Information Services: Hearing Impairment
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps the Government is taking to widen access for deaf people to information and services; [149953]
(2) what steps the Government is taking to promote learning and teaching of British Sign Language; [149954]
(3) what steps the Government is taking to support deaf children and families with deaf children; [149955]
(4) what steps the Government is taking to increase the numbers of interpreters of British Sign Language; [149956]
(5) what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) his officials have had with representatives from the deaf community. [149957]
Esther McVey: Across Government, Departments undertake a range of actions to meet their obligations under the Equality Act 2010. This includes the provisions which require service providers, including those providing information, to make reasonable adjustments where, otherwise, a disabled person would be placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people.
Depending on individual needs these actions may include the provision of British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters, Lipspeakers or Deafblind interpreters.
The Government also fund provision of BSL for example through Access to Work, which we know is a popular and effective programme that helps disabled people get or keep employment. In addition, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) fully funds BSL courses for young people as a first Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. The Government also fully fund BSL training where it is needed to help
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unemployed people find work. This training supports the development of the pool of BSL interpreters.
On the current Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) list of qualifications that are available for public funding, there are 19 BSL qualifications which Government can fund. These range from entry level upwards and many other learners are able to take courses which are co-funded, ie subsidised, by Government.
In addition to the support available to all families, deaf children are also able to access support for special educational needs (SEN). This support is organised by schools, local authorities and other education providers, but the Government are reforming the system through the Children and Families Bill, which is currently before Parliament. This will make the SEN system more responsive, help join up health, education and social care and give parents more choice over the school their child attends. They are intended to help improve outcomes for all children with SEN, including deaf children and young people. It will introduce a single Education, Health and Care Plan from birth up to age 25 and require local authorities to make arrangements to jointly commission services to support local children with SEN.
In September 2012 the Government introduced new duties on schools to provide auxiliary aids (such as radio aids or sign language support) for deaf children. This strengthens the framework for ensuring that schools are meeting the needs of deaf pupils.
The Department for Education is currently finalising funding agreements for a £1 million national support contract for sensory impairment (deaf, blind and deafblind children) to support local authorities to assess and benchmark their services, share good practice and learn from each other. This contract will run from April 2013 for two years to help ensure that the reforms have maximum impact in supporting children with sensory impairments.
Representatives of deaf people's organisations are routinely involved in the discussions Ministers and officials have with disabled people's organisations. Most recently I had the great pleasure of attending and speaking at the British Deaf Association reception celebrating the 10th anniversary of the recognition of British Sign Language, which was held on 18 March in the House of Commons. It provided me with a valuable opportunity to talk to individual deaf people as well as representatives of the British Deaf Association, the Royal Association for Deaf People and Signature.
Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Bill
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to paragraph 7 of the impact assessment of the Jobseekers (Back to Work Schemes) Bill, how his Department plans to assess poor value to the taxpayer. [150232]
Mr Hoban: It is clear that a retrospective transfer of money to claimants previously sanctioned on ESE schemes, would represent poor value for money to the taxpayer as many individuals will now be in work and earning a wage. This money could be better spent on funding back-to-work schemes to support jobseeker's allowance claimants back to work.
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Maternity Pay
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider providing statutory protection for entitlement to maternity pay where employers make late payments of wages earned during the calculation period; and if he will make a statement. [150180]
Steve Webb: We have no current plans to introduce further statutory protection.
The calculation for statutory maternity pay normally takes account of a woman's normal weekly earnings which are averaged over a specific eight week period that ends around 15 weeks before the week the baby is due. This period falls during the time when a pregnant woman is usually working and earning normally, deliberately avoiding both the early and later months of her pregnancy when it is recognised that she may be less likely to be able to work normal hours, and therefore producing a less representative outcome.
If an employer is late in making a payment, decision makers can still consider what should have been paid in the relevant period and calculate the average weekly earnings on this basis, providing the employee and employer are in agreement.
