Scotland
Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what (a) his Department and (b) its non-departmental public bodies procured from companies based in Scotland of a value in excess of £25,000 since May 2010; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such procurement contract. [155684]
Sajid Javid: The Treasury does not hold information based on the geographical location of its suppliers. In order to obtain the information the Treasury would be required to undertake a manual review and assessment of large volumes of records; this would be at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish information for all contracts awarded (£10,000+ excluding VAT). The information for Treasury can be found on the ‘Contracts Finder’ portal:
www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/
In addition, Departments are required to publish details of spend with suppliers that is in excess of £25,000 (excluding VAT) each month. The information for Treasury can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-treasury/series/25000-spend
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Tax Allowances: Video Games
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to defend the competitiveness of the UK video game industry in respect of the European Commission scrutiny of tax relief for video games investment in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [155200]
Mr Gauke: The Government are committed to bringing in the video games tax relief at the earliest opportunity.
The process for, and duration of, the Commission’s investigation are determined by the Commission itself.
Nevertheless, the Government are working closely with industry to provide the Commission with the evidence it needs to conclude its investigation as quickly as possible.
Tax Evasion
Paul Flynn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken since May 2010 to combat tax evasion by UK registered companies; what resources have been committed to each such initiative; and how many (a) HM Treasury and (b) HM Revenue and Customs' personnel respectively are currently employed on tackling tax evasion. [155512]
Mr Gauke: The Government have been robust in their response to tax evasion taking action to prevent detect and tackle such behaviour. We have underlined our commitment to tackling non-compliance in those areas by investing over £900 million in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) over the Spending Review 2010 period. That will allow HMRC to better tackle evasion, criminal attacks, unpaid tax debt and avoidance.
On 3 December 2012, in Autumn Statement, the Government announced we will provide an additional £77 million in additional funding to expand HMRC's anti-avoidance and evasion work. This investment will focus on evasion and avoidance by wealthy individuals and multinationals. It will cover the current Spending Review period, which finishes at the end of March 2015.
HMRC will therefore now aim to raise total additional revenues of £22 billion a year by the end of 2014-15. This is £9 billion more than it would have been without this Government's near £1 billion investment.
HMRC are responsible for the operation of the tax system and lead the work on tackling evasion. HM Treasury (HMT), supported by HMRC, leads on strategic work and policy development. HMT and HMRC together develop policy across a range of HMT business areas and tackling evasion and avoidance is an integral part of policy development. Therefore the HMT and HMRC resource in this area can be disaggregated only at disproportionate cost.
HMRC tackles a wide range of behaviour involving non-compliance with the tax system, including tax evasion, error, tax avoidance, fraud and criminal attack. HMRC works on a risk basis, and HMRC compliance officers and investigators may work on cases involving several behaviours and risks at any time.
Within HMRC compliance and investigation work is primarily carried out by staff in the Enforcement and
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Compliance line of business. All staff in Enforcement and Compliance support the fight against evasion either directly or indirectly. The number of staff, as at 2012-13, currently employed (full-time equivalent) by Enforcement and Compliance is 26,601.
Taxation: Rolling Stock
Maria Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Exchequer has received from the train leasing companies (a) Eversholt Rail, (b) Angel Trains and (c) Porterbrook Rail Finance (i) in total and (ii) in capital gains tax in each year since 1994. [155733]
Mr Gauke: Treasury Ministers do not have access to the details of companies' or individuals' tax affairs, as the tax system is administered by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). HMRC has a statutory duty of taxpayer confidentiality and so cannot disclose this information to either HM Treasury or to the wider public, other than in very limited circumstances.
Tonnage Tax
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue accrued to the Exchequer from shipping companies in the tonnage tax scheme in each year since 2000-01. [155242]
Sajid Javid: The following table shows estimated tax liabilities due to tonnage tax for each financial year from 2000-01 to 2010-11 (the latest year for which full data is currently available).
| Tax year | Tax liabilities (£ million) |
Training
Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible enrolled in publicly funded training courses in each of the last five years; what the total cost has been of such courses; and what the monetary value was of the 10 highest training course fees in each such year. [155437]
Sajid Javid: Information on total cost of publicly funded training courses for HM Treasury and its executive agencies is follows:
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| £ | ||
| Financial year | HM Treasury training costs | Total costs(1) |
| (1) Includes Debt Management Office (all years), Office of Government Commerce (2008-10), Asset Protection Agency (2010 to October 2012), UK Financial Investments Limited (2011-13), and Office and Budget Responsibility (2011-13). | ||
No central records are held relating to how many officials enrolled in publicly-funded training courses, or the monetary value of the 10 highest training course fees, and information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Groups have delegated training budgets that are used for the provision of external training and all training requests are subject to line manager approval. In addition, training across the civil service is now mostly delivered through Civil Service Learning, which oversees the purchase of training across Government ensuring best value and reducing costs through collaborative purchasing.
Cabinet Office
Civil Servants: Business Interests
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance his Department issues to Government Departments regarding the employment of outgoing civil servants by private employers with whom their former Department has a contractual relationship. [155507]
Mr Maude: The Business Appointment Rules which apply after leaving office, can be accessed at:
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/civil-service-management-code
Clothing
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible have made a claim for evening dress allowance in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of such claims has been. [155442]
Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office does not have an evening dress allowance.
Conditions of Employment
Pamela Nash: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many people in No. 10 Downing street are employed on zero hours contracts; [156096]
(2) how many people in his Department are employed on zero hours contracts. [156278]
Mr Maude: The Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland Central (Julie Elliott) on 28 January 2013, Official Report, column 676W.
