Health Services: Older People
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many over 65 year olds were admitted to hospital with a cold-related illness in each of the last 10 years. [132823]
Anna Soubry: The information is not held in the format requested. Annual estimates of the number of excess winter deaths are provided by the Office for National Statistics. The most recent set of statistics for England and Wales indicated that the majority of deaths occurred among those aged 75 and over; there were 19,500 excess winter deaths in this age group in 2011-12 in England and Wales compared with 4,500 in the under 75-year-olds. The “Cold Weather Plan for England 2012” sets out a series of clear actions to minimise the health impact of severe winter weather. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many over 65 year olds were admitted to hospital with (a) malnutrition, (b) dehydration and (c) bed sores in each of the last five years; and how many such patients resided at a care home or residential home. [132824]
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Norman Lamb: The tables show a count of finished admission episodes for patients aged 65 years and over with a primary diagnosis of malnutrition, dehydration or bed sores, by admission source, 2007-08 to 2011-12.
This is not a count of patients as the same patient may be admitted more than once in a financial year. Some patients who live in nursing homes or residential care may have their source of admission recorded as ‘usual place of residence' but these cannot be separately identified.
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Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the cost of unnecessary hospital admissions and adequate levels of social services care for the elderly. [132886]
Norman Lamb: Information on the cost of unnecessary hospital admissions and adequate levels of social services care for the elderly is not collected centrally.
Heart Diseases
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the development and publication of the quality standard for atrial fibrillation; and if he will make a statement. [133159]
Norman Lamb: We have asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a Quality Standard on atrial fibrillation as part of a library of approximately 180 NHS Quality Standards. NICE has not yet published a timescale for the development of this Quality Standard.
The NHS Commissioning Board who will be responsible for the strategic direction of NHS Quality Standards from April 2013, has begun discussions with NICE to determine the most appropriate sequencing for NHS Quality Standards to assist the board in improving patient outcomes across the five domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework.
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance he plans to provide to (a) cardiovascular networks and (b) clinical commissioning groups on services for people with atrial fibrillation; and if he will make a statement; [133160]
(2) what consideration he has given to introducing a patient experience survey for people with (a) atrial fibrillation and (b) cardiovascular disease; and if he will make a statement; [133162]
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(3) what assessment he has made of the experience of people with atrial fibrillation; and if he will make a statement. [133163]
Anna Soubry: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently updating the existing clinical guidance on atrial fibrillation (AF) and plans to publish a quality standard on AF with the revised guidance in 2014. NICE is also in the process of updating the commissioning guidance on anticoagulation therapy services to take account of its recent guidance on the new oral anticoagulants, dabigatran and rivaroxaban; it aims to publish this update in April 2013.
NHS Improvement is continuing to work with the cardiovascular networks and other key partners to provide advice and guidance on atrial fibrillation in stroke prevention to existing commissioners and the emerging clinical commissioning groups. This work includes the continued development and roll out of a simple audit tool to general practices in England. Currently the tool is being run in 2,307 general practitioner practices (28% of practices) across the country.
NHS Improvement is continuing to work with the Atrial Fibrillation Association (AFA), an international charity that provides information, support and access for both patients and clinicians. Both the AFA and another
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major United Kingdom-based charity, Anticoagulation Europe, play a major role in capturing patient experience and supporting people with AF.
As part of the development of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes strategy, there has been a series of engagement events, which have encouraged patients to share their experience of the treatment and care they have received to help identify where improvements can be made in the future. One of the issues raised was the possibility of conducting a CVD patient experience survey, which will be considered alongside the other suggestions that have been made.
