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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 12 November 2012
Treasury
Broadband: Scotland
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has assessed what effect the revenue generated from the forthcoming auction of the 4G mobile telephone spectrum will have on the block grant for Scotland. [128040]
Danny Alexander: The Barnett formula does not apply to Government receipts. However, where there are any changes to spending plans, the Barnett formula will be applied in the normal way.
Child Benefit
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families whose child benefit will be reduced or discontinued from April 2013 have one or more children who is disabled. [127418]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority: Pay
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any Minister was (a) aware of and (b) approved the arrangements for the remuneration of the interim chief executive of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; at what date they became aware of those arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [128133]
Danny Alexander: HM Treasury was not approached on the matter or asked to approve remuneration arrangements for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority’s interim chief executive. Given the authority’s status as an independent parliamentary body, HM Treasury approval was not required.
Individual Savings Accounts
Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) for what reason the annual allowance for stocks and shares individual savings accounts is higher than the allowance for cash individual savings accounts; [127165]
(2) for what reason there is a division between stocks and shares and cash individual savings accounts; [127166]
(3) if he will make it his policy to allow the full individual savings account allowance to be held in cash. [127167]
Sajid Javid:
The current annual subscription limit for Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) is £11,280, half of which can be invested in cash. Different ISA subscription limits have applied for cash and stocks and shares
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investments since ISAs were introduced, and this reflects decisions made by the previous Government about the design and structure of the account. The Government keeps all .aspects of tax policy, including ISAs, under review, and any changes to the cash ISA limit would be announced at the Chancellor's autumn statement.
National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses
Anne Marie Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses participated in the National Insurance Holiday Scheme in the latest period for which figures are available. [124974]
Greg Clark: HMRC has so far received around 20,000 applications for the NICs holiday scheme.
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of extending the National Insurance Contribution Scheme holiday to (a) 30 September 2014 and (b) 31 March 2015. [128140]
Mr Gauke: Reliable estimates of the potential cost of extending the national insurance contributions (NICs) holiday to 30 September 2014 and 31 March 2015 are not available due to data limitations.
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much and what proportion of the funding allocated to the National Insurance Contributions Scheme holiday has been spent to date. [128141]
Mr Gauke: Take-up of the NICs holiday so far has not been as strong as expected, but HMRC have received around 20,000 registrations for the scheme to date. We estimate that the NIC holiday is supporting in the region of 70,000 jobs.
Because the NICs holiday is a relief, lower than anticipated take-up will be reflected in total NICs receipts and the overall position of the public finances.
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost of extending the National Insurance Contribution Scheme holiday (a) across the UK and (b) to all small businesses in the UK. [128142]
Mr Gauke: A reliable estimate of the potential cost of extending the national insurance contributions (NICs) holiday across the UK and to all small businesses in the UK is not available due to data limitations.
The Government have considered the case for extending the NICs holiday to all existing micro businesses but believe the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the NICs holiday as a targeted scheme for those areas in most need of employment support.
Public Appointments
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Head of Scotland Analysis and Stakeholder Engagement position in his Department has been filled; and when he expects to publish an announcement in respect of this post. [127812]
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Danny Alexander [holding answer 9 November 2012]: The Treasury does not comment on the appointment of its staff below senior civil servant level.
Public Expenditure
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress the Government has made in reforming the Barnett formula. [126835]
Danny Alexander: As set out in the Coalition programme for government, our priority at this time must be to reduce the national deficit. Consideration of any changes to the current system must therefore await the stabilisation of the public finances.
Public Service Pensions Bill: Scotland
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2012, Official Report, column 1019W, on the Public Service Pensions Bill: Scotland, on what date he informed the Scottish Government of the need for a legislative consent motion in the Scottish Parliament. [126700]
Danny Alexander: The Scottish Government were advised on 4 September 2012 of the provisions within the Public Service Pensions Bill that trigger the Sewel convention.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2012, Official Report, column 406W, on Public Service Pensions Bill: Scotland, which public bodies for which the Scottish Parliament has competence are within the scope of the Public Service Pensions Bill. [128135]
Danny Alexander: There are currently no public bodies for which the Scottish Parliament has competence listed in Schedule 10 of the Public Service Pensions Bill.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2012, Official Report, column 406W, on Public Service Pensions Bill: Scotland, on what date he met Ministers in the Scottish Government to discuss the legislative consent motion. [128136]
Danny Alexander: The Scottish Government was advised on 4 September 2012 of the provisions within the Public Service Pensions Bill that trigger the Sewel Convention.
HM Treasury has had regular discussions with the Scottish Government on public service pension matters. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to make details of discussions with the Scottish Government public.
Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services
Andrew Bingham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of calls were answered by HM Revenue and Customs contact centres in each of the last three years for which records are available. [127860]
Mr Gauke: The proportion of call attempts handled by HMRC contact centres in the last three financial years is as follows:
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| Percentage | |
HMRC are committed to improving service levels for customers and announced up to an extra 1,000 staff for their contact centres with the aim of handling 90% of call attempts by the end of 2012-13, two years earlier than planned. This improvement in service levels will also reduce call waiting times.
Serious Fraud Office
Mr Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take in respect of the report of the National Audit Office on the 2011-12 Accounts of the Serious Fraud Office regarding the voluntary redundancy costs for the former chief executive officer. [127092]
Danny Alexander: It is regrettable that the SFO should have made redundancy payments without obtaining the proper approval.
However, since these payments were made the Attorney-General has appointed a new director to the SFO. The Treasury is satisfied that the new director has recognised the irregularity of these payments and taken active steps to review the matter and ensure that this cannot happen again.
Tax Avoidance
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the average loss of revenue to the Exchequer for each person falsely classified as self-employed (a) across all sectors of the economy and (b) in the construction sector, by the form of taxation avoided. [127397]
Mr Gauke: HMRC continues to monitor all avoidance risks in deciding what action to take. Formal, detailed estimates of the Exchequer effects of individual risks are not routinely produced. This means tax gap estimates are not available at this level of detail. On 18 October 2012, HMRC published Measuring Tax Gaps which sets out estimates of the tax gap, including that arising from avoidance, across all HMRC administered taxes:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2012.pdf
The cost of false self-employment in the construction industry was estimated to be in the region of £350 million per year in the consultation document “False self-employment in construction: taxation of workers”, which was published in July 2009:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/consult_falseselfemploymentconstruction_ 200709.pdf
This estimate has not been updated since.
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on revenue of aggressive tax avoidance schemes employed by companies; and whether such losses are included in HM Revenue and Customs' estimate of the tax gap. [127715]
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Mr Gauke: The most recent estimate of the net tax gap due to avoidance is published in Measuring Tax Gaps 2012:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/mtg-2012.pdf
The total tax gap is estimated to be around £32 billion in 2010-11. Of this total figure, the estimated tax lost to avoidance by all taxpayers and across all taxes was around £5 billion.
Within this figure, the estimated loss to avoidance of corporation tax is around £1.3 billion.
