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Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent comments by elected politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and what assessment he has made of the potential of such comments to cause further ethnic tension in that region. [147080]
Mr Lidington: We remain concerned at the level of divisive ethnic rhetoric in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and at challenges to the legitimacy of the State from politicians in the Republika Srpska in particular. The Government unequivocally support the territorial integrity of BiH, and will not tolerate attempts to undermine the Dayton Agreement or the rule of law in BiH.
There remains a risk that political challenges might increase tensions and spill over to the security situation. We will continue to monitor this. We continue to work through the International Community to promote stability and security in BiH. In this context, the executive mandates of the EU-led peacekeeping mission, EUFOR (European Union Force) Althea, and the High Representative remain important safeguards.
The company of Irish Guards, which forms the UK contribution to the EUFOR regional reserve, will deploy to BiH in April to participate in a EUFOR training exercise with BiH armed forces and undertake a range of defence engagement activities. This demonstrates very visibly our continued commitment to ensuring the stability and security of BiH.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the reply on 6 March 2013, whether this is the review that he indicated would take place in June 2010; and if he will meet the Chagos Islands (BIOT) All-Party Parliamentary Group to discuss the options being considered by the review. [147612]
Mark Simmonds: No, this review follows the European Court of Human Rights decision of December 2012. As the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs said in his letter of 24 February to the hon. Member, he would be happy to meet the All-Party Parliamentary Group later in the year when the Government has made progress with the review.
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Members: Correspondence
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 6 December 2012, 20 December 2012, 23 January 2013 and 26 February 2013 regarding a constituent, Ms Lynda Stares. [147706]
Alistair Burt: The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds), replied to my hon. Friend’s letter on 8 March 2013. I apologise for the delayed response. This was due to a technical error with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's IT system.
North Korea
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will lead an effort at the United Nations Human Rights Council's February to March session to secure the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in North Korea. [147470]
Mr Swire: The British Government will co-sponsor a UN resolution recommending that the UN establish a Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in North Korea. The Government will be lobbying members of the Human Rights Council to accept this proposal.
Northern Ireland
Budget March 2013
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions Ministers in her Department had with Ministers in HM Treasury on Northern Ireland issues in the run-up to the Budget Statement. [147276]
Mrs Villiers: I have regular discussions with Treasury Ministers on a wide range of issues relating to Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Budget, but it has always been the practice of successive Governments to keep all Budget-related discussions private.
Electoral Register
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will provide additional resources to the Electoral Commission in Northern Ireland to increase the number of electoral registration events to be held in areas affected by the recent disturbances. [147191]
Mike Penning: Electoral registration is the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland, not the Electoral Commission.
I am pleased that the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland has been able to hold a number of registration events in recent months. The Electoral Office has written to all the main political parties with an offer to hold events and is also in touch with a number of community organisations about their plans for registration activity.
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That activity has been managed within existing resources and includes 18 registration clinics throughout the month of March.
Firearms: Licensing
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firearms licences have been (a) granted, (b) renewed and (c) revoked in each year since 2007. [147270]
Mrs Villiers: The issuing of licences in respect of firearms is a devolved function that is exercised by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The right hon. Member may therefore wish to direct his question to them.
G8
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government about security in the run-up to the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland. [147275]
Mrs Villiers: I have discussed the G8 Summit with Ministers from across Government. Officials in the Northern Ireland Office have been working closely with colleagues in the Home Office on G8 security issues and will continue to in the lead up to the Summit. To date I have not had any discussions with the Scottish and Welsh Governments on the topic of the G8 Summit.
Energy and Climate Change
Biofuels
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to provide subsidies for bioliquids. [147662]
Mr Hayes: Bioliquids are currently supported in the renewables obligation (RO). To date the vast majority of bioliquids used to generate electricity under the RO have been derived from wastes or residues. Bioliquids can be highly sustainable and generate useful renewable energy, and we consider it is right to continue to support electricity generated using these fuels under the RO.
The RO includes sustainability criteria that bioliquids must meet in order to be eligible for support. Following the recent banding review a 4% cap is being introduced on the proportion of their renewables obligation that suppliers can meet using renewables obligation certificates issued for electricity generated from bioliquids. The UK will continue to support measures to improve the sustainability criteria at a European level.
Green Deal Scheme
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the use of (a) solid wall insulation, (b) cavity wall insulation, (c) loft insulation, including lost insulation top-ups and (d) smart meters in the Green Deal. [147393]
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Gregory Barker: Solid wall insulation, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation are all eligible energy saving measures in the Green Deal. Smart meters, which will be rolled out to all households, are not themselves an eligible measure under the Green Deal, but they are expected to reinforce the Green Deal by encouraging take-up of measures and helping consumers to maximise their savings.
Ofgem
Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff employed by Ofgem received bonuses in 2012. [147760]
Mr Hayes: The information requested is a matter for Ofgem. I have asked the chief executive of Ofgem to write to the hon. Member and we will place a copy of his letter in the Libraries of the House.
Peat Bogs
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on the siting of energy infrastructure on peatlands. [146894]
Mr Hayes: Applicants for consent for major energy infrastructure must provide assessments of potential biodiversity and geological impacts which would include an assessment of the effects of locating the infrastructure on peatland if that was the case. The decision-making authority would need to take such impacts into account before making its decision.
The National Policy Statement for Renewable Energy Infrastructure (EN-3)(1) contains further information on the assessment of applications for consent for onshore wind farms on peat.
(1)https://Whitehall-admin.production.alphagov.co.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/37048/1940-nps-renewable-energy-en3.pdf
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what consideration is given to the capacity of peatlands to sequester carbon dioxide in the strategy to achieve carbon dioxide reduction targets. [146896]
Mr Hayes: We acknowledge the importance of peatland restoration in maintaining carbon stocks and recognise their potential for sequestering additional carbon.
At present peatlands, are not accounted for in UK greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will publish a methodology to account for peatlands in July 2013, and we are currently considering what land use and forestry activities the UK will account for in the period 2013-20.
