Redundancy Pay
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total amount of redundancy pay paid to civil servants in his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135223]
Dr Poulter: The Department has paid a total of £1,460,223 to civil servants as redundancy payments between July and December 2012. We are unable to break this down into individual months for July to November as this could identify payments made to individuals. The relevant information the Department is able to provide is presented in the following table:
| 2012 | Cost of voluntary exits (£) |
Temporary Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [135172]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not hold information about spending specifically on interims as defined by the National Audit Office. Information about the Department's overall spending on ‘temporary/agency’ staff (this includes agency and temporary staff, contractors and secondees) is included in the Department's Resource Accounts. From the 2011-12 Resource Accounts—at following link—the figures for the ‘Core Department’ and ‘Connecting for Health’ for 2010-11 and 2011-12 respectively can be found in table 17 on page 47:
https://www.wp.dh.gov.uk/publications/files/2012/10/23735_HC-66-DoH.pdf
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many temporary staff have been recruited in his Department in each month from July to December 2012. [135224]
Dr Poulter: The numbers of temporary workers—agency workers and contractors—who have joined the Department in each month from July to December 2012 are presented in the following table:
| Number of temporary workers joining | |
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International Development
Afghanistan
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what the size of her Department's team is in (a) Kabul and (b) Helmand; and if she will make a statement about planned changes to her Department's presence after 2014; [135722]
(2) what her policy is on the future of (a) Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and (b) other PRTs in Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement. [135725]
Justine Greening: For security reasons we cannot provide exact staffing numbers for Helmand and Kabul.
As agreed by President Karzai and the international community all Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) across Afghanistan will close by the end of 2014, including the UK-led Helmand PRT. From 2014, DFID Afghanistan is currently planning to maintain a presence in Kabul of similar size to our current operation.
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent in (a) Afghanistan and (b) Helmand Province in each of the last 10 years. [135726]
Justine Greening: DFID bilateral spend in Afghanistan since 2002-03 is broken down as follows.
| £ million | ||
| Financial year | Afghanistan | Including Helmand specific programming |
The DFID bilateral programme to Helmand began in 2006 with the UK assuming the NATO lead in the province. From 2003 to the present, DFID's national programme of support to the Afghan Government has also benefited Helmand Province indirectly.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Bovine Tuberculosis
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2012, Official Report, column 152W, on bovine tuberculosis, what judgements his Department makes on the movement of camelids when the keeper opts for the skin test rather than the voluntary blood test for tuberculosis; and if he will make a statement. [136039]
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Mr Heath: Given the very limited sensitivity of the tuberculin skin test in camelids, a negative skin test result, particularly in animals originating in endemic bovine TB areas and/or from herds with a history of confirmed TB outbreaks, will be treated with particular caution. This is why up until now DEFRA has made available on a voluntary basis supplementary blood testing. These blood tests have now been validated and peer reviewed and DEFRA is proposing for the future: (a) to make the use of antibody TB blood testing compulsory to lift movement restrictions from camelid herds affected by confirmed TB outbreaks; and (b) to continue to recommend to the alpaca and llama societies the adoption of private skin and blood (antibody) tests as the industry standard for camelids being moved between premises in Great Britain.
EU Law
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which EU directives his Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives his Department expects to transpose in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector. [133701]
Richard Benyon: The following directives were transposed by DEFRA in 2011:
Directive 2009/106/EC amending Council Directive 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption.
Directive 2009/125/EC establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products(1).
Directive 2010/30/EC on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products.
Directive 2010/46/EC on the characteristics to be covered as a minimum by the examination and the minimum conditions for examining certain varieties of agricultural plant species and vegetable species(1).
The following directives were transposed by DEFRA in 2012:
Directive 2009/126/EC establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products(1).
Directive 2009/128/EC establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides.
Directive 2010/60/EC providing for certain derogations for marketing of fodder plant seed mixtures intended for use in the preservation of the natural environment(1).
Directive 2010/79/EC on the adaptation to technical progress of Annex III to Directive 2004/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds.
Directive 2012/05/EC amending Council Directive 2000/75/EC as regards vaccination against bluetongue(1).
DEFRA does not capture estimated costs to the public purse of new regulations but does capture estimated costs to business. These are set out in individual impact assessments which can be found on the Better Regulation Executive's impact assessment library:
http://www.ialibrary.bis.gov.uk/links/
We expect the following directives to be transposed by DEFRA in 2013:
Directive 2010/75/EC on industrial emissions (integrated pollution prevention and control).
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Directive 2011/97/EC as regards specific criteria for the storage of metallic mercury considered as waste(2).
Directive 2012/12/EC amending Council Directive 2001/112/EC relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption(2).
Details of forthcoming Government regulations on business are published every six months in Statements of New Regulation. The most recent statement was published on 17 December and details new regulations expected over the period 1 January to 30 June 2013, including those to be introduced as a result of EU legislation. This Fifth Statement can be found on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bis-fifth-statement-of-new-regulation-regulations-covering-january-to-june-2013
(1) There are no associated impact assessments for this legislation because the legislation was not expected to have an impact on business or civil society.
(2) Impact assessments will be published as they are developed.
Immigration
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 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. [134295]
Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA does not produce estimates of this nature. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.
Inland Waterways: Conservation
Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward measures to prevent further aquatic invasive non-native species entering the UK from mainland Europe. [134187]
Richard Benyon: We currently seek to address the risks of invasive non-native species through the implementation of the non-native species framework strategy for GB. Actions have included, for example: domestic sales restrictions on our most invasive aquatic plant species; the development of a monitoring regime for non-native species; research into the impacts, methods of spread and control of invasive non-native species; and communications campaigns to encourage better biosecurity in the aquatic environment.
Additionally, my officials will continue to work with the European Commission and other member states to ensure that an EU-wide strategy, whether through the legislative proposals that are now anticipated in spring 2013 or otherwise, will deliver sufficiently robust mechanisms to tackle the spread of invasive non-native species within and between member states, including the UK. An EU-wide approach is needed and officials have already played a prominent role in the Commission's working groups set up to inform the expected legislative proposals and will continue to do so to ensure that any proposals are proportionate and fit for purpose.
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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 the authorisation to operate within the UK has been withdrawn from a live animal transporter in each of the last five years. [135851]
Mr Heath: The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) holds data for the period from 2010 to 2012 only. The AHVLA can only suspend or revoke the authorisations of transporters authorised by the competent authority in Great Britain. In 2010 such regulatory action was taken against two GB transporters. In 2011 such action was taken against one GB transporter and in 2012 such action was also taken against one GB transporter.
