Written Answers to Questions
Monday 22 April 2013
Northern Ireland
Aviation
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representation she has made to the Secretary of State for Transport concerning an aviation strategy for Northern Ireland. [152060]
Mrs Villiers: I have regular discussions with my ministerial colleagues on transportation matters, and in particular the importance of regular flights to the London airports, including Heathrow, which directly benefit business, tourism and the general travelling public in Northern Ireland.
Computers
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) desktop computers, (b) laptop computers and (c) tablet devices her Department has purchased in the last two years. [151343]
Mike Penning: My Department did not purchase any desktop computers, laptop computers or tablet devices during the 2011-12 financial year.
The following items were purchased during the 2012-13 financial year:
(a) Three desktop computers
(b) Four laptop computers
(c) Four tablet devices.
Dementia
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether her Department has a dementia strategy. [151832]
Mike Penning: While my Department does not have a dementia strategy, members of staff can avail of workplace support services and occupational health services if they wish to seek advice or support in relation to this or any other health related issue.
Security
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) shootings, (b) bombings, (c) written threats, (d) verbal threats, (e) people leaving home due to threats and (f) punishment beatings have been reported as the work of dissident Republicans in each of the last three years. [150644]
Mike Penning: The information requested by the hon. Member is held by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The hon. Gentleman may wish to write to the Chief Constable about his query.
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Visits Abroad
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what her Department's budget was for overseas travel for officials and Ministers in 2012-13. [151363]
Mike Penning: My Department does not have a separate budget for overseas travel. While outturn figures for the 2012-13 financial year have not yet been finalised, my hon. Friend may, however, wish to note that expenditure on overseas travel during the year is estimated to have been in the region of £45,000.
Scotland
Devolution
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the First Minister of Scotland; and what issues were discussed at that meeting. [152212]
Michael Moore: My last substantive meeting with the First Minister was on 15 October 2012 when Scotland's two Governments reached agreement on the process to ensure that there is a legal, fair and decisive referendum.
Disclosure of Information
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in his Department were subject to non-disclosure agreements between 2006 and 2010. [152062]
David Mundell: No civil servants in the Scotland Office have been subject to a non-disclosure agreement between 2006 and 2010.
Redundancy Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many officials in his Department received payments under a voluntary exit scheme in each of the last five years; and at what total cost in each such year. [152656]
David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All staff are assigned to the Office on a secondment type arrangement, principally from the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice or on loan from another Government Department who remain the employers. It is these bodies which would operate any voluntary exit schemes.
Scottish Employability Forum
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will (a) publish and (b) place in the Library a copy of the National Delivery Group's paper on recommendations for key areas of action for the Scottish Employability Forum following that body's meeting of 31 January 2013. [152500]
David Mundell: Papers relating to the Scottish Employability Forum are published on the website
www.employabilityinscotland.com
and the Scotland Office website as soon as they are available.
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Wales
Dementia
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has a dementia strategy. [151836]
Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right, and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) provides employment services on our behalf. Neither the Wales Office nor MOJ have a specific dementia strategy. Staff who take on caring responsibilities are supported by policies on flexible and part-time working and special leave, including career breaks. Staff directly affected are assisted by line managers, the MOJ Occupational Health Service, and the MOJ Reasonable Adjustment Support Service in making adjustments that support the individual in work.
M4
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the funding of an M4 relief road. [152224]
Mr David Jones: I have regular discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on a range of issues including the funding of an M4 relief road. The Chancellor and I have both made clear the importance with which we view this project, and we are continuing to work with the Welsh Government to progress it.
Home Department
Antisocial Behaviour
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to publish an evaluation into the effectiveness of Community Trigger in the pilot areas of Manchester, Brighton and Hove, Boston and West Lindsey and Richmond upon Thames. [152324]
Mr Jeremy Browne: A Home Office report on the Community Trigger trials, together with individual reports from each of the trial areas, will be published shortly.
Crime: Industrial Estates
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research her Department has undertaken into the prevalence of crime on industrial estates. [152238]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Findings from the 2012 Commercial Victimisation Survey show that around 37% of business premises on industrial estates in the sectors surveyed had experienced at least one incident of crime in the last 12 months. For comparison, across all the premises in the sectors surveyed, 46% of businesses had experienced at least one incident of crime in the last 12 months.
The 2012 Commercial Victimisation Survey provides information on crimes committed against businesses in England and Wales. The survey covered premises in four sectors; wholesale and retail, manufacturing,
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accommodation and food services, and transportation and storage. The findings of the survey are available online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/147935/crime-business-prem-2012-pdf.pdf
Drugs: Misuse
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to control the sale of harmful substances known as legal highs from shops and internet sites which are not advertised for human consumption but are bought for human consumption. [152262]
Mr Jeremy Browne: We are committed to the full use of existing drug control, consumer protection and medicines legislation to disrupt the sale of new psychoactive substances (NPS) advertised for sale as 'legal high' products in UK communities and online.
We know that these products often contain a range of substances which include controlled drugs. UK law enforcement have powers available to detain and seize products which they suspect may contain controlled substances.
Action to restrict drug supply, including illegal NPS, is a priority for law enforcement and the Home Office is working closely with the Serious Organised Crime Agency, Border Force and the police to develop new approaches to identify importers, distributors and sellers of NPS. This activity includes action to close websites advertising illegal NPS; the creation of a multi-agency working group to identify and tackle the trade in NPS by organised criminals; ongoing development of a national intelligence picture; and the publication of Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) practice guidance on NPS for the police.