Wales
Plants
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on indoor and outdoor plants and trees in each year between 2005 and 2010. [147426]
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Stephen Crabb: Between 2005 and 2009, the Wales Office did not purchase any plants. In 2010, the Office spent £20 on indoor plants.
The Wales Office did not purchase any trees between 2005 and 2007. During this period the Office were gifted two Christmas trees each year from the Forestry Commission in Wales.
From 2008 to 2010, the Wales Office purchased annually two Christmas trees from sustainable sources. The trees cost £120 in 2008, £210 in 2009 and £300 in 2010.
No other plants or trees have been purchased.
Social Fund
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had in the Joint Ministerial Committee on the localisation of the discretionary social fund in Wales to the Welsh Government in April 2013; and how this is to be administered. [147099]
Stephen Crabb: Ministers meet regularly with the devolved Administrations in the Joint Ministerial Committee, most recently on 6 March 2013. The proceedings of the Joint Ministerial Committee are confidential in order to permit free and candid discussion, as set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements between the United Kingdom Government, the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers, and the Northern Ireland Executive Committee.
The Welsh Government will not be administering the discretionary element of the Social Fund. Some discretionary payments are being abolished from April 2013 and funding is being provided for new better targeted local provision through arrangements made by the Welsh and Scottish Governments and local authorities in England.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Bus Services: Conditions of Employment
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the (a) operation and (b) application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 in the bus industry. [147671]
Jo Swinson: We have not recently assessed the operation and application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (‘TUPE’) in the bus industry. However, we are reviewing TUPE as part of the Employment Law Review to ensure that, while complying with the provisions of the Acquired Rights Directive, the regulations are generally working effectively for both employers and employees. On 17 January 2013, the Government issued a formal consultation on possible amendments to the regulations. The consultation document is at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transfer-of-undertakings-protection-of-employment-regulations-tupe-2006-consultation-on-proposed-changes
It is open to anyone, including representatives of the bus industry, to respond and I would very much encourage them to do so. The consultation closes on 11 April 2013 and the Government intends to respond within 12 weeks of the date of closure.
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Business: Lancaster
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what provisions he is making to ensure that small to medium-sized businesses in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency have sufficient access to credit. [147524]
Michael Fallon: Ensuring the flow of credit to viable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the UK is a core priority for this Government.
We have taken a number of steps to ensure better access to bank finance, including:
Encouraging banks and building societies to increase lending to UK households and businesses by lowering interest rates and increasing access to credit, through the Funding for Lending Scheme.
Ensuring viable businesses with insufficient track record/collateral to secure a commercial loan, can still borrow from banks through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG). From January 2009 to date, there have been 22 EFG loans offered and drawn down in Lancaster and Fleetwood with a total value of £2.42 million.
We have also taken a number of steps to encourage the development of alternative sources of finance, including incentivising private sector investment and creating the conditions for small companies to grow using a range of financing tools. Measures include:
Increased funding for the Start-Up Loan Scheme by £30 million to £110 million. The scheme provides advice and start-up finance (around £2,500) for 18 to 30-year-olds looking to start and grow their own businesses. Since its launch in 2012, there have been 28 loans approved in Lancashire with a total value of £130,000.
Direct investments in non bank sources of finance, through the £1.2 billion Business Finance Partnership (BFP).
A six month pilot from early 2013, providing a Government guarantee to Kingfisher Group to facilitate additional trade credit to SMEs.
Increased funding for the Government's Enterprise Capital Funds programme, increasing our commitment by £200 million, providing for more than £300 million of venture capital investment to address the equity gap for early stage innovative SMEs with the highest growth potential.
Establishment of a £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund. The Fund invests with syndicates of business angels who are interested in investing in SMEs in qualifying areas of England.
In order to consolidate all these interventions, and address the funding gap faced by small businesses, we have also announced the creation of a new Government-backed business bank. The Business Bank will receive £1 billion of Government funding, which it will use to lever in extra private sector finance. £300 million of this will be invested by the Government and private investors over the next two years to provide diverse sources of funding for SMEs.
Higher Education: Barrow in Furness
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many young people completing full-time education in Barrow and Furness constituency continued into higher education in each of the last five years; and what proportion of each cohort those figures represent. [147293]
Mr Willetts: Figures on progression to higher education are not published at parliamentary constituency level for individual years.
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The estimated proportions of maintained schools pupils from Cumbria who progressed to higher education by age 19 are shown in the following table:
| Estimated proportions of maintained schools pupils from Cumbria who progressed to higher education by age 19: UK Higher education institutions and English further education colleges | |
| Academic year | Percentage entered HE |
| Source: Matched data from the DFE National Pupil Database, the HESA Student Record and the SFA ILR | |
Figures are not available before 2006/07. Robust figures by parliamentary constituency are not available from this source.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) have published rates of participation of young people in higher education over a five-year span. HEFCE estimate that the progression rate by age 19 for Barrow and Furness parliamentary constituency was 30.7% in the period 2005/06 to 2009/10. This was lower than the rate for Cumbria (32.9%) and the overall rate for England (34.2%). HEFCE figures are not comparable with those produced by BIS as they use different methodology. HEFCE figures use population estimates while the BIS figures use matched data covering maintained schools pupils.
Information on progression of pupils to higher education is available from the BIS Widening Participation statistical release of August 2012:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/analysis/statistics/higher-education/official-statistics-releases/widening-participation-in-higher-education/widening-participation-in-higher-education-2012
The HEFCE report on young participation is available from the following link:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/year/2012/201226/#d.en.75676
Detailed information is available at the following link:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/wp/ourresearch/polar/polar3data/
Investment: Lancaster
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to promote private investment in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency. [147525]
Michael Fallon: The Government want to make the UK the best place in the world to start, finance and grow a business. We are supporting businesses across the UK by enabling better access to both debt and equity finance; reducing red tape; providing easier access to public procurement opportunities; and making sure that the support we provide is delivered in the most effective and efficient way possible.
The Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which includes Lancaster and Fleetwood, brings together business and civic leaders to drive sustainable economic growth.
Several Regional Growth Fund (RGF) projects have been selected in the county of Lancashire which have benefitted the whole area:
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Regenerate Pennine Lancashire: a £7.5 million programme, leveraging over £30 million private sector investment, to provide capital investment for small and medium-sized enterprises to expand.
