Mortgages: Government Assistance
Hilary Benn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a mechanism to prevent people without a credit record in the UK from using the Help to Buy scheme to purchase a home will be in place with effect from the launch of that scheme in 2014. [160510]
Sajid Javid: The aim of the Help to Buy package is to increase the supply of high loan-to-value mortgages to creditworthy borrowers.
A mortgage eligible for a guarantee under the scheme will need to meet certain minimum requirements in terms of the assessment of the borrower's ability to pay the mortgage.
As was announced at Budget 2013, the Government will set out eligibility criteria for the mortgage guarantee component of Help to Buy in due course.
NHS: Redundancy Pay
John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees since taking office. [160186]
Danny Alexander: The Treasury does not hold information on numbers of payments approved in the format requested. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Non-domestic Rates
Ann Coffey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many successful requests for the revaluation of business premises there have been in each region in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [160122]
Mr Gauke: The following table shows, for both the 2005 and 2010 local rating lists, the number of formal challenges against non-domestic properties that resulted in a change to the list entry, in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 financial years. Statistics for earlier years are unavailable.
| Financial year | ||
| Region | 2010-11(1) | 2011-12(2) |
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| (1) VOA Official Statistics, Local Rating Lists: Challenges, Tables 4.5 and 8.5: http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/_downloads/xls/Table4_5.xls http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/_downloads/xls/Table8_5.xls (2) VOA Official Statistics, Local Rating Lists: Challenges, Tables 5.5 and 10.5: http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/_downloads/xls/120503_2010_Table5.5.xls http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/_downloads/xls/120503_2005_Table10.5.xls | ||
Property
Margaret Curran: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the (a) location and (b) value is of any property his Department owns in Scotland. [160287]
Sajid Javid: HM Treasury does not own any property in Scotland.
Public Sector Debt
John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which measures of public sector debt are used for setting fiscal rules and targets. [160230]
Sajid Javid: As set out in the Charter for Budget Responsibility, the Government's fiscal mandate is supplemented by a target for public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP to be falling at a fixed date of 2015-16, ensuring that the public finances are restored to a sustainable path.
John Healey: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what responsibilities (a) the Office for Budget Responsibility and (b) the Office for National Statistics have to measure debt in the public sector; [160231]
(2) what powers (a) the Office for Budget Responsibility and (b) the Office for National Statistics have to determine how debt in the public sector is (i) measured and (ii) accounted for; [160232]
(3) which body is responsible for deciding how to classify public sector debt in the UK accounts; and what international rules this body must follow in making its classifications. [160236]
Sajid Javid: The independent Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for public finance outturn statistics used in the Public Sector Finances (PSF) publication. The ONS has final responsibility for compiling the statistical measures used in the PSF bulletin, and for ensuring they conform to statistical standards and that the content complies with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. The ONS is responsible for the classification of public sector debt in the UK National Accounts. The ONS bases its classification decisions on the legally-binding European System of Accounts 95 (ESA 95) and the Eurostat Manual on Government Deficit and Debt, which are broadly consistent with the System of National Accounts 1993 produced by the United Nations.
The independent OBR has executive responsibility to examine and report on the sustainability of the public finances, issuing forecasts for public sector debt.
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Tax Avoidance
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislative proposals to allow fines to be levied on those who devise tax avoidance schemes which are subsequently struck down by HM Revenue and Customs as well as those who take advantage of such schemes. [160157]
Mr Gauke: As announced at Budget 2013, we will soon be consulting on a range of new information and penalty powers to tackle high-risk promoters of tax avoidance schemes. We also announced that we will consult on a penalties-based approach to taxpayers who fail to settle with HM Revenue and Customs in circumstances where a tax avoidance scheme has been defeated in another party's litigation. The consultation is due to take place over the summer.
Tax Evasion
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to improve engagement and co-operation between EU member states in tackling tax fraud. [160148]
Mr Gauke: Tackling tax fraud and evasion is hugely important for protecting revenues and for ensuring public confidence in the fairness and effectiveness of our tax systems. The Government are in regular discussions with other member states on this issue and are working closely with the Commission and member states on addressing the priority areas for tackling fraud and evasion at the EU level, for example, on the rapid adoption of the revised savings directive and on countering VAT fraud. In addition, the UK, together with France, Germany, Spain and Italy agreed in April to develop and then pilot multilateral tax information exchange on an automatic basis. This initiative will help embed the new global standard, leading to a step change in the fight against tax evasion, something that the UK is also taking forward as part of its G8 presidency. 12 other member states have since joined this initiative together with Mexico and Norway.
Taxation: Courier Services
Mr Woodward: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the national insurance and tax revenue lost as a result of bogus self-employment contracts in the courier industry in each of the last five financial years. [160497]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available because HM Revenue and Customs' data systems do not record this level of detail.