Pension Credit
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to raise the pension credit threshold in line with the increase in state pension. [150047]
Steve Webb: From April this year the standard minimum guarantee will rise by the same cash increase in the basic state pension, giving an above earnings increase for 2013-14. The above earnings increase is being funded through an increase in the savings credit threshold, which results in a decrease in the maximum savings credit amounts. In the current economic climate this approach allows resources to be targeted to protect the income of the poorest pensioners.
There is a statutory commitment to increase the pension credit standard minimum guarantee at least in line with the growth in average earnings. Up-rating in future years will be subject to annual review in the normal way against this commitment.
Public Expenditure
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about proposals to limit annually managed expenditure; and if he will make a statement. [150225]
Mr Hoban: Discussions about the level and management of annually managed expenditure (AME) are a routine part of dialogue between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Treasury. Rapid growth in AME is reducing the resources available for other key areas of public spending and it is crucial that the Government can manage increases in spending and balance across different areas of expenditure to ensure resources are directed toward public spending priorities.
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As set out at the Budget, the Government will look to strengthen the public spending framework by introducing a limit on AME. This will strengthen control over a proportion of AME, including areas of welfare expenditure. Details of how this will operate will be set out in due course.
Social Security Benefits: Cumbria
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of instances where payment of benefits to which an individual resident in Barrow and Furness constituency is entitled have been delayed by more than one week in each of the last three years. [150181]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Social Security Benefits: Morecambe
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are on benefits in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency, by category of benefits. [150046]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many people are on benefits in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency, by category of benefits can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
Guidance for users is available at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf
State Retirement Pensions
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will consider making provision to ensure that individuals reaching pensionable age in the run-up to reforms being implemented do not lose out on any financial benefits arising from the single tier system. [148751]
Steve Webb: A key objective of reform is to move to a simpler, less means tested system that better supports saving for retirement.
However, the single-tier pension will not be any more generous overall than the current system. Government have made it clear that the reforms to state pension will be cost neutral overall. The reform is not about spending additional money on future pensioners but about spending the money we have more effectively.
Applying single tier to existing pensioners in a way that is cost neutral would involve changing pensions already in payment including reducing state pensions and other pensioner benefits for many existing pensioners which is not possible but would also be unfair.
Current pensioners remain a priority for Government and we have introduced the triple lock to ensure that the basic state pension rises by at least 2.5% each year. Those who reach state pension age before the reforms are implemented will continue to receive their state pension in line with the existing rules.
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Universal Credit
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the child maintenance liabilities will be of a single, unemployed, non-resident parent who becomes a non-resident parent while in receipt of universal credit as a result of either the regional pathfinder pilots which commence in April 2013 or under the national pathfinder pilot which commences in October 2013; [150155]
(2) how income from universal credit will be treated for child maintenance purposes where a single person who has been brought into universal credit under the proposed pathfinder pilots later (a) becomes a non-resident parent and (b) moves into employment. [150092]
Steve Webb: A non-resident parent who is a universal credit claimant and working will have their maintenance liability calculated in accordance with their income, but the universal credit award is not treated as income for child maintenance purposes.
A non-resident parent on universal credit and not earning; for example, because they are unemployed, may be liable to pay the flat rate of maintenance.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of universal credit of the delay for small firms in the requirement to make a PAYE submission on or before the date of each payment to an employee; and if he will make a statement. [150221]
Mr Hoban: The universal credit system will assess the payment to be made to a claimant monthly. Earnings used to calculate the universal credit payment will be determined from real time information (RTI) data received in the assessment period and any earnings reported by the claimant.
HMRC recently announced a temporary relaxation, until 5 October 2013, of requirements for reporting PAYE data for small firms employing fewer than 50 people. This recognises that those smaller employers who pay employees weekly, or more frequently, but only process their payroll monthly, may need longer to adjust their process to reporting PAYE in real-time.
