Health
Alcoholic Drinks: Children
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of 11 to 15 year old (a) boys, (b) girls and (c) children had drunk alcohol at least once in each of the last 30 years. [126992]
Anna Soubry: The information on the proportion of 11 to 15-year-olds who have reported ever having had a drink in the years 1988-2011 is in the following table.
This does not include figures prior to 1988, for which information is not held centrally.
The figures are available biannually for 1988-98 and every year from 1998 to 2011.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 641W
7 Nov 2012 : Column 642W
| Proportion of 11-15 year old pupils who had ever had an alcoholic drink, by sex: 1988 to 2011 | ||||||||||
| Percentage | ||||||||||
| 1988 | 1990 | 1992 | 1994 | 1996 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 20101 | 2011(1) | |
| (1 )The data in 2010 and 2011 were weighted. All bases shown in this table are unweighted. Source: Survey of Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use in Young People, Health and Social Care Information Centre | |||||||||
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of treatment in accident and emergency departments as a result of excessive alcohol consumption in (a) Stevenage constituency and (b) Hertfordshire in the latest period for which figures are available. [126663]
Anna Soubry: The Department does not collect data that would allow this cost to be determined.
My hon. Friend may wish to approach Hertfordshire primary care trust, which may hold the requested information.
Blood: Contamination
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with bleeding disorders who were infected with (a) HIV and (b) Hepatitis C from their treatment with blood products are still alive. [126598]
Anna Soubry: As at 1 November 2012, there were 316 people still alive with bleeding disorders who were infected with HIV through treatment with blood or blood products supplied by the national health service who are registered with the Macfarlane Trust. The majority are also infected with hepatitis C.
The United Kingdom Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation's most recently published estimate is that there were 2,733 people with bleeding disorders still alive as at 31 March 2011, who had been exposed to hepatitis C through treatment with NHS supplied blood or blood products.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much money has been paid into (a) the Macfarlane Trust, (b) the Eileen Trust, (c) MFET Ltd, (d) the Skipton Fund and (e) the Caxton Foundation since their incorporation; [127065]
(2) what the total value is of payments made from the five organisations within Alliance House in respect of contracted blood diseases. [127066]
Anna Soubry: The total amount of money that the Department has paid into the Macfarlane Trust, the Eileen Trust, MFET Ltd, the Skipton Fund and the Caxton Foundation since their creation, together with the amounts of money that those bodies have paid out to their beneficiaries, is shown in the following table.
The table also includes details of the amounts paid into, and paid out of, the Macfarlane Special Payments Trust and the Macfarlane Special Payments Trust No. 2, both of which are no longer in operation. The Macfarlane Special Payments Trust made one-off lump sum payments of £20,000 to each person infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as a result of treatment with contaminated blood or blood products supplied by the national health service. The Macfarlane Special Payments Trust No. 2 made one-off lump sum payments of up to £60,500, to people infected with HIV as a result of treatment with contaminated NHS supplied blood or blood products, following the settlement of litigation in 1991.
| Name of organisation | Year payments began | Total amount paid into organisation by the Department of Health since inception to 31 March 2012(1) (£) | Total amount paid to beneficiaries since inception to 31 March 2012(2) (£) |
7 Nov 2012 : Column 643W
| (1) The Department of Health makes payments to the Skipton Fund and Caxton Foundation on behalf of all four health Departments. It re-charges the devolved Administrations for payments made to beneficiaries who were infected in hospitals on their territories, and their dependents. (2 )These data are taken from the published accounts of the Macfarlane Trust, Eileen Trust, MFET Ltd, Skipton Fund Ltd and Caxton Foundation, and data held centrally by the Department. (3) The total amount paid by the Macfarlane Trust to its beneficiaries is greater than the total amount it has received from the Department. When the Macfarlane Trust was established, the Department paid the trust £10 million, and since then the trust has held a reserve of at least £3 million. The trust has used the yield on these funds, in addition to the further funds received from the Department, to provide financial and other support to beneficiaries. | |||
Health Services: Foreign Nationals
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of emergency hospital treatment given to non-UK residents in (a) Stevenage constituency and (b) Hertfordshire in the latest period for which figures are available. [126664]
Anna Soubry: The Department does not collect data that would allow this cost to be determined.
My hon. Friend may wish to approach Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust, which might hold relevant information.
Maternity Services Liaison Committees
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the future of maternity services liaison committees. [126789]
Dr Poulter: It is important that the views and experiences of women and their families remain at the heart of healthcare commissioning and that their voices are heard locally to inform the development and design of maternity and newborn services. It will be for local Healthwatch organisations as the voice of local women and patients to decide how to build on the best practice of maternity service liaison committees to ensure a strong voice for women and their families in the planning and delivery of maternity and newborn services.
Midwives
Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether the student intake to midwifery training in 2011 and 2012 will meet the need for qualified midwives in the NHS in England. [126602]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 644W
Dr Poulter: It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to plan and deliver a workforce appropriate to the needs of their local population, based on clinical need and sound evidence.
For 2010-11, there were a record number of 2,488 future midwives entering training and in 2011-12 there are a total of 2,507 places available.
Since May 2010 an additional 943 qualified midwives have entered the NHS workforce. We have asked the Centre for Workforce Intelligence to undertake an in-depth study of the nursing and maternity workforce during 2012 in order to inform the future commissioning of midwifery training places.
Occupational Health
Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have commissioned occupational health services from Medigold Health Consultancy in the last five years. [127154]
Dr Poulter: Medigold has provided occupational health services for the Department and its agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, since 1 July 2010.
