1 Nov 2012 : Column 321W
1 Nov 2012 : Column 321W
Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 1 November 2012
International Development
Billing
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque. [125701]
Mr Duncan: For the financial year 2011-12 the average cost to DFID of processing an invoice in the UK is £8.89. All invoices settled in the UK were paid electronically.
Burma
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assessment she has made of the humanitarian needs of internally displaced people in Kachin State, Burma; and what assessment she has made for accessing affected areas; [125772]
(2) what humanitarian assistance the Government has provided to internally displaced people in Kachin State, in Burma. [125778]
Mr Duncan: The instability in Kachin and Shan States, which started in June 2011, has led to the displacement of over 70,000 people, loss of lives and livelihoods, and damage to infrastructure. Humanitarian priorities include the provision of shelter, water and sanitation, and food for those displaced. The security situation makes access difficult, including for international organisations and the UN. Humanitarian organisations have, however, had some level of access to displaced populations in hard-to-reach areas.
DFID has provided £2 million to support humanitarian needs in Kachin through a number of local non-government organisations. This is helping to meet the needs of around 27,500 internally displaced people, largely in border camps not controlled by Government, for food security, shelter, water, sanitation, health and bedding.
Developing Countries: Property Rights
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures are in place to promote property rights in developing countries to prevent land grabbing by international corporations. [125586]
Lynne Featherstone: The coalition Government recognises that there are competing pressures on land for food and fuel in developing countries, and that high commodity prices among other factors have led to a rush in large scale land acquisitions from both domestic and international investors. When done well, commercial investments in agriculture have the potential to be transformational, but it is vital that the rights and interests of the people living on the land are taken into account.
1 Nov 2012 : Column 322W
The UK Government welcomes the successful negotiation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Tenure of Land (in the context of national food security), and supports the broad-based consultation on the Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment. Through DFID's bilateral programmes, DFID is supporting over 6 million people secure their rights to land and property by 2015. In 2011 alone, we have helped 800,000 people, including 200,000 women, secure their property rights in Mozambique, India, Rwanda and Nepal.
EU Aid
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the total UK aid budget has been spent by the EU in each of the last 10 years. [125774]
Lynne Featherstone: In the last 10 years, the proportion of the total UK aid budget spent by the EU (through EC attribution and the Department for International Development's core contribution to the European Development Fund) is as follows:
| Percentage | |
Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to her Department. [125703]
Mr Duncan: The information is as follows:
(a) Mobile telephones for staff based in the UK are provided by Vodafone via a central Government framework contract.
Mobile telephones for staff based in DFID overseas offices, of which there are 44, are contracted locally based on the availability of services and value for money.
(b) Mobile data services for staff based in the UK are provided under the central Government contract by Vodafone.
Mobile data services for staff based in DFID overseas offices are provided by a range of local mobile broadband suppliers based on availability of services and value for money.
Press: Subscriptions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months. [125700]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 323W
Mr Duncan: The cost for the financial year ended 31 March 2012 was £8,919.38.
Sickness Absence
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many days on average staff of her Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [125702]
Mr Duncan: DFID collects sick absence details monthly, which cover a rolling 12 months period. In line with other Government Departments, we report on this basis quarterly to Cabinet Office. Details of the average working days lost (AWDL) to sickness absence in DFID, per Home Civil Service (HCS) employee, for each of the last 12 rolling 12-month periods, is shown in the following table:
| Period | AWDL to sickness absence per HCS employee |
Staff
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months. [125704]
Mr Duncan: In the 12 months covering the period October 2011 to September 2012, DFID spent the following:
| Month | Recruitment agency fees (£)(1) | Staff training (£)(2) |
1 Nov 2012 : Column 324W
| (1) This figure represents the total paid to recruitment agencies. These payments were for the service of temporary staff and included both payments to the individual and a fee to the recruitment agency. It is not possible to disaggregate this figure. (2) This figure represents payments to training providers for staff training and professional development for DFID staff, including staff appointed in country ( SAIC). | ||
There were no payments made for outplacement agency fees during this period.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to help improve local government in sub-Saharan Africa. [125853]
Lynne Featherstone: In 2010-11 DFID worked on decentralisation and subnational government in 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, spending a total of £16,279,000 through its bilateral programme. This support includes strengthening departments of regional and local government, regional and local authorities and their national associations. DFID has also supported peer to peer learning mechanisms, through the Commonwealth Local Government Forum which has achieved good results in several African countries.
