Human Trafficking
Andrew Griffiths:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legal actions against her Department have been initiated to dispute negative conclusive grounds decisions reached through the
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National Referral Mechanism in each year since its inception; and what the cost to the public purse of such actions has been in each such year. [130792]
Mr Harper: Judicial reviews of negative conclusive grounds decisions referred under the National Referral Mechanism can be broken down as follows:
| Cases referred to the NRM | Negative conclusive grounds decisions challenged at judicial review | Cost of defending decisions at judicial review + (£) | |
| (1) 1 April 2009 to 31 December 2009 only. (2 )Published data (1 January 2012 to 30 June 2012 only). (3) This figure represents costs billed and therefore does not necessarily represent the total cost of the cases. It is provisional and subject to change. | |||
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2012, Official Report, columns 243-4W, on human trafficking, what the legal costs to the Government of the 17 decisions challenged at judicial review were. [130823]
Mr Harper: The Government's legal costs to date for the 17 human trafficking National Referral Mechanism decisions challenged at judicial review between 1 April 2009 and 29 October 2012, has been £91,376.
This figure represents costs billed and therefore does not necessarily represent the total cost of the cases. It is provisional and subject to change.
Human Trafficking Ministerial Group
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Chairs the Inter-departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking has had since it was first established; and who those chairs were. [135291]
Mr Harper: Two chairs: the Minister for Policing and Criminal Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green), and myself.
Immigrants: Detainees
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effect on the operation of the family returns process of planned reductions to legal aid from April 2013; and how many families she estimates will access legal representation for the first time upon being detained at Cedars prior to their planned enforced removal. [131143]
Mr Harper:
We do not expect the changes to legal aid to affect the family returns process. Asylum cases including those in the family returns process, will continue to qualify for legal aid funding when the reforms to legal
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aid in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 are implemented from April next year.
In the period January 2011 to September 2012, a total of 192 families were removed under the family returns process, of which only 43 were non-asylum seeking families. Legal aid will remain available for all immigration detention cases including those entering Cedars. At Cedars, families are advised of their right to obtain legal representation, and how to access it if they are not represented. It is therefore considered unlikely that families, having reached the ensured stage of the family returns process, will be accessing legal representation for the first time on entering Cedars.
All figures quoted are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Figures relate to main applicants and dependants.
Figures may include applicants who made voluntary departures while in the family return process.
Immigration: Applications
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications there were that were work in progress for temporary and permanent in-country immigration applications by case type (a) as at 30 June 2012 and (b) in each of the previous two months. [134377]
Mr Harper [holding answer 18 December 2012]: The data have already been provided to and published by the Home Affairs Select Committee. The following table extract shows the number of in-country cases in progress on the last working day of each month in quarter 2 of 2012:
| Workstream | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | |
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Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when she plans to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) on 5 November 2012 with regard to Nyla Qadir; [134195]
(2) when she plans to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 6 November 2012 with regard to Mr M Javsif; [134196]
(3) when she plans to answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 31 October 2012 with regard to Ms M Kujur. [134199]
Mr Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 17 December 2012.
Organised Crime: Young People
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Government's report, ‘Ending Gang and Youth Violence’, published in November 2011, page 58, how much of the £10 million of funding was distributed to each area identified as having significant gang and youth violence; and on what date each such payment was made. [135365]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The ‘Ending Gang and Youth Violence’ report set out the Government's plans to reprioritise up to £10 million to support up to 30 areas “most affected by gangs and youth violence”. 29 areas were identified to receive funding. The amount allocated to each area is based on the size of each local authority's population of 10 to 24-year-olds. The breakdown of the amounts allocated to each area is available at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/crime/provisional-funding-allocations
The grant allocation is paid in two instalments. The first instalment was paid to areas in the summer and the second is currently being processed for payment in late December or early January. This is subject to receipt of completed payment requests from each area.
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Government's report, Ending Gang and Youth Violence, published in November 2011, page 8, how much of the £10 million of funding from her Department was given to the non-statutory sector in each local area. [135366]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The ‘Ending Gang and Youth Violence’ report, published in November 2011, specified that at least half of the funding allocation to areas should go to the non-statutory sector. There will be a breakdown of how funding was allocated by each area after the end of the financial year.
Stun Guns
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the UK Border Force records the number of stun guns and tasers it seizes; and how many such guns and tasers have been seized in each year since 2008. [132719]
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Mr Harper [holding answer 10 December 2012]: Border Force retains internal management information about the number of stun guns and tasers seized but this is not published data. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) previously published seizure data as part of its regular Autumn Performance and Departmental Reports. However, with the transfer of customs functions from HMRC to the UK Border Agency (UKBA), this publication cycle was stopped by it and not picked up by UKBA. Border Force is looking more broadly at ensuring its performance framework and published data continue to have the right focus, including in relation to seizures.
Data were published by HMRC for the 2007-08 and 2008-09 financial years as follows:
Between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008, there were 539 stun guns seized. Between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, there were 160 stun guns seized.
Data were published by HMRC in the HMRC Departmental Reports 2008 and 2009 are as follows. I shall place copies of both these reports in the Library of the House.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/dept-report-2008.pdf
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/dept-ann-rep09.pdf
Telephones: Disclosure of Information
Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what period mobile and landline telephone billing records of contact are (a) legally required to be available and (b) generally available as a result of an inquiry under the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. [134172]
Damian Green [holding answer 18 December 2012]: Itemised telephone billing records are required to be retained for 12 months under the Data Retention (EC Directive) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No. 859). Information as to whether such records are available to law enforcement for periods beyond 12 months is not held centrally. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) does not make any requirement as to the period for which telephone billing records should be made available.
UK Border Agency
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants were issued to UK Border Agency arrest teams for lawful entry into non-commercial premises in each year since 2008. [132944]
Mr Harper [holding answer 10 December 2012]: This information is not readily available or held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she has given to UK Border Agency staff on dealing with representations by hon. Members on behalf of their constituents who are sponsors of, and are making enquiries about, relatives' visit visa or entry clearance applications. [134031]
Mr Harper:
Guidance to staff in the UK Border Agency on drafting replies to MPs’ correspondence was updated in September 2012. This incorporates a section
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on dealing with inquiries on behalf of constituents who are sponsors or making inquiries about relatives' visas. This includes defining when a third party reply may be appropriate in line with the agency's obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library contact details for the Visa Services Directorate of the UK Border Agency; and if she will make a statement. [134096]
Mr Harper [holding answer 17 December 2012]:There is no longer a Visa Services Directorate within the UK Border Agency. The International Operations and Visa group may be contacted via
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/
Written Questions
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) shortest and (b) longest time taken by her Department to answer a written parliamentary question was in (i) 2012 to date, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2010. [130978]
Mr Harper: The longest and shortest time the Home Department took to answer a parliamentary question in (i) 2012 to date, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2010 is set out in the following table.