Lancashire Business View: a £4 million pan-Lancashire Programme providing capital grants to start up and young companies.
Subject to due diligence (Round 3 contracting) the Lancashire LEP area has been allocated approaching £30 million across Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the RGF.
Shipping: Training
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effects on training rates for seafarer (a) ratings and (b) officers of not extending the right to request time to train to employees working for companies with fewer than 250 staff. [147570]
Matthew Hancock: While there has been no assessment of the impact of changes to the right to request time to train on individual sectors of the economy, the Government held an open consultation on the future of the right in August 2010. There was a good response to the consultation with 147 responses received by the closing date. Responses to the consultation were strongly polarized.
We concluded it was appropriate to retain the right, but not proceed with the planned extension to employees in small and medium-sized enterprises in April 2011. This decision recognised the need to maintain a focus on the importance of workplace training, while protecting smaller businesses from potential burdens in line with the Coalition’s principles for reducing regulation and creating conditions for growth.
The Government intend to undertake a formal evaluation of the right by April 2015. This will allow an evidence-based decision to be made at that stage whether the right should then be extended to employees in small and medium organisations, be retained in its current form, or be repealed.
The Merchant Navy Training Board has responsibility for setting and approving training standards for British seafarers in the Merchant Navy. These are designed to meet international requirements as well as providing recognised qualifications.
Shops: Empty Property
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2013, Official Report, column 114W, on shops: empty property, what research, surveys, studies or data gathering his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) subscribed to on shop vacancy rates by locality. [147290]
Michael Fallon: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Department for Communities and Local Government have observer status on the Distressed Town Centre Properties Task Force, chaired by the British Council of Shopping Centres, which is currently undertaking a research project which includes an analysis of vacancy rates and the impact on town centres.
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BIS has also a long-standing subscription with Verdict Research, whose reports on a wide range of retail issues include data and analysis on vacancy rates in localities. In 2011 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published a report 'Understanding High Street Performance' which also included data and analysis on vacancy rates.
There are also several commercial sources of shop vacancy rates data, including that available from the Local Data Company and Springboard, and who publish overall trends in the public domain.
Ultra Electronics
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers of his Department have had with Mr Douglas Caster, Chairman of Ultra Electronics Holdings plc, since May 2010. [147206]
Jo Swinson: Mr Douglas Caster met with Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint and other Members of the Middle East Task Force on 11 July 2011 and 7 February 2012.
No records are held of meetings between Mr Douglas Caster and any other BIS Minister or their special advisers.
Any information relating to meetings held between officials and Mr Douglas Caster could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Vocational Training
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of the successful bidders under the first round of the Employer Ownership Pilot have not yet drawn down funds. [147288]
Matthew Hancock: 25 Round 1 Employer Ownership projects are now operational. Of these, 15 have not yet drawn down any funding.
Funding for the projects is paid against actual delivery, claimed in the majority of cases on a quarterly cycle. The 15 projects above have therefore started to deliver but have not yet made their first claim. Individual Grant Offer Letters set out the timetable for payments against milestones agreed with each grant recipient.
There are also a small number of projects in the final stages of grant negotiation and due diligence checks, which are not yet operational.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills by what date he expects all funds to be available to be drawn down by successful bidders under the second round of the Employer Ownership Pilot; and what deadlines he has set for this. [147289]
Matthew Hancock: Funding for the Employer Ownership Pilot is within the Adult Skills Budget and is already available for the project.
As payments will usually be made quarterly in arrears against agreed milestones we would expect the first claims to be received in January 2014 for projects starting in October 2013. Grant payments will be negotiated individually with the grant recipient so a deadline for payments cannot be set.
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Defence
Afghanistan
Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of artificial limb services at Headley Court after the end of UK military involvement in Afghanistan; whether the scale of such services will be maintained; whether there will be spare capacity for use by limbless veterans who have returned to civilian life; and if he will make a statement. [146956]
Mr Francois: Ministers give the highest priority to the care pathway for injured troops, including the role of the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in rehabilitation.
The Government have made £6.5 million available to guarantee that all serving and former members of our armed forces injured serving in Iraq or Afghanistan will be able to have the latest technology prosthetics.
The clinical requirement for rehabilitation at Headley Court is continually monitored. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is in a commercial relationship with Chas A Blatchford and Son Ltd for the provision of prosthetics services, which is based on sessional engagement to meet any increase or decrease of service needed. The contract works exceptionally well for Defence and is flexible enough to meet demand.
Equally, the Government are investing up to £15 million over three years to support the key recommendations contained in the report by the Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), published on 27 October 2011, ‘Better Deal for Military Amputees’, which sought to improve prosthetics services for armed forces veterans who have lost a limb due to activities while serving their country. As such, the Department of Health recently announced the locations for nine prosthetic and rehabilitation centres across England, for amputee veterans.
The choice of centre should be based on the patient's place of residence but with the knowledge that the prosthetic support will be maintained at the same level, subject to clinical need, as that provided at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. The Government want to raise awareness of this funding so that all veterans who have lost a limb in the service of their country can benefit from the work the NHS can do with prosthetics.
Armed Forces: Redundancy
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel from Northern Ireland serving in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) Royal Air Force were made redundant in (i) tranche 1 and (ii) tranche 2; what support has been provided to them to enable them to find suitable alternative employment; and if he will make a statement. [147262]
Mr Francois:
We estimate that, in a typical year, some 2% of those joining the armed forces have made use of a careers office in Northern Ireland. However this figure is only indicative of the proportion originating in Northern Ireland, as recruits can join the services at any Careers Office, irrespective of where they reside. The armed forces' administrative systems record the nationality of
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recruits from Northern Ireland as British. Although service personnel have the option of recording a secondary nationality (such as ‘British/N Irish’), this is voluntary, so we cannot state with certainty how many of those made redundant in tranches 1 and 2 originate in Northern Ireland.
