12 Dec 2012 : Column 295W
12 Dec 2012 : Column 295W
Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 12 December 2012
International Development
Parenting Education Programmes
10. Mr Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to support parenting education programmes in less developed countries. [133030]
Lynne Featherstone: Increasing evidence shows early childhood development, to which parenting education can contribute, yields lifelong benefits. We support parents and children through our health, nutrition and education development assistance and are considering, specifically, how we might further help parents give children the best start in life.
Rakhine State: Burma
11. Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Rakhine state, Burma. [133031]
Mr Duncan: Around 115,000 people remain in camps following violence between the de facto stateless Muslim Rohingya and the Buddhist Rakhine communities. Many lack food, safe drinking water or adequate sanitation.
The UK has allocated bilateral funds to provide water, sanitation and nutrition to more than 58,000 people.
The Sahel
12. Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in the Sahel region of West Africa. [133032]
Lynne Featherstone: Early harvest estimates across the Sahel are positive for 2013. However many people remain locked in a chronic state of food insecurity, exacerbated by conflict in Mali. The UK Government are committed to helping communities to become more resilient to this cycle of crises.
International Labour Organisation
14. Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met the Director General of the International Labour Organisation. [133034]
Mr Duncan: I held a meeting with Guy Ryder, Director General of the International Labour Organisation, on 12 September this year. We discussed how ILO and DFID can continue to work together at country level to deliver results on shared priorities such as decent work for all and social protection.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 296W
Causes of Poverty
15. Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to tackle the causes as well as the symptoms of poverty in developing countries. [133035]
Justine Greening: My Department’s policy is to tackle both the causes and symptoms of poverty. This includes putting in place building blocks of prosperity through promoting open societies and open economies—what the Prime Minister has referred to as the ‘Golden Thread’ of development.
European Development Fund
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons the Government is opposed to increasing expenditure by the European Development Fund. [133207]
Justine Greening: I refer the hon. member for Bury South to the answer given to him on 19 November 2012, Official Report, column 410W. The Government believes that we should have a negotiated outcome on all aspects of EU expenditure that is affordable to the UK taxpayer.
International Assistance
Sir Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent in support of each of the Millennium Development Goals since 2000. [132477]
Justine Greening: The Department for International Development reports its spend to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development—Development Assistance Committee. The UN aggregate this information with spend from other donors to track global progress toward the millennium development goals. Its latest report can be found here:
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
The Department's own publication on UK aid spending, Statistics on International Development, can be found here. This includes spend by sector:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/
Libya
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what analysis her Department has undertaken of illegal migration flows through Libya; what support it provides to assist Libya manage and halt illegal migration flows; and if she will make a statement. [132998]
Mr Duncan: The UK has recently been approached by the Libyan authorities to provide a border security expert to assist them in strengthening strategy and management. Last month, with the support of the Home Office, we facilitated a visit by a number of Libyans to the UK to discuss border management.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 297W
Pay
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in her Department in each of the last two years. [132865]
Mr Duncan: DFID pays performance-related awards to staff at the end of the performance year. DFID does not operate an in-year bonus scheme. The total performance-related payments made to DFID staff in each of the last three years is shown in the following table.
| Performance year | Total amount paid (£) |
Public Appointments
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which recruitment consultants her Department used to select candidates for public appointments within her departmental remit in each year for which figures are available since 2007; and how much was paid in fees to each such company in each year since 2007. [132773]
Mr Duncan: No recruitment consultants have been used to support the recruitment of public appointments since 2007 in two of the non-departmental bodies within the remit of the Department for International Development. The recruitment consultants Egon Zehnder International were used to support public appointments to CDC on three occasions since 2007 (2008: £40,000, 2009 and 2010: not available). There have been no instances of using recruitment consultants since then.
Sickness Absence
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average number of working days lost was per person in (a) her Department and (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years. [133146]
Mr Duncan: The average number of working days lost to sickness absence by Home Civil Servant (HCS) staff within the Department for International Development (DFID), during each of the last five years, is shown in the following table:
| Average working days lost to sickness absence per HCS employee | |
The figures for 2012 are based on our latest sickness absence return to Cabinet Office which covers the 12 month period 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 298W
Education
Consultants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent staff were employed on consultancy contracts in his Department on the latest date for which figures are available; how many such staff were employed on the same date 12 months ago; and if he will make a statement. [132200]
Elizabeth Truss: This table shows the number of full-time equivalent consultants employed by the Department for Education and Executive Agencies for the dates requested.
| Department for Education and Executive Agencies | |
| Number of consultant full-time equivalent staff | |
Education: Assessments
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the library copies of all documents and guidance sent to schools taking the Programme for International Student Assessment test in 2009 and in 2012. [132339]
Elizabeth Truss: The OECD produces a “School Co-ordinator's Manual” which describes PISA and sets out the role of the school co-ordinator, such as nominating a suitable date for the school to undertake the assessment. The manual for PISA 2009 is publicly available on the OECD website:
http://www.oecd.org/pisa/pisaproducts/pisa2009/49024507.pdf
The manual for PISA 2012 is not yet available.