The data set out in the following table have been drawn from the internal PQ data management system, which is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
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 performance for the 2010 to 2012 parliamentary session are available on the Parliament website as follows:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/procedure/P35_Memorandum_Leader_of_the_House_Monitoring_PQs.pdf
| PQ answering timescales | |||
| Days | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 to present |
Written Questions: Government Responses
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to answer Question 128915 tabled on 13 November 2012 on Mosquitoes. [134806]
Mr Jeremy Browne [holding answer 20 December 2012]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 875W.
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House of Commons Commission
Wi-fi
Ann Clwyd: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, when all hon. Members’ offices in the House will be able to obtain wi-fi signal. [134981]
John Thurso: The parliamentary network team have started work to provide wi-fi in all Members’ offices on the estate and aim to complete this by the end of March 2013.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Members: Correspondence
Helen Jones: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, when the Chief Executive of IPSA intends to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Warrington North (Helen Jones) dated 27 September 2012; and for what reason no reply has been received to date. [134613]
Mr Charles Walker [holding answer 20 December 2012]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated 20 December 2012:
I will look into the issue the hon. Member for Warrington North raises and write to her.
Mr Chope: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, when the Chairman of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority intends to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr Christopher Chope) of 23 November 2012. [134964]
Mr Charles Walker: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I have asked IPSA to reply.
Letter from Andrew McDonald, dated 20 December 2012:
Sir Ian Kennedy, the chair of IPSA, replied to the letter in question on 18 December 2012.
Prime Minister
Conflict Resolution
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to the inclusion of commitments to address conflict and state fragility in his international committee's work on the post-2015 development framework. [127846]
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The Prime Minister: The High Level Panel’s work on the post-2015 development agenda is looking at all the root causes of poverty, including conflict and insecurity which are often overriding concerns for poor people.
Ministers: Codes of Practice
Mr Chope: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his answer of 18 December 2012, whether he is satisfied that the current version of the Ministerial Code reflects current practice in respect of collective ministerial responsibility. [134857]
The Prime Minister: I have nothing further to add.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to answer question 127846 tabled by the hon. Member for York Central (Hugh Bayley) on 6 November 2012 for answer on 8 November 2012. [135054]
The Prime Minister: I have today replied to the hon. Gentleman’s question.
Scotland
Sovereignty
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had on the process by which an independent Scotland would reapply to the EU. [135822]
David Mundell: Scotland Office Ministers have had discussions with ministerial colleagues and officials on the issue. The Advocate-General for Scotland has discussed this with legal experts within his Legal Forum, and the question has been raised in discussions with businesses and other interested parties.
The UK Government's view is that if Scotland were to leave the UK the most likely scenario is that it would need to seek EU membership on newly negotiated terms while the rest of the UK would continue as a member state. This view is grounded in legal and academic opinion, and it is consistent with the statements made by the President of the European Commission.
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister of Scotland on the referendum for independence; and if he will make a statement. [135830]
David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), has discussed the referendum with the First Minister of Scotland and the Scottish Government on a number of occasions, most recently when Scotland's two Governments reached agreement on the process to ensure that there is a legal, fair and decisive referendum.
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Women and Equalities
Homosexuality: Marriage
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has for legislation of gay marriage in relation to the Church in Wales; and if she will make a statement. [133971]
Mrs Grant [holding answer 17 December 2012]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement to the House on 11 December 2012, Official Report, column 155, in which I set out the “quadruple lock” of protections that will be included in the legislation to ensure that religious organisations and individual ministers are not forced to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies against their beliefs.
The legislation will also provide explicit protection for the Church in Wales which recognises the unique position of the Church and its duty to marry, so that it remains only applicable to opposite sex couples. The Government will continue to work closely with religious organisations, including the Church in Wales, as we prepare the legislation.
Helen Jones: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what consideration she has given to giving the Roman Catholic Church the same legal protection as that afforded to the Church of England and the Church of Wales in her forthcoming Bill on equal marriage; and if she will make a statement. [134139]
Mrs Grant [holding answer 17 December 2012]: I refer the hon. Lady to my statement to the House on 11 December 2012, OfficialReport, column 155, in which I set out the “quadruple lock” of protections that will be included in the legislation to ensure that religious organisations, including the Roman Catholic Church, and individual ministers are not forced to conduct same-sex marriage ceremonies against their beliefs.
As the established church, the Church of England is governed by its own canon law which prohibits same-sex marriage. The Government Bill will reflect canon law in order to ensure protection for the established church. This will be set out in the legislation in this way because the Church of England (and Church in Wales) has a duty to marry parishioners in their parish church, a duty which the Roman Catholic Church is not subject to. The Government will continue to work closely with religious organisations as we prepare the legislation.
Communities and Local Government
Affordable Housing: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable houses there are in Barnsley Central constituency. [134971]
Mr Prisk: Figures for local authority and private registered provider (housing association) stock at local authority district level can be found in Live Table 100 on this page:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
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The figures include dwellings for social rent, affordable rent, intermediate rent, but may exclude those in “shared ownership”.
Information is collected at local authority level and therefore figures at constituency level are not available.
Affordable Housing: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 442-3W, on affordable housing: Greater London, how much funding was provided by the Homes and Communities Agency for new, affordable homes in London in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how much funding has been provided to the Mayor of London for 2012-13 for new, affordable homes; and if he will make a statement. [134876]
Mr Prisk: Funding provided by the Homes and Communities Agency for new affordable housing in London in (a) 2010-11 was £1,136 million and in (b) 2011-12 £729 million.
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 442-43W, on funding provided to the Mayor of London for 2012-13.
I would note that the new Affordable Rent model now allows for more affordable housing to be delivered with lower levels of taxpayer capital subsidy and to lever in more private investment. As the National Audit Office has observed:
“The Department selected the best delivery model open to it for the funds it had available”
“The Department has so far achieved its policy objective to maximise the number of homes delivered within the available grant funding”
(National Audit Office, “Financial viability of the social housing sector; introducing the Affordable Homes Programme”, 4 July 2012, HC465, pp.6-7).
I also note that the Mayor's proposed Housing Strategy states:
“£1.8 billion of public funding has been secured by the Mayor which will unlock an estimated additional £3.7 billion of other investment for London to enable 55,000 affordable homes to be delivered between 2011-15”
(Mayor of London, “The Revised London Housing Strategy”, December2011, p.35).