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Death: Drugs
John Woodcock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths in the UK were attributed to legal highs in each of the last five years. [155656]
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 May 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths in the UK were attributed to legal highs in each of the last five years. (155656)
There is no official definition of the term 'legal high'. However the Office for National Statistics does monitor deaths from drug-related poisoning, allowing analysis of deaths by specific substances involved.
In recent years a number of novel psychoactive substances have been controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. These include gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its precursor gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), piperazines (benzylpiperazine - BZP and trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine–TFMPP), pipradrols such as desoxypipradrol, and cathinones such as mephedrone. Cathinone is one of the active ingredients in herbal Khat (Catha edulis), although Khat is not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act. All of these substances have been mentioned in association with the term 'legal high', although it should be noted that once a substance is added to the list of substances controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, it is no longer 'legal'.
The following table provides the number of drug-related deaths mentioning these substances for the UK, in each registration year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available). It is important to note that around 60% of these deaths mentioned more than one substance on the death certificate, and it is not possible to tell which was primarily responsible for the death. More information on how to interpret data on drug-related deaths can be found in the bulletins mentioned.
The number of drug-related deaths registered in England and Wales between 1993 and 2011 are available on the ONS website:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/2011/index.html
The number of drug-related deaths in Scotland is available on the National Records of Scotland website:
www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/theme/vital-events/deaths/drug-related/index.html
The number of drug-related deaths in Northern Ireland is available on the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency website:
www.nisra.gov.uk/demography/default.asp30.htm
| Table 1. Number of deaths related to drug poisoning where GHB/GBL, BZP/TFMPP, a cathinone (including khat) or desoxypipradrol was mentioned on the death certificate, UK, deaths registered between 2007 and 2011(1,2,3,4) | |
| Registration year | Deaths |
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| (1) Cause of death related to drug poisoning was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD 10) codes shown in Box 1. (2) Deaths were included where the underlying cause was drug-related, and where one or more of the following substances was mentioned on the death certificate: GHB/GBL, BZP/TFMPP, a cathinone (eg mephedrone), khat or desoxypipradrol. (3) Figures include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are based on deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in years 2007 to 2011. Due to the length of time it takes to hold an inquest, it can take months for a drug-related death to be registered in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. Registration delays do not exist in Scotland. Additional information on registration delays for drug-related deaths can be found in the annual statistical bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html | |
Death: Young People
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the 10 most frequent causes of death amongst 15 to 30-year-olds were in each of the last 30 years. [156442]
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, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the top ten causes of death amongst 15 to 30 year olds in each year were in each of the last 30 years. [156442]
Table 1 provides the number of deaths for the top 10 causes of death amongst 15 to 30-year-olds in England and Wales for deaths registered between 2001 and 2011 (the latest year available). A copy of Table 1 has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Individual causes of death are coded by ONS using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The causes of death shown in the table are groups of codes designed for the tabulation of deaths according to 'main' causes. Equivalent information is not readily available for years before 2001, when an earlier version of the International Classification of Diseases was in use.
The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year, by sex, age group and underlying cause is published annually on the ONS website. This publication also includes data showing the leading causes of death for males and females of all ages:
www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/index.html
A copy of the table will be stored in the Library of the House.
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Government Digital Services
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to make gov.uk's other government digital services IPv6 addressable. [156468]
Mr Hurd: Services are not currently IPv6 addressable, but this is kept under review by the Government Digital Service (GDS).
Employment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of the residents of each constituency in England and Wales were classified by the 2011 census as working in (a) public administration and (b) the defence industry. [154792]
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 May 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of the residents of each constituency in England and Wales were classified by the 2011 census as working in (i) public administration and (ii) the defence industry in rank order. [154792]
A file containing a specially commissioned table (CT0046—Industry 4 digits) from the 2011 Census which provides the information you have requested for Westminster Parliamentary Constituencies in England and Wales, will be stored in the Library of the House.
Employment: Scotland
Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the total loss to the economy as a result of underemployment in Scotland. [153940]
Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 13 May 2013]:This is not a matter for Cabinet Office Ministers.
Fundraising Standards Board
Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how his Department scrutinises the Fundraising Standards Board; when a review was last conducted; and what the outcome was of this review. [153902]
Mr Hurd: Lord Hodgson assessed the Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) as part of his review of the Charities Act 2006 and concluded in his report ‘Trusted and Independent: Giving charity back to charities’ that it had broadly met 10 of the 12 success criteria set out when it was established in 2006. The FRSB and Cabinet Office are members of the Steering Committee established in response to Lord Hodgson's recommendations to drive forward further progress in strengthening self-regulation.
Intelligence Services: Finance
Angus Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what the budget of the Single Intelligence Account has been in each of the last 10 years; [155364]
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(2) if he will estimate the projected total budget of the Single Intelligence Account in each of the next five years. [155365]
The Prime Minister: Estimates are voted on by Parliament each year. The information is available in the Vote Office.
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether claimants of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) not currently receiving benefit because they have received a sanction, but otherwise meeting the conditions for entitlement to JSA, are included in the JSA claimant count published in the monthly labour market statistics. [156340]
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 the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether claimants of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) not currently receiving benefit because they have received a sanction, but otherwise meeting the conditions for entitlement to JSA, are included in the JSA claimant count published in the monthly labour market statistics. (156340)
The Claimant Count published in the Labour Market Statistics Bulletin is a count of the number of live benefit claims for unemployment related purposes, whether the claimant is in receipt of money or not. Consequently all cases where JSA claimants are not currently receiving benefit because they have received a sanction, but are otherwise meeting the conditions for entitlement to JSA, are included in the Claimant Count, provided the claimant continues to keep their claim live during the sanction period through the normal signing on process. If a claimant chooses to not keep their claim live during a sanction period, the claim is no longer a live claim and they would not be included.
