Police Cautions
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Knowsley of 4 June 2013, Official Report, column 1377, on rape convictions, if he will require the Crown Prosecution Service to record the number of occasions when it recommends a caution for all indictable-only offences. [159836]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) already maintains a central record of the number of occasions when it recommends a caution for an indictable-only offence.
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Prosecutions
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the Crown Prosecution Service has received a referral from the police for a charging decision for a suspected offence under (a) section 44, (b) section 45 and (c) section 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 in each of the last five years; and how many such referrals were for cases of a terrorist nature. [159755]
The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of offences under the Serious Crime Act 2007 which were referred for a charging decision. This information could only be obtained by examining all of the files sent to the CPS for charging advice, which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions the Crown Prosecution Service has prosecuted an offence under (a) section 44, (b) section 45 and (c) section 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 in each of the last five years; how many such cases were against offences of a terrorist nature; and how many such prosecutions were successful. [159760]
The Solicitor-General: Offence-based records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced. CPS records do not identify the number of defendants prosecuted for specific offences. Rather, they show the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts.
The number of offences charged under sections 44, 45 and 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 are as follows:
The offence-based records contain no indication of the final prosecution outcome or whether the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is also often the case that an individual defendant can be charged with more than one offence in the same case.
Five of the charged offences in the table above related to cases that were referred to the CPS's specialist Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division. None of them were terrorism cases or were subject to terrorism charges.
Business, Innovation and Skills
Company Accounts
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many complaints Companies House has (a) received and (b) acted upon on firms failing to disclose overseas subsidiaries under the Companies Act 2006 in each financial year since 2010-11. [160262]
Michael Fallon: Companies House has received a total of 91 complaints since 2010 which relate to the failure to disclosure overseas subsidiaries. The number of complaints (a) received and (b) acted upon in each financial year is:
Number | Withdrawn upon investigation | |
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All of the complaints were investigated. Those complaints that were not withdrawn were followed up with the company; all the companies complied after being contacted by Companies House.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many failures to disclose overseas subsidiaries under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 have been made in each financial year since 2010-11; and how many overseas subsidiaries were found to be undeclared in each such year. [160263]
Michael Fallon: The number of failures to disclose overseas subsidiaries under the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 that have been made in each financial year since 2010-11 is as follows.
Number | |
Companies House does not record the number of undeclared overseas subsidiaries.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department and its executive agencies are currently working on enforcement of requirements to disclose overseas subsidiaries under the Companies Act 2006. [160264]
Michael Fallon: Companies House has nine case officers in its technical offences and breaches teams that, among their other duties, are currently working on enforcement of requirements to disclose overseas subsidiaries.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many successful actions have been brought against firms for failing to comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 on the declaration of overseas subsidiaries in each financial year since 2010-11. [160265]
Michael Fallon: Companies House has received a total of 91 complaints since 2010 which relate to the failure to disclosure overseas subsidiaries, five of which were withdrawn.
In each financial year since 2010/11 Companies House has investigated the following number of complaints made against firms for failing to comply with the requirement of the Companies Act 2006 on the declaration of overseas subsidiaries.
Number | Withdrawn upon investigation | |
All the companies complied after being contacted by Companies House and, to date, no prosecution action has been taken against any companies. Companies House's primary role is to seek to ensure compliance with legislative requirements, and prosecution action is only considered in the light of a persistent and wilful failure by any company to comply.
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Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many open cases investigating firms for failing to comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 on the declaration of overseas subsidiaries are currently in progress in (a) Companies House and (b) other relevant investigating agency. [160266]
Michael Fallon: There are no open cases at Companies House, which is the only investigating agency.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff were suspended from his Department and its associated public bodies on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what costs were incurred as a result of such suspensions. [160405]
Jo Swinson: We are unable to supply full details of suspensions, as authority to suspend staff is delegated to line managers in some circumstances and no central record is maintained.
This information is not held by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in respect of non-departmental public bodies.
Exports
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will review the recommendation of the British Chambers of Commerce report entitled Exporting is good for Britain but knowledge gaps and language skills hold back exporters, that the Government consider financial incentives for non-exporting businesses that train up their existing staff to export. [160533]
Michael Fallon: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has a number of services aimed at preparing businesses for exporting. These include schemes such as Passport to Export and Gateway to Global Growth aimed at new exporters and more experienced exporting SMEs, providing advice, guidance and support to help new to export businesses. These schemes provide an assessment of exporting capability, and include face-to- face training from export professionals.
With the additional funding made available in last year's autumn statement—5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-882—UKTI will provide export voucher funding for Passport and Gateway companies which companies can choose to spend on a variety of export services. That could include language training or wider training needs, as well as other services offered by UKTI and external suppliers.
Members: Correspondence
Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when the hon. Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 2 May 2013 on behalf of a constituent (departmental case ref 335557); and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply. [160314]
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Jo Swinson: The Minister concerned wrote to the hon. Member on 17 June 2013. There has been a large volume of correspondence recently and some replies have regrettably fallen outside our 15 working day target. As a result we are re-appraising our processes to expedite replies more punctually.
Pay: Wales
Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the change in the real wages of workers in Wales since May 2010. [160446]
Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
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Letter from Glen Watson dated June 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the change in real wages of workers in Wales since May 2010. (160446)
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Weekly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence.
The change in the real earnings of employees in Wales between April 2010 and April 2012, the latest period for which figures are available, based on median full-time gross weekly earnings, is estimated to be minus 6.7 per cent. I attach a table showing the figures that were used in this calculation.
Real earnings change in median gross weekly earnings (£) of full-time employees(1) in Wales between April 2010 and April 2012 | ||||
Median full-time gross weekly earnings (£) | Consumer Prices Index | Median full-time gross weekly earnings at April 2010 prices (£) | Real earnings change between April 2010 and April 2012(percentage) | |
(1 )Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), Office for National Statistics. |
Post Offices
Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what guidance he has issued to the Post Office on (a) opportunities which support the business growth of sub-post offices and (b) preventing concentration of workload in urban Crown offices. [160357]
Jo Swinson: Post Office Ltd operates at arm's length from government as its shareholder and but we fully support the company's strategy of seeking to identify and develop new opportunities, such as the Post Office current account being trialled in a number of post office branches in East Anglia including King’s Lynn in the hon. Member’s constituency, for business distribution and growth across the network as a whole.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department has produced estimates to analyse and examine the loss of income to post offices incurred when the check and send service for driving licence applications ended in May 2013; and if he will make a statement. [160478]
Jo Swinson: Post Office Ltd is responsible for commercial and operational matters concerning the Post Office network, which cover the information requested. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the chief executive of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Post Offices: Photographs
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department had with representatives of the (i) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (ii) Post Office, (iii) UK Border Agency and (iv) Identity and Passport Service to discuss the implications of new digital technology to process photo ID applications in post offices in each of the last three years. [160477]
Jo Swinson: Ministers in this Department have had wide-ranging discussions with Post Office Ltd about opportunities for new revenue growth, including through the use of digital ID technology, over the last three years. But decisions about the procurement and introduction of digital technology to process photo ID applications in post offices are commercial and contractual matters for the Post Office and the relevant Government agencies, and my Department plays no part in them.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what commercial viability studies took place prior to the installation of Cogent digital technology in 755 post offices. [160479]
Jo Swinson: Post Office Ltd is responsible for commercial and operational matters concerning the Post Office network, which include the information requested. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the chief executive of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
Cabinet Office
Business: Coventry
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many businesses with over 500 employees have premises in (a) Coventry South constituency and (b) Coventry. [159950]
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Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, dated June 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many businesses with over 500 employees have premises in (a) Coventry South Constituency and (b) Coventry [159950]
Annual statistics on the number of businesses (enterprises) are available from the ONS release – UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
Data on the number of enterprises broken down by districts, counties and unitary authorities by employment size band can be found in table B1.2 of the publication and data on constituencies can be found in table B6.2.