The tax lost to all avoidance is around 1% of liabilities. This low percentage shows that the vast majority of taxpayers do not use avoidance schemes, and HMRC takes effective action against those who do.
Taxation: Broadband
Nia Griffith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will use the revenue received by the Exchequer from the forthcoming auction of the 4G mobile telephone spectrum for the purpose of building affordable homes over the next two years. [126534]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 6 November 2012]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah) today.
Taxation: Companies
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure that companies operating on multiple sites throughout the UK, generating significant annual turnover and profit, pay an appropriate rate of tax on such profits. [128126]
Mr Gauke: Along with most major economies in the world, the UK charges corporation tax on profits derived from economic activity carried on here, not sales or turnover. The UK system is based on internationally agreed principles that determine how much profit each country should tax.
At the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers on 4-5 November 2012 in Mexico City, alongside Germany and with the support of other countries including the US and France, the Chancellor called for concerted international co-operation to strengthen international tax standards as a first step in promoting a better way of dealing with profit shifting and base erosion of corporate tax at the global level.
Home Department
Asylum
David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the standards required from landlords who are contracted by the UK Border Agency to house asylum seekers. [126616]
Mr Harper: In line with Government transparency commitments, details of the standards required are already in the public domain.
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The particular document that details the standards is titled “COMPASS Project Schedule 2 Accommodation and Transport—Statement of Requirements” and is available on the Contracts Finder website at:
http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk
It is also available on the UK Border Agency website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/workingwithasylum/compassprogramme/
Catering
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on refreshments since May 2010. [127104]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office accounting systems do not identify separate expenditure on refreshments. The information cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
Grandparents: Contact Orders
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the use of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in relation to grandparents seeking to make contact with their children. [127127]
Damian Green: It is an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 for a person to pursue a course of conduct which amounts to harassment of another, and or ought to know amounts to harassment. The Act also makes it an offence to pursue a course of conduct which causes someone to fear that violence will be used against him or her.
Following investigation and charge, it is for the court to determine whether the prosecution has made out the elements of the offence. This is the case regardless of the relationship between the victim and the defendant.
Heathrow Airport
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to Viscount Waverley from Lord Henley of 11 October 2011, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA223, on airports: Heathrow, by what date Ministers expect to publish the findings of the exercise to estimate the cost of the extradition process. [127526]
Mr Harper [holding answer 8 November 2012]: The exercise is still ongoing. The estimates will be published shortly.
UK Border Agency
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Harrow West to the UK Border Agency of 27 July 2012 and 12 September 2012 regarding Mr Marikar of Harrow. [128134]
Mr Harper: The UK Border Agency replied to the hon. Member on 8 November 2012.
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Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of written parliamentary questions to her Department received holding responses in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127274]
Mr Harper: The Home Office responded to 3,526 parliamentary questions between 1 November 2011 and 31 October 2012. A total of 545 parliamentary questions received holding responses during that period (15.46%).
Parliamentary questions on Government and Equalities are included in the figures up until 4 September 2012 when the Government Equalities Office (GEO) moved to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The Government has committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written parliamentary question performance on a sessional basis and will provide full information to the committee at the end of the current session. Statistics relating to performance for the 2010-12 parliamentary session are available on the Parliament website at:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/procedure/P35_Memorandum_Leader_of_the_House_ Monitoring_PQs.pdf
Women and Equalities
Equal Pay
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities (1) what recent steps she has taken to ensure pay equality between men and women; [126889]
(2) what recent steps she has taken to tackle (a) sexual discrimination to women after they return from maternity leave and (b) other forms of sexual discrimination in the workplace. [126892]
Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Government is taking a range of steps, aimed at employers and employees, to ensure pay equality and tackle sex discrimination. We have launched a voluntary initiative to promote transparency on gender equality. ‘Think, Act, Report’ asks private and voluntary sector employers to tackle barriers for women at work by taking a step by step approach to greater transparency on pay and other workplace issues. This initiative is supported by a large number of employers including BP, Tesco and Deloitte.
Through the Employment and Regulatory Reform Bill we are giving employment tribunals the power to order equal pay audits where an employer has been found to have breached equal pay and/or sex discrimination laws.
We are also making it easier for SMEs and micro businesses to get good quality advice and support on equality and employment related matters, through a series of regional events with Ministers. Short guides are available on the Government Equalities Office website which explain the law for businesses and employees clearly.
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Additionally, in October 2012, Government launched a new Equality Advisory and Support Service. This is aimed at individuals who need expert advice and support on discrimination issues including sex discrimination.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Ash Dieback Disease
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what resources he has allocated to examine the causes of the disease Chalara fraxinea; whether extreme wet weather conditions are a contributory factor; and what resources he is allocating to establishing the causes of the spread of the disease. [126122]
Mr Heath: ‘Chalara fraxinea’ has been identified as the causative pathogen of Ash Dieback. Infection in the environment is likely to be by wind-borne spores.
The Forestry Commission and the UK plant health authorities have stepped up the response and redeployed additional inspection capability with over 500 people per day carrying out a rapid survey during the first week of November to give a picture of where ‘Chalara’ is present across GB. They are also continuing to inspect material traced forward from the infected nurseries and to monitor ash trees in the wider environment in the vicinity of infected sites.
There is scientific recognition that ‘Chalara’ (similar to other fungal pathogens such as ‘phytophthora’) are more likely to produce fruiting bodies in moist conditions. There is no evidence that the extreme wet weather conditions are a contributory factor to the new findings.
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on ash dieback disease. [127900]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State has recently updated the Local Government Association (LGA) and senior officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) at two cross-Government meetings. Senior DCLG officials have attended daily meetings to discuss progress in managing the disease, and the LGA is a member of our core stakeholder group for this issue.
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department requires trees found to be infected with ash dieback disease to be incinerated commercially or whether they can be used for domestic fuel. [127949]
Mr Heath: Until further notice movement of all ash material off an infected site under a Statutory Plant Heath Notice is prohibited. We will review the measures for controlling movement of wood from infected trees once we have fully assessed the national disease situation. However, at the present time, the wood may only be used as fuel if it remains on the site covered by the Plant Health Notice.
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Bovine Tuberculosis
Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has received any representations from representatives of the tourism industry about the proposed pilot badger culls. [128003]
Mr Heath: Natural England carried out a four-week ‘opportunity to comment’ (OTC) to allow those who might be affected by culling in the two areas to submit any concerns. The OTC ran from 24 January to 23 February 2012. 37 of the 184 responses received for OTC expressed a concern with regard to the effect of the pilot culls on tourism businesses, e.g. B&Bs, guest houses, caravan and camping businesses. Natural England has reviewed these responses, and a summary of the responses received is available at:
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/species/btb-otcsummary.aspx
Sky Lanterns
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department will issue guidance to warn people of the harm sky lanterns can cause to livestock and wild animals. [127228]
Mr Heath: The Government is aware of concerns about the impacts of sky lanterns on animals, crops and property and has taken steps to raise public awareness about the potential dangers sky lanterns pose, and to encourage people to think carefully before using them. In the run up to bonfire night DEFRA appealed through local media for people to consider alternatives to sky lanterns.