Legal Costs
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how much his Department has spent in total on external legal advice (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and (b) since 4 September 2012; [156025]
(2) how much his Department has spent in total on external legal advice from QCs (a) between 7 May 2010 and 4 September 2012 and (b) since 4 September 2012. [156026]
Mr Maude: My Department engages the Treasury Solicitors for the majority of its legal work. As was the case under previous Administrations, the Cabinet Office may engage other legal firms, for example when specialist advice is required. External legal advice is not separated from other legal costs in the Cabinet Office's accounting system.
Military Medals Review
Mr Burley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) when the next stage of Sir John Holmes' Military Medals Review will be completed; and if he will make a statement; [156511]
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(2) what timescale has been set for the completion of Sir John Holmes' Military Medals Review into the National Defence Medal. [156510]
Mr Maude: Sir John Holmes has been invited to undertake further work to implement the recommendations set out in his Military Medals Review, published on 17 July 2012. This includes a review of the case for some form of National Defence Medal, to recognise all military service. Work on this has begun, but—as Sir John noted in his report of July 2012—the National Defence Medal is an issue of broad national significance which would require a broad political and public consensus and consideration by the Government as a whole, in consultation with other political parties and concerned organisations. No fixed completion date has therefore been set.
Public Appointments
Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who the members of the (a) Senior Salaries Review Body, (b) Security Vetting Appeals Panel, (c) House of Lords Appointments Commission, (d) Committee on Standards in Public Life, (e) Civil Service Commission, (f) Boundary Commission for Wales, (g) Boundary Commission for England, (h) Big Lottery Fund and (i) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments were on 1 January 2013; and what the (i) ethnicity, (ii) term of office and (iii) remuneration is of each such member. [155846]
Mr Maude: The Commissioner for Public Appointments collates and publishes information on the members including information on declared ethnic minority backgrounds. The Commissioner's annual report is available here:
http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk
Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
A list of the members of these bodies including their terms of office and remunerations (as at 1 January 2013) will be published shortly and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.
Sign Language
Sir Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what assessment he has made of the equality of access available for deaf people whose first language is British Sign Language in terms of communicating with (a) civil servants and (b) the agencies and public bodies for which he is responsible; and if he will make a statement; [155493]
(2) what measures his Department has in place to ensure that deaf people have the opportunity to communicate in British Sign Language with (a) civil servants and (b) the agencies and public bodies for which he is responsible. [155495]
Mr Maude: My Department and its agencies and public bodies deal primarily with other Government bodies rather than the general public, but where there is interaction with the public, we would always seek to make suitable arrangements—including sign language—when necessary.
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Sovereignty: Scotland
Gregg McClymont: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what assessment he has made of the potential risk of losses to the public purse arising from applying the current accounting officer conventions in the period leading up to the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014; [154017]
(2) what discussions he has had with officials in his Department on how the accounting officers’ conventions would apply to investment in Scotland in advance of the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014. [154018]
Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
The UK Government is not planning for independence as it believes that people in Scotland will vote to remain within the UK. As such, the Government has made no assessment of the risk of losses to the public purse, and has no plans to change accounting officers conventions.
Thromboembolism
Mr Raab: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people died as a result of thromboembolism diseases in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012. [155945]
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 May 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Secretary of State for Health how many people died as a result of thromboembolism diseases in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012 [155945].
Table 1 provides the number of deaths where one of the following conditions was the underlying cause of death:
(a) Strokes specified as being due to thromboembolism
(b) Pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis
(c) Arterial thromboembolism
Figures are for England and Wales, for deaths registered between 2009 and 2011 (the latest year available).
Thromboembolic disease may occur as a complication of other conditions such as cancer. In such cases the other condition may be specified as the underlying cause of death and thromboembolism shown as a contributing factor. Table 2 provides the number of deaths where or one or more of these conditions were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor.
When interpreting the figures in Table 2, it is important to be aware that some deaths may have more than one of the requested conditions mentioned. Therefore, some deaths may be counted in more than one of the categories listed.
| Table 1. Number of deaths where the underlying cause of death was thromboembolism, England and Wales, deaths registered between 2009 and 2011(1, 2, 3) | |||
| Underlying cause | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
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| (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised in this table, and their corresponding ICD codes, are shown in Box 1 on the definition page. Deaths were included where one of these causes was the underlying cause of death. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are based on deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in the years 2009-2011. Further information on registration delays for a range of causes 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 | |||
| Table 2. Number of deaths where thromboembolism was mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales, deaths registered between 2009 and 2011(1, 2, 3, 4) | |||
| Cause | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases. Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised in this table, and their corresponding ICD codes, are shown in Box 1 on the definition page. Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate: (2) Please note that some deaths may have more than one of the conditions mentioned and so may be counted in more than one of the causes listed. Therefore you should not add up all rows to obtain the total number of deaths mentioning thromboembolism, as this may double count deaths. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are based on deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in the years 2009-2011. Further information on registration delays for a range of causes 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 | |||
| Box 1: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define thromboembolism | |
| Cause | ICD10code(s) |
| (1 )The number of deaths coded to cerebral infarction due to embolism of cerebral arteries (I63.4) declined significantly in 2011 due to an ICD-10 coding change. The software used by the Office for National Statistics for cause of death coding was updated in January 2011 from the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) v2001.2 to v2010. More information on the impact of this coding change is available on the ONS website: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/results-of-the-icd-10-v2010-bridge-coding-study--england-and-wales--2009/2009/index.html | |
Training
Priti Patel:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible enrolled in publicly funded training courses in each of
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the last five years; what the total cost has been of such courses; and what the monetary value was of the 10 highest training course fees in each such year. [155422]
Mr Maude: My Department does not hold information centrally on the full cost of training.