Taxation: Foreign Nationals
Mr Nuttall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure that foreign nationals from other EU countries (a) pay income tax and (b) make insurance contributions on (i) self-employed earnings and (ii) earnings from employment. [159713]
Mr Gauke:
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is responsible for overseeing the tax system and for collecting national insurance contributions. The usual PAYE
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withholding regulations apply in the same way to EU nationals as they do to everybody else. While there is no special regime for EU nationals, HMRC operates a robust risk-based approach to compliance, tackling a wide range of avoidance and evasion activities from whatever source.
Taxation: Pensioners
Stephen Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many higher-rate tax payers were aged 65 years or older in the most recent year for which figures are available. [160088]
Mr Gauke: It is estimated that in the year 2012-13 there were 5.1 million taxpayers aged 65 or older, of who 389,000 are liable to income tax at the higher rate or above.
These estimates are based upon the 2010-11 Survey of Personal Incomes using economic assumptions consistent with the OBR's March 2013 economic and fiscal outlook.
Taxation: Tanzania
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the joint project of HM Revenue and Customs and the Developing Countries Capacity Building Unit with the Tanzania Revenue Authority, what representations he has received from UK investors on the current environment for foreign investment in Tanzania. [159811]
Mr Gauke: No representations have been received from UK investors on the current environment for foreign investment in Tanzania, with reference to the joint HM Revenue and Customs and DFID Developing Countries Capacity Building Unit.
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the joint project of HM Revenue and Customs and the Developing Countries Capacity Building Unit with the Tanzania Revenue Authority will address the issue of government corruption in Tanzania. [159812]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for International Development have not identified the objectives of the capacity building programme with Tanzania Revenue Authority as yet; therefore I cannot say whether the joint project will address the issue of government corruption in Tanzania at this stage.
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution the joint project of HM Revenue and Customs and the Developing Countries Capacity Building Unit with the Tanzania Revenue Authority make towards improving the environment for foreign investment in Tanzania. [159832]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for International Development have not identified the objectives of the capacity building programme with Tanzania Revenue Authority as yet; therefore I cannot say whether the joint project will improve the environment for foreign investment at this stage.
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Tobacco: Smuggling
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much funding has been allocated to the tobacco smuggling strategy of HM Revenue and Customs over the current spending review period. [159481]
Sajid Javid: It is not possible to answer the question in the format requested, as HM Revenue and Customs does not allocate funding in advance on the basis of tax regimes.
Expenditure information for the Tackling Tobacco Smuggling strategy is not recorded separately. However, expenditure on all activity across the tobacco regime is recorded and reported retrospectively and the following information is available in relation to expenditure on the tobacco regime in the first two years of the current spending review period:
| Expenditure (£) | |
VAT: Fuels
Dr McCrea: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has accrued to the Exchequer from VAT on car fuel in each of the last three years. [160099]
Mr Gauke: There is no information available on the revenue raised from VAT on car fuel. It is not possible to identify the amount of VAT receipts in relation to specific products.
Work and Pensions
Accountancy
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [159853]
Mr Hoban: There are no officials within DWP (including Child Maintenance Group who joined the Department in August 2012) seconded to any of the four largest accountancy firms: PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, and KPMG.
Carer’s Allowance
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in receipt of carer's allowance are caring for a disabled relative who suffered injuries whilst serving in the armed forces in the Afghanistan or Iraq wars. [159590]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not available.
Child Maintenance
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much is owed to parents in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England in Child Support Agency claims. [160459]
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Steve Webb: The following table shows, as of March 2013, the amount of debt due to parents with care in Barnsley Central, South Yorkshire and England.
| Total debt owed to Secretary of State or parent or person with care (£) | Of which: owed to parent or person with care (£) | |
| Notes: 1. South Yorkshire has been calculated by adding up the totals for Barnsley, Doncaster, Sheffield and Rotherham local authorities. 2. England has been calculated by adding up the totals for each parliamentary constituency in England. 3. Figures sourced from agency's internal debt book, The agency debt book over reports debt by approximately 4%. 4. Arrears amounts are allocated to a parliamentary constituency or local authority by matching the parent with care's residential postcode to the Office for National Statistics postcode directory. 5. Figures rounded to nearest £1,000. 6. Figures exclude cases managed off system. | ||
Housing Benefit: Night Shelters
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many night shelters have met the qualification criteria for housing benefit payments in each year since 2010; [160317]
(2) how much was paid in housing benefit in respect of a stay at a night shelter in each year since 2010; and how much was spent in this fashion as a proportion of total spending on housing benefit in each such year. [160366]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available. Housing benefit regulations do not refer to homeless hostels or shelters specifically.
Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the volume of former social housing currently in the private rented sector and occupied by tenants in receipt of housing benefit in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Midlothian local authority area; and how much is paid in housing benefit to such tenants. [160367]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
Note:
Statistics on housing benefit volumes and expenditure are obtained from the Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE) dataset, a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. This data source does not provide information on former ownership status of dwellings occupied by housing benefit claimants.
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) housing benefit and (b) local housing allowance has been paid to tenants in the private rented sector in Midlothian constituency in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [160368]
Steve Webb: Information for housing benefit expenditure in Midlothian local authority area is published at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-expenditure-by-local-authority
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Tables: Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit expenditure by local authority from 1996/97 to 2011/12.
Midlothian parliamentary constituency currently has the same boundaries as the local authority area. However, constituency boundaries changed in 2005, so local authority figures prior to 2005-06 will not reflect expenditure within the previous boundaries of the constituency. Information for the pre-2005 parliamentary constituency is not available.
Note:
Information on housing benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency is not currently available, but in this instance the boundaries of the parliamentary constituency and local authority coincide, so published figures are available for part of the period.
Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will be affected by his announcement on 12 March 2013 clarifying the size criteria rules for armed forces' personnel. [160536]
Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
The Department is unable to make an estimate from survey data as the sample size for members of the armed forces affected by the social sector under-occupancy charge is small. As a result estimates would be subject to a high degree of sampling error.
Means-tested Benefits
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the sums allocated to means-tested benefit and allowances which have not been claimed in each year since 2010. [159502]
Mr Hoban: The most recent estimates available, of income-related benefit take-up, cover the period 2009-10. The Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up report covers Great Britain for the financial year 2009-10 and provides caseload and expenditure estimates of take-up for income support and employment and support allowance (income-related), pension credit, housing benefit (including local housing allowance), council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based). The figures are available online and can be found at:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=irb
It is planned that the next report will publish data for the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 and is expected to be released around spring 2014.
Universal Credit
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of covering 85% of child care costs for all families in receipt of universal credit. [159583]
Esther McVey:
The Government want to encourage people to work and where possible to increase their hours and recognise that those working the longest hours are likely to face the greatest child care costs. The Government will spend an additional £200 million on child care support through universal credit, which is equivalent to providing support for 85% of child care costs for families qualifying for the universal credit
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child care element where the lone parent or both earners in a couple pay income tax. This will be introduced from April 2016.
The details of how to provide this support will be determined as part of a wider consultation on the Tax-free-Childcare scheme for those families outside universal credit, to ensure the two schemes operate effectively together. This will be published in due course.
Covering 85% of child care costs for all families in receipt of universal credit is estimated to cost around a further £200 million (above the additional £200 million already announced).
All figures refer to universal credit steady-state when migration has been completed and universal credit has been fully rolled out.
Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Health and (b) the Secretary of State for Education on the treatment of passported benefits under universal credit. [159731]
Mr Hoban: The Secretary of State has met and discussed the treatment of passported benefits under universal credit with Cabinet colleagues. Further meetings have taken place at ministerial level between Ministers in this Department and their counterparts in Department of Health and Department for Education.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the effect of increasing the higher and lower rate disabled child elements of universal credit by (a) 5%, (b) 10% and (c) 15% on the proportion of (i) children and (ii) working age adults living in households of below 60% of median income. [160364]
Mr Hoban: The aim of universal credit is to encourage work. Figures in the most recent Households Below Average Income series show that children in workless families are at greater risk of being in poverty than those in working families.
Increasing the lower and higher disabled child elements by: (a) 5%; (b) 10%; or (c) 15% would have a zero percentage point impact on both (i) the proportion of children and (ii) the proportion of working age adults living in households under 60% of median income.
Note that the results have been derived using the Family Resources Survey. Due to sample size issues, results are being rounded to the nearest percentage point.
These figures do not take account of any anticipated increase in employment as a result of universal credit. It is designed to encourage work, which is the best route out of poverty for most people.
This analysis is consistent with the impact assessment published in December 2012.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made in ensuring that universal credit is available to individuals staying in supported accommodation classified as exempt; and if he will make a statement. [160365]
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Steve Webb: Universal credit will be paid to all claimants who meet the conditions of entitlement. Ministers announced in September 2012 that in the short-term help with housing costs for those in exempt accommodation will be provided outside universal credit, broadly as now through local authorities using existing DWP legislation. Regulations to do so will be brought forward in due course.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Freedom of Information requests on universal credit his Department has responded to since May 2010. [160363]
Mr Hoban: We have responded to 102 Freedom of Information requests about universal credit since May 2010.
