Tax Avoidance
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing new legislative measures to force UK companies to disclose any tax avoidance schemes that could be detrimental to the world's poorest countries and to support those countries in taking corrective action. [145037]
Mr Gauke: The Government will not be able to extend UK disclosure rules to other countries as Parliament has very limited powers to legislate for territories outside of the UK. The key issue is ensuring that developing countries have the assistance required to develop their own rules to protect their tax base and that they can collect the tax that they are owed. The Government work through a variety of channels including DFID, HMRC and others to deliver high-quality capacity building to help them do this.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will use the G8 to secure international agreement on tackling tax avoidance. [145038]
Mr Gauke: The UK is committed to multilateral action through the G20 and OECD to tackle the issue of base erosion and profit shifting. This is an international problem that requires coordinated international action to resolve. While the agenda is still being finalised, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have set out that making progress on this work will be an important priority for the UK presidency of the G8 in 2013.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will use the forthcoming G8 conference to secure international agreement on taking action against companies that practice tax avoidance; and if he will strengthen HM Revenue and Customs' ability to oversee the tax affairs of UK companies by way of disclosure of tax avoidance schemes legislation. [145039]
Sajid Javid: The UK is committed to multilateral action through the G20 and OECD to tackle the issue of base erosion and profit shifting. This is an international problem that requires coordinated international action to resolve. While the agenda is still being finalised, the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have set out that making progress on this work will be an important priority for the UK presidency of the G8 in 2013.
Legislation will be included in this year's Finance Bill to expand the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes (DOTAS) hallmarks so that HMRC can obtain more accurate information about the users of avoidance schemes.
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Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing an advanced ruling system for tax avoidance schemes. [144797]
Mr Gauke: The Government keep our response to avoidance constantly under review. While no detailed assessment of such a system has been made, the Government's view has been that an advance ruling system for tax avoidance schemes would involve significant cost and generate unproductive work for HMRC that would divert resources from its priorities.
Taxation
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2012, Official Report, column 175W, on tax avoidance, whether HM Revenue and Customs plans to change the way in which it measures its compliance activities to distinguish between evasion, avoidance and tax planning. [144783]
Sajid Javid: HMRC's key measure of compliance performance is designed to track progress against its target to deliver almost £9 billion additional compliance revenue per year by 2014-15. This target includes revenues from tackling all types of non-compliance.
It is not always possible to determine precisely what type of behaviour has caused a particular tax risk. In some cases, for instance, arrangements are only shown to constitute avoidance at a late stage of an inquiry as the facts emerge. Similarly, it is not always possible to distinguish between error and deliberate mis-statement of the facts. For this reason, HMRC's compliance measures do not currently separately identify revenue raised from tackling avoidance and evasion.
However, HMRC always keep their performance measures framework under review, and where cost-effective improvements are identified that will allow a deeper understanding of compliance performance, these will be made.
UK Membership of EU
Nic Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the UK of withdrawal from the EU; when the last such estimate was made; and what plans he to revise such an estimate. [141020]
Greg Clark: The Department has not made any plans or assessments for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the economic benefits of UK membership of the European Union; and what comparative assessment he has made of such economic benefits and the financial contributions made to the EU. [141024]
Greg Clark: A formal cost-benefit analysis would be difficult to carry out meaningfully as some of the most important benefits cannot be quantified: for example, our leading role in EU foreign policy; or how enlargement has helped spread peace and freedom across Europe.
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Evidence submitted to the Balance of Competences review should provide some evidence of costs and benefits of specific areas of EU activity.
Valuation Office Agency
Nic Dakin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when data on the performance of the Valuation Office Agency will next be published; [144814]
(2) when the next review of the performance of the Valuation Office Agency will take place. [144815]
Mr Gauke: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) publishes its Business plan each financial year setting out its main areas of work and including a set of Input and Impact Indicators relating to performance. The 2012-15 Plan is available on the internet via the VOA's corporate website under Corporate Publications and can also be viewed at the House of Commons Library.
The 2013-15 Plan will be published this summer following the publication of the Business plans of the major Government Departments on the Number 10 website.
The VOA also publishes its Annual Report and Accounts including an Operating and Performance Commentary. The Annual Report and Accounts for the last three financial years are also available on the Agency's website and are placed in the Library of the House of Commons.
This year's accounts will be published in the summer.
I review the Business Plan and Annual Report prior to publication and may I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 January 2012, Official Report, column 430W, which confirms that I am updated on operating and performance issues by Agency's senior officials throughout the year.
Mr Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a (a) patio, (b) greenhouse, (c) conservatory or (d) permanent treehouse within the curtilage of a domestic dwelling would be taken into account by the Valuation Office Agency if a property (i) was revalued for council tax purposes or (ii) came under a high-value property levy. [144816]
Sajid Javid: Potentially, yes. If a property is revalued for council tax, a feature, positive or negative, that affects the value of that property would be reflected in the new council tax banding. Individual items would be considered as part of the open market value of the whole property.
