| Table 2: Household expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure by gross income decile group, 2001-02 and 2011, UK | ||||||
| Bottom income decile | Top income decile | All households | ||||
| 2001/02 | 2011 | 2001/02 | 2011 | 2001/02 | 2011 | |
| (1) Excluding mortgage interest payments, council tax and Northern Ireland rates. Note: The commodity and service categories are not comparable to those in publications before 2001-02. Sources: ONS, Family Spending 2002, 2011. | ||||||
Death: Patients
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths occurred in 2012 in hospitals in England as a result of MRSA bacteraemia; and how many deaths in total are estimated to have occurred in hospitals in England during the same period. [151061]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Secretary of State for Health asking how many deaths occurred in 2012 in hospitals in England as a result of MRSA bacteraemia; and how many deaths in total are estimated to have occurred in hospitals in England during the same period. [151061]
In 2011 (the latest available year) there were 53 deaths in hospitals in England where the underlying cause was MRSA and a further 279 where MRSA was shown on the death certificate as a contributory factor. In the same period, there were 230,819 deaths in hospitals in England.(1)
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Further information on deaths involving MRSA is available at the link below. The next edition of the MRSA bulletin, based on 2012 data, is due to be published in August 2013.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health2/deaths-involving-mrsa/2007-to-2011/index.html
Drinks: Sugar
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of deaths associated with the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in each year in England and Wales. [150298]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what estimate has been made of the number of deaths associated with the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in each year in England and Wales. (150298)
The mortality data held by ONS come from the information collected when a death is registered. All the conditions and circumstances recorded on the medical certificate of cause of death, or the coroner’s death certificate, are coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). An underlying cause is assigned using ICD coding rules, and is defined as:
(a) the disease or injury that initiated the train of events directly leading to death, or
(b) the circumstances of the accident or violence that produced the fatal injury.
Consequently, figures can only be provided for deaths recorded using medically recognised terms. Moreover, internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to death to be recorded on the death certificate. ONS has no information on lifestyle factors, such as diet, that may be associated with mortality, as they are not recorded on the death certificate. Therefore we are unable to provide an estimate of the number of deaths associated with the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.
The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age, cause, marital status, and place of death are published annually on the National Statistics website at:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-27475
Efficiency and Reform Group
Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in the Efficiency and Reform Group; [149274]
(2) how many staff employed by the Efficiency and Reform Group are paid (a) between £50,000 and £60,000, (b) between £61,000 and £70,000, (c) between £71,000 and £80,000 and (d) over £81,000 per annum; [149275]
(3) what the salaries are of each person with a salary of over £81,000 per annum employed in the Efficiency and Reform Group; [149276]
(4) how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in the Government Digital Service; [149278]
(5) how many staff in the Government Digital Service have salaries of (a) between £50,000 to £99,000 and (b) over £100,000 per annum; [149279]
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(6) how many full-time equivalent staff are employed in the IT Reform Group; [149339]
(7) how many IT Reform Group staff have salaries (a) between £50,000 and £99,000 and (b) over £100,000 per annum. [149340]
Mr Maude: The Efficiency and Reform Group was founded after the general election to deal with the waste which the previous Administration failed to address. In its first short year of operation 2010-11 the Group helped Departments save an impressive £375 billion. Unlike the savings claimed by the previous Administration, these savings were validated by the NAO and the Public Accounts Committee. In its second year, thanks to the hard work of hundreds of civil servants, Departments increased their savings to £5.5 billion. This year's figures are not yet finalised but we are on track to save £8 billion. Our goal is to support savings of £20 billion in the final year of this Parliament relative to the baseline of the spending in the last year of the previous Administration, including by addressing fraud, error and uncollected debt.
Despite ERG's impressive and unprecedented record the hon. Gentleman has attacked the workings of the Group, criticising in particular its running costs. This is despite the fact that the cost of the Group is dwarfed by the savings they have secured. And that, when machinery of Government changes are taken into account, there are now fewer civil servants in the Cabinet Office than at the time of the last general election.
Under this Government's transparency programme an organogram of my Department's staffing is published online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-staff-and-salary-data-30-september-2012--2
This includes salary details. An update will be published in due course.
Electronic Government
Guto Bebb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) whether he has received any complaints regarding the new gov.uk website; [150097]
(2) what assessment he has made of the use of the gov.uk website to date. [150098]
Mr Hurd: gov.uk brings Government information and services under a single domain and has been designed around user needs and behaviour. Its development is iterative. The intention was always that changes and improvements should be made following user feedback. Unlike with previous Government websites, criticism is not seen negatively and in fact users are positively encouraged to offer critical feedback by completing an online form.
Details of the visitor numbers; performance; and transaction data of gov.uk is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/performance
Employment
Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by how many and by what proportion the number of people in employment changed between 2008 and 2012. [150356]
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Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking by how many and by what proportion the number of people in employment changed between 2008 and 2012. (150356)
Estimates of employment are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Using annual averages it is estimated that, between 2008 and 2012, the number of people aged 16 and over in employment increased by 79,000, from 29.440 million to 29.519 million, This represents an increase of 0.3 per cent.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. The sampling variability for the level of employment in 2012 was approximately +/-160,000.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office by what (a) proportion and (b) number the working-age population of the UK grew between 2008 and 2012. [150363]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking the Minister for Cabinet Office by what (a) proportion and (b) number, the working-age population of the UK grew between 2008 and 2012 (150363).