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 530, on live animal exports, what has occurred as a result of each of the 30 statutory notices served on companies not in compliance with the regulations on transporting live animals for export. [135856]
Mr Heath: Under Article 26(2) of Council Regulation 1/2005, it is normally the responsibility of the competent authority responsible for the authorisation of the transporter to take the necessary regulatory action against a transporter where there has been a notified infringement of the legislation.
In terms of those infringements relating to the suitability of vehicles, each of the statutory notices served required remedial action to be taken either after completion of the journey, if there was no immediate risk to the welfare of the animals, or, where there was such a risk to the animals, before the journey was permitted to continue, as was the case on four occasions. On 10 occasions the notices prohibited the further use of vehicles within Great Britain until such time as the necessary remedial action had been taken.
Nappies
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information his Department holds on the number of real nappy schemes run by local authorities; and what plans his Department has to encourage such schemes. [134995]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not collate this information centrally. However, the Waste and Resources Action programme collects data on waste prevention activities as part of its annual survey of local authority schemes. Data from 2011-12 showed that 160 collection and unitary authorities promoted real nappies. This represented almost 50% of the local authorities surveyed. There were an additional 37 authorities within a disposal authority that promoted real nappies.
DEFRA has committed to developing a Waste Prevention programme for England, to be published by December 2013. The programme will set out a strategic direction and level of ambition for waste prevention. It
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will outline actions to be undertaken by a variety of organisations to increase the amount of items that are re-used and reduce the quantity of waste produced. During its development, we will consider which product categories and waste streams represent key areas for action to reduce waste generation.
Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the cost savings to local authorities of families choosing to use reusable nappies in the latest year for which figures are available. [135012]
Richard Benyon: The Department does not collate this information centrally and there are no current plans to do so, therefore no estimate can be made.
Nappies: Waste Disposal
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long disposable nappies take to decompose when sent to landfill; and if he will make a statement. [134854]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 7 January 2013]:As the rate of decomposition depends on a range of environmental factors in whatever landfill site the waste is deposited, there is no definitive answer to this question.
The Environment Agency carried out Life Cycle Analysis comparing the impacts of disposable and reusable nappies in 2005, and this was updated in 2008. The reports are available on the Nappy Information Service website.
John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of disposable nappies in the waste stream. [135043]
Richard Benyon: While DEFRA does not take a specific policy position on nappy waste, landfill should be the last resort for biodegradable waste. Landfill tax remains a key driver for diverting waste from landfill.
The Department is committed to developing a Waste Prevention programme for England, to be published by December 2013. The programme will set out a strategic direction and level of ambition for waste prevention. It will outline actions to be undertaken by a variety of organisations to increase the amount of items that are re-used and reduce the quantity of waste produced. In developing it, we will consider which product categories and waste streams represent key areas for action to help reduce waste generated.
We plan to launch a “Call for Evidence” to collate views and data from a variety of stakeholders to support the programme's production.
Smoke and Chimney Gases
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he takes to monitor smoke or grit emissions from a wood or coal burning appliance so that no such appliance exceeds the limits set out in BS PD 6434; and if he will make a statement. [136037]
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Richard Benyon: Local authorities are responsible for the designation and supervision of smoke control areas. Only coal and wood-burning appliances exempted under Section 21 of the Clean Air Act 1993 can be used in a smoke control area. Local authorities provide the regulatory function, which includes monitoring of smoke emissions and ensuring that coal and wood-burning appliances installed in smoke control areas are exempted appliances. DEFRA currently manages the exemption process for appliances and fuels. The. requirements for exemption, “including reference to the BS PD 6434 test procedure, are provided on DEFRA’s smoke control website at:
http://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will establish a central register of appliance emissions that have been checked for validity prior to installation; and if he will make a statement. [136038]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA has a central register of appliances that have been assessed for their particulate emissions and approved for use in smoke control areas. This list and the criteria used to assess emissions are provided on DEFRA’s smoke control website at:
http://smokecontrol.defra.gov.uk/
The assessment criteria include the emission limit recommendations defined in BS PD 6434 for solid fuel domestic appliances up to 44 kW output.
VION Food Group
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what discussions his Department has had with VION NV on the retention of its UK operations in respect of (a) red meat, (b) poultry and (c) pork processing; [134862]
(2) what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the sale of VION NV's food operations in the UK, announced on 19 November 2012, on UK farming. [134863]
Mr Heath: The sale of VION's UK operations is a commercial decision, and I understand that an agreement has already been reached for the management buyout of its UK pork business which will secure around 4,000 jobs. Discussions are ongoing with a number of prospective purchasers for its other UK business units for poultry and red meat. DEFRA officials are continuing to follow developments and to liaise with farming industry bodies.
Waste Management
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 30 march 2011, Official Report, column 344W, on waste management, on what evidence he based his statement that Site Waste Management Plans Regulations (2008) had helped to encourage waste prevention and recycling in the construction industry. [133182]
Richard Benyon:
The answer was based on a 2009 Waste and Resources Action Programme Site Waste Management Plans Impact survey. This reported that site waste management plans had led to better recycling
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of waste produced (according to 70% of respondents) as well as preventing waste through designing waste out (33% respondents).
Energy and Climate Change
Wind Power: Seas and Oceans
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidance his Department provides on the distances offshore wind farms should be built away from sensitive coastlines; and if he will make a statement. [135724]
Mr Hayes: Any proposal to build an offshore wind farm is subject to project level assessment, including environmental impact assessment, where locationally specific impacts will be considered. The Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1) and the National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3), set the policy context for the development of nationally significant energy infrastructure, including offshore wind farms.
Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the effect of air passenger duty on the competitiveness of regional airports with London airports. [135117]
Sajid Javid: The 2011 consultation into air passenger duty (APD) gathered comments and evidence on the impact of APD on the UK's regional economies. The Government's response to the consultation, published on 6 December 2011, can be found online here:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_airpassenger.htm
Business
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the Inward Processing Relief process and its ease of use for small businesses. [135104]
Mr Gauke: Inward Processing (IP) allows third country goods to be imported duty and tax free by traders established in the EU for processing on condition that they will be re-exported and not released to free circulation (release to free circulation would disadvantage other EU traders who do not take the benefit of using cheaper third country goods in their processing operations). All IP authorisations for SMEs are dealt with by a central office within EU time scales.
IP is regularly audited by both National and EU Auditors.
Business: Taxation
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to provide small businesses with advice and help and to promote their understanding of the tax system. [135796]
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Mr Gauke: The Government are committed to improving small businesses' experience of the tax system, including improving education and support, as set out in ‘Making tax easier, quicker and simpler for small business’, which was published at Budget 2012 and can be found online at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/sme-4756.pdf
As part of this commitment, as announced at autumn statement 2012, HMRC will significantly expand its online services over the next three years to make the tax system more efficient, transparent and less burdensome for both small businesses and individual taxpayers.