What is, or is not, reflected in a property tax is determined by the valuation assumptions set out in the primary legislation. In the case of council tax this is determined by the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
The Government have ruled out a council tax revaluation in this Parliament.
Welfare Tax Credits
Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what methods applications for tax credits can be made other than online . [144789]
Sajid Javid:
To claim tax credits customers have to fill in a paper claim form. They cannot download a claim
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form, or make their claims online. The only exception is following a household breakdown where HMRC invite telephone claims in certain circumstances.
International Development
Alcoholic Drinks
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the level of alcohol-related absenteeism in her Department; whether her Department has an (a) internal alcohol policy and (b) occupational health strategy; and if she will publish such documents. [143969]
Mr Duncan: DFID monitors its levels of sickness absence, including absence recorded for alcohol-related reasons. During the 2012 calendar year there was no absence recorded for alcohol-related reasons.
The Department's policy for dealing with ‘Drugs and Alcohol’ issues and our ‘Maximising Attendance’ policy which covers sickness absence and the use of occupational health will be placed in the House of Commons Library.
Developing Countries: Taxation
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking following recommendation 8 of the International Development Select Committee report, Tax in Developing Countries: increasing resources for development, HC 708, on tax, which states that HM Revenue and Customs should meet with the CBI and civil society organisations to explore how to bolster capacity building for transfer pricing in developing countries. [145040]
Lynne Featherstone: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has recently met with both the CBI and civil society organisations to discuss transfer pricing. Further work is ongoing.
The UK is already working to assist developing countries on transfer pricing. For example DFID has provided support on transfer pricing and related compliance functions as part of a Large Taxpayer Unit project in Bangladesh. In addition, DFID provides funding to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Tax and Development Task Force, which is providing assistance on Transfer Pricing in a number of countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda and Vietnam.
The UK will use the G8 presidency to drive a serious debate on tax evasion and tax avoidance and ensure that everyone pays their fair share.
Scotland
Government Procurement Card
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer of 14 February 2013, Official Report, column 818W, on the Government Procurement Card, how many people attended the dinner; and if he will list their names and job titles. [144995]
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Michael Moore: As part of my ongoing engagement with Scottish business, I hosted a dinner for representatives of Scotland's green energy sector at Malmaison, Glasgow on 29 May 2012. Including a Scotland Office official and myself, 10 individuals attended the dinner. Those who attended were representatives of the following companies/organisations:
Repsol UK
RES Offshore
Scottish Power
EDPR UK
Pelamis
Coriolis Energy
Scottish Renewables
SSE Renewables.
Meetings
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when a list of meetings held by Ministers in his Department with external organisations will be next published. [144804]
David Mundell: Lists of Scotland Office Ministers' meetings with external organisations up to and including September 2012 can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications
Further lists of Ministers' meetings will be published in due course in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance.
Travel Costs
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on taxi or car services for (a) Ministers and (b) officials in each financial year since 2010-11. [143417]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office spend on taxi or car services for ministers and officials is listed in the following table:
| Financial year | Ministers (£) | Officials (£) |
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Cabinet Office
Alcoholic Drinks
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the level of alcohol-related absenteeism in his Department; whether his Department has an (a) internal alcohol policy and (b) occupational health strategy; and if he will publish such documents. [143959]
Mr Maude: My Department does not record alcohol-related absenteeism separately.
The Cabinet Office's Alcohol Misuse policy is available on its intranet site, alongside Welfare and Support guidance. I am happy to share the documents with my hon. Friend.
Average Earnings
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average (a) male and (b) female earnings were in today's prices for each income decile in each of the last 30 years. [145021]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average (a) male and (b) female earnings were in today's prices for each income decile in each of the last 30 years. (145021)
Average levels of earnings are estimated from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), and are provided for all employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The ASHE, carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom.
I following tables showing the gross weekly earnings for full-time male and full-time female employee jobs in Great Britain for 1983 to 1996 and the United Kingdom for 1997 to 2012 (UK figures are not available prior to 1997). Figures are provided for the upper and lower earnings deciles, the upper and lower quartiles and the median (figures for other earnings deciles are not available prior to 1997). April 2012 is the latest date for which figures are available. Figures for these periods have been revalued at April 2012 prices using the All Items Retail Prices Index. Changes in methodology and classification in the years 2004, 2006 and 2011 mean that two figures are provided for each of these years in order to ensure continuity of the series.
| Gross weekly earnings for key earnings percentiles (£)—for (a) male and (b) female employee jobs(1): Figures shown are at April 2012 prices (cash terms)(2 )for Great Britain from 1983 to 1996 and for the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2012 | ||||||||||
| GB | ||||||||||
| £ per week (2012 prices) | ||||||||||
| Full-time male | Full-time female | |||||||||
| Year (April) | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
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| UK | ||||||||||
| Full-time male | Full-time female | |||||||||
| Year (April) | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| (1) Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. (2) Figures have been calculated at April 2012 prices using the All Items Retail Prices Index. (3) 2004 results excluding supplementary survey for comparison with 2003. (4) 2004 results including supplementary survey designed to improve courage of the survey (for more information see ONS website: www.ons.gov.uk (5) 2006 results with methodology consistent with 2005. (6) 2006 results with methodology consistent with 2007. (7) 2011 results based on Standard Occupational Classification 2000. (8) 2011 results based on Standard Occupational Classification 2010. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics | ||||||||||
Digital Technology
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2013, Official Report, column 259W, on digital technology, when he expects assisted digital service providers to be in place. [143701]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office will put a procurement framework in place to enable Departments to appoint service providers. This is expected to be in place by the end of the year.
