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Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 8 January 2013
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Temporary Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what amount his Department spent on interim staff as defined by the National Audit Office in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [135170]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent (a) £6,731,574 on interim staff in the financial year (FY) 2010-11 and (b) £4,876,632 on interim staff in the FY 2011-12.
These figures are for spend in the UK only. To obtain the figures for all of our 200 plus posts would involve trawling posts for this information and would incur disproportionate cost.
World War II: Military Decorations
Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the oral answer from the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport of 19 December 2012, Official Report, column 841, whether he plans to allow veterans of the Arctic Convoys to receive the Russian Ushakov medal as well as awarding a British honour. [135143]
Mark Simmonds: The current British rules on the acceptance of foreign awards state that permission will not be given for UK citizens to accept a foreign award if they have received, or are expected to receive, a UK award for the same services (double medalling).
The double medalling rule was a factor in the original decision not to give permission for the Ushakov medal to be accepted because service on the Arctic Convoys was included in the eligibility criteria for the Atlantic Star. With the Prime Minister’s announcement of a specific British medal for veterans of the Arctic Convoys, the double medalling consideration becomes even more relevant. Under current rules, permission cannot be given for veterans to accept the Ushakov medal for the same service.
However, as you may be aware, the Government have asked Sir John Holmes to review the rules on the acceptance of foreign awards including the double medalling rule. As Sir John is already carrying out this work, it is right that we should await the outcome of his work.
Women and Equalities
Equal Pay: Local Government
Guy Opperman: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps the Government is able to take to expedite the resolution of those equal pay claims by women employed by local authorities in the north-east which have not yet reached court. [135837]
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Jo Swinson: This Government remain fully committed to equality and to equal pay in every work force. However, local authorities are independent employers in their own right and the Government have no role in the way they manage their work forces, including how they exercise their responsibilities in relation to equal pay. The Local Government Association, as the representative body of local authorities, has produced guidance for local authorities undertaking equal pay reviews.
In announcing the Provisional Local Government Settlement (on 19 December 2012), the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government confirmed that he would be taking steps to enable authorities to use capital receipts from asset sales raised from 2012-13, for equal pay costs.
Transport
Broadband
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has had discussions with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Network Rail over the potential use of ducts and land owned by those bodies as a platform for fibre access to support the provision of broadband across the UK. [134724]
Mr Simon Burns: The Departments have discussed this issue with Network Rail. There is a recognition by all parties that access to Network Rail ducts and land could potentially enable improved broadband services across the UK. We look to Network Rail to propose an approach that does not negatively impact rail operations or safety.
We will continue to work together to enable a positive way forward.
Attorney-General
Serious Fraud Office
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Attorney-General what steps he plans to take to address issues identified in the report by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate on the Serious Fraud Office published in November 2012. [135613]
The Attorney-General: The Director of the Serious Fraud Office has accepted all the recommendations made by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate in its report.
An action plan has been devised in response to the recommendations and work has already begun to make the necessary improvements.
The Director has invited the Inspectorate to return in 2014 to evaluate progress and inspect again.
In addition I have said that I would like the inspection of the SFO to be put on a statutory footing and this will be done as soon as parliamentary time allows.
Leader of the House
Olympic Games 2012
Hugh Bayley:
To ask the Leader of the House which events at the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were attended by each Minister in his office using
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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. [135645]
Mr Lansley: The Government pledged to publish these details following the Olympic and Paralympic games and will do so shortly.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Arms Trade: Israel
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he took to ensure that in issuing arms export licences to Israel, notably those categorised as ML1, ML3, ML4 and ML10, weapons could not be used for internal repression; and if he will make a statement. [135392]
Michael Fallon [holding answer 7 January 2013]: All export licences for military goods are assessed on a case by case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. An export licence will not be issued if the decision is not consistent with the criteria. Assessments of export licence applications for military goods to Israel will take account of the continuing tensions over Gaza.
The following criteria are relevant:
The respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination. A licence will not be issued if there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression;
The internal situation in the country of final destination, as a function of the existence of tensions or armed conflicts. The Government will not issue export licences for exports which would provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in the country of final destination;
Preservation of regional peace, security and stability. The Government will not issue an export licence if there is a clear risk that the intended recipient would use the proposed export aggressively against another country, or to assert by force a territorial claim.
Business: Advisory Services
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received on the success of the Mentorsme website. [135083]
Michael Fallon: The information is as follows:
mentorsme.co.uk, the national mentoring portal, which is funded and operated by the British Bankers Association (BBA), now provides a single point of access to over 114 mentoring organisations—more than double the number we started with in July 2012. This is good progress progress and we continue to work closely with the BBA to expand and develop the site further.
According to research published by this Department in September 2012, almost two-thirds of mentoring providers registered on the site would recommend that others do so and the large majority of organisations listed on the site have seen demand increase.
A number of parliamentary questions have been answered regarding the success of the site, including
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four
(1)from the hon. Member. I have received some other representations on the success of the mentorsme website including positive words welcoming the initiative.
Working with the mentoring community, the BBA have identified and are making a number of enhancements to mentorsme.co.uk in order to improve the customer experience and enable the site to be a key channel for the promotion of mentoring. The new refreshed version of the site will be launched at the end of January 2013.
(1 )PQ 81007, 21 November 2011, Official Report, column 159W
PQs 81008 and 81009, 22 November 2011, Official Report, columns 330-31W
PQ 135349, being answered today
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the success of the Mentorsme website; and if he will make a statement. [135349]
Michael Fallon: mentorsme.co.uk, the national mentoring portal, which is funded and operated by the British Bankers Association (BBA), has expanded dramatically over the last year. The site now provides a single point of access to over 114 mentoring organisations—more than double the number we started with in July 2012. This is good progress and we continue to work closely with the BBA to expand and develop the site further as the single point of access to mentoring provision across the UK.
Over 200 people visit the site every day. Latest data from the BBA's Finance Monitor indicates that 23% of the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) population are aware of the national mentoring network.
