Sleep Apnoea
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve awareness and treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea. [158426]
Anna Soubry: Improving outcomes for people with respiratory diseases such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a key priority for this Government. It is specifically covered in both the public health and NHS outcomes frameworks, against which NHS England will need to demonstrate progress.
It will be for the National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease, Professor Mike Morgan, to advise on whether additional specific initiatives are needed to promote best practice for people with OSA.
Social Services
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to ensure the spread and adoption of the My Home Life programme since the publication of the Care and Support White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [158589]
Norman Lamb: My Home Life is a collaborative movement to improve the quality of life for everyone connected with care homes for older people. As set out in the 'Caring for our future' White Paper, the Government strongly support the aims of My Home Life, including its work to connect care homes to the local community and to improve the leadership skills of care home managers. To support the work of My Home Life, the Department of Health awarded grant funding to My Home Life of £174,686 over the period of 2009-10 to 2012-13.
The Government launched online quality profiles for all registered adult social care providers on the NHS Choices website on 25 April 2013. The online quality profiles give the public information about the services providers offer and help them choose the care and support which best meets their needs. Care homes taking part in the My Home Life movement are able to attach a “quality mark” to signal this on the performance page of their online quality profile. In this way the Department is helping promote the movement and encourage more care homes to take part.
The Department has worked with the National Skills Academy to agree that it will support My Home Life to roll out its leadership support and community development programme for care home managers, providing financial support to take this forward.
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Surgery
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the clinical benefits of larger paediatric cardiac surgical units; [158603]
(2) whether the latest partial risk adjustment in surgery data confirms the conclusion of the 2011 Safe and Sustainable Review that surgery would be better focused at fewer, larger sites. [158604]
Anna Soubry: Following referrals from three local health overview and scrutiny committees, the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), asked the Independent Reconfiguration Panel to undertake a full review of the Safe and Sustainable review of children's congenital heart services.
The panel was asked to advise the Secretary of State whether it is of the opinion that the proposals for change under the Safe and Sustainable review will enable the provision of safe, sustainable and accessible services, and if not, why not.
The Secretary of State has now received and is considering the panel's advice, which covers a raft of issues, including the use of data in the Safe and Sustainable review, and he will make a decision in due course.
Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a detailed analysis of surgical performance, in association with the National Institute for Health Care and Excellence aimed at quantifying other factors that affect surgical success rates such as ethnicity, socioeconomic deprivation, national funding, technical difficulty and unit size. [158605]
Anna Soubry: It is critical that patients and commissioners understand the quality of services being delivered within national health service hospitals and other health care settings. To enable this, outcomes data from national clinical audits for consultants practising in a range of surgical specialities will be published in the summer. This is a ground-breaking step which will herald a new level of transparency about health outcomes from NHS services. The NHS has already published consultant-level outcomes data in cardiac surgery, which resulted in the United Kingdom going from below average in Europe for survival rates to among the best for health outcomes in that speciality.
The publication of these data is a key offer from NHS England to give NHS commissioners the insights and evidence they need to produce better local health outcomes. Publication will also enable further detailed analysis of the performance of both individual NHS trusts and consultants to be undertaken by other organisations. This will support the right of patients to choose the most appropriate setting for their care, and contribute to achieving better outcomes for patients and local communities.
Telephone Services
John Healey:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department receives any financial or non-financial benefit from its telephone providers for telephone lines that (a) his Department and (b) the agencies for
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which he is responsible operate, including but not limited to (i) a share of call revenue, (ii) a reduction in the Department's telephone bill or tariff and (iii) telephony services for free or at a reduced price. [157739]
Dr Poulter: The Department and its agencies do not receive either a share of any revenue its providers make, or any reduction in their bills or tariff. Similarly, the Department and its agencies do not receive any free or reduced priced telephony services.
Tobacco: Packaging
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on plain packaging for cigarettes; and what recent discussions and meetings he has held with interested parties on this issue. [158292]
Anna Soubry: The Government have not yet made a decision following the ‘Consultation on standardised packaging of tobacco products’. This is an important decision and one that will only be taken after full consideration of the consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information.
Since December 2012 the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), met representatives of Cancer Research UK (CRUK) on 7 February 2013, during which standardised packaging was mentioned. The Secretary of State also had a telephone call with the CRUK chief executive on 17 April 2013 to discuss this issue. I met with a Professor of Health Policy at Curtin University (Australia) on 17 April when the issue was discussed.
Details of earlier ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published quarterly and can be found on the Department's website at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-external-meetings-october-december-2012
This has come up on occasion in discussions with hon. Members during my ministerial surgeries.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his timetable is for making a decision on introducing standardised packaging for cigarettes. [158852]
Anna Soubry: The Government have not yet made a decision on this policy. This is an important decision and one that will only be taken after full consideration of the consultation responses, evidence and other relevant information.
Tranquillisers
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 19 January 2012, Official Report, column 932W, on benzodiazepines, how many licences for the manufacture or supply of (a) benzodiazepine and (b) Z drug tranquillisers have been issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency since that date. [157491]
Norman Lamb:
Since 19 January 2012 six new marketing authorisations have been granted by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for
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medicines containing benzodiazepines, and two new marketing authorisations have been granted for ‘Z’ tranquilisers.
The information required is shown in the following tables.
| Benzodiazepines | |||
| Drug substance | Market authorisation holder | Date licensed by MHRA | Licensed product name |
| Z Tranquilizers | |||
| Drug substance | Authorisation holder company name | Date licensed by MHRA | Licensed product name |
Transplant Surgery
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when a decision will be made on whether NHS England will commission the auto-islet transplant procedure; and if he will make a statement. [158481]
Anna Soubry: NHS England currently commissions islet transplant services from six centres in England. These centres undertake allotransplantation, which involves taking islet cells from donor pancreases and transplanting them into patients. This service has been nationally commissioned since April 2008.
However, NHS England does not currently commission an auto transplantation service, where a diseased pancreas is removed from a patient, the islet cells are isolated and then re-implanted into the patient. NHS England is considering a proposal for a pancreatectomy and islet auto transplantation service for chronic pancreatitis. An application has been received from four hospitals (Churchill Hospital, Kings College Hospital, Freeman Hospital Newcastle and University Hospitals of Leicester) and is currently being processed through the Hepatobiliary Clinical Reference Group. It is expected that the service proposal will be considered at NHS England's internal medicine programme of care board at the end of June.
The care board's recommendation will then be considered by the rare disease advisory group and clinical priorities advisory group, which will advise NHS England.