Hospitals: Infectious Diseases
Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients over 65 years of age died from hospital-acquired infections in each of the last 10 years. [132822]
Dr Poulter: The information requested on all healthcare associated infections is not available. However, mortality data on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections and Clostridium difficile infections mentioned on death certificates are collated and published by the Office for National Statistics. These data are in the following table.
| Number of deaths involving MRSA and Clostridium difficile among those aged over 65 years in England, 2002-11(1, 2) | ||||||||||
| 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |
| (1) Figures exclude deaths of non-residents. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (3) Deaths where MRSA or C. difficile was mentioned on the deaths certificate. (4 )Deaths where MRSA or C. difficile was the underlying cause of death. Figures exclude neonatal deaths. Source: Office for National Statistics | ||||||||||
Although MRSA infections and Clostridium difficile infections are defined by the Health Protection Agency as healthcare associated infections, it is not possible to state whether the deceased was a patient at the time of death, or where the infection was acquired.
The data show that fewer people are dying from MRSA and Clostridium difficile. The NHS has worked hard and done well to get these reductions. However, we have been clear that the NHS should take a zero tolerance approach to all avoidable healthcare associated infections and there should be more progress.
All hospitals and care settings should be performing at the standard of the best and this is what the NHS must provide.
Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions officials of his Department have had with (a) the Human Tissue Authority, (b) the Care Quality Commission and (c) the Health Research Authority on the consultation launched in June 2012 on proposals to transfer functions from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority. [133210]
Anna Soubry: Officials at the Department had discussions with the Human Tissue Authority, the Care Quality Commission, the Health Research Authority and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority before the consultation was launched in order to check facts contained in the consultation document that related specifically to them.
Representatives from these organisations attended a departmental workshop held on 19 September, along with other stakeholders, to facilitate discussion on the options outlined in the consultation. Each organisation has also submitted its own response to the consultation.
Injuries: Knives
Mr Ruffley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 16 March 2011, Official Report, columns 445-8W, on injuries: knives, how many
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knife wound injuries were treated in hospitals in each primary care trust and strategic health authority in
(a)
Suffolk,
(b)
Bedfordshire,
(c)
Cambridgeshire,
(d)
Essex,
(e)
Hertfordshire and
(f)
Norfolk in each year since 2010-11. [132843]
Anna Soubry: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the following table:
| Count of finished admission episodes (FAEs)(1) with an external cause that indicates a wound from a sharp object(2) by PCT of residence(3) in East of England SHA of residence for the years 2010-11 to 2011-12 (Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector) | ||
| PCT of Residence | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
| (1 )A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) A supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. Only the first external cause code which is coded within the episode is counted in Hospital Episode Statistics. ICD—10 Codes used: W26—Contact with knife, sword or dagger X78—Intentional self-harm by sharp object X99—Assault by sharp object Y28—Contact with sharp object, undetermined intent The above codes identifies any sharp objects, and therefore includes (but is not limited to) knife. (3) The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. A change in methodology in 2011-12 resulted in an increase in the number of records where the PCT or SHA of residence was unknown. From 2006-07 to 2010-11 the current PCT and SHA of residence fields were populated from the recorded patient postcode. In order to improve data completeness, if the postcode was unknown the PCT, SHA and country of residence were populated from the PCT/SHA value supplied by the provider. From April 2011-12 Onwards if the patient postcode is unknown the PCT, SHA and country of residence are listed as unknown. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre | ||
Meals on Wheels: Leeds
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meals on wheels were distributed in Leeds North West constituency in each year since 2007. [133129]
Norman Lamb: We are informed by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care that the information requested is not available for Leeds North West constituency.
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However, information relating to the number of meals per week provided to adults, aged 18 and over, as a community-based service funded wholly or partly by Leeds city council, is collected and published by the Information Centre. This covers part, but not all, of the Leeds North West constituency.