I have commissioned an independent study to examine the scale of the risks associated with the use of sky lanterns, and their impact on livestock, plants and the environment. The results of this study will help to determine whether any future Government action may be required.
Official Hospitality
Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many dinners for directors of the Waste and Resources Action Programme have been held in the last three years; at what cost to the public purse; and at what venues. [127647]
Richard Benyon: Dinner is provided to directors only when travelling overnight on company business. In the last three years there have been two board meetings which required overnight stays in Edinburgh and Cardiff respectively. The total cost of dinners in Edinburgh (Roxburghe Hotel, September 2011) was £407, and in Cardiff (Maldron Hotel, September 2012) was £312.
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Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Waste and Resources Action Programme has had use of either (a) a Government procurement card or (b) any other form of corporate credit card or charge card in the last four years; and what records are held of such transactions. [127648]
Richard Benyon: The Waste and Resources Action Programme does not have a Government procurement card. A corporate credit card is provided to senior managers for travel expenses. Full records of all items of expenditure are kept, and all items charged are authorised in-line with the organisation's travel expenses policy.
Attorney-General
Boarding Schools: Abuse
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Attorney-General what estimate he has made of the number of cases of alleged offences involving sexual abuse at boarding schools in respect of which there was insufficient evidence to prosecute in the last 10 years. [127579]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the locations where it is alleged offences have been committed. This data could be obtained only by examining all of the CPS’s files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Nature Conservation: Prosecutions
Julie Elliott: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions for (a) trade in endangered animals, (b) illegal taxidermy, (c) reptile smuggling and (d) wild bird netting have been made in the last three years. [127792]
The Solicitor-General: Records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates’ courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. Offences of trading in endangered animals and smuggling reptiles may be prosecuted under section 8 of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES 1997) or section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Offences of illegal taxidermy and netting wild birds may be prosecuted under sections l(2)(a), 5(1)(b) and 6(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, sections 3 and 8 of COTES 1997 or section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
During the last three years, the number of these offences prosecuted by the CPS is shown in the following table.
| 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | |
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No discrete records are held by the CPS to identify the type of animal which may have been smuggled or the method of trapping wild birds. This information could be obtained only by examining all relevant case files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Prostitution
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions there were under section 14 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date. [127828]
The Solicitor-General: Section 14 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 created a new offence under section 53A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 of paying for the sexual services of a prostitute subjected to force, threats, coercion or deception. Section 53A came into effect on 1 April 2010. Records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. There is no indication of the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. In 2011, 16 such offences were prosecuted, and in 2012, (to date) eight offences have been prosecuted.
Transport
Airports
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legal powers he used to establish the Commission chaired by Sir Howard Davies to review the UK's hub airport capacity. [127362]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport has a constitutional role to develop policies for the improvement of the UK's transport systems. The Airports Commission is not a statutory body and was established as part of this constitutional role.
Blue Badge Scheme
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to introduce a temporary Blue Badge scheme for those people suffering from a time-limited disability. [128033]
Norman Baker: I have given this matter some detailed consideration but have concluded that it would not be right to widen the scope of the eligibility criteria of the Blue Badge Scheme. With over 2.5 million badges already on issue, it is important that we ensure the scheme remains sustainable and protects preferential parking facilities for those who most need them. My Department has recently issued local authorities with advice on how they could use existing powers to provide locally determined parking concessions within their areas. For example, some local authorities grant parking concessions to assist their elderly residents. They could, if they wish, use the same powers to help those with temporary disabilities.
Crossrail Line
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) discussions and (b) correspondence Ministers or officials in his Department have had with (A) construction companies, (B) trade unions, (C) Crossrail Ltd and (D) other parties on reports that blacklists (i) were and (ii) are being used by contractors completing construction work on public contracts relating to the delivery of Crossrail. [128144]
Stephen Hammond: The Department has not entered into any discussions or correspondence regarding any allegations of blacklisting in connection with the Crossrail project.
Crossrail Ltd is responsible for the delivery of the Crossrail project and the management of its contractors. In response to this question we have sought further information on this issue from Crossrail which has stated that it is not aware of, and has seen no evidence of, blacklisting of any kind in connection with the Crossrail project.
Directly Operated Railways
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many consultants and legal advisers Directly Operated Railways have employed since November 2009. [128071]
Mr Simon Burns: Since November 2009, Directly Operated Railways have employed 20 consultants periodically and legal advisers in addition to individuals employed by the business.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2012, Official Report, column 892W, on Directly Operated Railways, what advice he has received in respect of the capacity of Directly Operated Railways. [128072]
Mr Simon Burns: In the normal course of business, Directly Operated Railways provides regular advice to the Department for Transport officials regarding activities being undertaken in relation to their Operator of Last Resort role. Accordingly, regular advice is provided to the Secretary of State on such matters as required on an ongoing basis. This includes advice on current matters such as West Coast Mainline.
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Filton Airfield
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the future of Filton Airfield. [128086]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department for Transport has not made any assessment of the future of Filton airfield. This is a commercial matter for the airfield's owners.
Methanol: Fuels
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect of methanol as a renewable fuel; [127733]
(2) if he will consider introducing methanol fuel into the haulage industry. [127734]
Norman Baker: The Government supports the use of renewable transport fuels, including renewable methanol, through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). The latest RTFO statistics show that 8 million litres of renewable methanol were supplied in the UK from April to July 2012. As for its longer term potential as a transport fuel, this Department and the Department for Energy and Climate Change jointly commissioned in 2011 an assessment of the potential for the UK to develop an advanced biofuels industry. This research, available via the website of the National Non Food Crops Centre, noted that biomethanol had the potential to be among the most cost-effective liquid fuels that could be made via the gasification of biomass.
The haulage industry makes its own choices on fuel use and bases its decisions on many factors including cost, availability and environmental impacts. The Department for Transport has no current plans to encourage the use of non-renewable methanol as a transport fuel, but will continue to support the use of renewable methanol via the RTFO. Earlier this year the Department announced a competition for funding for low carbon truck and infrastructure demonstration trials. Trials using alternative fuels were eligible for funding provided that they offered at least 15% CO2 saving compared with diesel. No applications, however, were made in respect of methanol.
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the demographic background of drivers who have signed up to schemes using telematics. [127430]
Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State for Transport has made no assessment of the demographic background of drivers who have signed up to schemes using telematics.
Ports
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much public investment has been made at each of the 20 largest ports by tonnage in the UK in each year since 1982. [127656]
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Stephen Hammond: Full information in the form requested is not held centrally, and could not be retrieved without disproportionate cost.
Investment by ports is normally undertaken on a commercial basis without recourse to Government subsidy.