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when schools sat the Programme for International Student Assessment test in England in 2009 and in 2012. [132340]
Elizabeth Truss: The testing period for PISA 2012 is from 5 November 2012 to 14 December 2012. PISA 2009 testing was carried out between 2 November 2009 and 11 December 2009.
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what basis schools were selected for the Programme for International Student Assessment test in 2012. [132341]
Elizabeth Truss: The school sample for PISA was selected by the PISA Consortium which is under contract to OECD. The Department for Education had no role in the process.
A list of all eligible schools and their pupil populations was sent to the PISA Consortium by the Department's contractor, the National Foundation for Educational Research. The Consortium carried out the school sampling then sent the list of selected schools back to NFER.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 299W
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the list of schools in England which sat the Programme for International Student Assessment test during the 2009 and 2012 cycle. [132342]
Elizabeth Truss: Schools participate in PISA on the basis that neither the Department for Education nor the Department's contractor for PISA, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), will disclose the names of individuals or schools involved in the survey either in any reports arising from the use of this data or in any other way. All data processing is in line with the Data Protection Act.
Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the ranked performance of pupils at maintained schools and sixth form colleges was at (a) GCSE and (b) A level in each local education authority in the most recent period for which figures are available. [132398]
Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 10 December 2012]: The 2011 School Performance Tables include a wide range of indicators for each maintained school and sixth form college and can be ranked by these indicators on the website:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/
The links on the right allow for schools to be selected, and the ‘filters' option means that sixth form colleges only can be chosen. To rank by an indicator, click on the indicator heading.
The indicators can also be downloaded from the departmental website, in a format that allows easy ranking, here:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download_data.html
Definitions for each indicator are available from the following link:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/metadata.html
Further information can be accessed by clicking the ‘plus' next to the appropriate heading.
The 2012 School Performance Tables at GCSE and A level will be published in late January 2013.
Foster Care: Rotherham
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date he was informed that the children involved in the UKIP-related fostering case in Rotherham had been the subject of an earlier court decision. [131898]
Mr Timpson [holding answer 6 December 2012]: Ministers became aware on 30 November that there had been previous care proceedings in connection with the children concerned.
Further Education
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many successful bids for (a) university technical colleges and (b) studio schools were sponsored by further education colleges. [132140]
12 Dec 2012 : Column 300W
Matthew Hancock [holding answer 10 December 2012]: 22 University Technical Colleges are open or in the pre-opening stage with a Further Education College as part of the sponsor group, alongside universities and employers. 18 Studio Schools are open or in pre-opening stage with a Further Education College as part of the sponsor group.
Head Lice
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many outbreaks of head lice there have been in schools in (a) England and (b) Lancashire in each of the last five years; [132691]
(2) how many times nurses have been called into schools in (a) England and (b) Lancashire to deal with outbreaks of head lice in each of the last five years. [132692]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department of Education does not gather the information requested. It is a matter for individual school determination as to how they manage any incidents of head lice and the appropriateness of when to call in a school nurse.
Languages: Primary Education
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on language teaching in primary schools; and if he will make a statement. [132918]
Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 10 December 2012]: We believe that an early start to language teaching will inspire pupils with a love of languages, improve their literacy and cognitive skills and benefit their education in secondary school. We have therefore confirmed, subject to parliamentary approval, our decision that teaching a foreign language at key stage 2 will be a statutory requirement in all maintained schools from September 2014.
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132876]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department's finance system does not hold information at the level of detail requested. To obtain the information would be at a disproportionate cost.
Pay
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in his Department in each of the last two years. [132863]
12 Dec 2012 : Column 301W
Elizabeth Truss: The Department paid £1,250,000 for exceptional performance in 2010-11 and £1,500,000 for exceptional performance in 2011-12 (the higher amount is due to an increase in headcount from the opening of four new Agencies). The 2012-13 performance year concludes on 31 March 2013.
The Department does not pay in-year bonuses for performance.
Pre-school Education
Jack Lopresti: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to help providers set-up new pre-schools. [131794]
Elizabeth Truss: The Government provide substantial funding to local authorities to enable them to meet their statutory duty to secure early education places for all three and four-year-olds. From September 2013 this programme will be extended to around 130,000 two-year-olds from lower income families. We have provided greater transparency and clarity on the funding available to secure early years provision to give providers the confidence to invest and build sustainable new provision.
The Minister for Women and Equalities, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), also recently announced a £2 million grant fund to help new child care businesses to get off the ground. The Prime Minister launched a child care commission in June this year to look at how we can improve the availability and affordability of child care and reduce burdens on child care providers. We have been listening very closely to the views of front-line professionals, parents and others on these issues. We will be setting out next steps shortly.
Private Education: Special Educational Needs
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will increase support for independent specialist providers of special educational needs services for people over 16 years old; and if he will make a statement. [131895]
Mr Timpson [holding answer 6 December 2012]: From 2013/14 new funding arrangements are being implemented for independent specialist providers and similar specialist institutions. These arrangements will support the Government's plans to introduce a more integrated approach to assessment and planning for young people with special educational needs from birth to age 25. Although local authority statutory duties towards young people with special educational needs remain unchanged, the Department is attaching two important conditions to these arrangements which will support independent specialist providers. The first is that local authorities are required to continue with existing placements when the new arrangements come into effect, and the second is that local authorities will be required to look at placements in all institutions including independent specialist providers on a fair and equivalent basis.
