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Homelessness: Veterans
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of homeless veterans in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England and Wales. [117611]
Grant Shapps: The Department does not collect information on the total number of people in households that have been accepted as being owed the main homelessness duty who have previously served in HM forces, but it does collect information from local authorities on:
(i) The number of households accepted as homeless in a particular period where the applicant was vulnerable as a result of serving in HM forces; and
(ii) The number of households accepted as homeless in a particular period where the main reason for the loss of the last settled home was leaving HM forces.
| Applicant households found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need 2011-12 | ||
| Having served in HM forces (E2.11) | Left HM forces(E3.11a) | |
| Source: P1E returns, questions E2 11 and E3 11 a | ||
Separate figures are not collected for the Barnsley Central parliamentary constituency. The closest matching area for which figures exist is that covered by Barnsley metropolitan borough council, which also includes the Barnsley East constituency and parts of the Penistone and Stocksbridge and Wentworth and Dearne constituencies. South Yorkshire comprises of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield local authorities.
The Department does not collect figures for Wales: these are a devolved matter. A figure for the number of households accepted as homeless and in priority need in Wales in 2011-12 where a member was vulnerable due to being homeless after leaving the armed forces is, however, available in the Welsh Government's published statistical release for ‘Homelessness, January to March 2012’. This is available at:
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/housing2012/120620/?lang=en
We secured an additional £70 million last year to help local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness. This includes £20 million Homelessness Transition Fund to support the roll-out of No Second Night Out and protect vital front line services and £20 million Single Homelessness Prevention Fund to help ensure single homeless people get access to good housing advice. This is on top of the existing £10 million to help single people access private rented sector accommodation and the £400 million we are investing for homelessness prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15).
England has one of the strongest safety nets in the world to protect families and vulnerable households who become homeless through no fault of their own. It provides a consistent, national statutory framework for the provision of homelessness assistance across England.
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The Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness will shortly publish its second report on preventing homelessness which will include veterans. The latest figures from CHAIN which covers London highlight that only 4% of rough sleepers from the UK have experience of the armed forces.
I am determined to ensure that current and former members of the armed forces gain the housing they deserve, recognising the sacrifices they have made for the country. I have, therefore, introduced measures to place members of the armed forces at the top of the priority list for home ownership schemes, including FirstBuy.
I recently published final new statutory social allocations guidance, following consultation, setting out how councils' allocation schemes can give priority to all service personnel, including through the use of local preference criteria and local lettings policies.
I am also changing the law by regulation so that former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given high priority for social housing; and councils are prevented from applying local connection requirements to disqualify members of the armed forces and those within five years of leaving the services. Following consultation, we are also extending these regulations to bereaved spouses and seriously injured reservists.
Housing Benefit
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 600W, on housing benefit, whether the increase in expenditure on housing benefit since the original impact assessment from the affordable rent model will be funded from the Homes and Communities Agency's budget. [116569]
Grant Shapps: Housing providers' response to the Affordable Homes programme exceeded our original expectations. As a result, we now expect to be able to deliver 80,000 new affordable homes through the Affordable Homes programme, compared to our expectation of 56,000 at the time of the affordable rent impact assessment.
This positive response means that we now expect to deliver a total of 170,000 new affordable homes over this spending review period, through a total investment of £19.5 billion public and private funding.
Because we have been able to provide more homes with the original budget than we anticipated at the time of the impact assessment, there will be some further impact on the housing benefit bill. The Department for Communities and Local Government therefore agreed to cover the anticipated £56 million increase in housing benefit costs over the spending review period associated with this increase in delivery. This was funded from Departmental Unallocated Provision.
I note that the National Audit Office's recent study into the Affordable Rent programme observed that:
“The Department selected the best delivery model open to it for the funds it had available... The Department has so far achieved its policy objective to maximise the number of homes delivered within the available grant funding... The Programme was over subscribed which led to the Department raising its target for the number of affordable homes it expects to deliver.”
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(National Audit Office, Financial viability of the social housing sector: introducing the Affordable Homes Programme, 4 July 2012, HC 465, pp.6-7).
Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 600W, on housing benefit, how the estimated increase in housing benefit expenditure used in the central scenario of Table 8 of the impact assessment of the new affordable rent model was calculated. [116570]
Grant Shapps: The methodology and key assumptions used to calculate the housing benefit impact of the Affordable Homes programme, and other economic and social impacts of the programme, are set out in the published Impact Assessment in Section D: Cost Benefit Analysis (pages 19 to 37):
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1918816.pdf
Housing: Construction
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable he has set for his Department's review of the New Homes Bonus. [117413]
Grant Shapps: The Government will formally consider the impact of the New Homes Bonus in 2013-14 in preparation for the next spending review.
Hull
Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 10W and of 18 June 2012, Official Report, columns 689-90W, and with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Housing and Local Government of 19 April 2012, Official Report, column 184WH, on regeneration, how many times the Minister for Housing and Local Government has visited Hull in an official capacity since May 2010. [116425]
Robert Neill: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to him of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 10W, and to the answer to him of 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 689W.
Public Expenditure
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he expects his Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of any such underspend. [116472]
Robert Neill: The Office of Budgetary Responsibility forecasts underspends against departmental expenditure limits as part of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn.
As part of its transparency agenda the Government publish the full detail of plans and outturn for all Departments after the end of the financial year, usually in September. HM Treasury publishes outturn data for all Departments from the COINS database, available
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on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at Budget 2013.
Public Sector: Land
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps he plans to take to review his Department's public land auction pilots; and to what timetable; [117441]
(2) when he expects the first pilot land auction to be held; [117442]
(3) what funding his Department proposes to allocate to local authorities that will be piloting the land auction scheme; [117443]
(4) which local authorities his Department has selected as pilots for the auction of public land. [117444]
Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne (John Healey) on 16 April 2012, Official Report, columns 202-03W. This sets out how we are undertaking the pilot, which is testing the land disposal elements of the land auctions model on public land. We have put funding aside to support the participating local authorities during the pilot, which will run to March 2014, with the aim of having two sites ready for market by the end of the year. We will report on the learning from the pilot in due course.
Quarrying: Kent
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to make a decision on the proposed westerly extension to Hermitage Quarry, Aylesford, Kent, reference TM10/2029. [117014]
Robert Neill: The inquiry into the above application is due to open at 10.00 am on 27 November 2012 at Oakwood House Hotel, Oakwood Park, Maidstone, Kent. It is expected to last for up to 12 days. The date by when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will make a decision on the application will be announced after the closure of the inquiry.
Social Rented Housing: Birmingham
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to increase the social housing stock in Birmingham, Ladywood. [116946]
Grant Shapps: We are investing £4.5 billion over the spending review period to deliver 170,000 affordable homes in England. This investment will lever in £15 billion of private sector investment, a total of £19.5 billion.
Between April 2011, and March 2015, almost £39 million is being invested through the Affordable Homes programme to provide 772 new affordable homes in the Birmingham local authority area for rent and affordable home ownership. These figures are subject to change as schemes are finalised. This information is not available by constituency.
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The New Homes Bonus also rewards councils for helping provide more affordable housing; our empty homes programme will support vacant properties being brought back into use as affordable housing; and the Community Right to Build will help provide low-cost homes for local families and residents.
Transport
A3: Hampshire
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to publish noise action plans for the A3 in East Hampshire arising from the 2007 noise mapping exercise. [117356]
Mike Penning: The noise action plans were published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in 2010. The Highways Agency has investigated all important areas with first priority locations on the strategic road network, including those on the A3 in East Hampshire, which DEFRA identified using the criteria set out in their 2010 action plans. The remaining important areas will be investigated during financial year 2012-13. The Highways Agency will be sending out the outcome of its investigations at all important areas with first priority locations to the relevant local authorities, as required by the noise action plans, during summer 2012.
Assets
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assets her Department has sold and leased back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of each asset so sold; and what estimate her Department has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back each such asset over the period of the lease. [116810]
Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, the Department for Transport has not sold and leased back any assets over the last 12 months.
Aviation: EU Action
Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions her Department has had on the EU's proposals for limitations on flight times; and if she will make a statement. [117265]
Mrs Villiers: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is still considering the responses to its comment response document issued on 18 January 2012 and their final opinion is expected later this autumn. We will consider our position, taking into account advice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), once EASA has published their final set of draft rules. We will not support EASA's proposals if the CAA advises that these do not provide an appropriate level of protection against fatigue.