Education
Child Minding
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what steps his Department has taken to consult and engage with child care associations regarding the introduction of childminder agencies; [160480]
(2) whether his Department has held discussions with the UK Childminding Association on the introduction of childminder agencies. [160514]
Elizabeth Truss: Through membership of the Department's childminder agencies Task and Finish group, the following national child care associations are engaged in the introduction of childminder agencies: 4Children, the Family and Childcare Trust, the National Day Nurseries Association, the National Children's Bureau, the Pre-school Learning Alliance, the Independent Childminders Social Enterprise and the Association of Nanny Agencies.
We have also written to over 60 organisations, including child care associations, inviting them to participate in an imminent trial. Following this, we intend to consult on the key requirements to be placed on childminder agencies through regulation.
No discussion with the UK Childminding Association has yet taken place, although Department officials remain ready to meet them when convenient.
Children: Day Care
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has (a) conducted within his Department, (b) asked other Departments to conduct and (c) commissioned independent external sources to conduct an assessment of possible (i) reductions in child care costs and (ii) increases in child care staff salaries resulting from increasing staff-to-child ratios in child care settings. [159609]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department has conducted a review of international evidence. This shows that countries with higher staff:child ratios also have higher staff salaries and lower costs to parents. This review will be published in due course, but many of its findings were published in ‘More great childcare’(1).
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The Department has also conducted an assessment of possible reductions in child care costs and increases in child care staff salaries resulting from increasing staff:child ratios in child care settings. This report is available on the gov.uk website(2).
(1)https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/more-great-childcare-raising-quality-and-giving-parents-more-choice
(2)https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/request-for-costs-and-benefits-of-the-childcare-ratios-proposed-in-more-great-childcare
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 382W, on children: day care, how many responses he received from each category of respondent defined in the consultation document. [159618]
Elizabeth Truss: We will publish a summary report of the responses to the consultation in due course. This will include a breakdown of the number of respondents by background.
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 382W, on children: day care, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals his Department has approached with a view to establishing pilot schemes for increasing child-to-staff ratios in child care settings. [159619]
Elizabeth Truss: We have spoken to a number of early years providers, child care organisations and schools about how to improve the quality of early years provision.
In ‘More great childcare’, the Government announced its plans to improve the quality of child care, including proposals to increase staff:child ratios for all nurseries with well-qualified staff from this September. We consulted on the qualification requirements to unlock these higher ratios.
However, as I explained to the House on 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 224, the Government will not be proceeding with changes to staff:child ratios.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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. [160411]
Elizabeth Truss: Information on the number of staff suspended from the Department on full pay in 2011-12 and 2012-13 is withheld on confidentiality grounds as fewer than five members of staff were suspended in each year.
The Department does not hold this information for 2010-11.
The Department does not hold the requested information about its non-departmental public bodies.
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History: Curriculum
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy that the war of 1812-14 between British North America (Canada) and the United States is included in the history curriculum; and if he will make a statement. [160210]
Elizabeth Truss: We believe that all pupils should be taught about the key events, processes and personalities in British history, and that that teaching should include the British Empire. We are currently considering responses to the public consultation on our proposals for the new history curriculum published earlier this year, and will make further announcements in due course. It is important to note however that, even if the war of 1812 is not explicitly mentioned in the national curriculum, schools are free to teach it at their discretion.
Office for Standards in Education
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether HM chief inspector of schools is able to express publicly opinions on Government policy and policy proposals in an official capacity. [160108]
Mr Laws: Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, children's services and skills is responsible for ensuring that Ofsted promotes improvement in the quality of the services that it regulates and inspects. Ofsted's status, as a non-ministerial Government Department, is intended to give the chief inspector independence and flexibility to comment on the quality and provision of services as he sees fit.
Pre-school Education
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who will be eligible for free nursery care in (a) England, (b) Cumbria and (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in (i) 2014 and (ii) 2015; [160461]
(2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of children who are currently getting free nursery care in (a) England, (b) Cumbria and (c) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency. [160464]
Elizabeth Truss: All three and four-year-olds are eligible to access 570 hours a year of early education funded by the Government. Government-funded early education is being extended so that 130,000 two-year-olds from lower income families in England will be able to access a funded place from September 2013, increasing to 260,000 from September 2014.
Last year we consulted on the proposed eligibility criteria from September, and published estimated numbers of two-year-olds who would be eligible from then. Based on the criteria we consulted on, we estimated that 2,500 two-year-olds in Cumbria were likely to be eligible from September 2014(1). The final eligibility criteria from September 2014 will be confirmed shortly. We have made no estimate of numbers of children likely to be eligible in each individual constituency.
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The following table shows the number of three and four-year-olds benefitting from funded early education in England, Cumbria and the Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency as of January 2012.
| Number of three and four-year-olds benefitting from funded early education-January 2012(1) | |
| Number | |
| (1)Note: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/provision-for-children-under-5-years-of-age-in-england-january-2012 | |
Local authorities estimate that they were delivering just over 55,000 early learning places for two-year-olds across England in April 2013. Cumbria local authority estimates that as of April 2013 they were delivering 568 early learning places for two-year-olds and are on track to deliver the places they need in September 2013.
