NHS Property Services
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how NHS property services will be held accountable at a local level; [138945]
(2) whether NHS property services will have to report on a regular basis to local scrutiny committees; [138946]
(3) how many staff will be employed by NHS Property Services Ltd; [138947]
(4) what assets he intends to be held by NHS Property Services Ltd; [138948]
(5) what his policy is on the constitution of NHS Property Services Ltd and the management of any possible issues of conflict of interest within that organisation; and if he will make a statement. [138950]
Dr Poulter: NHS Property Services Ltd (NHS PS), a limited company wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Health, was created to take that part of primary care trusts' (PCT) estate not transferring to national health service providers on 1 April 2013, which is the date when PCTs are being abolished.
The company's objectives will be to hold property for use by community and primary care services, including for use by social enterprises; deliver value for money property services; cut costs of administering the estate by consolidating the management of over 150 estates; develop and deliver cost-effective property solutions for community health services; and dispose of property surplus to NHS requirements.
The key benefit of the new model will be the opportunities offered by consolidating assets, skills and experience from 151 PCTs to create an organisation of increased scale and standing which is focused on the efficient management of property. This will in due
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course deliver improved management of the estate and improved efficiency, which will free up resources to improve properties and frontline services.
In relation to how NHS PS will be held accountable at a local level, it will be for local health economies and their clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to take decisions as to what properties and related services are provided and where they are located. It will be for NHS PS to work with the local NHS and its commissioners in deciding the need for primary or community care premises and other buildings from which NHS services are provided. If a need for premises is identified by local CCGs, it will be for NHS PS to respond and offer the necessary site or building.
In respect of whether NHS PS will have to report on a regular basis to Local Scrutiny Committees, health organisations must seek review by the local authority where proposals result in a service change. New regulations on local authority health scrutiny are being prepared to ensure that any changes to local healthcare are more transparent, and overseen and considered locally. However, these regulations will only apply where health organisations are proposing to change health services and will not apply where the local health economy is considering changes to its estate that do not materially effect the delivery of services.
With regard to how many staff will be employed by NHS PS, the company has a small board of directors, with most of its staff being at a regional and local level. It has four regional directors, with teams that will work closely with the new NHS structure, with the majority of staff being locally-based and delivering services to patients, NHS staff and the public.
The precise number of staff to be employed by NHS PS is not yet known. However, it is anticipated that some 3,000 staff working in estates and facilities roles in PCTs and strategic health authorities will transfer under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment) legislation to the company. Staff will transfer on 1 April 2013. The company is recruiting to a further 72 posts to fulfil corporate roles such as in finance, IT and human resources. This type of support has been provided to local estates teams by the PCTs that they are currently part of.
On assets to be held by NHS PS, work is ongoing, but current analysis has shown that:
GP surgeries will account for 30% of the assets;
Support services (eg administration and equipment storage)—24%;
Hospitals and land—2% each; and
Health centres—19%.
Other assets, such as items of equipment needed to deliver a particular service should generally transfer to the service provider or organisation which requires use of them. Where NHS PS provides either landlord and advisory services that PCT estates teams currently provide or manage, the company will take ownership of the associated assets. Likewise, where NHS. PS provides services such as cleaning, catering, portering, the company will also take ownership of the assets associated with those activities.
Finally, in relation to the constitution of NHS PS and the management of any possible conflicts of interest, as a limited company, NHS PS will comply with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 in all respects, including its governance structures and the directors'
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statutory duties in relation to conflicts of interest. A copy of the Company's Articles of Association, which gives more detail, has been placed in the Library.
NHS: Batteries
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS and private companies working on the NHS estate take to recycle used batteries; and what arrangements are in place to monitor such recycling. [139114]
Dr Poulter: The information is not available as the Department does not hold data on the steps healthcare providers take to recycle batteries or associated monitoring.
The Department has published guidance for the NHS—the “Safe Management of Healthcare Waste—Version 2, England”, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. It identifies appropriate waste segregation and disposal routes which are interpreted locally by each healthcare provider, who undertake assessments to formulate their own policies and procedures for recycling. Guidance on batteries, including those used in implants/medical devices, is included, advising for example that hospitals can, for the collection of batteries:
1. Liaise with a battery compliance scheme;
2. Contact their local council to see whether there is an amenity-site or facility nearby that they can use;
3. Talk to a waste management company licensed to collect batteries; or
4. Contact their supplier of batteries to discuss collection.
NHS: Finance
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the proposed transfer of debt from primary care trusts to clinical commissioning groups in North Yorkshire. [138894]
Dr Poulter: The NHS operating framework states that clinical commissioning groups will have their own budgets from 2013-14. They will not be responsible for resolving primary care trust (PCT) legacy debt that arose prior to 2011-12.