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's vacancy rate was in 2011-12; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2012-13. [125705]
Mr Duncan: DFID does not hold details of annual vacancy rates or assumed vacancy rates for forthcoming years.
Zimbabwe
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether she is taking steps to persuade Zimbabwe to meet its obligations to abide by mandatory rulings of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. [125787]
Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government have regular dialogue with the Government of Zimbabwe to encourage compliance with international norms. As a shareholder of the World Bank we are working with the World Bank in country regarding a wide range of policy reforms, which would enable the Government of Zimbabwe to move towards re-engagement with the international community. We have raised the issue of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ruling with the World Bank in Zimbabwe and discussions are ongoing.
1 Nov 2012 : Column 325W
Northern Ireland
Billing
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque. [125749]
Mike Penning: My Department does not hold information on the cost of processing the payment of invoices.
In September 2012, a total of 716 invoices were processed and paid. Of these, 699 (98%) were paid electronically. The remaining 17 (2%) were paid by cheque.
Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to her Department. [125751]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 326W
Mike Penning: My Department is supplied with (a) mobile telephones by Vodafone, Orange, O2 and BT; and (b) mobile data services by Vodafone and O2.
Press: Subscriptions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months. [125748]
Mike Penning: My Department spent £19,336.41 on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications from October 2011 to September 2012.
Sickness Absence
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many days on average staff of her Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [125750]
Mike Penning: Between November 2011 and October 2012, the latest period for which figures are available, the average numbers of days staff in my Department were absent due to ill health for each month, broken down by grade, is as follows:
| Nov 2011 | Dec 2011 | Jan 2012 | Feb 2012 | Mar 2012 | Apr 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | Jul 2012 | Aug 2012 | Sept 2012 | Oct 2012 | |
Staff
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months. [125752]
Mike Penning: During the last 12 months, expenditure by my Department in each of these areas was as follows:
(a) recruitment agency fees—£1,800 in August 2012
(b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff—£0
(c) staff training—see following table:
| £ | |
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what her Department's vacancy rate was in 2011-12; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2012-13. [125753]
Mike Penning: My Department does not hold this information. Staffing levels are kept under constant review and posts are filled when there is a sound business case for doing so.
Scotland
Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to his Department. [125739]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 327W
David Mundell: The Scotland Office makes use of a Government framework contract with Vodafone for mobile telephone and data services.
Pay
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the total paybill was for his Department in the last year for which figures are available; how many people were employed by his Department in that period; how many such employees earned (a) less than £21,000 per year, (b) £40,000 a year or more, (c) £45,000 a year or more and (d) £50,000 a year or more; and what proportion of the total paybill was paid to employees earning (i) over £40,000 a year, (ii) over £45,000 a year and (iii) over £50,000 a year. [126137]
David Mundell: The total paybill for the Scotland Office in 2011-12 was £2.771 million.
The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly; staff are on secondment or assignment mainly from the
1 Nov 2012 : Column 328W
Ministry of Justice or the Scottish Government and only reimburses those Departments for the costs involved.