Dover House
Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2013, Official Report, column 934W, on Dover House, whether all members of the Deputy Prime Minister's staff will be accommodated in Dover House. [144992]
Mr Maude: 70 Whitehall is being modernised under a programme initiated by the previous Government. Only staff directly affected by the programme will be temporarily moved to Dover House.
Employment: Leisure
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed in the UK leisure industry in each of the last 30 years. [145205]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people were employed in the UK leisure industry in each of the last 30 years: (145205)
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Annex A contains the number of Workforce Jobs (WFJ) in SIC2007 Section R, Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, each year since 1983. WFJ is a quarterly measure of the number of jobs in the UK; the annual series is based on June (quarter 2) estimates. The most recent estimate, that for September (quarter 3) 2012, is also included.
WFJ is the preferred measure of the change in jobs by industry, and is the sum of employee jobs, self-employment jobs, government-supported trainees and Her Majesty's Forces. This is not the same as the number of people employed, since a person may have more than one job.
Annex A
| Workforce jobs, Standard Industrial Classification (2007), Section R Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | |
| UK seasonally adjusted(1) (thousand) | |
| (1) Annual series based on June (quarter 2) estimates. | |
Internet
John Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the recent official statistics on internet take-up. [145359]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Andrew Dilnot, dated 26 February 2013:
As Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your question asking what assessment has been made of the recent official statistics on internet take-up. [145359]
The UK Statistics Authority undertook a statutory assessment under the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 in respect of statistics on internet access, so as to determine compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics and whether or
27 Feb 2013 : Column 514W
not these statistics may be designated as National Statistics, published in May 2012. The Authority's report is published at:
http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/assessment/assessment-reports/assessment-report-201---statistics-on-internet-access.pdf
Following the action taken on the basis of requirements set out in the Authority's assessment report, the outputs were confirmed as National Statistics, and the letter of confirmation, published in October 2012, is at:
http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/assessment/assessment-reports/confirmation-of-designation-letters/letter-of-confirmation-as-national-statistics---assessment-report-201.pdf
Prostate Cancer
Mr Lammy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what the (a) one and (b) five year survival rates are for men with prostate cancer in each ethnic minority group; [144965]
(2) how many men of each ethnic minority group were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the last five years. [144966]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
1. What the (a) one and (b) five year survival rates are for men with prostate cancer in each ethnic minority group. [144965]
2. How many men of each ethnic minority group were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the last five years. [144966]
The information requested is not available, as ethnicity is not routinely recorded on individual cancer registrations.
In 2009, the National Cancer Intelligence Network and Cancer Research UK published a report titled "Cancer Incidence and Survival by Major Ethnic Group, England, 2002-2006", in collaboration with the Cancer Research UK Cancer Survival Group at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This report is available at:
http://www.ncin.org.uk/publications/reports/default.aspx
The analysis for this report was carried out using cancer registration data linked to Hospital Episode Statistics data.
The latest published figures on cancer incidence in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html
The latest published figures on cancer survival in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/cancer-unit/cancer-survival/index.html
Public Appointments
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people he appointed to public bodies in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; (i) how many and (ii) what proportion of those appointees were (A) black or from an ethnic minority, (B) Hindu, (C) Muslim and (D) Chinese in each of those years; and if he will make a statement. [144100]
Mr Maude: The public bodies sponsored by the Cabinet Office have made 19 appointments and reappointments in 2010-11 and 10 in 2011-12.
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The Commissioner for Public Appointments publishes information in its annual report on the number of appointments of candidates who have declared an ethnic minority background. Information on declared region is not collected.
Copies of the 2010-11 and 2011-12 annual reports are available at:
http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk
and in the Library of the House.
South West
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which central Government bodies have geographical units which purport to represent an area corresponding to Wessex; what the boundaries of each such unit are; and how the boundaries of each such unit have changed in the last 15 years. [144757]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Government are not immediately aware of any current administrative units of central Government which reflect the historic boundaries of Wessex. However, this Government recognise both traditional and administrative county boundaries, some of which date back over a thousand years of British history.
Staff
Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many members of staff are employed in the Deputy Prime Minister's office. [144991]
Mr Maude: The Deputy Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
As part of the transparency agenda, the Department publishes an organogram and structure charts including information on staff and their salaries at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-staff-and-salary-data-30-september-2012--2
Training
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on training and education for civil servants in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [144080]
Mr Maude: This Government have implemented significant reforms to learning and development in the civil service, with Civil Service Learning (CSL) offering free at the point of access e-learning and other online learning resources that are funded by Departments through centralised contributions. CSL has confirmed savings of £8.44 million for training carried out between March and December 2012, while for the year to date there have been cost savings of 58% in the delivery of face to face training courses against comparable 2009-10 data.