(1)Note:
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/earlylearningandchildcare/delivery/free%20entitlement%20to%20early%20education/b0070114/eefortwoyearolds
Primary Education: Teachers
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of primary school teachers were female in each Government office region in the last year for which data are available. [159972]
Mr Laws: The following table shows the percentage of full-time equivalent teachers in publicly funded nursery and primary schools in each region of England in November 2011 who were female. National level data from the 2012 School Workforce Census were published on 30 April 2013. Regional level data will be published on 17 July 2013.
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| Percentage of full-time equivalent female teachers in publicly funded nursery and primary schools by region. November 2011. England | |
| Region | Percentage |
| Source: School Workforce Census, November 2011 | |
Pupil Exclusions: Barrow in Furness
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have been excluded from (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last 10 years. [160518]
Elizabeth Truss: Information on the permanent exclusions and number of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusions in Barrow and Furness constituency, Cumbria local authority and England is shown in the following tables.
Information has been provided for the academic years 2007/08 to 2010/11. To provide data for further years would incur disproportionate cost.
The most recent available data on exclusions were published in the “Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools in England 2010/11” Statistical First Release on 25 July 2012.(1)
Information for 2011/12 will be published in July 2013.
(1)( )https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permanent-and -fixed-period-exclusions-from-schools-in-england-academic-year-2010-to-2011
| State-funded primary and state-funded secondary schools(1, 2, )3 number of permanent exclusions and number of pupils with one or more fixed period exclusion(4) 2007/08 to 2010/11(5)—England, Cumbria local authority and Barrow and Furness constituency | ||||
| Permanent exclusions | ||||
| 2007/08 | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1, 3) | |||
| Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | |
| Permanent exclusions | ||||
| 2008/09(6) | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1, 3) | |||
| Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | |
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| Permanent exclusions | ||||
| 2009/10(6) | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1, 3) | |||
| Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | |
| Permanent exclusions | ||||
| 2010/11 | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1, 3) | |||
| Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | Number of permanent exclusions | Percentage of the school population(7) | |
| Fixed period exclusions | ||||
| 2007/08 | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1,2) | |||
| Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | |
| Fixed period exclusions | ||||
| 2008/09(6) | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1,2) | |||
| Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | |
| Fixed period exclusions | ||||
| 2009/10(6) | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1,2) | |||
| Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | |
| Fixed period exclusions | ||||
| 2010/11 | ||||
| State-funded primary(1, 2) | State-funded secondary(1,2) | |||
| Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | Number of pupils with 1 or more episodes of fixed period exclusion | Percentage of the school population(9) | |
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| (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes primary academies. (3) Includes city technology colleges and secondary academies (including all-through academies). (4) Pupils may be counted more than once if they moved schools during the year, or are registered at more than one school. (5) Figures relating to permanent exclusions for the years 2007/08 to 2009/10 are estimates based on incomplete pupil-level data. (6 )Exclusions data is collected retrospectively so, for example, if a school closes at the end of the school year, any exclusions in spring and summer term are not collected. Three maintained secondary schools in Barrow and Furness constituency closed at the end of summer 2009, leading to an undercount in exclusions in autumn term 2008, no permanent exclusions were recorded. (7) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) as at January each year. (8) National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (8) The number of pupils who received a fixed period exclusion expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) as at January each year. (10) Less than five, or a percentage based on less than five. Source: School Census | ||||
Schools
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools Ministers in his Department have visited since May 2010. [160118]
Elizabeth Truss: Information about schools visited by all Ministers since May 2010 is not held centrally and could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
A list of ministerial visits made to schools by the Secretary of State by year is as follows. This does not include political or constituency visits.
10 May 2010 to 31 December 2010
Lampton School, Hounslow
Cuckoo Hall Primary School, Edmonton, London
Colmers School, Rednal, Birmingham
Notre Dame High School, Sheffield
St Michael's Primary School, Dorset
Edgware Jewish Primary School, Middlesex
Elmridge Primary School, Cheshire
The Coppice and Langley Primary School, Sutton Coldfield
Woodside High School, London
Stanley School of Technology, County Durham
Consett Community Sports College, County Durham
The Duchess’s Community High School, Northumberland
City of London Academy, Southwark, London
Westminster Academy, London
Globe Academy, London
Cuckoo Hall Academy, Edmonton
Mossbourne Community Academy School, London
Harris Boys Academy, London
Chelsea Academy, London
Durand Academy, London.