The following able shows this information for the financial years 2006-07 to 2011-12.
| Average number of meals(1) per week provided by Leeds city council (LCC) for the financial years 2006-07 to 2011-12 | ||
| Financial year | Provided directly by LCC(2) | Provided by independent sector on behalf of LCC(3) |
| (1) Includes meals on wheels, meals in luncheon clubs and cook-chill meals. Excludes meals provided at day centres, even if the service users only come to the day centre for the meal. (2) Includes meals prepared by an outside contractor but delivered by the internal homecare service. (3 )Excludes meals prepared by an outside contractor but delivered by the internal homecare service. (4 )The figures for 2008-09 were queried by the Information Centre as part of its routine validations and the response from Leeds city council indicated that the figures were actually unknown, rather than zero. However, as Leeds did not formally resubmit its data return, the figures were published as zero. They should be treated with caution, together with other figures prior to 2008-09. (5) Data not provided. (6) Data for 2011-12 are provisional. Final data will be released by the Information Centre on 31 January 2013. | ||
NHS: Pay
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring his Department undertakes of the remuneration of NHS Trust executives. [132663]
Dr Poulter: NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts are free to determine their own pay rates for their executives. The Department does not routinely monitor their remuneration but has access to independently produced information derived from the annual accounts of the organisations concerned.
Olympic Games 2012
Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to safeguard the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics in the policy areas for which he is responsible; and what budget his Department has allocated for that purpose. [132815]
Anna Soubry: The Department of Health is committed to delivering a lasting health legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. The Department is investing £8.4 million over four years to deliver Change4Life Sports Clubs in primary and secondary schools. In addition, the Department is providing a contribution of £7 million per annum for four years (up to 2015) to support delivery of the School Games. On 9 January 2012, the Department announced that £30 million of capital funding would be made available towards fulfilling the bid commitment to establish a new National Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine.
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Out-patients: Attendance
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the cost to the public purse of missed outpatient appointments. [132887]
Anna Soubry: No estimates have been made centrally of the cost of missed appointments.
Schools: Vaccination
Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) academies and (b) free schools have opted out of the schools immunisation programme to date. [132645]
Anna Soubry: The human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme for girls aged 12 to 13 years is the only national immunisation programme that is currently delivered in schools. The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department. Primary care trusts are currently responsible for the implementation of the HPV immunisation programme in their area and arrange alternative provision should an academy or school not wish to offer the HPV vaccine programme.
The HPV immunisation programme has achieved high uptake rates with 84.2% of 12 to 13-year-old girls completing the three-dose course in 2010-11.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 November 2012, Official Report, columns 803-4W, 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 grade and at SCS 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. [132704]
Dr Poulter: The Department has not made any formal assessment of the difference in the proportion of working days lost due to ill health between officers at administrative grade and at senior civil service (SCS) grades.
The Department has a number of approaches to draw out the reasons for differences in attendance rates between groups of staff. These include examining underlying and contextual factors such as location, work area or division, and the impact of change programmes on particular groups of staff. Employee engagement and work-life balance ratings in the annual People Survey are also analysed by grade and measures put in place to address disparities as appropriate.
The Department has a health and well-being strategy and programme of activities, which includes a variety of activities to aid emotional well-being. The Employee Assistance programme offers counselling support, which draws on cognitive behavioural techniques. The Department is also a “Mindful Employer” signatory.
Surgery: Harrow
Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what restrictions relating to (a) age of patient, (b) weight of patient and (c) other factors there are on the NHS treatment of (i) varicose veins, (ii) cataracts, (iii)
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carpal tunnel syndrome, (iv) hip surgery and (v) knee surgery in the Harrow Primary Care Trust area; and if he will make a statement; [132604]
(2) whether patients in the Harrow Primary Care Trust area are required to pay for treatment for (a) varicose veins, (b) cataracts, (c) hip surgery, (d) knee surgery and (e) carpel tunnel syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [132605]
Anna Soubry: Primary care trusts are responsible for the commissioning of treatment and services, taking into account evidence of best practice and the needs of the local population.