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Travel
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's budget for ministerial travel for (a) the Government Car Service, (b) private hire vehicles, (c) taxis, (d) rail, (e) aviation and (f) other is for (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16. [157527]
Dr Poulter: Budgets are profiled for the subsequent financial year only once departmental budgets have been confirmed. Expenditure profiled for 2013-14 for ministerial travel costs is set out in the following table but may be subject to change dependent upon business need.
| Expenditure profiled for 2013-14 (£) | |
| (1 )There is no set amount allocated for taxi expenditure. Taxi costs are profiled with GCS costs as they are recorded in the Department's Business Management System under the same budget line. (2) Included in GCS costs. | |
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on ministerial travel by (a) Government Car Service, (b) private hire vehicles, (c) taxis, (d) rail, (e) aviation and (f) other means in each year of the current Parliament. [157548]
Dr Poulter: Information on departmental spend on Government cars is published in the annual written ministerial statement, details of which can be found within the Libraries of both Houses.
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120116/wmstext/120116m0001.htm#12011611000194
www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm121220/wmstext/121220m0001.htm#12122056000216
Details of the costs for 2012-13 will be published in due course.
Information on taxi spend, other than the Government Car Service, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
The cost of ministerial rail travel broken down by financial year is as follows:
| £ | |
| Note: Data for 2010-11 is from May 2010 onwards. | |
Details of all ministerial overseas travel, including costs, are published quarterly in arrears on the data.gov.uk website.
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Vetting
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that infrastructure projects for his Department are not delivered by firms involved in the blacklisting of construction workers. [157889]
Dr Poulter: Blacklisting is an abhorrent practice. That is why, in response to the findings of the investigation by the Information Commissioner's Office into The Consulting Association, and subsequent consultation, the Government legislated in 2010 to prohibit the use of blacklists. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 make it unlawful, subject to certain exemptions, to compile, use, sell or supply 'prohibited lists', ie a blacklist. Individuals who believe they are being excluded from employment because of a blacklist should seek redress in county courts in England and Wales, or the Court of Session in Scotland. Other rights under the regulations can be enforced in employment tribunals.
The creation, supply or use of a blacklist is also likely to amount to a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 as information about the individual's membership of a trade union is sensitive personal data. The Information Commissioner has the power, increased in 2010, to impose fines of up to £500,000 for serious breaches on data controllers who unlawfully process data. This can include not only the individual or company that created the blacklist, but any employer or agency using it for employment vetting.
It is also unlawful under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 to refuse to employ a person because they are a member or not a member of a trade union, or because they refuse to join or leave a trade union. It is equally unlawful for an agency to refuse employment services on those grounds. An individual can bring an employment tribunal claim within three months of the offence taking place, or longer if the tribunal decides it was not reasonably practicable to bring the claim in time.
To date, we have received no evidence that blacklisting is ongoing, though Ministers are keen to encourage individuals to come forward with any new evidence. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), met the Information Commissioner on 2 April 2013 to discuss how any new evidence would be handled.
Work and Pensions
Asbestos
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the merits of introducing a policy of removing all in-situ asbestos-containing materials within an agreed time period for the purposes of reducing the continuing risk of exposure. [158126]
Mr Hoban: Where asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, there is no clear evidence that removal of ACMs is safer than managing them safely in situ.
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Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, owners (or those people responsible for maintenance) of non-domestic buildings have a clear responsibility to assess for the presence of ACMs and to put in place a plan to manage any resulting risk. This includes: monitoring the condition of the ACMs; arranging for repair or enclosure/encapsulation if required; or, in those cases where the assessment shows this to be necessary, arranging for their removal. This provides a practical way to identify, prioritise and properly plan what action needs to be taken.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action his Department is taking to draw attention to householders of the risk arising from the disturbance of asbestos-containing materials within domestic properties. [158127]
Mr Foster: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Home owners have the primary responsibility for ensuring that their properties are safe and well-maintained. In the case of social and privately rented properties, it is the responsibility of the landlord to ensure that properties are safe and well-maintained.
However, under the Housing Act 2004, local authorities have a duty to keep housing conditions in their area under review, and strong powers to take action to tackle hazards in residential properties, including asbestos.
Billing
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many bills paid by his Department to private sector contractors took over three months to settle in the last year for which figures are available. [157713]
Mr Hoban: Only 0.46% of payments were made after 30 days. The number of bills paid by the Department to private sector contractors that took over three months to settle in the last year is not collated centrally, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Cattle: Accidents
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ask the Health and Safety Executive to investigate which cattle breeds are most likely to injure people. [157666]
Mr Hoban: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) keeps records of all incidents (accidents and complaints) that are reported to it. Certain incidents (accidents) are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (as amended) (RIDDOR).
There is no requirement under RIDDOR or other health and safety legislation for breeds of cattle involved in incidents to be reported to HSE. The breed of the cattle will only be recorded by HSE where it is relevant to the investigation of a specific incident.
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Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Health and Safety Executive plans to take to protect farmers and walkers from certain continental breeds of cattle. [157671]
Mr Hoban: HSE published revised guidance on cattle and public access to farmland in 2012 in consultation with DEFRA. The guidance, in the form of Agriculture Information Sheet 17EW ‘Cattle and public access in England and Wales’ can be found at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais17ew.pdf
The guidance is targeted at farmers and land managers who keep cattle in fields and enclosures to enable them to discharge their legal duties to protect workers and others (including members of the public) from risks involving cattle.
Disposable Income
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) people and (b) disabled people in work live in households with incomes below 60 per cent of contemporary median net disposable household income (i) before and (ii) after housing costs. [158805]
Esther McVey: In 2010-11 in the UK there were:
(a) i. 5.5 million working-age adults living in households with incomes below 60% of contemporary median net disposable household income, of which 2.2 million were in work, on a before housing costs basis.
ii. 7.8 million working-age adults living in households with incomes below 60% of contemporary median net disposable household income, of which 3.3 million were in work, on an after housing costs basis.
(b) i. 1.3 million disabled working-age adults living in households with incomes below 60% of contemporary median net disposable household income, of which 0.2 million were in work, on a before housing costs.
ii. 1.7 million disabled working-age adults in work living in households with incomes below 60% of contemporary median net disposable household income, of which 0.3 million were in work, on an after housing costs basis.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.
The working-age population is the most appropriate client group for analysing work status, as children and pensioners are generally not in work.
Low income figures are published annually in the Households Below Average Income publication available here:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=hbai
Employment and Support Allowance
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the letter of 29 May 2013 from the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East (Sheila Gilmore) on the use of official statistics relating to employment and support allowance. [158145]
Mr Hoban: DWP releases a large amount of national and official statistics via its website, which can be accessed and used by anyone outside the Department, including Members of Parliament.
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Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employment and support allowance claimants referred to prime contractors in the last six months have had (a) zero, (b) one, (c) two, (d) three and (e) four or more interviews. [158543]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate costs.