Council Housing: Suffolk
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were waiting for housing in (a) St Edmundsbury borough council area and (b) Mid Suffolk district council area in each of the last five years. [134575]
Mr Prisk: The number of households on local authority waiting lists for each local authority is published in the Department's live tables 600, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-authority-housing-statistics-for-england-2011-to-2012
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Through the Localism Act 2011, we have given back to councils the freedom to manage their own waiting lists. They are now able to decide who should qualify for social housing in their area, and to develop solutions which make best use of finite social housing stock.
Fire Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason the Chief Fire Adviser to the Government was selected to undertake an efficiency review of fire and rescue services. [134965]
Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my Written Ministerial Statement of 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 69WS.
First-time Buyers
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what average deposit is needed by a first-time buyer in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England. [135125]
Mr Prisk: The Department does not produce estimates of the average deposit needed for first-time buyers in the Barnsley Central constituency, South Yorkshire or England.
However, I can refer the hon. Gentleman to the Council of Mortgage Lenders which estimated in October 2012 that the average deposit for a first-time buyer in the UK is 20% of the sale price of the property.
By tackling the budget deficit inherited by the previous Administration, this Government are helping first-time buyers by enabling them to access low interest rates.
The Halifax's First Time Buyer Review 2012 shows that the number of first-time buyers totalled 216,000 over the past year, the most since 2007.
Well-being
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of current practices used by local authorities to measure well-being. [134363]
Brandon Lewis: There has been no formal assessment by this Department of current practices used by local authorities to measure well-being.
In July, the Office for National Statistics produced experimental estimates of subjective well-being for county and unitary authorities in the UK from the Annual Population Survey 2012-13:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171766_272294.pdf
The Department for Communities and Local Government has made available estimates of well-being at the neighbourhood level, based on its statistical modelling of the Office for National Statistics survey data:
http://opendatacommunities.org/wellbeing/map
The purpose of these is to stimulate local debate on well-being. It is a matter for local authorities and their citizens to decide whether and how they wish to measure well-being locally.
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Homelessness
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of the financial well-being of third sector organisations specialising in working with the homeless that have signed contracts with Work programme prime providers. [135124]
Mr Prisk: The Department for Work and Pension leads on the Work programme.
Five-year contracts give prime providers a firm basis upon which to build long-term partnerships with their specialist supply chains of local providers.
Homelessness: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2012, Official Report, column 580W, on homelessness, how much funding his Department plans to spend on reducing homelessness in London in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [135381]
Mr Prisk: The following table sets out the total amount of Homelessness Prevention Grant funding allocated to local authorities in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. It also sets out the total amount of funding provided to the Greater London Authority for the provision of rough sleeping services in London in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
| Preventing Homelessness Funding—London | ||
| £ | ||
| Local authorities | Greater London Authority | |
The Homelessness Prevention Grant totals provided above are the baseline figures and exclude funding that has previously been rolled into the grant to cover local court desk provision and under-occupancy and tenancy fraud and additional funding provided in year.
In 2010-11, on top of the baseline grant we provided an additional £14,573,967 to meet homelessness pressures in London. In 2011-12, we provided London authorities with an additional £2,666,000 to tackle single homelessness and £3,013,248 to prevent repossessions.
We also provided £6,018,070 of capital funding for London in 2010-11 under the Places of Change programme.
From the 1 April 2012, affordable housing funding for London has been devolved to the Mayor of London. This includes £12,760,000 capital funding for the Homelessness Change programme.
Housing: Overcrowding
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households in each London borough were overcrowded on the most recent date for which figures are available. [135379]
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Mr Prisk: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my answer of 17 September 2012, Official Report, columns 484-85W.
Local Government Finance
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 443W, on local government finance, when he expects to make a statement on local government expenditure in 2013 onwards. [134585]
Brandon Lewis: The provisional Local Government Finance settlement for 2013-14 was announced by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), for statutory consultation on 19 December 2012.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether (a) the household benefit cap, (b) the social housing under-occupancy penalty and (c) direct payment of housing costs fall within the scope of his Department's new burdens doctrine in respect of their effect on local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [134745]
Brandon Lewis [holding answer 20 December 2012]: In line with the Government's new burdens doctrine the Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for carrying out new burdens assessments on policies it is implementing.
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials of his Department were involved in the production and publication of the document, “50 Ways to Save: Examples of Sensible Savings in Local Government”; and how many hours such staff spent producing the document. [135283]
Brandon Lewis: A number of staff assisted with the document, but I do not consider it a good use of public resources to ask staff to fill out time sheets to answer the hon. Gentleman's question.
I would note that otherwise there was no substantive cost to the Department in producing the in-house, online publication.
The document aims to give advice to councils on practical ways of cutting costs and saving taxpayers' money.
Local Government: Assets
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department will take to assist local authorities to enforce proper maintenance of land and properties. [133902]
Nick Boles: Local authorities have a range of powers available under planning, environmental and local government legislation to enable them to enforce the maintenance of land and buildings, including for example:
Section 215 Town and Country Planning Act 1990: Power to deal with derelict land and buildings
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Section 197 Town and Country Planning Act 1990: Power to make tree preservation orders
Section 225 Town and Country Planning Act 1990: Power to remove or obliterate any placard or poster displayed illegally in its area
Sections 76-79 of the Building Act 1984 for defective premises, dangerous buildings, ruinous and dilapidated buildings and neglected sites
Section 29 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 for works on unoccupied buildings
Sections 79-82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for abatement or prohibition of a nuisance
Listed building legislation such as Repairs and Urgent Works Notices; Completion Notices; and Compulsory Purchase Orders.
Central Government do not have a day-to-day role in the use of these powers.
Members: Correspondence
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to reply to the letters of 23 October and 5 November 2012 from the hon. Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff) on the consequences for Wychavon District Council of the application of national planning policies, including the means of measuring the existence of a five-year land supply for housing. [134982]
Nick Boles: A reply was sent on 20 November 2012.
Mobile Homes
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on including a fit and proper person test as part of any new legislative proposals on mobile homes. [134596]
Mr Prisk: The Department received representation on including a fit and proper test in legislative proposals for mobile homes from the Communities and Local Government Committee, following its inquiry into the sector. The Committee specifically sought views as to whether “fit and proper” licensing should be introduced and it received 250 pieces of evidence, many of which called for its introduction. At oral evidence sessions there was widespread support for its introduction, including from the trade bodies representing the industry. Its possible introduction, through secondary legislation, was recommended by the Committee in its report published in June 2012 and the Government accepted this recommendation. This requirement is now included in the Mobile Homes Bill, which is currently awaiting Second Reading in the other place.