Sexual Offences: Cumbria
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to open a sexual assault and rape centre in Cumbria; and if she will make a statement. [152269]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Sexual assault referral centres are locally commissioned on a collaborative basis by police and crime commissioners and NHS Commissioning Boards. It is for them to determine if such a centre is required.
Communities and Local Government
Apprentices
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to Lord Adonis of 12 July 2012, House of Lords, Official Report, column WA269, on Government departments: apprentices, whether he has considered implementing the Department for Work and Pensions' apprentice clause into his Department's standard contract. [151707]
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Brandon Lewis: We are currently considering the Department for Work and Pensions' apprentice clause for inclusion into DCLG's standard terms and conditions for future tenders and contracts.
Building Alterations: Planning Permission
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish (a) the summary of consultation responses and (b) his response to the consultation on proposed changes to permitted development rights for extensions to homes and business premises in non-protected areas. [151417]
Nick Boles: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher and Walton (Mr Raab) on 1 March 2013, Official Report, column 682W.
Cleveland Fire Brigade
Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what advice his Department has provided to Cleveland Fire and Rescue Authority on the process and effects of mutualisation; [151792]
(2) what discussions his Department has had with other fire and rescue authorities in the North East regarding the proposed changes in contract at Cleveland Fire and Rescue Authority; [151798]
(3) whether his Department is planning to conduct further consultation on proposals to allow fire and rescue authorities to contract out the full range of their services; [151804]
(4) what assessment his Department has conducted of the potential effects of fire service mutualisation and privatisation proposals on (a) existing mutual aid agreements between services and (b) the establishment of mutual aid agreements in the future; [151805]
(5) whether any legislative reform order brought forward to achieve changes in fire and rescue authorities' contracting will be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure; [151806]
(6) whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment on proposals to allow fire and rescue authorities to contract out the full range of their services; [151807]
(7) what the timescale is for the change in contract by Cleveland Fire and Rescue Authority to contract out services to a mutual; [151808]
(8) whether his Department plans to bring forward primary legislation to allow fire and rescue authorities to contract out the full range of their services; [151809]
(9) what funding his Department has allocated to support the mutualisation of Cleveland Fire Service. [151911]
Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 5 March 2013, Official Report, column 931W, 7 March 2013, Official Report, column 1121W, and of 18 March 2013, Official Report, columns 476-77W, on supporting locally-led mutualisation. It is a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities to assess and decide on whether they want to take up this innovative delivery option.
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Council Tax
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much council tax was outstanding in each local authority area in England in the most recent period for which figures are available. [151859]
Brandon Lewis: I have today placed in the Library of the House a table showing, for each billing authority in England, the total arrears of council tax outstanding as at 31 March 2012, the latest date for which figures are available. The figures relate to all past years of council tax liability. The figures show that in total, there was £2.36 billion of uncollected council tax across England at that date.
The data are as submitted by all billing authorities in England on the Quarterly Return of Council Taxes and Non-domestic rates (QRC4) form. Data on the total arrears of council tax outstanding as at 31 March 2013 will be published in the summer of 2013.
Every penny of council tax that is not collected means a higher council tax for the law-abiding citizen who does pay on time.
It is important that councils are sympathetic to those in genuine hardship, are proportionate in enforcement and do not overuse bailiffs. However, these figures show that there is a significant source of income for councils, which councils could use to support frontline service or cut council tax bills.
Dementia
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has a dementia strategy. [151820]
Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not have a specific dementia strategy. A strategy is in place to support staff experiencing mental health problems in the workplace.
Staff experiencing symptoms of dementia would also be supported through our existing policy and procedures, which may include a referral to our occupational health provider for a recommendation on the reasonable adjustments required.
Disclosure of Information
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many civil servants in his Department have been subject to non-disclosure agreements in each year since 2010. [150027]
Brandon Lewis: All staff are required to adhere to the terms of the Civil Service Code, the Public Interest Disclosure Act and, where appropriate, the Official Secrets Act.
The information requested is not centrally held. But it is not the general policy of the Department to make payments to staff to stop disclosure.
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Emergencies
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the relationship is between his Department and local resilience boards. [152605]
Brandon Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his previous question on 13 September 2012, Official Report, column 306W.
Families: Disadvantaged
Yvette Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many families have received an intervention from the Troubled Families programme. [152633]
Brandon Lewis: In March, my Department published information on the Troubled Families programme, capturing the progress made by each local authority, including the number of families that were being worked with at 31 December 2012 and the number of families turned around at 21 January 2013. This information is available on the Department's website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/troubled-families-programme-progress-by-december-2012
Local authorities submitted their most recent Troubled Families programme progress figures to my Department in early April. This information, including the number of troubled families with whom local authorities are working, is currently being analysed and will be published shortly.
Fire Services
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) if he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to allow the mutualisation of fire and rescue services; [151691]
(2) if it remains his policy that fire and rescue authorities in England will be required to contract out their full range of services. [151696]
Brandon Lewis [holding answer 17 April 2013]: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 5 March 2013, Official Report, column 931W and 7 March 2013, Official Report, column 1121W on supporting locally-led mutualisation. It has not been, and is not, the Government's policy to require fire and rescue authorities to contract out their full range of services.
I also refer the hon. Member to my letter to him of 15 April 2013; a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
Fire Services: Pensions
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to respond to the Normal Pension Age for Firefighters review, published by the Firefighters Pension Committee in December 2012. [152260]
Brandon Lewis: The Normal Pension Age for Firefighters report contains a number of recommendations which I am currently considering carefully. The Government's response will be published shortly.