Business: Government Assistance
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many firms are participating in his Growth Accelerator programme. [135348]
Michael Fallon: As of 2 January 2013, 2,339 companies are already on the programme and a further 2,382 businesses have applied to join.
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much he has budgeted to be spent on the Growth Accelerator scheme in each year from 2012-13 to 2014-15. [135359]
Michael Fallon: The budget for Growth Accelerator in each year from 2012-13 to 2014-15 is set out in the following table. This includes funding for the Leadership and Management Advisory Service which is now delivered through Growth Accelerator:
| Budget (£) | |
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much he has spent on the Growth Accelerator scheme in each month of 2012-13 to date. [135360]
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Michael Fallon: The expenditure on Growth Accelerator in each month of 2012-13 to end November 2012 is shown in the following table. This includes funding to establish the scheme initially in the period before it was formally launched in May 2012.
| 2012 | £ |
Export Credit Guarantees: Grenada
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the amount of Grenada's debt to UK Export Finance is. [134579]
Michael Fallon: As at 30 November 2012 the amount of Grenada's outstanding debt to UK Export Finance was £1,783,141.
Mr Dodds:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much of the debt owed by Grenada to UK Export Finance relates to airport
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projects; when such loans were made; and to which bodies they were made. [134580]
Michael Fallon: In November 2012, UK Export Finance, formally the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), published information, available in the Libraries of the House, about sovereign debts due to ECGD. Paragraph 10 of the explanatory note sets out that, due to the age and incomplete nature of some of the records, judgement has to be made in some instances as to the precise nature of the goods and services.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I am giving to parliamentary question 134579 today for the amount of Grenada's debt outstanding as at end November 2012. This debt has been rescheduled at the Paris Club and it is not possible to disaggregate the value of the current outstanding debt between the original contracts. However, the original debt of £891,255 (61% in terms of value) attributable to airport projects related to an airport project that was guaranteed by ECGD in 1982. The buyer was the Ministry of Finance, Government of Grenada.
Export Credit Guarantees: Iraq
Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish a list of the specific exports of vehicle spare parts to Iraq that led to sovereign debt from that country being owed to UK Export Finance; what vehicles such spare parts were used for; when those exports were made; and who the customer was in each case. [134644]
Michael Fallon: The available information is set out as follows.
Export Credit Guarantees: Kenya
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which exports account for the proportion of Kenya's sovereign debt owed to UK Export Finance relating to the power sector. [134723]
Michael Fallon [holding answer 7 January 2013]: UK Export Finance, formally the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) recently placed information in the Libraries of the House, about sovereign debts due to ECGD. Paragraph 10 of the explanatory note accompanying that information sets out that, due to the age and incomplete nature of some of the records, judgment had to be made in some instances as to the precise nature of the goods and services that were supplied.
Further detailed examination of the relevant files show that in fact 12%, in terms of value, of the original sovereign debt owed to ECGD related to the power sector. The exports were for consultancy services for a hydro electric power project, the design, supply, erection and commissioning of a cable form factory and associated goods and services, and the design and construction of a hydro-electric dam.
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Export Credit Guarantees: Zimbabwe
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of Zimbabwe's sovereign debt currently owed to UK Export Finance was accrued through the export of oil pipelines; what the location is of such pipelines; what exports are the source of such debt; whether the exports were to government or private companies; and if he will make a statement. [135116]
Michael Fallon: UK Export Finance, formally the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD), recently placed information in the Libraries of the House, about sovereign debts due to ECGD. Paragraph 10 of the explanatory note accompanying that information sets out that, due to the age and incomplete nature of some of the records, judgment had to be made in some instances as to the precise nature of the goods and services that were supplied.
Further detailed examination of the relevant files show that about 1%, in terms of value, of the original sovereign debt owed to UK Export Finance was accrued through the export of oil pipelines. This relates to the supply of goods and services for the design, survey, construction and commissioning of an oil pipeline from Feruka to Harare and associated facilities. The buyer/borrower was Petrozim Line (Private) Ltd, a private company. A third party guarantee of payment was given by the Government of Zimbabwe.
Green Investment Bank
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Autumn Statement 2012, what discussions he has held with (a) the chairman of the Green Investment Bank (GIB) and (b) prospective borrowers from the GIB on the implications for GIB's ability to borrow from 2015. [135027]
Michael Fallon: The Government are fully committed to providing the UK Green Investment Bank (UK GIB) with the funding it needs to be an enduring and effective financial institution. With £3 billion to 2015, the UK GIB is being amply funded so that it will not need to borrow in the short to medium term. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has had discussions with Lord Smith of Kelvin, Chairman of UK GIB, about the Bank's future ability to borrow. As set out during second reading of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill in the House of Lords, Lord Smith's focus is on building a well run organisation with a good track record worthy of the injection of more capital or borrowing money in capital markets.
Manufacturing Industries: West Midlands
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent estimate he has made of the balance of industries within the West Midlands. [135795]
Michael Fallon: BIS publish annual National Statistics estimating the total number of private sector businesses in the UK in the publication 'Business Population Estimates for the UK and Regions'.
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Information on the number of private sector businesses in the West Midlands at the start of 2012 by broad industry group is available in Table 15 of the detailed data tables that accompany this publication—see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/16402/bpe_2012_data.xls
Met Office
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value was of the commercial products and services provided by the Met Office to UK companies engaged in (a) on- and off-shore wind energy and (b) other energy generation in each of the last three years. [134946]
Michael Fallon: I have asked the chief executive officer of the Met Office to respond directly to the hon. Member.
Letter from John Hirst, dated 3 January 2013
I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 18 December 2012, UIN 134946 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The Met Office works with energy companies within the UK and internationally in both the planning and management of their assets and capacity management. The details requested are commercially sensitive but in total this business accounts for around only 1.5% of the Met Office's income.