Prior to the Select Committee's inquiry the Department received representation for the test's introduction from a number of sources, including individuals, Members of Parliament and the all-party parliamentary group on mobile homes.
Parish Councils: Council Tax
David Morris:
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to ensure any rebate to parish councils under the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council
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Tax Base) Regulations 2012 is ringfenced; and if he will amend the regulations in favour of parish councils to address that matter . [135727]
Brandon Lewis: We consulted on this broad issue last year.
The Government have written to all billing authorities and provided the guidance at annex B of “Localising support for Council Tax—Council Tax base and funding for local precepting authorities: Government response to the outcome of consultation”.
The guidance sets out that in allocating the local precepting authority funding to billing authorities it is Government's clear expectation that they will work with parish and town councils to pass down funding so that precepts can be reduced, reflecting reductions in their council tax base.
Planning Permission
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much revenue each local authority obtained from (a) planning applications and (b) section 106 agreements in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [134695]
Nick Boles: The revenue obtained by each local authority from planning applications for 2010-11 and 2011-12 is set out in the table which has been placed in the Library of the House. Planning services are also funded thorough formula grant. Section 106 agreements are sought, negotiated and applied at local authority level. There is no national record of revenue obtained through section 106 agreements by individual local authorities.
Private Rented Housing
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the housing stock in each parliamentary constituency is in the private rented sector. [135444]
Mr Foster: Data released from the 2011 census shows the proportion of households in private rented accommodation at local authority level. Tenure information is presented in table KS402EW. The private rented tenure is split into the two categories; rented from a landlord or letting agency and rented other, available at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of those on housing waiting lists were renting privately owned properties in each year since 1982. [135539]
Mr Foster: This information is not collected centrally.
Private Rented Housing: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of households are privately rented in Barnsley Central constituency. [134977]
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Mr Prisk: Data released from the 2011 census shows the proportion of households in private rented accommodation at local authority level. Tenure information is presented in table KS402EW. The private rented tenure is split into the two categories; rented from a landlord or letting agency and rented other.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html
Private Rented Housing: Greater London
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of private sector tenants in each London borough who have been re-located (a) within the borough, (b) within Greater London and (c) outside Greater London in each month since April 2012. [135825]
Mr Foster: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold the information requested.
Although local authorities have powers enabling them to take action against private sector landlords, to protect both tenants and neighbourhoods from poor property condition and management, they do not have any powers to force private sector tenants to re-locate.
Property Development
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to encourage better design in new property developments. [133910]
Nick Boles: The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government's planning policies on design. It makes clear that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development, is indivisible from good planning and should contribute positively to making places better for people. Specifically it also sets out that: permission should be refused for development of poor design; great weight should be given to outstanding or innovative designs; proposals that have evolved to take account of the views of the community should be looked on more favourably; and local planning authorities should have local design review arrangements in place.
In addition, we are currently funding Design Council Cabe to carry out, and further develop, design review services that enable developers and local authorities to submit schemes, at the pre-application stage, to an independent panel of design experts who provide constructive feedback on how the scheme could be improved.
We have also supported the development of a design checklist, known as Building for Life, that is promoted by the Home Builders Federation and the Design Council as a helpful reference tool that can be used at the pre-application stage to help frame discussions about the design of a new housing scheme.
I also refer my hon. Friend to my recent speech on planning, localism and design, which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/town-and-country-planning-association-conference-speech
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Property: British Nationals Abroad
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans his Department has to ensure that land and property owners who live overseas are required to maintain their properties in the UK to an acceptable standard. [133721]
Mr Prisk: Responsibility for maintaining a property rests with the owner of that property, whether they live in this country or overseas.
Where a property owner is not maintaining the property, local authorities have a number of powers to serve notice on the owner and/or take direct action if the owner does not take the action(s) required by the notice. I am arranging for a list of the most relevant powers to be placed in the Library of the House.
The Government consider that these powers are sufficient to enable local authorities to deal with the problems that are caused by properties that are not maintained and there are no plans to introduce further requirements on overseas property owners.
Public Houses
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what estimate he has made of the number of pubs that were turned into supermarkets in (a) each year between 2000 and 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; [134753]
(2) what recent assessment he has made of the planning regime; and whether changes could be made so that premises changing from a pub to a supermarket would require planning permission; [134754]
(3) what support his Department is providing to local authorities to help them use article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to protect community amenities. [134755]
(4) what recent estimate he has made of the potential compensation liability associated with a local authority using article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to prevent a pub being converted into a supermarket; [134756]
(5) how many councils have used article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to prevent a pub being converted into a supermarket in the last 10 years [134757]
Nick Boles [holding answer 20 December 2012]: Buildings used as pubs and shops are in different classes within the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (as amended). However, there are permitted development rights which allow a pub to convert to a shop without the need to submit a planning application and so any such conversion would not necessarily be recorded. As this is a local matter, no central estimate has been made of the number of conversions.
As part of a review of change of use, we published a consultation in July 2012 on making better use of existing buildings, and are now considering responses received.
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Where there is a need to control specific development, the local authority can put in place an article 4 direction in consultation with the local community. Detailed guidance on the application of article 4 directions can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5679/2160020.pdf
The potential for compensation liability will vary depending on the content of the article 4 direction and the area. In reaching decisions about bringing in article 4 directions, local authorities will have to make a judgment on whether the benefits of taking action outweigh the potential costs. We have been notified of one proposed article 4 direction to restrict the permitted development rights for a pub to change to retail, financial and professional services and restaurant uses. We are not aware of any local authority that currently has an article 4 direction in place restricting the conversion of pubs to supermarkets.
More broadly, pubs do not turn into supermarkets because of the planning system. Rather, the key issue is that pubs may close and the premises are sold because they are not economically viable. In that context, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 610W, on the steps the Government are taking to support community pubs—including tackling unfair competition by some supermarkets by selling alcohol below cost price.
Moreover, one of the public policy objectives that we also need to consider is avoiding premises standing empty. Disproportionate restrictions on change of use would result in more empty buildings, harming local amenity and the broader local economy.
Right to Buy Scheme
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment his Department has made of whether councils are informing social tenants of their Right to Buy. [135150]
Mr Prisk: Councils have a statutory duty to inform their tenants of the Right to Buy and to provide information to help their tenants decide whether to exercise this right. I would expect all local authorities with social housing stock to take this responsibility seriously.
A Right to Buy road show is an excellent way to ensure that tenants are both informed about the scheme and are given the information they need to achieve their aspiration of home ownership. My Department is offering support to all councils who wish to hold a road show and I invite my hon. Friend's council, Crawley borough council, to take up this offer. I shall be attending one of these road shows myself.