As the State Pension Age (SPA) for females is presently rising from age 60 to age 65, to achieve convergence with the male SPA by November 2018, the definition of working age differs according to context in published statistical reports. Most commonly it is (i) persons between the ages 16 to 64 inclusive but may also refer to <ii) females aged 16-59 inclusive and males aged 16-64 inclusive.
The ONS collates annual estimates of the resident population of the UK by age, as at 30 June each year. Based on definition (i), the latest available data on the resident population of the UK shows that the working age population grew by 1.8% between 2008 and 2012 an increase of 731,000 people. Using definition (ii) the latest available data on the resident population of the UK shows that the working age population grew by 2.0% between 2008 and 2012, an increase of 750,000 people.
Employment: Airdrie and Shotts
Pamela Nash:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people were employed in (a)
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public sector,
(b)
private sector and
(c)
third sector organisations in Airdrie and Shotts constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [150567]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people were employed in (a) public sector, (b) private sector and (c) third sector organisations in Airdrie and Shotts constituency in each of the last five years for which figures are available (150567).
Labour Market statistics for local areas are calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Estimates of people employed in the third sector are currently not available from APS. Individuals employed in voluntary organisations, charities and trusts are included in private sector estimates.
Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. In the APS the distinction between public and private sector is based on respondents' views about the organisation for which they work. The public sector estimates provided do not correspond to official Public Sector Employment estimates. Those are derived directly from employers and are based on a National Accounts' definition and are not available for areas smaller than regions.
The tables show the number and percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years, who were employed in the public or private sector along with those who were unemployed or inactive, resident in Airdrie and Shotts constituency. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period January 2012 to December 2012, the latest period available, and the 12 month periods ending in December from 2008 to 2011. It should be noted that the estimates also include people who were employed but have not provided enough information to be accurately included in either the public or private sectors.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the tables.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Percentage of people aged 16 to 64 years employed in the public and private sectors(1), resident in Airdrie and Shotts constituency | ||||
| Percentage | ||||
| Employed | ||||
| 12 months ending: | Public | Private | Unknown(2) | Unemployed or inactive |
| n/a = not available (1) Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. (2) People who were employed but have not provided enough information to be accurately included in either the public or private sectors. Note: Components may not add to 100% due to rounding and suppression of unavailable estimates. Source: Annual Population Survey | ||||
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| Table 2: Number of people aged 16 to 64 years employed in the public and private sectors(1), resident in Airdrie and Shotts constituency | ||||
| Thousand | ||||
| Employed | ||||
| 12 months ending: | Public | Private | Unknown(2) | Unemployed or inactive |
| n/a = not available (1) Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private sector according to their responses to the survey. (2) People who were employed but have not provided enough information to be accurately included in either the public or private sectors. (3) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality: Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV - for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 = CV <5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ? 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes Source: Annual Population Survey | ||||
Employment: Yorkshire and the Humber
Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of mothers aged 16 to 19 were in (a) education, (b) employment and (c) training in (i) Brigg and Goole constituency and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last 10 years. [151038]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of mothers aged 16 to 19 were in (a) education, (b) employment and (c) training in (i) Brigg and Goole constituency and (ii) Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last 10 years. [151038]
It is not possible to provide reliable estimates on the proportion of mothers aged 16 to 19 who were in education, employment or training for Yorkshire and the Humber authority area, or below, due to small sample sizes.
Government Departments
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment the Government have made of the effectiveness of the current configuration of Government departments. [150537]
Mr Maude: The machinery of government is kept under review.
Manufacturing Industries: Drugs
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England are employed in the pharmaceuticals sector. [150361]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many people in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England are employed in the pharmaceuticals sector. [150361]
Annual employment statistics are available from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). Table 1 following contains the latest figures available, which show the number employed in industries considered to be in the pharmaceutical sector for 2011, in Barnsley Central constituency, South Yorkshire and England.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Employment by specified geography for industries considered to be in the pharmaceutical sector, 2011 | ||
| Area | Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations | Wholesale of pharmaceutical goods |
| Notes: 1. Cells containing an asterisk (*) contain disclosive data that cannot be published. 2. South Yorkshire refers to the former metropolitan county of South Yorkshire. | ||
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 18 February 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Ms S Devlin. [150842]
Mr Hurd: A response to the right hon. Member's letter has now been issued.