Regardless of their place of origin, prior to leaving, all service personnel are entitled to some form of resettlement assistance consisting of time, money and training according to length of service. Those who have served six years or more, and all those medically discharged regardless of how long served, are entitled to the full resettlement programme, which includes a three-day career transition workshop, use of a career consultant, a job-finding service, retraining time and retraining grant. Individuals selected for redundancy are entitled to the same resettlement package which they would have received had they completed the whole of their service commitment. This resettlement package includes the services of the Career Transition Partnership which has a Regional Resettlement Centre at Aldergrove. Furthermore, service leavers are entitled to lifetime job-finding support through either the Officers Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association.
Cybercrime
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding he has allocated under each budget heading to his Department's cyber-security budget in each of the last three years. [141226]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 4 February 2013]:Cyber security is the responsibility of all personnel within the Ministry of Defence, and we are taking action to treat it as a mainstream task in the way we conduct operations and business. In doing so, we draw on funding from a wide range of sources and budgets. Full details are being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security. However, the MOD is currently investing centrally allocated money from the National Cyber Security programme as an outcome of the strategic defence and security review 2010.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Joint Strike Fighter to be cleared for flight testing. [145269]
Mr Dunne: A flight clearance for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) flight test fleet was issued on 1 March 2013.
North Africa
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of recent events in North Africa on future defence operational capability. [147050]
Mr Robathan [holding answer 11 March 2013]: The Defence Equipment Plan and Future Force 2020 will deliver agile and capable British forces that will continue to meet the range of military tasks set out in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in 2010, and thus ensure that we can react quickly to emerging and novel threats.
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Support to current operations in Afghanistan remains our priority, but we also ensure that we are able to provide contingent capability to deal with a wide range of security challenges to UK interests. That was the case before the recent events in North Africa and it will remain the case.
Pipelines
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what revenue is currently received from the Government Pipeline and Storage System. [147605]
Mr Dunne [holding answer 12 March 2013]:The revenue received from the Government Pipeline and Storage System (GPSS) is included in the impact assessment which was published alongside the draft Energy Bill in November 2012. The GPSS' revenue comprises payments from the United States Visiting Forces and commercial sources for the use of spare capacity totalling £39 million. In addition, the Ministry of Defence pays a notional charge of approximately £13 million per annum.
Rosyth Dockyard
Mr Gordon Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce final decisions following the consultation on the disposal of seven decommissioned nuclear submarines currently located at Rosyth. [146761]
Mr Dunne: As part of the Submarine Dismantling Project, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) carried out a public consultation on its proposals for dismantling the UK's redundant defuelled nuclear-powered submarines, including those in afloat storage at Devonport and Rosyth dockyards.
The MOD has revised its analysis to take account of the comments received during consultation, which has informed the business case prepared as part of the MOD's Main Gate approval process. We expect to announce the resultant decisions in the near future.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Fires: Nuisance
Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to encourage more local authorities to adopt appropriate codes of practice to deal with nuisance bonfires. [147475]
Richard Benyon: In some circumstances smoke from bonfires can constitute a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. That legislation gives local authorities the powers to deal with statutory nuisances. Local authorities take into account a number of case-specific factors when assessing statutory nuisance complaints, including the reasonableness of the activity being carried out, the time of day of the occurrence, its duration and its frequency of occurrence. The local authority is best placed to assess and react to individual and local circumstances, and to determine how it will enforce the legislation and ensure that the local community does not suffer from nuisance bonfires.
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will institute independent testing and accreditation of the leakage rates of fluorinated gases from heat pumps. [147637]
Richard Benyon: The requirements of the current EU Regulation on fluorinated gases (EC 842/2006) for containment, leakage detection and prevention, and for related training and certification already apply to fluorinated gases in a range of equipment, including heat pumps.
We are not considering introducing any further requirements under this regulation relating specifically to fluorinated gases in heat pumps.
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his Department's most recent greenhouse gas conversion factors for leakage rates of heat pumps are; and whether those conversion factors have been independently verified. [147665]
Richard Benyon: The 2012 update of the DEFRA/Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) conversion factors states that the annual leakage rate for heat pumps is 6%. This figure is taken from an independent study carried out by ICF in 2011, commissioned by DECC. The study reviewed and updated or replaced all assumptions, and rebuilt the model for estimating emissions from refrigeration and air conditioning for the UK greenhouse gas inventory. Section 4.9 of the report relates to heat pumps with all references elaborated in section 4.9.4. The report is available on:
www.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48250/3844-greenhouse-gas-inventory-improvement-project-deve.PDF
Inland Waterways
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Environment Agency spent on watercourse maintenance work in each year since 2007-08; and how much the Environment Agency will spend in this manner in the next three years. [142272]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency has assessed that the following amounts were allocated to its maintenance of watercourses for each year listed in the following table. The figure for 2014-15 shows the indicative allocation.
| Maintenance of watercourses (£ million) | |
| n/a = not available. | |
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The maintenance of assets is carried out using a risk-based approach. This allows investment to be made where it will contribute most to reducing the potential for damage and where it is economically and environmentally justified. Each site is different so the Environment Agency chooses the most suitable maintenance activity for each stretch of river, coastline or defence system.
The figures shown are for maintenance work carried out by the Environment Agency that includes:
maintaining flood barriers and pumping stations;
clearing grills and removing obstructions from rivers;
controlling aquatic weed within rivers;
dredging and de-silting of rivers;
managing grass, trees and bushes on flood embankments; and
inspection and repair of flood defence structures.
The Environment Agency is working in partnership in a number of areas to improve its efficiency. It is on track to achieve its corporate plan target for asset condition in ‘high consequence systems’, ensuring at least 97% of these assets are in target condition.
Litter: Yorkshire and the Humber
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many street litter control notices have been issued in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years; [147055]
(2) how many litter clearance notices have been issued in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last five years. [147056]
Richard Benyon: Information on street litter control notices and litter clearance notices is not held centrally.
Slaughterhouses: Inspections
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many checks were made on abattoirs in England in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; how many staff were employed in making those checks; and how many prosecutions resulted from those checks. [147268]
Anna Soubry: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Health.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) official veterinarians and meat hygiene inspectors, either employed by the FSA or supplied through an approved contractor, are typically present during processing of animals. They carry out a range of duties, including ante- and post mortem checks (checks on live animals and carcases and offal) and checks on the health and welfare of animals presented for slaughter. These official control duties ensure that food businesses operators have produced meat in accordance with regulatory requirements, with a health mark applied to show that meat is safe to enter the food chain.