Sickness Absence
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [125738]
David Mundell: All Scotland Office staff are on secondment from other Government bodies, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice, which have their own absence management policies and record processes that apply to those of their staff working in this office. Since 2010, the Scotland Office has kept local records of sick absences. The following table shows the average number of days staff in each grade were absent through ill health over the past 12 months.
| Senior Civil Servant | Grade 6/7 | Senior Executive Officer/Higher Executive Officer/Fast Stream | Executive Officer | Admin. | |
Staff
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months. [125740]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office spend on recruitment agency fees and staff training is set out in the table. The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly, and had no costs in respect of outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff.
The Scotland Office encourages all staff to undertake learning and development activities. The majority of such opportunities are provided through the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice from where the majority of our staff are seconded. The figures in the table show direct spending by the Scotland Office on training.
| £ | ||
| Agency spend | Training spend | |
Wales
Pay
Rachel Reeves:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total pay bill was for his Department in the last year for which figures are available; how many people were employed by his Department in that period; how many such employees earned (a) less than £21,000 per year, (b) £40,000 a year or more, (c) £45,000 a year or more and (d) £50,000 a year or more; and what
1 Nov 2012 : Column 329W
proportion of the total pay bill was paid to employees earning (i) over £40,000 a year, (ii) over £45,000 a year and (iii) over £50,000 a year. [126138]
Stephen Crabb: The total pay bill was £2,968,000.
The Wales Office does not directly employ staff. All staff in the Wales Office are employed by the Ministry of Justice, or are on loan from other Government bodies or the Welsh Government.
Sickness Absence
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [125744]
Stephen Crabb: Due to technical difficulties, the Ministry of Justice (which collates Wales Office data on ill-health absences) is unable at present to provide us with this information. I am advised that these difficulties should be resolved within the next few weeks, at which time I shall write to my hon. Friend, and place a copy of the letter in the House of Commons Library.
Staff
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months. [125746]
Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office has spent the following amounts on recruitment agency fees over each of the past 12 months:
| £ | |
The Wales Office has not paid any outplacement agency fees during the past 12 months.
Stall training costs during the past 12 months were as follows:
| £ | |
1 Nov 2012 : Column 330W
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his Department's vacancy rate was in 2011-12; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2012-13. [125747]
Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office’s average vacancy rate for the financial year 2011-12 was 16%. The Wales Office has not estimated an assumed average vacancy rate for the financial year 2012-13.
House of Commons Commission
Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance
Thomas Docherty: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the House of Commons Commission has yet considered the report on Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement. [126575]
John Thurso: The Commission considered the report of the Pre-Feasibility Study Group on 29 October and issued the following statement:
The Commission was united in taking very seriously its responsibilities for this iconic and much-loved Grade 1 listed building in a UNESCO world heritage site. It also expressed strong support for continuing to protect the health and safety of visitors, Members and staff.
It is therefore of the unanimous view that doing nothing is not an option. Equally, the Commission is acutely conscious of the current public spending environment and is committed to ensuring that any consideration of how the Palace could be restored is based upon securing maximum value for taxpayers' money.
The report is a useful first analysis of the issues. However, the Commission has ruled out the option of constructing a brand new building away from Westminster and no further analysis will be undertaken of this option.
In addition the Commission was not persuaded that the case for a decant had been made and wished to ensure that all options were rigorously tested by independent analysis, detailed costings and robust technical information, to ensure no suggestion of internal bias.
Fulfilling their obligations as custodians of the Palace of Westminster requires informed, considered decision-making by both Houses of Parliament. A great deal of work remains to be done before Parliament is in a position even to consider the merits and demerits in principle of particular options.
In the interests of transparency, the Study Group's report has been published on Parliament's website at:
http://website.cms.parliament.uk/documents/commons-commission/PED-Modernisation-Report-Oct12.pdf
1 Nov 2012 : Column 331W
Electoral Commission Committee
Electoral Commission: Finance
Robert Halfon: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to reduce its overheads in line with Government departments. [124680]
Mr Streeter: Over the spending review period to 2014-15 the Electoral Commission is on target to make a reduction of 30%, or approximately £4.7 million, against its core budget. It has achieved this by cutting spending on office accommodation, travel and subsistence, and staffing.