Overseas Visitors
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department has taken to improve its analysis of international passenger survey data over the last five years. [150424]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
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Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department has taken to improve its analysis of international passenger survey data over the last five years. [150424]
The following improvements have been made:
1. Improvements to the International Passenger Survey (IPS):
Improvements have been made to the IPS as part of the Migration Statistics Improvement Programme (MSIP), in response to the National Statistician’s Task Force on Migration. Several changes were introduced to the IPS design in 2009 to reflect changing patterns of migration to and from the UK. These included changes to the sampling at regional airports and have led to more robust and timely estimates of international migration at both the national and regional level. More information can be found in the MSIP Final Report:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/imps/latest-news/msip-final-report/index.html
2. Improvements to reporting and supporting information:
Since May 2009, ONS have published the Migration Statistics Quarterly Report (MSQR) in collaboration with other Government departments which brings together statistics on migration that are published quarterly by ONS, the Home Office and DWP. This enables users of migration statistics to easily compare data from different sources. The latest MSQR can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/index.html
In November 2012, ONS published a paper on the quality and reliability of IPS data in relation to long-term international migration flows which can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/specific/population-and-migration/international-migration-methodology/international-passenger-survey-quality-information-in-relation-to-migration-flows.pdf
3. Improvements to publication tables:
In February 2012, ONS introduced new functionality on published migration charts allowing users to scroll through long-term international migration estimates by categories of citizenship groups and reason for migration. This functionality provides a user friendly way of quickly identifying the main drivers behind changes in migration patterns.
From August 2012, ONS published confidence intervals alongside IPS immigration, emigration and net migration estimates to indicate the statistical uncertainty of the estimates. In line with this, the MSQR has reported on differences in estimates that have been checked for statistical significance. This means that ONS can be clear about which changes in published data are likely to be a reflection of real changes in migration patterns rather than differences that may have occurred by chance.
These improvements can be viewed here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/february-2013/provisional-long-term-international-migration--ltim--estimates-june-2012.xls
4. New data visualisation:
In August 2012, ONS published the Migration Timeline which is an interactive tool that shows key long-term international migration figures since 1964 with additional data and information that provides context to what may have affected international migration at that time. The Timeline can be viewed here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/interactive/theme-pages-1-1/index.html
5. New questions on the IPS
The IPS is reviewed annually and new questions appear from January. For migration statistics’ purposes, an additional question was added to the IPS in 2012 that asks applicable emigrants their main reason for migrating to the UK originally. This will provide better information on migration patterns of students, which has been the most common reason stated for immigration to the UK since 2009. These new data will be published in August 2013.
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Part-time Employment
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of people who work 17 hours per week. [150432]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what recent estimate has been made of the number of people who work 17 hours per week. (150432)
Estimates of hours worked are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). For the period October to December 2012 it was estimated that 101,000 people worked on average 17 actual hours per week in their main job. Estimates are rounded to the nearest whole hour.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value is likely to lie between 76,000 and 127,000.
Pay
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of staff at senior management level who have received a (a) 1 per cent, (b) 2 per cent, (c) 3 per cent, (d) 4 per cent and (e) 5 per cent pay rise or above in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013. [148936]
Mr Maude: Since May 2010, senior civil servants across Government have been subject to a pay freeze and no pay rises—other than on promotion—have been given to staff at this level in my Department since then.
Political Parties: Conferences
Dr Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the reasons are for the policy that researchers at a Medical Research Council institute may not speak in a private capacity at a party political conference. [150291]
Mr Maude: Non departmental public bodies (NDPBs) must be and be seen to be politically impartial. These principles apply to those working for the Medical Research Council.
Population: Females
Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the size of the female population in each of the next five years. [151004]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office, asking what estimate he has made of the size of the female population in each of the next five years. (151004)
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The most recent national population projections, based on the resident population at the middle of 2010, were published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 26 October 2011. These do not incorporate results from the 2011 Census. Table 1 below gives the projected female population for the United Kingdom and its constituent countries, 2013 to 2018.
| Table 1: Projected female population for the United Kingdom and its constituent countries, 2013-18 | ||||||
| Thousand | ||||||
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| Source: Office for National Statistics. | ||||||
National population projections are not forecasts and do not attempt to predict the impact that factors such as future government policies or changing economic circumstances might have on the population. The projections are based on assumptions of future mortality, fertility and migration which are based on demographic trends. The projections become increasingly uncertain the further they are carried forward. To help understand the uncertainty, a number of variant projections based on alternative assumptions are also produced.
15 Apr 2013 : Column 172W
Prostate Cancer: Yorkshire and the Humber
Andrew Percy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many men in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber died from advanced prostate cancer in each of the last five years. [150597]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many men in (a) Brigg and Goole constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber died from advanced prostate cancer in each of the last five years. (150597)
Table 1 provides the number of deaths where prostate cancer was the underlying cause of death, in Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency and Yorkshire and the Humber region, for deaths registered between 2007 and 2011 (the latest year available).
The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and underlying cause (including cancer), are published annually on the ONS website at:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-27475
| Table 1. Number of deaths where the underlying cause was prostate cancer in Brigg and Goole parliamentary constituency and Yorkshire and the Humber region, deaths registered between 2007 and 2011(1,2,3) | |||||
| Deaths (males) | |||||
| Area of usual residence | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Underlying cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code C61 (Malignant neoplasm of prostate). It has been assumed that where prostate cancer was judged to be the underlying cause of death, it can be considered ‘advanced’. (2) Figures are based on boundaries correct as at February 2013 and exclude non-residents. (3) Figures are based on deaths registered rather than deaths occurring in a calendar year. Further information on registration delays for a range of causes including prostate cancer can be found on the ONS website: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/health-and-life-events/impact-of-registration-delays-on-mortality-statistics/index.html | |||||
Retail Trade
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of total retail spending was spent in high streets in each of the last 30 years. [150335]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for Cabinet Office what estimate has been made of the proportion of total retail spending spent in high streets in each of the last 30 years. [150335]
ONS retail sales figures cannot be separated between UK high streets and out of town shopping centres. However, data are available on the value of online sales compared to total sales. The monthly retail sales index release can be found on the National Statistics website:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rsi/retail-sales/index.html
The table that shows the total sales (in millions of pounds), broken down by online and store based sales. Also shown is the proportion of online sales versus store based sales. Historic data are provided as far back as 2007, when online retailing was first captured.