My Department spent £3,516,959 on training and education in 2010-11 and £3,949,949 in 2011-12.
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Unemployment: Yorkshire and the Humber
Mr David Davis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what reduction in long-term unemployment there has been in (a) Haltemprice and Howden constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber since May 2010. [144989]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what reduction in long-term unemployment there has been in (a) Haltemprice and Howden constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber since May 2010. (144989)
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, estimates of long-term unemployment for the requested geographies are not available due to small sample sizes.
As an alternative, in Table 1 we have provided the change in the number of persons claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for more than 12 months in (a) Haltemprice and Howden parliamentary constituency and (b) Yorkshire and The Humber between May 2010 and January 2013, the latest period available.
The counts of people claiming JSA are those who are claiming benefits for unemployment related purposes. At a UK level the total number of JSA claimants is around two thirds of the total unemployment level.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Change in number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months in Haltemprice and Howden and Yorkshire and the Humber between May 2010 and January 2013 | |||
| May 2010 | January 2013 | Change | |
| Note: Data rounded to nearest five. Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative system | |||
Wealth
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of national wealth was owned by the richest one per cent of UK residents in each of the last 30 years. [144977]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated February 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of national wealth was owned by the richest one per cent of UK residents in each of the last 30 years. (144977)
The estimates you request are only available from the Wealth and Assets Survey (WAS) which commenced in July 2006. At present only data relating to 2006/08 and 2008/10 are available.
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Between July 2006 and June 2008, the wealthiest one percent of households held 12.9 per cent of total wealth held by private households in Great Britain. The equivalent figure for July 2008 to June 2010 was also 12.9 percent.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bahrain
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the findings of the Amnesty International report entitled Bahrain: Freedom has a price: Two years after Bahrain's uprising published in February 2013; and if he will make a statement. [144782]
Alistair Burt: I am pleased that Amnesty International was able to visit Bahrain last month; we continue to urge the Government of Bahrain to grant non-governmental organisations unrestricted entry into and access throughout the country.
The report highlighted a number of important issues which are of concern to us, in particular, the suggestion that people are being imprisoned for exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression. We urge the authorities to ensure that it adheres to its international obligations and guarantees its citizens the fundamental rights to which they are entitled.
Like Amnesty, we welcome the establishment of the Special Investigations Unit to determine the accountability of those who have committed unlawful or negligent acts, but we also have concerns about the low number of officials being investigated and even lower conviction rates. We expect the authorities to follow due process and ensure fair and impartial trials in all cases.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Bahrain on the imprisonment of (a) opposition political leaders and (b) Ibrahim Sharif al-Sayed. [144796]
Alistair Burt: I was deeply dismayed in January when the convictions of the imprisoned opposition political leaders were upheld, including that of Ibrahim Sharif al-Sayed.
At the time these individuals were sentenced there were reports, acknowledged by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, suggesting some of the defendants had been abused in detention, denied access to legal counsel and coerced into confessing.
We call on the Government of Bahrain to meet all of its human rights obligations, and guarantee its citizens fundamental liberties and freedom.
Health Services
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support he provided to the recent resolution on universal health coverage at the UN General Assembly. [143561]
Anna Soubry: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Health.
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The United Kingdom acted as a co-sponsor of the Resolution and remains committed to the principles contained within it.
Iran
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department will make a statement on the human rights situation in Iran at the forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva; whether the intensification of persecution of the Baha'i community will be raised at this meeting; and if he will make a statement. [143518]
Alistair Burt: Securing the extension of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran at the forthcoming Human Rights Council is a UK priority. We are currently considering our position on the text of the resolution to secure this mandate. A procedural resolution may be easier to achieve. The UK will refer to the reported escalation of persecution of the Baha'is in Iran in its intervention during the presentation of the Special Rapporteur's report to the Council on 11 March, as well as a number of other examples of Iran's appalling human rights record.
Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been ahead of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee on the proposed WMD-Free Middle East Conference. [144521]
Alistair Burt: The Government support the objectives of a middle east weapons of mass destruction (WMD) free zone, and the convening of a conference as soon as possible. In 2011, the co-convenors selected Finland as the designated host country for the Middle East WMD Free Zone Conference, and appointed Finnish Under-Secretary, Jaakko Laajava, as facilitator for the conference. Since then, the co-convenors have regularly met with the facilitator and the states of the region to discuss progress towards the conference. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers discussed the conference with counterparts in the middle east, and our officials travelled to the region to promote constructive engagement and support for the work of the facilitator. A series of civil society organised events—some funded by the FCO— have taken place, which aimed to build confidence between the key parties.