1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011
Berrymede Junior School, London
Twyford Church of England High School, London
Redcar Community College, Cleveland
Ian Ramsey C of E School, Cleveland
Corpus Christi RC Primary School, London
Lexden Primary School, Essex
Altrincham Girls Grammar school, Cheshire
St Nicholas School, Beverley
Swinemoor School, Beverley
Goole High School, Goole
Ashlands Primary School, West Yorkshire
Ilkley Grammar School, West Yorkshire
Bingley Grammar School, West Yorkshire
Merlin Primary School, Bromley
Redruth School, Cornwall
Hayle School, Cornwall
Curnow Special School, Redruth
Chapel Road School, Norfolk
Methwold High School, Norfolk
Sprites Primary School, Suffolk
Chantry High School, Suffolk
Kingsford Community School, London
Royal Ballet School, London
Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy, Edmonton
The Free School Norwich, Norwich
Haberdashers Knights Aske’s Academy, Kent
King Solomon Academy, London
Gateway Academy, Essex
Chellaston Academy, Derby
Goole College, Goole
Pimlico Academy, London
Trevithick Primary School, Cornwall
Camborne Academy, Cornwall
Pool School, Cornwall
Durand Academy, London
The Thetford Academy, Thetford
King Solomon Academy, London
The Nottingham Academy, Nottingham
Harris Peckham Primary Academy, Peckham
St Marylebone C of E School, London
Denbigh High School, Luton
Barnfield Studio School, Luton
Barnfield West Academy, Luton.
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1 January 2012 to December 2012
Old Ford Primary School, London
JCOSS, New Barnet
Woodberry Down Community Primary School, London
Yesodey Hatorah Senior Girls School, London
St John and St James C of E Primary School, London
Thomas Jones Primary School, London
Wetherby Pre-prep school, London
West London Free School, Hammersmith
Perry Beeches Free School, Birmingham
Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College, London
Wellsway School, Bristol
Westminster Academy, London
Ninestiles School, West Midlands
Durand Academy, Stockwell
Yavneh College, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
Burlington Danes Academy, London
Westminster School, London
Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, Middlesex
St Paulinus Primary School, Crayford
Erith Secondary School, Kent
Oasis Academy, Bristol
The King David High School, Crumpsall, Manchester
Hope Academy, Merseyside
Bexhill Academy, East Sussex
The Hastings Academy, East Sussex.
Coombe Girls School, Surrey
Woodpecker Hall Primary Academy, Edmonton, London
Castle Community College, Deal, Kent
Cliftonville Primary, Margate, Kent
Horsforth Academy, Leeds
Conyers Academy, Cleveland
Krishna Avanti Hindu Free School, Leicester
Paddington Academy, London
Nunthorpe Academy, Middlesbrough
Ian Ramsey School, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland
Carlton Hill Primary School, East Sussex
Birches Head High School, Stoke-on-Trent
Endon High School, Stoke-on-Trent
Westwood College, Staffordshire
Derby Pride Academy, Derby
Wyndham Primary Academy, Derby
George Spencer Academy, Nottingham
Marriotts School, Hertfordshire
Lonsdale Special School, Hertfordshire
Buckingham School, Buckingham
Royal Latin School, Buckingham.
Secondary Education
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students there are in secondary schools. [160349]
Mr Laws: At January 2012 there were 3,234,875 pupils(1) in state-funded secondary schools(2) in England. This information is from table 2b of the publication “Schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2012” available at:
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2012
Information for January 2013 will be published on Thursday 20 June 2013 and will be available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education/series/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers
(1) Headcount of pupils with sole or dual main registrations, rounded to the nearest five pupils.
(2) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies including free schools and includes middle schools as deemed.
Health
Accountancy
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [159850]
Dr Poulter: No officials from the Department are currently seconded to the four largest accountancy firms.
Cancer
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's Report, Direct Access to Diagnostic Tests for Cancer, Best Practice Referral Pathways for General Practitioners, what steps his Department is taking to monitor access to the four key cancer diagnostic tests; and how many general practitioners have applied such tests in the last 12 months. [159921]
Anna Soubry: Data are collected on the total number of diagnostic tests but not on the number of general practitioners (GPs) requesting such tests.
The Department monitors access to the four key cancer diagnostic tests through the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DID) statistics, which are available at:
www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/
These statistics contain monthly data on diagnostic imaging tests on NHS patients in England at provider level. It includes estimates of overall GP usage of direct access to chest x-ray, non-obstetric ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging brain scans which are three of the key diagnostic tests outlined in ‘Improving Outcomes: a strategy for cancer’. The DID publication also includes estimates for kidney or bladder ultrasound and chest and/or abdomen computerised tomography, which can also be used to diagnose cancer.
Cancer: Drugs
Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people served by each strategic health authority who have received treatment as a consequence of the introduction of the Cancer Drugs Fund. [160074]
Norman Lamb: The information requested for the period October 2010 to end March 2013 is shown in the table.