The tables below contain the count of UK enterprises with over 500 employees that have premises in the Coventry South Constituency and Coventry. This figure is then broken down into those enterprises that are based in Coventry and the Coventry South Constituency and those based elsewhere.
Count of enterprises with over 500 employees that have premises in Coventry South constituency | |
Number | |
Count of enterprises with over 500 employees that have premises in Coventry | |
Number | |
Notes: 1. The table has been produced using an annual extract from the Inter Departmental Business register taken during March 2012. 2. Figures have been rounded to protect confidentiality. 3. These numbers do not include very small businesses, typically those below the threshold for VAT and PAYE. |
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many small and medium-sized enterprises have premises in (a) Coventry South constituency and (b) Coventry. [159951]
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 June 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many small and medium-sized enterprises have premises in (a) Coventry South Constituency and (b) Coventry [159951.]
Annual statistics on the number of businesses (enterprises) are available from the ONS release—UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
Data on the number of enterprises broken down by districts, counties and unitary authorities by employment size band can be found in table B1.2 of the publication and data on constituencies can be found in table B6.2.
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The tables below contain the count of small and medium-sized UK enterprises that have premises in the Coventry South Constituency and Coventry. This figure is then broken down into those enterprises that are based in Coventry, the Coventry South Constituency and those based elsewhere. Small businesses have been defined as those with an employment between 0 and 49 and medium-sized businesses as those with an employment between 50 and 249.
Count of small and medium-sized enterprises that have premises in Coventry South constituency | |||
Size of business | UK based enterprises | Coventry South constituency based enterprises | Enterprises based outside Coventry South constituency |
Count of small and medium-sized enterprises that have premises in Coventry | |||
Size of business | UK based enterprises | Coventry based enterprises | Enterprises based outside Coventry |
Notes: 1. The above table has been produced using an annual extract from the Inter Departmental Business register taken during March 2012. 2. Figures have been rounded to protect confidentiality. 3. These numbers do not include very small businesses, typically those below the threshold for VAT and PAYE. |
Charitable Donations
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in generational giving. [159684]
Mr Hurd: This Government are committed to driving up the levels of giving—both time and money—for all generations.
The Government have funded a number of projects targeted at younger people including through our Innovation in Giving Fund. For example, we have funded Young Philanthropy and the Giving Lab.
We are also enabling and encouraging young people to give their time through National Citizen Service (NCS). NCS brings 16 and 17-year-olds of all backgrounds together to design and deliver social action projects to benefit their local communities. Furthermore, the Decade of Social Action is working to improve the quality, quantity and duration of opportunities for young people aged 10 to 20, before, alongside, and after NCS, so that greater numbers of young people can take part in social action.
The Government have recently consulted on improvements to Payroll Giving, and the Government will shortly consult on proposals to make it easier to claim Gift Aid through a wide range of digital giving channels.
I am aware that the right hon. Member is chairing an inquiry on behalf of the Charities Aid Foundation on this and I look forward to reading the final report.
Charities
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the importance and role of charity trustees. [159588]
Mr Hurd:
Charity trustees play a vital role in civil society; one to which many people give selflessly of their time. From the smallest community groups to the
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largest international charities, none could operate without the leadership and strategic direction of their volunteer trustees. I would encourage more people, and in particular young people, to get involved as charity trustees. Trusteeship offers an opportunity to gain new skills and experience that are attractive and useful to employers, while helping others in an unparalleled and rewarding way.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff were suspended from his Department and its associated public bodies on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what costs were incurred as a result of such suspensions. [160407]
Mr Maude: I am disappointed that records prior to 2010 are not available to place these numbers in context. However, I have no reason to believe that the rate of suspensions has increased over recent years.
In my department, five or fewer individuals were suspended in total in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. Salary costs incurred during these suspensions are estimated at £4,453.
Across our public bodies, five or fewer were suspended in total in 2010-11 and 2011/12, and six in 2012-13, The costs incurred as a result of these suspensions was £9,272.
Employment: County Antrim
Dr McCrea: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of people in South Antrim constituency were employed in the (a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last three years. [160098]
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 June 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what proportion of people in South Antrim constituency were employed in the (a) private and (b) public sector in each of the last three years (160098).
The requested information for parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland is not available from the ONS. This question is therefore a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Job Creation: Bradford
Mr Ward: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs created in Bradford in each of the last five years. [160361]
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 June 2013:
As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate his Department has made of the number of jobs created in Bradford in each of the last five years. (160361)
Information regarding the number of jobs created is not available. As an alternative, estimates relating to the net changes in the number of people employed have been provided. The ONS compiles
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Labour Market Statistics for areas below the UK following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions using the Annual Population Survey (APS).
The table shows the number and net change of people employed in Bradford. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period January 2012 to December 2012, the latest period available, and the 12 month periods ending in December in each year since 2008.
As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty, A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
Table 1: The net change in number of people employed in Bradford | ||
Thousand | ||
12 months ending: | Number of people employed aged 16 and over | Net change in employment(1) (+/-) |
(1) The net change is calculated on unrounded figures. (2) Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220 Key: * 0 = CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ? 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey |
Property
Margaret Curran: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) location and (b) value is of any property his Department owns in Scotland. [160274]
Miss Chloe Smith: The Cabinet Office neither leases nor owns any property in Scotland.
Communities and Local Government
Accountancy
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many officials of his Department are currently seconded to any of the four largest accountancy firms; and what the (a) job title and (b) pay grade is of any such secondee. [159847]
Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government currently has one member of staff seconded to one of the big four accountancy firms. This is a fast-stream training opportunity and the pay grade of the secondee is PB4.9 HEO Fast Stream.