Only one of the Department's 10 executive non-departmental public bodies, the Care Quality Commission, has used Medigold in the past five years.
Psychiatry
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to introduce a mandatory licensing scheme for psychotherapists; and if he will make a statement. [127068]
Dr Poulter: The Government have no plans to introduce statutory regulation for psychotherapists. However, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 provides for the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, which is to be renamed the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), to quality assure voluntary registers of unregulated health care professionals and health care workers in the United Kingdom, social care workers in England, and certain students.
The new accreditation scheme is due to be launched on 3 December 2012. A number of organisations, including ones relevant to psychotherapy, have already expressed their interest to the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence in becoming accredited voluntary registers.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many written parliamentary questions to his Department received a substantive answer (a) within five working days, (b) between six and 10 working days and (c) after more than 10 working days in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [127271]
(2) how many and what proportion of written parliamentary questions to his Department received holding responses in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127272]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 645W
Dr Poulter: In the 12-month period ending on 2 November 2012, the Department received 3,473 ordinary written questions, of which 3,468 (99%) were answered within five sitting days. The remaining five questions were answered within 10 sitting days.
In the 12-month period ending on 2 November 2012, the Department received 1,303 questions for answer on a named day and answered all (100%) on the date for answer. No holding replies were issued.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Fisheries
Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Fisheries Council is to discuss the adoption of the Commission proposal for a Council regulation 2012/0143 (COD) which will extend the derogation that restricts access to the UK's 12-mile territorial waters beyond the time limit of 31 December 2012 at its meeting in November 2012. [127088]
Richard Benyon: The proposal has recently received a unanimous vote in favour in a plenary meeting of the European Parliament. As member states are also in agreement to extend the derogation, discussion at Agriculture and Fisheries Council is unlikely to be necessary. We therefore expect the proposal to be adopted at a forthcoming Council meeting, not necessarily the Agriculture and Fisheries Council but before the end of the year.
Floods
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect of flooding on the UK economy in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [126655]
Richard Benyon: The Department has not made an estimate of the overall cost to the economy for the localised flooding incidents in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Forestry Commission
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Forestry Commission budget was in (a) 2010-11 and (b) each subsequent year of the current spending review period. [127246]
Mr Heath: Forestry is a devolved matter and the funding of the Forestry Commission in Scotland and Wales is a matter for the respective Administrations. The resource DEL (departmental expenditure limit) budget for Forestry Commission GB/England at the start of each financial year for the period 2010-11 to 2012-13, and indicative figures for 2013-14 and 2014-15, are given in the following table:
| Financial year | £ million (at start of year) |
7 Nov 2012 : Column 646W
| (1) Initial budget (2) Indicative | |
The funding of the Forestry Commission was one of the issues addressed by the Independent Panel on Forestry. We are currently considering the panel's report and recommendations and will respond fully in January 2013.
Marine Conservation Zones
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that all proposed marine conservation zones in English waters are designated to ensure compliance with the UK's international obligations to deliver an ecologically coherent network. [126677]
Richard Benyon: The Government are committed to establishing an ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas (MPAs). This network will consist of European marine sites (special areas of conservation designated under the Habitats directive, and special protection areas designated under the Wild Birds directive), sites of special scientific interest, sites designated under the Ramsar Convention, and marine conservation zones (MCZs).
DEFRA is currently considering the package of advice on possible sites for MCZs to cover English inshore and English and Welsh offshore waters. This includes the site recommendations and impact assessment from the regional MCZ projects, science advisory panel advice, and formal advice from the statutory nature conservation bodies to identify sites for designation in the first tranche. The public consultation, expected to commence shortly, will indicate which of the sites recommended by the regional MCZ projects are proposed for designation in 2013, which are candidates for future tranches, and which will not be pursued any further. Stakeholders will be able to review, comment and feedback on the proposed designation decisions before they are finalised.
Marine nature conservation policy is a devolved matter and each UK Administration has responsibility for designating MCZs in its territorial waters out to 12 nautical miles. There is also executive devolution of responsibility to the Scottish Government for offshore waters adjacent to Scotland. DEFRA is working with counterparts in the devolved Administrations to ensure that the UK's international obligations on marine protected areas are met.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how evidence collected after the submission of the advice from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England will be incorporated into the process of decision-making on the marine conservation zone project; [126682]
Richard Benyon:
DEFRA will shortly be launching a public consultation which will give stakeholders the opportunity to provide more evidence on the proposed designation decisions before they are finalised. The evidence received from the public consultation, along
7 Nov 2012 : Column 647W
with any other evidence that has been collected since the statutory nature conservation bodies submitted their advice in July 2012, will be evaluated and taken into consideration before Ministers make their final decisions on which sites to designate in the first tranche in 2013.
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he proposes that his Department should consult on the proposed reference areas identified within the Marine Conservation Zone location consultation, as part of his Department's consultation on the designation of Marine Conservation Zones due to start in December 2012. [126762]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA will shortly be launching a public consultation on Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ). This will explain how we propose to treat all sites recommended by the Regional MCZ Projects.