On 23 November 2012 the USA announced the postponement of the conference. I made a statement on 24 November 2012 regretting the postponement of the conference, reiterating the UK's commitment to convening the conference as soon as possible and its support for the facilitator. In November 2012, the facilitator wrote to the states of the region to propose multilateral consultations, currently planned for March 2013, in order to intensify the preparations for the conference. Consultations are essential to agree conference arrangements “freely arrived at by the states of the region”, according to the 2010 non-proliferation treaty mandate. On 7 February 2013, I spoke to the facilitator reiterating our support for him and the consultations, and our commitment to the process.
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Syria
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the position of (a) Russia and (b) China at the United Nations Security Council on intervention in the Syrian conflict. [144758]
Alistair Burt: As UN Security Council members we continue to press both Russia and China to back the more decisive action needed to compel all parties to the conflict in Syria to cease the violence and to work towards a political solution. We were extremely disappointed with their decision to veto three UNSC Resolutions on Syria. However, in the absence of such a resolution, the UK is intensifying its work as set out in an oral statement to Parliament by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 10 January 2013, Official Report, columns 483-86.
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is giving to anti-Government forces in Syria. [144808]
Alistair Burt: The UK has so far committed £9.4 million in non-lethal assistance to the Syrian unarmed opposition and civil society. This has included communications support, generators, water purification systems and support for local administrative councils. We continue to offer the National Coalition assistance as it develops political structures and establishes itself as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
Prime Minister
Business Advisory Group
Mr Sanders: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria he uses to determine membership of the Government's Business Advisory Panel. [145181]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the press notice issued by my office on 19 December 2012 which is available on the No. 10 website. A copy has been placed in both Libraries of the House.
Cyprus
Mr Burrowes: To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the election of Nikos Anastiasides as the new President of the Republic of Cyprus; and whether he intends for President Anastiasides to visit the UK for a state visit. [145207]
The Prime Minister: I spoke to the President-elect of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, on 24 February to congratulate him on his election success. I look forward to working closely with Mr Anastasiades on shared priorities in the months ahead and hope to welcome him to London at an early opportunity.
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India
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister whether and with whom he discussed the abolition of the death penalty during his recent visit to India; and which specific cases were raised in any such discussions. [145008]
The Prime Minister: It is the long-standing policy of the British Government to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. While in New Delhi, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), made clear our concerns to Ranjan Mathai, Foreign Secretary (Permanent Under-Secretary equivalent) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
Mass Media
Mr Bain: To ask the Prime Minister what meetings (a) he and (b) officials at No 10 Downing Street have held with representatives of the media since the publication by Lord Justice Leveson of his report on press standards; and what the outcomes were of those meetings. [145027]
The Prime Minister: Details of my meetings with external organisations, including meetings with newspaper and other media proprietors, editors and senior executives are published on a quarterly basis. Details can be accessed on the Cabinet Office website.
Reserve Forces
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister how many members of staff at No. 10 Downing street have applied to join the armed forces reserves in the last 12 months. [144391]
Mr Maude: [holding answer 25 February 2013]: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
My Department does not at present hold information about employees serving in the armed forces reserves.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Air Pollution
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to reduce the annual quantum of emissions to air in the UK of (a) particulates, (b) hexavalent chromium, (c) ammonia, (d) arsenic, (e) nitrogen dioxide, (f) black carbon and (g) hydrofluorocarbons. [144168]
Richard Benyon:
For particulates (including black carbon), ammonia and nitrogen dioxide, the revised UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Gothenburg Protocol set new Emission Reduction Commitments (as a percent reduction from 2005) to be achieved by 2020 for the four pollutants currently covered by the National Emissions Ceilings Directive (NECD).
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These are oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ammonia, sulphur dioxide (SO2) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The Protocol also set a target for a new pollutant, fine particulate matter (or PM2.5). The UK targets are detailed in the table. These emission reductions will help to reduce trans-boundary air pollution and damage to health and ecosystems.
The UK currently meets all four 2010 national emission ceilings as set out in the NECD. As part of its 2013 review of air quality policies, we expect the European Commission to propose revisions to the NECD to implement the revised Gothenburg Protocol at EU level.
| UNECE, UK annual emissions and targets 2010-20 (ktonnes) | |||||
| Nitrogen oxides (NOx) | Sulphur dioxide (SO2) | Ammonia (NH3) | Non methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) | PM2.5 | |
| (1) Emission reduction commitments under the Gothenburg Protocol are declared as a percentage reduction. The figures given in this table have been calculated for illustrative purposes and may change if the 2005 base year emissions change due to future inventory revisions. | |||||
Plans and measures are in place at both national and European level to achieve reductions in emissions of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen (including nitrogen dioxide). These include tighter vehicle emission standards for all forms of road transport. Other measures to promote low and ultra low emission vehicles and decarbonise the transport sector will also help achieve significant reductions in emissions of these pollutants.
The trend for increased nitrogen use efficiency in the arable sector and improved production efficiency in the livestock sectors will help reduce emissions of ammonia.
Arsenic and chromium emissions arise from a range of sources, but policies to improve energy efficiency and decarbonise fuel use are projected to reduce emissions in the future.
