Plastic Surgery
Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions led by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh. [161482]
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Dr Poulter: The Government are supportive of the principal conclusions of the review. However, implementation of the recommendations raises a number of complex issues, which officials are working through, and involves a wide range of partners. As a result we now plan to publish the Government's response to Sir Bruce's review after the summer recess, rather than before as indicated in the written ministerial statement of 24 April 2013, Official Report, column 56WS.
Social Services
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that people who need regular and high-standard social care receive the support that they need. [160579]
Norman Lamb: The responsibility for providing high- quality social care services rests with providers. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), as the regulator of health and adult social care in England, has powers to require providers to comply with regulations governing the safety and quality of services.
The CQC is currently consulting on its approach to inspection and regulation. This includes its plans to inspect care services, develop new fundamental standards of care that those services must meet and make better use of information and evidence to decide when, where and what to expect.
The CQC is also appointing a powerful new Chief Inspector for Social Care who will be responsible for assessing and judging how well care providers put the quality of care at the heart of everything that they do, serving and protecting the interests of people who use their services.
The Chief Inspector will oversee a system of quality ratings, which will help people make informed decisions when choosing home care and care homes—helped by new information on the NHS Choices websites that allows the public and users of services to review and comment on the performance of care providers.
A Code of Conduct to describe the standards, behaviour and attitudes that people should be able to expect from care workers, together with improved minimum training standards to define the levels of expertise that social care workers must have, irrespective of their job role, has been published by Skills for Care.
The Government have made a major commitment, led by the Department and 12 national health and care leaders, to improve coordination and break down the current barriers to integrated and effective health and care services, so that they focus on the needs of individuals, their families and carers. This work began in May.
Transplant Surgery
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are on waiting lists to receive an organ transplant in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire and (c) England. [160952]
Anna Soubry: The information is shown in the following tables.
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| Table 1: Number of people on the transplant waiting list in Ashfield constituency as at 18 June 2013 | |||
| Organ | Active | Suspended | Total |
| Table 2: Number of people on the transplant waiting list in Nottinghamshire as at 18 June 2013 | |||
| Organ | Active | Suspended | Total |
| Source: NHS Blood and Transplant. | |||
Vending Machines
Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vending machines in his Department's premises contain snack foods that are high in calories and low in nutritional value. [160846]
Dr Poulter: There are a total of seven vending machines in the Department’s buildings.
The vending machines offer a range and variety of snacks and cold drinks that include healthier options such as wholegrain crispy snacks, raw fruit snack bars, water etc. Calorific information (GDA) is displayed on the packaging of each item.
Culture, Media and Sport
Ashfield
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what amount has been spent and in what categories of expenditure by her Department in Ashfield constituency in each year since 2007. [160954]
Hugh Robertson: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not keep records of expenditure by individual constituency and would not be able to isolate these data, without incurring disproportionate costs.
Broadband
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department issues to providers of fibre optic infrastructure to ensure that adequate internet speeds are available in all parts of the UK. [161213]
Mr Vaizey:
The Department has made available funding to support broadband delivery which, together with local match funding, will enable every premises across
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the country to have access to broadband with speeds of at least 2 Mbps, as well as 90% availability of superfast broadband.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's definition is of the term economically unviable when applied to cabinets that enable fibre optic broadband. [161214]
Mr Vaizey: Cabinets which are not economically viable are those which are not expected to provide a commercial return, taking account of capital and operating costs and targeted revenues. The Government's rural broadband programme is based on providing sufficient subsidy to make investments viable which would not otherwise offer a commercial return.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with providers of fibre optic broadband infrastructure on publishing information on economically unviable cabinets. [161215]
Mr Vaizey: Before broadband projects can gain approval under the terms of the Department's umbrella broadband state aid scheme, which was approved by the European Commission in November 2012, the project teams need to demonstrate that they have undertaken a public market consultation which should inform providers of broadband infrastructure where public subsidy is intended to be used to provide broadband coverage, so that subsidy is only applied in areas that are otherwise not scheduled to gain coverage from commercial deployments within the next three years.
