Total |
| (1 )Nil-or negligible Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative-and are rounded to the nearest ten. 2. Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections or cancellation. 3. Payment groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. Due to payment groups currently being assigned manually, a small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group. This is most notable in the jobseekers’ allowance (JSA) 18-24 and JSA 25+ payment groups, which contain some claimants who are not eligible due to their age. This issue will be rectified in the planned update of the Labour Market System, which will automatically assign new claimants into payment groups; however it will not correct payment groups assigned prior to the update. 4. Parliamentary constituency is at the time of referral. 5. Figures are published on the tabulation tool: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS) | |
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Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has advised job centres to prioritise new claimants for entry into the Work Programme. [106351]
Chris Grayling: No. Claimants are referred to the Work Programme at specified times depending on the benefit they are claiming, the duration of their claim and their particular circumstances. These referral points are set out in Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme provider guidance and summarised in the following table.
Employment Schemes: Contracts
Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Department has taken to encourage local and national companies to take part in the Community Service Scheme. [83271]
Mr Blunt: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
There is no Community Service Scheme but, assuming this question refers to Community Payback, the Government has recently published Consultation Papers to give consideration to the future structures and objectives of both community sentences and the probation service. Community sentences which effectively punish and rehabilitate offenders will require the utilisation of the innovative capacity of private, voluntary and social enterprise organisations. A competition for the provision of Community Payback in London has commenced. Three approved national private sector companies are competing for the London contract. It is anticipated that the successful bidder will sub-contract or work in partnership with local companies and the voluntary sector to deliver Community Payback cost effectively and to a high standard. The outcome of the consultation process will determine how this process is best taken forward across the rest of England and Wales.
Employment Schemes: Young People
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many businesses in Glasgow North constituency have become part of the Youth Contract programme; and how many people in Glasgow North constituency have found employment through the programme. [105269]
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Chris Grayling: The specific information requested is not available. Employers engage with us in a variety of ways and we are maximising every contact to promote the Youth Contract to ensure that we can provide close to half-a-million new opportunities for young people.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which job centres have a policy of only referring new claimants to the Youth Contract. [106352]
Chris Grayling: The Youth Contract consists of a number of different support types, each of which has its own eligibility criteria, but all of which are available to new and existing claimants on an equal basis.
Jobcentre advisers work with all young claimants to identify the best opportunity for them from the range of support that is available, helping them to be better prepared for work and have a better chance of finding and taking up sustained employment.
There are elements of the Youth Contract which are targeted at young people who have been longer term unemployed, such as the wage incentive for employers, which is payable to employers hiring young people who have been out of work nine months or more. That is to give young people who are at a particular disadvantage in the labour market an extra level of support.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will publish all guidance given to Jobcentre Plus centres by his Department on the Youth Contract. [106362]
Chris Grayling: The Work Programme guidance is published on the Department's website and has been updated to include details of the Youth Contract wage incentive.
Existing Jobcentre Plus procedural guidance for staff has been updated with details of the other Youth Contract measures. Procedural guidance is internal guidance for staff and is not routinely published, but we can make it available should you request it.
Housing Benefit
Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what timetable he has set for the transfer of responsibilities for administering housing benefit from local authorities to his Department. [106319]
Steve Webb: The Universal Credit migration approach, published on 1 November, set out how DWP will start to take new claims to universal credit from October 2013 and that new claims to the current benefits and credits will gradually phased out. Work continues with HMRC and local authorities to understand the precise detail of how this will work, but this approach will ensure that universal credit is phased in safely from October 2013, minimising the risk to claimants. Even once agreed, the DWP will keep the approach under regular review as it recognises that the approach needs to be flexible enough the respond to national and local circumstances as they change in the years before the migration to universal credit is concluded in 2017.
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Industrial Health and Safety: Police
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on reviewing health and safety in the police. [105037]
Chris Grayling: Common Sense, Common Safety recommended that police officers should not be at risk of investigation or prosecution under health and safety legislation if they have put themselves at risk as a result of committing a heroic act, and that HSE, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Crown Prosecution Service should consider further guidance to put this into effect.
This recommendation has been implemented. HSE has issued guidance, developed with ACPO, which makes it clear that HSE would not investigate or take action against police officers in such circumstances. The guidance “Striking the balance between operational and health and safety duties in the Police Service: An explanatory note”, available at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/services/police/explanatory-note.pdf
has been published on the HSE website. The Crown Prosecution Service has issued guidance to its lawyers to similar effect.
Jobcentre Plus
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus centres have reported difficulties with capacity; and which Jobcentre Plus centres have made such reports. [106363]
Chris Grayling: In the last 12 months there have been no reported difficulties with capacity in Jobcentre Plus centres.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Fraud
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people normally resident in Barnsley East constituency were prosecuted for offences relating to fraudulent claims for jobseeker's allowance in each of the last five years. [105867]
Chris Grayling: Prosecution data specific to your Barnsley East constituency is not available.
Legal Costs
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [104595]
Chris Grayling: Please see as follows for the Department for Work and Pensions' external legal spend;
| Amount spent (£) | Change (1) (percentage) | |
| (1) A negative percentage denotes a decrease in costs over the previous year. | ||
These amounts include external expenditure on;
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Legal services obtained by DWP;
Case work performed on behalf of DWP;
Costs and compensation relating to legal action taken against DWP;
Some costs of training and development activity in support of the continuing professional development of our legal staff;
Legal services obtained on' behalf of some other Government Departments/agencies (eg Department of Health; Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) for which the Department is fully reimbursed. These amounted to £1.2 million in 2011-12;
Certain other smaller categories that represent a small proportion of this figure.