Industrial sources of all these pollutants are controlled through the system of integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) which now forms part of the industrial emissions Directive (2010/75/EU). In IPPC, where the regulator considers that any of these pollutants is likely to be emitted in significant quantities from any installation, it has to set emission limit values (ELVs) for that installation. These ELVs are based on the application of best available techniques.
Regulation (EC) No. 842/2006 provides a comprehensive regulatory regime to control emissions of fluorinated gases, including hydrofluorocarbons, as part of our commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and is fully
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implemented in the UK. We are currently considering a draft proposal from the European Commission for further controls on fluorinated gases which, should it be agreed and implemented, could deliver significantly greater reductions in future hydrofluorocarbon emissions. We continue to support efforts under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Montreal Protocol to secure an international phase-down in the production and use of hydrofluorocarbons.
Beef: Horsemeat
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requests for meetings regarding the presence of horsemeat in beef products the Minister of State, who has responsibility for agriculture and food, has received from retailers in the last six months; and how many such meetings were subsequently held. [142552]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I have received a number of letters from retailers in the last six months, but nothing related to horsemeat including any requests for meetings on that subject.
The Secretary of State met food industry representatives on 9 February and 12 February. He also met with retailers, at the Government's request, on 18 February to discuss the response to the presence of horsemeat in some processed beef products. I also met with the food industry on 4 February and 13 February.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has shared with retailers the names of companies suspected of importing beef that contains horsemeat given to the Food Standards Agency by the hon. Member for Wakefield. [143733]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not provided retailers with the names of companies suspected of importing beef that contains horsemeat. The appropriate course of action was to share it with the competent enforcement authority, the Food Standards Agency. The Food Standards Agency has confirmed that providing the companies' names to the food industry could seriously compromise ongoing investigations.
Birds: Imports
Sir James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many captive-bred birds of British species, listed by licence classification, have been imported into England in each of the last six months. [143414]
Richard Benyon: Captive bred birds are imported into England for many reasons and the requirements to declare and record the importation of birds differ depending on the species, country of origin and purpose of importation. Sufficiently comprehensive information is not readily available.
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Dangerous Dogs
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 6 February 2013, Official Report, column 16WS, on irresponsible dog ownership, whether the Government plan to bring forward in this parliamentary Session amendments to existing legislation to allow for the introduction of compulsory microchipping in England. [142892]
Mr Heath: The legislative mechanism for introducing compulsory microchipping of all dogs will be through regulations made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We consider that owners, breeders, veterinary practices, local authorities, microchipping database companies and other affected parties need adequate time to prepare for the change in law. We therefore propose bringing the regulations into force in 2014 with the requirement that all dogs should be microchipped by April 2016.
Food Banks
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to collect data on the number of families with children using food banks. [143914]
Mr Heath: The provision of food aid ranges from small, local provision, through to regional and national schemes. The landscape is mostly community-led provision responding to local needs. As such, the Government do not believe it is possible to keep a record of the number of food banks, nor the potential number of people using them or other types of food aid, without placing unnecessary burdens on volunteers trying to help their communities.
Food: Labelling
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on food labelling and food provenance policy issues; and if he will make a statement. [142666]
Mr Heath: I am working closely with my counterparts in Ireland and across Europe to ensure that the current unacceptable situation with horsemeat cannot happen again, this includes a three month programme of DNA testing of beef products across the EU covering domestic and imported products, the first results will be published on 15 April. Meat products across the EU will be DNA tested for horsemeat. In addition, both domestic and imported horsemeat will be tested for bute. The current system is based on paperwork, this introduces a programme of testing real products.
Secondly, we agreed to a new intelligence system so that information about the current investigations can be shared immediately. This will enable other member states to act straight away if they have any suspicions that food businesses are not playing by the rules. Members states also agreed to use Europol to co-ordinate law enforcement efforts. Thirdly, because of the urgency with which we have to deal with what is clearly an international issue, we agreed that the European Commission's report and recommendations on labelling
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the origin of all processed meat should be accelerated and published as soon as possible. I expect that this will provide consumers with clearer and more reliable information on where meat products come from. The Secretary of State made a statement to this effect on 13 February.
Horsemeat
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Food Standards Agency about the (a) frequency and (b) results of the testing of gelatine and gelatine-based products for horse DNA. [143923]
Mr Heath: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is carrying out a coordinated plan for sampling and testing the authenticity of meat products labelled as containing beef. The FSA is not aware of any gelatine or gelatine-based products as having tested positive for horsemeat.
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 531, on live animal exports, which companies have received verbal warnings from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in the last six months; how many such warnings each company has received; for what reasons each warning was issued; what further action has been taken against any recipients of the warnings; and if he will estimate the effect of such warnings on those companies' compliance with other animal welfare provisions. [135863]
Mr Heath: In the last six months, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) have issued two verbal warnings on transporters undertaking live animal exports from Ramsgate Port. The reasons for the two verbal warnings were (1) a transporter not having the means to measure the water level in the tank containing the animals drinking water; however, the AHVLA inspector could see there was sufficient water for the journey: and (2) one ventilation fan was not functioning at the time of inspection, but was fixed by the driver before the journey continued. No further action was taken against the two transporters, although the warnings have been recorded and will be taken into account if further infringements of the legislation are made by the same transporters. See:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla-en/publication/advice-wato-enforcement/
for further details on AHVLA's regulatory policy.