Natural Gas: Exploration
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish all correspondence and minutes relating to meetings between (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department and (i) Cuadrilla and (ii) any other fracking or shale gas company. [134689]
Michael Fallon: There are no plans to publish such correspondence and minutes.
Redundancy
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many Civil Service posts have been made redundant by his Department in each year since 1999; and what has been the cost of redundancies in each such year. [135474]
Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on 5 June 2009 via a merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which both ceased to exist from that date. Data on the number and cost of redundancies and voluntary paid exits have been provided from this date.
| Number of redundancies | Number of voluntary paid exits | Total cost of exits (£) | |
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Treasury
Broadband
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the range of estimates made by his Department was for the revenue from the sale of the 4G spectrum. [134954]
Danny Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 558W.
Gift Aid
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent steps he has taken to modernise and promote (a) Gift Aid and (b) payroll giving. [134646]
Sajid Javid: The Government have introduced a number of measures to modernise and promote Gift Aid. The Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme will be introduced in April 2013 which will enable qualifying charities to claim top-up payments equivalent to Gift Aid on small cash donations of up to £5,000 each year without requiring the donor to provide a Gift Aid declaration. The scheme is expected to increase the amounts received by charities by around £100 million by 2015.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is introducing a new online system for making Gift Aid claims from April 2013. This will make it faster and easier for charities to claim repayments of tax under Gift Aid and top-up payments under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme.
In addition, just recently HMRC announced changes which will lift the administrative burdens for charities claiming Gift Aid on the proceeds of donors' goods sold in charity shops. Currently charities have to write to the donor before the charity can claim Gift Aid on the proceeds from each sale. The changes will make Gift Aid simpler and less costly for charity shops, as a letter will be required only when proceeds exceed an agreed amount of either £100 or £1,000.
The Chancellor announced in the autumn statement that an examination will be carried out to identify ways to improve the administration of Gift Aid to reflect new ways of giving money to charity, in particular digital giving.
A public consultation will be held on Payroll Giving in the coming weeks. This will seek to raise the levels of payroll giving by improving and modernising the process. The consultation document will be published jointly by the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and HMRC.
Public Expenditure
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of his decision in the autumn statement to underspend in 2012-13 through reduced reserves on Government Departments. [134682]
Danny Alexander: Decisions on forecast departmental underspends are made by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
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Taxation: Preston
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) national insurance and (b) income tax was paid by non-UK EU nationals living in Preston constituency in tax year 2011-12. [134683]
Mr Gauke: The information is available only at disproportionate cost.
Energy and Climate Change
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which regulations his Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which regulations his Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector. [133700]
Gregory Barker: The information requested is not held centrally and is currently being compiled. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon the information is available and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Redundancy
Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many civil service posts have been made redundant by his Department in each year since 1999; and what the cost of redundancies has been in each such year. [135487]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created in October 2008. Therefore there is no data prior to that date.
DECC is one of the smallest Departments in Whitehall (less than 1,700 staff) and has not made any of its civil servants redundant since its inception and has therefore not incurred any such costs.
International Development
Olympic Games 2012
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which events at the London 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. [135642]
Mr Duncan: The Government pledged to publish these details following the Olympic and Paralympic Games and will do so shortly.
Cabinet Office
Charitable Donations
John Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made in the change in public donations to UK registered charities in each of the last seven years. [135293]
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Mr Hurd: The National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) publishes data from charity accounts on the level of income received by UK charities from individuals:
http://data.ncvo-vol.org.uk
Data are available up until 2009-10 and show levels of donations have been increasing year-on-year over the last decade:
| £ billion | |
Civil Servants: Recruitment
Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what consideration he has given to whether the policy of advertising all civil service jobs as available on a full-time, part-time or flexible working basis should be extended to all public sector jobs. [135073]
Mr Maude: It is for responsible authorities in the wider public sector to consider whether advertising jobs in this way is appropriate.
Electronic Government
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which organisations are allowed to advertise jobs on gov.uk. [135702]
Mr Hurd: All jobs currently advertised on GOV.UK are through the Universal Job Match, which is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions:
www.gov.uk/jobs-jobsearch
Flexible Working
Kate Green: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that his Department meets the Government's aspiration for the civil service to be an exemplar in flexible working practices when carrying out reviews of terms and conditions of employment; [135072]
(2) with reference to the conclusion in the response from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to the Modern Workplaces consultation that flexible working increases productivity and commitment, improves retention and widens the talent pool so that employers are able to recruit people with more skills, whether he plans to review flexible working policies in the civil service. [135074]
Mr Maude: Departments are currently conducting a review of their terms and conditions of employment in line with the commitment made in the Civil Service Reform Plan.
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Redundancy
Mr Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many civil service posts have been made redundant by his Department in each year since 1999; and what has been the cost of redundancies in each such year; [135472]
(2) how many posts have been declared redundant by each of his 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. [135473]
Mr Maude: Information on redundancies and other paid departures in the Cabinet Office are published each year in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts. Copies of these documents for the years 1998 to 2007 are available from the National Archives website at:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100416132449/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about_the_cabinet_office/reports.aspx
More recent copies of the annual report and accounts are available on the Cabinet Office website at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts
The Government Procurement Service is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office and its annual report and accounts are available at:
http://gps.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/about-government-procurement-service/annual-report-and-accounts
Other bodies that have been agencies of the Cabinet Office in the past include the Central Office of Information, the National School of Government, Commission for the Compact, and CapacityBuilders. Copies of their annual report and accounts are available from:
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/
Work and Pensions
Back Pain
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information and resources his Department provides to employers to support people diagnosed with lower back pain to remain in work. [133559]
Mr Hoban: We are committed to working with a wide range of stakeholders such as employers to support people with health conditions including back pain to remain in work.
The health, work and wellbeing pages on the DWP website provide information and guidance for a range of groups including employers. This includes promoting best practice and sharing success stories from a wide range of organisations that have helped their staff manage musculoskeletal conditions.