NHS North West London informs us that treatments for the specified conditions are among 84 procedures covered by their Planned Procedures with a Threshold policy. NHS North West London's guidance on the policy makes clear that if there is good evidence that a particular aspect of a patient's characteristics or lifestyle will affect the clinical and/or cost-effectiveness of a particular treatment, then that will be taken into account in considering whether to fund that treatment. Further information about the Planned Procedures with a Threshold policy can be obtained from NHS North West London's website at:
www.northwestlondon.nhs.uk/ifr
The principle that national health service services should be free at the point of use, based on clinical need and not an individual's ability to pay, has underpinned the NHS since its establishment in 1946. This principle is enshrined in the NHS Constitution, and reaffirmed in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
NHS North West London informs me that patients who are eligible for NHS treatment and meet the criteria will be funded for the procedure. Patients who do not meet the criteria can also be considered for funding via the Individual Funding Request process which look at any exceptional circumstances that the patient may have.
Defence
Afghanistan
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which assets have been removed from Afghanistan as part of the draw down since 1 January 2010. [132442]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 10 December 2012]:Due to continually evolving operational needs, the requirement for support has been constantly reviewed throughout the UK deployment to Afghanistan. In response to these changing demands, a variety of assets have been removed from Afghanistan.
The major redeployment effort started on 1 October 2012 and will now continue in step with the progress made on the ground in transition terms. As of 30 November 2012 it had already delivered the following from Afghanistan:
| Type of asset | Number of units(1) |
| (1) Rounded to the nearest 10 | |
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Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which equipment platforms presently in Afghanistan will remain post-2014; and who will fund their running costs. [132576]
Mr Robathan: No decisions have yet been taken on what, if any, equipment platforms will remain in Afghanistan post-2014.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment platforms are in Afghanistan. [132577]
Mr Robathan: In Afghanistan, we currently have a range of protected mobility vehicles including Warrior, Ridgback and the recently delivered Foxhound, as well as other specialist vehicles including heavy equipment transporters and mobile artillery. A variety of aircraft are based in or operate into and out of Afghanistan, including the Tornado GR4, Hercules C130, Apache and Chinooks, as well as remotely piloted systems such as Reaper and a variety of smaller systems. Equipment will be progressively withdrawn from Afghanistan as transition to an Afghan security lead proceeds, with the balance of equipment capability available to commanders kept under careful review.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which UK assets Afghan National Army personnel are trained to operate independently. [132581]
Mr Robathan: Small numbers of Afghan National Army personnel are routinely trained on UK equipment that they are loaned for partnered and independent operations. This aids their operational capability, including providing force protection for international security assistance force troops. Afghan personnel are trained to operate UK metal detectors, some Global Positioning Systems, night vision and radio equipment.
Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason his Department changed the classification of the witness statement that was released to the High Court on 29 November 2012 in the case of Serdar Mohammed. [133314]
Mr Robathan: The witness statement in question was originally made as a closed witness statement in 2010 in connection with an earlier case and included information which was considered sensitive at that time. When the Ministry of Defence was asked to release it in the Serdar Mohammed proceedings, the content was reviewed in accordance with the MOD's responsibilities to disclose as much relevant information as possible. Because of changing circumstances some of the content was no longer deemed sensitive and therefore no longer required protection. Other information contained in the witness statement continues to be sensitive and has been withheld.
Disclosure of Information
Mr Kevan Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 November 2011, Official Report, column 526W, on disclosure of information, if he will publish the findings of the inquiry into the unauthorised disclosure of the letter
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between the former Secretary of State and the Prime Minister which appeared in The Daily Telegraph on 28 September 2010. [132446]
Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 10 December 2012]:I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 May 2012, Official Report, column 722W.
ISTAR
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ISTAR capabilities the UK has available and deployable. [132583]
Mr Robathan: Specialised Intelligence, Surveillance Targeting Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) platforms used by the UK that are currently deployable and available include:
Cortez—a system providing a suite of sensors to various levels of deployed bases.
Desert Hawk 3—a low level tactical unmanned air system (UAS) providing situational awareness and full motion video to troops in Afghanistan.