The changes mean that most of the funding for such placements will be routed to institutions through local authorities who will join up education, health and social care funding into a coherent package. This will also enable individual budgets for young people and their families who want them, across the full range of their
12 Dec 2012 : Column 302W
needs. I can confirm that the overall high needs student budget is £620 million for each full academic year. These changes will help to improve transparency, quality and choice for young people who may wish to attend an independent specialist provider. They will also help to secure greater equity in funding for different types of institutions, including independent specialist providers, and will move us towards a student-driven funding system that promotes choice and raises quality.
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) pursuant to the written evidence provided by his Department to the Education Committee in its inquiry into Special Educational Needs, SEN 153, HC 631, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that local authorities provide a full list of places available at independent post-16 specialist colleges; and if he will make a statement; [131915]
(2) what level of information he plans to require local authorities to provide to young people and their families on the services of post-16 independent specialist providers (a) within and (b) outside the local authority area under his proposals for a local offer of special educational need options in the draft Children and Families Bill; and what right such children will have to choose to attend such institutions. [131916]
Mr Timpson [holding answer 6 December 2012]: Independent specialist colleges make a valuable contribution to the education for young people with special educational needs. In September this year, the Government published draft legislation that would reform provision for children and young people with special educational needs. This draft legislation would place local authorities under a duty to consult independent specialist colleges when keeping their education and care provision under review (clause 7), both within their immediate area and beyond for young people for whom they are responsible and who have special educational needs. It would also require local authorities to publish a local offer setting out the provision they expect to be available both within and outside their area for children and young people for whom they are responsible (clause 11). We would expect this offer to include details of relevant independent specialist colleges and local authorities would continue to be able to commission places from them, where it is in a young person's best interests to do so.
The draft provisions are currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. During this time, we have been exploring with the independent specialist college sector whether the provisions should give young people an explicit right to request a place at an independent specialist college with a corresponding duty on that institution to admit the young person.
School Meals
Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what resources his Department has provided for implementation of the School Food Plan; over what time period those resources will be spent; and from which departmental budgets they will be distributed. [132092]
Elizabeth Truss:
The independent reviewers are due to conclude their work on the School Food Plan in 2013. It is for the reviewers to decide what recommendations
12 Dec 2012 : Column 303W
they wish to make to improve school food. Until they report and we respond to their recommendations, we are unable to estimate what resources will be required and over what time period.
School Milk
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding his Department allocated for the promotion of (a) school milk and (b) nursery milk in each of the last 10 years. [131795]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education has not allocated funding for the promotion of either school milk or nursery milk in the last 10 years.
Schools are not obliged to provide milk but if they do they can choose to take part in the EU school milk subsidy scheme, which reduces the cost of milk to parents for primary and secondary pupils. For nursery pupils, schools can choose to participate in the nursery milk scheme, which provides free milk to pupils under the age of five.
The EU school milk subsidy scheme is operated by the Rural Payments Agency on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). DEFRA does not provide any funds for the promotion of school milk. The dairy industry is responsible for the promotion of the consumption of milk and has in the past been successful in obtaining EU funding to promote milk, such as Dairy UK's ‘Make Mine Milk’ campaign.
The Department of Health (DH) is responsible for the funding of the nursery milk scheme. The scheme reimburses child care providers for the cost of a third of a pint of milk provided to eligible children under five years old who attend the setting for two or more hours a day. DH does not actively promote the nursery milk scheme, but awareness of the scheme is high. Over 50,000 child care providers are currently registered with the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit, and the scheme is valued by parents and pre-school staff.
Information about the scheme is available on the Nursery Milk Reimbursement Unit and Department of Health's websites.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of senior civil servants have left (a) his Department and (b) each of the public bodies for which he is responsible since May 2010; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants has been in (i) his Department and (ii) each such body since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [132178]
Elizabeth Truss: From May 2010 the average annual turnover rate of senior civil servants for the Department and its Agencies was 11.1%.
Special Educational Needs
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of children on (a) School Action and (b) School Action Plus programmes who will not be eligible for the new single school level support. [131870]
12 Dec 2012 : Column 304W
Mr Timpson [holding answer 6 December 2012]: The School Action and School Action Plus categories are not centrally stipulated programmes. As such there is no formal link with eligibility for support. In practice the classifications are used by different schools and local authorities in different ways.
Our proposal, set out in the Green Paper ‘Support and Aspiration—A new approach to special educational needs and disability’, is to make changes that bring together the School Action and School Action Plus (SA/SA+) categories to help improve teaching and support for pupils with special educational needs.
The change will not affect the overall availability of support for children with SEN; the aim is to promote better identification of need and associated provision. Ofsted's 2010 report—‘a statement is not enough’—showed that schools identify as having SEN many children whose needs could be met by improving teaching and learning for all, with individual goals for improvement. All children need to have provision that is suitable to them. More accurate identification has the potential to improve both the identification of specific needs and the effectiveness of specific SEN provision.