We also fund the national occupational health advice service pilots for small businesses. These provide employers and employees in small and medium sized businesses with access to high quality, professional occupational health advice in response to help employers support employee issues with health problems including back pain.
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People who are off work sick for longer than seven calendar days with problems like back pain need to provide fit notes from their doctor. My Department has developed guidance for employers on using fit notes, which is available on our website and will be revised shortly.
Finally, our Access to Work programme provides practical and financial support to disabled people and those with physical or mental health conditions—such as back pain—who are in employment or self-employed, to help them overcome barriers to starting or keeping a job. Access to Work helps employers retain an employee who develops a long term health condition, keeping valuable skills and saving both time and money recruiting a replacement.
Conditions of Employment
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of staff in his Department requested (a) part-time, (b) job-share or (c) other flexible working arrangements in each of the last five years; and how many such requests were granted. [134990]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not held centrally on the personnel computer system, and to provide this information would incur disproportionate costs.
Council Tax Benefits
Margot James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households that receive council tax benefit have (a) one child, (b) two children, (c) three children, (d) four children, (e) five children, (f) six children, (g) seven children and (h) eight or more children. [134606]
Steve Webb: The requested information is in the following table:
| Council tax benefit recipients by number of child dependants—August 2012 | |
| Number of child dependants | Caseload |
| Notes: 1. The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 2. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 3. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data is available monthly from November 2008 and August 2012 is the most recent available. 4. Caseload: Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 5. Number of child dependants: Only count child dependants resident in the household on the extract date who are less than 20 years old. 6. Figures in this table may be affected by the introduction of new tax credits in April 2003. Source: Single housing benefit extract (SHBE) | |
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Employment and Support Allowance
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what monitoring has taken place of the provision of information and advice to employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants by staff of his Department concerning ESA regulations 29 and 35 relating to exceptional circumstances; [133364]
(2) how many claimants of employment and support allowance (ESA) have sought exception in their claim under ESA regulations 29 and 35 relating to exceptional circumstances; and how many such claimants have been successful in seeking exception. [133365]
Mr Hoban: The DWP regularly undertakes monitoring in connection with our services and activities but does not specifically monitor information and advice provided by DWP staff to employment and support allowance claimants concerning regulations 29 and 35 of the Employment and Support Allowance Regulations 2008. Guidance for DWP staff who provide information and advice to claimants is regularly reviewed.
We do not collect data on whether claimants have sought exception under these regulations. The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest report was published in October 2012 and can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
Table 6 of the supplementary tables details reasons for placement into the Work Related Activity Group (WRAG). The column referring to ‘Medical Reasons’ includes ESA claimants placed into the WRAG on the basis of regulation 29. Note that the category ‘Medical Reasons’ also includes some other reasons for assignment and assignments on the basis of regulation 29 only cannot be separated out.
Table 5 of the supplementary tables details reasons for placement into the Support Group (SG). The columns for ‘Chemotherapy’, ‘Physical or mental health risk’, ‘Pregnancy risk’, and ‘Terminally ill’ include all claimants being placed into the SG on the basis of regulation 35.
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claims for employment and support allowance were unsuccessful in each of the last four years for which figures are available. [135109]
Mr Hoban: The Department regularly publishes of official statistics on the outcomes of claims for employment and support allowance (USA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest report was published in October 2012 and can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what medical reasons can be cited in claims for payment of employment and support allowance; and how many people have made a claim for employment and support allowance for each such medical reason in each of the last four years. [135110]
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Mr Hoban: Entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) is based on functional impairment rather than being limited to particular medical conditions. ESA on flows data by primary medical condition (based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10(th) Revision, published by the World Health Organisation) are available from the Department's tabulation tool, which can found at:
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Farms: Safety
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the implications of (a) poor mobile telephone coverage and (b) poor broadband access for health and safety on farms; and if he will make a statement. [132993]
Mr Hoban: HSE has not carried out any specific assessment of poor mobile telephone coverage and/or poor broadband access for health and safety on farms. None the less, HSE recognises the implications and supports efforts to promote mobile phone availability and coverage to facilitate swift and efficient emergency responses in the event of an accident in remote rural areas.
Housing Benefit
Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of recently announced changes to levels of housing benefit on the long-term viability of sheltered housing. [135439]
Steve Webb: We have made no assessment of the long term viability of sheltered housing. The housing benefit rules and levels of housing benefit payable for those living in sheltered housing remain unchanged.
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which areas will be exempt from the one per cent increase in local housing allowance in 2014-15 and 2015-16; and if he will place a copy of the criteria used to choose these areas in the Library. [135941]
Steve Webb: In 2014-15 and 2015-16, increases to local housing allowance rates will be capped at 1%, in line with increases in other benefits. We have set aside 30% of the forecasts savings from this measure—£45 million in 2014-15 and £95 million in 2015-16 to target further help on people most affected.
Our intention is that this funding will be used to increase the local housing allowance rates by more than 1% in areas where rent increases are causing a shortage of affordable accommodation.
This funding will be available from 2014-15 and we will consider how it is targeted using available evidence, including annual market data collected by independent rent officers, to ensure that the funding is targeted in a transparent and objective way.
Final details of the 2014-15 arrangements will be made available in autumn 2013, both to enable us to consider the latest evidence and also to give claimants and landlords time to plan.
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Immigration
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the additional cost of the delivery of those public services for which his Department is responsible arising from inward migration since 1997. [134304]
Mr Hoban: The Department does not routinely produce estimates of this nature. To do so would require the Department to incur disproportionate cost.
Industrial Health and Safety
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of compliance in the UK with EU regulations in relation to the maximum 24-hour exposure to hand-arm vibration for workers in the construction industry. [134256]
Mr Hoban: The prevention and control of hand-arm vibration is one of the many construction workplace health risks that are considered by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) construction inspectors when carrying out interventions. HSE is currently in dialogue with industry on the practical implementation of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005, as part of the EU's review of health and safety directives, to obtain their views relating to compliance in respect of hand-arm vibration.