Management of PCT legacy debt takes place at strategic health authority cluster region level. The Department expects it to be managed in line with the requirements laid out in the NHS operating framework.
Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration he has given to the possible consequences of the manipulation of Libor for interest rates paid by the NHS; and if he will make a statement; [139470]
(2) what effect there was on interest rates paid on NHS capital projects financed under the private finance initiative through the manipulation of Libor; what estimate he has made of the cost per scheme to each hospital trust; and if he will make a statement; [139471]
(3) which NHS capital projects have been financed under the private finance initiative that could have been affected by the manipulation of Libor by banks; and if he will make a statement; [139472]
(4) whether he is considering taking legal action to recoup any overpayments on interest rates paid on
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NHS capital projects financed under the private finance initiative as a consequence of the manipulation of Libor; and if he will make a statement. [139473]
Dr Poulter: The issue of Libor rates is clearly a very complicated matter and one which is not directly under the control of this Department. It is however one where very significant resources have already been targeted. As has been very widely reported, a number of banks have already been investigated by the relevant regulatory authorities and fines levied, and it is reported that further investigations are ongoing. The Financial Services Authority has completed its own investigation into Libor and the Wheatley Review, commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has also already reported, with the Government accepting the recommendations in full and now consulting on secondary legislation to implement these.
It is by no means clear that private finance initiative (PR) projects entered into by institutions in the national health service have been adversely affected by the manipulation of Libor. In fact, it is reported that at certain times banks’ Libor submissions resulted in a lower declaration of Libor. This may have had the effect of lowering the private sector's borrowing costs, thus reducing the PFI payments required by the NHS body. Whether or not there is a subsequent investigation by the Serious Fraud Office or other body is not a matter for this Department to comment on.
NHS: Pay
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff in Buckinghamshire were paid over (a) £50,000, (b) £65,738 and (c) £100,000 in the last year for which figures are available. [139031]
Dr Poulter: Between April 2011 and March 2012, the number of staff in Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust paid over:
(a) £50,000 was 488;
(b) £65,738 was 318; and
(c) £100,000 was 147.
These estimates include staff that would fall into more than one of the categories, ie staff in category (b) are also included in category (a).
Validated earnings information is not held centrally for national health service staff. These estimates are based on unvalidated data as recorded in the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Data Warehouse.
Information provided by the ESR Data Warehouse is a monthly snapshot of the live ESR system. ESR is the human resources and payroll system that is used by most NHS employers.
Organisations which do not use ESR include two trusts, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, social enterprises that employ staff following a transfer from the NHS and general practices.
The data have not been annualised. They include only those payments related to earnings. The ESR Data Warehouse does not record payments relating to expenses.
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NHS: Staff
Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) district nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community psychiatric nurses, (d) community matrons and (e) community learning disabilities nurses were employed by the NHS in each primary care trust
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area in London in (i) the latest period for which figures are available and (ii) the period 12 months prior to this; and if he will make a statement. [139269]
Dr Poulter: The numbers of staff in each of the specified categories employed by national health service trusts, including primary care trusts (PCTs), in London as at 30 September 2010 and 30 September 2011, are shown in the following tables:
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| ‘—’ = zero Notes: 1. As a consequence of TCS (Transforming Community Services) the former provider arm of some PCTs may have transferred into local acute trusts. This can be seen in the large increase in staff numbers at Ealing Hospital NHS Trust for example. 2. Community Matrons, Health Visitors and District Nurses work exclusively in the Community Services area of work. This area of work also includes Nurse Consultants, Modern Matrons, Nurse Managers, RSCNs, Other first level nurses and Other second level nurses who are not separately identified in this table. 3. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. | |||||||
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| ‘—’ = zero Notes: 1. As a consequence of TCS (Transforming Community Services) the former provider arm of some PCTs may have transferred into local acute trusts. This can be seen in the large increase in staff numbers at Ealing Hospital NHS Trust for example. 2. Community Matrons, Health Visitors and District Nurses work exclusively in the Community Services area of work. This area of work also includes Nurse Consultants, Modern Matrons, Nurse Managers, RSCNs, Other first level nurses and Other second level nurses who are not separately identified in this table. 3. Full-time equivalent figures are rounded to the nearest whole number. Data Quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre Non-Medical Workforce Census. | |||||||
Nurses
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers have had on mandatory nurse staffing levels; and what evidence has been presented of a direct link between the number of registered nurses and the quality of care and patient outcomes. [138968]
Dr Poulter: Ministers have regular discussions on a range of issues relating to the national health service, including staffing levels. However, decisions on the appropriate work force needed to deliver high quality care must be taken locally and it is the responsibility of local professional leadership teams to determine appropriate staffing levels.