Staff Surveys
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey was. [132107]
Elizabeth Truss: The results of the October 2012 Department for Education staff survey will be placed in the Library on the same day as the results are published on our website:
www.education.gov.uk
which will be by 31 January 2013.
The survey was carried out by ORC International Ltd.
The cost of the survey will be approximately £19,877. The exact cost will be known in the spring. The Department participates in the Civil Service People Survey carried out across the entire civil service since 2009. This approach, which is managed by the Cabinet Office, delivers strong efficiencies by eliminating previously duplicated effort and project management and realises strong value for money; the cost of the 2012 survey across the civil service will be approximately 60% lower than what was spent separately by Departments and Agencies in 2008/09 on their own staff surveys.
Teachers: Qualifications
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which (a) primary and (b) secondary schools had more than (i) 30 per cent, (ii) 40 per cent and (iii) 50 per cent unqualified teachers in each local authority area, in each year for which data is available. [130683]
Elizabeth Truss: Figures for all years for which there are data available could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 305W
The information requested for January 1996, the earliest available, 2001, 2006 and November 2011 has been placed in the House Libraries.
Communities and Local Government
Catering
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on refreshments since May 2010. [127114]
Brandon Lewis: We have interpreted refreshments to mean food and drink for meetings. My Department has taken a series of steps to reduce spending in this area, as illustrated by the following table:
| Spending | £ |
My Department daily holds conferences, seminars and meetings with representatives from across the local government, communities, housing and planning sectors, at which light refreshments may be served.
However, guidance to staff now states that refreshments may only be ordered for meetings with external attendees of longer than four hours. Staff should avoid arranging meetings over lunchtime where possible and attendees should normally be asked to bring their own refreshments where practical.
This administration has also clamped down on ministerial and officials’ expenditure on dining through the Government Procurement Card, assisted by online transparency. Ministerial group spending of taxpayers’ money on Government Procurement Cards under the last Administration included the likes of ‘refreshments’ at the Cinnamon Club, the Wolseley, Brasserie 44, Boisdales, Sky City Casino, Inn the Park, Mango Tree, Shepherds, Incognico, Buffalo Bar, Tantric Jazz, Mr Chu's China Palace and Fat Tuesdays.
My Department under this Administration has stopped such spendthrift practices.
Employment Agencies
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the use of offshore employment companies in the supply of public sector workers in his Department and its associated public bodies. [128736]
Brandon Lewis:
All recruitment and appointment to public sector roles in DCLG are subject to the normal civil service rules governing fair and open competition. All permanent appointments are made in compliance with the Civil Service Commissioners rules and are subject to regular audit by them. The procurement of other staff, such as consultants and interims, are subject
12 Dec 2012 : Column 306W
to internal processes that require formal business case approval to ensure transparency, compliance and efficient use of public money.
In addition, my Department is implementing the recommendations of the Government's review into the tax arrangements of senior public sector appointees.
Flood Control: Finance
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sums local authorities in England are projected to spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management support by formula grant from his Department in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15. [133256]
Brandon Lewis: Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant so authorities are free to spend it on any service. For this reason, and due to the method of calculating formula grant, particularly floor damping, it is not possible to say how much grant has been provided for any particular service, including flood and coastal erosion risk management.
Proposals for 2013-14 funding for local authorities will be set out in the provisional Local Government Finance settlement expected in late December.
Non-domestic Rates: Appeals
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he will publish the statistical data on the number of non-domestic rates appeals made with and settled by the Valuation Office Agency in the last quarter to (a) June and (b) September 2012. [132063]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is currently developing a new official statistics release on business rates that will cover all changes to the rating lists including the number of challenges to the list and the consequent change in rateable value. The release will provide statistics over the lifetime of both 2005 and 2010 lists with a breakdown at local authority level. The VOA will announce the date of publication and contents of this release as soon as possible.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2012, Official Report, column 733-4W, on sick leave, what assessment he has made of the difference in the proportion of working days lost due to ill health between officers at administrative grades and at senior civil service grade; and what assessment he has made of the use of mindfulness-based therapies in reducing the proportion of working days lost in his Department. [132709]
Brandon Lewis: Absence levels in my Department are below the average for the civil service.
The Department monitors absence levels and causes on a monthly basis. This includes the number of days lost to psychological disorders. In view of the small
12 Dec 2012 : Column 307W
numbers of staff in a number of grades, our analysis of sickness absence is undertaken at departmental level rather than looking in detail at the breakdown of data by grade.
The Department is committed to the wellbeing of its staff and offers a number of services to help minimise absence. These include a self-test stress indicator tool for line managers, Intranet information pages to help staff maximise their physical and mental health and access to a 24 hour Employee Assistance helpline which offers advice and support to all staff. The Department has a dedicated occupational health service and should this advise that an individual would benefit from a mindfulness-based therapy it would support that treatment.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [127259]
Brandon Lewis: 1,422 ordinary written questions were tabled for answer by the Department between 1 October 2011 and 30 September 2012. 937 were answered within one to five sitting days, 361 within six to 10 sitting days and 124 after more than 10 sitting days.