Rural Development Programme
Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what matched funding for rural development fund payments to farmers in England his Department has provided in each of the last three years. [126917]
Richard Benyon: The Exchequer (match fund) spend for the last three years on the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), in resource terms, is provided in the following table:
| Financial year | £ million |
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for how many and what proportion of days, on average, staff of his Department at each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last five years. [127180]
Richard Benyon: The number and proportion of working days lost due to sickness in core DEFRA by grade for each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
| As at 30 June each year | Grade | Average working days lost | Proportion of working days lost (percentage) |
7 Nov 2012 : Column 648W
| (1) Staff shown as being in an unknown grade are former Regional Development Agency staff whose grade is yet to be assessed. | |||
Statistics
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many statisticians are employed in (a) his Department, (b) its Executive agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies. [126743]
Richard Benyon: The number of statisticians employed in DEFRA as at 31 October 2012 was as follows:
7 Nov 2012 : Column 649W
| Number | |
Trees
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from which budgets his Department's £8 million for research into tree health has been taken. [127248]
Mr Heath: From April 2012, DEFRA has allocated an additional £8 million from its science research budget in support of the Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity Action Plan, £2 million of which will extend beyond the SR10 spending review period as it is going into a longer term Living with Environmental Change programme, which is also attracting several million additional funding from research councils.
Trees: Diseases
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date the devolved Administrations were notified that ash dieback disease had been found in the UK. [127247]
Mr Heath: The devolved Administrations were informed by the Forestry Commission and the Food and Environment Research Agency about the first UK finding of ash dieback disease at a meeting on 22 March 2012.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date ash dieback disease started being treated as a quarantine pest under national emergency measures. [127249]
Mr Heath: When it was first confirmed, on 7 March 2012, following the discovery of symptomatic plants in a nursery in the south of England on 20 February, control measures against ash dieback disease were taken under the Plant Health (England) Order 2005 using general powers applying to pests and diseases that are not established in the country.
The Plant Health (Forestry) (Amendment) Order 2012, which came into force on 29 October 2012, brought in specific emergency measures against the organism Chalara fraxinea, the causal agent of ash dieback.
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential economic cost arising from Chalara fraxinea-infected trees in the UK. [126375]
Mr Heath: The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Forestry Commission are currently assessing the economic, social and environmental impacts of the outbreak as part of the Government assessment of, and response to, Chalara. DEFRA is currently in dialogue with a range of stakeholders to ensure we have the best evidence available, including potential impacts on relevant sectors of industry.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 650W
Turtles: Cayman Islands
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) officials, (b) staff, (c) contractors and (d) anyone under the employment of his Department will be involved with the independent assessment ordered by the Cayman Turtle Farm into allegations of animal cruelty. [126687]
Richard Benyon: I understand that the Cayman Islands Government are currently making arrangements for the independent assessment into allegations of inhumane turtle husbandry at the Cayman Turtle Farm. The final selection of who will carry out the assessment has not yet been made.
Water Abstraction
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many abstraction licences were (a) active and (b) issued in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012 to date. [126656]
Richard Benyon: Table 1 shows the number of active water abstraction licences. This is the number of licences in force which authorise the abstraction of water; the numbers include full, transfer and temporary licences. The number of abstraction licences in force will vary throughout a year as new licences are issued and existing licences are revoked or lapse or expire. Table 1 thus presents a snapshot of the number of licences in force at the particular dates.
| Table 1: Number of water abstraction licences | |
| Time period | Total |
Table 2 shows the number of abstraction licences (full, transfer and temporary) issued in 2010, 2011 and 2012 (to 31 October). A breakdown has been included to show the number of these licences that were time- limited renewals. The Water Act (2003) made it law to include a time limit on all new, full and transfer abstraction licences. A licence will expire when the time limit is reached. The licence holder can apply to renew the licence. Information on the number of time-limited renewals is shown in table 2.
| Table 2: Number of abstraction licences issued | ||
| Time period | Total (including time-limited renewals) | Time-limited renewals only |
Water Supply
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what his policy is on reviewing the time limit placed on the right of a landowner to claim reasonable costs and legal fees following the placement by water companies of water pipes, water tanks, or sewage overflow chambers on the landowner's property; [126254]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 651W
(2) if he will take steps to ensure that water companies exercising powers to place water pipes, water tanks, or sewage overflow chambers on privately-owned land repay any costs incurred by landowners as a result of a company's actions; [126255]
(3) if he will review the provisions protecting the rights of landowners against water companies placing water pipes, water tanks, or sewage overflow chambers on private land without providing fair compensation for costs and legal fees incurred by the landowner; [126256]
(4) if he will consider the merits of allowing a landowner the right to appeal against a proposal by a water company to place water pipes, water tanks, or sewage overflow chambers on private property in cases where there is inadequate consultation on financial compensation; [126257]
(5) what steps his Department takes to ensure that water companies pay reasonable costs and legal fees to landowners when they place water pipes, water tanks, or sewage overflow chambers on private property. [126258]
Richard Benyon: The Water Industry Act contains provisions outlining the obligations on water companies carrying out pipe-laying works on private land, and for compensating landowners that suffer loss or damage as a result of any works. Compensation is payable for any depreciation to the value of the land caused by the exercise of the power to lay the pipe, together with an allowance for disturbance and actual losses. Ofwat guidance requires the company to pay an advance of 90% of its assessment of the landowner's loss within three months of receipt of a quantified claim and evidence of entitlement. Interest may also be payable on the claim. If the level of compensation cannot be agreed the matter can be referred to the Upper Tribunal (or some other form of independent alternative dispute resolution agreed between the parties). It is up to the tribunal to decide if and how costs such as legal fees should be awarded.
In addition, Ofwat may investigate certain complaints, including that a company did not give notice of its intention to carry out works on private land or carried out those works unreasonably. Ofwat may award compensation for a failure to adequately consult, or for loss, damage or inconvenience caused by exercising its powers unreasonably. Ofwat may not include in its financial award any loss, damage or inconvenience for which compensation is recoverable under another enactment, unless the award would fail to reflect the unreasonableness of what the company did. The award is intended to cover unnecessary and avoidable inconvenience and associated loss and damage.