Any changes to any staffing levels and skill mix must be made in a way which ensures that the safety and quality of services to patients is maintained as required in the NHS Operating Framework.
With regards to evidence of any direct link between registered nursing numbers and the quality of care and health outcomes, research has been conducted by various organisations into such relationships. For example, in 2009 the National Nursing Research Unit, located at King's College London, examined existing evidence, from both the United Kingdom and internationally, while in 2010, the Royal College of Nursing also published guidance and a policy position on staffing levels.
There are now over 6,000 more qualified clinical staff working than there were in May 2010. The nursing, midwifery and care strategy led by the NHS Commissioning Board Chief Nursing Officer and the Department of Health Director of Nursing is very clear that trust boards should publish staffing levels and the evidence to show that the numbers are right for the services they deliver and the patients they care for. We fully support this.
Obesity
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of (a) the present level of obesity in the population and (b) the projected level of obesity in 2030. [139244]
Anna Soubry: The Department has not made an estimate of the current or projected cost of obesity to the public purse.
However, an analysis of the economic burden of a range of risk factors for chronic disease estimated that overweight and obesity cost the national health service £5.1 billion per year. The Foresight programme, which is part of the Government Office for Science, published “Tackling Obesities: Future Choices” in 2007. This report estimated the cost of obesity and overweight to society and the economy was almost £16 billion in 2007, with a potential to rise to just under £50 billion in 2050 if the increase in obesity rates were to continue unchecked.
Pharmacy: Standards
Dr Phillip Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pharmacists that failed their fitness to practise assessment in each of the last five years in England and Wales (a) were trained in a foreign country and (b) possess a foreign qualification. [139480]
Dr Poulter: The General Pharmaceutical Council is the independent regulator for pharmacists in the United Kingdom. Its statutory purpose is to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of the public by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy.
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The Department does not hold statistics relating to General Pharmaceutical Council fitness to practise hearings. However, officials have contacted the General Pharmaceutical Council and the following information has been provided.
The following table sets out details of the number of pharmacists in England and Wales who gained their qualification in pharmacy outside the UK and whose fitness to practise was found to be impaired by the General Pharmaceutical Council's Fitness to Practise Committee at a fitness to practise hearing:
| Pharmacists with a pharmacy qualification from outside the UK whose fitness to practise was found to be impaired at a fitness to practise hearing | |
| Number | |
Data from 2008 and 2009, before the General Pharmaceutical Council came into operation, are not readily available.
Dr Phillip Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pharmacists underwent a fitness to practise hearing in each of the last five years in England and Wales; and how many such pharmacists failed the assessment. [139483]
Dr Poulter: The General Pharmaceutical Council is the independent regulator for pharmacists in the United Kingdom. Its statutory purpose is to protect, promote and maintain the health, safety and wellbeing of the public by upholding standards and public trust in pharmacy.
The Department does not hold statistics relating to General Pharmaceutical Council fitness to practise hearings. However, officials have contacted the General Pharmaceutical Council and the following information has been provided.
The table sets out details of the number of fitness to practise hearings involving pharmacists in England and Wales held each year since 2010(1), when the General Pharmaceutical Council was established. It also includes the number of hearings in which the pharmacist's fitness to practise was found to be impaired by the Fitness to Practise Committee:
(1) The figures given include principal fitness to practise hearings only and do not include review hearings, in which a previous sanction is reviewed by the Fitness to Practise Committee.
| Number of fitness to practise hearings involving pharmacists in England and Wales(1) | Number of hearings in which the pharmacist's fitness to practise was found to be impaired | |
| (1) The registrant's postal address has been used to identity their country of residence. Note: Data from 2008 and 2009, before the General Pharmaceutical Council came into operation, are not readily available. | ||
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Procurement
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of procurement contracts offered by his Department has been advertised on the Contracts Finder website since that website's inception. [138869]
Dr Poulter: The Department has advertised 132 (100%) procurement opportunities on Contracts Finder since the website's inception in January 2011.