Freight Facilities Grants awarded for capital expenditure at ports among the 20 largest include the following non-comprehensive list for years of award since 1998:
Port of Tyne, 1998: £0.7 million
Port of Bristol, 2000: £15.7 million
Port of Tyne, 2000: £0.3 million
Forth Ports, 2001: £11 million
ABP Southampton, 2002: £0.8 million
ABP Southampton, 2002: £1.2 million (for rail facility at Hams Hall)
Port of Tilbury, 2002: £3 million
Cargill plc at Port of Liverpool, 2002: £0.3 million
Sitos at Port of Liverpool, 2003: £0.4 million
Big Ditch Shipping at Port of Manchester, 2003: £0.5 million
Henty Oil at Port of Liverpool, 2006: £0.2 million.
Grants in Scotland and Northern Ireland are now a matter for the devolved Administrations.
Puma Helicopters: Accidents
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress there has been in the investigations into the cause of the crash of a Super Puma 250 helicopter off Shetland on 22 October 2012. [127471]
Mr Simon Burns: The investigations into the cause of the accident to the Super Puma EC225 on 22 October 2012 are focussed on identifying the cause of the failure of the gearbox shaft that provides drive to the two oil pumps. The AAIB are working closely with Eurocopter, the manufacturer the UK CAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Currently, the shaft is being subjected to detailed examination by experts from Eurocopter and QinetiQ under the supervision of Investigators from the AAIB.
Puma Helicopters: Safety
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the safety record of Super Puma 250 helicopters. [127470]
Mr Simon Burns: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has overall responsibility for assuring the continuing airworthiness of these helicopters. EASA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive on 25 October following the ditching in the North sea on 22 October. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has had several meetings with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which is investigating the ditching, and with EASA and other interested parties. The CAA issued an Operational Directive on 25 October 2012 to prevent helicopters covered by the EASA Emergency Airworthiness Directive from operating commercial flights over areas of open sea until further notice. The CAA is liaising closely with AAIB over its continuing investigation.
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Railway Stations: Opening Hours
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken on ensuring that emergencies can be dealt with efficiently when stations are unstaffed to inform its decisions on requests to change the opening hours of ticket stations. [128045]
The consideration of proposals to change ticket office opening hours under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement include consideration of security arrangements if applicable.
Railways: Fares
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there is a statutory requirement that determines the date by which the Association of Train Operating Companies must announce rail fare prices for 2013; and what that date is. [127872]
Mr Simon Burns: There is no statutory requirement that determines the date by which rail fare prices for 2013 must be announced. Each train operator sets and publishes the conditions and prices of its fares in line with the processes in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement, which can be found at:
http://www.atoc.org/about-atoc/rail-settlement-plan/governance/
Roads: Accidents
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of how many (a) male and (b) female drivers aged between 17 and 25 have been responsible for causing road traffic accidents in each of the last five years. [127664]
Stephen Hammond: The Department does not collect information explicitly on responsibility for road traffic accidents nor does it attribute any blame to drivers for accidents.
The Department also only collects information relating to personal injury accidents, and therefore does not include damage-only accidents in its statistics.
The number of male and female car drivers, aged 17 to 24 inclusive, involved in personal injury accidents in each of the last five years are as follows:
| Reported number of drivers aged 17 to 24 inclusive involved in personal injury accidents, by gender, Great Britain, 2007-11 | ||
| Number of drivers | ||
| Male | Female | |
Thameslink Railway Line
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent to date in preparation for the forthcoming award of the Thameslink rail franchise. [128115]
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Mr Simon Burns: The information is as follows:
The cost of work done by Atkins, as technical advisers, for TSGN is £416,301. This amount includes VAT, as we expect that VAT will not be recoverable on this contract (this is under review by the Department's VAT team). The cost includes all invoices received to date. There is an estimated £66,000 plus VAT (£79,200) for variation works that have not yet been invoiced. This is not included in the figure given. While further invoices are not expected for this franchise (other than the aforementioned variation), there may be wash up invoices which would increase this cost.
The cost of work done by Eversheds, as legal advisers, for TSGN is £136,080. This amount includes VAT, as VAT is not recoverable on this contract. The cost shown includes an accrual for £56,370 for an invoice that has not yet been received.
The Department has estimated its staff costs to be £664,355 to the end of October 2012.
Further, there are an estimated £15,630 of costs relating to the running of the data site.
The total of costs shown above is £1,232,366.
Costs shown above are subject to being updated, should further information come to light.
Transport: National Policy Statements
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the National Networks National Policy Statement. [127786]
Stephen Hammond: The purpose of the National Networks National Policy Statement (NN NPS) is to provide the Planning Inspectorate with a policy framework within which to consider applications for planning consent for developments on the strategic road network, the rail network and for rail freight interchange facilities over a certain size.
We are currently undertaking a wide-ranging review of the status and future of the strategic road network. Once this work has concluded, we will use the results to prepare a National Networks National Policy Statement.
House of Commons Commission
Sick Leave
Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, for how many and what proportion of days, on average, staff of the House of Commons service at each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last five years. [127168]
John Thurso: The figures for the House of Commons and PICT are:
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| Average working days lost per employee (12 month period) | |||||
| Payband | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
| (1) Includes a small number of staff (e.g. sandwich students) not shown separately. | |||||
The average number of working days lost through sickness absence in the House of Commons and PICT is lower than that in the economy in general. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's ‘Absence Management Survey 2011’ gives an overall average of 7.7 days per employee per year, while the public sector average is 9.1 days per employee per year.
International Development
Colombia
Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding her Department has allocated for aid to Colombia in the areas of (a) education, (b) health care and (c) infrastructure in the current financial year. [127852]
Mr Duncan: DFID has not allocated any aid to Columbia in the current financial year.
Nigeria
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid provided by her Department is directed towards groups that promote religious tolerance in Nigeria; and how much such aid was provided in the latest period for which figures are available. [127472]
Lynne Featherstone: DFID provided support for a project titled ‘Peace in Jos: Arresting the Cycle of Violent Conflict’. It was implemented by the Institute of Governance and Social Research (IGSR), a Nigerian NGO in Jos. The programme aimed to reduce inter-faith violence through supporting public campaigns, conflict management training, inter-faith mediation groups and early warning systems. The programme trained 3,000 youth peace ambassadors from both Christian and Muslim communities.
DFID provided £800,000 over three years between mid-2009 and mid-2012. A follow up grant is being considered.
Overseas Aid
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that UK aid money is spent effectively. [127386]
Justine Greening: DFID already has robust systems in place to deliver value for money. Since 2010, DFID has re-engineered business procedures to ensure good value. The main tools are:
(a) the new Business Case process which has brought value for money and results up front in the design of all programmes;
(b) annual reviews that enable us to monitor the value for money of programmes during implementation; and
(c) research and evaluation to identify what works and to learn lessons from both our own projects and others.
Since taking over as International Development Secretary, I have increased the rigour around spending decisions to ensure that UK aid money is spent effectively. I now approve all programmes above £5 million and supplier contracts over £1 million, and will be meeting with our top suppliers to ensure that we get better value for money in new contracts.