Broadband: Ashfield
Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in Ashfield constituency are unable to receive a broadband internet connection. [160955]
Mr Vaizey: Ofcom reported in their Infrastructure report-2012 update that current generation broadband is available in close to 100% of premises in the UK. The Government, local authorities and the devolved Administrations are providing approximately £1.2 billion of public funding to deliver 90% availability of superfast broadband and universal standard broadband of at least 2Mbps.
Nottinghamshire county council is currently undertaking a procurement for a project to improve broadband coverage in Nottinghamshire, with funding from the Government, local authorities and the European Regional Development Fund.
Broadband: Northamptonshire
Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent assessment she has made of progress on the rollout of high-speed broadband in Corby and East Northamptonshire. [161202]
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Mr Vaizey: Northamptonshire county council entered into a contract in March 2013 for a £16 million public and private project covering over 87,000 premises in total. The project team and supplier are currently organising resources and planning for the physical implementation of the project which will commence later in 2013.
Coastal Areas: Regeneration
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2013, Official Report, columns 51-2W, on coastal areas: regeneration, when the Sea Change programme ended; and what the name was of its successor. [161542]
Mr Vaizey: The Sea Change programme ended on 31 March 2011 although two final grant instalments were paid in 2011-12. There was no direct DCMS successor programme to Sea Change.
Commonwealth Games 2014
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with her counterpart in the Scottish Government regarding the 2014 Commonwealth Games. [160671]
Hugh Robertson: I regularly see the Scottish Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport to discuss a range of matters.
Conditions of Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2013, Official Report, column 722W, on conditions of employment, if she will require her executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to confirm whether any staff were retained on zero-hour contracts. [161479]
Hugh Robertson: The Department does not collate information about staffing contracts within our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Accordingly, I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Gentleman. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Culture: Rural Areas
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if her Department will sign up to the proposals for a Cultural Strategy for Rural England by the Littoral Arts Trust. [160460]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 18 June 2013]: DCMS’s Taking Part Survey found that, in 2011-12, people in rural areas, as opposed to urban areas, were more likely to have engaged in the arts once or more—80.9% in rural areas versus 77.5% in urban areas.
Arts Council England has a particular goal to reach more audiences in more places. Its £45 million strategic touring programme encourages collaboration between organisations so that more people across England experience the arts, particularly in places which rely on touring. The £37 million Creative People and Places fund invests in parts of the country where involvement in the arts is significantly below the national average—this includes
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a number of rural areas. The Arts Council is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that its approach to rural communities remains in line with good practice.
In this context, I am happy to support the work of the Littoral Arts Trust in maximising the benefits of culture to rural communities and their economies.
Football: Qatar
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will urge FIFA to have discussions with the Qatari Government on increasing labour rights and standards for migrant workers in Qatar following its decision to host the 2022 FIFA world cup in that country. [158022]
Hugh Robertson: The UK Government support FIFA’s decision to award the 2022 world cup to Qatar. The Government have regular discussions with the Qatari authorities, on a wide range of issues, including human rights. We expect Qatar to ensure that the rights of all labourers are upheld and expect FIFA will be doing the same in discussions regarding the 2022 world cup. The Qatari authorities are committed to further action to improve such standards and rights, and their implementation, for example, through initiatives led by the Qatar Foundation and the 2022 World Cup Committee, and interaction with international human rights NGOs. We welcome such initiatives and will continue to engage regularly with the Qatari authorities and other interested parties, to encourage further progress in these areas.
Gambling
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will undertake an investigation into the potential link between gambling and use of payday loans. [161109]
Hugh Robertson: The Responsible Gambling Strategy Board advises on research, education and treatment programmes, to support a national responsible gambling strategy, and works with a range of organisations, including debt advice agencies in identifying priorities for that strategy.