Employment: Autism
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what work his Department does with employer organisations to raise awareness of the benefits of employing people with conditions such as autism. [157884]
Esther McVey: We are committed to ensuring that disabled people, including people with autism, have the opportunities, chances and support that they need to get a job and remain in employment.
In October 2010, DWP responded to a number of requests from disabled people and disability organisations to look at ways to improve the DWP customer service experience and increase work opportunities for individuals with hidden impairment conditions, which include: autistic spectrum conditions including Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, speech and language and mental ill health. A national steering group entitled The Hidden Impairment National Group (HING) was set up to progress this agenda.
The HING, chaired by DWP, has a strong and productive membership including disabled people with hidden impairment conditions, medical professionals and academics and disability specific organisations such as The Adsetts Partnership, Autism Plus, Complex Minds, Addept, The National Autistic Society, The Dyscovery Centre, The Dyspraxia Foundation, The Dyslexia Foundation and Dyslexia Action.
Together, the HING has had a significant impact on improving the DWP customer service experience for people with hidden impairments; developing a range of resources including an on-line toolkit, for all DWP staff.
The HING has also recognised the importance of sharing this information with the wider business community across the country and is engaging with a large number of employers to help them better recruit and retain disabled people, and in particular individuals with hidden impairments. The HING has facilitated employer events to raise awareness of the skills, talents and abilities of many people with these conditions. For further information the HING has created a website that enables employers to register for free resources that will encourage them to recruit and retain disabled talent. This can be found at:
www.hing.org.uk
The Department is also currently updating its strategy on engaging with employers on disability employment. This is expected to include deepening the support and resources available to employers in a strategic way.
Food Banks
Mr Bain:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people experiencing problems with disposable income who
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have used food banks run by the charitable, voluntary and private sectors in each region and constituent part of the UK in the current and three previous financial years. [157916]
Mr Hoban: DWP does not collate or hold numbers of the referrals to food banks.
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to record all referrals made by Government agencies for people to (a) receive emergency food aid and (b) visit food banks. [158935]
Mr Hoban: Referrals to food banks or food aid can currently be made by a range of bodies. The Department for Work and Pensions does not monitor this activity.
Health and Safety Executive: North East
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in the north east in each year since 2008. [157707]
Mr Hoban: The following table shows the minimum and maximum number of staff employed by HSE in the north east for each calendar year. The figures for 2013 are from January 2013 to June 2013.
| Min | Max | Average | |
Figures provided relate to staff permanently based at HSE office in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Homelessness
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will work with homelessness organisations to assess the effectiveness of the toolkit for the identification of homelessness by Jobcentre Plus advisors. [158125]
Mr Hoban: The Secretary of State meets representatives of homeless charities on a regular basis to discuss a whole range of topics, and these meetings are not limited to any particular subject matter.
There is no specific toolkit for the identification of homelessness. However, Jobcentre Plus advisers are equipped with the necessary guidance and training to identify and provide an appropriate level of tailored support for the homeless, as well as other disadvantaged groups. As a priority group, the homeless are able to access additional support through Jobcentre Plus advisers to enter employment, including early access to the Work programme. The guidance which supports Jobcentre Plus advisers is subject to regular review to ensure its effectiveness for helping to tackle homelessness and the barriers it creates to employment.
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Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to local authorities on the award of discretionary housing grants to victims of domestic violence who are rehoused in accommodation which they are deemed to under-occupy. [158354]
Steve Webb: Revised, guidance was issued to local authorities in April this year.
Throughout this guidance we advise local authorities to consider awarding a discretionary housing payment to victims of domestic violence, whether they had to flee domestic violence or have moved because of the threat of violence.
While this guidance does not specifically refer to victims of domestic violence who are deemed to under-occupy, we advise local authorities to consider that it may not always be possible for a claimant to seek the most affordable accommodation when they need to seek a place of safety.
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether currently deployed armed forces service personnel are exempted from the under-occupancy penalty under the Housing Benefit (Amendment) Regulations 2013 if prior to their deployment they stayed in barracks. [158950]
Steve Webb: This Government recognise the unique and important role played by the UK armed forces and the sacrifices they are prepared to make.
Adult children who are in the armed forces but who usually reside with parents will be treated as living at home when deployed on operations, for the purposes of the removal of the spare room subsidy. In the event that they stayed in barracks as a part of their pre-deployment training, they will be treated as if they were occupying their parent's home during this period.
Adult children who are in the armed forces but who usually live in barracks are not treated as occupying their parent's home during periods of deployment.
Jobcentre Plus
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what annual targets his Department has set for Jobcentre Plus (JCP) employees in relation to the number of (a) complaints made and (b) appeals made against their respective JCPs; and whether failure to meet those targets is reflected in the pay structure of JCP employees; [158421]
(2) what annual targets his Department has set for the number of sanctions made against people claiming unemployment benefit for prolonged periods of time; and whether success in meeting those targets is reflected in the pay structure of Jobcentre Plus employees; [158423]
(3) what annual targets his Department has set for the number of people on unemployment benefits who are sanctioned and taken off those benefits; and whether success in meeting those targets is reflected in the pay structure of Jobcentre Plus employees. [158425]
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Mr Hoban: As there are no targets for jobcentres in respect of numbers of complaints, appeals or the number of sanctions applied to claimants' benefits, these are not reflected in the pay structure of Jobcentre Plus employees.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of staff in Jobcentre Plus centres have received training in autism. [158990]
Mr Hoban: We do not have figures on training specifically targeted at people on the autistic spectrum as there are no training products that separate this from other health conditions. However, all Jobcentre Plus staff have access to a comprehensive learning programme to support them in dealing with customers with varied health conditions including autism. This learning focuses on raising awareness of the individual's personal circumstances and recognises that health conditions such as autism can affect individuals in different ways. Staff also have access to a suite of guidance and specialist sources of help including the hidden impairment toolkit and the ‘Employment Health Conditions Disability Guide note for Advisers’, which provides practical advice and guidance on how best to support individuals with autistic spectrum disorders into employment.
Disability employment advisers receive additional learning appropriate to this specialist area. Their training has been designed in conjunction with specialist DWP occupational psychologists to enable them to provide effective support to people with particular complex needs, and includes case studies relating to autism to ensure the key points are communicated effectively in the learning.