Radiotherapy
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to his Department's document on the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case for the national proton beam therapy service development programme, section 4.5, whether he has discussed the commissioning of proton beam therapy (PBT) with his counterparts in the devolved administrations; whether an agreement has been reached with the devolved administrations to fill the shortfall in English patients requiring PBT; what plans he has to mitigate any financial loss to the NHS in England if the devolved Administrations are unable to meet their PBT patient quota; and whether any tariff has been agreed with the devolved Administrations for PBT; [139007]
(2) with reference to his Department's document on the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case for the national proton beam therapy service development programme, section 4.15, what the estimated per patient cost of proton therapy would be if one proton machine is commissioned and treats approximately 675 patients per annum. [139014]
Anna Soubry: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not held any discussions on the commissioning of proton beam therapy (PBT) with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations.
Commissioners of PBT services in England have held early discussions with their own counterparts in Scotland and Wales. The trusts have factored in the potential requirements from the devolved nations for planning purposes. The trusts will also be able to offer treatment to overseas patients should there be any spare capacity at the two facilities. No tariff has been agreed at this stage, as set out in paragraph 4.15 of the value for money addendum.
The costs of treating approximately 675 patients per annum using one machine have not been assessed. Sections 4.12-4.14 of the value for money addendum to the strategic outline case (SOC) set out the option for one PBT machine. If one machine were commissioned, priority would be given to treating the most complex cases, which are more resource intensive, both in terms of inputs to care and length of time per radiotherapy treatment fraction. Under these circumstances throughput would not be expected to exceed 400 patients per annum. The estimated per patient cost of one machine treating up to 400 patients per annum is approximately £61,000, as set put in section 4.13 of the value for money addendum.
Paragraph 4.11 highlights that the per patient costs of PBT estimated for the SOC are subject to several unknowns. A SOC applies to the scoping stage of investment and so the costs included are indicative. The costs included
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in the value for money addendum reflect the information available at the time of submission. The purpose of a SOC is to provide stakeholders with an early indication of the proposed way forward for investment. The subsequent outline business case (OBC) is the detailed planning phase of investment. The trusts hosting the national service are preparing OBCs, underpinned by a cooperation agreement with the Department and the NHS Commissioning Board to ensure the requirements of the national service are addressed.
Strokes
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the future availability of left atrial appendage occlusion devices for the treatment of patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and at high risk of stroke; and if he will make a statement. [139362]
Dr Poulter: The Department has made no assessment.
From April 2013 the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for commissioning specialist cardiac services.
Currently a public consultation is under way on a range of draft service specifications and commissioning policies covering the prescribed specialised services falling within the NHS Commissioning Board's direct commissioning responsibilities. The closing date for this consultation is 25 January 2013.
Publication of the agreed 2013-14 service specifications, including the specification covering specialist cardiac services, is expected in March.
Written Questions
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many and what proportion of questions for written answer on a named day by his Department (a) received a substantive answer after the named day and (b) have not received a substantive answer in this Session; [139305]
(2) how many and what proportion of questions tabled for ordinary written answer by his Department (a) were answered after 30 days and (b) have not been answered in this Session; [139306]
Dr Poulter: As of 22 January 2013, the Department received 2,294 questions for ordinary written answer. Of these, 2,276 (99%) were answered within five sitting days. None were answered later than 30 days or remain unanswered in this Session.
As of 22 January 2013, the Department received 900 questions for written answer on a named day. Of these, 886 (98%) were answered on the named day. The remaining 14 (2%) were answered one day later than the named day. None remain unanswered in this Session.
The Government have committed to providing the Procedure Committee with information relating to written parliamentary question performance on a sessional basis and will provide full information to the Committee at the end of the current Session. Statistics relating to performance for the 2010-12 parliamentary session are available on the Parliament website as follows:
www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/procedure/P35_Memorandum_Leader_of_the_House_ Monitoring_PQs.pdf
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Home Department
Deportation: Offenders
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign prisoners, on completion of their sentence, were deported via London Gatwick airport in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012, or the nearest equivalent reporting cycles. [138699]
Mr Harper: The following table shows the number of foreign prisoners who on completion of their sentence were deported via London Gatwick airport for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. These data are internal management information data. They are provisional and subject to change.