Papua New Guinea
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what initiatives her Department has in place to promote human rights in Papua New Guinea; [127433]
(2) what steps her Department has taken to provide support for reducing discrimination against and abuse of women in Papua New Guinea in each of the last five years. [127385]
Mr Duncan: DFID does not have a bilateral programme with Papua New Guinea. The British high commission raises human rights issues as part of a regular dialogue with the Government of Papua New Guinea and co-ordinates closely with regional partners on how best to support the Government in improving human rights.
The status of women remains a key challenge for Papua New Guinea, particularly in tackling high levels of domestic violence and increasing female issues through the British high commission and has funded local organisations which seek to empower women in business and organisations which provide shelter and counselling to victims of sexual and domestic violence.
UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons
Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has taken steps to support other countries to implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects in each of the last five years. [127405]
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Mr Duncan: Over the last five years, the UK has supported the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and NATO in their work to implement the UN Programme of Action. The objectives of these projects include improving stockpile management and the destruction of surplus weapons. They are predominantly focused in countries across sub-Saharan Africa but also support certain parts of Latin America, central and eastern Asia, the Balkans and the middle east.
In addition, between 2007-10, the UK provided funding to Saferworld to support the development and implementation of initiatives and mechanisms for the control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and international arms transfers. The UK also funded the Regional Centre on Small Arms (RECSA) in the great lakes and horn of Africa to combat the problem of the proliferation and illicit trafficking of SALW.
The UK remains committed to securing a strong, legally binding arms trade treaty which will introduce common international standards for exports of conventional arms including SALW.
Zimbabwe
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure Zimbabwe meets its obligations to abide by mandatory rulings of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. [127819]
Justine Greening: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him on 1 November 2012, Official Report, column 324W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry will be made available in full to those who gave evidence to the Inquiry at the same time as they are submitted to the Government; and if she will make a statement. [128122]
Maria Miller: The Leveson report will be made available in accordance with the Inquiries Act 2005. An explanation of the Act can be found here:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/12/contents
Human Rights: Religion
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what instructions her Department issued to its legal representatives to present the Government's case before the European Court of Human Rights in the cases of Nadia Eweida and others. [122056]
Mrs Grant: Communications between Ministers, officials and their legal advisers for the purposes of obtaining or giving legal advice are subject to legal professional privilege, including instructions given to lawyers for the purposes of defending litigation.
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Sick Leave
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport for how many and what proportion of days, on average, staff of her Department at each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last five years. [127183]
Maria Miller: The following table shows the proportion of days on average, staff in each pay grade were absent as a result of ill health in each of the last five years:
For 2011-12, the civil service wide sickness rate was 7.6 average working days lost.
| Civil service pay grade | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
This Department is committed to the health and welfare of its staff, helping staff to stay healthy and reducing the need for sick leave. Support is provided to staff returning from long-term sick leave, referring them to Occupational Health to advise on how best to facilitate a return to work and offering access to an Employee Assistance programme for independent advice and support.
Sports: Public Participation
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent steps the Government has taken to encourage involvement in community sports clubs. [127667]
Hugh Robertson: Sport England, as part of the new Youth and Community Sport Strategy, will invest at least £1 billion of lottery and Exchequer funding over the next four years to help to ensure that people, particularly those aged 14-25, are regularly playing sport. Links will be improved between schools and community sports clubs to establish over 6,000 partnerships between schools and local sports clubs by 2017, and £48.5 million will be invested in the creation of hundreds of new 'satellite clubs', which aim to bridge the gap between school and community sports clubs.
In addition, the Places, People, Play mass participation legacy programme is investing £150 million in programmes designed to drive up participation in sport. Community clubs are benefitting from the £65 million 'Inspired' grants for 732 smaller-scale local club facilities projects, and the 'Club Leaders' initiative is providing free training and support to those volunteers who deal with the day to day running of community sports clubs.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of people under 16 years old who engage in competitive sport at least once a week. [127669]
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Hugh Robertson: Using data from the Department's Taking Part Child Survey, we estimate that in 2011-12, 80% of five to 15-year-old children had participated in competitive sport in the last 12 months. Over three quarters (77%) had taken part in competitive sport in school, while 37% had taken part outside of school. Weekly participation in competitive sport by children is not measured.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Arab Partnership
Mr Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what expenditure his Department has incurred in respect of Arab Partnership programmes since April 2012. [127424]
Alistair Burt: Between the start of April and end of October 2012, spend by the FCO-led Arab Partnership Participation Fund (APPF) was £3,782,070.84. This covered 36 projects in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, occupied Palestinian territories, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen. Just under £10 million is allocated for further APPF project work for this financial year.
Bangladesh
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the recent incident off the Bangladeshi coast where more than 50 illegal immigrants are thought to have perished on their way to Malaysia; and what representations he has made to his international counterparts to ensure that the risk of similar incidents occurring is minimised. [128124]
Alistair Burt: I have heard from open sources about a recent tragic incident. These indicate that the boat was transporting over 100 economic migrants to Malaysia. We understand some of these were members of the Burmese Rohingya community.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the right hon. Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), held a meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh in July and covered a broad range of issues, including human rights and Rohingyas.
The British Government is committed to Bangladesh’s development and ambition of achieving middle income status within the next decade. By 2015, our aid programme will help to lift 1.5 million people out of extreme poverty, improve access to clean drinking water for 1.3 million people and adequate sanitation for 2.8 million, give more children a better quality education, improve family planning and reduce deaths in childbirth, and develop technical skills for more young women and men seeking employment.
Official Hospitality
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on refreshments since May 2010. [127107]
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Mr Lidington: Details are held, however, of the net amount spent on refreshments/hospitality with the contracted catering supplier (Compass) in the UK. Figures for this are shown in the following table.
| £ | |
The total spend in the last two full financial years 2010-12 (£295,012) is 36% of the comparable spend in the two financial years 2008-10 (£810,853).
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office undertakes a wide range of activities to establish and maintain contacts throughout its network of over 250 overseas posts as well as diplomatic activity in the UK to promote and defend British interests. Any such spending is undertaken for business reasons, and expenditure on business hospitality is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.
Crimes of Violence: Females
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which countries he plans to deploy teams of experts as part of his Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative; and what the (a) proposed timetable and (b) planned duration of those deployments is. [127450]
Mark Simmonds: The UK Team of Experts is now 70 strong. We are currently in the process of assessing where it will deploy. To identify and prioritise deployments we have conducted country level assessments and consultations in: Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Colombia, Guatemala and Sri Lanka. These assessments have examined the extent and impact of sexual violence, the national and international response to date and the particular role the UK can play in reinforcing or complementing existing efforts.
Each team-deployment will be tailored to local needs and circumstances.
Each deployment will vary in duration.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative; and what the nature of such discussions has been. [127451]
Mark Simmonds:
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has regularly discussed the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative with his Department for International Development (DFID) counterpart. From its launch in May, it has been developed in close collaboration with DFID. This has included the secondment of a senior DFID Policy Advisor to join the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) team; close working on assessments between FCO and DFID staff
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at country levels; and regular update meetings between the Violence Against Women and Girls Team and the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative Team.