Aviation: Fees and Charges
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with the Consumer Association on the pricing policies and hidden charges of budget airlines. [116561]
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Mrs Villiers: No recent discussions have taken place on this issue with the Consumers' Association. Pricing policies are a matter for the airlines. However, Regulation EC1008/2008 on Common Rules of the Operation of Air Services in the Community includes measures on airline ticket pricing.
Article 23 of the regulation requires the final price of an air ticket (inclusive of all foreseeable and unavoidable taxes, fees and charges) to be displayed at all times. Any optional price supplements, such as those covering hold baggage or insurance, must be communicated clearly at the start of the booking process. The acceptance of optional price supplements by the customer must be on an ‘opt-in' basis.
In February 2012 the Civil Aviation Authority published a summary of the optional charges levied by the top airlines in the UK in one price comparison document. Information on the cost of taking hold luggage on board, having an in-flight meal and reserving specific seats is all included, as well as a range of other optional charges that airlines may apply. A link to the summary can be found via the following link:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2200/Comparing_airline_charges.pdf
Blue Badge Scheme: Thalidomide
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make it her policy that thalidomide survivors should automatically receive blue badges. [117114]
Norman Baker: The main aim of the blue badge scheme is to enable severely disabled people to park close to places they need to visit. The main category of people who can qualify for a badge is those who have a permanent and substantial disability that means they are unable to walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. Local authorities administer and enforce the scheme and it is for them to take decisions on whether or not someone meets the eligibility criteria. They are now required to refer people for an independent assessment in cases where a person's eligibility may be in doubt.
However, it was recognised by previous Governments that those people with thalidomide-related disabilities would also benefit from being in possession of a badge. The scheme was therefore extended in 1992 to include such people. The criterion was strictly limited to those who regularly drive a motor vehicle but who have such a severe disability in both upper limbs that they are unable to turn the steering wheel by hand even if that wheel is fitted with a turning knob.
In October 2007, the eligibility criterion was extended to people with severe disabilities in both arms so that people who regularly drive a non-adapted vehicle but cannot operate, or have considerable difficulty operating,
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all or some types of parking meter are eligible for a badge. We have no plans to make any further changes to this criterion.
British Midland Airways: Pensions
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Garston and Halewood of 9 July 2012, Official Report, column 68W, on bmi, what discussions she had on the future of the bmi pension scheme. [117734]
Mrs Villiers: None. Company pensions are regulated by the Pensions Regulator. Ministers are not involved in its casework or decisions. The Pensions Regulator has issued a report under section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004, which explains fully the decision it has made on the bmi scheme and is available on the Pensions Regulator's website.
East Coast Railway Line
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will request that Network Rail rearranges planned engineering work on East Coast line on 15 and 16 September in order to avoid disruption to the Great North Run event. [116637]
Mrs Villiers: The scope and timing of engineering works are operational matters for Network Rail under the industry's national possessions planning regime which is overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation, not Ministers.
Network Rail advises that the major works programme between Newcastle and Edinburgh has been planned with the relevant train operators since October 2010, before the finalisation of the date for the Great North Run 2012.
As part of our general efforts to improve efficiency on the railways, we are encouraging Network Rail to work closely with train operators and other relevant stakeholders on planning possessions and completing them on time.
Heathrow Airport
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many take-off and landing slots at Heathrow were allocated to flights (a) departing to and (b) arriving from (i) Belgium, (ii) Cyprus and (iii) Greece in the latest period in which figures are available and what proportion of the air transport movement cap that represents. [117536]
Mrs Villiers: The number of flights departing to and arriving from Belgium, Cyprus and Greece at Heathrow in 2011 is shown in the following table.
| Air transport movement between Heathrow and Belgium, Cyprus and Greece, 2011 | |||||
| Thousand | Proportion (%) | ||||
| Arrivals | Departures | Total | Arrivals | Departures | |
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Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) terminating and (b) transfer passengers arrived at Heathrow in the latest period for which figures are available. [117537]
Mrs Villiers: In 2011, an estimated 23 million terminating and 12 million transfer passengers arrived at Heathrow.