This relaxation runs for a period of six months, broadly coinciding with the UC Pathfinder, during which we expect the number of employers of UC claimants to be relatively small. We will be utilising RTI data for claimants where this is possible. Where RTI is not available we will have alternative clerical processes to ensure their awards are based on accurate and up-to-date earnings information. Based on our knowledge of employers recruiting in the pathfinder area, we would not expect the relaxation to have a significant effect. We will, however, be monitoring this closely during the Pathfinder.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what circumstances after 1 April 2013, someone who has been receiving universal credit would become entitled to (a) the former means-tested out-of-work benefits and (b) tax credits; and if he will make a statement. [150222]
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Mr Hoban: Once someone has been awarded universal credit, any changes of circumstances will be taken into account and the award adjusted accordingly, as long as they continue to meet the entitlement conditions.
To be eligible to claim universal credit during the roll-out, a person must meet the eligibility criteria in place at the time. For example, during the Pathfinder, a person must satisfy the requirements set out in Part 2 of the Universal Credit (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2013/386, irrespective of whether they have previously been entitled to universal credit. Any person who does not satisfy those requirements would need to claim an existing benefit or tax credit.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what information her Department holds on the average annual salary of (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in the UK (i) film, (ii) music and (iii) design industry. [150220]
Mr Vaizey: DCMS does not publish separate estimates on earnings within the film, music and design industries. We rely on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the ONS.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/2012-provisional-results/index.html
Broadband
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to paragraph 2.7 on page 68 of Budget 2013 Red Book, how funding for broadband programmes to support local delivery will be reprofiled. [149946]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 25 March 2013]: The reprofiling exercise referred to in the Budget is designed to unblock and accelerate delivery by aligning funding with delivery timetables. This is an ongoing process. Final expenditure profiles will be agreed later in the year once local delivery timetables have been finalised.
Olympic Games 2012
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons applications for Olympic marketing licences can be rejected; and how many firms have been rejected for each such reason in 2013 to date. [149510]
Hugh Robertson [holding answer 22 March 2013]: Applications for licences can be refused for one of two reasons:
because they do not meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme, for example because the company concerned is not registered in the UK, is not in the supply chain of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) or the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), or whose contribution to the Games is incidental;
because the company provided goods or services which fall within an excluded category. The excluded categories exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors. These rights last beyond 2012 and give exclusive rights of association to the Games in the UK and worldwide. It is the support of these
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sponsors which ensures the Games can take place—without them there would be no Games and no opportunity for businesses to associate with them.
Of those companies whose applications have been rejected, 25 fall in the first category and 70 in the second. The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007and updated in September 2010.
Mr Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what suppliers of entertainment lighting systems can do to publicise their involvement in the London 2012 Olympic Games; and if she will make a statement. [149905]
Hugh Robertson [holding answer 25 March 2013]: The provision of lighting systems falls within one of the Scheme's excluded categories. These exclusions exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors whose investment makes the Games possible. Companies whose supply includes lighting services, for example installation and design, may be eligible and I encourage them to refer to the Supplier Recognition Scheme website for further guidance.
The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.
Mr Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what definition of industrial lighting is being used by the administrators of the Supplier Recognition Scheme; and if she will make a statement. [149909]
Hugh Robertson [holding answer 25 March 2013]: The provision of lighting systems falls within one of the excluded categories which exist to protect the rights of worldwide Olympic sponsors whose investment makes the games possible. Businesses which supplied lighting equipment or systems are excluded from the scheme—this applies to lighting used in either industrial, commercial or residential settings. Companies whose supply includes lighting services, for example installation and design, may be eligible and they are encouraged to refer to the Supplier Recognition Scheme website for further guidance.
The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.
Mr Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many companies have (a) applied for and (b) been accepted on the Supplier Recognition Scheme to date; and if she will make a statement. [149911]
Hugh Robertson
[holding answer 25 March 2013]: As at 20 March 2013, 620 companies had applied for licences under the Supplier Recognition Scheme run by
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the British Olympic Association for companies which supplied the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. 435 applications had been approved.
I would encourage companies which supplied the games to apply for a licence under the scheme, which is run by the British Olympic Association. Licensed suppliers can refer to their work on the 2012 games in business to business communications and at trade fairs, both in the UK and overseas. The Supplier Recognition Scheme is another first for London 2012: the first time that the International Olympic Committee has agreed to the legal restrictions placed on suppliers and contractors being relaxed in this way.