As well as daily checks, official veterinarians also carry out audits on a risk-based frequency. The following table states the number of food business operator audits completed at slaughterhouses (red meat, poultry and game handling establishments) in England in 2010, 2011 and 2012:
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| Number of audits | |
The following table states the number of frontline staff, employed or supplied through contractors, carrying out official control duties in FSA approved meat establishments in England in 2010, 2011 and 2012:
| Number of staff (full-time equivalents) | |
The following table states the number of prosecutions for approved slaughterhouses that resulted from referrals for offences in each of the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 (i.e. that can be said to have resulted from inspections in those years):
| Prosecutions | |
House of Commons Commission
Conditions of Employment
Julie Elliott: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many people are employed on zero-hour contracts in the House of Commons. [146614]
John Thurso: As at 31 January 2013, 157 people were employed by the House of Commons on casual contracts, where they are contracted to work for an unspecified number of hours a week. This represents some 8.8% of the total work force. They work in a wide range of roles including in catering and as visitor assistants. As far as possible, hours to be worked—which vary considerably—are decided in advance on the basis of mutual agreement. These staff are in receipt of many of the same benefits as other members of House staff, such as 28 days annual leave a year (accrued based on each hour that they work) and sick absence pay. They are also entitled to join the House of Commons pension scheme from their first day and are automatically enrolled into if they are contracted for a year or more.
Home Department
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes in the frequency of seizure of stolen vehicles and vehicles otherwise used in crime that can be attributed to automatic number plate recognition technology there have been since 2010 in (a) the UK and (b) Northamptonshire. [147634]
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Mr Jeremy Browne: The data requested are not held centrally.
Communications Data Bill (Draft)
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what documents explaining the details of the revised draft Communications Data Bill her Department has prepared and published. [147499]
James Brokenshire: Alongside the draft Bill, the Government published a range of supporting documents, including Explanatory Notes, a Delegated Powers Memorandum and a Memorandum on its compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, and an explanatory 'Q&A' briefing document. We also submitted extensive written evidence to the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Data Bill.
The Bill and its supporting documents are being revised in line with the Joint Committee's recommendations —the substance of all of which the Government have accepted—and the Government will bring forward legislation in due course. A range of further explanatory material will be published to support the legislative process.
Dangerous Driving
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people received the maximum two year custodial penalty for dangerous driving while (a) under the influence of alcohol and (b) not under the influence of alcohol in each of the last 10 years; [139817]
(2) how many people have been given a custodial sentence for drink driving since 2000; [139991]
(3) how many people received the maximum custodial penalty for drink driving in each year since 2000. [139992]
Jeremy Wright: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
The number of offenders sentenced at all courts to the maximum custodial sentence of two years for dangerous driving offences, in England and Wales, from 2002 to 2011 (latest data available), can be viewed in Table 1.
The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences provided by the statute under which proceedings are brought, but not the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to separately identify from centrally held data whether a defendant found guilty of a dangerous driving offence was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offence.
The number of offenders sentenced at all courts to immediate custody, and the maximum custodial sentence, for drink driving offences, in England and Wales, from 2002 to 2011 (latest data available), can be viewed in Table 2.
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| Table 1: Offenders sentenced at all courts to the maximum custodial sentence of two years for dangerous driving offences(1), England and Wales, 2002-11(2, 3). England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Number of offenders | ||||||||||
| Offence | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008(4) | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Includes offences under section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as amended by Road Traffic Act 1991. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | ||||||||||
| Table 2: Defendants sentenced at all courts to immediate custody, and the maximum custodial sentence, for drink driving offences(1), in England and Wales, 2002-11(2, 3). England and Wales | ||||||||||
| Number of offenders | ||||||||||
| Offence | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008(4) | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Includes the following offences: Road Traffic Act 1988, S.4(1)—Driving or attempting to drive a mechanically propelled vehicle whilst unfit to drive through drink Road Traffic Act 1988, S.4(2)—Being in charge of mechanically propelled vehicle whilst unfit to drive through drink Road Traffic Act 1988, S.5(1)(a)—Driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle while having a breath, blood or urine alcohol concentration in excess of the prescribed limit Road Traffic Act 1988, S.5(1)(b)—In charge of a motor vehicle while having a breath, blood or urine alcohol concentration in excess of the prescribed limit Road Traffic Act 1988, S.6(6)—Failing without reasonable excuse to provide a specimen of breath for a preliminary test (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | ||||||||||
Deportation: Zimbabwe
Michael Ellis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people of Zimbabwean origin have been removed to countries other than Zimbabwe since 2010. [147656]
Mr Harper: The following table provides the published information on the number of removals and voluntary departures for nationals of Zimbabwe by destination in each year from the UK, 2010 to 2012.
| Removals and voluntary departures for nationals of Zimbabwe by destination, 2010 to 2012(1,2) | ||||||||
| Number of departures | ||||||||
| Total enforced removals | Home | EU member state (if different) | Other and destination unknown | Total non-asylum refused entry at port and subsequently departed | Home | EU member state (if different) | Other and destination unknown | |
| Number of departures | ||||
| Total voluntary departures | Home | EU member state (if different) | Other and destination unknown | |
| (1) Destination as recorded on source database. (2) Removals arc recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. (3 )Provisional figures. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken. | ||||
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The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. The data on removals and voluntary departures by nationality and destination are available in the latest release, ‘Immigration Statistics: October-December 2012’, tables rv.05 and rv.05.q, from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at:
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
Entry Clearances: Overseas Students
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people who have applied for a student visa in the UK have been waiting more than four weeks for a decision on their application; [140185]
(2) what the average waiting time for student visa applications made inside the UK was in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and how many such applicants waited more than four weeks for a decision on their application. [140186]
Mr Harper: As of 24 February 2013 a total of 16,391 tier 4 student applications had been waiting more than four weeks for a decision.