Right to Buy Scheme: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social tenants have bought their homes under right to buy in Barnsley Central constituency. [134976]
Mr Prisk: Figures for local authority housing sales at local authority district level can be found in Live Table 648b on this page:
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https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-social-housing-sales
Information is collected at local authority level and therefore figures at constituency level are not available. There have been over 14,000 right to buy and other council house sales in Barnsley District since 1979.
Shops
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisations received a financial benefit from the recent pop-up shop at Eland house. [135397]
Mr Prisk: The pop-up shop at Eland house is operated by StartUp Britain, a not for profit company launched by the Prime Minister on 28 March 2011. Over the coming year, the shop will offer up to 150 entrepreneurs the chance to sell their British-made products over a two-week period. The tenant retailers will keep all of the profit from their sales, with any surplus rental income being recycled to fund pop-up shops elsewhere in the UK.
I would be delighted to invite the hon. Gentleman to join me for a tour of the pop-up shop early this year.
Culture, Media and Sport
Basketball
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will ask UK Sport to reconsider its decision to withdraw elite funding for basketball. [135513]
Hugh Robertson: UK Sport’s decisions to fund sports for the Rio 2016 cycle were based on its Investment Principles, which can be read at the following link:
http://www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/investment-principles/
Any sport which is dissatisfied with the outcome of this process can make a formal appeal. The full details of the appeals process are on UK Sport's website:
www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/complaints-appeals/
Separate to any formal process, the UK Sport board has exercised its discretionary right to invite sports to attend the next board meeting (on 30 January 2013) to make any further informal representations.
Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department is providing to basketball and wheelchair basketball in (a) London and (b) the rest of the UK following the London 2012 Olympics. [135773]
Hugh Robertson:
Sport England has recently announced that it will commit £6.75 million to getting more people playing basketball during 2013-17. It will also invest £2 million in wheelchair basketball during this time to help more disabled people take up the sport and build the foundations of future Paralympic success. The four-year funding is more than twice Sport England’s previous investment in British wheelchair basketball. In addition to this, Sport England has open pots of funding,
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which basketball clubs are able to apply to. Sport England funding will benefit individuals and clubs across the country. UK Sport is investing £5,379,264 into elite wheelchair basketball for the Rio cycle.
Betting
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on a review of fixed-odds betting terminals; and if she will make a statement. [134871]
Hugh Robertson: The Government have committed to review the evidence around category B2 gaming machines (fixed-odds betting terminals) and problem gambling. Details on how the review will be progressed are being agreed with colleagues across Government, including the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), and will be announced shortly.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has assessed which overseas jurisdictions do not compel operators to report certain information such as instances of suspicious betting activity to the Gambling Commission or relevant body where such activity may involve UK sports or UK consumers. [134899]
Hugh Robertson: The Gambling Commission has advised that it is not common practice for overseas jurisdictions to require betting operators to report suspicious betting activity involving UK sport or consumers direct to the Gambling Commission, or to the UK sports governing body.
Broadband: Rural Areas
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the reason was for the time taken to provide the EU Competition Commissioner with information on the rural broadband rollout programme. [134764]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was involved in extensive dialogue with the Commission on the detail of its superfast broadband programme. DCMS submitted its formal notification for state-aid approval on 5 January 2012 and having reviewed the notification, the Commission raised 31 questions relating to the detailed operation of the scheme on 29 February. DCMS worked closely with Commission officials over the course of the following months to address the concerns that were raised in these questions, to amend the scheme where appropriate and to negotiate on specific details. It was necessary to address all these matters to ensure that we ended up with a high-quality scheme that presents the prospect of delivering superfast broadband to the vast majority of the UK, and doing so with the minimum contribution from public funds.
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Football
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Football Association on the involvement of clubs in the Football Conference and the Isthmian, Southern and Northern Premier leagues in the governance of English football. [135286]
Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), met the chair of the Football Association (FA) on 3 October to discuss a wide range of football issues, including governance, and as Minister for sport and tourism, I meet with the chair and chief of the Football Association regularly. However, no specific discussions have taken place with the FA about lower league clubs. The football authorities continue to work towards reforming the governance of the game. They have already begun to implement this through the reform of the FA Board. We expect further reforms, including the introduction of a new licensing system for clubs and rationalisation of the relationship between the FA Board and its Council, by summer 2013.
Gambling: Internet
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what evidence she has considered on the potential effect on consumer protection of place of consumption regulation of online gambling. [134819]
Hugh Robertson: The Government have set out in detail the evidence they have considered in a Regulatory Impact Assessment accompanying the draft Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill. This assessment identifies how place of consumption regulation of online gambling will ensure that the protections of the gambling regulatory framework are applied more consistently, with less confusion for consumers, and in a way that gives the Gambling Commission the ability to offer greater protection to British consumers.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what evidence she has considered on the potential effect of place of consumption regulation of online gambling on the number of unregulated operators offering online gambling in the UK; [134820]
(2) if she will estimate the potential reduction in unregulated online gambling in the UK as a result of place of consumption regulation; [134821]
(3) if she will estimate the number of unregulated online gaming companies currently operating in the UK; [134900]
(4) what proportion of online gambling operators are able to offer unregulated services in the UK; [134822]
(5) if she will estimate the proportion of the UK online gaming market that is unregulated; and what assessment she has made of the potential effects of place of consumption regulation on that proportion; [134895]
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(6) whether she has estimated the number of unregulated operators that will become regulated as a result of the introduction of place of consumption regulation. [134896]
Hugh Robertson: Remote gambling offered to UK consumers may fall into one of several categories. It could be unregulated anywhere (which we estimate to be a very small proportion of the total); regulated in another jurisdiction but not authorised to advertise in the UK; regulated in “whitelist” or EEA countries and therefore authorised to advertise in the UK; and those regulated by the Gambling Commission. The Gambling Commission estimates that at least 80% of remote gambling activity by UK citizens takes place with operators that it does not regulate. Our proposals for place of consumption regulation aim to ensure that all remote gambling advertised and offered to British based consumers will be regulated by the Gambling Commission.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of how place of consumption regulation of online gambling will improve consumer protection. [134823]
Hugh Robertson: The Government's proposed remote gambling reforms will strengthen consumer protection for British-based consumers of remote gambling services by ensuring that remote gambling operators are subject to the provisions of the Gambling Act 2005, its regulations and the Gambling Commission's social responsibility and technical standards requirements. As a result, consumers will enjoy consistent standards of protection whichever online gambling site they choose to visit.