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| Strategic health authority | Number of patients funded in 2010-11 | Number of patients funded in 2011-12 | Number of patients funded in 2012-13 | Total number of . patients funded since October 2010(1) |
| (1) Some individual patients may be double-counted where a patient has received more than one drug treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund. Source: Information provided to the Department by strategic health authorities. | ||||
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust took voluntary redundancy in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [159610]
Anna Soubry: This information is not collected centrally.
We have written to John Anderson, Chair of the City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, informing him of the hon. Member's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.
Deep Vein Thrombosis: Children
David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider adopting the Royal Blackburn Hospital's protocol on dealing with children with deep vein thrombosis as best practice in the NHS. [160370]
Anna Soubry: Responsibility for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) lies with NHS England.
DVT is extremely rare in children. The Department is aware of an existing national guideline on investigation, management and prevention of venous thrombosis in children produced by the British Committee for Standards in Haematology. This is an area which would benefit from further study and sharing of experience and exemplar practice.
The Royal Blackburn hospital's protocol on dealing with children with DVT has been brought to the attention of those responsible for delivery of the National Venous Thromboembolism Prevention Programme. It is the responsibility of NHS England to make decisions on whether to adopt the Royal Blackburn hospital's protocol on dealing with children with DVT.
Diabetes
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that NHS health checks will be carried out in order to identify people with and at risk of diabetes. [160530]
Anna Soubry: The NHS Health Check will contribute to preventing and detecting diabetes at an earlier stage. The programme has the potential to detect at least 20,000 cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier, allowing individuals to be better managed and improve quality of life. It could also prevent over 4,000 people a year from developing diabetes.
From April 2013, local authorities are now mandated to provide the NHS Health Check service to all of their eligible population over five years. They are also required to demonstrate year-on-year increased uptake of the check. Public Health England is leading an implementation review and action plan of the NHS Health Check programme and working with multiple partners, including the Local Government Association, NHS England and local authorities to implement action that will increase accessibility, quality and value for money.
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if his Department will take steps in order to ensure additional funding will be allocated for diabetes management in the future; [160531]
(2) how many patients with diabetes receive all nine of the annual checks recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to assist with the management of their condition. [160532]
Anna Soubry: The Government have set clear objectives for the national health service in delivering improved outcomes in diabetes. This includes increasing universal coverage of the nine basic checks to help monitor the condition of people with diabetes to 80% by 2018 (from 49% in 2010).
The National Diabetes Audit measures the percentage of diabetes patients who receive all nine checks, as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. The 2010-11 Audit, published in September 2012, found that 54.3% of people with diabetes had records showing all nine checks had been completed between January 2010 and March 2011, up by almost 3% from 2009-10.
Revenue allocations are currently made to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) by NHS England on the basis of a weighted capitation formula, used to determine CCGs' target share of available resources to enable them to commission similar levels of health services for populations in similar need. Funding for specific services, such as diabetes, is not identified at CCG-level. It is for CCGs to decide how to use their funding to commission services to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of local and national priorities.
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Heart Diseases: Children
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 159W, on heart diseases: children, if he will collect and collate data in the form as requested for the three years 2009-10 to 2011-12. [160060]
Anna Soubry: There are no plans to collect this information centrally.
With reference to the answer of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 159W, the absolute mortality figures are available from the National Institute for Cardiothoracic Outcomes Research website under ‘Centre activity’(1) and the “Partial Risk Adjustment in Surgery” analysis from the NHS England website, under April publications(2).
(1)https://nicor4.nicor.org.uk/CHD/an_paeds.nsf/WSurnmary Years?openview&RestrictToCategory=2011&start=1&count=500
(2) www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/finl-rep-mort-paed-card-surg-2009-12.pdf
Hospital Beds: North West
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many black alerts have been declared at each hospital in the North West in each year since 2010. [160482]
Anna Soubry: This information is not collected centrally.
While many national health service trusts and NHS foundation trusts operate alert systems for bed occupancy levels, there is no single alert system across the NHS.
Hospitals: Admissions
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records exist to monitor the number of occasions where the maximum numbers of patients per nurse are exceeded on a general adult ward in each of the last 12 months. [160452]
Dr Poulter: The Department does not mandate nurse to patient ratios, therefore there is no central monitoring of this kind by the Department.
Local health care organisations, with their knowledge of the patients they serve, are best placed to plan and employ a work force appropriate to the needs of their patients, based on clinical need and sound evidence. Where changes are planned to the size and shape of the work force, health care organisations must provide assurance that the safety and quality of patient care is maintained or improved. The process should include clinical involvement leadership and sign-off.
Commissioners of services will want to know that their work force is fit to support the quality of care they want for patients and we are expecting boards who provide services to publish their staffing numbers for the first time this year.