The draft Water Bill, published in July 2012, included a commitment to consider whether cases referred to Ofwat should be handled in a different way (e.g. through alternative dispute resolution, arbitration, etc). The Government are including the handling of disputes in relation to work on private land in their review.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many written parliamentary questions to his Department received a
7 Nov 2012 : Column 652W
substantive answer
(a)
within five working days,
(b)
between six and 10 working days and
(c)
after more than 10 working days in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127267]
Richard Benyon: In July 2012 my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire (Sir George Young) provided statistics on House of Commons written parliamentary question performance for the 2010-12 Session, in a memorandum from the Leader of the House of Commons to the Procedure Committee. This included statistics for my Department, which are repeated as follows:
| Ordinary written parliamentary questions | |
| Number | |
| Named day parliamentary questions | |
| Number | |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many and what proportion of written parliamentary questions to his Department received holding responses in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127268]
Richard Benyon: Since May 2012, the Department has received 213 named day parliamentary questions, for which it is customary to send a holding answer should the Department be unable to answer on the date specified; 59, or 28% of named day questions have received a holding reply since May 2012.
To provide data prior to May 2012 would incur disproportionate cost.
Treasury
Income Tax Rates
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual monetary value of a reduction in the additional rate of income tax to 45 per cent would be to a person earning £1 million per year. [126538]
Mr Gauke: Due to the significant behavioural responses to changes in marginal tax rates, the static "monetary value" of changing the additional rate of tax would not reflect the actual Exchequer impact of the change. HMRC's report "The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax" sets this behavioural response out in detail.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 653W
Air Passenger Duty: Scotland
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was raised from air passenger duty from flights leaving Scotland in respect of the (a) reduced and (b) standard rates for each of the four bands in the last year for which figures are available. [126973]
Sajid Javid: Although HMRC collects information on the amount of Air Passenger Duty (APD) revenues declared by rate and destination band, it does not collect information on the contribution to APD revenues made from flights to or from specific airports.
The published statistics on APD, including information on current revenues from the duty, are available at:
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutyBulletins.aspx
Employee Ownership Scheme
Mr Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2012, Official Report, column 1014W, on employee ownership scheme, (1) what proportion of the estimated £100 million cost in 2017-18 of the employee ownership scheme announced on 8 October 2012 will consist of (a) capital gains tax revenue foregone and (b) other revenue foregone; and if he will provide a full breakdown of these amounts; [127244]
(2) what estimate he has made of the cost of the employee ownership scheme announced on 8 October 2012 in each financial year until 2017-18. [127245]
Mr Gauke: An annual breakdown of the estimated Exchequer cost of the policy will be published at the autumn statement on 5 December 2012, once it has been certified by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. Further information on the assumptions and methodologies used in estimating the Exchequer costs of the policy will be published on the same date.
EU Budget
Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of the UK's contribution was to the EU budget in each of the last five years. [125940]
Greg Clark: The value of the UK's contributions to the EU budget over the period 2006-07 to 2011-12 were published in Table 3c (page 17) of “European Union Finances 2012” (Cm 8405), a copy of which can be found in the House Library. This can also be found online at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/eu_finances_2012.pdf
Loans: Republic of Ireland
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the repayment terms are of the Government's loan to the Government of Ireland; and what amount currently remains outstanding. [127021]
Greg Clark:
The UK agreed in December 2010 to provide a bilateral loan to Ireland for £3,226,960,000. The loan to Ireland is drawn in tranches, each with a duration of 7.5 years. Repayment of each tranche of
7 Nov 2012 : Column 654W
the loan is in full at the end of the 7.5 year term, with interest payable every six months. The Treasury has so far disbursed five tranches of the loan, each of £403,370,000; the total amount of principal that remains outstanding is therefore £2,016,850,000.
Under the Loans to Ireland 2010 Act, the Treasury is required to provide regular reports to Parliament in relation to the bilateral loan. I laid the most recent report before the House of Commons on 15 October 2012, covering the reporting period to 30 September 2012, which is available online at the following link:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/other/9781909096097/9781909096097.asp
The Treasury will provide a further report following the end of the next reporting period, which ends on 31 March 2013.
PAYE
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to offer compensation to people whose universal credit payments are delayed owing to problems with the real-time information reporting system. [126695]
Mr Gauke: Information about employed earnings will be reported to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) via the real time information (RTI) system wherever possible. This will ease the reporting burden on claimants. If earnings are not reported through RTI for any reason, claimants will have the opportunity to declare their earnings to DWP through the universal credit interface.
DWP will have contingencies in place to ensure that UC payments continue should there be problems with the feed of RTI from HMRC to DWP. Universal credit payments are not therefore expected to be delayed by the RTI system, so compensation payments will not be appropriate.
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance HM Revenue and Customs has given to employers to ensure that they are aware of their obligations under the real-time information reporting system. [126696]
Mr Gauke: HMRC is providing a range of web based guidance for businesses about preparing for and operating PAYE in real time and has recently written to all employers who will join the real-time information (RTI) reporting system in April 2013. They are also making free, RTI enabled basic PAYE tools (BPT), available for employers with nine or fewer employees. A downloadable guide to using the RTI basic PAYE tools will be available shortly.