Over the same period, 680 named day questions were tabled; 433 of these were answered on the due date. Of the questions answered after the due date, 192 were answered within five sitting days of the due date, 26 within six to 10 sitting days and 29 after more than 10 sitting days,
The Government have 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 Government Department's 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
Energy and Climate Change
Aviation: Exhaust Emissions
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of representations to his Department on the effects on the atmosphere of aeroplane contrails. [133514]
Gregory Barker:
Condensation trails, more commonly known as contrails, are formed when hot, moist aircraft exhaust is expelled into cold, dry air, most frequently at high altitude. They may persist in the atmosphere for a period of a few seconds to several hours depending on atmospheric conditions, and the physics behind their formation has been understood since world war two.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 308W
The Committee on Climate Change and the Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change's Fourth Assessment Report have both examined the effects of contrails on the atmosphere, drawing on the large body of peer-reviewed scientific literature available. Those assessments found that the impact on the atmosphere is uncertain but likely to be a small warming effect.
The Department has had no representations on contrails as commonly defined above. It has, however, had representations on speculations that contrails are caused by deliberate chemical spraying by aircraft. We know of no credible evidence that supports this suggestion.
Environment Protection
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 29 November 2012, Official Report, column 378, on energy policy, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the UK's low-carbon sector takes a £122 billion share of the global market. [132676]
Gregory Barker: The source for this data is the 2010-11 report on ‘Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services (LCEGS)' published in May 2012 by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. It is stated in section 4.2 that
‘UK LCEGS Sales in 2010/11 is £122.2bn'
and Table 4 provides a breakdown of sales by sub-sector over the last three years.
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/business-sectors/docs/l/12-p143-low-carbon-environmental-goods-and-services-2010-11.pdf
Green Deal Scheme: Armed Forces
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether households in service family accommodation properties are eligible to take up the Green Deal Launch cash-back scheme. [133240]
Gregory Barker: Households in service family accommodation properties are eligible to take up the Green Deal Cashback Scheme.
Green Deal Scheme: Computer Software
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which company developed the assessment software for the Green Deal; by what date his Department asked that company to deliver that software; and on what date the software was delivered. [133301]
Gregory Barker:
Green Deal assessment software is being developed by a number of commercial software vendors. Once the market is fully developed, we expect there to be a choice of different software tools available for assessors, just as is the case now with EPCs. These tools are not commissioned by Government, but to ensure accuracy and consumer protection they must be approved as adhering to the standard calculation methodology developed by the Government's contractors,
12 Dec 2012 : Column 309W
BRE, who are responsible for the technical standards which underpin building assessment processes of this sort.
Government commissioned BRE to produce a limited, training version of a software tool, to ensure that the training of Green Deal advisers could begin in good time. This has been available free since May this year. In the summer, in discussion with the sector, we became aware that third-party software was still some way off full development and validation, so we asked BRE to upgrade the software they had developed for assessor training so that it could be used for real assessments to avoid any gap developing in the market.
I am pleased to say that the first commercial assessment software was launched, following its approval against the BRE standard. Further commercial software tools are being tested and are expected to be approved shortly. We expect to be in a position in the spring to withdraw the BRE occupancy assessment software from the market, making it available for training purposes only.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what testing was done of the Green Deal assessment software before it went live; and if he will place in the Library the results of any such testing. [133308]
Gregory Barker: All Green Deal assessment software is tested by our technical contractors against the standard calculation methodology before being approved for live use. Two software tools have been approved to date and others are still undergoing testing. The raw outputs of the testing process are not available in a format suitable for easy publication. However, I can confirm that one of the above tools achieved entirely accurate results for all test cases, and the other achieved results with an average deviation of less than 1%.
DECC officials continue to work closely with software developers and our contractors following the release of software to ensure the early identification of any enhancements required and their swift implementation.
Insulation: Housing
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral statement of 29 November 2012, Official Report, column 388, on energy policy, how many insulation measures were installed in each of the last 15 years for which data is available. [132680]
Gregory Barker: The following table shows the number of retro-fit installations of cavity wall, loft and solid wall insulation through Government schemes each year between April 2008 and April 2012. Historic figures for the number of properties with insulation measures installed dating back to 1976 are available in ‘Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom' in tables 3.15a and 3.15b(1). The historic figures are not comparable with those below due to a different methodology employed for the new series which enables estimates on a quarterly basis.
(1) This publication can be accessed from the following link:
http://www.decc.gov.uk/media/viewfile.ashx?filetype=4&filepath=Statistics/publications/ecuk/4186-ecuk-domestic-2010.xls&minwidth=true
12 Dec 2012 : Column 310W
| Thousand | |||
| Measure installed between: | Cavity wall insulation | Loft insulation | Solid wall insulation |
| Source: Estimates of home insulation levels in Great Britain. See following link: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/en_effic_stats/home_ins_est.aspx | |||
Nuclear Power
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to paragraph 2.159 of his autumn statement 2012, in what respects the new government-industry partnership for the civil nuclear sector will differ from his Department's Nuclear Development Forum; and what assessment he has made of the resource implications of his Department's involvement in the new partnership. [132837]
Mr Hayes: The Nuclear Development Forum was set up to secure the long-term future of nuclear power generation in the UK by providing an opportunity where industry could hold Government to account on delivery of the key facilitative actions set out in the 2008 White Paper. The Forum has successfully discharged this function and will be replaced by the Nuclear Industry Council.