| All retailing excluding automotive fuel | |||||
| AGG 21X | |||||
| Sales (millions of pounds) | Sales (percentage of total) | ||||
| Total | Internet | Non-internet | Internet | Non-internet | |
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total retail market turnover was in each of the last 30 years. [150425]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated March 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what estimate has been made of the total retail market turnover in each of the last 30 years. [150425]
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ONS produce monthly total retail sales estimates as far back as January 1986. The amount spent as measured by the value of retail sales is most suitable for answering your question and can be found here:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/about-ons/what-we-do/publication-scheme/published-ad-hoc-data/economy/april-2013/amount-spent-in-the-retail-sector.xls
Telephone Services
John Healey: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) for each of the principal access numbers operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible, what revenue has been retained by (i) the telephone provider for that line and (ii) his Department in each of the last three years; [149988]
(2) which telephone lines are operated by (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for which he is responsible for public enquiries or other services; what the (i) principal access number and (ii) telephone service provider is for each number; and which such lines (A) are free to the caller and (B) may incur a charge to the caller. [150011]
Mr Hurd: The Cabinet Office has a single principal access number which is 020 7276 1234.
The Department does not hold information on what revenue has been retained by the telephone provider of the line, nor does the Department retain any revenue from the line.
Unemployment: North Lanarkshire
Pamela Nash: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of people aged between 18 and 65 years are not in employment and do not claim benefits in (a) Airdrie and Shotts constituency and (b) North Lanarkshire local authority area. [150570]
Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of people aged between 18 and 65 years are not in employment and do not claim benefits in (a) Airdrie and Shotts constituency and (b) North Lanarkshire local authority area (150570).
Labour market statistics for local areas are calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). However, due to small sample sizes, estimates of the number of people not in employment and not claiming benefits are not provided for Airdrie and Shotts constituency.
For those resident in North Lanarkshire, 11,000 or 5.4% of people aged 18 to 64 were not in work and not claiming benefits, according to responses to the APS during the period January to December 2012. It should be noted that comparisons between the data collected by the APS, and administrative data collected by other government departments, show that the APS consistently undercounts benefit claimants.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
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National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Attorney-General
Crown Prosecution Service
Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints have been received from (a) magistrates, (b) judges and (c) court staff on the operation of the Crown Prosecution Service in the last year for which figures are available. [151006]
The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to giving individuals directly affected by our service the opportunity to tell us whether or not we have met the standards we have set. The CPS Feedback and Complaints policy ensures that complaints are dealt with sensitively, fairly and thoroughly, and that all feedback (positive and negative) is properly considered and acted upon. Complaints from the police, court staff, the judiciary, or staff from any other criminal justice agency, which are made in their professional capacity, fall outside of this policy and are dealt with in accordance with local liaison arrangements between the relevant agency and the CPS. The CPS record the numbers of complaints and feedback which fall within the remit of the policy; however the numbers of complaints received by the CPS from CJS staff are not centrally recorded and could not be determined without incurring a disproportionate cost.
Sentencing
Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General what his policy is regarding amending criminal charges to (a) a lesser charge and (b) a more serious charge when a plea has been taken in court but where the defendant has not been sentenced for the originally charged offence. [151009]
The Attorney-General: All decisions by Crown Prosecutors to charge a criminal offence are taken in accordance with the guidance set out by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Code for Crown Prosecutors (the Code). Prosecutors must be satisfied that there is a realistic prospect of conviction and that a prosecution is required in the public interest. Charges should reflect the seriousness of the offending; provide the court with adequate sentencing powers; and enable the case to be presented clearly and simply.
When considering whether to accept a defendant's guilty plea to a different and possibly less serious charge, prosecutors consider the Code and guidance published by the Attorney-General on The Acceptance of Pleas and the Prosecutor's role in the sentencing exercise.
Written Answers to Questions
Monday 15 April 2013
Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of an increased rate of air passenger duty on tourist revenues to the UK. [150675]
Sajid Javid: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 11 March 2013, Official Report, column 34W.
Alcoholic Drinks: Prices
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect that a minimum unit price for alcohol would have on the amount of duty paid on alcohol. [150848]
Sajid Javid: The Government's consultation on the introduction of a minimum unit price for alcohol of 45p has recently closed. The consultation stage impact assessment sets out the impacts of a 45p minimum unit price—this is available on the Home Office website.
The estimate of the impact on Exchequer revenue will be developed further based on the consultation feedback.
Banks: Loans
Naomi Long: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the Funding For Lending scheme in Northern Ireland. [150832]
Greg Clark: The Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) was launched to boost bank lending to UK households and non-financial businesses. The UK Government are committed to helping Northern Irish businesses grow and will continue to work hard to support the Northern Irish economy, including in the area of bank lending.