Travel
Priti Patel: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses in each of the last five years; what the total cost was of such claims; and what the monetary value was of the 20 highest subsistence claims in each such year. [155403]
Mr Maude: Information on expenditure on travel and subsistence is published in my Department's annual accounts, available in the House of Commons Library.
Unemployment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people live in families in which no one has worked for (a) two generations and (b) three generations. [156444]
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, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people live in families in which no one has worked for (a) two generations and (b) three generations (156444).
Estimates of the proportion of people living in families in which no one has worked for (a) two generations and (b) three generations are not available from ONS. Questions about the working status of previous generations are not asked to respondents of the Labour Force Survey or any of our household surveys.
Unemployment: Coastal Areas
Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 13 May 2013, Official Report, columns 77-78W, on unemployment: coastal areas, what the level of unemployment is in all other seaside towns in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [156440]
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 May 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the Answer of 13 May 2013, Official Report, column 77-8W, on unemployment: coastal areas, what the level of unemployment is in all other seaside towns in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (156440).
Although not a standard ONS geography, the concept of principal seaside towns in Great Britain was covered in the report “The Seaside Economy”, by Beatty and Fothergill (Sheffield Hallam University, June 2003 (updated June 2010)) and has been referred to in parliamentary debate and used for other parliamentary questions on a number of occasions since. There is no equivalent definition of seaside towns for Northern Ireland.
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Estimates of unemployment are not produced for the principal seaside towns in Scotland and Wales. Instead we have provided estimates relating to the local authorities associated with each of these towns.
ONS compiles unemployment statistics for local authorities using a model based on the Annual Population Survey (APS) and Claimant Count.
These figures, along with a wide range of other labour market data for parliamentary constituencies and local authorities, are also published on the Office for National Statistics’ Nomis website:
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
| Table 1: Unemployment level and rate for people resident in local authorities, January to December 2012 | |||
| Principal seaside town | Local authority | Level (Thousand) | Rate (Percentage) |
| Source: Model Based Estimates of Unemployment. | |||
Attorney-General
Clothing
Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General how many officials in (a) the Law Officers' Departments and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which they are responsible have made a claim for evening dress allowance in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of such claims has been. [155441]
The Solicitor-General: The Treasury Solicitors' Department have recorded one claim for evening dress allowance in July 2008. The total cost was £75 for the hire of full evening dress, required to attend an official engagement.
There have been no other recorded claims for evening dress allowance among the remaining Law Officers' Departments.
Crown Prosecution Service
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many costs have been awarded against the Crown Prosecution Service for disclosure failings in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [155934]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service maintains records of the overall value of costs payments made but does not distinguish between the various reasons for the award of costs against. To ascertain the reason for individual costs awards made over the last six years would require a review of each individual case which would incur a disproportionate cost.
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Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the Crown Prosecution Service applied to the Crown to quash its own indictment in each of the last 10 years. [156261]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) hold figures for the number of prosecutions (by defendant) dropped because the indictment was stayed in each of the last seven years:
| Indictment stayed | |
This type of application is usually made by the defence, but it can be used by the prosecution to abandon proceedings in which the indictment is defective and it is not possible to cure the defect by amendment.
The CPS does not separately collect figures which show the number of applications made by the defence as opposed to those made by the prosecution. This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files prosecuted by the CPS, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Logica tablets used by the Crown Prosecution Service will (a) have to be returned at the end of the contract, (b) be subject to an automatic upgrade and (c) be compatible with his Department's IT strategy on electronic working. [156313]
The Solicitor-General: The Logica tablets will become the property of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) at the end of the contract (March 2015). There is a notional asset transfer charge of £0.01p. There is no automatic upgrade of the tablets included in the purchase price.
The tablets, and their use in court, are a key component of the Department's digital strategy. They remove the need to print and then transport large case files for advocates in court, delivering both efficiency and cost savings.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Logica tablets used by the Crown Prosecution Service were originally equipped with DVD players. [156314]
The Solicitor-General: The Logica tablets used by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) were not originally equipped with DVD players. Stand-alone DVD players are provided when required for operational reasons.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) Crown Advocates, (b) Crown Prosecutors and (c) Associate Prosecutors were in post in the Crown Prosecution Service in 2012. [156372]
The Solicitor-General: The following table shows the number of (a) Crown Advocates, (b) Crown Prosecutors and (c) Associate Prosecutors employed by the Crown Prosecution Service and in post at 31 December 2012.
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| Number | ||
| Grade | Headcount | FTE (Full-time equivalent) |
Crown Prosecution Service
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what the cost to the Crown Prosecution Service was of trials rendered ineffective because of court administration errors in each year since 2007. [156289]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the proportion of trials that were ineffective because of court administration errors. Such data could not be reasonably obtained locally or nationally other than by undertaking a manual exercise of reviewing individual case files at a disproportionate cost. Court data are held by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), but while data are held on the number of ineffective trials due to court reasons it does not record a category of “court administrative errors”.
Miscarriages of Justice
Mary Macleod: To ask the Attorney-General what support his Department makes available to people who are falsely accused of a crime in England and Wales. [155996]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not provide direct support to persons who have been falsely accused of a crime, unless that person subsequently becomes a victim or witness to any public justice offence(s) (such as perverting the course of justice or wasting police time) charged against the person who made the original accusation. In those circumstances, the CPS will apply its usual policies and procedures to support victims and witnesses and to deliver justice.