Public Expenditure
Mr Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the difference is in (a) definition and (b) cost terms between the figures for the Government's Total Managed Expenditure as a percentage of GDP, set out in Table A1 of HM Treasury, Budget 2012 (HC 1853) and the OECD figures for the UK's General Government Total Outlay as a percentage of GDP, set out in OECD Economic Outlook, Annex Table 25. [126816]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 655W
Mr Hurd [holding answer 6 November 2012]: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2012:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics,! have been asked to reply to your request to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the difference is in (a) definition and (b) cost terms between the figures for the Government's Total Managed Expenditure as a percentage of GDP, set out in Table A1 of HM Treasury, Budget 2012 (HC 1853) and the OECD figures for the UK's General Government Total Outlay as a percentage of GDP, set out in OECD Economic Outlook, Annex Table 25 (126816)
The main differences between Total Managed Expenditure in Table A1 of HM Treasury, Budget 2012 and General government total outlays in Annex Table 25 of OECD Economic Outlook are:
definition
scope (public sector or general government)
reference period (financial years or calendar years)
timing of publication (March 2012 or May 2012)
The definitional difference has the greatest impact in cost terms. In Table A1 of HM Treasury, Budget 2012, income from sales of goods and services has been subtracted in order to calculate Total Managed Expenditure. In Annex Table 25 of OECD Economic Outlook, income from sales of goods and services has not been subtracted in order to calculate General government total outlays. Income from goods and services was £53 billion in 2011-12, according to Table 5.3 of HM Treasury Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2012, which accounts for most of the difference between expenditure and outlays.
The Public Sector comprises central government, local government and public corporations. General government comprises central government and local government. Other differences occur because Table A1 of HM Treasury, Budget 2012 is on a financial year basis and Annex Table 25 of OECD Economic Outlook is on a calendar year basis. Also, both tables include forecasts for future years, which are calculated separately by the organisations concerned.
Royal Bank of Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland on that bank participating in the Funding for Lending Scheme. [127012]
Greg Clark: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.
Thirty banks, including RBS, have signed up to the FLS so far.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many and what proportion of days, on average, staff of his Department at each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last five years. [127171]
Sajid Javid: The information requested is available for the last four years as follows:
7 Nov 2012 : Column 656W
| HM Treasury | ||||
| AWDL(1) | ||||
| April to March | ||||
| Grade | 2011-12 | 2010-11 | 2009-10 | 2008-09 |
| (1) AWDL = average working days lost. | ||||
To provide additional data for 2007-08 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Tax Allowances
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the Exchequer has been of tax and national insurance relief on travel and subsistence costs claimed by taxpayers in each of the last five years. [127214]
Mr Gauke: Information held by HMRC does not enable them to make an estimate of relief claimed on travel and subsistence expenses.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
British Council
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2012, Official Report, column 14W, on the British Council, if he will list the (a) country in which the alleged offences of child abuse occurred and (b) date on which they were investigated. [127156]
Mr Swire: Further to the answer given on 29 October, the British Council is a charity and executive non-departmental public body. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not record allegations of child abuse involving British Council staff. The British Council has, however, provided the following:
Information for the three cases where British Council staff were dismissed is given in the following table. The date given is for the end date for the case.
| Country | Investigation date |
Information on the two other cases referred to in the answer given on 29 October has been withheld as the allegations were investigated by the British Council's child protection team and found to be unsubstantiated.
Cayman Islands
Sir Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds have been given or loaned to the Cayman Islands in each of the last five years; how much of such loans (a) has
7 Nov 2012 : Column 657W
already be repaid and
(b)
is still due to be repaid; and what interest has been placed on any such loans. [127242]
Mark Simmonds: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has committed £635,046 over the past five years for specific projects in the Cayman Islands which support our criminal justice strategy, promote good governance and protect the islands' environmental biodiversity. The FCO has not lent money or provided aid to the Cayman Islands Government.
Full details of projects supported since 2007 can be found on our website, at:
www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/freedom-of-information/released-documents/releases-2012
Sir Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have provided financial or other support to the Cayman Islands Government for the Cayman Turtle Farm. [127243]
Mark Simmonds: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not provided financial or other support to the Cayman Islands Government for the Cayman Turtle Farm.
We are aware that the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has conducted an investigation into the turtle farm, and that it has recently made its findings public. The British Government place great importance on conserving the biodiversity of the Overseas Territories and take seriously reports of animal cruelty throughout the world. We understand the farm has carried out a review of its operations and found no basis for WSPA's allegations. The farm itself has ordered that an independent assessment take place in December. We encourage WSPA, the management of the farm and the Cayman Islands Government to continue to engage constructively.
Gambia
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on child sex tourism in the Gambia. [126878]
Mark Simmonds: Promoting and protecting the rights of the child is one of the UK's human rights priorities. We condemn all forms of exploitation. Our High Commission in Banjul has recently supported The Gambia's Child Protection Alliance in bringing together community and religious leaders, members of the tourist industry, police and Government officials to raise awareness of these issues and to protect children in The Gambia from sexual abuse and exploitation.