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| (1) 2012 data are up until the 24 September 2012 | ||||
Drugs: Pakistan
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2013, Official Report, column 774W, on Pakistan, which other countries the UK has provided counter-narcotics assistance to in each of the last 10 years. [139622]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Her Majesty's Government have provided counter-narcotics assistance to a range of international partners in each of the last 10 years. We have done so to tackle the international drugs trade and minimise the threat it poses to the UK. It is important to protect activities which form part of the UK's contribution to the international counter-narcotics effort and to respect the principle that international partners are able to operate in secrecy on matters of national security against organised crime. As such, it is our policy not to disclose details of our counter narcotics work, as to do so risks reducing its effectiveness and damaging international relations.
Entry Clearances: Belarus
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Belarusian nationals (a) applied for and (b) were refused visas for entry into the UK by her Department's consulate at the British embassy in Minsk in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [130093]
Mr Harper: The following table shows how many Belarusian nationals (a) applied for and (b) were refused visas for entry into the UK at the British embassy in Minsk in each of the last 10 years.
| Belarus nationals | ||
| Report year | Applications | Refused |
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Electronic records and statistical data only go back to 2004. To provide a complete answer to the question tabled would require the examination of individual records, which would incur disproportionate cost.
Entry Clearances: Business
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how her Department distinguishes between people who want to obtain UK visas for (a) business purposes and (b) other reasons. [137992]
Mr Harper: Different visit categories for visa purposes are outlined in the Immigration Rules. The business visit category outlines permitted activities for film crews, news media, academic and religious workers, consultants, trainers as well as listing permitted categories for general business purposes such as attending meetings or arranging deals.
Those who want to invest in the UK by setting up or taking over, and being actively involved in running of, a business or businesses may enter the UK by applying for tier 1 (Entrepreneur) visa.
Student graduates may also apply for a tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visa if they have outstanding business ideas that they wish to put into practice.
Other reasons for visits are also outlined in legislation. We have separate visa categories for:
Visiting friends/tourism
Student visa
Sportsperson
Entertainer
Marriage/Civil partnership
Medical treatment
Transiting the UK
Details of each category can be found on the UK Border Agency website at:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/
Illegal Immigrants: Lancashire
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many business establishments in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire have been visited by the UK Border Agency to investigate the employment of illegal foreign national workers in each year since 2008; and in which businesses such illegal workers have been found. [138701]
Mr Harper: The UK Border Agency does not collate information centrally on the number of arrests as a result of illegal working enforcement visits specifically by constituency or at county level. However, information is available relating to activity at a regional level for the north-west.
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Since January 2008, the UK Border Agency made the following number of arrests as a result of illegal working enforcement visits in the north-west:
| Number of illegal working enforcement visits, north-west | |
| Number | |
| (1) Calendar year information not currently available. Note: This is internal management information. It is provisional and is subject to change. | |
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals who were found to be working illegally in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire in each year since 2008 have been deported. [138702]
Mr Harper: The UK Border Agency does not collate information centrally on the number of arrests as a result of illegal working enforcement visits specifically by constituency or at county level. However, information is available relating to activity at a regional level for the north-west.
Since January 2008, the UK Border Agency made the following number of arrests as a result of illegal working enforcement visits in the north-west:
| Number of arrests as a result of illegal working enforcement visits, north-west | |
| Number | |
| (1) Calendar year information not currently available. Note: Information displayed relates to a count of arrests and not individuals. This is internal management information. It is provisional and subject to change. | |
Information relating to the number of arrests, as a result of illegal working enforcement visits, does not include arrests where a tactical decision has been made to target a suspected immigration offender at a residential address rather than an employer's address. The volume of arrests made year on year does not take into consideration complex operational activity against individuals of significance who have committed high harm activity in the United Kingdom.
Immigration: Married People
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for marriage visas to non-EU citizens were (a) received and (b) fully processed by her Department in (i) August and (ii) September 2012. [139141]
Mr Harper
[holding answer 24 January 2013]: Information on the total number of entry clearance visa applications and entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions) is currently published annually. Corresponding
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information for 2012 on a quarterly basis, is planned to be published on 28 February 2013, as part of the Home Office's quarterly immigration statistics release.