The CPS has a commitment to support the effective participation of victims and witnesses at all stages in the criminal justice process and provides its prosecutors with guidance on the key considerations they should take into account when dealing with victims and witnesses as outlined in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the application of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (Victims' Code).
Offenders
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of offenders who breached the conditions of their caution were subsequently charged by the Crown Prosecution Service in the fourth quarter of 2012-13. [155936]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the number of decisions made, including decisions to charge, following non-compliance with a conditional caution.
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The figures in the following table represent the number of such decisions made in the fourth quarter of 2012-13.
| 2012-13, Q4 | ||
| Non-compliance: | Number | Percentage |
Perjury
Mary Macleod: To ask the Attorney-General what guidance he gives to police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service on criteria to be met when deciding whether a false accusation could be a prosecutable criminal offence. [155997]
The Solicitor-General: I do not provide the police or the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) with guidance on this matter, however the CPS has published legal guidance for prosecutors on the range of offences which involves conduct that hinders or frustrates the administration of justice, including that of falsely accusing a person of an offence they did not commit. Guidance on the charging standards to be met under each offence can be found in the legal guidance document available on the CPS website at:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/public_justice_ offences_incorporating_the_charging_standard/
The CPS has also published legal guidance for prosecutors dealing with cases where there has been a false allegation of rape and/or domestic violence. This too can be found on the CPS website at:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/perverting_the_course_of_justice_-_rape_and_dv_allegations/
Police Cautions
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the Crown Prosecution Service has solicited the views of a victim before issuing a caution instead of a criminal charge in each of the last seven years. [156292]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the occasions in which the CPS solicited the views of a victim before issuing a caution instead of a criminal charge. This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files in which the CPS determined that a caution would be more suitable, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Prosecutions
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many additional hearings have taken place to resolve prosecution disclosure errors; and what the cost to the Crown Prosecution Service was of such hearings in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [155935]
The Solicitor-General:
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the number of additional hearings which take place to resolve prosecution disclosure errors, nor the cost these may incur.
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This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files prosecuted by the CPS, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many proceedings against a defendant were stayed due to prosecution disclosure failures in each of the last six years for which figures are available. [155937]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains no central record of the number of defendant proceedings which were stayed due to prosecution disclosure failures. This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files prosecuted by the CPS, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions prosecutions ceased because the court ordered all charges to be left to lie on the file in each of the last 10 years. [156373]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain data which show the number of cases where the court ordered all charges to be left to lie on the file (as opposed to those cases where the consent of the court to leave charges to lie on the file was requested by the prosecution). This information could be obtained only by examining all of the files prosecuted by the CPS, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Regulation
Priti Patel:
To ask the Attorney-General what processes the Law Officers' Departments have put in place to (a)
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monitor,
(b)
collate cost information on,
(c)
review and
(d)
respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by the Law Officers' Departments. [155786]
The Solicitor-General: The three statutory instruments introduced by the Attorney-General since May 2010 together extend both the range of offences which the police may prosecute as specified proceedings, and the circumstances in which the police may continue the prosecution. Implementation of a best practice model for specified proceedings, including the application of these provisions, is being overseen by the Home Office, Attorney-General's Office, Ministry of Justice, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, and the Crown Prosecution Service. An evaluation is ongoing and will be completed later this year.
Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General what the title was of each set of regulations introduced by the Law Officers' Departments in each month since May 2010; and which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended. [155808]
The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers have introduced three statutory instruments since May 2010, details of which are outlined in the following table. As the Law Officers' Departments have made only a very small number of regulations, and only in the area of Specified Proceedings, there was no need to follow the one in one out procedure. Each Order amended the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 (Specified Proceedings) Order 1999. None has been revoked.
Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General if he will provide the estimated cost of each regulation introduced by the Law Officers’ Departments since May 2010; and what the estimated benefits of each regulation (a) amended and (b) revoked were. [155952]
The Solicitor-General: The three statutory instruments introduced by the Attorney-General since May 2010 have the effect of transferring the prosecuting role from the Crown Prosecution Service to the police in certain specified circumstances. The police-led model for prosecutions is designed to be cost-neutral, with the cost to police of preparing and presenting cases offset through orders to pay costs made by the court in successful cases. The evaluation of the police-led prosecution pathfinders will consider the cost to police, as well as how far this has been offset by recovered court costs, and any savings made by the Crown Prosecution Service in no longer dealing with these cases.
No record is kept of the costs incurred by departmental officials in preparing these orders and such information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Serious Fraud Office
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many (a) convictions, (b) prosecutions, (c) civil settlements and (d) investigations were brought about by the Serious Fraud Office in 2012-13. [155202]
The Solicitor-General: 14 offenders were convicted in 20 prosecutions in 2012-13, There were two civil settlements and 14 investigations were begun.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether it falls within the remit of the Serious Fraud Office to investigate allegations of oil-price manipulation by oil companies operating in the UK. [156355]
The Solicitor-General:
If there are allegations of criminal acts they will be assessed in the context of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) remit to investigate fraud, bribery and corruption. If appropriate, relevant matters will be considered for criminal investigation in line with SFO
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internal procedures. The SFO does not comment on its assessments or their status at any one time but does publish on its website details of those cases formally adopted for criminal investigation, whenever this is possible without prejudice to the investigation.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General whether the Serious Fraud Office plans to work alongside the European Commission in investigating allegations that oil prices were manipulated by oil companies operating in the UK. [156356]
The Solicitor-General: The Serious Fraud Office is aware of the allegations of oil price manipulation and is in dialogue with a number of agencies. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.