Investigating reports of child abuse and of the viewing of indecent images online is one of the major priorities of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). CEOP has worked with the ACPO Criminal Records Office to launch the International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) which is a vital new tool for schools and other overseas organisations in the prevention of harm to children under their care. Similar to the UK's CRB system, the ICPC is a police check for UK nationals who are travelling and working overseas, and will help identify and screen out those who have previous convictions which make them unsuitable to be working with children.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 658W
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the UK's relationship with The Gambia. [126879]
Mark Simmonds: The UK enjoys a close and healthy relationship with The Gambia, bilaterally and through the Commonwealth. Between 50,000 and 60,000 British nationals visit The Gambia each year and about 3,000 have homes there. We continue to engage with the Government of The Gambia and to lobby on a range of human rights issues, most recently the sudden lifting of a 27-year moratorium on the use of the death penalty. The Department for International Development recently contributed £500,000 to an international humanitarian fund to alleviate food shortages in the country caused by poor rains.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any current plans to visit The Gambia. [126880]
Mark Simmonds: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has no plans to visit The Gambia over the next six months.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote human rights in The Gambia. [126882]
Mark Simmonds: The UK remains concerned about human rights in The Gambia, particularly following the recent execution of nine prisoners on death row. We have made our opposition to these executions—and the death penalty more generally—clear, both in London and in Banjul. We welcome the reintroduction of an effective moratorium on the death penalty but remain concerned at its non-binding nature. The UK also regularly raises concerns about freedom of expression and the protection of journalists. The sudden closures of Taranga FM radio station in August and recently, of “The Daily News” and “The Standard” newspapers are worrying developments. At the September Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, the UK supported a resolution on the safety of journalists worldwide.
Our High Commissioner in Banjul regularly raises human rights issues with the Government of The Gambia, both twice-yearly through formal EU discussions and when specific incidents occur. Our human rights policy towards The Gambia is guided by United Nations and EU guidelines. In 2011, the British High Commission in Banjul, on behalf of the EU, formulated a local strategy based on the latter.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in The Gambia. [126883]
Mark Simmonds:
The UK remains concerned about human rights in The Gambia, particularly following the recent execution of nine prisoners on death row. We have made our opposition to these executions—and the death penalty more generally—clear, both in London and in Banjul. We welcome the reintroduction of an
7 Nov 2012 : Column 659W
effective moratorium on the death penalty but remain concerned at its non-binding nature. The UK also regularly raises concerns about freedom of expression and the protection of journalists. The sudden closures of Taranga FM radio station in August and, recently, of “The Daily News” and “The Standard” newspapers are worrying developments. At the September Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, the UK supported a resolution on the safety of journalists worldwide.
Our High Commissioner in Banjul regularly raises human rights issues with the Government of The Gambia, both twice-yearly through formal EU discussions and when specific incidents occur. Our human rights policy towards The Gambia is guided by United Nations and EU guidelines. In 2011, the British High Commission in Banjul, on behalf of the EU, formulated a local strategy based on the latter.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department is taking steps to tackle child sex tourism by UK citizens to The Gambia. [126885]
Mark Simmonds: Promoting and protecting the rights of the child is one of the UK's human rights priorities. We condemn all forms of exploitation. Our High Commission in Banjul has recently supported The Gambia's Child Protection Alliance in bringing together community and religious leaders, members of the tourist industry, police and Government officials to raise awareness of these issues and to protect children in The Gambia from sexual abuse and exploitation.
Investigating reports of child abuse and of the viewing of indecent images online is one of the major priorities of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP). CEOP has worked with the ACPO Criminal Records Office to launch the International Child Protection Certificate (ICPC) which is a vital new tool for schools and other overseas organisations in the prevention of harm to children under their care. Similar to the UK's CRB system, the ICPC is a police check for UK nationals who are travelling and working overseas, and will help identify and screen out those who have previous convictions which make them unsuitable to be working with children.
Iran
Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to re-establish direct diplomatic links with Iran at the highest level. [126612]
Alistair Burt: The UK has not broken off diplomatic relations with Iran, but they are at the lowest level. The UK will not establish direct diplomatic links at the highest level until it is satisfied that Iran will guarantee the security of its staff and property in line with Iran's international obligations.
Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the UK to develop trade links with Iran for the purpose of fostering a better relationship between the two countries. [126613]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 660W
Alistair Burt: The UK believes that the dual track strategy of engagement through negotiations and pressure through sanctions is the best way to resolve the Iranian nuclear issue. Until this happens, the UK has no plans to develop trade with Iran.
Mali
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the UK's relationship with Mali. [126870]
Mark Simmonds: The UK traditionally has a cordial relationship with Mali. We have a small embassy in Bamako with one UK member of staff in country serving as ambassador, who is in regular contact with the Malian authorities. A deputy ambassador is currently being recruited. Officers based in other UK embassies in the region, who cover the defence, counter terrorism, security and development portfolios in Mali, visit regularly.
On 5 October, my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien), was appointed Prime Minister's Envoy and Special Representative for the Sahel, with his main focus being on Mali. His appointment demonstrates the importance with which the UK regards the Sahel, and Mali in particular.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on the conflict in northern Mali. [126874]
Mark Simmonds: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and Foreign Minister Fabius had a substantive discussion on the crisis in Mali and the international response in London in June. The Secretary of State has since visited Paris twice when Mali and the Sahel were on the agenda. In addition, the Secretary of State has discussed the Sahel in a number of phone calls with Minister Fabius. I have met France's Special Envoy, Jean Felix-Paganon, together with my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr O'Brien), the Prime Minister's newly appointed Special Envoy for the Sahel. I also took part in the UN Secretary-General's meeting on the Sahel in New York on 26 September.
Prisoners on Remand
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens are in prison on remand in other EU member states. [127212]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold figures for UK citizens on remand in prison. We do however have overall figures for British nationals in detention overseas. On 31 March 2012 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was aware of 765 British nationals in detention in other EU member states.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 661W
Russia
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote relations with the Russian Federation. [127062]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is leading cross-Government efforts to build a more constructive relationship with Russia. Both Governments are committed to further developing the commercial relationship, most recently through the Intergovernmental Steering Committee on Trade and Investment in London in October. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov agreed in May 2012 a structured foreign policy framework promoting greater dialogue on key foreign policy questions, including Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. Both Ministers also designated 2014 as the UK-Russia Year of Culture to promote people-to-people links between Russia and the UK. The FCO leads an annual bilateral dialogue on human rights, which provides a forum for a frank exchange of views. On issues where we do not agree, the UK Government have set out our concerns to the Russian Government at the highest level.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices: North East
Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of apprenticeships in (a) Northumberland and (b) the north-east over the last 12 months. [127030]
Matthew Hancock: The following table shows the number of apprenticeship programme starts in Northumberland local education authority and the north-east region in the 2011/12 academic year (August 2011 to July 2012) by quarter.