Large Goods Vehicles: Epilepsy
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the eligibility criteria to apply for a standard driving licence are different from that for heavy good vehicle licences for people who have suffered an historic epileptic condition. [117645]
Mike Penning: In the interests of road safety, medical standards are generally stricter for those wishing to drive lorries and buses. Drivers of these vehicles tend to spend more time driving and typically, drive longer distances than other drivers. Accidents involving larger vehicles are more likely to result in death or serious injury than those involving cars or smaller vehicles.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will ask the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to permit people who have suffered a historic epilepsy condition to apply for an heavy goods vehicle licence. [117646]
Mike Penning: Driving licence rules, including the minimum standards of medical fitness in Great Britain, are governed by European law. Those whose medical history of epilepsy poses no risk to road safety may be licensed to drive larger vehicles subject to strict criteria. The minimum requirement is that those who no longer suffer with or are liable to suffer from epileptic seizures may by licensed to drive buses and lorries. This is providing they remain free of epileptic attacks for at least 10 years without the aid of anti-epileptic medication.
Manchester Declaration
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress her Department and its agencies have made on implementation of the Manchester Declaration of 2005. [116364]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and its seven executive agencies have delivered a number of significant digital products for consumers which are compatible with the Manchester Declaration. These include the on-line renewal of vehicle excise duty, on-line driving test booking and the Transport Direct journey planning portal.
This Department is an active contributor to the delivery of the Government's ICT Strategy, the Transparency and Open Data agendas and the Digital by Default programme.
Railway Stations: Bradford
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects work to (a) begin and (b) finish on the Apperley Bridge Railway Station as part of the Leeds Rail Growth Package. [117472]
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Mrs Villiers: Commencement of works at Apperley Bridge station is anticipated in summer 2013. The expected completion date of the Leeds Rail Growth Package is December 2014.
Railways
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps her Department has taken to encourage more people to use trains rather than other methods of transport. [117771]
Mrs Villiers: The Department is working to improve the quality of all modes of transport.
With regard to rail, the Government's Rail Reform Command Paper, published in March 2012, set out our ambition for a more customer-focused and financially sustainable railway for both passengers and freight. It sets out Government's aim to put an end to above- inflation rises in regulated rail fares when savings are achieved in the cost of running the railways and the wider economic situation permits.
The Government have also confirmed plans for a national high speed rail network stretching from London to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, including stations in the east midlands and south Yorkshire, as well as connections to Heathrow and HS1. HS2 is forecast to carry up to 4.5 million passengers every year who might otherwise have travelled by air, as well as seeing up to nine million passengers transfer from the national road network.
The Government have also today announced a £9.4 billion package of investment for our railways for the period 2014-19, including £4.2 billion of funding for new schemes to expand capacity and improve services for passengers and freight users.
Railways: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on improving rail links between Barnsley and (a) Leeds, (b) Sheffield and (c) London; and if she will undertake a review of railway links in and out of Barnsley. [117612]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport maintains close links with regional partners to discuss options or the development of the network. The responsibility for network planning, however, lies with Network Rail and we have no plans to undertake any independent assessment of links into or out of Barnsley.
Railways: Bicycles
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with (a) Southern Railway, (b) Southeastern Railway and (c) relevant cycling organisations about the restrictions they have imposed on bicycles on trains during the period of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. [117757]
Mrs Villiers:
The Department has been made aware of temporary changes to such policies during the period of the Olympic and Paralympics Games. Regular discussions have taken place with operators on all their operational preparations to accommodate the large numbers
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of additional passengers expected at Games time. I am not aware that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has had any specific discussions with cycling organisations about Olympics restrictions, but the Department is in regular touch with such organisations in promoting cycling as an alternative form of transport for local journeys.
Railways: Freight
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to promote transportation of freight by rail. [117152]
Mrs Villiers: In the last five years the Government have announced record levels of rail freight investment to support continued growth including:
(i) £200 million towards the development of a strategic freight network;
(ii) over £150 million on the provision of infrastructure enhancement for freight through the Productivity Transport Innovation Fund;
(iii) £55 million for work on the strategic freight network announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s autumn statement of 2011.