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people receiving contributory jobseeker's allowance moved on to income-based jobseeker's allowance after reaching the 182-day limit on the contributory element in the latest period for which figures are available. [158818]
Mr Hoban: The information requested is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Kilmarnock
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of jobseekers in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency have received a sanction in the last 12 months. [157776]
Mr Hoban: The information requested has been placed in the Library and can be found at:
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2013-0898/17601_PQ155681_Sancs_Time_Series_ParlC_final.xls
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency have been sanctioned in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [157777]
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Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many claimants of jobseeker’s allowance in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency have been sanctioned in the last 12 months for which figures are available is given in the following table:
| Number of individuals with an adverse jobseeker's allowance sanction applied in Kilmarnock and Loudoun Constituency: 1 June 2011 to 31 May 2012 | |
| Total | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and will only include the latest sanction referral for individuals who have had more than one referral decision or the same decision in more than one year e.g. if an individual has had more than one sanction referral, only the latest will appear, “—” denotes nil or negligible. 2. The number of sanctions applied is the number of Varied(5), Fixed Length(6) and Entitlement Decision(7 )sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. 3. The year 2012 only includes data up to and including 31 May, which are the latest data available for all geographical areas. 4. Parliamentary constituency: Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. Boundaries are as at the reference date. More information and a map can be found at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/maps/index.html 5. Varied Length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the Adjudication Officer who makes the decision. 6. Fixed Length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a Jobseeker's Direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the Adjudication Officer's decision on a sanction question. 7. Entitlement Decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to jobseeker's allowance depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the Jobseeker's agreement is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of jobseeker's allowance will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database. | |
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Jobseeker's Allowance: West Midlands
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Birmingham, Hall Green constituency and (b) the West Midlands (i) received a sanction and (ii) received a sanction and disputed it in each of the last five years; and how many such claimants had a sanction overturned as a result of it being reconsidered or appealed in each such year. [157685]
Mr Hoban: Statistics on how many claimants of jobseeker's allowance in (a) Birmingham, Hall Green constituency and (b) West Midlands have (i) received a sanction and (ii) received a sanction and disputed it in each of the last five years; and how many such claimants had a sanction overturned as a result of it being reconsidered or appealed in each such year are given in the following tables:
| Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance claimants with a sanction applied by area and year(2):1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 | ||||||
| Year(2) | ||||||
| Area | Action(3) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance sanctioned claimants who asked for a reconsideration or appealed the original decision by area and year(2):1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 | ||||||
| Year(2) | ||||||
| Area | Action(3) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| Number(1) of jobseeker's allowance sanctioned claimants where the original decision was overturned on reconsideration or appeal by area and year(2):1 January 2008 to 31 May 2012 | ||||||
| Year(2) | ||||||
| Area | Action(3) | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
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| “*” Denotes nil or negligible. (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and will include individuals who have had more than one referral decision or the same decision in more than one year e.g. if an individual has a sanction applied and has also appealed a sanction then they will appear twice. (2) Year of Decision: The year in which the decision on the sanction referral, reconsideration or appeal was made. The year 2012 only includes data up to and including 31 May, which this is the latest data available for all geographical areas. (3) Action: The number of sanctions applied is the number of Varied(6), Fixed Length(7) and Entitlement Decision(8) sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant. The decision to apply a sanction can be overturned following reconsideration or appeal by the Sector Decision Maker. (4) Jobcentre Plus Districts: Jobcentre Plus Districts were updated to reflect the changes to the hierarchical structure of Jobcentre Plus implemented on 5 April 2011 from 48 districts to 37 districts. West Midlands consists of Birmingham and Solihull, Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire and Mercia Jobcentre Plus Districts. (5) Parliamentary Constituency: Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory. Boundaries are as at the reference date. More information and a map can be found at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/maps/index.html (6) Varied Length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for leaving employment voluntarily without just cause, refusing employment without good cause, or losing employment through misconduct. The actual period in each case is at the discretion of the Adjudication Officer who makes the decision. (7) Fixed Length sanctions: A sanction of between one week and 26 weeks is imposed for refusal, without good cause, to attend an employment programme or carry out a Jobseeker's Direction. Payment of benefit continues in full pending the Adjudication Officer's decision on a sanction question. (8) Entitlement Decisions: These are questions on which entitlement to jobseeker's allowance depends. For example, if there is doubt around whether the jobseeker's agreement is suitable, whether they are actively looking for work or making themselves available for work. In most cases payment of jobseeker's allowance will be suspended by benefit processing until the doubt is resolved. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database | ||||||
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 1 May 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mrs Susan Herbert. [159170]
Mr Hoban: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), replied to the right hon. Member on 5 June 2013.
Pensions: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect on pension entitlements and pension contributions of the working age being lower in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain between 1947 and 1957. [158920]
Steve Webb: This is a matter for Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Personal Independence Payment
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of personal independence payment on the number of disabled people living in relative poverty. [158816]
Esther McVey: It is very difficult to estimate the impacts of the introduction of personal independence payment (PIP) on all disabled people. Analysis of the impact of personal independence payment (PIP) is based on a study comprising a sample of 900 volunteers, who were currently receiving or had previously received disability living allowance, and who were assessed against the new entitlement criteria. The study did not collect information about claimants' income levels, therefore we are unable to assess what effect the introduction of PIP will have on the number of disabled people living in relative poverty.
Procurement
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what health and safety standards his Department specifies when inviting procurement bids; and if he will make a statement. [158941]
Mr Hoban: DWP terms and conditions are included as part of the invitation to tender sent to potential suppliers. They require contractors to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and any other Acts, orders, regulations and codes of practice relating to health and safety, which may apply to staff and other persons working on the premises in the performance of its obligations under the contract. Contractors are required to notify the Department of any health and safety hazards which may arise in connection with the performance of its obligations under the contract. Contractors need to notify DWP in the event of any incident occurring in the performance of its obligations under the contract on the premises where that incident causes any personal injury or damage to property which could give rise to personal injury. Contractors need to provide their health and safety policy statement (as required by the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974) to the Department on request.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration is given to the health and safety records of bidders when awarding departmental contracts; and if he will make a statement. [158993]
Mr Hoban:
DWP commercial policy fully complies with Government policy to ensure bidders' past performance is taken into account in certain future Government procurements. This applies when procuring goods and/or services in respect of ICT, facilities management or business processing outsourcing with a
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total anticipated contract value of £20 million or greater. This ensures bidders with the requisite standards of technical and professional ability are selected and includes consideration of past failure to provide goods and/or services or any other failure.
Social Security Benefits
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will make an assessment of the average delays in payment of new or revised claims for (a) employment and support allowance, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) housing benefit and (d) income support in each region and constituent part of the UK in the financial years (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13; [157914]
(2) if he will make an assessment of the effect of delays in payment of new or revised claims for (a) employment and support allowance, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) housing benefit and (d) income support on weekly average household disposable income in each region and constituent part of the UK in the financial years (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13. [157915]
Mr Hoban: The Department for Work and Pensions is unable to make such an assessment. Data needed to underpin such an assessment are not collated routinely.