The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences have been granted to (a) companies in Northern Ireland and (b) all UK companies under the supplier recognition scheme to date. [149922]
Hugh Robertson: Four companies in Northern Ireland have been granted licences and, in total, 435 companies in the UK have been granted licences.
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of business is won by (a) companies from Northern Ireland and (b) all UK companies as a result of their participation in the supplier recognition scheme. [149924]
Hugh Robertson: It is not possible to provide an accurate figure for the value of new business won by licensed companies which is attributable to the scheme. However, the Supplier Recognition Scheme provides a very useful and welcome boost to eligible suppliers. The value of the licence will vary from business to business and will depend to a large extent on how companies use the new rights. Companies looking to promote themselves in overseas markets will benefit as the new scheme includes rights to use the designation in business activities carried overseas. The British Olympic Association (BOA) will be carrying out periodic surveys of licensed suppliers to gather information on the benefits of the scheme, including new business won as a result of it. The intention is to conduct the first such survey in May.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what appeals process she has established for firms whose applications to the London 2012 Olympics Supplier Recognition Scheme are rejected. [149941]
Hugh Robertson
[holding answer 25 March 2013]: Under the application process operated by the British Olympic Association (BOA), companies are asked to provide evidence showing that they meet the Scheme's criteria. Where a company's application for a licence is declined, the BOA provides it with full information about the criteria not met. Where a company would like to appeal against the decision, they are encouraged to
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contact the BOA providing additional information and supporting material so that their application can be reviewed.
The new scheme, launched in January 2013, allows greater freedom for approved 2012 suppliers to promote the goods and services they supplied to the Games, than was permitted under the previous protocol published by LOCOG in December 2007 and updated in September 2010.
Public Libraries
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many e-books were loaned from libraries in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) England, (d) Wales, (e) Scotland and (f) Northern Ireland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012; [150171]
(2) how many books were loaned from libraries in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) England, (d) Wales, (e) Scotland and (f) Northern Ireland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [150172]
Mr Vaizey: The detail requested is not held centrally by this Department. However, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) collect, annually, information relating to book and e-book loans from the library authorities and this is available from CIPFA for the years requested. Copies of CIPFA statistics are available in the House Library.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff are employed by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in Cumbria; and what proportion of those staff are paid at or above the national level of the living wage. [149884]
Richard Benyon: 92 staff are currently employed by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) in Cumbria. The minimum salary for the lowest grade of staff in the national pay range is £15,529.
The National Living Wage rate is £7.45 per hour. Based on the net 37 hours per week, the salary required to achieve the National Living Wage rate is £14,388.93 (based on 37 hours per week for 52.2 weeks).
Therefore, all AHVLA employees in Cumbria are paid above the National Living Wage.
Bees
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans his Department has to reverse the decline in the bee population. [149368]
Mr Heath:
There are 17 species of bee in England (including six species of bumblebee) that are now very rare and are included on the revised list of threatened species under section 41 of the Natural Environment
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and Rural Communities Act 2006. Natural England is leading work with partner bodies to identify actions to aid the recovery of these species.
“Biodiversity 2020” committed to an increase in the overall extent of priority habitats by at least 200,000 hectares and to preventing further human-induced extinctions of known species. Further to this, Natural England, under its species recovery programme, funds conservation projects to support priority species such as the short haired bumble bee, which became extinct in the UK in the 1980s, but is being reintroduced from Sweden.
In 2009, DEFRA and the Welsh Government launched the Healthy Bees Plan which is aimed at improving and protecting the health of honey bees over the next 10 years. In addition, following a review of the current honey bee pest and disease control policies, DEFRA and the Welsh Government recently consulted stakeholders on the proposals emerging from the review. Nearly 200 responses were received and these are being considered to help inform development of future policy.
In addition, DEFRA is providing £2.5 million over five years (from 2010-11) towards the £10 million Insect Pollinators Initiative which is being jointly funded with the Scottish Government, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. Two projects will specifically focus on honey bees and six will benefit both honey bees and bumblebees. Results are expected to become available in 2014.