The Government also support the shift of freight from road to rail through the Department for Transport’s Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme. This assists companies with the operating costs of rail or inland waterways, where these are more expensive than road and where there are environmental benefits. Over 800,000 lorries a year are taken off the road as a result of this scheme.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the volume of coal transported by rail in each year since 1997. [117155]
Mrs Villiers: The information requested is shown in the following table.
| Coal moved on GB national railways from 1996-97 to 2010-11 | |
| Measured in billion net tonne kilometres | |
| Source: Department for Transport. | |
Railways: Shrewsbury
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure Shrewsbury has a direct rail service to London. [115812]
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Mrs Villiers: Bids for the new West Coast franchise, due to start in December 2012, are currently being evaluated. In preparing their bids, bidders were encouraged to consult with stakeholders and use the consultation to understand stakeholder aspirations and consider addressing these in their proposals for the franchise. Such views were expected to form part of bidders’ deliberations in deciding the best service pattern they could offer. We have included sufficient flexibility and commercial freedom for whoever is selected to operate this new franchise to provide a direct service to Shrewsbury if they believe there is a commercial case for so doing.
Railways: Standards
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of trains ran within 60 seconds of scheduled time in each year between 1992 and 1997. [R] [117839]
Norman Baker: Industry data for this statistic are not available for the years requested.
Rescue Services: Fareham
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new Maritime Operations centre in Fareham will (a) open and (b) be fully operational. [117452]
Mike Penning: The modernisation plan for Her Majesty’s Coastguard was announced on 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 161-64. This announcement outlined that following extensive practitioner-led testing the new national Maritime Operations centre will be open and operational during the financial year 2013-14.
Rescue Services: South Lanarkshire
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans she has for the future of Forth Coastguard station. [117453]
Mike Penning: The modernisation plan for Her Majesty’s Coastguard was announced on 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 161-64. This announcement outlined that Forth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) would close by the end of financial year 2012-13.
In line with that announcement, operational control of the area of responsibility currently managed by Forth MRCC will transfer to Aberdeen MRCC by 28 September 2012.
Taxis: Disabled
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to launch a consultation on the proportion of wheelchair accessible vehicles per local fleet that must be met before a licensing authority can refuse to grant a licence for a wheelchair accessible vehicle for the purpose of controlling taxi numbers. [117746]
Norman Baker:
The Government has in place a rigorous approval system for considering the implications of any new Regulation which it introduces. We have been
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considering the case for commencing section 161 of the Equality Act 2010 to which this question refers in the context of the review of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing being carried out by the Law Commission.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects to implement sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010 on the imposition of the duties on taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to assist passengers in wheelchairs. [117747]
Norman Baker: The Government has in place a rigorous approval system for considering the implications of any new Regulation which it introduces. We have been considering the case for commencing section 165 and 167 in the context of that approvals process, and I intend to make an announcement about section 165 and 167 in the near future.
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 relating to taxis, private hire vehicles and accessibility for disabled persons to be brought into force. [117748]
Norman Baker: There are a number of sections of the Equality Act 2010 which relate specifically to taxis. The following table explains the status of these sections.
| Section | Description | Status |
|
Provisions to require all taxis to meet certain accessibility standards | ||
|
Imposition of duties on taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to assist passengers in wheelchairs | ||
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the (a) cost and (b) availability of taxi and private hire vehicles that are accessible to disabled people. [117749]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport carries out every two years a survey of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing which includes questions about the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in licensing authority areas. This survey is published on the Department's website.
The Department does not routinely keep information on taxi or private hire vehicle fares. Generally, local licensing authorities set a tariff for taxi fares and drivers must not charge more than the tariff rate (normally displayed on a taximeter). There is no power in legislation for local authorities to set fares for private hire vehicles. These are a matter for the commercial judgement of the PHV operator.
Section 29 of the Equality Act 2010 is intended to provide protection against discriminatory processes.
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Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received from (a) individuals and (b) organisations regarding the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 in respect of disabled access to taxis and private hire vehicles. [117750]
Norman Baker: Since 2 May 2012, Ministers at the Department for Transport have received 35 letters from MPs about the implementation of sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act.
Since the Equality Act gained Royal Assent in 2010, I and my officials have held regular meetings with representatives of the taxi and private hire vehicle operator trades, local licensing authorities and interested groups, including those representing disabled people. These meetings have concerned a range of subjects relating to taxi and private hire vehicle operations, including discussions on access to taxi and private hire vehicles to disabled people. The Department has also answered a number of written and verbal enquires relating to taxi and private hire vehicle operations.