This Council has been established to lead the strategic dialogue between Government and the civil nuclear industry as a whole to maximise the economic potential of the sector and to facilitate the delivery of UK energy policy in this area.
Officials from DECC and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills supported by the Nuclear Industry Association will provide administrative and secretariat support for the newly-formed Council and the cost associated for providing meeting venues. Any particular workstreams or working group activities or issues the Council will want to explore in more detail will be resourced by companies or organisations represented on the Nuclear Industry Council.
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132881]
Gregory Barker: The Department's total expenditure on all types of hospitality for the period May 2010 to end October 2012 is £78,100. It is not possible to break down expenditure into the 10 categories requested without incurring disproportionate cost.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 311W
This includes expenditure on venue hire and catering for any industry, training or team events that have to occur offsite because of space constraints, and expenditure on food and drink provided at meetings and events for the benefit of guests from outside the Department.
Secondment
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answers of 29 November 2012, Official Report, columns 481-2W, on secondment, which of the major UK utility companies and related energy utility organisations provided each secondment referred to in those answers. [133371]
Gregory Barker: The secondees referred to in the previous answers were from the following companies:
Centrica: one
EDF: one
RWE NPower: one
National Grid: five
Electricity Supply Board: one
Elexon: one.
Warm Front Scheme
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding allocated to the Warm Front Scheme in 2012-13 has been (a) spent, (b) committed to expenditure and (c) unspent. [132684]
Gregory Barker: The budget for Warm Front and associated activity in 2012-13 is £100 million. Of this £34.8 million has been spent with a further £15.1 million committed but not yet spent(1). Of the total budget £50.1 million currently remains unspent(2).
(1) Figures as of the end of November 2012.
(2) Figures exclude the potential value of expenditure on households who have already applied for the scheme but who are currently awaiting a survey.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what the average length of time was for an applicant for a Warm Front grant who is awaiting a survey to (a) have a survey completed and (b) be informed whether their application has been accepted or rejected, in 2012-13 to date; [132685]
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2) what the average length of time was between the lodging of an application for a Warm Front grant and a decision to accept or reject the application in 2012-13 to date. [132686]
Gregory Barker: An application to the Warm Front scheme can be accepted or rejected at two points. The first is at the time of taking the application, if it becomes apparent that the applicant does not meet the qualifying criteria. The second is at the point of the property survey.
The average time from the point of application to complete a survey and so confirm a customer's eligibility is currently 31.76 days.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 312W
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many applications for a Warm Front grant have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected in 2012-13 to date. [132687]
Gregory Barker: Since April 2011, the Warm Front scheme eligibility criteria have been focused on low income and vulnerable households with a thermally inefficient home. In September 2012, the criteria were broadened: the benefits criteria were brought into line with the Energy Company Obligation (Affordable Warmth) and the energy efficiency threshold was increased to SAP63 (from SAP55).
Between 1 April and 30 November 2012, 21,956 applications were found to meet the scheme criteria in place at the time of application. In the same period, a further 13,418 applications were from ineligible households.
A further 9,205 applications were received during the same period and have yet to be surveyed, meaning that eligibility has not yet been confirmed. A majority of these cases is expected to qualify for Warm Front assistance.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget for the Warm Front scheme is in 2012-13; and how much of the funding so allocated has been spent to date. [132688]
Gregory Barker: The budget for Warm Front and associated activity in 2012-13 is £100 million. Of this £34.8 million has been spent with a further £15.1 million committed but not yet spent(1).
(1) Figures as of the end of November 2012.
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in (a) England and (b) each parliamentary constituency in England have received assistance under the Warm Front scheme since April 2012; and what the average level of grant provided under the scheme was. [132690]
Gregory Barker: A table containing the information requested will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Wales
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132870]
Stephen Crabb: During financial year 2010-11, the Wales Office had no spend on Champagne; spirits; flowers; laundry; porterage; china; cutlery or venue hire for hospitality purposes. The Department did spend £129.08 on wines and £89.22 on soft drinks for hospitality purposes.
During financial year 2011-12 the Wales Office spent £186.22 on wines and £23.39 on soft drinks. No costs were incurred against the other categories listed.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 313W
Pay
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in his Department in each of the last two years. [132853]
Stephen Crabb: There were no ‘in-year’ bonuses paid to officials in the last two years. However, the ‘year end’ bonuses, paid in accordance with the applicable civil service appraisal systems were as follows:
| Number of end year bonuses | Total amount (£) | |
The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right and therefore has to fulfil the terms and conditions of its staff depending on their home Departments, including entitlements to particular allowances. Similarly the payment of performance related bonuses—all of which are non-consolidated—is not a decision for the Wales Office. Those staff who delivered outstanding performances were entitled to a bonus payment by virtue of the terms and conditions of their home Department.