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Home Care Services
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated cost to local government was of (a) providing care to and (b) adapting the homes of people who have difficulties with mobility in the last five years. [151658]
Mr Prisk: Through the Disabled Facilities Grant, the Government funds local authorities to provide adaptations to the homes of disabled people to help them to live as independently as possible in their own homes. Local authorities can also contribute towards the funding, details of which are provided to the Department of Communities and Local Government in the annual return authorities complete using the Logasnet system. Central Government funding and local authority contributions since 2008-09 are shown in the following table:
| £ million | |||||
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | Total | |
Data on local authority contributions towards the Disabled Facilities Grant were not collected before 2008/09.
It is unlikely that Logasnet collects all the data on the funding local authorities pay towards adaptations.
Data on local authority care costs for people with mobility difficulties are not collected separately.
My Department secured £725 million for the grant in the 2010 spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15. In 2011-12 the annual allocation for the grant rose to £180 million, an increase of £11 million compared to the 2010-11 budget of £169 million. The allocation for the grant will increase further to £185 million by the end of the spending review (2014-15).
Over the last two years, the Government invested an extra £60 million in the Disabled Facilities Grant, bringing the total grant in 2011 12 to £200 million and in 2012-13 to £220 million.
Housing: Construction
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on reasons for withdrawal of applications for planning consent in relation to self-build properties in the latest period for which information is available. [151521]
Nick Boles [holding answer 17 April 2013]: This information is not held centrally.
Housing: Co-operatives
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps he is taking to increase the number of housing co-operatives in the UK; [151786]
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(2) what financial support his Department makes available for housing co-operatives; [151787]
(3) what estimate he has made of the numbers of housing co-operatives in (a) the UK and (b) Scotland. [151788]
Mr Prisk: This Government support the spread of strong, financially robust and democratically accountable housing co-operatives.
The Department for Communities and Local Government does not hold a central register of housing co-operatives in the UK or Scotland. There are currently over 200 housing co-operatives in England registered with the Homes and Communities Agency as providers of affordable housing.
Housing co-operatives that are registered with the Homes and Communities Agency may be eligible to bid for funding through the Affordable Homes Guarantee, Build to Rent and Custom Build programmes. Funding was also available to Community and Voluntary organisations, which include housing co-operatives, to bring empty homes back into use as affordable housing, as well as from the community led element of the Affordable Homes Programme.
More broadly, my Department, through the Homes and Communities Agency, continues to engage with the community led sector, including the Confederation of Cooperative Housing, to support them with their plans to expand the sector.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to repeal section 3(2)(a) of the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006/1371. [151851]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 18 April 2013]: Section 3(2)(a) of the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006/371 limits houses in multiple occupation which are required to be licensed under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 to those which are three storeys or more. The Government considers that this condition is appropriate because these houses present greater risks to their occupiers than other houses, in particular in relation to escaping from fires. There are no plans to repeal this section.
Local housing authorities of areas experiencing problems, with the management of houses in multiple occupation are able, under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004, to bring forward additional licensing schemes for houses in multiple occupation that are not otherwise required to be licensed.
Local Government: Cybercrime
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on (a) the resources to spend and (b) the measures to be used to address cyber security concerns. [151954]
Brandon Lewis:
The National Cyber Security programme has funded a number of training courses and briefings designed to increase understanding of cyber security
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risks and mitigation strategies among senior leaders within central Government and the wider public sector. Over the past 18 months many representatives from local government have attended these sessions and efforts have been made to proactively engage with this audience via newsletters, networks and fora dedicated to the sector.
The National Cyber Security programme funding has also ensured that eLearning training created to address cyber security and general information security risks among staff, previously only accessible by central Government, is now freely available to local government organisations.
Local Government: Equal Pay
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities in England have settled equal pay cases in the last three years; and when such cases were settled. [152240]
Brandon Lewis: Local authorities are independent employers and, as such, are responsible for the management of their workforces. This includes ensuring that they comply with equal pay legislation. The Department does not collect information on the number or status of local authority equal pay cases.
Local Plans
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will consider extending the timeframe for local authorities to produce local area plans. [152261]
Nick Boles: The end of the transitional arrangements should not have a dramatic effect on decision-making in England, and we do not intend to extend it. The framework was in full force from the day it was published on 27 March 2012. The specific transitional arrangements of the framework applied only in a small number of tightly defined circumstances—where councils had post-2004 plans and there was only a limited degree of conflict between those policies and the framework.
Non-domestic Rates
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by how much and what percentage business rates rose in each of the last 20 years. [150687]
Brandon Lewis: Details of the total contribution to the national non-domestic rates pool in England in the last 20 years from the local list, the central list and other contributions, are shown in the following table. Year-on-year changes reflect a number of factors such as:
changes in the rate base;
the retail prices index adjustment to annual bills; and
variations in levels of relief granted.
The Government's commitment to the annual retail prices index cap means that there has been no real terms increase in business rates since 1990. We have also taken a number of steps on business rates. We have:
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temporarily doubled the level of small business rate relief for a further year—making three and a half years in total—so that the higher level of relief will apply throughout 2013-14;
announced a new measure which will mean that empty new builds will be exempt from empty property rates for up to 18 months up to state aid limits between 1 October 2013 and 31 October 2016;
simplified the process for claiming small business rate relief by removing red tape;
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introduced business rate relief in the new Enterprise Zones;
waived £175 million of backdated business rates demands levied on businesses, including some in ports; and
given local authorities wide-ranging, discretionary powers to grant business rates discounts.