The AHVLA cannot provide information on which transport companies the verbal warnings were issued to. To do so would be discriminatory and given safety concerns, such disclosure would not be an appropriate measure.
Means-tested Benefits
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what means-tested (a) cash and (b) non-cash benefits are provided by his Department; what the means-testing rules are for each such benefit; and how much was spent on each means-tested benefit in 2011-12. [144778]
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Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA does not provide any means-tested benefits.
Meat Products
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what dates he has met with representatives of supermarkets to discuss the authenticity of meat products since January 2013. [143095]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs met with representatives of supermarkets and other food businesses to discuss meat products on 9, 12 and 18 February. I met with representatives of supermarkets and other food businesses to discuss this issue on 4 and 13 February.
DEFRA and Food Standards Agency (FSA) officials met with food industry representatives on 16 and 24 January to discuss authenticity of meat products. The FSA and DEFRA also met key trade bodies, and representatives from UK food manufacturers, retailers, caterers and wholesalers, including suppliers into public institutional catering on 11 February.
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he has asked supermarkets to take to ensure the authenticity of meat products since January 2013. [143096]
Mr Heath: On 9 February major retailers and food distributors agreed to a clear plan of urgent action to deal with the problem of horsemeat in processed beef products. This included rapid testing of beef products with meaningful results expected within one week. The first results from that survey were published on 15 February. The retailers and industry bodies agreed to the Secretary of State’s proposal that they work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) on making checks further down the food chain and have agreed to let the FSA know as soon as they become aware of a potential problem in their products.
A statement following the Secretary of State's most recent meeting with food industry representatives can be found at:
http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/February_2013/27-Feb/3.DEFRA-Agricultural-Council-Horsemeat-Fraud.pdf
Meat: Contamination
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that adulterated meat can in future be detected in the UK. [142370]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I are working closely with our counterparts in Ireland and across Europe to ensure that the current unacceptable situation with horsemeat cannot happen again. This includes a three month programme of DNA testing of beef products across the EU covering domestic and imported products, the first results of which will be received on 15 April. In addition, both domestic and imported horsemeat will be tested for bute. The current paperwork based system will be replaced by a programme of testing real products.
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Secondly, we have agreed to a new intelligence system so that information about the current investigations can be shared immediately. This will enable other member states to act immediately if they have any suspicions that food businesses are not playing by the rules. Member states have also agreed to use Europol to coordinate law enforcement efforts. Thirdly, because of the urgency with which we have to deal with what is clearly an international issue, we have agreed that the European Commission's report and recommendations on labelling the origin of all processed meat should be accelerated and published as soon as possible. We expect that this will provide consumers with clearer and more reliable information on where meat products come from. The Secretary of State made a statement to this effect on 13 February 2013.
We will work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and food businesses to learn any lessons, and to make any changes that are needed to reinforce the integrity of the food chain. We want to restore and maintain consumer confidence. The FSA is working with scientists and food businesses to set a realistic maximum level of “carry over” for processing plants handling more than one type of meat if they follow good hygiene practices. Above this level there should be nothing in processed meat except what it says on the label. This is a complicated process and may take several weeks. In addition, the FSA is conducting tests for horsemeat in beef products which will help pinpoint the parts of the food supply chain which may require strengthening to minimise the risk of food fraud.
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the steps being put in place to prevent any further contamination of meat entering the food chain; and if he will make a statement. [144171]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I are working closely with our counterparts in Ireland and across Europe to ensure that the current unacceptable situation with horsemeat cannot happen again. This includes a three month programme of DNA testing of beef products across the EU covering domestic and imported products, the first results of which will be received on 15 April. In addition, both domestic and imported horsemeat will be tested for bute. The current paperwork based system will be replaced by a programme of testing real products.
Secondly, we have agreed to a new intelligence system so that information about the current investigations can be shared immediately. This will enable other member states to act immediately if they have any suspicions that food businesses are not playing by the rules. Member states have also agreed to use Europol to co-ordinate law enforcement efforts. Thirdly, because of the urgency with which we have to deal with what is clearly an international issue, we have agreed that the European Commission's report and recommendations on labelling the origin of all processed meat should be accelerated and published as soon as possible. We expect that this will provide consumers with clearer and more reliable information on where meat products come from. The Secretary of State made a statement to this effect on 13 February 2013.
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I will work with the Food Standards Agency and food businesses to learn any lessons, and to make any changes that are needed to reinforce the integrity of the food chain, and restore and maintain consumer confidence. The FSA is working with scientists and food businesses to set a realistic maximum level of “carry over” for processing plants handling more than one type of meat if they follow good hygiene practices. Above this level there should be nothing in processed meat except what is listed on the label. This is a complicated process and may take several weeks. In addition, the FSA is conducting tests for horsemeat in beef products which will help pinpoint the parts of the food supply chain which may require strengthening to minimise the risk of food fraud.