Betting Shops: Taxation
Ian Lavery: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) general betting duty, (b) gaming machine duty, (c) VAT, (d) corporation tax, (e) other taxes and (f) horseracing and greyhound levies were paid by operators of licensed betting offices in the 2011 financial year. [150407]
Sajid Javid: A breakdown of general betting duty, machine gaming duty, VAT, corporation tax, other taxes and horseracing and greyhound levies paid by operators of licensed betting offices is not available.
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HMRC publishes betting and gaming duty revenue collected in the betting, gaming and lottery bulletin:
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutyBulletins.aspx
Business: Loans
Toby Perkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the potential mis-selling of fixed rate loans through the provision of mis-leading information on their breakage costs. [150854]
Sajid Javid: The Financial Conduct Authority is currently undertaking a review into the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products. The banks concerned have committed to completing these reviews within six months.
Debts: Developing Countries
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of expenditure on official development assistance he expects to be attributable to debt cancellation in (a) 2012-13 and (b) 2013-14. [150577]
Greg Clark: Debt cancellation accounted for 0.72% of official development assistance in 2012 according to provisional figures. The Government do not publish debt relief forecasts as they are estimates and could prejudice the UK's policy stance to the countries involved.
Debts: East Africa
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he expects debt cancellation for Sudan and Zimbabwe to contribute to official development assistance expenditure by 2013-14. [150579]
Greg Clark: The Government made provision for debt relief for both Sudan and Zimbabwe during the 2010 spending review. The Government do not publish debt relief forecasts as they are estimates and could prejudice the UK's policy stance to the countries involved.
European Investment Bank
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 130 of the Office for Budget Responsibility publication, Economic and fiscal outlook, March 2013, for what reasons the UK's contribution to the European Investment Bank has been reclassified for accounting purposes; when that decision was taken; and who made that decision. [150665]
Greg Clark:
The UK's contribution to the European Investment Bank has not been reclassified for accounting purposes. In the Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is referring to a change in assumption about the classification of spending that the reserve would be used to fund. Before autumn statement on 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882, the OBR assumed all of the reserve would be used to fund spending that affects the deficit. However, since autumn statement it has correctly assumed that £1.3 billion of the reserve in 2012-13 is used to fund the UK's contribution to increasing the paid-in capital of the European Investment Bank, as was agreed at
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the European Council of 28 and 29 June 2012. This contribution is classified as a financial transaction, and does not affect the deficit.
The details of this payment were set out in paragraph 2.45 of the 2012 autumn statement document.
Gift Aid
Alun Cairns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to reviewing the length of the process for charities to register for Gift Aid to reflect modern technologies and fundraising routes. [150190]
Sajid Javid: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is launching a new Charities Online service on 22 April. This will enable charities to file their Gift Aid claims online. The service will be extended later this year to allow organisations to also apply online to HMRC for recognition for charitable tax purposes. Charities will benefit from an easier process for claiming Gift Aid and a reduction in administrative burdens.
Gift Aid: Brigg and Goole
Andrew Percy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many charities registered in Brigg and Goole constituency have applied for Gift Aid in each of the last five years; and how much such charities have received through Gift Aid in each such year. [150596]
Sajid Javid: HM Revenue and Customs does not separately identify Gift Aid claims by regions of the UK.
Amounts of tax repaid to charities in the UK on donations under Gift Aid are published in Table 10.1 on the HMRC website at:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/charity.htm
In 2011-12 a total of £1,076 million (provisional figure) was repaid to UK charities under Gift Aid.
Income Tax
Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of producing the document, The Exchequer effect of the 50 per cent additional rate of income tax, published by HM Revenue and Customs in March 2012. [149869]
Mr Gauke: At Budget 2011 the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated that he had asked HM Revenue and Customs to assess the revenue from the 50% additional rate of income tax.
The cost of analysis of the self-assessment data and consideration of evidence around behavioural response forms part of HMRC's baseline running costs.
Minimum Wage
Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out each category of data HM Revenue and Customs routinely collects regarding compliance with national minimum wage rules. [150719]
Mr Gauke: In cases of minimum wage non-compliance, HMRC will collect:
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Number, age and gender of underpaid workers.
The period and amount of the arrears.
The type of work that the worker is doing e.g. time work, output, salaried or unmeasured.
Amount of any penalty charge.
Standard Industry Code relating to the trade of the employer.
Whether advice has been provided on record-keeping.
Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fines have been imposed for non-compliance with national minimum wage rules in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [150720]
Mr Gauke: Prior to 6 April 2009, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issued penalty notices to those employers who failed to comply, within 28 days, with an enforcement notice. A new enforcement regime, introduced in April 2009, saw the introduction of automatic penalties for employers who are found to have underpaid their workers. The numbers of penalty charges made from that date are in the following table:
| Financial year | Number of penalties charged |
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of people likely to benefit from the proposed Help to Buy scheme in each (a) nation and (b) region; and how many such beneficiaries are in each income decile. [150247]
Danny Alexander: Help to Buy: equity loan will help up to 74,000 buyers of new build homes over the next three years. The number of people who will benefit in each region, and their level of income, is dependent on a number of factors including demand from home-buyers and developers and property prices. As housing is devolved, the Help to Buy: equity loan scheme will only be available in England, although the devolved Administrations will receive Barnett consequentials.
The Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee will be available on mortgages on homes across the UK. Depending on its final design, it will be sufficient to support £130 billion worth of mortgages, UK-wide. This could benefit up to 190,000 households per year. Actual take up will depend on demand.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total Barnett consequentials will be awarded to Scotland as a result of his Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. [150420]
Danny Alexander: The Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee will be available on mortgages on homes across the UK and therefore no Barnett consequentials will apply.
Ann McKechin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his proposed Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme will apply to England only. [150421]
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Sajid Javid: No. The Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee will be available on mortgages on homes across the UK.
National Insurance Contributions: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue accrued to the Exchequer as a result of national insurance contributions paid by (a) employers and (b) employees in respect of the employment of a person under 25 years old in Scotland in the latest period for which figures are available. [149796]
Mr Gauke: The estimated amount of class 1 national insurance contributions paid in Scotland in respect of the employment of a person under 25 years old in Scotland was:
| National insurance contributions paid in Scotland in respect of employment of a person under 25 years old | ||
| £ billion | ||
| Class 1 Employee NICs | Class 1 Employer NICs | |
Figures for 2011-12 and 2012-13 are not available.
Estimates are based on a 1% sample of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) data. The sample is based on accruals data; it relies upon P14 forms completed by employers at the end of each tax year and may differ from receipts figures that may be available from other sources.
Pamela Nash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value was of (a) employer and (b) employee national insurance contributions from Scotland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [149875]
Mr Gauke: The estimated amount of class 1 national insurance contributions paid in Scotland is shown in the following table.
| National insurance contributions from Scotland | ||
| £ billion | ||
| Class 1 employee NICs | Class 1 employer NICs | |
Figures for 2011-12 and 2012-13 are not available.
Estimates are based on a 1% sample of pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) data. The sample is based on accruals data; it relies upon P14 forms completed by employers at the end of each tax year and may differ from receipts figures that may be available from other sources.
Nuclear Power Stations: Finance
Paul Flynn:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraphs 1.96-1.97 of the Red Book, if he will take steps to ensure private power generation companies planning to develop nuclear power plants will have to pay in full at commercial rates for any assistance provided on infrastructure development by the new cadre of commercial infrastructure specialists
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and from the enhanced Major Projects Authority in line with Coalition agreement policy on no subsidies for new nuclear power plants. [151078]
Sajid Javid: The enhanced central cadre of commercial infrastructure specialists announced at Budget 2013 will be deployed into public sector bodies, not into private companies.
Part-time Employment: Overseas Students
Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of international students to the UK economy in each of the last five years. [150869]
Sajid Javid: International students contribute to the UK economy through both their spending in the UK and the tuition fees they pay, supporting employment and the local economy in university towns and increasing export earnings. Exact figures are not available but education exports are estimated to contribute more than £14 billion to the UK economy each year, and this is estimated to increase to over £20 billion by 2020.
Child Poverty
Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many school-aged children were living in households in relative income poverty, measured after housing costs, that had household earnings after tax of between (a) £5,000 and £5,999, (b) £6,000 and £6,999, (c) £7,000 and £7,999, (d) £8,000 and £8,999 and (e) £10,000 and £16,190 in the most recent period for which figures are available; [150249]
(2) how many school-aged children were living in households in relative income poverty, measured after housing costs and had a household income for tax credit purposes of between (a) £5,000 and £5,999, (b) £6,000 and £6,999, (c) £7,000 and £7,999, (d) £8,000 and £8,999 and (e) £10,000 and £16,190 in the most recent period for which figures are available. [150250]
Esther McVey: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
The following table shows estimates of the number of school-aged children living in relative poverty, after housing costs, grouped by household earnings after tax.
| Household earnings after tax (band) | After housing costs (millions) |
Information concerning the number of school-aged children living in relative poverty grouped by household income for tax credit purposes is not available.
Some technical notes concerning the above table:
1. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI) data sourced from the 2010/11 Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted
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using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, to identify children living in relative poverty—that is, children living in households with less than 60% of median contemporary household income.
2. However, the households earnings measure (used to group the households/children in relative poverty) is unequivalised, i.e. it has not been adjusted for household size and composition. Household earnings (as used here) are the total household earnings, after tax, from employment and self-employment.
3. Figures have been presented on an after housing costs basis, where housing costs are deducted from income. Typically, headline relative poverty statistics are presented on a before housing costs basis, where housing costs are not deducted from income.
4. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.
5. For the purpose of this PQ, a school-aged child is defined as being aged at least four (and in education) and aged under 16, plus those aged 16 to 19-years old if they are: not married nor in a civil partnership nor living with a partner; and living with parents; and in full-time non-advanced education.
6. Full-time non-advanced education is defined as primary (including reception class), state-run special schools (e.g. for children with disabilities and special education needs), middle-deemed primary (state run or assisted), middle-deemed secondary school (state run or assisted), secondary school (state run or assisted), non-advanced further education/6th form/tertiary/further education college, Any private/independent school (prep, primary, secondary, City Technology colleges) and home schooling.
7. Numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children.
Further related information can be found in the households below average income series published at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2011/index.php?page=contents
The 2011/12 edition of households below average income is due to be published by the Department of Work and Pensions in May/June 2013.