Travel
Priti Patel: To ask the Attorney-General how many officials in (a) the Law Officers' Departments and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses in each of the last five years; what the total cost was of such claims; and what the monetary value was of the 20 highest subsistence claims in each such year. [155402]
The Solicitor-General: It is not possible to provide the information requested for the Treasury Solicitor's Department, Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate, as extracting the necessary data would require extensive analysis of paper records over the past five years which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Tables have been deposited in the Library of the House containing recorded information on the number of officials in the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office who claimed reimbursement for travel subsistence expenses in each of the last five years, the total cost of these claims and the monetary value of the 20 highest subsistence claims in each year.
Defence
Afghanistan
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions a Reaper UAV has launched a weapon in Afghanistan. [154982]
Mr Robathan: Reaper is the UK's only armed Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). As at 11 May 2013, 335 Hellfire precision guided missiles and 51 GBU-12 laser guided bombs had been released from UK Reapers in support of UK and coalition forces in Afghanistan.
Weapons are only released by RPAS under the command of trained pilots.
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Ministry of Defence personnel who will be deployed to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy to provide training and related support will be female; and if he will make a statement. [155696]
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Mr Robathan: On current plans, the Afghan National Army Officer Academy mentor team will have eight female only positions filled by Ministry of Defence personnel. These posts are dedicated to the support of female cadet training.
In addition to the mentoring roles, the UK will deploy a number of personnel in related support positions. We expect these will be open to female personnel, but will not know the total number deployed until decisions around deployments are made nearer the time.
All positions will be subject to review as lessons are learnt during the initial mentoring phase.
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to allow interpreters working for UK armed forces in Afghanistan to settle in the UK. [156074]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
We are currently reviewing the provisions provided to support locally employed civilians, including interpreters, as we draw down our combat mission in Afghanistan. No decision has been taken on what part, if any, relocation to the UK will take in the package of support offered to locally engaged staff. But we will honour our commitment to consider their safety and security beyond the term of their employment with Her Majesty's Government.
Armed Forces: Basic Skills
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 22 April 2013, Official Report, columns 611-13W on armed forces: basic skills, what proportion of candidates in the (a) Royal Navy and (b) Army passed the initial assessment results for (i) numeracy and (ii) literacy at the levels referred to in that answer. [156031]
Mr Robathan: The conduct of an Initial Assessment on numeracy and literacy provides a diagnostic tool used to establish starting levels of recruits and as such it does not have pass or fail criteria. The figures supplied previously are the results of all of the initial assessments that were conducted by the armed forces in the time period concerned.
Armed Forces: Death
Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who has responsibility of determining whether to carry out an internal review or a service inquiry in the case of service personnel killed in action; [155190]
(2) what the criteria are for determining whether to carry out an internal review rather than a service inquiry recommended by a coroner in the case of service personnel killed in action. [155191]
Mr Francois [holding answer 14 May 2013]: If a member of the armed forces is killed in action, a convening authority must be appointed to decide whether there is to be a service inquiry. The convening authority is an officer of or above the rank of Naval Captain, Colonel or Group Captain who is normally in the chain of command of the ship/unit/establishment of the personnel involved in the matter to be investigated.
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The test to be applied by the convening authority is laid down in the Armed Forces (Service Inquiries) Regulations 2008. The regulations state that the convening authority must cause a service inquiry to be held, if he/she considers that anything of consequence to the armed forces which is not apparent from the death may be learned by the armed forces by means of a service inquiry. In making a decision the convening authority will no doubt have regard to any recommendation made, or views expressed, by a coroner. However, coroners do not have the authority to determine the way in which their recommendations are taken forward, including requesting a service inquiry. The convening authority will also take into account other work connected to the incident, such as a wider review of policy, processes and procedures to capture lessons and implement measures to help prevent a recurrence.
Armed Forces: Domestic Violence
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 12 June 2012, Official Report, column 446W, to the hon. Member for Luton North, on armed forces: domestic violence, whether the domestic abuse protocol has been rolled out to all garrison areas; and if he will make a statement. [155256]
Mr Francois: The domestic abuse protocol in place between the Service Police (which at that time meant the Ministry of Defence Police, the Royal Military Police and the Royal Air Force Police) and Hampshire Constabulary has been expanded to include Thames Valley police and the Royal Navy Police and now relates to the handling of incidents within Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Thames Valley.
No further expansion has yet taken place.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to evaluate the effectiveness of the JSP 913 Tri-Service Policy on Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence; and if he will make a statement. [155260]
Mr Robathan: All Joint Service Publications are subject to periodic review to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the user and reflect current departmental policy. This process also serves to evaluate their effectiveness.
Such a review and revision of JSP 913 is scheduled this year to reflect recent changes introduced as part of the Government strategy to tackle domestic and sexual violence.
Armed Forces: Housing
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service family accommodation properties have had a Green Deal assessment to date. [154858]
Mr Francois: Green Deal Energy Company Obligation assessments have been carried out on 300 service family accommodation properties to date.
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Armed Forces: Offences Against Children
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of child abuse there were by (a) service personnel and (b) civilian staff against (i) service personnel and (ii) civilian staff based in Germany by service in each year since 2005; how many of those were (A) referred for prosecution and (B) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement. [155250]
Mr Robathan: For information held on child sexual offences I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois), gave on 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1128W. The Ministry of Defence holds the following information recorded by the service police on other child abuse(1) allegations involving service(2) or civilian personnel based in Germany in the period between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012.