| Multiplier (pence) | Number of hereditaments (Thousand) | Rateable value | Local list contribution to the pool | Central list receipts | Other contributions | Total contribution to the pool | |
| Notes: 1. Data for the number of hereditaments and the rateable value are taken from National non-domestic (NNDR1) forecast returns and are as at 31 December of the previous year, i.e. the number of hereditaments shown for 2004-05 is as at 31 December 2003. The data for local list contribution to the pool are taken from National non-domestic (NNDR3) outturn returns. Both forms are submitted annually by all billing authorities in England. 2. The figures for “Other contributions” include Crown contributions and contributions in lieu of rates for crown properties (CILOR). The large reduction in “Other contributions” from 2000-01 onwards is due to the crown contributions being paid as part of the local list. 3. From 2005-06, the figure shown for the multiplier is the amount that applies to ratepayers benefiting from the small business rate relief scheme. A supplement, which was reassessed each year, applies to other properties to fund the small business rate relief scheme. | |||||||
Planning Inspectorate: Cumbria
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff are employed by the Planning Inspectorate in Cumbria; and what proportion of such staff are paid at or above the relevant level of the living wage. [152627]
Nick Boles: The Planning Inspectorate employs two staff in Cumbria. Both are paid above the level of the living wage.
Planning Permission
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average length of time taken by the Planning Inspectorate to reach a decision on whether a local development plan is compliant with the National Planning Policy Framework once that plan has been submitted to the Inspectorate. [149064]
Nick Boles [holding answer 19 March 2013]: The average time taken by the Planning Inspectorate to examine submitted plans following the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework to the issue of a final report is 28 weeks and three days.
We have produced guidance providing advice on how to carry out a fast track review of specific policies in local plans following the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework. This fast track guidance has been made available to help local councils update the discrete parts of their local plan in around six months:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planningsystem/localplanspolicy
Property Development: Floods
James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps he is taking to discourage local authorities from allocating land for new housing in areas of flood risk; [151771]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of houses local authorities plan to build in areas at risk of flooding in the next five years. [151772]
Nick Boles:
We are very clear in the National Planning Policy Framework that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided. Local
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authorities should direct development away from areas at highest risk, but where development is necessary, it must be demonstrated that it is safe and will not increase flood risk elsewhere. Local plans will be examined by an independent inspector to assess, among other matters, whether the plan is consistent with national policy.
Given the expectations set out in national policy, we do not estimate the number of houses local authorities plan to build in areas at risk of flooding.
Recreation Spaces
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what protection the registration of land in the Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust gives against development; and if he will make a statement. [151927]
Nick Boles: The qualifying criteria for the Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge are explained on the Fields in Trust website and indicate that a landowner is expected to enter into a ‘deed of dedication’.
The protection this affords is additional to the strong protections for open space in the National Planning Policy Framework. The framework also includes a new planning designation to protect green spaces including playing fields which are special to local communities.
Regional Planning and Development
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1165W, on regional planning and development: West Midlands, what weight will be given to the abolished regional spatial strategies and their evidence bases when the Planning Inspectorate considers planning appeals. [151887]
Nick Boles [holding answer 18 April 2013]: The starting point for determining planning decisions is an up-to-date development plan. Decisions should be made in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
When the Regional Strategy for the West Midlands is revoked, the development plan across that locality will consist of local plans and where they exist, neighbourhood plans that have been made following successful examination and referendum. The Regional Strategy will no longer form part of the statutory development plan once revoked by Order.
The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that local plans should be supported by an up-to-date evidence base. The evidence that informed the Regional Strategies may be out-dated especially given the different economic circumstances following the financial turmoil in the last Administration. Each case will depend on its particular facts.
Social Rented Housing: EU Nationals
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons an EEA national exercising their right to freedom of movement as a self-sufficient person may (a) need and (b) be entitled to social housing. [152621]
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Mr Prisk: There is no entitlement to social housing.
European economic area nationals who have a right to reside in the UK on the basis that they are self-sufficient are eligible for social housing, if they are habitually resident in the common travel area (the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland). To be considered self-sufficient, a person must have (i) sufficient resources not to become a burden on the social assistance system of the UK and (ii) comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the UK.
To be allocated social housing an eligible applicant must also meet the local authority's own qualification criteria and have sufficient priority under the local authority's allocation scheme.
An allocation scheme must be framed to ensure that certain categories of people are given 'reasonable preference' for social housing, because they have an identified housing need, including people who are homeless, overcrowded households, and people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds.
The Government want to tackle the widespread perception that the way social housing is allocated is unfair and favours foreign migrants over local people and the armed forces.
In 2010-11, one in six existing social housing tenants in London were not British or Irish nationals and, across England in 2011-12, almost one in 10 social lettings made to tenants new to social housing were to non-United Kingdom nationals.
That is why we have announced our intention to introduce new statutory guidance to ensure that local authorities amend their allocation policies so that only those with a well-established local residency and local connections are able to go on the waiting list and qualify for a taxpayer-funded social home. Councils will be required to make exceptions to support members of the armed forces who apply for housing, who may not have established local residency due to the nature of their work.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tough-new-housing-rules-to-control-immigration
Prime Minister
Corporation Tax
Jim Shannon: To ask the Prime Minister what his policy is on devolving power to set corporation tax to the devolved Assemblies. [150898]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
Following the recommendations of the Calman Commission this Government passed the Scotland Act 2012 which transferred a range of fiscal powers to the Scottish Parliament.
We are currently considering the recommendations made in the Silk Commission's report on devolution of fiscal powers to the Welsh Assembly.
Following consultation in 2011 a ministerial working group looked at options for rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy including devolution of corporation tax. A final decision will be made in autumn 2014.