The average waiting and processing times for tier 4 in-country student applications are provided in the following tables.
| Table 1: Average processing time based on despatch date, 1 January 2010 to September 2012 | |
| Despatch years | Tier 4 (days) |
| Table 2: Tier 4 applications taking more than four weeks 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2012 | |
| Despatch years | Tier 4 (number) |
| 1. All figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to main applicants only. 3. Figures relate to postal and premium (i.e. submitted at Public Enquiry Offices) applications. 4. Processing time is based on the average number of calendar days between the application raised {i.e. received) and decision despatch date. | |
In-country growth in average processing time is due to increased intake across Temporary Migration routes. We have committed additional resource to the tier 4 route in response to the increased processing times. We anticipate achieving the current service standard; to consider 80% applications within four weeks of an applicant registering their biometrics, from April 2013.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter dated 28 January 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr S Rizvi. [147474]
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Mr Harper: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 13 March 2013.
Vetting
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to appeal against the recent decision by the Court of Appeal on the disclosure of cautions on a Criminal Records Bureau check. [146422]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 5 March 2013]: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), and the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), have applied for permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.
Transport
London Midland
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conversations (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with officials from London Midland since the start of 2013 on its levels of service and cancellations; and if he will make a statement. [147189]
Norman Baker: Department for Transport officials hold regular meetings with London Midland to monitor and scrutinise its performance.
I spoke to London Midland's Managing Director before Christmas to discuss its performance, and am meeting him to discuss this again shortly.
The Department continues to hold London Midland to account to ensure that services improve.
Rescue Services: Belfast
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Belfast was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in February 2013. [147370]
Stephen Hammond: Belfast Maritime Rescue Co- ordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk- assessed levels in February 2013 on 46 occasions out of 56 shifts.
These situations are mitigated by 'MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of MRCC Belfast mutual support is available through a fixed link from MRCC Stornoway and dial- up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead.
Rescue Services: Stornoway
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Stornoway was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in (a) December 2012, (b) January 2013 and (c) February 2013. [147372]
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Stephen Hammond: Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed below the risk-assessed levels in:
(a) December 2012 on 20 occasions out of 62 shifts
(b) January 2013 on three occasions out of 62 shifts
(c) February 2013 on eight occasions out of 56 shifts
These situations are mitigated by 'MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of MRCC Stornoway mutual support is available through a fixed link from MRCC Belfast and dial-up links from the MRCCs at Shetland or Aberdeen.
Roads: Accidents
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of traffic collisions in the last year involved drivers who had only recently passed their driving test. [147522]
Stephen Hammond: The Department only collects information relating to personal injury road accidents, and therefore does not include damage-only accidents in its statistics. For many of these accidents we hold data on contributory factors which reflect the opinion of the police officer attending the scene.
In 2011, 2.5% of drivers were allocated the contributory factor ‘learner or inexperienced driver’ in reported personal injury accidents where at least one contributory factor was reported. As with all contributory factors, this reflects the police officer's subjective opinion, and there is no formal definition of an ‘inexperienced’ driver for this purpose.
Statistics for the year 2012 will be available in June 2013.
Shipping: Regulation
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which regulations applying to the maritime industry his Department has proposed to ministerial colleagues in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for consideration as part of the Employment Law Review 2010-15. [147569]
Stephen Hammond: In consideration of the maritime Red Tape Challenge, the Department is examining the body of maritime law including as it relates to maritime employment law.
The Government plan to make a public announcement on the outcome shortly.
Communities and Local Government
Bus Services: Conditions of Employment
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 when a bus company contracted to provide transport services goes into administration. [147669]
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Brandon Lewis: The Department of Communities and Local Government does not produce such guidance.
The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has policy responsibility for employment rights.
Council Housing: Greater London
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities in Greater London rehoused people outside their local authority areas in 2012; how many people each local authority rehoused to another local authority area; and in which local authority areas these people were rehoused. [146476]
Mr Prisk: The number of households placed in temporary accommodation, by local authorities under homelessness legislation, outside their own local authority area as at 30 September 2012 for each local authority in Greater London is given in the following table. Information on the location of such households is not collected.
| Households in temporary accommodation | |
| Number of households in temporary accommodation within another local authority district as at 30 September 2012 | |
| (1) The local authority did not report a figure. Source: P1E returns from local authorities | |
Information is not collected on the number of households that are made offers of settled accommodation in another local authority district pursuant to a duty under homelessness legislation.
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Information on the location of households prior to being offered permanent social lettings is reported by social landlords; however it is not possible to identify the reasons why households move from one authority to another.
The Greater London Authority's mobility scheme—Seaside and Country Homes—offers people who are aged 60 and over and live in social housing in London the opportunity to move voluntarily to housing association properties across the south coast, in East Anglia, Kent and Shropshire.
Homeless households solely reliant on benefits should not expect to be housed in properties that are unaffordable to working families. But, in the vast majority of cases, this will not mean local authorities have to move homeless households far away from their communities.
Strengthened legislation means authorities must, if they regard it essential to move a family, carefully consider the impact a change in location would have—including possible disruption to employment, education and caring responsibilities of the claimant and their family. The legislation and the guidance on this is clear and we expect local authorities to follow it.
First Time Buyers: Brigg
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to assist young people in Brigg and Goole constituency to buy their first property. [146967]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 11 March 2013]: This Government are committed to supporting buyers to get on to, and move up, the housing ladder and have taken a number of steps which can help first time buyers.
Steps taken by this Government to support young people to buy their first property include: the NewBuy Guarantee scheme which helps buyers with a 5% deposit buy a new build home; FirstBuy which helps those who would otherwise not be able to afford to buy a home; and reinvigorating Right to Buy by increasing the maximum discount available to social tenants to £75,000, to help buy their home.
First time buyers are also being assisted by low interest rates, which are a consequence of the Government's actions to tackle the deficit left by the last Administration. The Funding for Lending scheme is also assisting by increasing the general availability of mortgages at competitive rates.
The Department does not produce statistics by constituency, on the numbers of young people who have been assisted in buying their first property.