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) which gambling jurisdictions contained within EEA member states, Gibraltar and the white list her Department has assessed as providing inadequate protection to consumers; [134898]
(2) which European online gaming operators her Department has assessed as having insufficient regulatory oversight; and which are permitted to advertise in the UK. [134897]
Hugh Robertson: Part of the problem with the current regulatory arrangements is that it is difficult to assess whether apparent problems are due to lack of regulatory oversight, because such issues are investigated by other regulators. The proposed remote gambling regulatory reforms remove the need to assess regulatory standards in jurisdictions whose operators can target the UK, and is a more practical and cost-effective approach given the growing number of online jurisdictions and the potential for expansion of the online offer. There is currently potential for a growing problem of varying standards and different levels of expertise and the proposed reforms will reduce the potential for operators to locate themselves in inexperienced or less rigorous jurisdictions to target the UK.
Olympic Games 2012
Hugh Bayley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which events at the London
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2012 Olympics and Paralympics were attended by each Minister in her Department using tickets or passes for which they did not pay personally; and what the cost was of attending each such event for members of the public who used comparable seats or had comparable access. [135655]
Hugh Robertson: The Government pledged to publish these details following the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will do so shortly.
Redundancy
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many posts have been declared redundant by each of her Department’s executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1999; and what has been the cost of those redundancies in each such year. [135467]
Hugh Robertson: The Department does not collate this information. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executives of our agency and arm’s length bodies to write to the hon. Gentleman. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Sports
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has held on creating a national framework that will secure a sporting legacy for the UK; and if she will make a statement. [134872]
Hugh Robertson: A new Cabinet Committee on Olympic and Paralympic Legacy has been created, chaired by the Prime Minister, to co-ordinate legacy delivery across Government. Sports legacy forms a major part of this work.
Sports: Schools
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to her Department's strategy, “Creating a sporting habit for life”, published in January 2012, what assessment she has made of the effect of the loss of teacher-release funding in schools from 2013-14; and if she will make a statement. [134873]
Hugh Robertson: The Department has made no such assessment. “Teacher release” funding is a matter for the Department for Education. In November 2010, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), announced that he was making available funding to release a PE teacher from every secondary school to work with local primary schools to increase opportunities in competitive sport and encourage them to participate in the School Games. At that time, he made it very clear that this funding would be in place for only two years and that, beyond then, he expects that schools should have embedded this work into their core provision.
We are working with the Secretary of State for Education in considering a range of measures to improve school sport further and will make an announcement in due course.
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Telephone Services: Unsolicited Goods and Services
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints the Information Commissioner received from the Telephone Preference Service about live unsolicited direct marketing calls in the year to 31 October (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [133362]
Mr Vaizey: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has advised me that it is unable to provide information relating to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), as its systems are unable to specifically identify referrals from the TPS.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the contribution from the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion (Caroline Lucas) of 19 December 2012, Official Report, column 896, if he will correct the record following his contribution at Official Report, 18 December 2012, column 828. [135757]
Mr Hayes: I confirm that no correction will be made to the Official Report, 18 December 2012, Column 828.
The Government expect to reduce emissions to below the first three carbon budgets by 90, 132, and 71 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent respectively, as set out in the Government's Updated Energy and Emissions Projections and their response to the Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) fourth annual progress report—both published on 15 October, 2012. Since 1990, we have already seen UK emissions fall by 26%, on the way to reducing emissions by around 35%, against 1990 levels, by 2020 (the third carbon budget period).
Consistent with the Government's analysis, the CCC recognised in its fourth annual progress report that current emissions projections suggest outperformance against the first three carbon budgets, whilst noting the impact of the current economic climate on emissions projections. The CCC did also use its report to call for a “step change” in the pace of implementation of policy measures, but did not disagree that the first three carbon budgets are likely to be met on current projections.
The Government are acting now to deliver the step change necessary, with major policies now moving into their delivery stage. The recently introduced Energy Bill set out proposals for reforming the electricity market to support low-carbon generation, changes which should lead to a doubling in the normal rate of investment.
Among other things, the Government are supporting continued take-up of energy efficiency measures through the Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation; building a market for renewable heat through the renewable heat incentive; and have put in place a green investment bank to help catalyse the private investment that is crucial to driving the change that is needed.
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Electricity Interconnectors: Hebrides
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an estimate of the cost of installing, maintaining and running an electrical interconnector in the Outer Hebrides. [135447]
Mr Hayes: The cost of grid connections is a matter for the network companies and the independent regulator, Ofgem. The Department makes no estimate of the costs of such projects.
Employment Agencies
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total spending on recruitment agencies by his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135234]
Gregory Barker: The total spending on recruitment agencies by the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the period July 2012 to December 2012 is as follows:
| £ | |
The data for December 2012 are not currently available.
Energy: Conservation
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the case for supporting industrial energy efficiency schemes in the energy intensive industries through the measures proposed in his Department's consultation paper on options to encourage permanent reductions in electricity use. [135090]
Mr Hayes: The Electricity Demand Reduction consultation sets out a number of policies the Government are considering introducing to reduce demand for electricity. Analysis carried out in support of the consultation considered the technical potential for electricity savings across the economy, including energy intensive industries. The measures assessed as having the highest technical potential for electricity savings in the industrial sector are the usage optimisation of motors, pump optimisation and improved boilers. Together these are estimated to have the potential to save around 24 TWh, 4% of which is expected to be captured through current and planned policies.
We are continuing to gather evidence through the consultation process before finalising our policies to deliver a step change in electricity demand reduction. Our consideration of the evidence will include looking at the scope for, and the costs and benefits of, supporting electricity demand reduction in energy intensive industries.
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Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to support decentralised energy generators to reduce carbon emissions through greater energy efficiency. [135411]
Gregory Barker: All generators are incentivised to run as efficiently as possible through the operation of the energy market. The electricity market reforms being introduced in the Energy Bill will diversify our electricity supply by supporting all forms of low-carbon generation, helping to improve our energy security and reduce reliance on energy imports. These reforms do not support one specific technology. Rather, they will provide assistance to all low carbon technologies, in order to encourage innovation and competition, and reward those generators that can provide clean, affordable, and secure electricity for consumers at the lowest price.
Energy: Fines
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount paid in fines to HM Treasury from each energy company in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012. [133788]
Mr Hayes: DECC does not hold the information requested.