In 2011-12 the National Audit Office reported that the Commission's cost reduction plans compared well with those being implemented by Government Departments and, if delivered, will provide a substantial, real-term saving to the taxpayer.
Transport
Atos
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, columns 1012-4W, on Atos, whether he has made an estimate of the level of profit Atos will make from each contract; and what the likely level of profit is for each. [123838]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has four contracts with Atos. In respect of three of these, the Department has made no estimates of the level of profit Atos will make. For the fourth, "open book" arrangements apply enabling the Department to make an estimate of profit, but I regret that we are unable to release this information without prejudicing commercial interests.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on High Speed 2 in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; how much he expects to spend in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14; and whether any Barnett consequentials arise from such expenditure. [126103]
Mr Simon Burns: Annual expenditure by High Speed Two Ltd is published in its annual accounts which are available on its website at:
http://www.hs2.org.uk/accounts
Regarding the budget for 2012-3 and 2013-14 and the question of Barnett consequentials, I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer of 23 October 2012, Official Report, column 768W, and my answer of 24 October 2012, Official Report, column 893W.
Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to his Department. [125709]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 332W
Norman Baker: Vodafone, Orange, O2 and Excalibur supply mobile telephones to the Department. Mobile data services are supplied by Vodafone and Orange.
Press: Subscriptions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months. [125706]
Norman Baker: The central Department and six of its seven Agencies spent £71,053 in the last 12 months on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession magazines. This compares to an equivalent spend of £155,875 in the 2010-11 financial year. The Driving Standards Agency could only provide the figure at disproportionate cost.
Public Transport: Disability
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rules governing wheelchair access on (a) London Transport and (b) Southern Vectis. [126083]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport continues to work to improve physical accessibility to public transport. The Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) require all new buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services and designed to carry more than 22 passengers to be accessible to disabled passengers.
All existing buses and coaches used to provide local or scheduled services will have to comply with PSVAR by end dates between 2015 and 2020, depending on vehicle type. The transition will take place over time and transport operators will inevitably use a mixed fleet of accessible and non-accessible vehicles.
At March 2011, 60% of all buses in Great Britain met the PSVAR requirements.
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2012, Official Report, column 238W, on the renewable transport fuel obligation, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on steps to bring about a change in the biofuel sustainability criteria. [126477]
Norman Baker: I have personally raised the issue of bringing forward proposals to address indirect land use change (ILUC) impacts face to face with Commissioner Hedegaard. I have also written in similar terms to a number of my EU counterparts on a number of occasions.
The Commission's ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources’ was published and adopted by the Commission on 17 October 2012. We are now considering the detail of this proposal which purports to address ILUC issues and includes an aspiration that from 2020, biofuels that “do not lead to substantial greenhouse gas savings (when emissions from ILUC are included) and are produced from crops used for food and feed should not be subsidised.”
1 Nov 2012 : Column 333W
Ministers and officials from the Department for Transport are continuing to meet with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives of the European Commission and other EU member states, as we consider the proposal.
Sickness Absence
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [125708]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 334W
Norman Baker: The tables below show, by grade, the average number of days absence from work, as a result of ill health, for each month since April 2012. Table 1 is for the Department for Transport, including its six executive agencies. Table 2 is for the Central Department only.
The department does not hold the data in the format requested prior to April 2012 and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
| Table 1 | ||||||
| DfT | Average Days Absence through Ill-Health in each month | |||||
| Grade | Apr-12 | May-12 | Jun-12 | Jul-12 | Aug-12 | Sep-12 |
| Table 2 | ||||||
| DfTc | Average Days Absence through Ill-Health in each month | |||||
| Grade | Apr-12 | May-12 | Jun-12 | Jul-12 | Aug-12 | Sep-12 |
Transport: Health
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to encourage use of modes of transport involving physical activity. [126474]
Norman Baker: Through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) the coalition Government is investing £600 million in sustainable transport. When assessing LSTF bids, we gave additional credit to proposals with positive health outcomes, with the result that almost all of the approved programmes include measures to increase walking and cycling. In addition to the LSTF, this year we are investing a further £45 million to improve local walking and cycling routes, enhance bike and rail integration and treat cycle safety hotspots. The Department for Transport and the Department of Health both support healthy travel choices, and will continue to work together to maximise the impact of Government investment.