Child Benefit
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers have contacted HM Revenue and Customs on the forthcoming change to child benefit policy to (a) end their entitlement, (b) adjust their tax code, (c) request further information and (d) make a complaint; and if he will make a statement. [133476]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is as follows:
(a) An individual's entitlement to child benefit is not affected by the introduction of the high income child benefit charge. Underlying entitlement to child benefit will remain if an individual decides to opt out of receiving payment of child benefit. As of 7 January 2013, approximately 270,000 child benefit claimants had requested that payment be stopped.
(b) As of 7 January 2013, approximately 3,100 taxpayers had asked for the high income child benefit charge to be included in their PAYE code in 2013-14. The deadline for doing so is October 2013.
(c) As of 7 January 2013, the high-income child benefit charge pages of the HMRC website had received approximately 1.7 million hits and HMRC had received approximately 61,000 calls about the high income child benefit charge.
(d) As of 7 January 2013, six complaints had been received about the high income child benefit charge.
Corporation Tax: Energy
Mr Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much UK corporation tax was paid by energy companies operating in the UK in each of the last five years. [136040]
Sajid Javid: The following table shows the total corporation tax liability for companies in the energy sector in each financial year from 2006-07 to 2010-11. More recent data are not available.
| Energy sector(1) corporation tax liabilities, United Kingdom, financial years | |
| Financial year(2) | Corporation tax liability(3)(£ million) |
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| (1) Summary Trade Classification categories: Coal Extracting and Manufacture of Solid Fuels, Extraction of Mineral Oil and Natural Gas, Mineral Oil Processing, Nuclear Fuel Production and Production and Distribution of Gas, Electricity, and other forms of energy. (2) Comprises accounting periods ending within each financial year. (3) Liability figures, especially for 2010-11, are subject to revision—for example as additional returns are received. Further information is available in the National Statistics publication on Corporation Tax available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/ct-receipts/corporation-tax-statistics.pdf | |
Crown Lands and Estates
Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many estates have been claimed by the Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer in each of the last five years; and what the value was of each such property. [135445]
Sajid Javid: Since devolution the Office of Queen's and Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer (QLTR) has been under the direction of Scottish Ministers rather than the Treasury Commissioners.
More information can be found at:
http://www.qltr.gov.uk/
Deloitte
John Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings Ministers and officials in his Department had with Deloitte in each month of (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [135976]
Sajid Javid: Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organizations. This is available online at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
Employment Agencies
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total spending on recruitment agencies by his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135201]
Sajid Javid: In May 2010, the Government introduced an external recruitment freeze across central Government Departments. Business critical roles are only advertised when the relevant expertise is not already available internally or within the civil service. In addition, over the last three years, in order to be more focused and to save costs, one single campaign has been run to recruit graduate policy advisors to fill vacancies at the Range D grade. Ministerial approval is required for all recruitment, whether permanent or temporary.
Since 31 March 2010 headcount at HM Treasury has reduced by 13% and total recruitment costs have fallen by 30% since 2009-10.
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HM Treasury spending on recruitment agencies is shown in the following table. The figures are taken from HM Treasury's accounting system and exclude recoverable VAT.
| Period | £ |
| (1) December spend data is not currently available. | |
The spending relates to the recruitment of both temporary and permanent staff and includes the cost of advertising, candidate sourcing and assessment. The figures also include the cost of temporary and interim staff paid through recruitment agencies.
The Treasury's accounting system does not separately identify recruitment agencies. Consequently the above figures could exclude some firms that could be considered recruitment agencies whose spending is not posted to recruitment codes. If any such spending has taken place it will not be significant but could not be identified within the disproportionate costs threshold.
Equality
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of staff in his Department have received training in equality and diversity and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 in the last three years. [135354]
Sajid Javid: Details on the proportion of staff in the Treasury who have received training in equality and diversity and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Training in equality and diversity and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 is made available to all Treasury staff via (i) the induction course for all new staff, (ii) the diversity training resources available on Civil Service Learning (a central database of training resources available to all civil servants), (iii) diversity and equality guidance on the Treasury's intranet site and (iv) workshops and other events focusing on diversity and equality issues, most recently workshops on bullying and harassment were made available to all staff.
Individual Savings Accounts: Children
Nigel Adams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that children are not adversely affected by the transfer of child trust funds to junior ISAs. [134834]
Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans at present to allow child trust funds (CTFs) to be transferred to junior ISAs. The latest published data show there is a sizeable and competitive market for CTFs, and steady growth in the value of accounts. As at April 2011, around 5.5 million children had a CTF, and these accounts were worth around £4.3 billion, with around 70 CTF providers in the market.
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As with all features of the tax system, the Government will keep under review whether any action is necessary in the future.
Infrastructure
John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what infrastructure projects have (a) been awarded confirmed support and (b) contractually signed borrowing guarantees under the Government's borrowing guarantee scheme to date. [136005]
Danny Alexander: In the autumn statement of 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced projects worth £10 billion had pre-qualified under the UK Guarantee Scheme.
Infrastructure projects guaranteed under the UK guarantees scheme are commercially confidential and exempt from disclosure. Releasing information is likely to have a detrimental impact on the formulation and development of Government policy and undermine the Government’s negotiating position during negotiations resulting in less effective use of public funds.
We cannot answer this question further without prejudicing the process of ongoing policy formulation.
Maternity Pay
Steve McCabe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate his Department has made of the likely effect on families or single parents of the decision to apply increases in maternity pay of one per cent over the next three financial years. [133905]
Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
Assessments of impacts will accompany the uprating order for 2013 and the forthcoming Uprating Bill.
Minimum Wage
Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent staff worked in the HM Revenue and Customs minimum wage enforcement team in each year since 2008. [135964]
Mr Gauke: The current number of FTE staff in HMRC's minimum wage enforcement team (January 2013) is 144.15. The annual breakdown requested from 2008 is as follows:
| As at April each year | Number FTE staff |
National Insurance Contributions: New Businesses
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to extending the national insurance contributions holiday to micro businesses; and if he will make a statement. [135844]
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Mr Gauke: The Government have considered the case for extending the NICs holiday to all existing micro businesses but believe the best use of public funds at this time is to keep the NICs holiday as a targeted scheme for those areas in most need of employment support.