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to ensure that the empowerment of women is the focus of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative; and in what way the design of the initiative will ensure it contributes to women's empowerment. [127452]
Mark Simmonds: A major FCO initiative on preventing sexual violence has been developed in co-ordination with the Department for International Development teams that work on Women Peace and Security and Violence Against Women and Girls respectively. The Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) interventions will, where appropriate, support and complement these other programmes and ensure that women's empowerment remains a key principle of the overall approach. Sexual violence, however, does not only affect women. While women are often the majority of survivors of sexual violence in conflict, there is strong evidence that men, and children (of both sexes) also suffer considerably. We will ensure that PSVI will complement efforts to support women's empowerment programmes but also to work where appropriate with men and boys.
Dalai Lama
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 November 2012, Official Report, column 454W, on Dalai Lama, what the content was of the advice given to Ministers (a) before and (b) during His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visits during 2012. [128123]
Mr Swire: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advised Ministers that the best approach to the visit of the Dalai Lama was of predictability, consistency and principle.
Developing Countries: Females
Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding his Department provides in (a) Afghanistan, (b) Liberia, (c) Nepal, (d) Pakistan and (e) Sierra Leone to support women's rights and participation in peacebuilding. [127700]
Mark Simmonds: The British Government provides a wide range of funding to support women's rights and participation in peacebuilding to non-government organisations, bilaterally to other states and through multilateral organisations such as UN Women. In 2011-12 the Conflict Pool, managed jointly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defence, disbursed £193 million in support of its priority areas including building free, transparent and inclusive political systems and effective and accountable security and justice.
The FCO also contributes to wider civil society projects which support women's rights and participation in peacebuilding. In Afghanistan we support women's rights and participation in a variety of ways, including through Conflict Pool contributions. This year a contribution of
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£500,000 will be made to both the Afghan Parliamentary Assistance Programme and the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission. In Nepal, FCO funding to a UN Development Programme multi-donor project will strengthen the capacity of the National Human Rights Commission to help develop a responsive and accessible justice system to promote gender equality, social inclusion and rule of law including through formal and informal processes.
We have several small scale projects which impact both Liberia and Sierra Leone, and include some element of increasing women's participation. The British high commission in Freetown is currently providing £65,000 to five separate projects encouraging participation of all citizens, including women, in the Sierra Leone elections scheduled to take place on 17 November.
The FCO also manages a human rights and democracy fund which includes a target of combating discrimination against women. Through the Human Rights and Democracy Programme Fund we are supporting a £60,000 project that seeks to enhance the capacity of Pakistani journalists to produce balanced and gender sensitive reporting on women's issues.
Egypt
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the incidence of anti-Semitism in Egypt; what recent discussions he has had with the government of Egypt on that issue; what response was received; and if he will make a statement. [R] [127488]
Alistair Burt: We are not aware of any specific reports of recent incidences of anti-Semitism in Egypt, though we have been made aware of Israeli protests following reported remarks of Muslim Brotherhood Spiritual Guide Mohammed Badie of an anti-Semitic character.
We remain concerned about minority rights in general, and raise these concerns with the Egyptian Government. Most recently, in his meeting with President Mursi on 26 September, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of ensuring that the rights of all minorities would be protected. President Mursi emphasized his commitment to building a state with equal rights for all.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Israel on anti-Semitism in Egypt; what response was received; and if he will make a statement. [R] [127489]
Alistair Burt: We maintain a close dialogue with Israel. Most recently, on 1 November, the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office hosted the fourth annual UK-Israel Strategic Dialogue with a high-level Israeli delegation, which included discussion of Egypt.
Israeli officials in Tel Aviv have raised concerns with us about anti-Semitism in Egypt. We have made clear that anti-Semitism is unacceptable wherever it occurs.
Foreign Office Ministers have been clear throughout events in Egypt since the revolution that the freedom of religious belief needs to be protected and that the ability to worship in peace is a vital component of a democratic society. We continue to urge the Egyptian
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authorities to promote religious tolerance and revisit policies which discriminate against anyone on the basis of their religion.
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the US administration about anti-Semitism in Egypt; and if he will make a statement. [R] [127490]
Alistair Burt: The UK and the US share a common interest in the protection of religious minority rights in Egypt. UK and US officials have discussed recent anti-Semitic comments in this context.
Nigeria
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps officials in his Department are taking to protect Christian communities in Nigeria with particular reference to the area of Jos; and if he will make a statement. [127473]
Mark Simmonds: The British Government is committed to working with the Nigerian authorities and civil society to improve security for all Nigerian citizens. Christian and Muslim communities in particular have suffered great losses from ongoing violence. Our acting high commissioner met the Nigerian Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs on 5 November and discussed our concerns about insecurity in Nigeria.
Through our high commission in Abuja and the Department for International Development (DFID) we are supporting the Nigerian authorities in tackling security challenges and promoting peace building and reconciliation projects. DFID has established a Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation programme which includes activities in Plateau state, in particular Jos. These programmes aim to address the causes of grievances that can lead to extremism and terrorism, and support conflict resolution and reconciliation processes.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Officials visited the most seriously affected areas of Jos in August to assess the causes of conflict and the security situation. They met representatives of the Christian and Muslin) communities, non government organisations, academics and journalists, as well as government officials. We continue to assess what further action the British Government can take to assist Nigerian authorities and civil society to tackle insecurity.
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Nigerian counterpart on the protection of religious freedom. [127474]
Mark Simmonds: Our acting high commissioner in Abuja met senior officials on 5 November at the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed violence in northern Nigeria, much of which we assess is designed to provoke religious division in Nigeria, including for example the most recent attack on 28 October in Kaduna city.
We regularly call for those responsible to be brought to justice and for the Government of Nigeria to ensure that all Nigerian citizens, regardless of their beliefs,
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have the safety and protection to live and practice their beliefs as they choose. Through the high commission in Abuja we continue to raise our concerns with the Nigerian Government, at both state and federal level. The permanent secretaries of the Foreign Commonwealth Office, the Department for International Development and Ministry of Defence also raised this issue during their recent visit.
Occupied Territories
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government has made to the Government of Israel on prevention of further settlement expansion. [127508]
Alistair Burt: We regularly raise our concerns over settlements with the Israel Government, including at the highest levels, most recently with the Prime Minister's office on 24 October and in the course of the UK's Strategic Dialogue with Israel in London on 1 November.
On 7 November, I issued the following statement commenting on the publication of tenders for 1,213 settlement units in East Jerusalem and 72 in Ariel:
“I condemn yesterday's provocative decision to advance settlement construction in East Jerusalem and the West Bank through the publication of tenders for 1,285 settlement housing units. The UK has been consistently clear that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and by altering the situation on the ground are making the two state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, increasingly hard to realise. It is deeply disappointing that the Government of Israel continues to ignore the appeals of the UK and other friends of Israel.”