As independent regulator, Ofgem is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including investigating energy companies which may be breaching the terms of their licence, acting anti-competitively or breaching consumer law. Ofgem has the power to fine up to 10% of a company’s turnover should it be found to be in breach. The following tables show the amount of fines issued by Ofgem from 2009-12.
| 2010 | ||
| Company | Case details | Outcome |
|
Investigation under the Competition Act 1998 into suspected abuse of dominant position | ||
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Also in 2010, EDF Energy made payments of £200,000 to two consumer funds following an investigation into its compliance with Regulation 4 (1) of the Gas and Electricity (Consumer Complaints Handling Standards) Regulations 2008.
| 2012 | ||
| Company | Case details | Outcome |
|
Non-compliance with Gas and Electricity (Consumer Complaints Handling Standards) Regulations 2008 (CSHR) | ||
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Also in 2012, Ofgem secured a commitment from E.ON to pay back £1.4 million to customers incorrectly charged exit fees or overcharged following price rises. In addition, E.ON has agreed to make an additional payment of around £300,000 as a goodwill gesture to a consumer fund which it runs in partnership with Age UK.
Ofcom, the body responsible for regulating the communications industries, recently imposed a financial penalty of £60,000 on Npower for breaking rules on abandoned telephone calls, which came into force in 2010.
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Energy: Meters
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 536W, on energy: meters, whether he has undertaken a cost-benefit analysis of the different types of smart meter; and if he will publish the results of any such analysis. [134865]
Mr Hayes: The Government published the first smart meter equipment technical specifications and a cost-benefit impact assessment in April 2012. The specifications set out the minimum functional and technical requirements for smart meters installed in Great Britain. In August 2012 the Government launched a further consultation seeking views on requirements for a range of additional capabilities in the specifications, including standards for communication between devices. A cost-benefit impact assessment will be published alongside the Government response to the consultation shortly.
Equality
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of staff in his Department have received training in equality and diversity and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 in each of the last three years. [134810]
Gregory Barker: DECC has since November 2010 provided a mandatory equality and diversity e-learning course to all of its staff. Staff were asked to complete the course once, not annually.
In financial year 2010-11, 18.5% of staff passed the course.
In financial year 2011-12, 75.3% of staff passed the course.
In financial year 2012-13, 2.8% of staff have passed the course.
EU Energy Policy
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage an integrated European market for energy. [135300]
Mr Hayes: The Third Package of legislation on the internal market in energy includes the key building blocks for an integrated European energy market. It is therefore crucial that it is fully implemented in all member states and we are encouraging the Commission to take enforcement action against those member states that have not achieved full compliance. However, in order to facilitate the cross-border trading and further investment needed for energy market integration, further rules are being developed on a range of network and market issues. The Department, in close co-operation with UK regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders, is playing an active part in the formulation of these rules with the aim of adopting the most important of them in time to meet the objective, agreed by the European Council, of completing the internal energy market by 2014.
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Fracking
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his timetable is for his Department's study into the possible impacts of shale gas extraction on greenhouse gas emissions. [135089]
Mr Hayes: The study will start in January 2013 and is due to complete by 30 April 2013.
Fracking: Fylde
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what monitoring will take place of fracking off the Fylde coast. [134881]
Mr Hayes: I am not aware of any proposals for fracking off the Fylde coast. Monitoring of any fracking within Fylde is described in the written ministerial statement on Exploration for Shale Gas made by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), on 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 44-52WS.
Fuel Poverty: Pendle
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the number of households in fuel poverty in Pendle constituency. [135114]
Gregory Barker: The following table shows the number of households living in fuel poverty in the Pendle parliamentary constituency, for the latest available year 2010. Fuel poverty statistics for 2011 are due to be released in May 2013.
| Area | Fuel poor households (thousand) | Percentage living in fuel poverty (%) |
Green Deal Scheme
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many companies took part in the tendering process to award the contract to run the Green Deal oversight body. [135815]
Gregory Barker: Nine bidders expressed an interest in the role of Green Deal Oversight and Registration Body. Of these, six were selected to move to the next stage and issued with a formal Invitation to Tender on 7 March 2012. Four bids were received.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which Minister signed off the decision to award Gemserv the contract to run the Green Deal oversight body. [135816]
Gregory Barker: I approved the recommendation to appoint Gemserv, on behalf of the Secretary of State, based on its score from the tender process under the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 and Official Journal of the European Union procedures.
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Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that existing Green Deal participants are not able to influence which future companies are granted Green Deal accreditation. [135817]
Gregory Barker: All participants go through a transparent, consistent and fair process to gain accreditation. Compliance with the Green Deal code of practice is a condition of all accreditations.
Applicant assessors and installers have to be certified by a certification body, on behalf of the Secretary of State, to ensure they meet the appropriate standards. The United Kingdom Accreditation Service accredit certification bodies to carry out this function.
Applicant providers submit applications to the Oversight and Registration Body that are assessed in accordance with published guidance for applicants prepared by DECC.
The Oversight and Registration Body makes a recommendation, and the Secretary of State takes the decision on whether to approve the applicant.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration his Department gave the shareholders of Gemserv when awarding the contract to run the Green Deal oversight body. [135818]
Gregory Barker: Award of the contract was undertaken in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. The contract was also awarded, and is being delivered, in accordance with the Department's requirements and detailed terms which provide appropriate controls should they be needed, including over any issues relating to ownership.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criteria his Department used to determine that Gemserv should be awarded the contract to run the Green Deal oversight body. [135819]
Gregory Barker: The evaluation criteria used to assess each of the bids were contained in the Invitation to Tender (ITT). The criteria covered the following areas: Delivery Plan, Quality Assurance and Reporting, Registration and Authorisation, Management Functions, Data Management and Data Security, Monitoring, Non- Compliance and Redress, Reporting, and Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) functions. The marks available against each criteria were made known in advance through the ITT.
Green Deal Scheme: Computer Software
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2012, Official Report, column 308W, on Green Deal Scheme: computer scheme, on what date the updated software for assessment training produced by BRE went live. [135409]
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Gregory Barker: The training software produced by BRE first went live on 27 May 2012. Subsequent updates have been released throughout the year. The version of the software released on 5 December 2012 was approved by DECC for the creation of live Green Deal occupancy assessments.
Industrial Diseases: Compensation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) if he will thank the individual members of the English, Welsh and Scottish groups on coal miners' compensation for their work; [134868]
(2) when the individual members of the English, Welsh and Scottish monitoring groups on coal miners' compensation will be formally advised whether or not their services are required any more. [134869]
Mr Hayes: The Coal Heath Compensation Monitoring Groups were set up specifically to monitor the progress and settlement of claims under the chronic obstruction pulmonary disease (COPD) and vibration white finger (VWF) schemes. Both schemes were formally concluded in the courts over two years ago. At the same time the work of the monitoring groups came to a natural conclusion with the completion of most claims.