Northern Rock
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 921W, on Northern Rock, whether any communication was given by his Department to UK Asset Resolution or UK Financial Investments Ltd prior to 5 December 2012 on the timing of the announcement on Northern Rock remediation payments; and if he will make a statement. [135996]
Sajid Javid: As specified in the answer to the parliamentary questions on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 562W and 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 921W, the decision to remediate charges for Northern Rock Asset Management customers with Consumer Credit Act (CCA) regulated loans where the loan documentation is not compliant with CCA requirements was taken by the UKAR Board on 5 December. Ministers were made aware of the proposal on the same day. The UKAR proposal was agreed by UKFI in a letter to UKAR on 10 December. UKFI sought and was granted Treasury approval on 10 December.
PAYE
Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answers of 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 563W, on PAYE, for what reason the numbers provided of hashes matched in each month of the Real Time Information pilot scheme add up to approximately one million more than the number of hashes matched by 29 November 2012; and if he will make a statement. [135889]
Mr Gauke: HMRC receive a feed of hash cross references from the BACS system when the payments to the individuals' bank accounts have been finalised. Typically this can be up to six days after the related real time information (RTI) submission has been received by HMRC.
The figure of 6,441,719 hash matches, provided on 3 December, was the number of individual RTI records that had been matched to a hash cross reference from the BACS system by 8.45 am on 29 November 2012.
The monthly figures provided on 17 December 2012 reflected all individual RTI records, for payments made to employees in each calendar month, that had been hash matched by 13 December. Many of the hash cross references for November salary and wage payments were received from the BACS system after 8.45 am on 29 November.
Stephen Timms:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 563W, on PAYE, what estimate he has made of the number of records submitted to the PAYE Real Time Information (RTI) pilot scheme in November 2012 which contained a hash that was not matched which were not matched because hash cross references
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were included in RTI submissions where the employer was not paying its employees under a BACS service user number; and if he will make a statement. [135891]
Mr Gauke: HMRC are unable to provide the information requested, at this time, as analysis of hash matching is ongoing as part of the RTI pilot.
Poverty: Children
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the potential effect on child poverty measured as the number of children living in households falling below 60 per cent of median income before housing costs was of his announcement in the 2010 Budget that the Government would (a) increase the standard rate of value added tax, (b) increase the income tax personal allowance, (c) index all benefits, tax credits and public sector pensions to consumer prices index, (d) freeze council tax rates for one year, (e) introduce the personal independence payment to replace disability living allowance, (f) extend conditionality to lone parents who have a youngest child aged 5, (g) change the basis for setting local housing allowance (LHA) rates from the median to the 30th percentile of local market rents from October 2011, (h) cap LHA rates at £250 per week for a one- bedroom property, £290 per week for a two-bedroom property, £340 per week for a three-bedroom property and £400 per week for all properties with four bedrooms or more from April 2011, (i) uprate LHA rates by the consumer price index from April 2013, (j) restrict housing benefit for working age social tenants who occupy a larger property than their family size warrants, (k) freeze both rates of child benefit for three years from 2011-12, (l) reduce the tax credits second income threshold to £40,000 in 2011-12, (m) increase the first and second withdrawal rates to 41 per cent in 2011-12, (n) taper the family element of the child tax credit immediately after the child element in 2012-13, (o) remove the baby element in the child tax credit from 2011-12, (p) reverse the £4 supplement in the child tax credit for children aged one and two from 2012-13, (q) reduce the income disregard in tax credits from £25,000 to £10,000 for two years from 2011-12 then to £5,000 in 2013-14, (r) introduce an income disregard in tax credits of £2,500 for falls in income from 2012-13, (s) increase the child element of the child tax credit by £150 in 2011-12 and £60 in 2012-13 above indexation, (t) abolish the health in pregnancy grant and (u) reduce the Sure Start maternity grant. [135069]
Sajid Javid: The analysis undertaken at Budget 2010 was published in the Budget 2010 document and Annex A, available at
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/junebudget_documents.htm
In general, HM Treasury's distributional analysis does not examine the impacts of individual policies in isolation, as it is important to take account of the impact of the tax, benefit and tax credits system as a whole.
The Government believe looking at income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards its target of eradicating child poverty.
The Government are currently consulting on better measures of child poverty to inform its approach to
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eradicate child poverty—tackling its root causes, providing high-quality education, and helping people into work through universal credit.
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the potential effect on child poverty measured as the number of children living in households falling below 60 per cent of median income before housing costs was of his announcement in the 2011 Budget that the Government would (a) increase the income tax personal allowance, (b) change the basis for indexing direct taxes to consumer prices index and (c) remove the fuel duty escalator. [135070]
Sajid Javid: The analysis undertaken at Budget 2011 was published in the Budget 2011 document and Annex A, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_documents.htm
HM Treasury's distributional analysis does not examine the impacts of individual policies in isolation, as it is important to take account of the impact of the tax, benefit and tax credits system as a whole.
The Government believe looking at income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards its target of eradicating child poverty.
The Government are currently consulting on better measures of child poverty to inform its approach to eradicate child poverty—tackling its root causes, providing high-quality education, and helping people into work through universal credit.
Kate Green: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the potential effect on child poverty measured as the number of children living in households falling below 60 per cent of median income before housing costs was of his announcement in the 2011 Autumn Statement that the Government would (a) freeze the couple and lone parent elements of the Working Tax Credit in 2012-13 and reverse the planned £110 increase in the child element of child tax credit and (b) increase public sector pay by one per cent in each of the two years following the end of the pay freeze. [135071]
Sajid Javid: The analysis undertaken at autumn statement 2011 was published in the autumn statement 2011 document and supplementary document Distributional Analysis, available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/as2011_documents.htm
HM Treasury's distributional analysis does not examine the impacts of individual policies in isolation, as it is important to take account of the impact of the tax, benefit and tax credits system as a whole.
The Government believe looking at income in isolation is not a helpful measure to track progress towards its target of eradicating child poverty.
The Government are currently consulting on better measures of child poverty to inform its approach to eradicate child poverty—tackling its root causes, providing high-quality education, and helping people into work through universal credit.
Procurement
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [135184]
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Sajid Javid: HM Treasury spend is not captured or categorised by company ‘type’. The analysis required to respond on the basis of contracts awarded to ‘management consultancies’ or ‘IT companies’ could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
HM Treasury spend (excluding VAT) for consultancy services (which includes spend with management consultancies) for FYs 2010-11 and 2011-12 is £28.5 million and £15.2 million respectively.