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Israeli government on the destruction of civilian housing in Palestinian Occupied Territory by Israeli armed forces. [128035]
Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last met Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on 23 July in the margins of the EU-Israel Association Council. The issue of Israeli demolitions was not raised. However, we regularly raise the issue of demolitions with Israeli authorities at senior official and where possible ministerial level.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received representations from the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions; and if he will make a statement. [128036]
Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has not met with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). I saw a delegation from ICAHD on 16 October and discussed the situation in the west bank.
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Papua New Guinea
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to promote good governance in Papua New Guinea. [127431]
Mr Swire: Through our bilateral support to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and our support through international organisations, including the Commonwealth, we continue to support efforts to strengthen governance in Papua New Guinea. In support of PNG’s recent elections, our high commission in Port Moresby worked closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat’s election monitoring mission and supported their report on the elections, including the recommendations for change. When I met Foreign Minister Pato in September, I encouraged PNG to continue to work with the Commonwealth Secretariat on constitutional reform. The UK Government also funded the PNG Election Commission Media Centre to assist in the swift and transparent distribution of election results.
Our high commission in Port Moresby is also working to increase awareness of the need to prevent corruption. They, and Transparency International, helped to set up the Business Against Corruption Alliance which encourages businesses to play their part in tackling corruption. Our high commission in Port Moresby also funded a workshop on the implementation of the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the rights of indigenous peoples in Papua New Guinea. [127432]
Mr Swire: We continue to call on the Government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to ratify the UN declaration of rights of indigenous people. Papua New Guinea is a very diverse country and is home to over 800 different local tribes. Traditionally about 95% to 97% of land is owned by the people of PNG and about 3% to 5% for other development or government use. Customary land ownership laws are enshrined in the PNG constitution but common resources such as minerals and water are state-owned by law. As PNGs economy grows, the Government is having to balance land ownership rights with encouraging the development of the mostly rural countryside. The Government set up a system of special agricultural business leases (SABLs) to free up forested customary land for agricultural development, but these were beset by allegations that landowners were duped into relinquishing customary rights and that the Government failed to ensure that landowners benefited and developers were held accountable. There is currently a moratorium on SABLs and a review report is expected soon. Our high commission is monitoring the situation and will raise the recommendations of the SABLs report with the Government.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Papua New Guinea counterpart on the human rights situation in Papua New Guinea. [127662]
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Mr Swire: During a meeting I had with Foreign Minister Pato in New York September this year I raised the importance of constitutional reform as a key way of improving the human rights situation in Papua New Guinea.
Through our high commission in Port Moresby, we also regularly raise human rights issues with the Papua New Guinea Government, including the recommendations of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women.
Syria
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United Nations on the reinstatement of a monitoring mission to Syria. [127505]
Alistair Burt: As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), said in his response to the hon. Member for Motherwell and Wishaw (Mr Roy) on 30 October 2012, Official Report, column 144, there are no current plans to resume a UN monitoring mission. The previous mission found it impossible to do their job because the Syrian regime did not keep its word and fighting continued.
We support the UN-Arab League Special Representative Brahimi's efforts to bring about an end to violence and implement the Geneva Communiqué and continue to work for a diplomatic solution to: alleviate suffering inside Syria; to support opposition groups on the ground; and to urge Russia and China to work with us to end the violence and support political transition.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of the present rate of defections from the Syrian army; and what steps the international community can take to encourage and facilitate further such defections. [127506]
Alistair Burt: The lack of independent reporting from Syria makes it difficult to assess the present rate of desertions from the Syrian military and to know how many are defecting to the ranks of the opposition. However we have reports that there have been significant numbers, including senior military figures. In addition, a number of senior diplomats, Government Ministers and influential businessmen have courageously turned their back on President Assad.
The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to encourage those who support Assad to step away from him. We do this including through EU sanctions targeted against those who continue to support Assad and his brutal methods.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Russian and Chinese counterparts concerning their respective positions on Syria. [127507]
Alistair Burt:
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), with his EU colleagues discussed Syria with the Russian Foreign Minister on
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14 October in Luxembourg. The Secretary of State discussed Syria with the Chinese Foreign Minister ahead of the UN Security Council meeting on 19 July and with State Councilor Dai Bingguo on 27 July. Officials discuss Syria regularly with their Russian and Chinese counterparts.
We continue to press Russia and China to back the more decisive UN Security Council action needed to compel all parties in Syria to cease the violence and to work towards a sustainable political solution. We have been deeply disappointed with their decisions to veto three UNSC Resolutions on Syria and made this very clear publicly and privately.
Defence
Afghanistan
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department has been of each year of Operation Herrick. [124751]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 25 October 2012]: The net additional cost of operations in Afghanistan is published in the annual report which can be found at:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/CorporatePublications/AnnualReports/
These costs are over and above the costs that MOD would incur on a day-to-day basis, such as normal pay, pensions, etc., which would be payable regardless of any overseas operations taking place.
The costs are shown in the following table:
| Financial year | £ million |
| Note: Figures are rounded to nearest £10 million. | |
Figures for 2011-12 will be published in the 2011-12 annual report.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times UK forces in Afghanistan have requested permission to patrol with members of the Afghan National Security Forces at company level this year; how many such requests were turned down; and for what reasons such requests were turned down. [126447]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 2 November 2012]: UK forces undertake a range of partnered activities with the Afghan National Security Forces which include, but are not limited to, joint patrolling, mentoring, training, visiting and the holding of shuras. All of these activities can involve an element of joint patrolling.
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There is no formal approvals process on either the Afghan or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) side for the conduct of partnered patrols at whatever level, and due to the sheer numbers involved this would prove difficult to implement. Over the past 12 months Task Force Helmand completed in excess of 47,000 partnered patrols. Such patrols are authorised by commanders on the ground.
The UK's overall approach to mentoring in Task Force Helmand has been approved by the ISAF Commanding General of Regional Command South-West.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the total number of (a) fatalities and (b) serious casualties of Afghanistan and Pakistan civilians resulting from action by (i) UK forces and (ii) other NATO forces in each of the last two years. [126730]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 6 November 2012]: The UK and NATO are not involved in any military combat operations in Pakistan.
We deeply regret all civilian casualties. While we investigate carefully all alleged incidents involving UK forces, the Government do not record total figures for insurgent or civilian casualties in Afghanistan because of the immense difficulty and risks that would be involved in collecting robust data. The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan released its own most recent report on civilian casualties in July 2012, which recorded a total of 1,145 civilian deaths from 1 January 2012 to 31 June 2012, 80% of which were attributed to anti-government forces, and 10% of which could not be attributed.
Protecting the Afghan civilian population is a cornerstone of the international security assistance force’s mission, and all British troops undergo comprehensive training on the strict rules of engagement. This contrasts directly with the attitude of the insurgents, who use indiscriminate tactics, including suicide bombs and improvised explosive devices, as well as the deliberate and targeted killing of civilians.