Housing: Kingston upon Hull
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes in Hull have qualified for the New Homes Bonus (NHB) to date; how much funding has been given to Hull City Council under the NHB to date; and what estimate he has made of the number of new houses built in Hull as a result of the NHB. [147414]
Mr Prisk
[holding answer 12 March 2013]: New Homes Bonus grant totalling £3,265,091 has been allocated to Kingston-upon-Hull council across the financial years
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2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 in respect of 1,354 homes (666 new builds and conversions; and 688 long-term empty homes brought back into use).
New Homes Bonus is a powerful, simple, transparent and permanent incentive for local authorities and communities to increase their aspirations for housing growth. The Government do not make separate estimates of the quantitative impact of New Homes Bonus on local councils' decision making.
The New Homes Bonus impact assessment, published with the consultation at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/8517/1767788.pdf
(see pages 36 to 59) illustrates the potential effect of local authorities’ response to the incentives.
Local Government: Conditions of Employment
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 when local authority contractors go into administration. [147670]
Brandon Lewis: It is for each local authority to take account of its responsibilities under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 when contracting out its services.
Shops: Empty Property
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 21 January 2013, Official Report, column 77W, on shops: empty property, what research, surveys, studies or data gathering his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) subscribed to on shop vacancy rates by locality. [147297]
Mr Prisk: My Department has not commissioned or subscribed to any sources on shop vacancy.
Treasury
Business: Finance
Mr Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what monitoring his Department has undertaken of the Business Finance Partnership; and what reports have been produced as part of this process. [147291]
Sajid Javid: Progress with the Business Finance Partnership has been announced in successive Budgets and autumn statements and published on the HM Treasury website:
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/bfp.htm
Further updates will be published in due course.
Corporation Tax: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2013, Official Report, column 449W, on corporation tax: Northern
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Ireland, whether he has set a date for a decision on the devolution of corporation tax to Northern Ireland. [147073]
Mr Gauke: The Joint Ministerial Working Group on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy has concluded its discussions on the potential devolution of corporation tax and reported its findings to the Prime Minister. A decision on the report will be made in due course.
Floods: Insurance
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take fiscal steps to agree the successor to the statement of principles of flood insurance; and if he will make a statement. [147420]
Sajid Javid: The availability and affordability of insurance in flood risk areas is an important issue for this Government. Constructive negotiations continue with the insurance industry and Government on a range of approaches that could succeed the current Statement of Principles.
The Government are on course to spend £2.3 billion on reducing the risk from flooding and coastal erosion and deliver better protection to 165,000 households over the four years to March 2015.
Local Government
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what additional powers and resources city regions will receive as a consequence of City Deals. [147187]
Greg Clark: Details of the deals agreed between the Government and the eight core cities can be found at:
http://www.dpm.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/city-deals
The Government have also announced that we will negotiate deals with an additional 20 cities and hope to conclude these within a year.
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional inward investment he expects City Deals to generate by 2015. [147188]
Greg Clark: In July last year the Government announced that they had concluded deals with the eight core cities to devolve power and responsibilities to drive forward economic growth. The Government recently announced that they would extend the city deals programme and negotiate deals with a further 20 cities over the next year.
City deals are not about central Government setting targets but about decentralising power to ensure cities have the tools to drive forward economic growth. The levels of additional inward investment as a result of city deals will therefore vary depending on individual priorities but we are working with colleagues in UK Trade and Investment to help cities increase inward investment where it is a priority for them.
Revenue and Customs
Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional staff have been employed by HM Revenue and Customs' Affluent Unit since 2010. [147243]
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Mr Gauke: There are currently 190 (full-time equivalents) working on the Affluent Teams in HMRC—all having been appointed to the Teams since 2010. To date no additional staff have been employed outside of HMRC and the 190 have all been redeployed within from HMRC.
There is currently an external recruitment exercise to recruit 18 Higher Officers and nine Grade 7 Case Directors from outside of HMRC.
Revenue and Customs: Cumbria
John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) Barrow and Furness constituency and (b) Cumbria in each of the last five years. [147296]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is as follows:
| Barrow and Furness | Cumbria | |
Tax Avoidance and Evasion
Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to reduce (a) tax evasion and (b) tax avoidance. [147248]
Mr Gauke: The Government are fully committed to tackling tax avoidance and evasion, and are taking steps to protect the Exchequer.
The Government are already reinvesting nearly £1 billion in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to expand its anti-avoidance and evasion activity. Following a further investment of £77 million, announced on 3 December last year, HMRC will now aim to raise total additional revenues of £22 billion per annum by the end of 2014-15.
Alongside this investment, we are also implementing a number of policy changes to crack down on tax avoidance. For instance, we are introducing the UK’s first General Anti-Abuse Rule in this year’s Finance Bill to tackle abusive avoidance schemes and are enhancing the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Schemes regime.
HMRC is also addressing tax evasion through a number of operational changes; by using enhanced technology to detect those who do not declare their full tax liability, by deploying taskforces aimed at particular trades and professions and by establishing specialist teams to tackle affluent individuals with hidden assets in the UK or offshore.
Taxation: Business
Julie Elliott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much additional revenue has been collected through HM Revenue and Customs' Large Business Service in each of the last four years. [147244]
Mr Gauke: The additional revenues brought in through the compliance work of HM Revenue and Customs' Large Business Service in the last four years were as follows:
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| £ million | |
Welfare Tax Credits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department expects to cease making new awards of tax credits. [147642]
Sajid Javid: HM Revenue and Customs is working in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions to plan the transition of tax credits to universal credit, including the most appropriate timing for phasing out new claims to tax credits.
Education
Addison Lee
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education on how many occasions his private office has used private taxi hire with Addison Lee in the last 12 months. [144399]
Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 25 February 2013]: No Addison Lee taxis have been booked for use by the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), in the last twelve months.
From 1 February 2012 to 31 January 2013 Addison Lee taxis have been booked for the use of staff in the Secretary of State's ministerial office on six occasions, at a total cost of £141.80.