This information is published in the ‘HM Treasury Annual Report 2012’ (page 140) and is available on the Department's website:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
HM Treasury complies with the Cabinet Office Transparency agenda requirement for central Government Departments to publish contract awards in excess of £10,000 (excl VAT) on ‘Contracts Finder’:
www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many procurement officers are currently employed by his Department; [135660]
(2) how many civil servants in his Department regularly deal with procurement services; [135661]
(3) how many procurement officers in his Department have relevant procurement qualifications. [135662]
Sajid Javid: HM Treasury employs six procurement personnel that deliver procurement services to the Department; all six hold relevant procurement qualifications.
In addition, an interim specialist contractor delivers procurement services and also holds a relevant procurement qualification.
There may be additional members of staff in the Department that hold procurement qualifications in non-designated procurement posts. However the exact number is unknown as this information is not held centrally.
Tax Avoidance: Construction
Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recently released report, “The Great Payroll Scandal” by the UCATT trades union; and if he will make a statement. [135710]
Mr Gauke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the House on 12 December 2012, Official Report, column 324W.
Taxation: Children
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons spouses are classified as a non-taxable benefit for travel purposes but children are not classed as such. [135450]
Mr Gauke:
In general there are very few circumstances in which the provision of travel to the spouse of an employee by their employer would be non-taxable. These include circumstances in which the presence of the spouse is required for the employee to perform their duties, for example where the employee requires the spouse to act as an interpreter. To obtain tax relief the
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employee must show that the expense of taking his or her spouse was necessarily incurred in the performance of the employee's duties.
Payments made to an MP by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority for travel and subsistence expenses in respect of journeys between the Member's London area residence and their constituency residence by the Member's spouse or partner, with whom they share caring responsibilities for a dependent, are exempt from income tax. This exemption was introduced in 2010 to formalise a long standing concession relating to the tax treatment of travel expenses of Members of Parliament. Legislation will be introduced in Finance Bill 2013 to formalise aspects of a similar concession as it currently applies to expenses paid to Members of the devolved Administrations.
Temporary Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [135185]
Sajid Javid: The Treasury spent £600,000 in 2010-11 and £632,000 in 2011-12 on interim staff to fill vacant posts in the Department that would otherwise have been occupied by salaried permanent members of staff.
The use of interim staff falls within the scope of the civil service recruitment freeze, which was announced on 24 May 2010. Where a Treasury team identifies the need for the employment of an interim worker it must obtain ministerial approval prior to commencement of the recruitment process.
Spending on interim staff has declined significantly since 2010. The equivalent figures for 2008-09 and 2009-10 were £2,567,000 and £2,490,000 respectively.
Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many temporary staff have been recruited in his Department in each month from July to December 2012. [135200]
Sajid Javid: The information requested is as follows:
| Month | Number of staff |
The data include staff recruited on fixed term contracts of less than 12 months and agency temporary staff.
VAT
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many new VAT registration numbers were issued in (a) 2012 and (b) each of the last five calendar years; [134921]
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(2) how many VAT registrations have been ended in (a) 2012 and (b) each of the last five calendar years. [134922]
Mr Gauke: The numbers of new VAT registrations and de-registrations are available in sheet 5 of the HMRC VAT Bulletin which is at:
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Tax%20and%20Duty%20Bulletins/VAT_1112.xls
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time from request to issuing of a new VAT registration number is; and what the average time for issuing such numbers was, at the calendar year end, in each of the last five years. [134923]
Mr Gauke: The following table shows the average length of time taken time to process applications to register for VAT:
| Calendar year | Days |
| (1) January to October only (2) April to December only | |
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints his Department has received on VAT registration certificates in (a) 2012 and (b) each of the last five years. [134924]
Mr Gauke: HMRC is responsible for processing applications to register for VAT and has received the following numbers of complaints in relation to VAT registration.
| Calendar year | Number |
| (1) January to November only | |
Mr Djanogly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to speed up the issuing of VAT registration certificates to businesses. [134925]
Mr Gauke: HMRC has automated the VAT registration process from October 2012.
All businesses are now able to go online to obtain a VAT registration number and notify most variations to their registration details (such as change of address or to de-register) online.
All businesses applying online will be informed of the status of their application by way of a secure message sent to their online account.
By cutting out the time for postal delivery, the majority of businesses using the online channel should receive their VAT registration numbers four to six days quicker than prior to the automation.
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Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional revenue was received by the Exchequer as a result of the 2.5 per cent increase in rates of VAT between May 2010 and May 2012. [135794]
Mr Gauke: The standard rate of VAT increased from 17.5% to 20% on 4 January 2011. At Budget 2010 the rate increase was expected to raise approximately £17 billion over the 17 months between January 2011 and May 2012.
Welfare Tax Credits
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence on child care costs tax credit claimants will be required to provide to HM Revenue and Customs under the proposal set out in his autumn statement 2012; and what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be affected by that proposal. [134951]
Sajid Javid: HMRC are yet to decide precisely what evidence they will require claimants to provide to support their claims for child care costs and will be consulting appropriate representative bodies before making a final decision.
HMRC have estimated that the proposal will affect around 80,000 families a year.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost of calls made to the tax credit helpline was in each of the last three years. [135803]
Sajid Javid: HMRC does not hold the information to provide the average costs of calls to the tax credit line over the last three years.
The cost of calling HMRC is dependent on several factors. Calls are charged to the customer based on the tariff arrangements they have with their service provider, the device they use for the call and the location from which they call.
HMRC's tax credit helpline can now be accessed using an 0345 number. This results in cheaper calls for customers calling from mobile phones in comparison to the previous 0845 number.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many calls were received by the tax credit helpline was in each of the last three years. [135804]
Sajid Javid: HMRC records a range of call handling data. The following table shows both the total number of call attempts received and the number of callers, which measures underlying customer demand for the tax credit helpline in the last three years:
| Tax credits helpline | ||
| Number of call attempts(1) (millions) | Callers(2) (millions) | |
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| (1 )Calls attempts—The number of attempts (including redials) made to contact the Tax Credit Helpline. (2) The number of individual callers telephoning on each individual day aggregated over the period. | ||
The increased call attempts in 2010-11 are linked to reduced call handling performance, leading to callers frequently using the redial facility on their telephones, which affected the volume of call attempts.
HMRC's analysis of these data showed that customer demand levels have remained relatively constant over the last three years and redial ranges returned to normal levels in 2011-12.
Working Tax Credit
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of time was between an eligible applicant's working tax credit claim form being received and the applicant receiving the support to which they were entitled for each of the last three years. [135756]
Sajid Javid: The average time taken to process a new claim for tax credits for the last three years is as follows:
| Days | |
We cannot break down processing times specifically for working tax credit in the manner requested. The average processing times therefore cover all tax credit claims made (working tax credit and child tax credit inclusive).