Hermes 450—a tactical UAS providing electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) imagery in Afghanistan.
Raptor—an imaging pod carried on the Tornado aircraft.
Reaper—an operational armed UAS providing EO/IR and Synthetic Aperture Radar capability.
Seer—a land deployed tactical signal intelligence equipment.
Sentinel—a radar surveillance manned aircraft providing Synthetic Aperture Radar and Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) functionality.
Sentry—the E3 Sentry aircraft providing air command and control and situational awareness.
Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control (SKASaC)—a radar fitted to Sea King Helicopter providing GMTI capability.
Yemen
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on its policy of using drones to attack targets in Yemen. [133184]
Mr Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence has regular and routine discussions with the US Defense Secretary on a range of issues. The UK Government's position is that the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles against terrorist targets is a matter for the states involved. We expect all concerned to act in accordance with international law including taking all feasible precautions to avoid civilian casualties when conducting military operations.
Deputy Prime Minister
Bill of Rights Commission
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what meetings he has had with (a) the Chairman and (b) any other members of the Commission on a Bill of Rights since 23 April 2012; who attended any such meeting; whether the business of the Commission was discussed at any such meeting; and whether a record of what was said at any such meeting was made. [133294]
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The Deputy Prime Minister: I have had no further meetings with the Chairman of the Commission since 23 April 2012. I have had two meetings with members of the Commission in that period.
On 29 May 2012 I had a meeting with Philippe Sands QC, at which the work of the Commission was discussed. I also discussed the work of the Commission with Philippe Sands QC in a telephone call on 12 November 2012.
On 23 July 2012 I had a meeting with Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC. This meeting was not to discuss the work of the Commission on a Bill of Rights.
Members of my office attended these meetings and no official records were kept of these conversations.
Regional Planning and Development
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff in his Department are working on the Cities Policy Unit. [131260]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The Cities Unit is part of the Cabinet Office. As part of the transparency agenda, the Cabinet Office publishes an organogram and structure charts that provide information on staffing in the Cabinet Office and its units. These are available at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/structure-charts-cabinet-office
www.data.gov.uk
Trident
John Woodcock: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to publish the final report of the Trident Alternatives Review. [133218]
Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply as the Minister responsible for the Trident Alternatives Review.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 October 2012, Official Report, column 249W, to the hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn).
Justice
Criminal Injuries Compensation
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many victims of crime received an award for compensation for loss of earnings in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; and what the total amount received as compensation for loss of earnings by victims was in each tariff band. [132378]
Mrs Grant: The figures are as follows. Some tariff bands changed with scheme changes in 2001 and 2008, so there are two or more figures for some bands in each year to reflect the number of awards paid broken down by which scheme was applicable.
| Band | Amount | Number | Loe value | |
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Debt Collection
Dr Huppert:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he is making on the Coalition Agreement commitment to (a) provide more protection against unreasonable charging orders, (b) ensure that courts
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have the power to insist that repossession is always a last resort and
(c)
ban orders for sale on unsecured debts of less than £25,000. [133206]
Mrs Grant: Judicial discretion exists in all applications for charging orders and orders for sale, and provides the necessary protection against unreasonable applications. As a result of full public consultation it was considered necessary to introduce a threshold for orders for sale, and a £1,000 threshold on unsecured Consumer Credit Act debts was deemed to be the most appropriate level. This should provide adequate protection against unreasonable charging orders without weakening the civil justice system. The Order for Sale regulations have been laid before Parliament as an affirmative statutory instrument. The Commons debate has been scheduled for 10 January.
The pre-action protocol for possession claims based on mortgage or home purchase plans arrears in respect of residential property has been amended and strengthened to ensure that courts have the power to insist that repossession is always a last resort.
Drugs: Misuse
Mr Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the level of substance misuse rates for each (a) police force and (b) probation trust area; and if he will make a statement. [133172]
Mr Jeremy Browne: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
Information is not available at this level of detail. Questions on drug use are asked in the self completion module of the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW), formerly known as the British Crime Survey.