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with employer organisations and employee representatives in relation to the effect on employee health of hand-arm vibration. [134257]
Mr Hoban: The Health and Safety Executive attends industry-led quarterly partnership meetings, where the effect of hand-arm vibration is discussed as part of wider discussions on employee health with employer organisations and employee representatives. The partnership encourages the sharing of good control and management practices, and aims to bring about improved employee health through changed attitudes and behaviours towards hand-arm vibration in the workplace.
Internet
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has made a further assessment on whether the unused IPv4 addresses it holds have material value that could be realised. [135429]
Mr Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions is continuing to seek legal advice to evaluate whether it has the right of ownership of its spare IPv4 addresses and will take the necessary steps to act on that advice.
Jobcentre Plus
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2012, Official Report, column 142W, on Jobcentre Plus, how many and what proportion of those staff in the Operations structure are employed in face-to-face services. [135453]
8 Jan 2013 : Column 199W
Mr Hoban: Within the Operations structure the majority of people that deliver face-to-face services are based within the Jobcentre network. As at September 2012, there were 38,316 people delivering these face-to-face services, which is 47.92% of the total number of people provided in the answer of 27 November 2012, Official Report, column 142W.
The number quoted for delivering face-to-face services will also include people in direct managerial and support roles of those people delivering services. There are also large numbers of other people within the DWP Operations structure that provide services through telephony and on-line options and they are not included in the number quoted as providing the face-to-face service.
Long Term Unemployed People: Mental Health
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the influence of long-term unemployment on individual mental health and well-being. [134265]
Mr Hoban: There is a body of evidence which shows that unemployment is associated with poorer mental health and well-being. Work can be therapeutic and can lead to improvements in self-esteem and mental health and well-being.
We recently published the National Study of Work-search and Wellbeing, a large-scale study on the extent of mental health conditions among claimants of jobseeker's allowance. This showed that more than one in five people who claimed Jobseeker's Allowance for about six months had a common mental health condition compared with one in six of those who flowed off jobseeker's allowance before six months. Evidence published as part of the study also shows that the chance of having a common mental health condition increased with the number of years out of work. These findings are supportive of wider research on the association of unemployment with mental health, including reviews of academic literature.
We recognise the study's findings that entering employment can support recovery and offer specialist support to claimants with mental health problems through disability employment advisers. Additionally, Mental Health and Well-being Partnership Managers support our Jobcentre Plus staff by improving and facilitating links between local mental health and employment services, identifying the availability of local support that advisers may signpost claimants to and by providing a support role through team meetings and awareness sessions.
We have also introduced the Work programme, which is designed to help people who are at risk of becoming long term unemployed. The Work programme is currently supporting 837,000 participants, and is expected to support 3.3 million over the life time of the contract.
We also have specialist disability employment programmes, such as Access to Work and Work Choice, which aim to identify and meet the needs of disabled people, including those with mental health conditions.
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Olympic Games 2012
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [135651]
Mr Hoban: The Government pledged to publish these details following the Olympic and Paralympic games and will do so shortly.
Remploy
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons Remploy factory sites that were earmarked for sale have not yet been sold. [134502]
Esther McVey: All stage 1 businesses were put up for sale. We also provided funding to support employee-led bids. For some businesses, no interest was received, reflecting the commercial standing and nature of the businesses. I understand from Remploy that in some instances where initial interest was received from bidders, no final offers were submitted by bidders. In some instances bids were rejected because they did not meet published criteria, including on retaining the employment of disabled employees, sustainability of employment or value for money and in some cases bidders withdrew from the process.
Sickness Absence
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 12 November 2012, Official Report, columns 87-8W, 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 A/AA 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. [132699]
Mr Hoban: Higher absence levels are recorded for junior grades in DWP this is common across both the public and private sectors.
DWP has a range of interventions in place to help reduce sickness absence and increase the health, wellbeing and resilience of its work force irrespective of grade.
Within DWP assessment is made of mindfulness-based therapies through the monitoring and evaluation of the Department's Employee Assistance Programme which provides such therapies as part of its counselling support service.
State Retirement Pensions
Patrick Mercer:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reciprocal agreements need to be agreed with the government of Namibia so that UK citizens living in Namibia who conduct financial arrangements in the UK at their own expense, pay income tax in the UK and pay for money transfers
8 Jan 2013 : Column 201W
from the UK to Namibia requiring no input from the Government of Namibia receive the cost of living increase to their state pension. [134043]
Mr Hoban: The increasing cost of unfreezing pensions has meant that no commitments have been made to enter into any new reciprocal agreements since 1981.
The Government have no plans to enter into discussions on annual pension increases with countries where those increases are not currently payable. There are no plans to change the current arrangements for pensions paid overseas.
Temporary Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what amount his Department spent on interim staff as defined by the National Audit Office in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [135189]
Mr Hoban: The amount spent by the Department for Work and Pensions on interim staff as defined by the National Audit Office in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 20.11-12 was:
(a) 2010-11: £26,012,567
(b) 2011-12: £12,298,427
This represents a considerable reduction against the spend of £52,623,645 on interim personnel in 2009-10.