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the impact of benefit sanctions in respect of (a) the reduction of benefits and (b) the withdrawal of benefits affecting claimants for (i) employment and support allowance, (ii) jobseeker's allowance, (iii) housing benefit and (iv) income support on weekly average household disposable income in each region and constituent part of the UK in the financial years (A) 2009-10, (B) 2010-11, (C) 2011-12 and (D) 2012-13. [157919]
Mr Hoban: The Department is committed to an evaluation of the current sanctions regime. However, an estimate of the impact on household income cannot be made for a number of reasons; in particular we do not know what the claimants' circumstances would have been if the sanction had not been applied.
Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy to publish on a regular basis the (a) number and (b) type of households not receiving benefits for which they have been assessed as eligible because of (i) administrative delays, (ii) errors and (iii) application of sanctions. [158026]
Mr Hoban: The information is not readily available in the format requested and there are currently no plans to publish such information.
Social Security Benefits: Birmingham
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of households in (a) Birmingham, Hall Green constituency and (b) Birmingham City region that will be affected by the benefit cap. [157687]
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Mr Hoban: The number of households who we estimate will be affected by the benefit cap by:
(a) Parliamentary constituency has been placed in the Library and can be found here:
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2013-0858/UIN156279.pdf
(b) Local authority area has been placed in the Library and can be found here:
http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2013-0676/Local_Authority_breakdown_of_those_ affected_by_the_benefit_cap_final.doc
Birmingham City region is a sum of the local authorities within, and therefore can be found at the link above.
State Retirement Pensions: Carers
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to introduce a carer's supplement to the basic state pension. [157695]
Steve Webb: Entitlement to the state pension is based on a person's national insurance contributions record. Carers may receive credits which count towards it.
It is a principle of the social security system that two income-replacement benefits, such as carer's allowance and state pension, cannot be paid together. This is known as the overlapping benefits rule. If a carer's basic state pension is less than carer's allowance, it is paid and topped up with carer's allowance to the basic weekly rate of carer's allowance.
Pensioners with income below a certain level can get help from pension credit. Pensioners who are entitled to carer’s allowance can also be entitled to an additional amount in pension credit.
Where carer's allowance cannot be paid because of the overlapping benefits rule, the person will keep underlying entitlement to the benefit and therefore entitlement to the additional amount for carers in pension credit.
We have no plans to change these arrangements.
Universal Credit
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of universal credit on 31 May 2013. [158583]
Mr Hoban: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr Byrne) on 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 675W, on how many people have claimed universal credit in the pathfinder to date. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on pathfinder areas in autumn 2013.
We expect around 7,000 claims to be processed in the pathfinder.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the whole life cost of the universal credit project; whether this estimate has changed since 2010; and if he will make a statement about the differences in those estimates. [158811]
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Mr Hoban: Estimates for the whole life cost can be found in the publicly available Major Projects Authority annual report. The whole life cost is primarily driven by the annual operating costs of universal credit and changes to reflect policy, design and rollout decisions. The implementation of universal credit remains within the £2 billion budget allocated in the 2010 spending review.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances someone undertaking study or training will be eligible to receive universal credit. [158812]
Mr Hoban: People undertaking study or training will be eligible for universal credit provided the course is compatible with the work-related requirements appropriate in their case and it is not:
a course of non-advanced education or training undertaken by a young person whose parent would be eligible for the child element of UC;
a full-time course of advanced education, or
another full-time course for which a student loan or grant has been provided.
In addition there is no restriction on entitlement to UC while undertaking any course of study or training where the student:
is a member of a couple where the other eligible adult is entitled to universal credit;
has dependent children or foster children (whether as a lone parent or member of a couple where both are students);
is disabled, entitled to disability living allowance or personal independence payment and satisfies the work capability assessment;
is over the qualifying age for pension credit (in couple cases where one is over and one under that age); and
for non-advanced education only, they are up to age 21 and without parental support.
Eligible claimants who are in advanced education and in receipt of a student loan or grant for the course they are undertaking will be placed in the no work- related requirements group while they are undertaking that course, except for during the long vacation. Claimants aged under 21 without parental support who are undertaking non-advanced education will also be placed in the no work-related requirements group. In other cases work-related requirements will apply as normal.
Universal Credit: Kilmarnock
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who will receive universal credit but do not currently have a bank account. [157775]
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Mr Hoban: No formal estimate has been made of the number of claimants without bank accounts who will receive universal credit.
DWP currently issues payments to around 3,000 working- age claimants through the post office card account in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun area. Many of these claimants already have access to a bank account; others will be offered support to access suitable financial products and money advice before migrating to universal credit.
Universal Credit: Young People
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which people aged under 18 years old will be eligible to claim universal credit. [158810]
Mr Hoban: The lower age limit for universal credit is normally 18.
Certain 16 and 17-year-olds are entitled to claim universal credit in their own right both where they are living with their parents and where they are not:
those with dependent children—lone parents or couples;
sick or disabled young people who have satisfied the work capability assessment or are waiting to be assessed with medical evidence;
those who are caring for a severely disabled person; and
young women who are pregnant between 11 weeks before and 15 weeks after the expected date of confinement.
16 and 17-year-olds who are without parental support are also entitled to claim universal credit in their own right but only where they are not living with their parents.
Work Capability Assessment
Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Corby constituency, (b) Northamptonshire, (c) East Midlands and (d) East Anglia have submitted an appeal against a work capability assessment carried out by Atos Origin in each year since the inception of that assessment. [158046]
Mr Hoban: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) rest solely with the Department's decision makers taking into account the medical assessment reports from Atos and any other relevant information. The Department only holds information on appeals once they have been heard by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). Information on pending appeals is not collected by DWP.
The following table shows the number of appeals that have been heard against fit for work outcomes at initial work capability assessments (WCAs) for new ESA claims that started between October 2008 and February 2012 (the latest data available), by the year that the claim started, for claimants in (i) Northamptonshire, (ii) East Midlands and (iii) East Anglia. Please note that constituency level data are not available.
| Appeals heard against Fit for Work outcomes at initial WCAs for new ESA claims that started between October 2008 and February 2012 for (i) Northamptonshire, (ii) East Midlands and (iii) East Anglia | ||||||
| Northamptonshire | East Midlands | East Anglia | ||||
| Claim start date | Fit for Work outcomes at initial WCAs | Appeals heard | Fit for Work outcomes at initial WCAs | Appeals heard | Fit for Work outcomes at initial WCAs | Appeals heard |
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| Notes: 1. Rounding: All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Hence totals may not sum exactly. 2. Information on appeals against repeat assessment, incapacity benefit reassessment and work related activity group outcomes are not included. 3. The volume of appeals heard and inferred to be on Fit for Work decision in each cohort are likely to alter over time and change is likely to be most marked in more recent cohorts. This is because of the length of time it takes to submit an appeal and have it heard by HMCTS. Source: Department for Work and Pensions benefit administration datasets. | ||||||
Work Programme
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to strengthen the minimum service standards for the Work programme. [158129]
Mr Hoban: Providers set out their minimum service standards as part of their bids for Work programme contracts. These standards have been published and providers must make them clear to all participants when they join the Work programme. The Department for Work and Pensions carries out regular compliance checks to ensure these standards are being met.