West Anglia Railway Line
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with Network Rail and train operating companies on improving (a) punctuality, (b) value for money and (c) service provision on the West Anglia Mainline. [117520]
Norman Baker: Ministers and officials regularly meet Network Rail and train operating companies to discuss these and other issues. Last week I met Network Rail to discuss the resilience of the line ahead of the Olympics.
Deputy Prime Minister
House of Lord Reform
Mr McCann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what legal opinion he has sought on the primacy of the House of Commons under his proposals to create an elected House of Lords; and whether he plans to make that opinion available to the House. [117700]
Mr Harper: It is a well established convention that the Government do not reveal whether or not the advice of the Law Officers has been sought. However, it is the Government's view that the Parliament Acts would apply to the House of Lords Reform Bill itself, and the Bill provides that they will continue to apply following its enactment.
Monarchy: Succession
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to discuss reform of the Act of Settlement. [117334]
Mr Harper:
Neither the Deputy Prime Minister nor I had any meetings with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church to discuss reform of the Act of Settlement. However, the previous Cabinet Secretary and other
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senior officials in Cabinet Office have discussed the matter with a range of interested parties including representatives of the Roman Catholic Church.
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent steps he has taken to reform the Act of Settlement. [117434]
Mr Harper: The Prime Minister announced in Perth, Australia in October last year that the 16 Commonwealth realms had agreed in principle that we should modernise the Act of Settlement with regard to the rules of royal succession—in particular, to end male primogeniture and the bar on the Monarch and those in the Line of Succession from marrying a Roman Catholic.
We will bring forward UK legislation to give effect to changes to the rules of succession once we have secured the consent of the other Commonwealth realms. This work is being co-ordinated by the New Zealand Government with whom my officials are working very closely.
Education
Holiday Playschemes
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what budget his Department provided for holiday playschemes (a) nationwide and (b) in each local authority area in (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) total, in the school years (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, (C) 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12; [117030]
(2) how many children attended holiday playschemes (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area in (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) in total in the school years (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, (C) 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12; [117034]
(3) how many hours of holiday playschemes were offered (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area in (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) in total in the school years (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, (C) 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12. [117035]
Sarah Teather [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The Department for Education has not provided any direct funding for holiday playschemes during any of the years cited.
In 2010-11 the Department made approximately £4 million available for 19 local authorities to take part in a one-year pilot to explore different approaches to developing and improving holiday child care provision.
The Department does not collect information on the number of children who have attended holiday playschemes or how many hours were offered nationally or by local authority area. The Department's survey of child care providers showed that in 2010 there were 7,700 holiday clubs offering 349,400 places nationally.
In September 2011, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that £50 million, from the Pupil Premium, has been made available to schools that have disadvantaged pupils moving into Year 7 to run a one week or two week summer school. Approximately 2,000 schools have signed up to take part in the programme and provisional pupil figures suggest around 65,000 disadvantaged pupils will benefit. Schools are free to structure the summer
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schools as they feel best but it is anticipated that music, sport and performing arts will feature in these programmes.
The Prime Minister recently asked the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), and I to lead a Childcare Commission which will look at child care for the over-fives, particularly the wrap-around child care that many families need after school and in the holidays. The intention is to identify ways to enable parents and other volunteers to set up the schemes they want in their area; and to promote partnerships between schools and voluntary and private providers.
Young People: Drugs
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the relationship between accommodation status and substance abuse among under 18-year-olds. [112848]
Sarah Teather: The Government have supported a number of studies that look at the effects of substance misuse and the well-being of young people. However, none provide enough information on accommodation status to carry out an analysis of its relationship with substance misuse amongst young people.
Defence
Scout Specialist Vehicle
16. Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the Scout specialist vehicle programme. [116907]
Peter Luff: The Scout specialist vehicle programme is currently in the Demonstration Phase. The first vehicle platform test rig was rolled out on 6 June 2012 and pre-production vehicle prototypes are due to begin delivery from 2013.
Budget Reductions: Local Economies
17. Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on the effect of reductions in the defence budget on local economies. [116908]
Mr Philip Hammond: Defence spending decisions are not made on the basis of their impact on specific regions, but rather in the interests of the defence of the whole of the United Kingdom. We do not make defence decisions to benefit one local economy or industry over another.