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to tactics for (a) dealing with improvised exploded devices in Afghanistan and (b) patrolling in partnership with members of the Afghan National Army. [126784]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 6 November 2012]: UK armed forces deployed in Afghanistan constantly review their tactics, techniques and procedures in line with the roles that they are undertaking, the situation on the ground and the latest threat assessments, and lessons identified are reflected back into training for future deployments.
The most significant recent changes to tactics relevant to improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan have been to reflect the introduction of the Foxhound protected mobility vehicle.
Combined patrolling is one aspect of our interaction with Afghan national security forces and in response to the recent increase in insider attacks we, NATO and the Afghan Government have undertaken several initiatives to mitigate the risks, including for instance reviewing our national pre-deployment training.
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I cannot, however, be more specific on how we have amended particular tactics to respond to these developments as to do so would, or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unmanned aerial vehicle strikes have been conducted by the UK since operations commenced in Afghanistan; and what proportion of such strikes were classed as (a) targeted and (b) signature missions in each year for which figures are available. [127650]
Mr Robathan: As of 1 November 2012, 297 Hellfire precision guided missiles and 52 laser guided bombs have been employed by the UK Reaper remotely piloted air system (RPAS) since operations commenced in Afghanistan. Reaper is the only UK RPAS which carries weapons.
‘Signature missions’ are not a classification recognised by the UK military.
All strikes are against targets which are positively identified as legitimate military objectives, and attacks are prosecuted in strict accordance with the law of armed conflict.
Weapons released by remotely piloted air system are done so under the command of a pilot who uses rules of engagement no different to those used for manned UK combat aircraft. The weapons are all precision guided, and every effort is made to ensure the risk of civilian casualties is minimised.
Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations
Mr Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the highest recognised FCO level for (a) native and (b) non-native (i) Pashtun, (ii) Dari and (iii) Farsi soldiers currently serving in Afghanistan. [123936]
Mr Robathan: Language competence of UK armed forces is not assessed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or against FCO standards (currently the Common European Framework of Reference). UK military linguists are assessed by the Ministry of Defence Language Examinations Board against the NATO Standardisation Agreement 6001 Edition 4.
Animal Experiments
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received and what his policy is on Noveprim Ltd, an overseas primate breeding supplier to UK laboratories approved by his Department, killing monkeys for being the wrong size; and if he will make a statement. [126927]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
We received correspondence from the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection on 1 November 2012 about the trade in long-tailed macaques for research from Mauritius. We are considering the points raised in the correspondence and will respond shortly.
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The Home Office has no remit to approve or accredit overseas primate breeding centres. However, currently, the use of any non-human primate under a project licence issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which has been obtained from an overseas source requires prior approval which is given only if the conditions at the breeding centre are acceptable to the Home Office at that time.
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to end the import of the offspring of wild-caught monkeys, known as F1 generation, from Mauritius. [126928]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The Government currently has no plans to end the use of F1 generation macaques under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, whether sourced from Mauritius or elsewhere. At present, about two-thirds of macaques used in the United Kingdom under the 1986 Act are the offspring of captive-bred animals (F2 animals). The remainder are F1.
European directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes sets out dates from which member states must, in due course, ensure that only F2 non-human primates may be used and provides for a feasibility study to be carried out to confirm those dates. Provision is also made in directive 2010/63/EU for an examination of the feasibility of moving towards sourcing non-human primates from self-sustaining colonies.
Army: Germany
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where troops stationed in Germany will be stationed on return to the UK. [126448]
Mr Francois [holding answer 2 November 2012]: Following the announcement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, made by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on Army 2020, the Ministry of Defence has been developing detailed plans for the military footprint across the UK (including those forces returning from Germany). This work is still ongoing and an announcement will be made in due course.
Gurkhas
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement. [126570]
Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085, in which he announced the future structure of the British Army.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the situation of Gurkhas seeking to obtain UK citizenship; and whether his Department plans to make any further changes in order to restore citizenship rights for former and active Gurkhas. [126693]
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Mr Robathan: Gurkha personnel serving with the British Army are required to remain Nepali citizens during their service. On their retirement, Gurkhas may apply for UK citizenship under Home Office arrangements if they meet the qualifying criteria. These criteria require retired Gurkha personnel to have completed four years service in order to be eligible to apply to settle in the UK. 12 months after gaining settlement in the UK retired Gurkhas may apply for citizenship.
Libya
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 29 October 2012, Official Report, column 30W, on Libya, what munitions were deployed by the Typhoon aircraft flown from (a) the UK and (b) Italy into Libyan airspace during Operation Ellamy. [126423]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 2 November 2012]: During Operation Ellamy last year, Typhoon aircraft deployed with a mixture of advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, advanced short range air-to-air missiles and enhanced Paveway II munitions on combat sorties from Italy into Libya. No combat sorties were flown by Typhoon aircraft direct from the UK.
Military Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of the Sentinel R.1 aircraft to provide maritime surveillance capability in rough seas. [126987]
Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence is conducting an investigation into airborne intelligence surveillance targeting acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities, which will be completed by the time of the strategic defence and security review in 2015 and will inform our future maritime surveillance and maritime patrol requirements, including consideration of relevant in-service platforms, such as Sentinel R1. However, I am withholding further information as its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
Military Exercises
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the results of Exercise Mountain Dragon; and if he will make a statement. [126585]
Mr Robathan: Exercise Mountain Dragon is the primary output of the Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC) at RAF Waddington. The exercise uses demanding and realistic scenarios, drawn directly from the operational theatre, which replicate current procedures, rules of engagement and platform capabilities. This cannot be replicated by live training and makes a vital contribution to preparing forces for deployment.
RAF Waddington
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in using the Air Battlespace Training Centre at RAF Waddington as a training centre for interoperability between services. [126571]
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Mr Robathan: The Air Battlespace Training Centre (ABTC), based at RAF Waddington, provides an effective and cost-effective synthetic training environment. By providing land units with an air land integration simulation capability, which includes the range of air and land-based offensive weapon systems available to support the battlefield commander, the ABTC has significantly improved interoperability training between the services prior to deployment on operations.
Energy and Climate Change
Business Interests
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has published guidance on the rules governing its advisers working in private consultancies at the same time. [127963]
Gregory Barker: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 22 October 2012, Official Report, column 667W.
Carbon Sequestration
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish the criteria by which projects were assessed prior to announcing his shortlist for the Government's carbon capture and storage competition; and whether projects were independently audited. [127996]
Mr Hayes: The criteria by which projects in the Carbon Capture and Storage Competition were assessed are set out in the Invitation to Participate in Discussions (ITPD) documentation. This is available on the Contracts Finder website at:
http://www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
(search CCS Commercialisation).
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the date by which projects were due to be completed was a factor in the assessment of projects in respect of the shortlisting process for the Government's carbon capture and storage competition. [127997]
Mr Hayes: In order to be eligible for the competition, projects had to demonstrate the potential to be operational between 2016 and 2020.