The total number of cases relating to allegations of child abuse in Germany in this period is 35. Of these cases a total of 29 were alleged by either service personnel or civilian staff and are broken down by year as follows.
| Allegations made by service personnel based in Germany | Allegations made by civilian staff based in the Germany | |
The remaining six cases were alleged by civilian dependants.
Of the 35 overall cases, the total number of allegations made against either service personnel or civilian staff is 22. These cases are broken down by year as follows.
| Allegations made against service personnel based in Germany | Allegations made against civilian staff based in Germany | |
The remaining 13 cases were alleged against civilian dependants solely.
Of the 35 overall cases, 16 were referred for prosecution. Of the 16 cases referred, 10 comprised service personnel and one of civilian staff. The remaining cases comprised civilian dependants solely.
Of the 10 service personnel referred for prosecution, four were convicted of offences in relation to the alleged incident. No civilian staff were convicted of offences.
(1) ‘Child Abuse’ has been interpreted as offences that would be categorised under 'Child Cruelty'. This definition comprises offences under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and also Section 27 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.
(2) All of the recorded information regarding service personnel in this period relates to Army personnel.
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Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answers of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1128W and 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1129W, on armed forces: sexual offences, whether any of the allegations made by service personnel relate to children placed in schools funded by the continuity of education allowance; when such allegations were made; and if he will make a statement. [155254]
Mr Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested. However the Ministry of Defence takes the issue of the safeguarding of children very seriously, including in relation to service children undergoing education with the support of the continuity of education allowance (CEA) scheme. In rare cases where an issue arises with a school, parents are permitted to move their children to another school of their choice without loss of CEA if they wish.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1128W, on armed forces: sexual offences, which Department is responsible for investigations in lieu of local authority responsibilities under child protection legislation; what training is made available to staff in order to conduct investigations into child sexual offences; and if he will make a statement. [155255]
Mr Robathan: The British Forces Social Work Service—delivered by the Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen Families Association (SSAFA) under contract to the Ministry of Defence, is the provider of a statutory social work service in British Forces Germany (BFG).
All new child protection cases in BFG are investigated by a team comprising SSAFA social workers and the Royal Military Police. However, as in the UK, the nature and circumstances of the allegation will determine if the investigation is a single agency lead, for example, police only or social work only.
All SSAFA social workers are registered with the appropriate professional body, Health and Care Professions Council and are senior practitioners, with a number of years experience, recruited from the UK, and they bring with them demonstrable experience in statutory children services. They are trained in 'Achieving Best Evidence in Criminal Proceedings'. The Royal Military Police are also trained to deal with child abuse and safeguarding issues.
BFG has a Local Safeguarding Children Board which has responsibility for ensuring the quality of safeguarding practice and inter-agency working across BFG which will involve all interested parties such as health workers, teachers and welfare services.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations relating to the possession of indecent images have been made against (a) armed forces personnel and (b) civilian staff based in Germany in each year since 2005; how many such allegations have (i) been referred for prosecution and (ii) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement. [155258]
Mr Francois:
The Ministry of Defence service police hold the following recorded information on allegations relating to the possession of indecent images(1) made against service or civilian personnel based in Germany
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in the period between the implementation of the Armed Forces Act 2006 on 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012.
| Allegation made against service personnel | Allegation made against civilian staff | |
The above allegations comprise of a total of 17 cases. Detailed as follows is the status of the cases, divided by year.
(1 )This includes all indecent images of children as defined by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Protection of Children Act 1978.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answers of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1128W and 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1129W, on armed forces: sexual offences, how many allegations made (a) by and (b) against service personnel were referred to local authorities for investigation under child protection legislation; which local authorities were notified; and if he will make a statement. [155259]
Mr Robathan: The Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mr Francois), will write to the hon. Member shortly.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of child abuse were made (a) by and (b) against (i) service personnel and (ii) civilian staff based in the UK in each service in each year since 2005; how many such allegations (A) were referred for prosecution and (B) resulted in a conviction; and if he will make a statement. [155264]
Mr Francois: For information held on child sexual offences I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1127W.
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For the other child abuse offences(1) the Ministry of Defence police (MDP) and the service police have no record of any allegations made by or against members of the armed forces or civilian staff in the UK between 1 November 2009 and 31 December 2012 in which the service police or the MDP were the investigative lead.
(1 )“Child Abuse” has been interpreted as offences that would be categorised under ‘Child Cruelty’. This definition comprises offences under Section 1 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and section 27, Offences Against the Persons Act (OAPA) 1861.
Armed Forces: Qualifications
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces who started phase 2 training had not reached entry level 3 skills in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [156028]
Mr Robathan: The armed forces training regime is structured, phased and progressive. No personnel started phase 2 training before they had reached entry level 3 skills between 2010-12.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to mandating GCSE training during (a) Phase 1 and (b) Phase 2 training. [156029]
Mr Robathan: The qualifications linked to initial training are Functional Skills and Apprenticeships, underpinning the practical approach embodied in the military. There is currently no intent to mandate their replacement with GCSEs. However, all personnel are encouraged to engage in personal development throughout their careers and they may elect to study for further qualifications, including GCSEs.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average cost of recruitment was per armed forces recruit; and what the total cost to the public purse was of recruitment for all new personnel into the (a) Royal Air Force, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Army in each year since 2010-11. [154863]
Mr Francois: The cost of regular armed forces recruiting in 2011-12 was £205.5 million which can be broken down by service as follows:
| £ million | |
The total number of contacts from individuals seeking information about a military career in this period was 162,412, with applicants totalling 49,208. The selection process produced a total of 14,810 successful recruits, from which an average cost of £13,875 can be derived. The cost of generating a contact through our recruiting and marketing operations was approximately £1,250.