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees in his Department were paid (a) between £80,000 and £100,000 per year and (b) in excess of £100,000 per year in each of the last five years. [133120]
Stephen Crabb: The information is as follows:
| Number | ||
| Financial year | Those earning between £80,000 and £100,000 | Those earning more than £100,000 |
Public Appointments
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) which recruitment consultants his Department used to select candidates for public appointments within his departmental remit in each year for which figures are available since 2007; and how much was paid in fees to each such company in each year since 2007; [132797]
(2) how many public appointments (a) regulated by and (b) not regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments have been made by his Department since 2007; and in how many such cases the services of recruitment consultants were retained; [132798]
(3) when his Department last assessed the (a) utility and (b) value of psychometric testing in its recruitment and selection of candidates for public appointments on advisory boards; [132799]
(4) what his Department's policy is on the payment of travel expenses to candidates in respect of their attendance at assessment centres and interviews when pursuing applications for selection to a public appointment. [132800]
12 Dec 2012 : Column 314W
Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office does not make public appointments.
Women and Equalities
Research
Chris Kelly: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what external policy research her Department has commissioned in each of the last six years; which organisation was commissioned to provide each such piece of research; and what the cost of each such piece of research was. [122367]
Maria Miller: Since the establishment of the Government Equalities Office (GEO) on 12 October 2007, the GEO Research and Analysis Team has conducted or commissioned a range of research on equality issues. On 1 April 2011, Government Equalities Office became part of Home Office; research commissioned since that date has been included for thoroughness.
Based on current records, the following table lists external policy research commissioned in each financial year by Government Equalities Office, the name of the contracted organisation and the cost. Totals for each year reflect the total value of external policy research commissioned in that year, and not necessarily actual expenditure; some projects will have completed in following financial years.
No external policy research has been commissioned to date this financial year (2012-13).
| Research | Organisation | Total value of research (£) |
|
Evaluating communications on violence against women and girls | ||
|
Analysis of intersectional discrimination cases using Citizens' Advice Bureaux data | ||
12 Dec 2012 : Column 315W
12 Dec 2012 : Column 316W
| (1) Jointly commissioned with Department for Business, Innovation and Skills; cost to GEO of 50% of contracted reflected in table. | ||
Scotland
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132851]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not hold the information in the format requested. For the financial year 2010-11, no breakdown is available. For the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13 the breakdowns are as follows:
| £ | ||
| Financial year | ||
| 2011-12 | 2012-13(1) | |
| (1) To end November. | ||
The Scotland Office records its hospitality expenditure in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money.
Pay
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid in (a) year end and (b) in-year bonuses to officials in his Department in each of the last two years. [132852]
David Mundell: All staff in the Scotland Office are on secondment from other Government bodies, in the majority of cases, the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice and therefore staff may be eligible for bonuses, allowances and other payments additional to basic salary in different ways through their parent bodies' pay arrangements.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 317W
The Scotland Office is not responsible for payments made through end of year performance payments or allowances under staffs' parent bodies' pay arrangements and does not hold information centrally on these matters.
The Scotland Office is however able to directly authorise non-consolidated and non-pensionable bonus payments (including small and instantaneous awards, e.g. vouchers) in recognition of special effort, achievement and commitment. The following table shows the cost of such payments in each of the last two years:
| Financial year | Total cost of payments (£) |
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees in his Department were paid (a) between £80,000 and £100,000 per year and (b) in excess of £100,000 per year in each of the last five years. [133116]
David Mundell: The number of employees in the Scotland Office paid (a) between £80,000 and £100,000 per year and (b) in excess of £100,000 per year in each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
| Between £80,000 and £100,000 | In excess of £100,000 | |
Public Appointments
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which recruitment consultants his Department used to select candidates for public appointments within his departmental remit in each year for which figures are available since 2007; and how much was paid in fees to each such company in each year since 2007. [132761]
David Mundell: The Boundary Commission for Scotland is the only Public Body which comes under the remit of the Scotland Office. No recruitment consultants have been used to select candidates for appointments to the Boundary Commission.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many public appointments (a) regulated by and (b) not regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments have been made by his Department since 2007; and in how many such cases the services of recruitment consultants were retained. [132762]
David Mundell: The Boundary Commission for Scotland is the only public body which comes under the remit of the Scotland Office. The Secretary of State for Scotland, has made two appointments and two reappointments to the Boundary Commission for Scotland since 2007. These appointments were regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and no recruitment consultants were used.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 318W
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department last assessed the (a) utility and (b) value of psychometric testing in its recruitment and selection of candidates for public appointments on advisory boards. [132763]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office has not used psychometric testing in its recruitment and selection of candidates for public appointments on advisory boards.
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's policy is on the payment of travel expenses to candidates in respect of their attendance at assessment centres and interviews when pursuing applications for selection to a public appointment. [132764]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office policy is that travel expenses incurred by candidates attending interviews for public appointment will be paid at current civil service rates and that every effort should be made by candidates to travel in the most economical way.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2012, Official Report, column 672W, on sick leave, what assessment he has made of the difference in the proportion of working days lost due to ill health between officers at administrative grades and senior civil servant grade; and what assessment he has made of the use of mindfulness-based therapies in reducing the proportion of working days lost in his Department. [132707]
David Mundell: All Scotland Office staff are on secondment from other Government bodies, principally the Scottish Government and the Ministry of Justice which have their own absence management policies. Local managers keep sickness absences under constant review and apply the relevant policies.