Meat: Origin Marking
Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what requirement exists for meat and meat products to contain labelling on their nationality if they are sourced from within the EU; and what requirement exists for the nationality of such products to be labelled if such products are sourced from outside the EU. [143391]
Mr Heath: Indication of origin is mandatory for all unprocessed beef and beef products sold in the EU, whether sourced from within or outside of the EU. There is no legal requirement to provide origin labelling for other meats, but we have worked with retailers to ensure strong voluntary take up of this in the UK.
Country of origin labelling for food products forms part of ongoing discussions on the EU Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation. Most of the regulation's provisions will come into force on 13 December 2014. From that date it will become mandatory (subject to implementing rules to be made by the Commission before 13 December 2013) for fresh, frozen and chilled pork, lamb, goat and poultry meat to have an indication of country of origin or place of provenance regardless of where it has come from. It is a DEFRA priority to make sure that the Commission implementing rules will be appropriate and workable.
Stone Theft
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the theft of Yorkshire stone from heritage sites such as Bolling Hall, Haworth Cemetery and the Brontë cemetery at Thornton, West Yorkshire. [142049]
Mr Vaizey: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
English Heritage's assessment of the risk of crime and antisocial behaviour related to heritage has identified four key priorities, including architectural theft and includes the theft of metal and stone from historic sites and buildings. To tackle this English Heritage has recently published guidance in relation to risk assessment, crime prevention measures and the use of impact statements. They have also signed a formal memorandum of understanding with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Crown Prosecution Service, and a growing
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number of local authorities and Community Safety Partnerships, including the Peak District National Park Authority, which has a boundary within the borough of Sheffield city.
Women and Equalities
Discrimination
Ms Harman: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she plans to take to tackle discrimination on the grounds of age and sex. [142039]
Mrs Grant: A ban on age discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities and services, the exercise of public functions, and the running of private clubs and associations came into effect on 1 October 2012, when the relevant provisions of the Equality Act 2010 came into force. The ban is designed to catch only those actions or omissions that result in genuinely unfair discrimination because of age. It does not stop service providers offering age-specific goods and services which are beneficial or justifiable, such as priority flu vaccinations and age-related concessions, such as cheaper rates for using leisure facilities.
We have established a Women's Business Council, an advisory body for Ministers, which is looking at ways of maximising women's contribution to economic growth. The council is considering the needs of older women in the context of extended working lives, recognising that older women require targeted support to stay in the workplace and to develop their skills to meet new challenges. The Council will make recommendations to Ministers in the summer.
We also reformed the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), Great Britain's designated equality body. The EHRC has powers to, among other things, promote equality and tackle discrimination in relation to age and gender. As an arm's length body it is for the EHRC's board to determine its priorities and work plan, and these are set out in the EHRC's annual business plan.
Females: Employment
Robert Halfon: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what measures have been put in place by her Department to encourage women to get back into work. [143146]
Mr Hoban: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Government, through universal credit, Jobcentre Plus flexibilities and the Work programme, are reforming the welfare system to improve incentives and provide more effective support to those without work. Advisers now have the flexibility to offer all women and men, a comprehensive menu of help which includes skills provision and job search support. All claimants who are long term unemployed can access the tailored, back to work support, on offer from the Work programme.
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Staff
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how many staff were employed by the Government Equalities Office in each of the last five years; and at what grade or pay band such staff were appointed. [142786]
Mrs Grant: The information for the years 2007-10 is only available as full-time equivalent (FTE) figures presented in the accounts as follows:
| Staff | |
The information requested on the grade and numbers of staff employed by the Government Equalities Office (GEO) from 2010, is in the public domain at:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/staff-organograms-and-pay-government-equalities-office
In 2007-08, GEO was established as a stand-alone Government Department and was establishing its own corporate centre to meet legal and parliamentary obligations. It relied heavily on the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) for support during this period. From 2008-10, GEO was operating as a Government Department and required a larger corporate centre to carry out the roles of a Department. From 1 April, GEO joined the Home Office and the corporate centre was absorbed into the Home Office, and this meant a significant fall in staffing between 2010 and 2011.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Apprentices: North West
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships in each sector commenced in (a) City of Chester constituency and (b) the north-west in each of the last five years. [145355]
Matthew Hancock: Tables 1 and 2 show the number of apprenticeship starts by sector subject area in the City of Chester parliamentary constituency and the north west region respectively. Data are shown for 2007/08 to 2011/12, the latest year for which full year data are available.
| Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts in City of Chester parliamentary constituency by sector subject area, 2011/12 | |||||
| Sector subject area | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 |
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| Table 2: Apprenticeship programme starts in north west region by sector subject area, 2011/12 | |||||
| Sector subject area | 2007/08 | 2008/09 | 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 |
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| Notes: 1. All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. ‘—’ indicates a value of less than five. 2. Geographic breakdowns are based upon the home postcode of the learner. 3. Figures are based on the geographic boundaries as of May 2010. Source: Individualised Learner Record | |||||