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Energy
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech at the launch of the Department for Energy and Climate Change's energy efficiency mission on 4 February 2013. [152603]
The Prime Minister: A copy has been placed in both Libraries of the House.
UK Trade and Investment
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make the necessary changes to the machinery of government to remove responsibility for UK Trade and Investment from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and establish it as a standalone public body with parliamentary oversight. [152722]
The Prime Minister: There are no current plans for machinery of government changes.
Electoral Commission Committee
Electoral Register: Scotland
Margaret Curran: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, which parliamentary constituencies in Scotland are part of local authority areas whose electoral registration officers did not reach the required performance indicators on Standard 3 in respect of electors who failed to register to vote. [152208]
Mr Streeter: In 2011, 32 constituencies in Scotland were in local authority areas where the electoral registration officer (ERO) did not meet performance standard 3. This standard aims to ensure that EROs make the necessary house-to-house inquiries to ensure that all eligible residents are registered, in line with their legal duty to maintain complete and accurate electoral registers.
It is essential that voters have confidence in the registration process, and that electoral registers are as complete and accurate as possible, particularly in preparation for the transition to Individual Electoral Registration in 2014.
In 2012 the Commission reviewed the canvass plans of all EROs in Scotland ahead of the annual canvass, and worked with those who were not meeting standard 3 in 2011 to ensure that arrangements were in place for the necessary house-to-house inquiries to be carried out.
The Commission will publish its next report on ERO performance in Great Britain in May 2013, and this will reflect the improvements in performance against standard 3 by EROs in Scotland.
The constituencies in Scotland where EROs did not meet standard 3 in 2011 were:
Airdrie and Shotts
Angus
Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
Central Ayrshire
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Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (the part of the constituency that falls within North Lanarkshire)
Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (the part of the constituency that falls within South Lanarkshire)
Dundee East (the part of the constituency that falls within Angus)
Dundee West (the part of the constituency that falls within Angus)
Dunfermline and West Fife
East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
East Lothian
Edinburgh East
Edinburgh North and Leith
Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South West
Edinburgh West
Falkirk
Glenrothes
Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath
Lanark and Hamilton East
Linlithgow and East Falkirk
Livingston
Midlothian
Motherwell and Wishaw
North Ayrshire and Arran
North East Fife
Ochil and South Perthshire
Perth and North Perthshire
Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Stirling.
Transport
Belfast International Airport
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he holds on the reasons for the decision by one airline to refuse to use a runway at Belfast International airport for two days in April 2012 while other airlines continued to use it. [152259]
Mr Simon Burns: Airlines have a responsibility to consider their own situation and unique risks in relation to their safety management systems (SMS) and the airline in this case took the decision based on their own SMS criteria for operations at Belfast International airport. The CAA has been in touch with and visited Belfast International airport, and is confident that the airport continues to be safe to operate and we will remain in close touch with the airport to ensure that safety is maintained.
Blue Badge Scheme
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether people whose application for a renewal of a blue badge is turned down have a right of appeal; and if he will make a statement. [152299]
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Norman Baker: There is no legal requirement for local authorities to have an appeals procedure in place if someone disagrees with the reason why their application for a Blue Badge was not successful. However, Regulation 8(3) of the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (England) Regulations 2000 requires that a local authority shall explain the grounds of refusal in its decision notice.
The Government strongly recommends in guidance that authorities establish an internal procedure to deal with appeals against decisions not to issue a badge. Where an applicant is aggrieved not by the eligibility decision of the authority but rather by process failure, they may take their complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
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Computers
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) desktop computers, (b) laptop computers and (c) tablet devices his Department has purchased in the last two years. [151346]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and its six Executive agencies have purchased the following computers during the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13:
| 2011-12 | ||||||||
| DfTc | DVLA | DSA | VOSA | MCA | VCA | HA | Total | |
| 2012-13 | ||||||||
| DfTc | DVLA | DSA | VOSA | MCA | VCA | HA | Total | |
East Coast Railway Line
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will keep East Coast Rail in the public sector. [152725]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State set out in his oral statement to the House on 26 March 2013, Official Report, column 1488, that Directly Operated Railways was brought in on the east coast main line as a short-term stand-in. The Government remains committed to benefitting from private sector innovation and operational experience in its railways.
There is significant investment planned for the east coast main line, including the roll-out of intercity express trains on this route and the Government believes now is the right time to invite private sector bidders to put forward proposals for investing in and improving services on the east coast. This will be the first of the new intercity franchises to be awarded in a franchising programme that meets three essential principles of better service, better compensation and better value.
Electric Vehicles
Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many charge points have been installed under the Plugged-in Places programme; what proportion of these charge points in each supported place are publicly accessible; what proportion of applications were made by (a) homeowners, (b) local authorities and (c) railway stations; and what the cost of that programme was. [152435]
Norman Baker: As at the end of December 2012, the Plugged in Places (PIPs) Programme had delivered over 2,800 chargepoints, of which some 70% were publically accessible. We are currently analysing the end of financial year returns from the eight PIP schemes and early assessment is that to the end of March 2013, 4000 chargepoints have been installed of which approximately 65% are publically accessible and over 50 are rapid chargers (greater than 43kW). The total spend across the programme is estimated to be approximately £10.7m. It is estimated that non-PIP public authorities and private sector organisations may have installed around 5,000 chargepoints. We will be reporting more accurate numbers shortly.