Except as indicated above, this figure does not include expenditure on staff costs. It also does not generally include expenditure on individual lawyers who are utilised on a consultancy basis.
Further breakdown of these figures would not be possible without incurring considerable costs in retrieval and analysis of the thousands of invoices which make up these figures and which are held in remote storage.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 14 March 2012 with regard to Ms L. Wright. [106330]
Chris Grayling: Following a thorough search of the Department's correspondence system, we are unable to locate this letter.
Official Secrets Act
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether any person employed by (a) his Department, (b) the agencies and non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible and (c) any private firms contracted by his Department is bound by any part of the Official Secrets Act 1989. [104836]
Chris Grayling: All Crown servants and Government contractors (as defined by Sections 12(1) and 12(2) of the Official Secrets Act 1989) are subject to the requirements of the Official Secrets Act 1989.
Remploy: Wales
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential for Remploy factories in Wales to operate as social enterprises. [100709]
Maria Miller: The Government commissioned independent advisors to undertake a commercial review of the businesses and provide advice before deciding future strategy.
A copy of the report was published on 13 March 2012 on the DWP website and is available at
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/2011/specialist-disability-emp-prog.shtml#ir
Remploy has started collective consultation with its trade unions and the management forums on the proposed closure of the 36 factories that the Remploy board considers (subject to consultation) are unlikely to be able to achieve independent financial viability. Remploy
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welcome proposals for the exit of any parts of the Remploy businesses currently subject to consultation with any other proposals for avoiding compulsory redundancies. I confirmed in my statement of 20 March 2012 that Remploy would publish details of the commercial process on its website
www.remploy.co.uk
including contact information to assist those who wish to put forward an expression of interest.
Remploy will make commercial data available to any interested parties (under a non disclosure agreement and with the agreement of other contracting parties as necessary) who express an interest in developing a credible proposal for the exit of a business.
We are also considering the independent expert support that employees might require to help them develop a business proposal. On 23 April 2012 Remploy published on its website and communicated to staff details of the support, up to a limit of £10,000, which will be available to successful EOIs from employee-led proposals. This money can be used to get expert advice and support to put together their proposals, including paying for legal and accountancy support.
Revenue and Customs
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were located at each HM Revenue and Customs office in Scotland in each of the last five years. [104038]
Chris Grayling: Department for Work and Pensions is minor occupier to HM Revenue and Customs in the following locations in Scotland. The numbers of staff in post are as follows:
| As of 31 March each year | |||||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
Social Security Benefits
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the comparable yearly costs are of (a) the average range of benefits to which an unemployed individual is entitled and (b) a guaranteed job paid at the minimum wage by government. [105528]
Chris Grayling: The following table shows the typical weekly amounts of benefits received by a single, unemployed jobseeker with no children. Annual amounts are based on the claimant receiving these amounts for a full 52 weeks. However, the average length of a jobseeker’s allowance claim is less than a year.
| £ | ||
| Benefit | Weekly amount | Annual amount |
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| Notes: 1. Figures are indicative only. 2. Weekly figures are rounded to the nearest 10p; annual figures are rounded to the nearest £1 3. The claimant is assumed to be aged 35 to 44. 4. No account has been made of household capital. 5. Amounts of housing benefit and council tax benefit are based on average awards for single claimants with no children from January 2012 data. | ||
The Department does not have a programme which includes guaranteed jobs so the information for part (b) is not available.
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many working-age households in (a) Barnsley East constituency and (b) Barnsley Metropolitan Borough were in receipt of benefits that totalled more than his proposed benefit cap under the provisions of the Welfare Reform Act 2012, excluding those households which are exempted, in the latest period for which figures are available. [105871]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available for Barnsley East constituency.
Based on the latest data available, it is estimated that fewer than 100 households were in receipt of benefits that totalled more than the proposed benefit cap in the Metropolitan borough of Barnsley.
The figures presented above are consistent with the recent impact assessment published on the 23 January 2012. This assumes that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. In all cases the Department is working to support households through this transition, using existing provision through Jobcentre Plus and the Work programme to-move as many into work as possible.
It is important to note that these estimates were produced before the additional easements announced on the 1st February which included the exemption of households who were in receipt of the support component of employment and support allowance and a nine-month grace period for claimants who were in work for 52-weeks or more before the start of their claim. This means that these figures are subject to change.
Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what role he expects local authorities to play in supporting the delivery of universal credit and housing benefit. [106318]
Steve Webb: The universal credit programme team are currently working with the Local Government Association, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association in order to develop proposals for how local authorities will fit into the delivery model for universal credit.
We will be able to describe the outcome over the coming months.
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Social Security Benefits: Disability
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the (a) cumulative effect of his planned reforms to benefits and services on disabled people and (b) extent to which planned reforms to benefits and services are enabling (i) government and (ii) local authorities to comply with their obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [103080]
Maria Miller: The Government are limited in what cumulative analysis is possible because of the complexity of the modelling required and the amount of detailed information on individuals and families that is required to estimate the interactions of a number of different policy changes. In addition, the Government's programme of welfare reform will not be fully implemented until 2017-18 and many policy details are still to be worked through. Equality impact assessments are however carried out for individual policies where there is a requirement..
The first UK Government report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, about implementation of the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, was published in November 2011. The report set out how the obligations of the convention are being met across the UK. The Government's programme of reform across welfare, employment support, social care and education will build on the achievement assessed in that report, and help make the system work better for disabled people. In addition, my Department is developing a new cross-government Disability Strategy, co-produced with disabled people. The strategy will take the convention and its obligations as its basis. The strategy will be monitored to assess its impact, and my Department is looking at how to achieve this, through various means, including for example, gathering information on the lived experience of disabled people.