Income matters but considering this in isolation fails to properly reflect the reality of child poverty in the UK today. We want to develop better measures of child poverty which include income but provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty. Our consultation on how best to measure child poverty closed on 15 February. A large volume of responses were received and all are being read and analysed to ensure that all important points are captured and used to help Ministers decide on the next steps.
Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net annual difference in the block grant to the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of (a) the Budget 2013 and (b) a lowering of the corporation tax rate to 10 per cent. [150523]
Mr Gauke: As a result of policy decisions announced at Budget 2013, the Northern Ireland Executive will benefit from an additional £54 million of spending power over the next two years.
No assessment has been made of the impact of a 10% corporation tax rate in Northern Ireland on the block grant.
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Recruitment
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what amount his Department spent on advertising job vacancies in each year from 2005 to 2009; [150683]
(2) how much his Department spent on advertising job vacancies in (a) 2005, (b) 2006, (c) 2007, (d) 2008 and (e) 2009. [151085]
Sajid Javid: Figures for spend on advertising job vacancies between 2005 and 2008 are not available as they are not held separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Details of spend for recruitment advertising for job vacancies are available for the financial year 2008-09 and 2009-10 as follows:
| Spend (£) | |
It is also worth noting that spending on recruitment advertising has reduced significantly since May 2010 following the Government’s introduction of the civil service recruitment freeze. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds West (Rachel Reeves) on 30 January 2013, Official Report, column 798W.
Royal Liverpool Hospital
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to reach a decision on the rebuilding of the Royal Liverpool University Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [150437]
Danny Alexander: I approved a Draft Appointment Business Case for the proposed new Royal Liverpool Hospital on 27 March. This approval, subject to the satisfaction of relevant conditions, allows the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust to close competitive dialogue with bidders and to call for final bids.
Tax Allowances: Video Games
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date the video games tax credit, as announced in Budget 2012, will be implemented. [150860]
Mr Gauke: As confirmed at Budget 2013, the video games tax relief will be introduced following state aid approval. The Government are working closely with the Commission and industry representatives to ensure that the scheme is implemented as early as possible.
Taxation: Self-assessment
Robert Halfon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has for changes to the maintenance and support arrangements for the online self-assessment tax system from 1 July 2013; and if he will make a statement; [149853]
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(2) what risk assessment he has carried out of the future stability and reliability of the online self-assessment tax system under the new maintenance and support arrangements from 1 July 2013. [149854]
Mr Gauke: The majority of HMRC's IT services are outsourced through the ASPIRE Contract with Capgemini, who manage the IT supply chain for the Department. As part of its ongoing value for money activity, Capgemini is making changes to the supplier arrangements for the maintenance and support of the Self Assessment system from July 2013. HMRC holds Capgemini to account for the effective delivery of the Self Assessment maintenance and support arrangements as part of that contract.
Venture Capital
Heather Wheeler: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the amount of funding invested in small and medium-sized enterprises through venture capital trusts since their introduction; and what assessment he has made of future trends in such investment; [149697]
(2) what assessment he has made of the number of jobs to be created in small and medium-sized enterprises as a result of venture capital trust funding over the next five years. [149698]
Mr Gauke: Between 1995-96 and 2011-12 £4.7 billion was raised by venture capital trusts. At least 70% of all funds raised by venture capital trusts are invested in small and medium-sized enterprises.
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HM Revenue and Customs publishes National Statistics on the amounts of funds raised by venture capital trusts for each year between 1995-96 and 2011-12.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/vct/table8-6.pdf
There are no data available on future trends of investment in small and medium-sized enterprises by venture capital trusts or on the number of jobs that have been created by venture capital trusts.
Health
Accident and Emergency Departments: Greater Manchester
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients waited more than four hours for treatment at the Central Manchester Foundation Trust accident and emergency departments at (a) Trafford General Hospital and (b) Manchester Royal Infirmary in each of the last four quarters for which data are available; [149926]
(2) how many patients waited more than four hours for treatment at each accident and emergency department in Greater Manchester in each of the last four quarters for which data are available. [149927]
Anna Soubry: Information showing the number of patients waiting more than four hours for treatment at accident and emergency (A and E) departments at national health service trusts and foundation trusts across Greater Manchester, for the last four quarters, is shown in the following tables. Information is not available by hospital.
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Alder Hey Children’s Hospital
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the debt to equity ratio is in the funding for the new private finance initiative project signed-off by his Department to rebuild Alder Hey Children's Hospital; and who the funders are for each type of investment; [150441]
(2) what the state equity stake is in the new private finance initiative project signed-off by his Department to rebuild Alder Hey Children's Hospital. [150442]
Dr Poulter: The precise gearing (ratio of debt to equity finance) at financial close for the private finance initiative (PFI) scheme at Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust is 88.07:11.93 debt to equity, with debt being provided by M&G and European Investment Bank (EIB). Equity is provided by the Acorn consortium (John Laing, Laing O'Rourke and Interserve).
There is no public sector equity stake in the Alder Hey PFI project. The Government announced details of a new public private partnership model to replace the PFI, Private Finance 2 (PF2), in December 2012 under which the public sector should consider acting as a co-investor on future projects. Given the advanced stage of procurement of the Alder Hey scheme it was not appropriate to apply this principle to that specific scheme.