Unemployment
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many (a) job vacancies and (b) jobseekers there were in each (i) parliamentary constituency, (ii) ward, (iii) lower layer super output area and (iv) Jobcentre Plus district on 1 April in each year for which figures are available; [135326]
(2) how many jobseekers there were in each (a) parliamentary constituency (b) ward, (c) lower layer super output area and (d) Jobcentre Plus district on 1 October 2012. [135327]
Mr Hoban: The available information will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Universal Credit
Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to his Department's announcement of 10 December 2012, on universal credit, how much universal credit will be received by (a) a single person aged over 25 years with no children who earns £217 per week and has no other income or savings, (b) a couple aged over 25 years with no children, one of whom earns £217 per week and who both have no other income or savings, (c) a lone parent (aged under 25 years with one child) who earns £217 per week and has no other income or savings, (d) a lone parent (aged over 25 years with one child) who earns £217 per week and has no other income or savings, (e) a couple (aged under 25 years with one child), one of whom earns £217 per week and who both have no other income or savings and (f) a couple (aged over 25 years with one child), one of whom earns £217 per week and who both have no other income or savings. [133775]
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Mr Hoban: The level of a household's universal credit award is determined by their personal circumstances and is made up of a standard allowance and potentially five elements, one of which is an element for housing. The information requested is in the following table; for each household type requested a typical monthly universal credit award is shown for (i) where the household has no housing costs, and (ii) where the household has rent of £435 per month (£100 per week).
| Monthly UC award (£) | (i) No housing costs (£) | (ii) £435 rent per month |
UC will be paid on a monthly basis and therefore amounts are monthly and are presented in 2013/14 prices.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he will make available to local authorities participating in the universal credit pathfinder to enable them to provide budgeting and money management advice to claimants moving from weekly to monthly benefit payments. [135294]
Mr Hoban: The universal credit programme is currently working with local authorities in the pathfinder area to develop a process that will provide the necessary personal budgeting support to universal credit claimants.
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has put in place to monitor the potential effects on homelessness and crime of the introduction of universal credit in those local authority areas which are pathfinder areas. [135295]
Mr Hoban: Universal credit pathfinder is about ensuring we learn lessons before universal credit is rolled out nationally. As part of our learning, we will be undertaking research with:
DWP Staff;
claimants;
local authorities; and
the local welfare advice sector to help understand the effects of universal credit in the pathfinder areas.
Vacancies
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus in (i) Bury St Edmunds constituency, (ii) Suffolk and (iii) the UK in each quarter in each of the last three years. [134471]
Mr Hoban: The following tables contain number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus in (i) Bury St Edmunds constituency, (ii) Suffolk and (iii) the GB in each quarter since 2009.
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8 Jan 2013 : Column 204W
| Vacancies advertised in Jobcentre Plus | ||||||||||||
| Full-time vacancies | ||||||||||||
| Bury St Edmunds | Suffolk | GB | ||||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| Part-time vacancies | ||||||||||||
| Bury St Edmunds | Suffolk | GB | ||||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | |
| Note: September 2010 figures are not available due to a technical issue of NOMIS data. | ||||||||||||
Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus in (i) Hastings and Rye constituency, (ii) East Sussex and (iii) the UK in each quarter of the last three years. [134918]
Mr Hoban: The following tables contain number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time vacancies were advertised in Jobcentre Plus in (i) Hastings and Rye constituency, (ii) East Sussex and (iii) the GB in each quarter since 2009.
| Vacancies advertised in Jobcentre Plus | ||||||||||||
| Full-time vacancies | ||||||||||||
| Hastings and Rye | East Sussex | GB | ||||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | |
| Part-time vacancies | ||||||||||||
| Hastings and Rye | East Sussex | GB | ||||||||||
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | |
| Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | Jan-Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep | Oct-Dec | |
| Note: September 2010 figures are not available. Source: NOMIS. | ||||||||||||
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job vacancies there were in each (a) parliamentary constituency, (b) ward, (c) lower layer super output area and (d) Jobcentre Plus district on 1 October 2012. [135328]
Mr Hoban: The available information will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Work Programme
Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) St Helens South and Whiston constituency, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) the UK who have been referred to the Work programme have found (i) part-time and (ii) full-time employment that lasted (A) less than and (B) more than six months to date. [134996]
Mr Hoban:
Statistics on the number of people in (a) St Helens South and Whiston constituency, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) the UK who have been referred to the Work programme have found (i) part-time
8 Jan 2013 : Column 205W
and (ii) full-time employment that lasted (A) less than and (B) more than six months are not available.
Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) St Helens South and Whiston constituency, (b) Merseyside, (c) the North West and (d) the UK have been referred to the Work Programme to date. [135011]
Mr Hoban: Official statistics on Work programme referrals can be found on the Department's website via the DWP Tabulation Tool:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance on use of the tabulation tool can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Work Programme: East of England
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on the Work programme in (a) the East of England and (b) Huntingdon constituency. [135098]
Mr Hoban: The total paid to Work programme providers in the UK is £337.9 million from the start of the programme through to 30 July 2012, i.e. the period covered by the Statistical Release. Due to commercial in-confidence considerations, we are not able to release financial data below the national level at this time.
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Work programme participants in the East of England are resident in Huntingdon constituency. [135099]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on what proportion of Work programme participants in the East of England are resident in Huntingdon constituency can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many job outcomes under the Work programme there have been in (a) the East of England and (b) Huntingdon constituency. [135100]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many job outcomes under the Work programme there have been in (a) the East of England and (b) Huntingdon constituency can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reduction in long-term unemployment there has been since the start of the Work programme in (a) the East of England and (b) Huntingdon constituency. [135102]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on what reduction in long-term unemployment there has been since the start of the Work programme in (a) the East of England and (b) Huntingdon constituency can be found at:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp
8 Jan 2013 : Column 206W
Work Programme: Wales
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have come off benefits after joining the Work programme in (a) Aberconwy and (b) North Wales to date. [134940]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Dogs: Litter
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many fines have been issued to dog owners who failed to clear up their dog's faeces in England and Wales in the last 10 years. [135346]
Richard Benyon: Until 2008-09, DEFRA requested figures on the number of fixed penalty notices issued by local authorities. The collection of these figures was then discontinued following the decision by the coalition Government, which deemed this as an unnecessary data burden on local authorities.