DEFRA also provides £100,000 per year for honey bee research including work on control and risk management of honey bee pests and diseases.
DEFRA funding is available to encourage farmers to provide forage and nesting sites for bees. Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides payments for the establishment of nectar flower mixtures to provide a large quantity of nectar from small areas that mimic nectar-bearing crops that once featured in traditional agricultural systems, and to limit the genetic impact on native wildflower species from the widespread sowing of commercial seed.
Following a recent review of evidence from research, monitoring, and experience of scheme operation, several new ELS options were introduced from 1 January, including a supplement to add wildflowers to buffer strips and field corners, plus options for legume-rich and herb-rich swards to provide habitat and food for invertebrates including bees. Higher Level Stewardship also has a wide range of options that benefit bees, including floristically enhanced grass margins and conservation headlands.
Climate Change
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he will make additional funding available to the Environment Agency so that body can fulfil the obligations of its new role as the delivery arm of the Government's National Adaptation Programme. [147725]
Richard Benyon:
DEFRA has made £1.6 million available to fund the Environment Agency's Climate Ready Support Programme for England in 2013-14. This is in addition to the block grant in aid provided by this Department
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to the Environment Agency, some of which may also be used to support climate adaptation action, for example, in relation to flood risk management.
Disclosure of Information
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010. [150032]
Richard Benyon: No civil servants in core DEFRA have been subject to non-disclosure agreements since 2010.
Drax Power Station
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues on the £75 million debt guarantee for the Drax coal to biomass conversion project. [148931]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA Ministers meet regularly with other Ministers to discuss a range of issues. As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.
Environment Protection: EU Law
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will press the European Commission to introduce at an early stage a module for ecosystem services accounting under the work on the EU Regulation on Environmental Accounts. [150052]
Richard Benyon: We do not have plans to press for EU Regulation on ecosystem accounting as this would be premature.
European regulation on environmental accounts applies to sets of environmental accounts that are already well established, including air emission accounts, material flow accounts and accounts of environmentally related taxes. Ecosystem accounting is a developing area with, as yet, no international standards. It is also very complex and requires comprehensive testing for a few years before it can be considered for potential inclusion in any regulation.
However the UK is actively engaged with the international community to develop standards and guidelines. Specifically the Office for National Statistics is a member of the editorial board for the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting, which is currently developing guidelines on ecosystem accounting.
Flood Control
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2013, Official Report, column 308W, on flood control, if he will publish a breakdown by scheme of external organisations contributing partnership funding on flood defence in each of the last three years; and what the expected contributions are in each of the next three years. [149906]
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Richard Benyon: The current Partnership Funding system started in April 2012. Prior to the start of Partnership Funding, income for schemes was aggregated and therefore a breakdown by scheme for 2010-11 and 2011-12 is not held centrally. Information on the aggregate income for these years was provided in my answer of 14 March 2013.
Regarding the data for schemes moving into construction in 2012-13 with confirmed external contributions, I refer to my answer of 5 September 2012, Official Report, column 348W.
For future years, the following table provides details of schemes that are due to commence in 2013-14 with external contributions.
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Schemes commencing construction in future years beyond 2013-14 do not have confirmed funding until Grant in Aid allocations are confirmed.
Overall, contributions have come forward from a range of sources, including from businesses, local authorities and communities. However in many cases, external contributors prefer not to disclose their contributions.
It is estimated that Partnership funding will secure around £148 million of external funding on top of the £2.3 billion the Government are investing in flood and coastal erosion risk management over this spending period (April 2011 to March 2015).
| Table listing details of flood and coastal risk management schemes moving into construction in 2013-14 funded wholly or party with external contributions(1) | ||||
| Scheme name | Regional flood and coastal committee | Parliamentary constituencies | Total scheme cost£ million | Total external contributions£ million |
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Floods: Insurance
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he is going to announce what is going to replace the Statement of Principles for flood insurance when it runs out on 30 June 2013. [149468]
Richard Benyon: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 24 January 2013, Official Report, column 407W.