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Council Tax Reduction Schemes
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has to extend or repeat the transition funding provided to local authorities in respect of council tax support schemes. [160369]
Brandon Lewis: The transitional grant, as the name suggests, was a voluntary grant for the first year of the new system of local council tax support. We have been clear from the outset that it was intended to give councils time to transition to the new localised regime and realise greater efficiencies—such as cutting the £200 million wasted from council tax benefit fraud and error.
The localisation of council tax support is helping tackle the deficit inherited from the last Administration, delivering ongoing savings of £470 million a year of taxpayers' money. This welfare reform has given all councils stronger incentives to cut fraud, promote local enterprise and get people back into work.
Energy Performance Certificates
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of new commercial leases granted together with a current energy performance certificate. [160521]
Mr Foster: The Department does not hold information on the number of new commercial leasing transactions, and so is unable to estimate the proportion of new commercial leases granted together with a current energy performance certificate.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the proportion of commercial properties sold together with a current energy performance certificate since 2010. [160522]
Mr Foster: An energy performance certificate has been a requirement for a sale of a commercial building since October 2008.
Official statistics are not produced in the form requested. A snapshot has previously been produced, using HMRC property transactions data and the energy performance certificate register data, from March 2010 to March 2012, which suggests approximately half of commercial properties in that period were sold with a current certificate (caveat: these figures are not quality assured). This is a reflection of practices under the past Administration, not just the current Government.
Notwithstanding, the regulations were revised in January 2013 to require property adverts to include the energy performance certificate rating; this should help raise public awareness of what is required and what potential buyers should expect, and thereby help increase the proportion of properties sold with a certificate.
Enfield
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding (a) his Department and (b) each of the non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible has allocated to the London Borough of Enfield local authority in each of the last five years. [154509]
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Brandon Lewis: Details of the funding provided to the London borough of Enfield (and each local authority in England) by my Department under each yearly Local Government Finance Settlement are available online at:
http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/
It would entail disproportionate cost to ascertain every single payment that may have been made to Enfield in the last five years. Notwithstanding, details of my Department's spending over £500 (and from August 2012, over £250) since 2008, which includes grants, can be found on my Department's website as part of our online transparency agenda.
Funding was also provided directly to the London borough of Enfield in this period by the Homes and Communities Agency, separately from funding for housing associations and other registered providers operating in the borough, as follows:
Financial year | £ |
The Localism Act 2011 conferred on the Mayor of London responsibility for housing, economic development and Olympic legacy in London, in addition to existing responsibilities over transport, planning and the police. The Homes and Communities Agency's powers and responsibilities in London were transferred to the Greater London Authority in April 2012. The Greater London Authority paid the London borough of Enfield £18,000,000 in respect of former Homes and Communities Agency functions, for the council housing decent homes backlog, in 2012-13; in addition, £220,000 funding was paid to Enfield in respect of the Greater London Authority's Outer London Fund.
No other departmental agencies/non-departmental public bodies payments to the London borough of Enfield in this period.
Housing: Construction
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) social, (b) other affordable and (c) other housing units starts on site have commenced using the borrowing guarantees scheme to date; and what the value was of starts of each such type of unit. [160237]
Mr Prisk: The Government is making good progress with the Housing Guarantees and remains on track to deliver the schemes. We are currently in a procurement process and plan to make an announcement shortly regarding the delivery partner(s) and plans for taking forward delivery of the schemes. When the Guarantees are up and running, we expect them to significantly help expand the provision of large-scale professionally managed rented housing and support economic growth.
The £1 Billion Build to Rent Fund is up and running and will work alongside the Housing Guarantees. I announced in April the short list of projects going through to due diligence from Round One which we anticipate going under contract to deliver up to 10,000 new homes for private rent. We anticipate Round Two opening for business later this year.
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Mortgages: Government Assistance
Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 25 April 2013, Official Report, columns 1125-6W, on mortgages: Government assistance, if he will confirm whether or not non-EU citizens will be barred from applying for the Help to Buy equity loan scheme. [156260]
Mr Prisk [holding answer 20 May 2013]: In October 2006, the Labour Government quietly removed nationality restrictions on eligibility criteria from Government-supported shared ownership and HomeBuy schemes.
For both social housing and home ownership schemes, Ministers in this Government want greater priority to be given to local residents and members of the armed forces. We want to ensure that housing support is focused on supporting those who have worked hard and paid their taxes, and end the ‘something for nothing’ culture.
As the Prime Minister made clear in his answer of 12 June 2013, Official Report, columns 336-7, Help to Buy should not subsidise foreign buyers to purchase second homes and holiday cottages. The equity loan rules already prevent second home owners or buy to let landlords from taking part in the scheme.
We will be making changes to the policy introduced by the last Administration, and will be providing a further statement in due course on the steps we are taking.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many inquiries about the Government's Help to Buy scheme have been received from Warrington to date. [160481]
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many enquiries have been made with regards to the Government's Help to Buy scheme in (a) Barnsley metropolitan borough council area, (b) Barnsley Central constituency, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) England since that scheme's inception. [160457]
Mr Prisk: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Jonathan Reynolds) on 11 June 2013, Official Report, columns 223-24W.
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) whether EU citizens who exercise Treaty rights to reside in the UK and who (a) do and (b) do not have a credit record will be able to participate in the Help to Buy scheme; [160511]
(2) whether foreign nationals who have a (a) bank account, (b) credit card, (c) personal loan, (d) business loan, (e) mobile telephone contract and (f) hire purchase agreement in the UK will be eligible to participate in the Help to Buy scheme on the basis that they have a UK credit record; [160512]
(3) whether foreign nationals who have a credit record in the UK will be eligible to participate in the Help to Buy scheme. [160513]
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Mr Prisk: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow North (Ann McKechin) today—PQ 156260.
More broadly, on the issue of credit, Help to Buy is intended to increase the availability of mortgages to creditworthy buyers who do not have a large deposit to help them move on and up the property ladder.
I would note that the Help to Buy (equity loan) Buyer's Guide makes clear that a Local Help to Buy Agent will carry out an assessment of an application by a potential Help to Buy buyer to ensure that they are in a position to afford a conventional mortgage for their proposed purchase. The property purchased must be their only residence. Help to Buy is not available to assist buy-to-let investors or those who will own any property other than their Help to Buy property after completing their purchase. The conventional mortgage will be subject to the usual checks and due diligence by the mortgage lender.
The Help to Buy mortgage guarantee scheme, to commence in January, is overseen by HM Treasury.