The following table reflects the number of fixed penalty notices issued for dog fouling for the period 2002-09.
| Fixed penalty notices | |
Livestock: Transport
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 529, on live animal exports, on how many occasions he has reported concerns over live animal export transporters to the competent authorities of other EU member states. [135852]
Mr Heath: The following paragraphs are extracts from the most recent Annual Report (for 2011) to the EU Commission on inspections and follow-up action under article 27 of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005, concerning the protection of animals during transport:
“The United Kingdom continued to communicate and work with Member State (MS) contact points regarding potential contraventions of EC/1/2005 and information exchange under Article 26 of EC/1/2005. Similar to 2010, there were no serious welfare infringements reported by other MS regarding UK transporters during 2011. In 2011 there were seven notifications regarding UK transporters from other MS, three of which referred to a failure to return journey logs and included a continued case from the previous year. This is an improvement on 2010 where 8 out of a total of 12 notifications/elated to failed return of journey logs. Information exchange included confirmation of a transporter's competence following relocation to another MS and enquiries on AHVLA guidance on requirements for transport of horses through Eurotunnel.
8 Jan 2013 : Column 207W
Thirty notifications were made by the UK to other MS in 2011 including a notification to all other MS of the temporary suspension of a UK transporter's authorisation in 2011. Whilst this was a 200% increase in number of MS notifications from 2010, only one of the notifications related to transport of an unfit animal, the remainder being technical or documentary non-compliances where animal welfare had not been directly impacted. This is in contrast with, and an excellent improvement on 2010 where 9 of the total 11 notifications had been related to the transport of unfit animals. It is believed that the UK's persistence in reporting such activities and widespread communication to both trade and professional journals in 2010-2011 had a positive impact in reducing the risk of unfit animals being transported to the UK from other MS.”
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 529-42, on live animal exports, what steps he could take to intervene in live animal transport to another EU member state if there is (a) evidence of or (b) reasonable grounds to believe that mistreatment of animals is occurring after they leave the UK. [135853]
Mr Heath: Article 26 of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 sets out the procedures for the notification of any infringements of the welfare in transport legislation to the relevant competent authority which may have occurred after animals have left the UK. In particular, paragraph 6 permits member states to temporarily suspend the transporter or means of transport, in the case of repeated or serious infringements. The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) have used these powers to suspend the use of a total of 10 vehicles that have been approved and certified in another member state, until such a time as the identified faults have been addressed
In addition, the AHVLA will report any suspected serious breach of the welfare in transport legislation to the relevant local authority with a view to investigation and possible prosecution.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 531, on live animal exports, what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the (a) enforcement of animal welfare provisions and (b) equal enforcement of all animal welfare provisions relating to live animal exports across the EU; [135857]
(2) pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 524-42, on live animal exports, whether he will raise equal enforcement of animal welfare provisions within the EU live export trade at the next meeting of the European Council. [135858]
Mr Heath: The comments referred to in column 531 of the debate on live animal exports concerned my bilateral discussions with competent authorities in other member states. Should the outcome of any of these bilateral discussions be unsatisfactory, the issue will be subsequently raised with the EU Commission. As regards direct discussions with the EU Commission, DEFRA officials are in frequent contact with them on a wide range of enforcement issues concerning a wide range of animal species subject to the welfare in transport legislation.
8 Jan 2013 : Column 208W
At the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 18 June 2012, my predecessor, the right hon. Member for South East Cambridgeshire (Sir James Paice), made it clear by means of a note for the minutes of the meeting, that the UK shared the Commission's view that better enforcement of the existing legislation across the EU, should be the number one priority in relation to further work in this legislative area.
The Government will take every opportunity to reinforce this message at Agriculture Council meetings in the future when the welfare in transport legislation is discussed.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 529, on live animal exports, what his policy is on a zero tolerance enforcement of animal welfare provisions; and if he will make a statement. [135859]
Mr Heath: Where there is a significant risk of animals being transported in breach of the strict EU rules on the protection of animals during transport, I will ensure that inspection rates are increased to reflect this risk. This is why 100% of livestock consignments exported for slaughter from, Ramsgate are now inspected by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency at the point of loading.
I also made it clear in my speech during the debate on live animal exports (see column 532) that this Government will not tolerate the use of sub-standard or faulty vehicles when used to transport animals.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions 13 December 2012, Official Report, column 529, on live animal exports, what instructions or criteria he has issued to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratory Agency to implement a zero tolerance policy; and what measures he will take against (a) transporters authorised to operate in the UK and (b) transporters authorised to operate in other EU member states under this policy. [135860]
Mr Heath: The changes made in relation to Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency operational activities in relation to exports via Ramsgate are being reflected in the terms of their Operations Manual.
Transporters are not separately authorised to operate in this country and in other member states. Once authorised, a transporter can operate in any member state it so chooses.
Any regulatory action taken by DEFRA against transporters authorised in another member state must be in accordance with the requirements of article 26 of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 524-42, on live animal exports, what assessment he has made of other EU member states which receive live animal exports from the UK and their compliance to animal welfare provisions that govern the live animal export trade in Europe. [135861]
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Mr Heath: The performance of other member states in relation to their own implementation of, and compliance to, the requirements of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005, is monitored and reported on by inspectors of the Food and Veterinary Office part of the EU Commission. Their inspection reports are made publicly available. Under these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for the UK to undertake any separate assessment of individual member state performance.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his contributions of 13 December 2012, Official Report, columns 524-42, on live animal exports, whether he has raised the inadequate enforcement of animal welfare provisions with (a) Ministers of other EU member states which receive live animal exports from the UK and (b) the European Commission in the last six months. [135862]
Mr Heath: Day to day questions relating to the enforcement of animal welfare during transport rules are normally dealt with by DEFRA officials in conjunction with their counterparts in the competent authority concerned, in line with the requirements for mutual assistance and exchange of information laid down in Article 24 of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005.
If the problem is suitably serious or complex in nature, possibly involving both animal health and welfare issues, DEFRA’s chief veterinary officer will discuss the issue or write to the equivalent head of veterinary services in the country concerned, copying any correspondence to the EU Commission as appropriate. This has generally been successful in the past in resolving specific technical issues relating to enforcement of the welfare in transport legislation.