However, the sample size of the CSEW is not large enough to provide a robust estimate of the level of substance misuse rates for police force or probation trust areas.
Employment Agencies
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [128730]
Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice does not have a specific policy in place regarding the use of offshore employment companies in the Ministry and its associated public bodies. However, there are a number of mandatory contracts in place with UK registered organisations for the provision of temporary labour.
None of these organisations supplies contractors from companies that are registered outside the UK.
Fraud: Shares
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of (a) boiler room and (b) recovery room scams in each year for which figures are available. [132247]
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Jeremy Wright: Information held centrally on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database does not include the circumstances behind each case beyond the description provided in the statute. It is not possible to separately identify from this centrally held information those specific offences that are related to boiler room and recovery room scams.
ICT: Theft
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) computers, (b) mobile telephones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other pieces of IT equipment were lost or stolen from his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [132188]
Mrs Grant: Details of (a) computers, (b) mobile phones, (c) BlackBerrys and (d) other pieces of IT equipment lost or stolen from the Ministry of Justice in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 are supplied in the following table. Information on the number of (b) mobile telephones lost or stolen is not held centrally, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| IT equipment lost/stolen | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
|
(d) Other pieces of IT equipment (RSA/RAS secure :ID tokens, Becrypt encryption tokens and Removable Media) | ||
| (1) Not held centrally. | ||
All Ministry of Justice laptops and BlackBerrys are encrypted and protected with a complex password; and all BlackBerrys that are registered as lost or stolen are blocked remotely, making it impossible for them to be used. The Ministry also implements security incident management procedures to ensure that the impacts of incidents are risk managed, and investigations are undertaken to seek, where possible, to retrieve lost/stolen assets.
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The Ministry adopts Government security policy framework requirements to securely protect its assets.
Personal Injury: Compensation
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the proposed introduction of a fixed cost on personal injury cases on access to justice; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such assessment; [133295]
(2) if he will estimate the potential number of people who will lose their jobs in the legal services industry as a result of the proposed plans to fix the costs of all personal injury cases; [133296]
(3) if he will undertake an impact assessment of the potential effects on personal injury lawyers of the proposed plans to fix costs of all personal injury cases. [133297]
Mrs Grant: Prior to implementation of the extended Road Traffic Accident Personal Injury scheme, the Government will undertake an impact assessment of the potential effects on affected groups of introducing fixed recoverable costs in personal injury claims. This will be published on the Ministry of Justice website and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Planning Permission: Judicial Review
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for permission to apply for judicial review of a planning decision were made in each of the last 10 years; how many of those were granted; and how many subsequent applications for judicial review determined by the court were (a) allowed, (b) dismissed and (c) withdrawn. [130058]
Mrs Grant: The following tables give figures for judicial review relating to planning decisions that were received and granted permission, and how many of those were allowed, dismissed or withdrawn in the last 10 years.
| Type | Topic | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 |
|
Applications granted permission to proceed to a full hearing (at initial permission and renewal stage) | ||||||||
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|
Cases determined by Court (including cases allowed, dismissed and cases determined by consent without a substantive hearing) | ||||||||
Prisoners: Kent
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners were held in Kent in each of the last 10 years; and how many such prisoners did not serve their full custodial sentence. [132410]
Jeremy Wright: All offenders serving a determinate sentence serve part of their sentence in custody and part on licence in the community.
If the sentence was imposed under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (for offences committed on or after 4 April 2005), the first half of the sentence is served in custody and the second half is served on release on licence in the community.
If the sentence was imposed under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and is four years or longer, release is determined on the basis of risk by the Parole Board between the halfway and two-thirds point of the sentence. The offender is on licence from the point at which he is released until the three quarter point of sentence and then at risk for the final quarter. If a 1991 Act sentence is less than four years, the offender will be released at the halfway point, on licence to three quarter point and then at risk for the final quarter.