Staff working in the Scotland Office can access advice and assistance through an occupational health care provider, which provides professional, independent medical guidance.
Northern Ireland
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132850]
Mike Penning: Since May 2010, my Department has spent the following for hospitality purposes.
| £ | |
12 Dec 2012 : Column 319W
Pay
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees in her Department were paid (a) between £80,000 and £100,000 per year and (b) in excess of £100,000 per year in each of the last five years. [133117]
Mike Penning: Comparable figures for my Department as it is now configured are not available for the years preceding the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010.
As shown in my Department's 2010-11 annual report, two members of staff were paid salaries over £80,000, and two were paid over £100,000. One member of staff earning over £100,000 retired in May 2010.
My Department's 2011-12 annual report stated that there were two members of staff on salaries over £80,000, one of whom retired in November 2011, and two who were on salaries over £100,000, one of whom retired in December 2011.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 320W
For the 2012-13 financial year, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 22 November 2012, Official Report, column 583W.
Culture, Media and Sport
Advisory Council on Libraries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to section 1 and Schedule 1 of the Public Bodies Act 2011, what progress she has made towards the formal abolition of the Library Advisory Council for England and the transfer of its functions to another body in compliance with section 2 of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. [133004]
Mr Vaizey: The Department will consider the formal abolition and transfer of any functions as part of its wider reform work of arm's length bodies.
Grants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding her Department has provided in grant in aid to each arm's length body for which she is responsible in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how much such funding she expects to allocate to each body in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15. [132616]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 10 December 2012]:The grant in aid that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has paid to its arm's length bodies in 2010-11 and 2011-12 and the amounts that have been allocated in the period 2012-13 through to 2014-15 is set out in the following table.
| Grant in aid (£ million) | |||||
| Body | 2010-11 final | 2011-12 voted | 2012-13 voted | 2013-14 planned | 2014-15 planned |
12 Dec 2012 : Column 321W
12 Dec 2012 : Column 322W
| (1) Denotes bodies which are being abolished. (2) Royal Household funding passed to HM Treasury. (3) Funding passed to National Museum of Science and Industry. (4) Includes funding for the Museums and Arts programme, administration and capital funding; and funds for cultural education transferred to ACE from DFE via DCMS. (5 )Yearly budget. | |||||
These figures do not include any reductions announced in the autumn statement
From 2013-14, S4C will receive additional funding from the BBC.
Olympic Delivery Authority net capital receipts assumed in spending review for 2014-15.
Official Hospitality
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department has spent for hospitality purposes on (a) Champagne, (b) wines, (c) spirits, (d) soft drinks, (e) flowers, (f) laundry, (g) porterage, (h) china, (i) cutlery and (j) venue hire since May 2010. [132875]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport's accounting system does not report these items separately and a breakdown of the figures can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The Department has a strict policy restricting the use of hospitality. All expenditure is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.
Olympic Games 2012
Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to safeguard the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics in the policy areas for which she is responsible; and what budget her Department has allocated for that purpose. [132813]
Mr Vaizey: Through VisitBritain, we have created the biggest ever international tourism campaign, as we look to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by 2012. Together, the £100 million tactical marketing campaign and the GREAT Britain image campaign is aiming to deliver 4.6 million extra visitors and £2.3 billion additional spend over four years. An additional £30 million is being invested in the GREAT campaign for 2013-14, which comes on top of £25 million already being invested during this financial year. VisitEngland, working with the tourist boards of the devolved nations, has created a £6 million national TV and cinema advertising campaign promoting holidays at home. The campaign generated 300,000 extra hotel nights in its first three months alone and has already delivered over £100 million in additional expenditure. We will be building on the success of the 'Holiday at Home' campaign through a new ad campaign next year.
In January, Sport England launched its £1 billion Youth and Community strategy which aims to contribute to the sporting legacy of the Games by creating a sporting habit for life and increasing regular participation. This is in addition to the £150 million Places, People, Play programme, which is creating a grassroots sport legacy from the Games, through facilities investment, workforce and training opportunities and the chance to try new activities. Also, the School Games is giving every school and child in England the opportunity to participate in competitive sport, including meaningful opportunities for disabled children.
This Government purposely intended that the Cultural Olympiad be delivered by and through the cultural sector, and in that sense, the opportunity remains for the sector to build on the many individual projects that were inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, rather than for the Government to attempt to prescribe future artistic and cultural initiatives. However, DCMS has asked Lord Hall of Birkenhead, as Chair of the Cultural Olympiad Board, to continue to lead the Board as it oversees and ensures that the legacy from the Games becomes fully embedded within the cultural sector.
Parking
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what contracts for providing car park management services to her Department are held by private companies; [132569]
(2) what the total value is of any contracts between her Department and private companies for car park
12 Dec 2012 : Column 323W
management services in
(a)
the UK,
(b)
Scotland and
(c)
South Lanarkshire local authority area. [132570]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have any contracts for providing car park management services.
Public Appointments
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which recruitment consultants her Department used to select candidates for public appointments within her departmental remit in each year for which figures are available since 2007; and how much was paid in fees to each such company in each year since 2007. [132777]
Mr Vaizey: The information is as follows:
| Recruitment consultant | Cost £ (excl. VAT) | |