Provisional data for the 2011/12 academic year provide an early view of performance and will change as further data returns are received from further education colleges and providers. They should not be directly compared with final year data from previous years. Figures for 2011/12 will be finalised in January 2013.
| Apprenticeship programme starts in Northumberland local education authority and the north-east region, 2011/12 (Provisional) | |||||
| Quarter 1 | Quarter 2 | Quarter 3 | Quarter 4 | 2011/12 | |
| Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Geographic breakdowns are based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. Figures are based on the geographic boundaries as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record | |||||
Information on the number of apprenticeship starts by geography is published in a supplementary table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 11 October 2012:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
7 Nov 2012 : Column 662W
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/
UK Equity Markets
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to implementing Recommendation 9 of the Kay Review of UK equity markets. [127232]
Jo Swinson: We welcome the Kay Review’s final report.
The Government are currently considering all the principles and recommendations in depth and will publish their detailed response in due course.
Employment Agencies: Performing Arts
Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department's Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate plans to take to publicise its 2012 consultation on fees for agencies in the modelling and entertainment sector. [126662]
Jo Swinson: In 2011 the Government announced that we would consult on reforms to how we regulate the recruitment sector. Our consultation will launch later this year and it will cover the whole recruitment sector, which is regulated by the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, including the entertainment and modelling sub-sector.
Groceries Code Adjudicator
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) whether he has drawn up a job description for the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator; [126692]
(2) whether (a) he and (b) his Department have interviewed candidates for the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator; [126748]
(3) whether he has short-listed candidates for the position of the Groceries Code Adjudicator; [126749]
(4) whether he has decided who should be appointed as the Groceries Code Adjudicator. [126750]
Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has started the recruitment process for a Groceries Code Adjudicator. An advertisement was placed in August 2012, which referred candidates to a publically available information pack and job description, a copy of which will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Candidates have been shortlisted and interviews are ongoing. No final decision on the appointment has yet been made.
Higher Education: Business
Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what support his Department has provided to university and business research partnerships in (a) the north east and (b) England in the last 12 months. [127029]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 663W
Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills provides a range of support to encourage universities and businesses to work together. This includes funding from the Research Councils, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Technology Strategy Board.
Funding from HEFCE in 2012 includes: higher education innovation funding of £150 million pa (of which £9.3 million went to higher education institutions in the north east) to encourage engagement with business and other users of university research and capabilities; business support element of quality-related research funding (amounting to £64 million of which £2 million went to HEIs in the north east) and £300 million for UK Research Partnership Investment Fund, of which £185.75 million has so far been allocated to English HEIs, though none in the north east.
In the latest year the Technology Strategy Board provided over £200 million for collaborative R&D projects including at least one England-based company or university, of which nearly £17 million of grants involved partners in the north east of England. It also provided £10.4 million grant funding for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships including an England-based company or university, of which £1.6 million went to north east based partnerships.
The Technology Strategy Board is also developing a network of Catapult centres to commercialise new and emerging technologies in areas where there are large global market opportunities and a critical mass of UK capability to take advantage. The centres bring together a wide cross-section of industry and work with the best universities and other technology organisations in the UK and internationally. The High Value Manufacturing Catapult comprises seven partner centres, one of which is the Centre for Process Innovation based in the north east (Wilton and Sedgefield). Another Catapult, in offshore renewable energy, has an operational centre at the National Renewable Energy Centre in Northumberland.
Higher Education: Research
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average waiting time is for an EU citizen applying to work for a university's post-doctoral research project funded by the UK Research Council and their beginning work. [126732]
Mr Willetts: There is no difference between the recruitment arrangements for UK and other EU citizens.
Research councils award project grants to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), who themselves recruit and employ the postdoctoral researchers to undertake the work on the grant. The grant is awarded with a set start date which may be delayed by up to six months to allow for appointment of staff. HEIs must ensure that recruitment and selection procedures are informative, transparent and open to all qualified applicants, regardless of background.
Research councils also award postdoctoral fellowships to individual researchers with the support of a host HEI as their employer—the timings for the peer review and interview process to the actual start date vary across the research councils from four to 12 months. This period is made clear to applicants at the start of the process.
7 Nov 2012 : Column 664W
Institute for Employee Ownership
Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the recommendation of the Nuttall Review, what consideration he has given to setting up an Institute for Employee Ownership; and if he will make a statement. [126758]
Jo Swinson: The Government response to the Nuttall Review on employee ownership, which I launched on Tuesday 30 October, sets out how the recommendation to develop and deliver an independent institute will be taken forward. The recommendation to take this forward is not for Government but is addressed to the employee ownership sector with whom we are collaborating where appropriate. The first step is to produce a commercial assessment of whether a proposal for a new institute is a viable and self-sustaining proposition.