Travel Costs
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on the proportion of household incomes spent on transport by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area. [125927]
Norman Baker: According to the Living Costs and Food Survey published by the Office for National Statistics, households in the United Kingdom spent on average 13.7% of their household income on transport, excluding motor vehicle insurance and taxation in 2010. Including motor vehicle insurance and taxation increases this to 16.0%.
These figures are not available separately for parliamentary constituencies or local authorities.
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's vacancy rate was in 2011-12; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2012-13. [125711]
Norman Baker: The Department does not record a staff vacancy rate and no rate has been assumed for Business Planning purposes for 2012 -13. However, staff turnover in the year to 31 March 2012 was 6.1% and it remains at a similar level in 2012-13.
The Department has strict controls to the process of filling the resulting vacancies. External recruitments are only considered for approval if they are deemed to be frontline, or other business critical e.g. for safety, in line with Cabinet Office guidance.
1 Nov 2012 : Column 335W
Home Department
Asylum: Scotland
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on ending the transfer of children of asylum seekers from Scotland to detention elsewhere in the UK. [125887]
Mr Harper: The detention of families overnight in Dungavel ceased in May 2010. The Government made a commitment to end child detention for immigration purposes and has met this commitment by radically changing the system to ensure that welfare of the child is at the heart of the decision and removals process. Once a family's appeal rights have been exhausted they will be offered the following return options, in descending order:
Assisted return to help the family feel supported throughout their departure, with reintegration assistance to help them resettle upon their return;
Required returns for families who fail to take up the assisted return through the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme, allowing them to remain in the community, but giving two weeks’ notice to board their flight home; and finally
Ensured return, as a last resort, if they fail to depart the UK.
Our pre-departure accommodation at Cedars was designed with advice from Barnardo's and could not be further in look or feel from an immigration removal centre.
It is used only as a last resort after all voluntary return options have failed and after advice has been sought from an independent panel of child welfare experts.
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on ending dawn raids for the removal of failed asylum seekers in Scotland. [125888]
Mr Harper: Where a family is in the UK illegally and has exhausted its appeal rights to the courts the UK Border Agency (UKBA) expects them to comply with the law and leave the UK.
Where a family has chosen to break the law and defy the decisions of our courts the UKBA will carry out operations to rectify that situation and ensure compliance with our laws.
The timing of such operations will depend on a number of factors including the safety of the family and others and any concerns raised by police and others around public order.
Any family which is in the UK illegally can avoid the risk of an enforced departure by complying with the law and taking up one of the several options to leave voluntarily, including that run by Refugee Action, a well-known charity working with asylum seekers and refugees.
Billing
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period by her Department were paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque. [124731]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 336W
James Brokenshire: The Home Office processes its invoices through the Ministry of Justice Shared Service Centre. The devolved nature of the process within the Home Office means that a full end-to-end cost is difficult to identify but the costs to the Department for the Shared Service Centre can be identified.
The average cost in September 2012 based on the average cost for the previous 12 months was £4.34 per invoice (£4.62 in September 2011). This was the cost of the Shared Service Centre teams directly involved with processing the invoice and their share of the overheads. It does not include Home Office costs internally such as requisitioners, buyers, approvers and receipters. This figure covers the core headquarters and its Agencies. Other Home Office non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) do not use the Shared Service Centre for their transactions.