The key driver for the increase in time taken to process a new claim was the increased intensity of upfront compliance checks to reduce the level of error and fraud in the system. Moving from a strategy of ‘check now pay later’ to ‘check now then pay’ came with heavily increased levels of pre-payment interventions and checks which added to the processing time.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons working tax credit claim forms are not available for download from the gov.uk website. [135766]
Sajid Javid: As part of HMRC's measures to prevent fraudulent claims for tax credits, claim forms are only available by telephoning the tax credit helpline, where callers are required to pass basic identity checks. Claim forms are also available through a small number of trusted third party organisations, where similar checks assure forms are only provided to genuine customers.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of time was between an eligible applicant requesting a working tax credit claim form via the tax credit helpline and the receipt of their working tax credit form in each of the last three years. [135805]
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Sajid Javid: This information is not available in the format requested. HMRC aim to send out a claim pack to customers within 48 hours of the request.
Work and Pensions
Access to Work Programme
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department allocated to publicising the Access to Work programme in 2011-12; and what funding will be allocated to publicising that programme in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14. [133586]
Mr Hoban: I am unable to provide the funding allocation set aside for publicising the Access to Work programme across all financial years within this spending review, because funding allocations are indicative for business planning purposes, and are subject to change.
For 2011-12 we are unable to separately determine the publicity spend on the Access to Work programme.
There is a ministerial ban on local publicity, however for 2012-13 there has been an Exemption Request approved for external publicity with a value of £55,000 and this was for Access to Work publicity (to cover online marketing, events ad production of marketing material).
For future years it would be impossible to give a value as budgets are being reviewed in light of the challenge from the autumn statement.
Charities
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on which active projects his Department receives advice from UK registered charities. [135800]
Mr Hoban: The Department routinely consults other organisations during the policy development process, either formally or informally. This will often involve voluntary sector organisations since they play a key part in the delivery of services, and an important representational role on behalf of specific groups of claimants.
Child Poverty
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of children living in households with no adult in work in (a) each London borough and (b) the UK are (i) in single parent households, (ii) in a household with at least one parent claiming employment and support allowance and (iii) in a household with at least one adult on jobseeker's allowance; and if he will make a statement. [135713]
Mr Hoban: Information is not available for each London borough, but is available for London and the UK.
(a) The proportion of children living in households with no adult in work in London:
(i) in single adult households is 53%
(ii) with at least one adult in receipt of ESA is 5%
(iii) with at least one adult in receipt of JSA is 19%
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(b) The proportion of children living in households with no adult in work in the UK:
(i) in single adult households is 59%
(ii) with at least one adult in receipt of ESA is 6%
(iii) with at least one adult in receipt of JSA is 18%
Notes:
1. The Family Resources Survey is a nationally representative sample of UK households. Data for 2010-11 was collected between April 2010 and March 2011.
2. The figures from the Family Resources Survey are based on a sample of households which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the Family Resources Survey to former Government office region population by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error.
3. Relative to administrative records, the Family Resources Survey is known to under-report benefit receipt so estimates should be treated with caution. Please see table M6 the within the Family Resources Survey publication Methodology chapter found at
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs/2010_11/chapter9.pdf
for more details.
4. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest 1%.
5. Definitions:
Household—A single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal a day together or share the living accommodation (ie a living room). A household will consist of one or more benefit units.
Adult—All those individuals who are aged 16 and over, unless defined as a dependent child (see Child); all adults in the household are interviewed as part of the Family Resources Survey.
Child—A dependent child is defined as an individual aged under 16. A person will also be defined as a child if they are 16 to 19 years old and they are:
Not married nor in a Civil Partnership nor living with a partner; and
Living with parents; and
In full-time non-advanced education or in unwaged government training.
In-work—Includes employees and those that are self-employed—both full-time and part-time. Based on self-assessment for the main job rather than number of hours worked; includes those doing unpaid work in their own business.
In receipt of employment and support allowance (ESA)/jobseeker's allowance(JSA)—A household has been defined as in receipt of ESA/JSA if at least one adult within the household is in receipt of ESA/JSA.
Source:
Family Resources Survey 2010-11
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation study on the impact of child poverty on gross domestic product. [134123]
Esther McVey: The Government welcome all contributions to the child poverty debate and work which adds to our understanding of the causes and consequences of child poverty. The Government are determined to eradicate the problem by tackling its root causes, including worklessness, educational failure and family breakdown.
Universal credit will improve work incentives as well as refocusing entitlements on lower-income in-work households, and removing the complexity that stands in the way of people taking up their current benefit and tax credit entitlements. Over 2 million people will be
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lifted out of income tax altogether by the announced raises to the personal allowance. We are giving more nursery and pre-school provision, ensuring that 260,000 disadvantaged two-year-olds receive 15 hours a week free childcare. We are investing in education, including £2.5 billion for the pupil premium and £1.2 billion for capital investment in schools.
Comet Group
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that specialists from Jobcentre Plus work with Comet employees in Chesterfield whose jobs are threatened by the company's closure for the purposes of providing advice on re-training and re-employment. [133170]
Mr Hoban: Jobcentre are working closely with both Deloitte, the appointed administrator, and Comet to ensure employees facing redundancy receive the best possible support through this difficult time. All locations including Chesterfield have been contacted by Jobcentre Plus and received an offer of support and discussions are now under way with Comet store managers to agree a suitable approach at local level. In addition we have agreed with Deloitte that all employees under threat of redundancy will receive the Rapid Response Employee fact sheet, along with a jobsearch resource pack, which will help them consider how to prepare and look for work.
Employment Agencies
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total spending on recruitment agencies by his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135213]
Mr Hoban: Spend on recruitment agencies in the period requested was nil.
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many doctors were employed on a (a) full-time and (b) part-time basis to conduct medical examinations of claimants for employment and support allowance in each of the last four years. [135113]
Mr Hoban: Atos Healthcare utilises registered and fully trained doctors, nurses and physiotherapists. All are approved by the DWP chief medical adviser to undertake work capability assessments in respect of employment and support allowance (ESA) claims.
The number of permanently employed doctors working on a full-time or part-time basis to conduct ESA work capability assessments, as recorded by Atos Healthcare, in each of the last four years is as follows:
| Number employed full-time | Number employed part-time | |
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In 2012 some of the turnover of doctors was compensated for by recruitment of more nurses and physiotherapists.