Rents: Arrears
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social housing tenants in each local authority were in rent arrears in (a) March 2013, (b) April 2013 and (c) May 2013. [160309]
Mr Prisk: This information is not held centrally.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many evictions for rent arrears took place in each month in each local authority since January 2010. [160527]
Mr Prisk: Monthly figures are not held centrally.
Temporary Accommodation
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on temporary accommodation due to homelessness in each month since January 2010. [160528]
Mr Prisk: This Department does not provide any specific funding to meet the costs of temporary accommodation. Depending on individual circumstances the costs of temporary accommodation are met by housing benefit; local authorities; and/or the tenants themselves.
Travel
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) 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; [157520]
(2) 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. [157541]
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Brandon Lewis: Reflecting our responsibilities for local government, housing, planning and communities, the work of the Department involves staff travelling to different parts of the country. Where time commitments allow, Ministers also seek to make visits to localities across the country.
My Department does not hold budgets specifically for each category of travel. All travel costs for my Department are met from within the administration budget. The administration budget for 2015-16 will depend on the outcome of spending review.
This Government have taken a series of steps to reduce the cost of ministerial travel. Our departmental spend with the Government Car and Despatch Agency on ministerial travel has fallen 71% from 2010-11 to 2012-13.
Details for the cost of ministerial cars are published in the annual written ministerial statement, 28 October 2010, Official Report column 23WS; 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 30WS; 20 December 2012, Official Report, column 127WS. Details of the costs for 2012-13 will be published in the normal way later this year.
Use of a Hackney Carriage taxi is often cheaper and more cost-effective than using the pool car arrangements provided by the Government Car Service. From 2008-09 to 2009-10, expenditure by ministerial offices was £3,751; comparative spending from 2010-11 to 2011-12 was £3,248 and £1,421 from April 2012 to January 2013. This figure includes travel by staff within ministerial offices—it is not a figure solely for travel by Ministers.
Figures on travel by Ministers by other modes of travel could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the contribution made by regional development agencies to growth in the creative industries. [159615]
Mr Vaizey: The regional development agencies delivered extremely poor value for money from their inflated taxpayer-funded budgets. Covering the sprawling Government office regions, they were distant and remote from local business, and the arbitrary regions had no connection with natural economic areas. Their boards were packed with quangocrats and trade unionists, rather than entrepreneurs. Their remit was too broad and unfocused, and they answered to the tune of Whitehall targets not the views and needs of local enterprise.
Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have been set up in place of RDAs; these will bring together businesses and local authorities to determine local economic priorities and undertake activities to drive economic growth and the creation of local jobs, including within the creative industries.
The Government fully recognises the value of the creative industries. These sectors have a key role in growing our economy and contributing to British culture and we are determined to work closely with partners, including LEPs, to create the best possible environment to support business growth.
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Culture: Education
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to publish the Cultural Education Plan. [160177]
Mr Vaizey: The Cultural Education Plan is due to be published by DFE and DCMS within the next few weeks.
Internet: Safety
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what commitments she has received from internet search providers on (a) making safe search the default mechanism, (b) introducing a robust age verification system and (c) putting up warning signs when people are about to enter pornography sites; and whether a timetable has been agreed for the introduction of such measures. [158378]
Mr Vaizey: Through the UK Council on Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS), Government works with industry, including internet search engines, to ensure robust measures are in place to protect children online.
All the major search engines offer safe search options which allow parents to adjust filtering levels and many also allow parents to lock the level of filtering for that search engine on a specific device, so the child cannot change the level of filtering. In addition, the Government have been working with internet service providers to make parental control tools available to all their customers.
The Government are also, through UKCCIS, supporting the work with industry to look at how age verification processes could be implemented.
On returning warning signs when users access illegal child abuse images, the internet industry in the UK has worked closely with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and with the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, to block access to such content online. The IWF recommends that its members return an error page notifying users that they have tried to access indecent images of children and, at a summit I have called with the major internet companies, I intend to explore what more could be done here, and more widely, to minimise internet harms.
Museums and Galleries
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much public funding was provided to the (a) Science Museum Group, (b) National Railway Museum, York, (c) Television and Media Museum, Bradford and (d) Industry Museum, Manchester in each year since 2009-10; and how much public funding will be provided to each in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) each of the next two years. [159079]
Mr Vaizey: DCMS provides grant in aid to the Science Museum Group as a whole. The total grant in aid received by the Science Museum Group from 2009-13, and its allocations for 2013-15, are set out in the table:
Science Museum Group | |
£000 | |
18 Jun 2013 : Column 621W
From 2012-13, grant in aid for the National Coal Mining Museum for England is channelled through the Science Museum Group as follows:
£2,657 million (2012-13);
£2.562 million (2013-14);
£2.529 million (2014-15).
These allocations are included in the totals in the table.
The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester merged with the Science Museum Group in February 2012. Prior to that, it received the following grant in aid from DCMS:
£4.987 million (2009-10);
£4.882 million (2010-11);
£3.998 million (2011-12).
Allocations for 2015-16 will be determined as part of the current spending round, alongside all other Government spending.
Science Museum Group
Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding her Department has allocated to the (a) Science Museum Group and (b) Museum of Science and Industry (Manchester) for (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14, (v) 2014-15 and (vi) 2015-16. [159858]
Mr Vaizey: The total grant-in-aid received by the Science Museum Group from 2010-13, and its allocations for 2013-15 are set out in the following table. An allocation has not yet been made for 2015-16.
SMG (£000) | |
From 2012-13, grant-in-aid for the National Coal Mining Museum for England will be channelled through the Science Museum Group as follows: £2,657 million (2012-13); £2.562 million (2013-14); £2.529 million (2014-15). These allocations are included in the totals above.
The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester merged with the Science Museum Group in February 2012. Prior to that, it received the following grant-in-aid from DCMS: £4.882 million (2010-11); £3.998 million (2011-12).
Sports: Disability
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 67WS, on sporting legacy, what steps she plans to take to ensure that the funding of £1,984,203 for the English Federation of Disability Sport for 2013-15 will effectively reach the voluntary sector. [160539]
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Hugh Robertson: Sport England is investing £1,984,203 for 2013-15 in the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS), which has existing relationships with organisations in the voluntary sector, through partnerships with the National Disability Sport Organisations and other national organisations. Through its Engagement Team, EFDS will help National Governing Bodies (NGBs) link to local voluntary organisations, who are working with disabled people, to create more sporting opportunities for disabled people.
Energy and Climate Change
Carbon Emissions
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1643, on per capita carbon emissions, what assessment he has made of the role of the EU Green Growth Group; and if he will make a statement. [159719]
Gregory Barker: The EU Green Growth Group is an important part of the UK's engagement and co-operation with other EU member states on climate change and low carbon energy issues.