PIP publically accessible chargepoint data, such as location and chargepoint type, is held in the National Chargepoint Registry available at
www.data.gov.uk/dataset/national-charge-point-registry
In February 2013, we launched a number of national schemes to support the rollout of plug-in infrastructure. Initial project bids for the local authority, train station car parks and public body estates schemes are due by 30 April, following which there will be a process of bid assessment. We aim to have agreed successful projects by the end of June. For private residents under the national domestic chargepoint grant scheme launched in February, we have accredited over 25 different types of chargepoint and 11 different suppliers. We expect the first claims to be submitted at the end of April.
Electric Vehicles: Noise
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that quiet electric and hybrid buses funded by the Green Bus Fund can be detected by (a) guide dog owners and (b) other vulnerable pedestrians who rely on their hearing to safely cross the road. [151676]
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Norman Baker: Whether to add noise to electric and hybrid electric vehicles is being considered in the context of the Regulation on vehicle noise currently being negotiated at a European level. Some member states are requesting this to be a mandatory requirement, and I am considering whether to revise our negotiating approach in the light of these developments.
Heathrow Airport
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce a decision on expansion of Heathrow airport. [152612]
Mr Simon Burns: Last year, the Government set up the independent Airports Commission to examine the scale and timing of any requirement for additional capacity to maintain the UK's position as Europe's most important aviation hub, as well as identify how any need for additional capacity should be met. The Airports Commission will publish its interim report at the end of this year and its final report by summer 2015.
High Speed 2
Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the current status is of the High Speed 2 Rail Project. [152954]
Mr Simon Burns: Phase One of HS2, from London to west midlands, is currently undergoing detailed design work and we intend to consult on a draft environmental statement shortly. We will be depositing a hybrid Bill by the end of 2013 to seek the powers necessary to construct and operate the first phase of the High Speed 2 route between London and west midlands.
The initial preferred route for Phase Two of HS2, from the west midlands to Manchester and Leeds, was announced on 28 January 2013. We will launch a public consultation on these options later this year.
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what fees and salaries were paid to (a) board members and (b) members of the executive committee of HS2 Ltd in the year to 31 March 2013. [152520]
Mr Simon Burns: The salaries and fees paid to board members of HS2 Ltd will be published in their annual accounts in June and the salaries of other members of the executive committee, effective at March 2013, will be updated on the Data.gov.uk website in May.
Light Dues
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what subsidy the Commissioners of Irish Lights in the Irish Republic received from levies paid by ships calling at UK ports in the last financial year; [152193]
(2) what proportion of light dues payments were received from fishing fleets in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the Irish Republic in each of the last three years. [152194]
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Stephen Hammond: The Commissioners of Irish Lights' work in the Republic of Ireland continues to be funded under a 1985 cost apportionment agreement. The accounts for the 2012-13 financial year are not yet available. In 2011-12, £10.6 million of the Commissioners of Irish Lights' costs in the Republic of Ireland was funded from light dues paid by ships calling at UK ports
In 2010, the Irish and UK Governments reached agreement that the Commissioners' work in the Republic of Ireland would be funded from sources there by 2015-16.
Light dues receipts are not collected on a country basis with the exception of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but by individual lighthouse authority for the regions for which they are responsible. The following tables provide light dues revenue collection detail by lighthouse authority, as well as those for fishing vessels and their proportions.
| Light dues (£) | Fishing vessel payments (£) | Proportion of payments received for fishing vessel as a percentage | |
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on transposition into UK law of EU Commission Directive 2010/48/EU, relating to roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles and their trailers. [151548]
Stephen Hammond: The UK Government's approach to the transposition to Great Britain of EU Commission Directive 2010/48/EU has been to ensure the UK is compliant with the directive, while avoiding excessive and unnecessary regulation.
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The transposition of Directive 2010/48/EU into the MOT test was completed in full and in this way on the 20 March 2013.
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the Government's policy is on EU proposals for harmonised roadworthiness testing. [151814]
Stephen Hammond: The UK Government have agreed to a General Approach in the Council of the European Union to more harmonised periodic testing proposals. Negotiations are continuing to secure an effective approach which avoids unnecessary and costly burdens on UK businesses and motorists. I would also refer my hon. Friend to my written ministerial statements to the House of 18 December 2012, Official Report, columns 96-98WS, and 7 January 2013, Official Report, columns 10-12WS.
Motorcycles
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to promote motorcycling in his transport policy framework as a means of reducing congestion and emissions. [151813]
Stephen Hammond: The Government are neutral on whether or not people should take up motorcycling. We recognise that it is a valid form of transport, but we are also aware that motorcyclists account for just 1% of the traffic on our roads, but in 2012, they accounted for 19% of deaths. Reducing the number of motorcyclists killed is a key priority and we aim to do this by creating better and safer conditions for those who choose to ride.
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the development of regulations for motorcycle construction through the EU comitology process under EU Framework Regulation 168/2013; and if he will make a statement. [151816]
Stephen Hammond: The process for supplementing the framework regulation with the technical requirements is through Delegated Acts in accordance with Article 290 of the Lisbon treaty.
The Government's policy is to press strongly for UK interests in terms of motorcycle construction, environmental and safety requirements to ensure the best deal for consumers and manufacturers. The European Commission has opened a constructive dialogue to establish the requirements and the Department's officials are involved in these negotiations.
Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of recent developments in motorcycle rider licensing; and if he will make a statement. [151817]
Stephen Hammond: The most recent developments in motorcycle rider licensing were introduced on 19 January 2013; it is currently too early to assess their impact.
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Official Cars: Exhaust Emissions
Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any ministerial vehicles provided by the Government Car Service have had their factory-fitted diesel particulate filter removed. [151376]
Stephen Hammond: No Government Car Service vehicles have had their factory-fitted diesel particulate filter removed.