The figures for visas relating to partners provided in response to this question and appearing in the following table provide the latest available published statistics (2011) for entry clearance visa applications, entry clearance visas resolved (total decisions), and (2012 Q1 to Q3) for entry clearance visas issued.
| Entry clearance visas for partners: applications, resolved(1), issued and refused, 2011 | |||||
| Of which: | |||||
| Family route | Applications | Total resolved | Issued | Refused | Withdrawn or lapsed |
| Family route entry clearance visas for partners issued, 2012 Q1 and Q2 and Q3 | |||
| Family route | 2012 Q1 | 2012 Q2 | 2012 Q3 |
| (1) The information provided relates to applications received and cases resolved in the calendar year 2011. Some applications received may be resolved in a subsequent year. (2) Relates to visas issued for indefinite leave to enter the United Kingdom. Notes: Figures for visa applications and resolutions are currently published on annual basis in the release Immigration Statistics. Source: Immigration Statistics, July to September 2012 | |||
The latest Home Office immigration statistics on entry clearance visas are published in the release Immigration Statistics July-September 2012, which is available from the Library of the House and on the Department's website at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2012/
Intelligence Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to the answer of 10 January 2013, Official Report, column 419W, on intelligence services, whether the UK has at any point in each of the last 10 years shared intelligence regarding drug trafficking with Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran via the QUAD forum; [139620]
(2) what the functions and aims of the QUAD forum are. [139625]
Mr Jeremy Browne: The QUAD forum was a quadrilateral initiative between Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and the UK that met irregularly to discuss strategic and operational deconfliction on drug trafficking issues, particularly with a view to encouraging regional co-operation. No meetings of this forum have taken place since 2005.
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Police: Football
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment she has made of the possible effect of the High Court decision of 24 July 2012 in the case of Leeds United Football Club Ltd and the chief constable of West Yorkshire police on police budgets; [139047]
(2) what plans she has to review the legal framework governing the recovery of special police services following the High Court decision of 24 July 2012 in the case of Leeds United Football Club Ltd and the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire police. [139048]
Damian Green [holding answer 24 January 2013]: The Home Office, in consultation with other Government Departments, is currently considering the possible effect of the High Court decision of 24 July 2012. The actual cost of policing at events such as football matches is determined by individual police and crime commissioners in negotiation with the event organiser—not by the Home Office. We are always looking for ways to ensure best value for policing. As part of this we are reviewing the police charging policy including the existing legislative framework. The work will be completed in due course.
UK Border Agency
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the United Kingdom Border Agency does not have a general process or target time for investigating missing documents and informing the applicant of the outcome. [138476]
Mr Harper [holding answer 21 January 2013]:Where customers make complaints to the UK Border Agency about missing documents this is dealt with as a service complaint. The agency aims to investigate, and inform the customer of the outcome, of 95% of complaints within 20 working days.
International Development
Conditions of Employment
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of staff in her Department currently work (a) part-time, (b) in a job-share or (c) in another flexible working arrangement. [139540]
Mr Duncan: As at 31 December 2012, 8.5 % of home civil service (HCS) staff in post within DFID worked part-time hours.
DFID offers flexible working hours and other flexible working arrangements such as job-share, term-time working and compressed hours which are agreed directly with line managers according to business suitability. No central records are held of staff using each of these flexible working arrangements and this could be obtained only at disproportionate cost to the organisation.
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Japan
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the UK provided any (a) financial and (b) other aid to Japan following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in March 2011. [139626]
Mr Duncan: In response to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011 the UK provided a deployment of a 59-strong UK search and rescue team at a cost of £843,426; and the provision of 100 tonnes of bottled water, sourced from Hong Kong, at a cost of £232,443. This UK response helped to fill gaps in its humanitarian need which Japan found it difficult to meet itself, and which were specifically requested by the Japanese authorities. No financial assistance was provided to the Japanese Government.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 5 December 2012 from the Rt hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms G Tsakiri. [138822]
Justine Greening: The response has been sent.
Overseas Aid
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries receiving UK aid she considers to have made no progress towards graduating from receipt of that aid since 2010. [138985]
Mr Duncan: Graduation from aid needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis and may depend on a number of factors including income levels, per capita growth prospects, poverty rates, the effectiveness by which growth translates into poverty reduction and the availability of alternative sources of affordable development finance.
Poverty rates are rarely measured annually by countries so it is not possible to state with certainty how poverty has changed over the short-term.
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries receiving aid from her Department she expects to graduate from receiving that aid within the life of this Parliament. [138987]
Mr Duncan: In a statement to Parliament on 9 November the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), announced that we have agreed with India to move to a new development relationship, including agreeing to end our traditional financial grant aid programme to India. For more information on the decision I refer the Member to the Secretary of State's written ministerial statement of 9 November 2012, Official Report, column 51WS.
25 Jan 2013 : Column 512W
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of progress of those countries receiving aid from her Department in graduating from receipt of that aid. [138992]
Mr Duncan: For the 28 countries in which DFID works directly, progress, significant changes in the context within which a country is operating and its development results are updated and reported annually within DFID's published country operational plans and in DFID's annual report.