The proportion of invoices paid electronically to date during 2012-13 is 78.9% and the proportion paid by cheque for the same period is 21.1%. These are the latest financial data available. Last year the figures were 97% for electronic payments and just 3% for cheques. However since these figures were published the Department has increased the scope of its shared services provision and there is now a higher proportion of small value, one-off supplier payments that are being made.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding her Department allocated to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre for each year from 2006-07 to date. [126090]
Mrs May: Since 2006 the Government have provided funding for the centre of:
| £ million | |
Children: Chernobyl
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the savings to the public purse which will arise as a result of the decision to withdraw gratis visas for Chernobyl children charities; and if she will make a statement. [125880]
Mr Lidington: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
The costs of gratis visas for Chernobyl children are currently charged to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) by the UK Border Agency. Based on the costs in 2011-12, the savings will be around £130,000 per year.
For more than 16 years, the Government have provided gratis visas to thousands of children to travel to the UK, for respite care organised by the Chernobyl children
1 Nov 2012 : Column 337W
charities. In line with a number of other difficult spending decisions, gratis visas will cease on 31 March 2013. The FCO informed the charities concerned of this decision in November 2010 to allow them time to seek alternative funding. The FCO has also offered assistance to the charities in identifying new funding sources. Additionally, as a goodwill gesture in this final year of gratis visas, we have offered to cover the cost of Chernobyl children visas obtained in Ukraine as well as Belarus, up to a ceiling of £200,000.
Demonstrations: Walthamstow
Mr MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons she banned extremist marches and rallies in Walthamstow for 30 days in October 2012; and if she will make a statement. [126126]
Damian Green: The Secretary of State has consented to a police request for a ban on all marches in Waltham Forest and three neighbouring boroughs for 30 days from 27 October 2012. This decision was based on the statutory tests set out in section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 and was necessary to manage the risk of serious disorder.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to the Minister of Immigration by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 19 September 2012 with regard to Ms Eva Wilson. [125950]
Mr Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 29 October 2012.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 17 September 2012 with regard to Dr Alhasan Sisawo Ceesay. [125951]
Mr Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 31 October 2012.
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 2 July 2012 with regard to Mr Mohammadi Mirza Hussain. [125952]
Mr Harper: The former Minister for Immigration, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green), wrote to the right hon. Member on 24 July 2012.
Offences Against Children
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations her Department has undertaken in relation to complaints of child abuse at Duncroft Approved School for Girls since 1979. [124944]
1 Nov 2012 : Column 338W
Mr Jeremy Browne [holding answer 29 October 2012]: Although the Home Office relinquished control of Duncroft Approved School in 1973, we are reviewing papers that are available and will pass any information relevant onto the current Metropolitan police investigation. Any new allegations coming to light involving Duncroft will be collated by the Metropolitan Police Service and passed to Surrey police for review and further investigation if required.
Prisoners: EU Countries
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK citizens are in prison on remand in other EU member states; and of these how many were extradited under Part 1 of the Extradition Act 2003. [126033]
Mr Harper: The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the Government Department responsible for British nationals detained overseas.
The Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (for Scotland) are the designated central authority for processing European Arrest Warrants (EAW) involving the UK. The involvement of these agencies in the extradition process ends at the point of surrender. My predecessor previously gave my hon. Friend information relating to the number of UK nationals extradited to other EU member states under the EAW, most recently on 20 June 2012, Official Report, column 1058W.
South Yorkshire Police
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to investigate the allegations made in a recent BBC “Inside Out” programme about the conduct of South Yorkshire police in policing the Orgreave Coke Works in 1984. [125797]
Damian Green: The Government take any allegation of police misconduct extremely seriously. It is the responsibility of the relevant police force or the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to investigate such allegations. To initiate an investigation, a complaint must be made to the force involved, to their police authority, or to the IPCC itself.