The group was responsible for instigating the statement from nine European Energy and Environment Ministers, including the UK, France and Germany, calling on the Commission to take action to reform the EU Emissions Trading System.
The group will play an important role in providing the political leadership needed to deliver clear and credible EU low carbon ambition up to and beyond 2020. This will be needed to stimulate low-carbon investments and the most cost-effective emission reductions, and ultimately to ensure that the EU continues as a leading bloc in global climate change talks.
Fracking: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received from the Welsh Government regarding shale gas exploration in Wales. [159594]
Fuel Poverty
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1656, what the evidential basis is for the statement that support for fuel poverty will increase over the lifetime of the spending review. [159724]
Gregory Barker: The statement is based on a combination of reported budgets for public expenditure on fuel poverty schemes and published estimates of expenditure associated with past and current energy supplier obligations which either fully or partly target households at risk of fuel poverty. A comparison of the figure for 2010-11 with 2014-15 shows there is an increase over that period.
Specifically, reported and estimated support available for fuel poor households in 2010-11 has been compared to estimated support that will be available in 2014-15 under the following schemes, with all estimates expressed in 2012 constant prices for true comparability:
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Warm Front: reported expenditure on all eligible households in 2010-11
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/199827/Indicators_Text_2013_FINAL.pdf
The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT): the estimated share of expenditure that was targeted at households eligible for the 'Super Priority Group' in 2010-11. The estimate is based on
(a) Original CERT impact assessment:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/48491/121-iacertextension.pdf
(b) CERT 'Uplift' impact assessment:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121217150421/http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/consultations/carbon%20emissions%20reduction%20target/1_20090630122512_e_@@_certimpactassessment.pdf
(c) CERT Extension impact assessment:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/42587/899-ia-cert-role-appliances-consumer-electroni.pdf
The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP): estimated expenditure on all households in eligible areas in 2010-11 (estimate based on the CESP impact assessment):
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100404202125/http://man270109a.decc.gov.uk/Media/viewfile.ashx?FilePath=Consultations/CESP/1_20090710121840_e_@@_CESPIA.pdf&filetype=4
The voluntary agreement to support vulnerable and fuel poor households: reported expenditure on all households in receipt of support in 2010/11:
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Suppliers/CSR/Documents1/Suppliers%20Social%20Spend%20report%202010-2011.pdf
The Warm Home Discount scheme: the value of support obligated suppliers are required to provide in 2014-15:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2011/1033/pdfs/uksi_20111033_en.pdf
The Energy Companies Obligation (ECO): estimated total expenditure on households in receipt of support under the Affordable Warmth and Carbon Saving Communities obligations in 2014-15 (estimated based on the Green Deal and ECO impact assessment):
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/42984/5533-final-stage-impact-assessment-for-the-green-deal-a.pdf
Green Deal Scheme
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to ensure that households living in (a) private rented housing and (b) privately-owned housing are able to access the Green Deal scheme. [160123]
Gregory Barker: The Green Deal framework is in place, and Green Deal providers are developing their offers to owner occupiers, social housing providers and landlords and tenants in the private rental sector. DECC is actively involved in supporting Green Deal providers and in raising awareness across the market. This activity includes a marketing campaign and a range of media partnerships, and an investment of more than £22 million in local authorities and the supply chain to develop skills and raise awareness. DECC continues to work with industry and third sector groups to raise awareness and enhance demand.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of customer satisfaction with the Green Deal. [160154]
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Gregory Barker: The Department will publish research on the experience of consumers having the first Green Deal assessments later this month.
Insulation
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to increase employment opportunities in the UK insulation industry in the light of recent job losses in that industry. [160523]
Gregory Barker: The ECO and the Green Deal are expected to support up to 60,000 jobs in the insulation sector by 2015 compared to 26,000 in 2011.
In order to facilitate the transition between the CERT and CESP schemes and the new ECO, we provided £2 million of support, through the Sector Skills Council, for training of insulation installers to deliver solid wall insulation. We also took steps to support the wider insulation industry. We launched the Green Deal cash back scheme worth £125 million to support demand for insulation and heating measures, and allowed more loft and cavity walls to be treated under the new Energy Company Obligation—around three million additional cavity walls are now eligible.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with representatives of the insulation industry since the implementation of the Green Deal. [160524]
Gregory Barker: Departmental officials, ministerial colleagues and I meet regularly with representatives of the insulation industry. In addition, the Green Deal oversight and Registration Body have established a Green Deal Installer Forum to help ensure the effective delivery of the Green Deal. Both departmental officials and representatives from the insulation industry are members of this group.
Property
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) location and (b) value is of any property his Department owns in Scotland. [160278]
Gregory Barker: The Department does not own any property in Scotland.
Radioactive Waste
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which individuals and organisations have been invited to his Department's non-governmental organisation workshop on the review of the site selection process for a geological disposal facility for high-activity radioactive waste in London on 18 June 2013; what documentation has been provided in advance to attendees; what resources have been provided to attendees to facilitate attendance; which individuals or organisations declined invitations; and what reasons were given for invitations being declined. [159734]
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Michael Fallon: The invitation to the workshop on 18 June 2013 was extended to Prof Andrew Blowers of the Blackwater Against New Nuclear Group, Simon Bullock and Dr Ruth Balogh of Friends of the Earth, Jean McSorley and Doug Parr of Greenpeace, Pete Wilkinson of Communities Against Nuclear Expansion, Harry Huyton of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Nicolas Molho of the World Wide Fund for Nature, Patrick Begg of the National Trust, Alastair Harper of Green Alliance, and Adam Royle of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.
One of these invitations has been declined: by Adam Royle, who sent apologies.
Attendees have been sent a proposed agenda for the meeting, which also sets out that Government's purpose in seeking the meeting is to inform the Government's review of the site selection aspects of the Managing Radioactive Waste Safely process. They have also been sent a copy of the Government's recent call for evidence on this subject.
The workshop is separate from and in addition to the regular DECC Nuclear NGO Forum, which last met on 28 February 2013 and will meet again on 3 July 2013. There will be further opportunities for direct engagement with NGOs during and after the Government's planned consultation on this subject later in the year.
The Government have offered to pay attendees' expenses.
Renewable Energy
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken to ensure gasification and pyrolysis technologies are supported under Electricity Market Reform. [159739]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 17 June 2013]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 13 June 2013, Official Report, column 412W.
Wind Power
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his statement of 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 115WS, on onshore wind, if he will extend the requirements for community benefit payments to other energy generation methods. [160255]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 17 June 2013]: In the 2011 National Infrastructure Plan, the Government committed to bringing forward a community package for nuclear new-build sites and the agreed details of such a package will be announced shortly.