If a participant is concerned that their provider is not meeting their minimum service standards, then they are able to raise the issue with their provider. If the participant is not satisfied with their provider's response, they are then able to escalate the complaint to the independent case examiner.
I have also set up the Work programme: building best practice group, which is independently chaired by Andrew Sells. This will explore best practice for minimum service levels, to ensure that they are transparent and measurable.
We are exploring how providers are able to strengthen their minimum service standards.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to improve job outcomes for homeless people in the Work programme. [158130]
Mr Hoban: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave previously to my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Tracey Crouch), and the hon. Member for Rotherham (Sarah Champion), PQs 156145 and 155974, on 16 May 2013, Official Report, columns 357-58W.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are expected to take up post-Work programme support in each of the next three years. [158817]
Mr Hoban: Projections of people expected to take up post-Work programme support would be based on data the Department plans to release as official statistics. We are therefore unable to provide estimates in response to this PQ without compromising the integrity of the statistical release.
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Written Answers to Questions
Monday 10 June 2013
Business, Innovation and Skills
Adult Education
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many learners aged 19 to 23 years old achieved a Level 3 qualification through their statutory entitlement to a fully funded first full level 3 qualification in academic year (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [158801]
(2) how many learners aged 24 years and over achieved Level 2 qualifications in academic year (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; [158802]
(3) how many learners aged 19 to 24 years old achieved Level 2 qualifications through their statutory entitlement to a fully funded first full level 2 qualification in academic year (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12. [158803]
Matthew Hancock: Table 1 shows the number of Government-funded Further Education and Skills learners achieving a Level 2 and Level 3 qualification by age, 2009/10 to 2011/12. This includes learners across all Further Education and Skills provision types.
Tables 2 to 5 show the number of Government-funded learners achieving a First Full level 2 and First Full level 3 qualification by age, for each provision type—Education and Training, Apprenticeships, Workplace Learning and Community Learning. We have presented First Full Level information separately as it is not possible to sum the individual provision types to give a total figure as this may double count learners.
| Table 1: Further Education and Skills achievement by age and level, 2009/10 to 2011/12 | ||||||
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||||
| Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 2 | Level 3 | |
| Table 2: Education and Training achievement by age and level, 2009/10 to 2011/12 | ||||||
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||||
| First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | |
| Table 3: Apprenticeships achievement by age and level, 2009/10 to 2011/12 | ||||||
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||||
| First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | |
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| Table 4: Workplace Learning achievement by age and level, 2009/10 to 2011/12 | ||||||
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||||
| First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | |
| Table 5: Community Learning achievement by age and level, 2009/10 to 2011/12 | ||||||
| 2009/10 | 2010/11 | 2011/12 | ||||
| First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | First Full Level 2 | First Full Level 3 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. '*' indicates a figure of less than 5. 2. Age is based on age at the start of the academic year. Learners with an unknown age are included in the 24+ age category. Source: Individualised Learner Record | ||||||
Bangladesh
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment UK Trade and Investment made of the compatibility with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights of its support for GCM Resource's Phulbari open cast coal mine project in Bangladesh. [158331]
Michael Fallon: The UK Trade and investment (UKTI) team in Dhaka provides support to UK companies seeking to do business in Bangladesh. It is for individual companies to make an assessment of the viability of any potential projects. UKTI does not have the remit or resources to undertake an assessment for a company of whether an individual project is environmentally, technically, socially or financially viable.
We want to help British business succeed in a way that is consistent with our values. The promotion of business and the protection of human rights should go hand in hand. The Government intend to launch an action plan on business and human rights—based on the UN Guiding Principles—which will underpin business success by helping UK companies understand and manage human rights risk.
Business: Credit
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will increase the scope of the pilot TradeUK credit scheme so that it can offer credit to a wider range of small and micro-businesses. [158456]
Michael Fallon: Expressions of interest have been received from 20 organisations to participate in the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Trade Credit Pilot, which is currently available to trade customers of Kingfisher plc (B and Q and Screwfix).
Formal negotiations have started with a number of trade credit providers, including a trade association who have proposed a collective model that would allow smaller independent builders merchants to participate in the scheme. New providers will be bought on board during the summer, expanding the scheme, providing additional finance to sole traders and small businesses.
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Business: Staffordshire
Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support small and medium sized businesses in Cannock Chase constituency. [158160]
Michael Fallon: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cannock Chase constituency can benefit from a range of national schemes to support businesses, provided by this Department, and local initiatives managed by organisations such as the county council and the local enterprise partnerships (LEPs).
The Cannock Chase constituency is covered by both the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP and Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP. While there are no specific grants to SMEs in the Cannock Chase constituency, SMEs are able to benefit from two local programmes.
The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP in partnership with North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce aims to boost local businesses by offering funding support for expansion, investment and job creation, through a grant scheme in targeted areas called the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Jobs and Growth Fund.
Birmingham city council, on behalf of a cross-LEP consortium in the West Midlands, has been selected to receive funding from the Department's Regional Growth Fund. Small grants of up to £100,000 will be provided to boost SME supply chain companies in their transition to a green economy.
At a national level, the Government have continued to work with the banks and alternative and new funders to ensure that SMEs are able to access the finance they need. This includes our new Start-Up Loans aimed at young people setting up in business. One loan has been drawn-down in Cannock itself and 10 further loans have been drawn down in the surrounding area.
SMEs in Cannock and Chase can also access
www.gov.uk
the new home for Government services and information online, and to help those that cannot use the internet, we will continue to offer support through the Business Link helpline on 0845 6009006.
For businesses with high growth potential, we have launched “GrowthAccelerator”—a £200 million programme for up to 26,000 high growth potential SMEs, providing them with exactly the expertise, insight and networks they need to achieve sustainable growth. More information is available on the website at:
www.growthaccelerator.com
In addition, the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has assisted 25 manufacturing firms in Cannock since January 2012 with the firms benefiting from in-depth MAS support forecasting over £3 million in economic growth and the creation of up to 26 new jobs over the following year, with a further 83 jobs safeguarded. SMEs in Cannock Chase constituency are also able to access a wide range of export support from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), with 28 companies supported in this area in 2012-13. We are also planning an export event, as part of our series of events with MPs in the constituency in the autumn.