The NHS Mandate makes it clear that quality of care is as important as quality of treatment. Nursing leaders must ensure that their teams are focused on delivering person-centred, intelligent and compassionate care where the patient's fundamental requirements for daily living have the priority they deserve.
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Hospitals: Dorset
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on how much has been spent on legal advice by parties involved in the proposed merger between Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals and Poole Hospital Foundation Trusts. [159975]
Anna Soubry: The information is not held by the Department.
This is a matter for the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
We have written to the trusts' chairs, Jane Stichbury and Angela Schofield, informing them of the hon. Member's inquiry. They will reply shortly and copies of the letters will be placed in the Library.
Hospitals: Food
Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average daily cost (a) of breakfast, (b) of lunch, (c) of dinner and (d) in total is for each patient in the NHS; [159970]
(2) what the average cost was of each individual Christmas Day meal for patients in the NHS; and how much was spent in this fashion in 2012. [160346]
Dr Poulter: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is provided as follows.
The Department collects data from national health service trusts for the average total daily cost for the provision of all meals and beverages fed to one patient per day. This cost relates to all meals and beverages provided to a patient in a day. Data are not collected on the separate cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance. For 2011-12, the national average of these data was £8.77.
Costs for specific days, including Christmas day, are not collected.
This information has been supplied by the NHS and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
Hospitals: Mergers
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals which are considering mergers have had to consult lawyers specialising in competition law. [160093]
Anna Soubry: The information is not held by the Department. This is a matter for the NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts concerned.
NHS: Conditions of Employment
Shabana Mahmood:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Boorman Review into health and well-being, published in November 2009, in
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respect of all NHS providers developing a strategy to improve staff health and well-being; and if he will make a statement. [160070]
Dr Poulter: Developing health and well-being strategies for their staff is a matter for individual national health service organisations as employers.
The Department has commissioned NHS Employers to support individual NHS organisations in developing their overall approach based on five high-impact changes, including developing local evidence-based improvement plans.
NHS: Management Consultants
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the amount spent on external consultants by each NHS hospital trust in the north of England in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [160462]
Dr Poulter: Departmental spending on external consultants by each of the north of England national health service hospital trusts for financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 is contained in the following tables.
| Consultancy spend by NHS trusts in Northern England | |
| Trust name | 2009-10 (£000) |
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| Trust name | 2010-11 (£000) |
| Trust name | 2011-12 (£000) |
18 Jun 2013 : Column 663W
The data are taken from the audited summarisation schedules of NHS trusts for 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 which are used to prepare the NHS elements of the Department's annual report and accounts. Where an NHS trust obtains foundation trust status part way through any year, the data provided are only for the part of the year the organisation operated as an NHS trust.
The Department does not collect data on external consultants from NHS foundation trusts; these are available from Monitor.
Nurses
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many locum nurses were used by the NHS in England in each year since 2010; and how many times each such nurse was used in each such year. [160239]
Dr Poulter: The numbers of locum or bank nurses used are no longer collected centrally by the Department.
The numbers of qualified full-time equivalent bank staff in England are available up until 2010. The total qualified bank nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff in England as at 30 September for the last three years that are available are:
| Number | |
Physiotherapy
Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the recommendations made by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in its report entitled “Fit enough for patients? An audit of workplace health and wellbeing services for NHS staff”, published in March 2013; and if he will make a statement. [160094]
Dr Poulter: The Department welcomed the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy's (CSP) report, ‘Fit enough for patients? An audit of workplace health and wellbeing services for NHS staff’.
The Department noted the report’s recommendations and its assessment is that the national health service should continue to implement the five high-impact changes developed following the 2009 review, ‘NHS Health and Wellbeing’, which the Department commissioned from occupational health specialist Dr Steve Boorman CBE. CSP's ‘Fit enough for patients?’ report is its assessment of the progress being made by the NHS in implementing the Boorman recommendations.
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Primary Care Trusts
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding was returned to the Government by each primary care trust in England before their dissolution; [160169]
(2) on what date each Merseyside primary care trust returned funding to his Department before its dissolution. [160170]
Dr Poulter: The Department allows for primary care trust (PCT) surpluses to be carried forward into the next financial year and as such the surpluses shown in this table are cumulative, built up over a number of years.
Carrying a surplus provides the national health service with flexibility to respond to unexpected cost pressures. Plans assume a steady use of the underspend over a number of years, funded from the wider Department budget.
A surplus in 2012-13 would not be lost to the NHS, and would be made available to NHS England for high quality sustainable health services. As for other Government Departments, departmental underspends are returned to Her Majesty's Treasury to help in wider fiscal deficit reduction.
The latest published forecast outturns for PCTs in England are shown in the following table. The final position is not yet established.
| PCT name | Q3 forecast surplus (at quarter 3) (£000) |
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| Source: Department of Health, The Quarter 2012-13, Quarter 3 | |