Telecommunications: Databases
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her timetable is for (a) conducting and (b) publishing the evidence-based review of the retention of communications data. [126094]
James Brokenshire: We are taking forward legislation to ensure that law enforcement and other public authorities can maintain access to communications data as technology changes. This is vital to help tackle crime and terrorism. We published the draft Communications Data Bill on 14 June. Supporting information relating to the draft Bill (including the impact and privacy impact assessments to accompany legislation) are available from the Vote Office and at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/counter-terrorism/communications-data/
1 Nov 2012 : Column 339W
The draft Bill is currently subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee of both Houses and an inquiry by the Intelligence and Security Committee. We are keen to ensure a thorough scrutiny process, and have contributed fully in setting out the case for the Bill through oral and written evidence to both Committees. The Committees plan to report by the end of November. We will respond to these reports following their publication.
Metal Theft
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many metal thefts have been recorded by each police force in each of the last three years. [125919]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The number of metal theft offences broken down by police force area is not currently available.
A new voluntary recording classification for metal theft offences as part of the annual data requirement 2012-13 for police forces commenced on 1 April 2012 but these data are not yet available. This will, for the first time, provide more accurate information of the number of offences and where they are being committed. The Home Office is working with police forces so that as many forces as possible use the new classification.
Metal theft offences are currently recorded in the ‘other theft or unauthorised taking’ offence classification of police recorded crime which totalled 469,828 offences in the year ending June 2012. While we are unable to identify specific types of theft within this classification, police forces report anecdotally that metal theft is a significant component of this sub-category.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of (a) perpetrators of metal thefts and (b) metal thefts in the last year for which figures are available. [125920]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Information on the number of metal theft perpetrators is not collected centrally.
The number of metal theft offences is not currently available. Metal theft offences are most commonly recorded under the “other theft or unauthorised taking” offence
1 Nov 2012 : Column 340W
classification of Police Recorded Crime. It is not possible to identify specific types of theft within this wider offence classification, which totalled 469,828 offences in the year ending June 2012.
As of 1 April 2012, police forces are now able to record metal theft offences separately on a voluntary basis. These data are not yet available.
UK Border Agency
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time taken by the UK Border Agency is to process Tier 1 visa applications. [125928]
Mr Harper: The average time taken to process Tier 1 applications in the last 12 months is 9.2 days.
The median (which is a better measure because the average can easily be distorted by a few abnormally large values) is 7.4 days.
These data are based on management information. They are provisional and subject to change.
Education
Free School Meals: Cumbria
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people in Barrow and Furness constituency (a) are entitled to free school meals and (b) have taken up that entitlement in the latest period for which figures are available. [125104]
Mr Laws: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals is shown in the tables.
Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals as at January 2012 is published in the Statistical First Release “Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2012” available at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001071/index.shtml
| Maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, state-funded special schools and pupil referral units(1,2,3,4): Number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals based on performance tables(5,6,7), January 2012—England, Cumbria local authority and Barrow and Furness parliamentary constituency | |||||||||
| Pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals based on performance tables | |||||||||
| Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1,2) | State-funded secondary schools(1,3) | Special schools(4) | |||||||
| Number on roll(5,6) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) | Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals | Number on roll(5,6) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) | Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals | Number on roll (5,6) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) | Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals | |
1 Nov 2012 : Column 341W
1 Nov 2012 : Column 342W
| Pupils eligible for and claiming free school meals based on performance tables | ||||||
| Pupil referral units | Total(7) | |||||
| Number on roll(5,6) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) | Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals | Number on roll(5,6) | Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(5,6) | Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals | |
| (1 )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools. (4) Includes maintained special schools, special academies and non-maintained special schools; excludes general hospital schools. (5) Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Includes boarders. In pupil referral units includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (6) Pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between 5 and 15. (7) Includes maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, state-funded special schools, and pupil referral units. Excludes pupils in alternative provision as full and part-time status is not collected. Note: National figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown. Source: School Census. | ||||||
GCSE
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of pupils obtained five A*-C grades including English and mathematics GCSE in the 50 lowest performing lower super output areas; and if he will place a copy of the data in the Library. [125502]
Elizabeth Truss: The information requested is shown in the following table:
| Numbers and percentages of pupils achieving five A*-C GCSE grades including English and mathematics GCSEs in the 50 lowest performing LSOAs(1), Year: 2010/11(2). Coverage: England, maintained schools (including academies and CTCs) | ||||
| Lowest performing Lower Layer Super Output Area | All pupils at the end of KS4 | Number of pupils at the end of KS4 achieving 5+ A* - C including English and mathematics | Percentage of pupils at the end of KS4 achieving 5+ A* - C including English and mathematics | |
1 Nov 2012 : Column 343W
1 Nov 2012 : Column 344W
| (1) The definition of ‘lowest performing’ Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) has been based on the proportion achieving five A*-C grades including English and mathematics GCSE. There are 32,482 LSOAs in England of which 9,678 LSOAs have been excluded from the ranking for this list because the indicator is suppressed. Figures are suppressed in order to protect confidentiality. (2) Figures are based on 2010/11 revised data. Source: National Pupil Database | ||||
Internet
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what progress is being made in resolving the technical problems which currently prevent access to all but current consultations on his Department's website; how long these problems have been occurring; when he expects the problems to be resolved; and how in the meantime he proposes that the consultation archive, including consultation reports, can be accessed. [125554]
Elizabeth Truss: The online consultation function on the Department's website has been offline since 28 June 2012 to enable investigation and repair of a fault. An interim solution has been in place since then to help users to access and respond to current consultations.
Remedial work was completed earlier this month, and the consultation function is undergoing rigorous tests to ensure that the fault has been rectified, with a report anticipated on Friday 26 October. Once tests have confirmed that the consultation function is fully secure, robust and stable, it will be restored online as soon as possible.
Consultation reports can be made available by contacting the Department at:
https://www.education.gov.uk/help/contactus
Schools: Sports
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department will continue to provide funding for one day a week of secondary school physical education teachers' time to be spent encouraging intra- and inter-school competition in primary schools following the end of the 2012-13 academic year. [125112]
Mr Timpson: In November 2010, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), announced that he was making available funding to release a PE teacher from every secondary school to work with local primary schools to increase opportunities in competitive sport and to encourage them to participate in the School Games. At that time, he made it very clear that this funding would be available for the two academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13 only. Beyond that time, he expects that schools should have embedded this work into their core provision.
The final payment of PE teacher release funding will be made to eligible schools after April next year. This will cover the summer term 2013.
The Department is committed to building on the Olympic and Paralympic legacy, including encouraging more competitive sport in schools. We are also supporting the School Games and applaud the impact that they are having on competitive sport in schools and in encouraging more young people to participate in sport. Over 3 million young people from over 10,000 schools have taken part in the School Games.
Communities and Local Government
Local Government: Pay
Rachel Reeves:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the total paybill was for local authorities in the last year for which figures are available; how many people were employed by local authorities in that period; how many such employees earned (a) less than £21,000 per year, (b) £40,000 a year or more, (c) £45,000 a year or more and (d) £50,000 a year or more; and what proportion of
1 Nov 2012 : Column 345W
the total paybill was paid to employees earning (i) over £40,000 a year, (ii) over £45,000 a year and (iii) over £50,000 a year. [126140]
Brandon Lewis: Total expenditure in 2010-11 on employees as reported by authorities to the Department for Communities and Local Government on the Revenue Outturn forms was £65.5 billion. This includes all direct and indirect employee expenses including pay, employers' national insurance and pension contributions, location allowances and other employee related costs such as training and recruitment and retention premia. Separate figures for teachers, police and fire and other local government can be found in table 6.2b of Local Government Financial Statistics:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/pdf/2158981.pdf
The other information requested is not collected by the Department.