Azathioprine
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of supply of azathioprine; and if he will make a statement. [149929]
Norman Lamb: We are aware that there are intermittent supply problems with one strength of Azathioprine tablets due to problems with the supply of the active ingredient and manufacturing capacity problems. However, the other strength is freely available.
Brain: Tumours
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has met representatives from the charity HeadSmart to discuss how GPs might be better trained to diagnose the early symptoms of brain tumours in children; and if he will make a statement. [149724]
Dr Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not met representatives from the charity HeadSmart.
The content and standard of health care training is the responsibility of the independent regulatory bodies. Through their role as the custodians of quality standards in education and practice, these organisations are committed to ensuring high quality patient care delivered by high quality health professionals and that health care professionals are equipped with the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to deal with the problems and conditions they will encounter in practice.
From 1 April 2013, Health Education England will be responsible for promoting high quality education and training that is responsive to the changing needs of patients and local communities.
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Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent comparative assessment he has made of the UK's international performance on the diagnosis of childhood brain tumours; and if he will make a statement. [150083]
Anna Soubry: The Department has made no comparative assessment of the United Kingdom's international performance on the diagnosis of childhood brain tumours.
‘Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer’, published on 12 January 2011, sets out our ambition to bring England's cancer survival rates in line with the European average by 2014-15. Research has shown that to match the European average we need to save 5,000 additional lives per year. Over 3,000 of the 5,000 lives are expected to be saved by earlier diagnosis of symptomatic cancers.
This research also shows that if England's survival rates were as good as the best in Europe we would save 10,000 additional lives per year. This figure has also been broken down by tumour site and we estimate that we would save 225 additional lives each year if we matched the best European survival rate for brain cancer.
The Government's Mandate between the Secretary of State for Health and the NHS Commissioning Board clearly states our ambition for excellent care for everyone, regardless of age. It also recognises the need to improve access to treatment; the quality of care offered and health outcomes for all patients, including children. An indicator on ‘five year survival from all cancers in children' is included in Domain 1 of the NHS Outcomes Framework (preventing premature deaths). This will help us to measure improvements in survival in children and young people under 15 years.
Cancer: East Midlands
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the operation of the East Midlands Cancer Drugs Fund. [150541]
Norman Lamb: The Cancer Drugs Fund has so far helped over 1,800 patients in the East Midlands strategic health authority area to access the additional cancer drugs their clinicians recommend.
The NHS Commissioning Board took on oversight of the Cancer Drugs Fund from 1 April 2013.
Care and Support Bill (Draft)
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the provision of rights and support for young carers in the draft Care and Support Bill; and if he will make a statement. [150485]
Norman Lamb: During public consultation and pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft Care and Support Bill, a number of concerns have been raised about provision for assessment and support for young carers.
The Government are clear that children and young people should not undertake inappropriate caring responsibilities or levels of caring that impact adversely on their ability to learn or thrive.
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The Department of Health and Department for Education are considering how this can best be secured through the legislative frameworks for both children and adults and through non-legislative means.
Deloitte
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will place in the Library all correspondence between officials in his Department and Deloitte MSC Limited between 1 January 2010 and 1 May 2010; [150528]
(2) if he will list the dates and attendance list of all meetings between officials in his Department and any employee of Deloitte MCS Limited between 1 November 2009 and 1 May 2010. [150994]
Dr Poulter: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it is not collected centrally.
The Department's central procurement database shows that Deloitte MSC Ltd did not submit any tenders or bids for work contracted by the Department between 1 January 2010 and 1 May 2010, therefore no correspondence has been recorded between those dates. A search of the Department's centralised correspondence database also shows no correspondence was received from Deloitte MSC Ltd between 1 January 2010 and 1 May 2010.
Dementia
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the successful bidders for funding under the recent dementia-friendly environment grants scheme. [150667]
Norman Lamb: The Department announced the successful applicants for stage 1 of the £50 million funding of capital projects to improve care environments for people with dementia.
The list of successful applicants has been placed in the Library.
Diabetes
Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department plans to publish the document entitled Best Practice for Commissioning Diabetes Services—An Integrated Care Framework. [149846]
Anna Soubry: The document entitled ‘Best Practice for Commissioning Diabetes Services—An Integrated Care Framework’ has been published by NHS Diabetes and was launched at the Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference held in Manchester 13-15 March 2013.
The document can be accessed via the following link:
www.tinyurl.com/CommissioningDiabetes
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the diabetes action plan. [150292]
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Anna Soubry: I refer the right hon. Member to the written answer I gave on 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 521W, to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr Sanders).
Endocrinology
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the World Health Organisation and UN Environment Programme report entitled State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, published on 19 February 2013; whether his Department will take steps to carry out the recommendations in the report; and if he will make a statement. [150100]
Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
DEFRA co-ordinates cross-Government activity on issues of chemicals with potential endocrine disrupting activity.
We have requested an assessment of the report “State of the Science of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals” prepared by the WHO/UNEP from the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC). We will consider the report's recommendations in light of the views of HSAC and those of internal, cross-Government experts, taking into account the recent Scientific Opinion on the hazard assessment of endocrine disruptors by the European Food Safety Authority's Scientific Committee.