These were among the biggest personal injury schemes in British legal history. It has been noted on several occasions that the schemes have been a remarkable achievement for all those involved, including the monitoring groups. I endorse that sentiment.
Nuclear Power Stations
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the ability of Hinkley B and Hunterson B nuclear reactors to operate safely for a further seven years. [134928]
Mr Hayes: Ensuring the continued safe operation and security of the UK's nuclear power plants and facilities is of paramount importance. The operator has a duty to ensure that the nuclear power stations can continue to operate in line with regulatory requirements. The Office for Nuclear Regulation has reviewed the operators' proposals and is satisfied that both power stations will continue to operate safely, provided that results from routine maintenance, inspection and testing continue to support their safety cases. Continued operation of these power stations will also be subject to mandatory Periodic Safety Reviews continuing to demonstrate that they remain adequately safe.
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what procedures he will put in place to monitor safety at Hinkley B and Hunterson B nuclear reactors. [134929]
Mr Hayes: All nuclear site licensees, including EDF in the case of Hinkley B and Hunterston B reactors, are legally obliged to satisfy the independent Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) that they are operating safely, in accordance with a detailed safety case. In turn, the ONR reports to the public, the Secretary of State and to Parliament.
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Nuclear Reactors
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost has been of the Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process for new nuclear reactors since its inception; what proportion of such cost has been recovered by (a) the Office for Nuclear Regulation and (b) the Environment Agency; and what estimate he has made of the likely future costs that will be incurred in the completion of any outstanding GDA matters. [135028]
Mr Hayes: The regulatory costs of the Generic Design Assessment to date have been approximately £57 million (EA costs: £5 million and ONR costs: £52 million).
Regulators have estimated the costs up to publication of the final technical reports for the EPR design to be an additional £2.57 million (EA: £0.37million and ONR: £2.2 million).
100% of these costs are recoverable from the GDA requesting parties.
The AP1000 design assessment remains on hold as per Westinghouse's request.
Olympic Games 2012
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which events at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were attended by each Minister in his Department using tickets or passes for which they did not pay personally; and what the cost was of attending each such event for members of the public who used comparable seats or had comparable access. [135652]
Gregory Barker: The Government pledged to publish these details following the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will do so shortly.
Procurement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value was of contracts awarded by his Department to (a) management consultancies and (b) IT companies in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [135165]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not hold the information requested centrally and it would be available only at disproportionate cost. The following figures shown have been taken from the Department’s financial records. On all consultancy, including management consultancies:
£9,163,000 was spent in 2010-11;
£6,690,000 was spent in 2011-12.
The Department procures IT through a shared services agreement with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. The Department spend through this contract in 2010-11 was £4,744,000 and £5,499,000 in 2011-12. When IT services are only part of a main contract for a service, it is not possible to identify separately the IT spend on that contract and this figure is not included in the figures shown.
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Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many procurement officers are currently employed by his Department. [135672]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change employs a central procurement team of seven procurement officers and a part-time procurement officer for 0.4 of a full-time worker. In addition there are a number of staff working on procurement throughout the Department under guidance from the central team. The number of staff working on procurement is not recorded centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil servants in his Department regularly deal with procurement services. [135673]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has devolved procurement across the organisation with a central team of seven procurement officers and one part-time procurement officer.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many procurement officers in his Department have relevant procurement qualifications. [135674]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change employs a central procurement team of eight procurement officers and all are fully qualified members of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (MCIPS).
Public Expenditure
Mr Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to his Department's Business Plan 2011-15, what payments were made by his Department to organisations as part of achieving Priority (a) B: Deliver secure energy on the way to a low-carbon future and (b) C: Drive ambitious action on climate change at home and abroad in each financial year since 2008-09. [135142]
Gregory Barker: For each of the financial years since 2008-09, the Department's payment expenditure to organisations as part of achieving the priorities of (a) B: Deliver a secure energy on the way to a low-carbon future and (b) C: Drive ambitious action on climate change at home and abroad is published in the Department of Energy and Climate Change's 2011-12 Annual Report (HC 63) Page 222.
Redundancy
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many posts have been declared redundant by each of his Department's executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies by each such body in each year since 1999; and what the cost of those redundancies has been. [135488]
Gregory Barker:
The number of posts declared redundant in each year since 1999 and the associated costs by each of the non-departmental public bodies (NDPB) for
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which the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is responsible are shown in the following table.
| NDPB | Posts declared redundant | Cost of redundancies | |
| (1) The Civil Nuclear Constabulary was created in 2005. Therefore there is no information available prior to that date. | |||
The Committee for Climate Change has not made any posts redundant. DECC does not have any executive agencies for which it is responsible.
Redundancy Pay
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total amount of redundancy pay paid to civil servants in his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135232]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not made any redundancy payments to any of its civil servants between July and December 2012.
Renewable Energy: Timber
Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) if he will take steps to ensure that the use of whole trees in electricity generation is not supported under the Renewables Obligation; [134885]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the effect on emissions of greenhouse gases of using whole trees for electricity generation. [134886]
Mr Hayes:
A sustainably managed forest will produce whole trees that vary in size and quality. It is common UK practice when establishing new stands of trees to plant at relatively high densities. Over time a proportion
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of these young, small trees will die due to competition or may be thinned out to allow the best trees to thrive. These whole trees, particularly the earliest thinnings, can be beneficially used for energy generation and this may be the only use available to them.
In developing the evidence base to inform the UK Bioenergy Strategy, the Government commissioned analysis on the carbon impacts of using forestry for bioenergy, compared with alternative end uses. The focus of the work was on UK forestry practices. It concluded that UK market prices ensured that whole trees of sufficient quality and dimensions would be used to produce timber for construction and only the residues from this process used for energy. This mixed use would deliver the best GHG emissions savings.
The research is available from the DECC website.
The Government are consulting to improve the sustainability criteria that apply to the use of solid and gaseous biomass under the Renewables Obligation. We are proposing that the reporting requirements include more information on the quality and tree species of different consignments of woodfuel used by power generators so we can better ensure that this is the case. The consultation closed on 30 November and we intend to publish our decisions by March 2013.
Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much wood was burnt in UK power stations in 2011-12; and what proportion of wood used for such purposes was sourced from whole trees, including sawlogs and roundwood. [134889]
Mr Hayes: In year 2011-12 (April 2011 to March 2012), 2,077,493 tonnes of wood (including wood, pellets, chip and sawdust) was burned by UK major power producers(1). DECC does not hold information on the proportion sourced from whole trees.
(1)Source:
DECC's monthly survey of UK major power producers.