Glass: Recycling
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the rate of non-melt fraction of glass recycling. [148378]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency published data in February 2013 on the estimated amount of recovered glass received by remelt and non-remelt applications. The data on the Environment Agency National Packaging Waste Database relate to the years 2010, 2011 and 2012. This shows that for the UK, the proportion of recovered glass sent to non-remelt applications was 49%, 47% and 40% respectively.
Livestock: Transport
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 207W, on livestock: transport, if he will (a) publish the names of operators of the vehicles approved and certified for the transport of live animals for export to EU member states who have had their licences suspended and (b) the duration of each such suspension. [138250]
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Mr Heath: In my answer of 8 January 2013, Official Report, column 207W, I made it clear that the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency had used their regulatory powers to suspend the use in Great Britain of 10 vehicles used by transporters authorised in another member state that had been approved and certified in another member state and that their use in Great Britain would remain suspended until such a time as the identified faults have been rectified.
For the reasons set out in my written answer of 26 February 2013, Official Report, column 394W, it would not be proper to publish this information.
Marine Management Organisation
Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what powers the Marine Management Organisation has been preparing proposed marine plans and carrying out other related marine planning functions. [149921]
Richard Benyon: The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 introduced a number of measures, including a marine planning system. It established the Secretary of State as the marine plan authority and enabled him to delegate marine planning functions. The Secretary of State delegated these functions to the Marine Management Organisation in April 2010.
Meetings
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met with Mr Mike Love in the last 12 months; and what the purpose of any such meeting was; [145525]
(2) what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence he has had with Burson-Marsteller UK in the last 12 months. [145716]
Richard Benyon: No meetings or correspondence between Ministers and Mr Mike Love or Burson-Marsteller UK have occurred in the last 12 months.
Packaging: EU Law
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with which (a) minimum and (b) other targets arising from the EU Packaging Directive businesses are required to comply. [146372]
Richard Benyon: Targets on businesses for the recycling and recovery of packaging waste are set out in the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
Patrol Craft
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) when the Government expects to place the order for the construction of new offshore patrol vessels; and if he will make a statement; [148645]
(2) from which departmental budget the funding for new offshore patrol vessels will come; [148646]
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(3) how much his Department expects to pay to the Ministry of Defence as a contribution to the construction of new offshore patrol vessels. [148647]
Richard Benyon: There are no plans to pay for the construction of new offshore patrol vessels. The Marine Management Organisation pays a daily rate for the supply of patrol vessels for fishery enforcement work at sea but does not contribute towards the construction of patrol vessels.
Porpoises
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2013, Official Report, column 817W, on porpoises, if he will place in the Library a copy of the response given by the Government to the European Commission. [147269]
Richard Benyon: A copy of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.
Recruitment
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials were recruited to (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years. [147968]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of staff in core DEFRA, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies that were recruited in each calendar year between 2008 and 2012. The figures include temporary staff who may have been employed for less than a year. The figures exclude staff transferred as a result of machinery of Government changes, and temporary transfers such as secondments and loans.
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
|
Food and Environment Research Agency (Central Science Laboratory until 1 April 2009) | |||||
|
Government Decontamination Service (absorbed into FERA on 1 April 2009) | |||||
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River Derwent
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to compensate people in Cockermouth for the breaching of the River Derwent's flood relief channel in that town in 2005, 2006 and 2009; and whether that compensation will take account of historic lack of maintenance of flood relief work on the River Derwent. [149469]
Richard Benyon: The Government are not legally liable to pay any compensation for the flooding which occurred in the town of Cockermouth in 2005, 2006 and 2009.
There was no breaching to the existing flood defences during these floods; the defences were overtopped due to very high river flows.
In November 2009, West Cumbria was subject to unprecedented and record rainfall, which fell on already saturated ground. The river levels were so high and the flooding was so significant that any removal of additional gravel, beyond that already removed as part of the Environment Agency's routine maintenance programme, would not have prevented the flooding.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the change in the proportion of the River Derwent's flood relief channel in Cockermouth covered by wooded islands in the last 30 years; and what assessment he has made of the contribution of such islands to the breaching of flood defences in the town. [149470]
Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency and its predecessor organisations do not have records of the exact proportions covered by wooded islands over the last 30 years. However, since 2003 the Environment Agency has based its maintenance work on a technical evidence base, and its assessments have indicated that removing gravel or wooded islands would not have prevented the flooding since that date.