Pay
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are used in (a) his Department and (b) each public body for which he is responsible to determine which officials receive bonus payments. [151140]
Norman Baker: Non-consolidated performance payments in the Department for Transport and its public bodies are awarded to staff based on performance either at an individual, team or organisational level. Payments are made in line with the civil service pay guidance which is published annually on the Treasury website:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/civil_service_pay_guidance_2013_14.pdf
Railways: Standards
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how many hours passenger rail services were delayed in each of the last five years. [152012]
Norman Baker: The delay hours for passenger rail services attributed to incidents for the last five years, as reported on the rail industry's systems, are as follows:
| Hours delay | |
This relatively flat level of delay hours compares with the significant growth in number of train-kilometres travelled over the same period (almost 8% over the period from 2008-09 to 2011-12—the latest year for which figures are available).
Road Traffic: Barnsley
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of congestion on roads in Barnsley Central constituency. [152166]
Norman Baker: Estimates of road congestion levels for Parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.
We do however hold data at the local authority level on average speeds. The most recent data available covers the period September to November 2012. For this period, the average weekday morning peak speed, on locally managed 'A' roads in the area governed by Barnsley Council, was estimated to be 27.3 miles per hour. The equivalent figure for the whole of England was 24.7 miles per hour for the same three month period.
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Roads: Accidents
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have been recorded on shared spaces in each of the last five years; and how many (a) motorist, (b) cyclist and (c) pedestrian deaths resulted from such accidents in that period. [152378]
Stephen Hammond: The information requested is not collected. The shared spaces cannot be identified in the reported personal injury road accident dataset.
Roads: Havering
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities there have been in the London borough of Havering in the last five years as a result of road traffic accidents involving (a) motorcyclists, (b) cyclists and (c) pedestrians. [152042]
Stephen Hammond: In the last five years in the London borough of Havering there have been the following numbers of fatalities in road traffic accidents:
(a) Six fatalities in accidents involving motorcycles, of which five were motorcyclists.
(b) No fatalities in accidents involving cyclists.
(c) Nine fatalities in accidents involving pedestrians, of which nine were pedestrians.
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to his Department of mending potholes on roads within his responsibility was in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of the likely cost in 2013-14. [1512008]
Norman Baker: Funding that is provided to the Highways Agency for maintenance of the motorway and trunk road network which is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Transport is as follows:
| Financial year | Funding (£ million) |
| Notes: 1. The 2012-13 is the current unaudited position and is subject to change. 2. The figure for 2013-14 is the current budget and again is subject to change. | |
This maintenance expenditure covers motorway and trunk road repairs and renewals, including repairs to potholes. It is not possible to break this expenditure down to identify exact costs for pothole repairs. For local highways, which are the responsibility of local highway authorities, the Government announced in October 2010 as part of the Spending Review funding of £3 billion to local authorities in England (outside London) from 2011-12 to 2014-15 for highways maintenance, which can be used for road repairs, including potholes. This funding is not ring-fenced and allows authorities the freedom to develop and implement solutions which best suit their local needs and priorities.
In addition, and in recognition of the abnormal damage caused by the exceptional winter weather at the
22 Apr 2013 : Column 596W
end of 2010, the Government provided in March 2011 a further £200 million to local highway authorities in England to repair potholes on the local road network damaged by the severe winter weather.
The Department for Transport also announced in December 2012 a further £215 million for highways maintenance to be allocated to local authorities over the next two financial years (2013-14 and 2014-15).
Local authorities are also able to use revenue funding, allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant, for maintaining their local highways.
The funding for road repairs in London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective administrations.
This Government also recognises the need for the improved highways maintenance over the longer-term and has taken action. In April 2011, Ministers announced that we are sponsoring the Highways Maintenance Efficiency Programme (HMEP) to look at longer-term maintenance strategies. This programme is providing practical and adaptable efficiency solutions, so authorities can make more informed local investment decisions to support their local community and economy.
As part of the programme, an initiative was announced to help assist local authorities deal with potholes on the local highway network. A final report has been published and is available for download from the following web address:
http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/pothole-review/pothole-review.pdf
Staff
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many days of work were carried out by officials in (a) his Department and (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on average in each of the last five years; and what the total salary cost was of officials in each year. [151114]
Norman Baker: The number of working days carried out by officials and the total salary cost of these officials in the Department for Transport and its six executive agencies in each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
| Total working days | Total salary cost (£) | |
Information for the non-departmental public bodies can be found in their annual report and accounts which can be found at the following links:
| Name | Website |
|
www.passengerfocus.org.uk/research/publications/passenger-focus-annual-report-and-accounts-20112012 | |
|
http://www.hs2.org.uk/about-hs2-ltd/annual-accounts-corporate-plan |
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|
http://www.directlyoperatedrailways.co.uk/PDF/DORReportAccounts2012.pdf | |
Visits Abroad
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his Department's budget was for overseas travel for officials and Ministers in 2012-13. [151365]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and its six Executive agencies had a budget for overseas travel and subsistence for officials and Ministers in 2012-13 of £3,524,196. Provisional figures show that this was significantly underspent.
Energy and Climate Change
Climate Change
Mr Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in his Department's November 2011 paper entitled Estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills 2012, what value of costs of climate change policies in 2011 and 2020 will be attributed to (a) household energy bills, (b) business energy bills and (c) general taxpayers. [152164]
Gregory Barker: DECC's latest assessment of the impact of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills was published on 27 March 2013 and is available online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills
This shows that the net impact of policies is to help households on average save money on their energy bills, compared to what they would be paying in the absence of these policies. The total monetary savings from policies which help households save energy are expected to more than offset the cost of investing in new capacity and efficiency.