Civil Servants: Codes of Practice
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2013, Official Report, column 468W, on civil servants: codes of practice, what specific instructions and guidance he has issued on guarding against breaches of the Civil Service Code regarding personal comments and briefings against individuals; if he will publish any such instructions and guidance; and if he will make a statement. [146978]
Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 11 March 2013]: Staff are made aware of the Civil Service Code through inclusion in their contract, induction of new staff and through the online HR Handbook. There are very high levels of awareness of the Civil Service Code in the Department, with 92% of staff in the last People Survey saying that they were aware of the Civil Service Code.
Curriculum
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support his Department plans to provide for schools and teachers in implementing the revised national curriculum. [146066]
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Elizabeth Truss [holding answer 1 March 2013]: Head teachers are best placed to decide which resources will best support successful implementation of the new curriculum in their schools, and on the priorities for continuing professional development (CPD) for their staff, and to secure these accordingly. To assist them we are adapting existing initial teacher training and CPD programmes and working with a range of stakeholders—including publishers, suppliers, teaching schools and subject associations—to ensure that high quality support becomes available.
Free Schools: Yorkshire and the Humber
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have applied for free-school status in (a) Hull and (b) Yorkshire in the last two years. [144532]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department has received (a) two applications to open a Free School from groups in Hull and (b) 65 applications from groups in the Yorkshire and Humberside region in the last two years.
GCE A-level
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) whether his Department allocates funding to encourage students to take A-level sciences or mathematics; [145538]
(2) whether his Department allocates funding to encourage students to take sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM subjects, at university level. [145555]
Elizabeth Truss: The Government are committed to increasing the number of pupils studying science and mathematics subjects at A level and at university and we are taking action to support this. We are funding the Further Mathematics Support Programme (FMSP) to encourage more students to study Further Mathematics A level, the Cambridge University mathematics project to improve the teaching of mathematics at A level and 16-19 Maths Free Schools to provide a more challenging curriculum for mathematics. The Government also fund the Stimulating Physics Programme which supports schools to improve progression into physics at A level. These programmes help prepare students for STEM subjects at university.
Wider Government reforms, such as improving the recruitment of top science and mathematics graduates into teaching and strengthening the curriculum and qualifications, will also improve the teaching and take-up of these important subjects.
Health
Abortion: Lancashire
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2013, Official Report, column 852W, on abortion: Lancashire, what the ages were of the women who had terminations. [147329]
Anna Soubry: The information requested is set out in the following table.
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| Abortions performed in Lancashire, by hospital and age group, 2011 | ||||||
| Age | ||||||
| Total all | under 20 | 20 to 24 | 25 to 29 | 30 to 34 | 35 and over | |
| (1) Suppressed value to protect the confidentiality of individuals. | ||||||
Age: Discrimination
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are in place to ensure compliance with the ban on age discrimination in clinical decision-making in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [147315]
Norman Lamb:
The Government are committed to ensuring all patients are treated fairly, with dignity and respect, which is why from October last year we introduced a ban on unjustifiable age discrimination. Decisions
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about treatment should be based on patient's ability to benefit, not their chronological age.
Guidance on the ban on age discrimination has been available to the national health service since May 2010, as well as more recent policy briefing published in September 2012. Compliance with the ban has been embedded in the NHS Constitution as well as in professional standards and regulation. The NHS Operating Framework sets out that all NHS organisations must comply with the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Equality and Human Rights Commission holds public bodies and their staff to account in relation to the ban on discrimination across all of the protected characteristics enshrined in the Equality Act 2010.
Antidepressants
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for antidepressants have been dispensed in the NHS in each of the last 10 years. [147638]
Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns) gave the hon. Member for Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) on 11 June 2012, Official Report, columns 118-19W.
Better Hospital Food Panel
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up a new Better Hospital Food Panel. [147764]
Dr Poulter: October 2012 saw the establishment of a Reference Group to oversee a project focused on Improving Hospital Food. The project has four strands—commitment, standards, incentives and inspection. It has the support of Age UK, the Patients' Association, the Royal College of Nursing, the British Dietetic Association, the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, the Hospital Caterers' Association and the Soil Association.
We have no plans to establish a separate Better Hospital Food Panel.
Cancer: Drugs
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the new national arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund from April 2013 to March 2014; and how new cancer treatments will be appraised and recommended for funding. [147196]
Norman Lamb: From April 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board will take on oversight of the Cancer Drugs Fund. The detailed arrangements that will be put in place are a matter for the board as an independent body. We understand from the board that standard operating procedures for the Cancer Drugs Fund will be published soon.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will appraise health technologies and treatments, including cancer treatments, referred to it by the Secretary of State for Health.
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Chemotherapy
Tessa Munt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the membership and terms of reference of the chemotherapy clinical reference group will be (a) finalised and (b) made public. [147195]
Anna Soubry: We are advised by colleagues in the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) that the terms of reference will not be finalised until the new chemotherapy group is formed. The group is expected to be formed by early April and the terms of reference will be published on the NHS CB website.
Dietary Supplements
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to protect consumer choice in vitamin, mineral and other food supplements; and what guidance his Department has given on the benefits of nutritional supplementation for vulnerable groups; [147368]
(2) what recent representations have been (a) received by his Department and (b) made by his Department to the European Commission on the setting of maximum permitted levels of nutrients in food supplements under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive. [147369]
Anna Soubry: The Government's position is that any future decisions on vitamins, minerals and other food supplements need to be proportionate to protect consumer choice and confidence in the safety and quality of products.
The Department has received representations from a number of parliamentarians and groups representing the specialist health food sector, raising concerns regarding the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals in food supplements.
I wrote to the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, Tonio Borg, on 10 January 2013 and the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), met with the Commissioner on 17 January 2013, to emphasise that any future proposals for setting maximum permitted levels of vitamins and minerals in food supplements should be based on science and safety, to allow for the highest safe maximum levels.
Current Government advice is that a healthy, balanced diet will provide all the nutrients that most people need without having to take vitamin or mineral supplements. However, there are certain groups of the population for whom certain vitamin food supplements are recommended, including women of child bearing age, pregnant women, infants, young children, older people and people who do not expose their skin to sunlight or are confined indoors.
Further details on Government recommendations on nutritional supplementation are available on NHS Choices website at:
www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1122.aspx