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance recipients in each Government region experienced (a) mental and behavioural and (b) physical disorders in each of the last four years, by type of disorder. [135920]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on the number of Employment and Support Allowance recipients in each Government region who experienced (a) mental and behavioural and (b) physical disorders in each of the last four years, by type of disorder and region, 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 Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance claimants failed a personal capability assessment in each of the last four years. [135922]
Mr Hoban: Information on the number of employment and support allowance claimants who failed a Work Capability Assessment can be found at:
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_oct2012_tables.xls
Employment Schemes: Young People
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Croydon Central of 10 September 2012, Official Report, column 85W, on youth unemployment: London, on what date he expects to publish the first statistical release outlining the number of job outcomes for participants of the Day 1 Support for Young People Trailblazer. [133526]
Mr Hoban: The decision has not yet been taken on when to publish statistics. The Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.
Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Croydon Central of 10 September 2012, Official Report, column 85W, on youth unemployment: London, how many participants in the Day 1 Support for Young People Trailblazer there had been in each authority area by 7 December 2012. [133527]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not currently available. The Department works to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity.
EU Law
Priti Patel:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which EU directives his Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives his Department expects to transpose in
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(i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector. [133719]
Mr Hoban: A table containing details of the EU directives my Department transposed in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which EU directives my Department expects to transpose in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate we have made of the cost of each such directive to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector will be placed in the Library.
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [133720]
Mr Hoban: A table containing details of the regulations my Department introduced as a result of EU legislation in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 to date; which regulations my Department expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2013 and (ii) the next two years; and what estimate we have made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector will be placed in the Library.
Food Banks
Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the criteria are for eligibility to make use of food banks. [135878]
Mr Hoban: The Department does not set the eligibility criteria for the use of food banks; this is a decision for individual food banks.
Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of how many families with dependent children are reliant, in some degree, on food banks. [135879]
Mr Hoban: DWP does not collate or hold numbers on the usage of food banks.
Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what Government support is made available to food banks. [135880]
Mr Heath: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The Government do not provide any support to specific food banks. However, we recognise the good work of organisations that redistribute surplus food to help reduce food poverty, to assist the homeless and to provide access to nutritional meals to those who may otherwise struggle. In 2012 DEFRA held a round table with retailers and food distribution charities to explore the barriers to redistribution, building upon the partnerships most major retailers already have with redistribution charities.
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Future Jobs Fund
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the results of the Future Jobs Fund were for each constituency in the UK in each year for which data are available. [136215]
Mr Hoban: DWP does not hold information on the results of the Future Jobs Fund for each constituency in the UK. However, it has published official statistics on Future Jobs Fund participant outcomes at a regional level (which may be found here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/jsa/ypg/ypg_fjf_annexe_apr2012.pdf
and a national evaluation of the impacts of the Future Jobs Fund (which may be found here:
http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2012/impacts_costs_benefits_fjf.pdf
It is not possible to replicate the results of the Future Jobs Fund impact analysis for each constituency in the UK, largely because of insufficient sample sizes at this geographical level.
Hepatic Angiosarcoma
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will classify hepatic angiosarcoma caused by exposure to vinyl chloride on the same basis as mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos. [134052]
Esther McVey: Diseases that attract payment under the Industrial Injuries Scheme can only be prescribed if they meet the statutory requirements set out in the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
Both angiosarcoma of the liver from occupational exposure to vinyl chloride monomer in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride and mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos are classified as prescribed diseases. Employed earners who contract either of these diseases through their work are able to make a claim for industrial injuries benefits.
On the basis of advice from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, and because of the nature and short- term prognosis of mesothelioma, legislation is in place in respect of this disease so claimants are automatically assessed as being 100% disabled and the usual 90-day waiting rule for industrial injuries disablement benefit is waived. There are no current plans to extend the legislation.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on how many occasions the HM Courts and Tribunal Service Social Security and Child Support Appeals Centre has failed to meet its targets in respect of response letters in the latest period for which figures are available. [134570]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not held by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Jobseeker’s Allowance: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or equivalent benefit
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for more than
(a)
six,
(b)
12 and
(c)
18 months in each quarter in the Peterborough city council area since 2010; and if he will make a statement. [135846]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many claimants were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance or equivalent benefit for more than (a) six, (b) 12 and (c) 18 months in each quarter in the Peterborough city council area since 2010 are given in the following table:
| Peterborough | |||
| Over 13 and up to 26 weeks | Over 39 and up to 52 weeks | Over 65 and up to 78 weeks | |
| Note: Data rounded to nearest five. | |||
This and other similar information can be found at nomis:
https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
Medical Records: Data Protection
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how consent is sought for mail containing sensitive and confidential medical data to be opened and handled by a third party when it is sent to (a) his Department and (b) Atos Healthcare; and if he will make a statement. [133743]
Mr Hoban: There are relevant statutory provisions governing the jurisdiction of my Department in various Acts. Additionally there are Statutory Instruments which regulate how the Department operates under the Acts.
My Department does not seek consent for opening mail containing sensitive and medical data in pursuant of its administrative responsibilities. Atos Healthcare has responsibility for conducting assessments and providing advice to my Department in support of claims or re-assessment for specific benefits. It is standard for evidence to be submitted in the form of a medical record and for Atos to review any available evidence when conducting assessments. Atos Healthcare is under contract and is directly accountable to the Department.
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The Department complies with responsibilities laid down under the Data Protection Act 1998 (“Act”) and publishes guidance on:
www.dwp.gov.uk
called “DWP-your-personal-information”.
The Department has long standing safeguards within the administration process. Most notably a third-party organisation can only be authorised to open and handle mail when under a contract. The contract sets out additional provisions for which the third party organisation is accountable for secure handling of sensitive and confidential information and this is governed by the Department's Security. Any person involved in opening and handling post are bound by Confidentiality Agreements including the Official Secrets Act, whether employed directly by the Department or employed by a third party.
New Enterprise Allowance: Lancashire
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire are currently in receipt of the new enterprise allowance. [135103]
Mr Hoban: In Pendle there were 40 mentor starts and 20 weekly allowance starts for the period April 2011 up to and including May 2012.
We do not routinely collect data at county level, the information requested for Lancashire is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Personal Independence Payment
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider providing additional financial support to disability charities for the purposes of managing any additional workload as a result of the transfer to personal independence payments. [133285]
Esther McVey: We will not provide any additional financial support as we do not believe that disability charities will have to manage additional work loads.
We will continue to work with disability charities to support them with their preparations for the introduction of personal independence payment. We will also continue to support Disabled People's User Led Organisations (DPULO) in order for them to become stronger more sustainable organisations through our DPULO programme.