The impacts of policies on energy prices are presented in tables E1-E3 of Annex E of the report. A number of government policies place the obligation of financing the policies onto energy companies, which is then passed
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onto the consumer. It is up to individual energy companies to decide how to share the costs among their customers. The simplifying assumption used for DECC's analysis is that costs are spread evenly over each unit of energy consumption that creates a liability for these costs for energy suppliers.
The analysis assumes that the total support costs of the renewables obligation, small-scale feed-in tariffs and electricity market reform, and the total costs of the EU ETS and carbon price floor are paid around one-third by households and two-thirds by non-domestic consumers—reflecting their respective shares of total electricity consumption. The support costs of the energy company obligation and warm home discount and the supplier costs of smart meters and better billing are assumed to only be paid by household energy consumes—reflecting that these policies are focused on helping households improve their energy efficiency. The costs of the climate change levy and the CRC energy efficiency scheme are only paid by the relevant non-domestic consumers captured by the eligibility criteria for these policies.
In addition there are a number of policies funded through general taxation, most notably the renewable heat incentive and up to £1 billion capital funding available for the UK CCS commercialisation competition.
Dementia
Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has a dementia strategy. [151825]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have a formal dementia strategy. Mental health does however form part of the Department's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy which includes an action to
“introduce a comprehensive support package for staff with mental health disabilities, including rolling out awareness training and support resources for staff and managers.”
As part of that action a Mental Health Awareness Workshop was held on 7 December 2012.
Green Deal Scheme
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what opportunities there are for owners of timber frame houses to benefit from the Green Deal. [151088]
Gregory Barker: Owners of timber-framed properties are able to access Green Deal finance for any improvement measure recommended in a Green Deal Advice Report for their properties.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which organisations complaints about door-to-door selling of Green Deal packages are directed; and how many complaints have been made to date. [152207]
Gregory Barker: Complaints relating to door step selling of Green Deal products, as for any other, are directed to the relevant local authority Trading Standards Service. Neither DECC nor the Green Deal Oversight and Registration Body (ORB) have received any formal complaints to date, nor have any been passed to DECC or the ORB by any Trading Standards Service.
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Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change at what stage in the Green Deal process is the Green Deal installer paid. [152216]
Gregory Barker: The payment of Green Deal installers will be a commercial matter between the installer and the Green Deal Provider. The Green Deal Code of Practice sets out requirements on providers relating to the prompt payment of installers. There is an obligation to pay suppliers on time in accordance with the Prompt Payment Code. Staged payments, and payments on completion of specified works are encouraged.
Heating
Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of reports by the Climate Change Committee which suggest that 2.5 million heat pumps will need to be installed by 2025 and 7 million by 2030 if the UK is to meet the fourth carbon budget. [152873]
Gregory Barker: On 26 March, the Department published ‘The Future of Heating: Meeting the Challenge’ which sets out the Government's approach to reducing carbon emissions from heating and cooling in the decades to come. The main document is supplemented by an Evidence Annex which updates the 2050 modelling and explains various scenarios for low carbon heating. These documents confirm the important role that heat pumps are likely to play, alongside other technologies, in supplying low carbon heat in buildings, including within individual homes and as sources of heat for low carbon heat networks. The documents are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-of-heating-meeting-the-challenge
Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) investment, (b) jobs, (c) taxation and (d) the decarbonisation of residential heating of the introduction of the requirement for high efficiency gas and oil boilers when replacing residential heating systems; what evaluation he has undertaken to establish whether similar policies could be used to accelerate the deployment of residential heat pumps; and if he will make a statement. [152875]
Gregory Barker: On 26 March, the Department published ‘The Future of Heating: Meeting the challenge’ which sets out the Government's approach to reducing carbon emissions from heating and cooling in the decades to come. Chapter 3 of the document deals with heat and cooling for buildings including the impact of existing regulatory requirements, and policy options for the future. The document is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-of-heating-meeting-the-challenge
Microgeneration
Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the cost to small businesses of achieving accreditation by the Microgeneration Certification scheme. [151838]
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Gregory Barker: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is an industry led scheme that provides consumer protection and aims to drive improvements in industry standards for the microgeneration sector. There are a number of certification bodies accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, operating in a competitive market, which offer certification services to small businesses. MCS has the licence agreement with the certification bodies to provide this service. Certification costs will differ depending on specific circumstances such as the way the business is organised and the competency of installers.
Such a scheme is essential to tackle mis-selling in a sector where many consumers are unfamiliar with renewable and low carbon heating and electricity generating systems and the Government provide financial incentives.
Overseas Aid
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which projects administered by his Department were Overseas Development Assistance attributable in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013. [151541]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 18 April 2013]:The Department of Energy and Climate Change has administered the following projects that are attributable to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:
| ODA funded out of the international window of the UK's Environmental Transformation Fund in 2010 | |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
| Project name | Spend {£) |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency International Subscription | |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Cooperation Fund |
| ODA funded out of the UK's International Climate Fund Programme in 2011 | |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency International Subscription | |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Cooperation Fund |
In addition to this, in March 2011, DECC contributed £19 Million to the Chernobyl Shelter Fund, which is managed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on behalf of the international community to assist in the remediation of the site of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
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| ODA funded out of the UK's International Climate Fund Programme in 2012 | |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency International Subscription | |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Cooperation Fund |
| ODA funded out of the UK's International Climate Fund Programme in 2013 to date | |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
| Project name | Spend (£) |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency International Subscription | |
|
International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Cooperation Fund |