Keeping rivers clear from the build up of gravel, plants and debris forms an important part of the Environment Agency's river maintenance plan in priority flood risk areas, such as Cockermouth.
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In these key locations, the river channels are surveyed annually to determine what work is required to maintain the capacity of the river. This survey information is then used in mathematical river modelling.
Using these techniques the Environment Agency has assessed the impact of the gravel and wooded islands on the capacity of the river. The assessment confirms that the gravel and wooded islands had a negligible effect on the flood levels in 2005, 2008 and 2009 and the subsequent overtopping of the town's flood defences.
The main hydraulic constraint (or bottle neck) in the river during significant flood flows is Gote Bridge which is located immediately upstream of the wooded islands.
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the evidential basis is for the statement by the Environment Agency that the build-up of wooded islands in the River Derwent's flood relief channel in Cockermouth was not the main cause of flooding in Cockermouth in 2005, 2008 and 2009. [149471]
Richard Benyon: In November 2009, the river levels in Cockermouth were so high and the flooding was so significant, that any removal of additional gravel or wooded islands would not have prevented the flooding.
The evidence to support this statement is contained within the Environment Agency's ‘Cockermouth Maintenance Plan’ (2012), and associated reports, which have been assessed and verified by an independent consultant and were drawn up after surveying and modelling the river using the latest water industry recognised techniques.
The reports also demonstrate that the management of gravel in the preceding years helped to maintain the one in 100 year standard of flood protection for Cockermouth in combination with the existing flood defences. The main cause of the flooding in Cockermouth in 2005, 2008 and 2009 was the exceptional rainfall and subsequent flood flows in the river.
Sickness Absence
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many days (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies has lost to staff sickness in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such absence in each year; [147987]
(2) how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have had (i) fewer than five days, (ii) five to 10 days, (iii) 10 to 15 days, (iv) 15 to 20 days, (v) 20 to 25 days, (vi) 25 to 50 days, (vii) 50 to 75 days, (viii) 75 to 100 days, (ix) 100 to 150 days, (x) 150 to 200 days, (xi) more than 200 days, (xii) more than three months, (xiii) more than six months and (xiv) more than one year on paid sick leave (A) consecutively and (B) in total in each of the last five years. [148006]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of working days lost due to sickness in core DEFRA, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five calendar years, unless otherwise stated as being for financial years.
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Most DEFRA bodies, including core DEFRA, were unable to provide information on the cost of sickness absence without incurring disproportionate costs. The following bodies were able to provide this information.
| £ | |||||
| Non-departmental public body | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| (1) Costs shown cover financial, not calendar, years. | |||||
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Only Natural England was able to provide a breakdown of staff sickness absences into the requested periods of time. All other bodies in the DEFRA network, including core DEFRA, could not provide this information without incurring disproportionate cost.
| Natural England | ||
| Number of staff taking consecutive days | Number of staff taking days in total | |
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Staff
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which pay grades his Department defines as senior officials in his Department's arm's length bodies. [150238]
Richard Benyon: Senior staff in core DEFRA and its executive agencies are defined as those paid within the senior civil service paybands. These include paybands 1, 1A, 2 and 3, as well as Permanent Secretary.
The following table provides the names of the pay grades that are considered equivalent to the senior civil service (SCS) in the Department's arms length bodies.
| Organisation | Pay grades |
|
Chief Executive Officer Head of Policy & Research Head of Corporate Services Head of Consumer Relations |
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Termination of Employment
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its non-departmental public bodies have left that body due to (i) resignation, (ii) retirement, (iii) redundancy, (iv) transferral to another public sector post and (v) another reason in each of the last five years. [147949]
Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of staff in core DEFRA, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies that left, for the reasons listed, in each calendar year between 2008 and 2012.
| Department | ||||||
| Reason for leaving | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
| Executive agency | ||||||
| Reason for leaving | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
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