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Mr Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to increase the level of access to credit for businesses in (a) Cannock Chase constituency and (b) Staffordshire in the last year. [158162]
Michael Fallon: It is one of the Government's main priorities to increase access to finance, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Funding for Lending Scheme is reducing the cost of lending to business and this was extended by a year in April and will be made available to providers of asset backed, invoice and lease/hire financial products which will further boost the availability of credit to SMEs.
As of April 2013 the Department's Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) has offered loans totalling a value of £2.91 million to 38 businesses in Cannock Chase constituency and a total of 399 businesses in Staffordshire have been offered EFG loan with a total value of £38.77 million.
Companies: Birmingham
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many new companies were entered on the Companies Register in Birmingham in the first three months of (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013. [157852]
Michael Fallon: The estimated number of new companies incorporated by Companies House in the first three months of (a) 2011, (b) 2012, and (c) 2013 that have a registered office in Birmingham are as follows.
| Number | |
Climate Change Levy: Exemption
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he will report on the consultation on Climate Change Levy exemptions for metallurgical and mineralogical process. [157780]
Sajid Javid: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
The Budget announced a new exemption from the climate change levy for energy used in metallurgical and mineralogical processes from 1 April 2014. The Government are currently seeking views from industry on the design and scope of this exemption. This work is led by HM Revenue and Customs, who are working closely with industry in order to gain a clear understanding as to which processes should be covered by the new exemption. This will be followed in the summer by round table meetings to discuss these findings.
Draft legislation to implement the exemption will be published around the time of the autumn statement 2013. This will provide a further opportunity for interested parties to comment.
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Cyber Security
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what measures are in place to control the export of cyber security software. [158598]
Michael Fallon: A licence is required for the export of cyber security software if that item is specially designed for military use or has a cryptographic capability as specified in Council Regulation (EC) No 428/2009 (which is known as the 'EU Dual-Use Regulation').
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria taking into account all relevant factors, including the prevailing circumstances in the recipient country and the stated end-use. A licence would not be issued if to do so was inconsistent with any of the Criteria.
EU Internal Trade
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will review the recommendation in the report by the British Chamber of Commerce, Exporting is good for Britain but market barriers stifle opportunities, that the European Union's Single Market Act and Services Directive be implemented in full in order to dismantle barriers to cross-border EU trade. [158009]
Michael Fallon: I am aware of the series of British Chamber of Commerce Exporting Is Good for Britain reports, market barriers being one of these.
The Government are fully committed to an open and efficient single market in services and are working with a number of other likeminded member states to ensure the full implementation of the Services Directive by all EU member states along similar lines to those proposed by the British Chambers of Commerce.
Food
Mr Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings (a) his, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have held with directors or staff of the top 15 food producers in the UK in the last 12 months; and what subjects were discussed at those meetings. [158376]
Michael Fallon: UK Food and Drink policy is a matter for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. However Ministers and officials in this Department hold meetings with food producers and their representative bodies on cross cutting business issues. Information on these meetings is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Fossil Fuels
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what public monies have been allocated to supporting the Government's oil and gas strategy. [158616]
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Michael Fallon: As set out in the UK Oil and Gas Industrial Strategy, we are actively engaging with industry on a wide range of Government finance initiatives that are currently in place to support growth and innovation. This includes promoting oil and gas industry participation in the Government-funded Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI), helping to shape the role of the Business Bank, and the reintroduction of oil and gas onto the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) programme.
Further Education: Public Appointments
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to his Department's publication entitled “Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills” when he will confirm the appointment of the FE Commissioner. [158804]
Matthew Hancock: Following our commitment in “Rigour and Responsiveness in Skills”, I can confirm that the process is currently under way to appoint a small number of FE Advisers, one of whom will fulfil the role of FE Commissioner, to support the Departments and funding agencies in implementing our new intervention strategy. The recruitment process is being pursued through the National College for Teaching and Leadership's Operational Associates Framework.
I expect to be in a position to announce details of the appointments before the end of July, which will enable the FE Commissioner to be fully operational from the start of the 2013/14 academic year.
Higher Education: Business
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support business societies at UK universities. [158743]
Michael Fallon: The Government are providing seed funding for the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs to build a self-sustainable business model that will support the creation of student enterprise societies in every university and most colleges by 2015. The societies work to drive the growth of entrepreneurship in higher and further education, raising awareness of enterprise as a potential career choice and providing advice and support to students and graduates as they start-up in business.
HMS Ark Royal
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the contract to dismantle HMS Ark Royal; what steps he took to work with (a) UK-based firms and (b) Government agencies to ensure that all or some of the work was undertaken by such companies; whether any UK-based facilities bid for the contract; and if he will make a statement. [158114]
Michael Fallon:
There were no specific discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the dismantling of the HMS Ark Royal. However there is
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agreed Government policy set out in the Ship Recycling Strategy which provides the opportunity for UK based firms to compete fairly and openly. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) sold the former HMS Ark Royal following an open competition held in accordance with this strategy. Seventeen proposals, either to recycle or re-use the ship, were received including seven from UK firms. As a result of this competitive process Leyal was selected to recycle the ship at its shipyard in Turkey.
Industry
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for which industry sectors collaborative strategic partnerships are due to be published during this Parliament; and what timetable he has set for the publication of each. [158615]
Michael Fallon: Sector strategies have been published in Aerospace, Life Sciences, Nuclear and Oil and Gas.
Sector strategies in Education Exports, Automotive, Off-Shore Wind, Agri-tech, Information Economy, Professional and Business Services and Construction are due to be published by summer 2013.
Insurance Companies: Billing
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps he is taking to encourage insurance companies to sign up to the prompt payment code; [157718]
(2) what assessment he has made of the effects on small businesses of late payment by insurance companies; [157719]
(3) if he will launch a specific campaign to encourage insurance companies to pay small businesses promptly. [157720]
Michael Fallon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 May 2013, Official Report column 629W.
Intellectual Property
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the value of UK-owned intellectual property lost through cyber-espionage in the most recent period for which figures are available. [159066]
Mr Willetts: We are aware that intellectual property theft is happening on a large scale. The 2013 Information Security Breaches Survey showed 14% of large organisations and 9% of small businesses reporting theft of intellectual property by an outsider to their organisation. However, some companies may not be aware that thefts or losses of intellectual property have occurred, or be willing to report it, so estimating the overall figure is very difficult.
As part of the Government's cyber security strategy, BIS is working with others to raise awareness of cyber security issues and to encourage businesses to take steps to protect their information and intellectual property.
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Steel Industry
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the UK steel industry. [157997]
Michael Fallon: BIS holds frequent discussions with the UK steel industry at both ministerial and official level on a range of issues of importance to the sector. Most recently the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills met with Tata Steel Europe on 3 June 2013; with SSI on 2 May 2013; and with Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd on 26 March 2013. The issues discussed included energy costs, climate change policy and procurement.