Redundancy Pay
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of redundancy pay paid to civil servants in his Department was in each month from July to December 2012. [135211]
Mr Hoban: The information you requested is in the following table:
| 2012 | ||||||
| £ | ||||||
| July | August | September | October | November | December | |
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| Note: The small balances in November and December relate to corrections made to previous redundancy payments. | ||||||
Remploy
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on what occasions Ministers in his Department have met with trades union consortium officers on the closure of Remploy sites. [134504]
Esther McVey: I have had contact with representatives from the Remploy trade unions in face-to-face meetings, stakeholder events and through correspondence. I have listened and responded to their views and opinions on the progress of the Stage 1 process, as I have done with other stakeholders.
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which (a) contracts, (b) buildings, (c) plant and machinery, (d) equipment and (e) other assets of Remploy Abertillery have been sold. [135810]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 935W.
Social Security Benefits
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claims for benefits are paid out (a) within 16 days following receipt of the claim and (b) after 16 days following receipt of the claim. [135410]
Mr Hoban: The latest information available is for April to November 2012 and is outlined in the following table.
For JSA and ESA we can give the percentage of claims cleared within 16 days.
For income support, data are not collected at 16 days. The nearest available measure is percentage of claims cleared within 13 days.
| Benefit | April to November 2012 (Percentage) |
| Source: MISP | |
Clearance times reflect the end point at which claims are cleared and notification issued to customer. This may not be the date of first payment in every case (for example a claim may be cleared before the first payment is due or customers may not be entitled to benefit payments, e.g. JSA credits only customers).
The date of payment is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Social Security Benefits: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Barnsley Central constituency will be affected by planned changes to (a) disability living allowance, (b) under-occupancy rules in social housing, (c) the benefit cap, (d) council tax benefit and (e) the social fund. [135842]
Steve Webb: The information is as follows:
(a) The available information on personal independence payment (PIP) is published in the Reassessments and Impacts briefing note. This can be found on the Department's website at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/pip-reassessments-and-impacts.pdf
Information on current disability living allowance caseloads at a parliamentary constituency level can also be found on the Department's website at:
http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html
(b) No estimates are available for the social sector under-occupancy measure at parliamentary constituency level. Regional estimates of impacts are provided in the impact assessment at:
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf
(c) A table showing the parliamentary constituency breakdown of those affected by the benefit cap has been placed in the Library and can be found at:
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2012-1587/LibraryDocument125527.pdf
The figures presented above are consistent with the recent impact assessment published on 16 July 2012. In making these estimates we assume that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. In all cases the Department is working to support households through this transition, using existing provision through Jobcentre Plus and the Work programme to move as many into work as possible. Therefore, please note that these figures are subject to change prior to the policy being implemented in April 2013.
(d) Estimates of how many people will be affected by the change from council tax benefit to localised support are not available at a parliamentary constituency level. The number of people affected will depend on the decisions by local authorities about the design of their schemes.
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(e) We do not have any estimates on how many people will be affected by the social fund reforms that are due to take effect from April 2013 at a parliamentary constituency level.
As part of the reforms some social fund discretionary payments will be abolished. Funding is being provided for new and better targeted local provision through local authorities in England, and through arrangements made by the Scottish and Welsh Governments. The local provision will be tailored to local circumstance and integrated with other local support services. Local authorities in England are currently finalising the design of their own local schemes including eligibility criteria. This means we are unable to provide any estimates of how many people will be eligible under each local authority scheme.
In addition universal credit will provide a better service, of payments on account, supporting many people in need of short and longer term credit facilities. These necessary reforms simplify the current complex, poorly targeted and remote system, and ensure that support is focused on those who really need it.
Social Security Benefits: Fraud
Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the level of (a) customer error and (b) fraudulently claimed overpayment was in claims for (i) pensions credit, (ii) jobseeker's allowance and (iii) income support due to the incorrect declaration of (A) full-time earnings, (B) part-time earnings, (C) partner earnings, (D) capital, (E) dependants, (F) income, (G) a partner, (H) identification, (I) address, (J) housing costs, (K) other benefits, (L) college, (M) hospitalisation, (N) maintenance payments, (O) non-dependants, (P) a prison stay and (Q) other reasons in each of the last four years. [135112]
Mr Hoban: The information will be placed in the Library.
The information is not available in the format requested for categories C, H and N. Such information as is available for category C is included in the tables under categories A and B; category N is included in the tables under category F.
State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he received in 2012 from the Australian Government on frozen state pensions for expatriate pensioners now living in that country. [135874]
Steve Webb: Issues relating to UK pensioners in Australia were discussed with representatives of the Australian Government on several occasions in 2012.
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many expatriate pensioners do not receive an annual uprating of their UK state pension. [135876]
Steve Webb: Data on the number of pensioners residing in countries outside the EEA with which the UK does not have a bilateral agreement covering up-rating can be found at:
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http://83.244.183.180/5pc/sp/cccntry/ccsex/a_stock_r_cccntry_c_ccsex_sep11.html
Such pensioners are classified as “overseas frozen” in the dataset.
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
Note:
The data are based on the country of residence at September 2011. The numbers quoted include people who are temporarily resident in an "overseas frozen" country who would be eligible for up-rates because they remain ordinarily resident in Great Britain.
Unemployment
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were classed as underemployed in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012. [135965]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated January 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many workers were classed as underemployed in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in (i) 2009, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2011 and (iv) 2012. 135965
Time-related underemployment is defined by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as occurring where the number of hours of work for an employed person is insufficient, and that the person is willing to engage in more work and is not already working more than a specified number of hours.
Based on the ILO definition and the data available, employed people (aged 16 or over) are classified as underemployed if:
they are willing to work more hours because they want an additional job, a replacement job with longer hours, or want more hours in their current job
they are available to start working longer hours within 2 weeks and
the hours they worked in the reference week did not exceed 40 hours (if they are under 18 years of age) or 48 hours (if they are over 18 years of age).
Estimates for the number of underemployed workers are available from the Annual Population Survey (APS). They are available for the datasets that cover the year October to September, for example the estimates for 2009 are based on the dataset that covers the year from October 2008 to September 2009.
The estimates are supplied in the table.
It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the number of underemployed workers in the Glasgow North West constituency due to small sample sizes.
The estimates are derived from the APS and are not seasonally adjusted. As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
| Number of underemployed workers(1) in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012(2) for Glasgow, Scotland and the UK | ||||
| Thousand | ||||
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
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| (1) Underemployed workers are those people over 16, in employment and wishing to work more hours, either in their current job, in a replacement job or in an additional job. They must also be working under 40 hours a week if they are between 16 and 18 and under 48 hours a week if they are over 18. Finally they must be able to start working longer hours within the two weeks following the survey. (2) The data for each year run from the October in the previous year to the September of the named year, e.g. the 2012 estimates are based on data from October 2011 to September 2012. Source: APS person datasets | ||||