Students: Complaints
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the efficacy of (a) the Office of the Independent Adjudicator and (b) the complaints procedure of the Office of the Independent Adjudicator. [127051]
Mr Willetts: The conditions to be met by a student complaint scheme, and the conditions and duties of the operator of the scheme, are set out in the Higher Education Act 2004. This includes a requirement to produce and publish an annual report. Detailed information is available in the Office of the Independent Adjudicator's (OIA) 2011 annual report, including new key performance indicators to enable the HE sector, Government and the public to review its performance.
http://www.oiahe.org.uk/media/57882/oia_annual_report_2011.pdf
The OIA has seen a continuing increase in its volume of work since it began operating in 2005. In 2011 it received 1,605 complaints; a rise of 20% from 2010 and a 200% increase on 2005. The OIA has responded by streamlining its processes. In 2011 the OIA reviewed and closed a record number of cases (1,443), a 75% increase on 2010 (825), with a reduction in unit costs of 35%. Its new triage (initial review) system has produced faster eligibility decisions (average 23 days, from 179 days in 2010) and more cases successfully resolved without a formal decision (11% in 2011, from 9% in 2010).
In 2011 the OIA received 17 complaints about actions it had taken (“service complaints”).
Such complaints are handled by the chief executive or company secretary.
In our 2011 Higher Education White Paper “Students at the Heart of the System”, we asked the OIA to consult the HE sector on how universities can handle complaints better and resolve complaints at an earlier stage. Following consultation, the OIA is co-ordinating a series of campus pilots on early resolution, run by universities and students unions. These six-month pilots will be launched in early 2013. OIA is also developing a sector-wide good practice framework, including time targets for resolution, for handling student complaints and appeals.
http://www.oiahe.org.uk/media/75181/pathway-3-press-notice.pdf
7 Nov 2012 : Column 665W
Research: Marine Environment
Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Natural Environment Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board spent on marine sciences in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much each is forecasting to spend in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14. [126739]
Mr Willetts: Expenditure on marine sciences by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is shown in the following table:
| £ million | ||||
| Actual spend(1) | Forecast spend(2) | |||
| 2010/11 | 2011/12 | 2012/13 | 2013/14 | |
| (1 )Excludes some exceptional costs such as building and replacement research vessel costs: £11.5 million in 2010/11 and £37 million in 2011/12. (2) Assumes expenditure on ship operations of National Oceanography Centre will Increase in line with inflation. (3) Excludes expenditure on: (a) British Antarctic Survey (BAS) ship operations as they support NERC logistic and research activities in Antarctica and so cannot be allocated as solely marine science expenditure; (b) multi-science areas research programmes as they are not solely marine research programmes; (c) the marine component of BAS, British Geological Survey and National Centre for Earth Observation programmes as it has not been possible to extract this in a quantitative way. Note: This table only shows the ‘total’ of the marine expenditure that can be readily identified. Given the exclusions above, NERC's actual marine science expenditure total will be significantly higher. | ||||
The Technology Strategy Board does not fund marine sciences directly but does support projects involving the application of marine sciences to the development of new products, processes and services. This includes around £3 million per annum funding projects in areas such as marine renewable energy and advances in aquaculture. It also supports the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult with funding in the region of £10 million per annum, and launched a new competition in September 2012 to support projects in the area of offshore wind energy with funding of £10 million from the Technology Strategy Board and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Additionally, a NERC and Technology Strategy Board co-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership targeted call has just opened to help companies innovate more effectively in the supply chain for offshore renewable energy (wind, wave and tidal). NERC's co-funding of this £1.2 million competition is intended to help companies in this sector to use cutting-edge marine science better in developing their innovative products.
Students: Work Experience
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage small businesses to offer work experience to students. [127210]
7 Nov 2012 : Column 666W
Mr Willetts: Both employers and young people can benefit from quality work experience opportunities, including internships. For young people, they are an excellent way to enhance their skills and knowledge in preparation for the jobs market. For businesses they offer low risk access to undergraduate or graduate skills, knowledge and innovation.
The Government's Social Mobility Strategy, launched in April 2011, called on all businesses to sign up to a new Business Compact, which includes the commitment to offer work experience and internships in a fair and transparent way to young people. Almost 150 businesses have now signed up.
To encourage employers to offer graduate internships, we are funding the Graduate Talent Pool (GTP) service:
http://graduatetalentpool.bis.gov.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!ekppgba
for a further three years. This is a free, one-stop service for employers wishing to offer graduate internships, and for recent graduates looking to undertake one. By simplifying the process of taking on an intern, GTP aims to break down barriers which prevent employers, particularly small businesses, from offering graduate opportunities.
Unleashing student and graduate entrepreneurial aspirations and providing them with opportunities to start and grow a business is crucial to our long-term economic success. This year we are providing £1.3 million to support the development of student enterprise societies in all universities and most colleges by 2015. Within this, we are also piloting a national brand for a series of “Start-up Milkrounds” that will see enterprise societies and universities working together to create student internship and graduate job opportunities with local small to medium-sized enterprises.
In response to the Wilson Review and to promote greater business-university collaboration, we are also supporting the new National Centre for Universities and Businesses. The centre will gather evidence and good practice on all aspects of HE-business collaboration, including work experience.
Trade Agreements
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on an EU/US free trade agreement; and if he will make a statement. [126379]
Michael Fallon: Since leaders agreed to establish the EU-US High Level Working Group on jobs and growth at the EU-US summit of 28 November 2011, the High Level Working Group has produced an interim report looking into the potential options for increasing transatlantic trade and investment. The final report is expected to be released before the end of 2012, and we very much look forward to building on its conclusions to deepen further this important economic partnership. Following the re-election of President Obama, the Prime Minister re-stated his commitment to an EU-US trade deal. The UK Government welcome the opportunity to work with partners in the EU on taking this agenda forward.