The last ministerial discussion on the welfare in transport legislation (which included the EU Commission in an observational capacity) took place in the Agriculture Council meeting on 18 June. Ministers agreed at this meeting that in moving forward, the number one priority should be an improvement in the enforcement of the existing requirements of the legislation across the EU.
Culture, Media and Sport
Aerials: Haslingden
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will update the Haslingden television transmitter following the loss of television channels by people living in that area. [134978]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 7 January 2013]: It is a matter for the commercial multiplex operators as to whether or not the Haslingden relay is upgraded to carry the commercial multiplexes. I understand that the operator of the wind farm which necessitated the aerial realignment of a number of households from the Winter Hill relay, which carries the commercial multiplexes, to the Haslingden relay, has offered to help those households affected to switch to Freesat if they wish.
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BBC: Accountancy
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the BBC Trust on providing the National Audit Office with unrestricted access to BBC accounts. [134815]
Mr Vaizey: There have been no recent discussions because in September 2011 the then Secretary of State laid before Parliament an amended version of the Agreement which gave the National Audit Office (NAO) full access to the BBC for carrying out value for money reviews. Under the amended Agreement the NAO is required to provide the BBC with an annual schedule of value for money reviews which can be amended on a specified date every quarter.
Broadband
Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department has had discussions with Network Rail on use of its ducts and land for a platform for fibre access to support the provision of broadband across the UK. [134481]
Mr Vaizey: Network Rail were one of the companies that considered becoming a BDUK framework supplier, but later withdrew from the process. The company would have considered how best to use its network during that time, but there have been no subsequent discussions with the company on this subject.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance her Department is offering to local authorities to help them complete the relevant procurement work for the rollout of broadband. [134766]
Mr Vaizey: To assist local authorities with the procurement process, Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) has put in place a framework delivery contract. Local authorities can run mini competitions from the framework to select a pre-qualified supplier to deliver broadband services for a local project. In addition, BDUK provides a range of logistical, technical, commercial and legal support to local authority project teams to support the delivery of the local projects.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to bid for contracts relating to broadband rollout. [134767]
Mr Vaizey:
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME's) may benefit in two ways from Broadband Delivery UK's (BDUK) £530 million broadband funding. Firstly, through subcontracts as part of the delivery supply chain, for example in carrying out civil works, and secondly through increased business opportunities from the improved connectivity. Both the rural and urban programmes require local authorities bidding for funding to demonstrate that their proposals fit with the Government's approach to using SMEs in delivering Government projects. The requirements of the Urban
8 Jan 2013 : Column 211W
Broadband Fund explicitly require cities to link the roll-out of faster broadband to increasing the capabilities of SMEs.
In addition there is a £20 million joint Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)-BDUK Rural Community Broadband Fund aimed at community projects, for which smaller suppliers could be beneficiaries and small companies located in those communities could be beneficiaries from improved broadband connectivity.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the area of the UK that is not yet served by high speed digital broadband; and if she will make a statement. [135382]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 7 January 2013]: The Ofcom Infrastructure Report update, published on 16 November 2012, estimates that superfast broadband from commercial suppliers was available to 65% of UK premises at that time. The £530 million Government investment programme, combined with a similar level of local authority investment, aims to increase availability of superfast broadband to 90% of UK premises and universal access to a minimum service of 2 Mbps.
Broadband Delivery UK
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to Broadband UK's (BDUK) annual report and accounts of 2011-12, in respect of what BDUK's £10 million expenditure on external consultants was made. [134768]
Mr Vaizey: Over the course of more than two years. Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) spent approximately £9.8 million on external consultants for the provision of procurement, technical, modelling and state aid expertise, legal advice, commercial and project support for local authorities and the devolved Administrations and additional programme administration support.
Broadband: Hartlepool
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 7 September 2012, Official Report, columns 478-79W, on broadband: Hartlepool, if she will bring forward proposals to improve broadband (a) connectivity and (b) speed for Dalton Piercy village in Hartlepool constituency; what discussions her Department has had with (i) Dalton Piercy Parish Council, (ii) Hartlepool Borough Council, (iii) Durham County Council and (iv) private providers on connectivity of Dalton Piercy village; and if she will make a statement. [135026]
Mr Vaizey:
The Dalton Piercy village falls within the Durham Partnership local broadband plan area. The Government has allocated £9.88 million to support broadband delivery within the area covered by the partnership. As stated in my answer of 7 September, Durham county council is the lead authority for the local broadband project for that area, and is best placed to advise on the plans for deployment there. Detailed plans will not be available until the procurement process
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is complete. If the project keeps to the timetable that we have set out we would expect it to be possible for a contract to be agreed by April 2013.
Broadband: Rural Areas
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings her Department has had with EU officials on broadband rollout since 2010. [134765]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) worked closely with the Commission during the preparation and submission of its state aid notification between 2010 and 2012. During this period DCMS officials had a number of face-to-face meetings, conference calls and email exchanges with Commission officials that related to, or informed, either discussion papers, the pre-notification or the notification of state aid to the UK's national superfast broadband scheme.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Broadband Delivery UK's annual budget has been spent on expanding broadband within rural areas in each of the last three years (a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of its expenditure. [134769]
Mr Vaizey: The proportion of Broadband Delivery UK's (BDUK) administration budget spent on the rural broadband delivery programme in (a) cash and (b) as a proportion of expenditure is: in 2010-11 (a) £1 million and (b) 100%; in 2011-12 (a) £5.85 million and (b) 94%; and to the end of November 2012-13 (a) £3.8 million and (b) 63%. The decline in the proportion of the funding spent on the rural broadband programme reflects the addition of the Mobile Infrastructure Project and the Urban Broadband Fund to BDUK’s responsibilities in October 2011 and April 2012 respectively. BDUK programme expenditure to date is £366,600, spent this year. The proportion of this expenditure spent on the rural broadband delivery programme is (a) £276,000 and (b) 75%.
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on rural broadband. [134770]
Mr Vaizey: Ministers from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly meet colleagues from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to discuss rural broadband.