Armed Forces Presentations: Schools
18. Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many presentations the armed forces delivered in secondary schools in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) the UK in the last year. [116909]
Mr Robathan:
In Northamptonshire in 2011 the Army delivered five presentations in schools and colleges, the Royal Navy delivered seven in secondary schools and the Royal Air Force did not give any presentations.
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In addition the three services held various other sessions on subjects ranging from personal development to fitness and science.
Similar information for the whole of the UK is not held centrally and will take some time to collate.
Afghanistan
19. Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the security transition in Afghanistan. [116910]
20. Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the security transition in Afghanistan. [116911]
Nick Harvey: Transition of security to Afghan control, as agreed at the Lisbon conference in 2010, is on track and achievable by the end of 2014. In May the Afghan Government announced the third tranche of districts and provinces that will enter the process. This will see the Afghans take the lead for security in areas home to 75% of the population.
By mid-2013, all parts of Afghanistan will have begun transition and the Afghan forces will be in the lead for security nationwide. This will mark an important milestone in the Lisbon road map. The progress of security transition is allowing ISAF gradually and responsibly to draw down its forces to complete its mission by 31 December 2014.
Discrimination: Armed Forces
23. Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to tackle discrimination within the armed forces. [116914]
Mr Robathan: Discrimination within the armed forces is not tolerated at any level and service personnel are encouraged to report incidences whenever encountered. Once reported the complaint is investigated and dealt with through the chain of command. Commanding Officers have clear guidance on how to deal with such complaints.
Armed Forces
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to ensure that the balance between regular and reserve forces is maintained at an appropriate level. [115684]
Mr Philip Hammond: The programme to implement Army 2020, and to enhance our reserve forces, will be closely monitored to ensure that it remains on track, and that projected manning levels are achieved. The work on reshaping the reserves will be aided by the independent scrutiny team which I announced on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, to be led by retired Lieutenant General Robin Brims, who will make his first report in the summer of 2013.
Armed Forces: Gender Identity Disorder
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures his Department has put in place for members of the armed services who present with gender identity disorder. [117466]
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Mr Robathan: The armed forces do not accept any form of discrimination and have a clear policy for the recruitment and management of personnel with gender identity disorder (transsexuals). This policy was published in 2009 and is available to all military commanders and civilian staff who manage service personnel. Advice was sought from a:gender, the support network for staff in Government Departments and agencies who have permanently changed their perceived gender.
Armed Forces: Learning Disability
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what policies and procedures his Department has put in place for members of the armed forces who present with learning difficulties. [117465]
Mr Robathan: We take provision for service personnel with specific learning difficulties most seriously. Our policy aims to promote and provide systematic support to those personnel in the armed forces with identified needs to maximise their learning potential and training.
The single services must provide support to those individuals who have voluntarily come forward or have been identified as possibly having specific learning difficulties needs. This support should be delivered irrespective of service, location or job responsibilities (subject to operational requirements).
Armed Forces: Mental Illness
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what treatment is provided before a medical discharge to a member of the armed forces diagnosed with a mental health condition. [117614]
Mr Robathan: All personnel will be initially assessed and managed in Primary Care, and referred into specialist mental health care services where appropriate (which may include in-patient care in a bespoke NHS service contracted by Ministry of Defence).
Our specialist mental health care services are centred round 15 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) across the UK (plus centres overseas). Personnel referred will be assessed by a mental health professional, which (depending on the referred problem) may be a mental health nurse, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or mental health social worker. Treatments available include medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotic medications and anxiolytic medications as well as psychotherapies (including simple supportive or problem-solving counselling, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy and Motivational Interviewing).
Recommendations for medical discharge will be made either because an individual's condition and/or their treatment makes them no longer able to fulfil their occupational role, or there is a residual vulnerability to relapse after their treatment that leaves them at too high a risk either to themselves or their unit for further service. There are a number of supports available to those leaving the service, both non-medical and medical. With respect to the latter, mental health social workers will support personnel going through their medical discharge and beyond, addressing issues such as housing, employment, benefits and transfer of care to the NHS.
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In addition, in accordance with a recommendation in the “Fighting Fit” report, which is by my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr. Murrison), we have introduced a process whereby service personnel can now, where a course of treatment has already started, access mental health care at a DCMH for up to six months after they have left the service. My hon. Friend's report has also led to a number of other enhancements to the service provided for ex-service personnel with mental health disorders, to which discharged personnel will have access.
Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel have been discharged with mental health conditions in each of the last 10 years. [117615]
Mr Robathan: The following table shows the number of naval service, Army and RAF personnel medically discharged with a principal cause of mental and behavioural disorder in each of the last 10 financial years.
| Financial year | Naval service (Royal Navy and Royal Marines) | Army | RAF |
During the overall 10-year period, a further 231 personnel (36 naval service, 154 Army and 41 RAF) were medically discharged with a contributory (but not principal) cause of mental and behavioural disorder.
Army
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits to the Army there have been from each (a) region of England and (b) nation of the UK in each of the last 10 years; and what demographic projections his Department has made of the age cohort from which infantry recruits are drawn in each such region and nation. [116732]
Nick Harvey [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The following tables show the number of recruits to the regular Army from each region of England and nation of the UK in each of the past 10 years. Regional data for Army officers is only held from 2007-08. Figures have been rounded to 10 and those under five have not been included.
| 2011-12 | ||
| Region | Army officer | Army other rank |
16 July 2012 : Column 502W
| 2010-11 | ||
| Region | Army officer | Army other rank |
| 2009-10 | ||
| Region | Army officer | Army other rank |
| 2008-09 | ||
| Region | Army officer | Army other rank |
| 2007-08 | ||
| Region | Army officer | Army other rank |
16 July 2012 : Column 503W
| 2006-07 | |
| Region | Army other rank |
| 2005-06 | |
| Region | Army Other Rank |
| 2004-05 | |
| Region | Army other rank |
| 2003-04 | |
| Region | Army other rank |
16 July 2012 : Column 504W
| 2002-03 | |
| Region | Army Other Rank |
The Ministry of Defence has used data available from the Office of National Statistics projections for males within age range for recruiting to the infantry.
Artworks
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what artwork is currently displayed in the offices of each of the Ministers in his Department; and what the estimated cost is of each such artwork. [109779]
Mr Robathan: Artworks and artefacts owned by the Ministry of Defence as items in the MOD Art Collection are classed as non-operational heritage assets in the MOD's Resource Accounts. The MOD collection is managed in line with professional guidelines as laid out by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Government Art Collection (GAC).
The following tables specify artwork and artefacts currently displayed in the offices of each Minister which are on loan from official collections and their purchase cost where known. In addition, Ministers might choose to display artworks that are their personal possessions.
With the exception of the two items purchased in 2001 and 2003, the MOD Art Collection items listed entered the collection or its predecessor collections over many years. Where records exist, they show the items were either donated or transferred from the GAC.
Some items in ministerial offices remain in place since the previous occupants. The following tables show items displayed in the offices and outer offices of current Ministers; similarly, items displayed in offices and outer offices of Ministers in post in April 2010 are shown in the following tables.
Artwork and artefacts from official art collections which are currently displayed in the offices and outer offices are as follows:
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| Secretary of State for Defence—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/Maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Secretary of State for Defence—Outer Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister (Armed Forces)—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
|
Co-belligerent Italian Submarine and other vessels from the Royal Yacht Club of Egypt, 21 February 1944 | ||||
There are no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of the Minister for the Armed Forces.
| Minister (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology)—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
There are no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology.
| Minister (International Security Strategy)—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
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16 July 2012 : Column 508W
| Minister (International Security Strategy)—Outer Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans)—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
|
Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum (1850 to 1916) | ||||
There are no items from official art collections displayed in the office or outer office of the Under-Secretary of State.
Prior to the 2010 general election the following artwork and artefacts from official art collections were on display in Ministers' offices:
| Secretary of State for Defence—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Secretary of State for Defence—Outer Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister for Armed Forces—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
|
Co-belligerent Italian Submarine and other vessels from the Royal Yacht Club of Egypt, 21 February 1944 | ||||
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There were no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister for Armed Forces.
16 July 2012 : Column 510W
| Minister for Defence Equipment and Support—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
There were no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister for Defence Equipment and Support.
| Minister for International Development and Security—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of Item |
| Minister for International Development and Security—Outer Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister for Veterans—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister for Veterans—Outer Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
| Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform—Office | ||||
| Item | Artist/maker | Item type | Original cost | Source of item |
There were no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform.
There were no items from official art collections displayed in the office or outer office of the Under-Secretary of State.