Capturing the total cost of recruiting across the armed forces is a complex and resource-intensive task. For 2010-11, when both the recruitment budget and recruitment targets were below normal levels, these calculations were not carried out.
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The cost of recruiting in 2012-13 will be available later this year.
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 22 April 2013, Official Report, columns 619-20W, on armed forces: recruitment, if he will represent the data giving the numbers who (a) were tested and (b) passed for each of the three services in each of the last 20 years. [155160]
Mr Francois: The armed forces fitness testing regimes have changed several times in the last 20 years. The information available covers the last seven financial years.
The numbers of recruit applicants who were fitness tested for service and passed the test for the Naval Service and the RAF is shown in the following table:
| Tested | Passed | |
| (1 )The Naval Service figures include those who have been re-tested. | ||
The Army does not separate its fitness test results from the overall result of a three-day selection process. As a result it is not possible to identify the pass rate of the fitness test.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for recruitment to the armed forces of plans to raise the school leaving age to 18; and if he will make a statement. [155524]
Mr Robathan:
The implications for recruitment of the raising of the participation age for all 16 and 17-year-olds accords well with the armed forces approach to recruitment. Of the three options available to 16 and 17-year-olds to meet this obligation, the Ministry of
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Defence provides two, undertaking an apprenticeship and taking full-time employment that includes structured training. The armed forces recognise this and as the largest national deliverer of apprenticeships, regard the continued participation of 16 and 17-year-olds in this way as central to the professional and personal development of this cohort. Experience shows that, in general terms, those who are recruited at 16 and 17 often become particularly effective members of the armed forces.
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many young people have been recruited into each of the armed forces at the age of 16 or 17 in each of the last five years from (a) independent schools, (b) public schools and (c) state schools. [156406]
Mr Robathan: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Scotland
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1125W, on armed forces: Scotland, what the name is of each of his Department's properties in Scotland (a) currently and (b) anticipated to be subject to commercial negotiation. [155642]
Mr Robathan: A list showing Ministry of Defence properties in Scotland, exclusive of Service Family Accommodation, will be placed in the Library of the House.
Any of these properties may currently or in the future be subject to commercial negotiation. The information for all properties in Scotland could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Armed Forces: Sexual Offences
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, column 1126W, on armed forces: sexual offences, if he will provide a breakdown by year for (a) rape, (b) sexual assault and sexual assault by penetration of (i) the number of cases not investigated (ii) cases investigated but not resulting in a person being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006, (iii) cases resulting in persons being referred to a prosecuting authority under the Armed Forces Act 2006 but did not result in Court Martial or other disciplinary proceedings, (iv) cases resulting in a conviction, (v) cases which resulted in a Court Martial or other disciplinary proceedings which resulted in a conviction for a lesser offence, (vi) cases resulting in a Court Martial or other disciplinary proceedings which did not result in a conviction and (vii) cases ongoing; and if he will make a statement. [155265]
Mr Francois: The following tables detail the breakdown by year of the outcomes on allegations of rape, assault by penetration and sexual assault made by armed forces personnel serving in Germany since 1 November 2009 to 31 December 2012.
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Since my earlier answer two previous cases have been updated and are no longer shown as ongoing.
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2013, Official Report, columns 1127-30W, on armed forces: sexual offences, what power a commanding officer has to (a) refer and (b) not refer an allegation for investigation; under what (i) statutory and (ii) non-statutory authority that power is exercised; who carries out any such investigation; and if he will make a statement. [155761]
Mr Robathan: A commanding officer is obliged to refer all allegations of sexual offences listed in schedule 2 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 to the service police, in accordance with the Act and the Manual of Service Law. Where allegations are made relating to sexual offences not listed in schedule 2, commanding officers still have a duty to investigate these appropriately but they cannot deal with them summarily. In practice it is likely they will be reported to the service police. Investigations by the service police will comply with the relevant provisions of Armed Forces Act 2006, subordinate legislation under the Act and other applicable legislation (such as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (Application to the Armed Forces) Order 2009).
Armed Forces: Termination of Employment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people left the armed forces in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [155299]
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Mr Francois [holding answer 15 May 2013]: The total number of personnel who left the armed forces over the requested timeframe is as follows:
| Number | |
Full details of outflow from UK Regular Forces broken down by service can be found in chapter 2 of the ‘UK Defence Statistics 2012’ publication at the following website:
http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2012/c2/table220.php
British Nuclear Test Veterans’ Association
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has been invited to attend the British Nuclear Test Veterans’ Association Conference in Coventry from 24 to 26 May 2013; and if he will make a statement. [155695]
Mr Robathan: There is no record of the Secretary of State for Defence having received an invitation to the British Nuclear Test Veterans conference.
British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many times submarines have been berthed in Loch Goil as part of testing at the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre in each of the last five years; [156113]
(2) on how many occasions the Royal Navy has used the Z-berths at (a) Loch Goil and (b) Loch Ewe in each of the last five years. [156151]
Mr Dunne: The terms Z berth and X berth refer specifically to berths suitable for use by operational nuclear powered warships (NPW) within HM naval bases authorised for work on nuclear systems, namely at Devonport and Clyde. All berths for operational NPWs outside these two HM naval bases are referred to as operational berths.
Loch Goil and Loch Ewe have operational berths, which have been used by the Royal Navy as follows:
| Operational berth location | Type of berth | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013(1) |
| (1) The figures for 2013 are up to and including 15 May 2013. | |||||||
The Loch Goil mooring does not form part of the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre and as such no visits to that mooring have been conducted as part of that testing.