We committed in the budget to bring forward proposals by the summer to ensure people benefit from shale gas production if there is development in their area. We are working hard with industry on a package of community benefits and to ensure that local peoples' concerns are properly met.
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the (a) financial value and (b) number of full-time equivalent jobs provided in the UK by the wind turbine supply chain in each of the last five years. [160516]
18 Jun 2013 : Column 626W
Michael Fallon: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not measure employment levels in specific sectors.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills commissioned and published a report in 2011 that measured employment in the Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services Sector (LCEGS), which is available on the bis.gov.uk website at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/business-sectors/docs/l/12-p143-low-carbon-environmental-goods-and-services-2010-11.pdf
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of jobs provided by (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind operations in each of the last five years. [160517]
Michael Fallon: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills commissioned and published a report in 2011 that measured employment in the Low Carbon Environmental Goods and Services Sector (LCEGS), which is available on the bis.gov.uk website at:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/BISCore/business-sectors/docs/l/12-p143-low-carbon-environmental-goods-and-services-2010-11.pdf
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Turkey
14. Alun Cairn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he or officials of his Department have had with the authorities in Turkey on improving safety for white water rafting for British visitors to that country. [160011]
Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has been a tireless campaigner on this issue. I raised the issue of safety for white water rafting with Omer Celik, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister at our meeting in April this year, asking him to look at the regulatory system for dangerous sports. The UK has offered support and assistance for doing this.
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Turkish government on police tactics against Turkish protestors. [160203]
Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), discussed the protests with Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish Foreign Minister on 11 June as part of a broader discussion and encouraged a peaceful resolution. I made the same points to the Turkish EU Affairs Minister, Egemen Bagis, on 13 June. We will continue to follow events closely.
Freedom of expression and assembly are important rights in any democracy. We welcome statements from the Turkish Government recognising that some of the concerns raised by the protestors are legitimate. We support all efforts to address protesters concerns through dialogue.
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Saudi Arabia
15. Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs that recent reports he has received on the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia. [160013]
Alistair Burt: The UK believes that states are stronger with full participation of women in society, a view we express to the Saudi authorities. The Saudi Government has made progress in areas such as representation in the Shura Council and education, and we will continue to engage on these issues.
DRC and Rwanda
16. Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on political relations between the Governments of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. [160014]
Mark Simmonds: The Governments of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, along with nine other countries from the region, have signed a peace, security and co-operation framework. We welcome this and are encouraging all signatories to implement their commitments in full, and to develop constructive relationships which will lead to long-term peace and security in the region.
Middle East
17. Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK missions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem purchase settlement goods. [160015]
Alistair Burt: Our overseas missions are obliged to follow UK and EU guidelines when purchasing goods and services from suppliers. These guidelines do not currently differentiate between products emanating from Israel or from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. However, we have ensured that UK procurement rules allow for human rights-related matters to be reflected in the procurement of public goods and services.
Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure the safety and rights of religious minorities in the middle east. [160001]
Alistair Burt: We regularly urge governments at senior levels across the middle east to uphold the rights of all religious minorities; we raise our specific concerns with governments; and closely monitor the situation of minority religious groups. We have recently raised the importance of protecting minorities' rights in Egypt and Syria specifically.
The situation affects a number of religious minorities across the middle east is one of exceptional seriousness. We make direct interventions with Governments, including on individual cases, and continue to urge Governments across the middle east to uphold the rights of all religious minorities.
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Syria
20. Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the Russian Government on the situation in Syria. [160018]
Mr Hague: My Department discusses Syria regularly with the Russian Government. Most recently, on 16 June, I spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. I was clear about the UK’s commitment to a political settlement to the crisis in Syria and pressed him to agree the details of the Geneva II conference. I also made clear to him my concerns over continued Russian arms support to the Syrian regime, which is only bolstering Assad’s position and reinforcing his ability to brutalise his population.
23. Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the expiration of the recent EU arms embargo on the prospects for peace talks in Syria. [160021]
Alistair Burt: EU nations agreed to bring the arms embargo on the Syrian opposition to an end. This was the outcome that the United Kingdom wanted. It was a difficult decision for some countries, but it was necessary and right to reinforce international efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Syria.
It was important for Europe to send a clear signal to the Assad regime that it has to negotiate seriously, and that all options remain on the table if it refuses to do so. EU nations have done just that.
Thousands of lives are at stake in Syria. Our focus remains on efforts to secure a successful outcome at the forthcoming Geneva conference, and a political transition that ends the conflict, allows refugees to return to their homes and prevents further radicalisation in Syria.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to support Bosnia to become a member of NATO; and if he will make a statement. [160037]
Mr Lidington: The UK Government is a strong supporter of Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) NATO ambitions. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), reiterated this to the BiH Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija when he visited London in April. BiH's political leaders have failed to resolve the issue of immovable defence property that is holding up their NATO Membership Action Plan, despite giving assurances that they would do so. We will continue to encourage them to take the necessary steps toward NATO membership in our ministerial and official interactions with BiH. We will also continue to communicate the benefits that NATO membership will bring to all parts of BiH, as we did when a company of Irish Guards deployed to BiH in May for training and public diplomacy activities.
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British Overseas Territories
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many biosecurity policy breaches have occurred in (a) British Antarctic Territory and (b) South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in each of the last five years. [160139]
Mark Simmonds: In the last five years, the British Antarctic Survey has recorded two such incidents in 2010 and three in 2011 within the British Antarctic Territory. Information on possible breaches within other countries' research programmes within the region is not readily available.
There have been two biosecurity policy breaches on South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands within the last five years, both of which occurred in 2013.
Burma
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage the establishment and maintenance of ceasefires in conflicts between the government of Myanmar and minority ethnic groups in that country. [160146]
Mr Swire: The British Government believes that a sustainable peace settlement in Burma will only be possible through a process of political dialogue. We are funding experts with experience of the peace process in Northern Ireland to support ethnic groups and the Burmese Government in converting the ceasefires with 10 of the 11 ethnic armed groups in Burma into meaningful political dialogue.
As part of this support, senior Ministers from the Burmese Government visited the UK and Northern Ireland in April; the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and the Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my noble Friend, the right hon. Baroness Warsi, met this group of Ministers to extend our support. We also hosted a visit by representatives of the ethnic groups in May, when the Minister of State, Department for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr Duncan), underlined the same messages of support to them.
The UK is also one of the leading donors to the Myanmar Peace Support Initiative, which provides funding in ethnic areas to engage communities and civil society organisations in the peace process.
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the progress of the government of Myanmar towards the constitutional recognition of equality of all ethnic groups. [160147]
Mr Swire:
The British Government are supporting Burma to become a prosperous, more democratic, stable nation, where the human rights of all peoples are respected. We regularly call on Burma to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which commits states to recognise the equal rights of all peoples in their
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territories. Most recently, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised this in a meeting with the Burmese Foreign Minister in February. We note the announcement on 20 March that the Burmese Parliament would convene a Committee to examine the 2008 Constitution. We will continue to monitor this process.