We do not hold figures for the number of prisoners held in Kent over the last ten years, as the data we collect is a snapshot of the prison population. However, are the following table provides information on the prison population in Kent prison establishments as of 30 June of each year from 2003 to 2012.
| Population in Kent prisons(1) as at 30 June of each year 2003-12 | |
| Total | |
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| (1) Includes:HMPs/YOIs Blantyre House, Canterbury, Cookham Wood, Dover. Elmley, East Sutton Park. Maidstone, Rochester, Standford Hill and Swaleside. | |
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Rangers Football Club: Taxation
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to ensure that an independent inquiry is held into the (a) conduct of and (b) time taken to conclude the tax tribunal between HM Revenue and Customs and the former Rangers Football Club. [131049]
Mrs Grant: Appeals against decisions made by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs relating to tax are heard by the first-tier tribunal (tax), administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service.
It is not our intention to establish an independent inquiry into the conduct of the tribunal or the time taken to conclude proceedings between Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and the former Rangers Football Club. These are matters for the independent judiciary. Any complaints about the conduct of the tribunal and the time taken for the judicial process to conclude should be referred to the chamber president of the first-tier tribunal (tax) as set out in the Judicial Complaints (Tribunals) Rules (No 2) 2008.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [132168]
Jeremy Wright: The information is as follows:
(a) The number of senior civil servants (SCS) that have left the Ministry of Justice (HQ, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, Office of the Public Guardian and National Offender Management Service) between 1 May 2010 and 31 October 2012 and the turnover rate is shown in the following table:
| Number of SCS leavers between 1 May 2010 and 31 October 2012 (full-time equivalent) | Turnover rate of SCS between 1 May 2010 and 31 October 2012 (Percentage) | |
12 Dec 2012 : Column 374W
Please note that NOMS operates on a different IT HR management system. Therefore a small number of senior civil servants may have been counted as leaving MOJ HQ, OPG and HMCTS but transferred to NOMS.
None of the NOMS SCS leavers shown in this table has transferred to MOJ HQ, OPG and HMCTS.
(b) Employees of the Ministry's public bodies are not generally civil servants.
Workforce information is published for the Department and its arm’s length bodies from March 2011 and can be found on the transparency pages of the Department's website:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/transparency-data/workforce-management-info
Surveys
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [132100]
Jeremy Wright: Civil Service People Survey (CSPS) was procured under a single contract across the civil service by the Cabinet Office. The contract is currently held by ORC International.
The MOJ results from the 2012 CSPS will be published on the Ministry of Justice website at the end of January 2013 and a copy will be placed in the Library at the same time.
The MOJ share of the 2011 costs of the CSPS was £100,501 (excluding VAT). As work on the 2012 CSPS is not yet completed, the full costs incurred are not yet known.
Work Capability Assessment: Appeals
Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of appeals to work capability assessments by (a) all appellants, (b) incapacity benefit reassessment claimants and (c) new employment and support allowance claimants was upheld in (i) each month since May 2010, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012 to date. [133312]
Mrs Grant: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
12 Dec 2012 : Column 375W
The following table shows the proportion of appeals against entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) that were upheld in each month from May 2010 to June 2012 (the latest date for which information is available). The information is broken down as follows:
(a) Total number of appeals relating to ESA decision (incapacity benefit reassessment (IBR) and ESA);
(b) IBR appeals only;
(c) ESA appeals only.
The first incapacity benefit reassessment appeals were heard by the Social Security and Child Support tribunal in February 2011.
| Appeals found in favour of the appellant | |||
| Percentage | |||
| (a) All Appellants (incapacity benefit reassessment and ESA) | (b) Incapacity benefit reassessment | (c) ESA | |
| (1) These low percentages are due to the small numbers of cases heard in these months, 23 appeals in March 2011 and 10 appeals in April 2011. Source: The data is taken from management information. | |||