Land Registry
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish (a) all correspondence, (b) market research, (c) the business case and (d) the impact assessment produced by his Department in the last 12 months with regards to privatising the Land Registry. [158577]
Michael Fallon: I have asked the Land Registry to consider alternative commercial models that would enable it to better deliver on its new Business Strategy. This work is ongoing and no final decisions have yet been made.
If there were to be any proposal for a change in the status of Land Registry, there would be a full and careful public consultation.
Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with (a) trade unions and (b) local authorities with regards to TUPE arrangements in the event of the privatisation of the Land Registry. [158821]
Michael Fallon: I have asked the Land Registry to consider alternative commercial models that would enable it to better deliver on its new Business Strategy.
I have met with representatives from both PCS and FDA recently where they were able to raise any issues and concerns.
There have been no discussions with local authorities with regards to TUPE arrangements as no decisions have yet been made on the future status of the Land Registry. If there were to be any proposal for a change in the status of the Land Registry, we would embark on a full and careful public consultation.
Manufacturing Industries
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage growth in the manufacturing sector. [158746]
Michael Fallon: We are strengthening UK manufacturing's capability by encouraging innovation and technology commercialisation, exports, business investment, improving skills, building UK supply chains and promoting manufacturing's image.
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In collaboration with industry, we are developing 11 sector strategies to give business the confidence to invest and grow.
We have committed £1.5 billion to support sector strategies including £1 billion for the Aerospace Technology Institute with matched funding from industry; £1 billion to the Business Bank; £600 million to develop the "eight great technologies"; a further £350 million to the Regional Growth Fund; £250 million to support the most energy intensive industries and an additional £120 million to the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative.
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the importance of the manufacturing sector to the UK economy. [158747]
Michael Fallon: Manufacturing is a vital part of our economy, generating £148 billion in GVA in 2012—10.7% of the UK GDP. It contributes disproportionately to overall levels of productivity generating 53% of the UK's export of goods, and accounts for 72% of our business research and development and thus the innovation which drives growth. It also benefits other sectors through demand for raw materials, energy, and services like research, design, and finance.
Our Industrial Strategy is promoting measures to support advanced manufacturing including the aerospace and automotive sectors.
New Businesses: Government Assistance
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent measures he has put in place to help start-up businesses survive and expand. [158741]
Michael Fallon: Small and medium-sized businesses are important drivers of economic growth and the Government are working hard to make the UK the best place to start, run and expand businesses.
There is a wide range of advice and information for businesses available at:
www.gov.uk
www.greatbusiness.gov.uk
launched on 5 June, which links to sources of business support from Government and the private sector. The mentorsme website:
www.mentorsme.co.uk
enables small businesses to access a network of 27,000 experienced business mentors to help them thrive and grow.
The Government have also taken steps to ensure better access to bank and other sources of finance, which can be a particular issue for new companies looking to expand. This includes helping 11,400 businesses with insufficient track record or collateral to secure commercial loans through the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme, and increasing the supply of other sources of finance for example investing over £110 million of venture capital in over 80 companies through Enterprise Capital Funds, supporting angel alternative
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sources of lending such as crowd funding. Also, our Start-Up Loan Scheme provides both advice and finance and has just celebrated its 5,000th loan to help young entrepreneurs set up their new business.
The Government have also taken steps to stimulate investment in early stage firms through tax incentives such as the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme and to support growth in firms with the most ambition and potential, whatever their life stage. For example 6,000 firms including those in their early stages are now benefitting from coaching to accelerate their business growth through the Growth Accelerator programme.
Finally, I have just announced that the freeze exempting businesses with fewer than 10 employees from burdensome new regulations will now be extended to firms with up to 50 staff, and will continue from 2014.
New Businesses: Young People
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to encourage entrepreneurship amongst 16 to 25 year olds. [158744]
Michael Fallon: It is important that young people gain first hand business experience to help them understand what it means to run a business and the skills needed to do it successfully. Government support or promote a wide range of initiatives to support our drive to build a culture of enterprise through activities in schools, colleges and universities:
the ‘Enterprise Village’ website provides free resources for teachers to assist them in developing school businesses;
micro business finance schemes like Young Enterprise's ‘Tenner challenge’ and Peter Jones Foundation's ‘Tycoon in Schools’, provides children with opportunities to create their own business plans and trade while at school;
having role models share their experiences through the ‘Speakers for Schools’ and Inspiring the Future schemes sees people from all sectors and professions work with state schools and colleges to help young people achieve their potential; and
the Premier League Enterprise Academy enables Premier League football clubs to foster enterprise among young people principally in deprived areas, by helping young people learn about different aspects of running a football club.
For higher and further education:
the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs, is working to develop and drive forward student enterprise societies across higher and further education institutions;
the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education is also working to enable higher and further education institutions to better support entrepreneurship; and
the Entrepreneurs and Education Programme aims to further embed entrepreneurship and innovation across universities and colleges.
Government are also providing access to finance amongst this age group through the New Enterprise Allowance and through Start-up Loans which has just announced its 5000th loan.
Taken together, these schemes and initiatives will inspire even more young people to start their own business and encourage them to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.
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Pay
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the effect of introducing a national living wage on the (a) level of overall dependency on in-work benefits and (b) size of the overall welfare bill. [158921]
Jo Swinson: There is no recognised definition of a national living wage. Therefore, we have made no such assessment.
Advocates of the living wage suggest that it should be a voluntary rate of pay, above the minimum wage that varies by region to reflect the cost of maintaining an adequate standard of living. The Government support businesses who choose to pay a living wage however the decision on what wages to set are for workers and employers.
The Government's primary policy for helping the low paid is through the national minimum wage (NMW) and the role of the Low Pay Commission is to review the NMW on the basis of independent judgment and advice. Their remit each year is to use analysis and evidence to set the NMW at a rate that achieves its aim of maximising the wages of the low paid without adverse effects on employment.
Since the introduction of the NMW, hourly pay has increased more at the bottom end than at the median without a discernible adverse effect on employment.
However, since around 2007 the Low Pay Commission's judgment is that there is little exploitation at a national level and, therefore, it has recommended that the adult national minimum wage rate should largely keep pace with average earnings growth as any larger rise was likely to have an adverse effect on employment.
Therefore any increase to the NMW adult rate above the LPC's recommendation, although it might reduce the take up of in-work benefits if the hourly increase led to an increase in weekly wages, is also likely to have an adverse effect on employment and consequently the overall welfare bill.
The recommendation this year is for the adult national minimum wage rate to rise 1.9%, in October line with expected average earnings growth and more than the general rise in out of work benefits (1%).