Business: Human Rights
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to publish his Department's business and human rights strategy; and what the reasons are for the time taken to publish that strategy. [160012]
Mr Hague: I will be launching an action plan on business and human rights in due course. The promotion of business and respect for human rights go hand in hand. The UK will be one of the first countries in the world to set out how we are implementing the UN Guiding Principles.
Electronic Surveillance
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with their US counterparts on the PRISM data-gathering system since May 2010. [159904]
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government has given the US government authority to allow the US National Security Agency (NSA) to process data acquired by the NSA on UK citizens at the NSA's new Utah Data Center. [159905]
Alistair Burt: It is the long-standing policy of successive governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies.
North America
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed implementing measure for Articles 7a-e of the Fuel Quality Directive on the UK's trade relations with North America; and what recent discussions he has had with (a) representatives of the European Commission and (b) his EU counterparts on this matter. [160140]
Mark Simmonds:
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), is kept abreast of developments on the proposed implementing measures for the fuel quality directive through regular briefings by officials. The European Commission is
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currently conducting an impact assessment of a range of options and will be producing a proposal for consideration by the Environment Council. The British Government are seeking a solution that effectively addresses the carbon emissions from all highly polluting crudes.
Property
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the (a) location and (b) value is of any property his Department owns in Scotland. [160280]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office owns no property in Scotland.
Shaker Aamer
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Prime Minister will personally request the release of Shaker Aamer the next time he speaks to President Obama. [160526]
Alistair Burt: The UK Government continue to make it clear to the US that we want Mr Aamer released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency. The Prime Minister raised Mr Aamer's case with President Obama on 17 June. My ministerial colleagues and I will continue to make representations to the US Administration.
International Development
Developing Countries: Economic Growth
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, columns 879-80W on developing countries: economic growth, which countries received funding from her Department for wealth-creation projects in 2012-13; and how much each such country received for such projects in each of the preceding three financial years. [160172]
Justine Greening: Figures for bilateral aid spend on wealth-creation by country are published in DFID's Annual Report. These figures are published on a fiscal year basis, with figures for the year 2012-13 due to be published shortly. DFID's Annual Reports for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 can be accessed here:
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Documents/publications1/departmental-report/2010/dfid-in-2009-10-revised-6-sept-2010.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2011-volume-i
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-2012
Developing Countries: Malnutrition
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the findings of the recent United Nations report, led by Professor Robert Black, which concluded that malnutrition is estimated to cost the world £2.3 trillion in health care and lost productivity. [159952]
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Lynne Featherstone: A number of recent reports, including Professor Black's, indicate productivity losses and health care costs due to malnutrition, particularly undernutrition, are unacceptably high. On 8 June, the UK hosted the “Nutrition for Growth” event to improve the nutrition of 500 million pregnant women and young children and to reduce stunting by 20 million by 2020.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to tackle maternal under-nutrition alongside child under-nutrition in developing countries. [159953]
Justine Greening: DFID is fully committed to achieving Millennium Development Goal 5 for improving maternal health. In 2010, we committed to reach 20 million pregnant women and children under five with nutrition services by 2015. Many of DFID's health programmes work to ensure that women have regular ante-natal check-ups and supplements during pregnancy.
The high level Nutrition for Growth event which we have just hosted established nutrition as a top development priority through the collective endorsement of a Global Nutrition for Growth Compact. It was endorsed by more than 90 governments, multilateral, companies, civil society organisations (CSOs) and others, and commits to ensuring that at least 500 million pregnant women and children under two are reached with effective nutrition.
At the event, financial and policy commitments were made to accelerate progress on tackling maternal and child under-nutrition. The UK committed an additional £375 million on direct nutrition interventions between now and 2020, with a further £280 million to be provided if matched by others. These investments, which will be subject to rigorous monitoring and accountability measures, will support national nutrition plans and help achieve the MDGs, particularly those related to maternal and child health and hunger.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the cost of expanding existing nutritional intervention programmes in developing countries. [159954]
Justine Greening: The medical journal, The Lancet, published its latest analysis of nutrition on 6 June 2013. It estimates that the incremental cost to scale up 10 nutrition- specific interventions to 90% coverage in the 34 highest- burden countries is £6.12 billion ($9.6 billion) annually.
Developing Countries: Taxation
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she plans to take to support capacity building for tax revenue authorities in developing countries. [159889]
Justine Greening: DFID's work with partner countries on tax includes 48 tax programmes across 20 countries. I recently announced that DFID is establishing and funding a unit within HM Revenue and Customs to provide a team of tax experts dedicated to working in developing countries.
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Humanitarian Aid
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to encourage young people to volunteer in the humanitarian aid sector. [160160]
Justine Greening: Our International Citizen Service (ICS) programme will see 7,000 young UK volunteers working on development projects in some of the world's poorest countries over the next three years.
St Helena
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many gallons of water have been used in the airport construction project on St Helena (a) per day and (b) since construction began. [160137]
Lynne Featherstone: Figures are not available for the amount of water used since construction commenced. The water is sourced from boreholes on Prosperous Bay Plain and at Dry Gut. They are entirely separate to the water systems that supply the rest of the island so St Helena's domestic supply is unaffected by construction activities. The water in each borehole returns to its original level whenever extraction ceases so the impact on the localised water table is negligible.
Tanzania
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations her Department has made to the Tanzania Revenue Authority regarding the issue of government corruption in Tanzania. [159833]
Justine Greening: Under a current programme of financial and technical assistance with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), support has been provided to the TRA Tax Investigation Department to build capacity in dealing with fraud and evasion. Future planned support is expected to further enhance transparency and accountability across the organisation.
Justice
Accountancy
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials of his Department are currently seconded to any of the four largest accountancy firms; and what the (a) job title and (b) pay grade is of any such secondee. [159852]
Mrs Grant: The Ministry of Justice, including the Ministry's headquarters, the National Offender Management Service, HM Courts and Tribunals Service, the Office of the Public Guardian and the Legal Aid Agency, does not have any officials currently seconded to any of the four largest accountancy firms.
Children in Care: Death
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 582W, on children in care: death, how many such deaths were recorded at coroners inquests as the result of (a) accidents, (b) natural causes, (c) suicide and (d) unlawful killing; and if he will make a statement. [159928]
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Mrs Grant: The Ministry of Justice publishes annual statistics on the work of coroners in England and Wales, including inquest verdicts returned by coroners.
In 2012 coroners in England and Wales recorded a total of 7,705 accident or misadventure inquest verdicts, 8,849 verdicts of death by natural causes, 3,515 suicide verdicts, and 152 killed unlawfully verdicts but the statistics do not distinguish between the age of deceased.
However, since 2011 the Ministry of Justice has collected data regarding deaths in custody, which include children in custody and local authority secure children's homes. No deaths were reported to coroners in relation to deaths of young people in custody in local authority secure children's homes in 2011 or 2012.
Information held by MOJ in relation to coroners is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coroners-statistics
Prison Service
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many current Prison Service employees have criminal convictions. [159870]
Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not hold a central record of employees of HM Prison Service that have received criminal convictions.
If serving members of staff receive a criminal conviction, they will be subject to potential disciplinary action. Depending on the nature of the conviction, this could lead to dismissal, including summary dismissal. This would be in addition to any criminal sanctions imposed by the courts.
Prior to beginning employment with NOMS, applicants must declare criminal convictions and consent to additional background checks where appropriate. Previous criminal convictions are not an automatic disbar to employment with NOMS. Each case is considered on its merits.
Prisoners: Older People
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners of retirement age refuse to work. [159624]
Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service does not hold information centrally on the number of prisoners of retirement age who do not work. To obtain the information, each prison would need to examine individual prisoner records and this would be a significant exercise which could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.
Repossession Orders
Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people in each constituent part of the UK had their homes repossessed in each of the last five years. [160103]
Mrs Grant: The information requested is not available. The Ministry of Justice holds information on the number of repossession actions that are carried out by county court bailiffs. Because a repossession action can pertain to more than one home the exact number of homes repossessed is not available.
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Treasury
Air Passenger Duty
Mr Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much duty has been refunded on unused airline tickets in each year since the introduction of air passenger duty. [160032]
Sajid Javid: The Exchequer receives no duty for unused air tickets. Air passenger duty (APD) is a tax on aircraft operators based on the number of chargeable passengers on board a flight. Generally, operators pass the cost of their forecast APD liability onto passengers as part of the ticket price of a flight. However, if a passenger does not fly, the operator does not become liable to pay APD for that passenger.
In such circumstances, it is a commercial decision for the operator whether, having passed on the cost of their APD liability to the passenger, they refund that cost. The Government recommend UK airlines make their terms and conditions of carriage (including their ticket refund policy) clear on their website, so that consumers can make an informed decision on whether to proceed with a booking or choose an alternative carrier.
Big Society Network
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (a) how much funding his Department allocated to and (b) what contracts his Department held with the Big Society Network in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14 to date. [160121]
Sajid Javid: HM Treasury has not allocated any funding nor has it had any contracts with the Big Society Network since 2010.
Business: Loans
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been distributed to businesses through the Funding for Lending scheme in (a) Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council area, (b) Barnsley Central constituency, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) England in the latest period for which figures are available. [160456]
Greg Clark: The Funding for Lending Scheme has contributed to a transformation of the bank funding environment and banks are now passing these on through improved credit availability and cheaper credit to the real economy including to businesses.
As part of the monitoring of the Funding for Lending scheme, the Bank of England publishes the net lending data of individual banks on a quarterly basis. A regional breakdown is unavailable. However the Bank of England will publish net lending figures for 2014 by sector once the extension begins.
Child Benefit
Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to making child benefit claim forms available through registry offices as an alternative to bounty packs. [159694]
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Sajid Javid: Child benefit claim forms may be obtained from the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) website, the HMRC Child Benefit Helpline or through bounty packs. As bounty packs are given out to new mothers shortly after birth, HMRC is able to provide 97% of mothers with their child benefit claim forms within days of giving birth.
HMRC does not currently have any arrangement with Registry Offices for distributing child benefit claim forms. However, any Registry Office, may if it so chooses, download the form from the website and pass it to new mothers.
Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters to all the UK's dependent territories. [159924]
Mr Gauke: All the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories with a financial centre have committed to join the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters as rapidly as possible.
Developing Countries: Taxation
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will prioritise the creation of a new global automatic tax information exchange regime that includes developing countries. [159923]
Mr Gauke: The Government are working internationally to develop a single standard in automatic exchange which is open to all countries, including developing countries. We will be working with the OECD to ensure that the relevant systems and processes are as accessible as possible to help enable all countries to implement this new standard. The Government are also working to help build tax capacity in developing countries through the OECD, DFID and HMRC programmes.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were suspended from his Department and its associated public bodies on full pay in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and what costs were incurred as a result of such suspensions. [160425]
Sajid Javid: For the three years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 the number of staff suspended in HM Treasury are shown as follows.
Number | |
The total costs incurred to the employer over the period as a result of suspensions was £88,249.
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General Anti-Abuse Rule Advisory Panel
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been received by HM Revenue and Customs for membership of the General Anti-Abuse Rule Advisory Panel; and on what date panel members will be announced. [160534]
Mr Gauke: There were 60 applications for the GAAR Advisory Panel. The recruitment process is led by the Patrick Mears, the chair of the panel, and HMRC aims to announce the final panel members in July 2013.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials of each pay grade in his Department are working on High Speed 2; and what the responsibilities are of each such official. [159835]
Danny Alexander: It is not possible to provide precise figures for the number of HM Treasury staff that are involved with the High Speed 2 project. This is because many officials who have an interest in HS2 typically have responsibilities which cover a number of areas, for example across transport, infrastructure, financing, project management and fiscal considerations.
Income Tax: Scotland
Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he will establish the value of the Scottish block grant after the implementation of the Scottish rate of income tax. [160182]
Danny Alexander: The Scottish block grant will continue to be determined through the operation of the Barnett formula, but with a new deduction in relation to the Scottish rate of income tax.
The UK and Scottish Governments have agreed a method for determining the size of this deduction. This will be based on revenues generated by the Scottish rate of income tax during the transition period, and then indexed to growth in the UK non-savings non-dividend income tax base after the transition period has ended.
Further information is contained in the Government's first annual report on the implementation of the Scotland Act 2012, available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/first-annual-report-on-the-implementation-of-the-financial-provisions-of-the-scotland-act-2012
Lloyds Banking Group
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the working relationship between Lloyds Banking Group and Deloitte and their respective handling of PPI complaints; and if he will make a statement. [160062]
Sajid Javid: The Government's shareholding in Lloyds Banking Group (LBG) is managed on a commercial and arm's length basis by UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI).
UKFI's role is to manage the investment and not to manage the bank. LBG's relationship with Deloitte is an operational matter for the bank and should be addressed on a commercial basis.
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The Government are committed to ensuring that consumers and businesses are protected and it is the job of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure that happens in financial services.
The Government are strongly supportive of all action taken by the FCA to recompense customers and prevent cases of mis-selling in the future.