Gaming Machines
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what her policy towards fixed-odds betting terminals is; [161106]
(2) what recent assessment she has made of the link between fixed-odds betting terminals and gambling addiction. [161107]
Hugh Robertson: Licensed gaming machine provision is subject to strict controls under the Gambling Act 2005, including restrictions on stake, prize, number and location of machines. The Government are in the process of reviewing gaming machine stake and prize limits and have called for any evidence linking certain types of gaming machine with an elevated risk of gambling related harm. The Government have recently received formal advice on this review from the Gambling Commission based on work undertaken by the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board.
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Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission on whether fixed-odds betting terminals are in breach of their betting licences. [161108]
Hugh Robertson: The law permits up to four B2 gaming machines, otherwise known as fixed-odds betting terminals, to be sited at licensed betting premises. It is a condition of all betting operating licences that such machines may only be made available at licensed betting premises at times when sufficient facilities for betting are available. I and my officials discuss a range of matters with the Gambling Commission on a regular basis.
Public Expenditure
Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the percentage change has been in her Department’s funding for each of its sponsored organisations since May 2010. [154783]
Hugh Robertson: DCMS funding, for each of its sponsored organisations, is set out each year, in the DCMS annual report. The annual report and accounts were published on 25 February 2013. The report for 2011-12 can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-annual-report-and-accounts-2011-12
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-annual-report-and-accounts-2010-11
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1011/hc02/0222/0222.pdf
Copies were made available to the House via the Library, HC number 859.
Sports: Young People
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to encourage youth sport participation. [160299]
Hugh Robertson: Sport England is investing £1 billion through the Youth and Community Sport Strategy 2013-17, available at:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/78318/creating_a_sporting_habit_for_life.pdf
Mr Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how much in capital investment in youth sport her Department has spent in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years; [160300]
(2) how much funding her Department provided to amateur sports clubs in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years. [160301]
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Hugh Robertson: Sport England investment from 2008 to March 2013, for the Jarrow constituency, was £119,011. The total funding for the South Tyneside local authority, over the same period, was £559,943. This is for both lottery and Exchequer funding. We cannot break down our funding in terms of amateur sports clubs or in terms of capital investment in youth sport. We do not have accurate total figures for the north-east and the UK.
Transport
Airports
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to improve surface connections to major airports. [161310]
Mr Simon Burns: In March this year the Department published the Aviation Policy Framework which set out the Department's approach towards surface access at airports across the UK.
A number of major improvements to airport surface access are currently under way including Crossrail services to Heathrow airport and improved rail services to Manchester airport as a result of the Northern Hub programme.
The Department will continue to work closely with airport operators, transport operators, local authorities, local enterprise partnerships and other stakeholders to indentify further potential improvements to airport surface access.
The Government have also asked the Airports Commission to recommend measures to improve the United Kingdom's existing airport infrastructure in its interim report. Surface access is within the scope of this work and the interim report will be published by the end of this year.
Apprentices
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many apprentices are currently employed by his Department; and how many such apprentices are aged (a) under 19, (b) 19 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 to 59 and (e) more than 60. [161308]
Norman Baker: There are currently fewer than five members of staff who were recruited into the organisation as apprentices in the Department for Transport and its six Executive Agencies. The age range is between 19 and 30 years.
The Department has recently developed a single approach to apprenticeships across the whole Department (including Executive Agencies) as part of our employment offer to new recruits for 2013-14. We plan to recruit apprentices in technical and generalist areas, in intermediate, higher and advanced level apprenticeships.
Billing
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the savings it could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates. [161011]
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Norman Baker: The Department for Transport (DfT) has not undertaken a specific assessment of the availability of individual transaction rebates. DfT seeks to pay all suppliers promptly, in accordance with the performance targets for Government Departments.
DfT has formal contractual relationships with a significant proportion of its suppliers. The requirement to pay supplier invoices promptly is one of the factors taken into account when conducting the procurement process.
Rebates for early payment is a feature of certain sectors of the economy. Most purchases by the Department for Transport are for services, where transaction rebates are rarely offered.
BRB (Residuary) Ltd
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to investigate whether BRB (Residuary) Ltd land can be used for cycling routes. [161432]
Norman Baker: Subject to parliamentary approval BRB (Residuary) Ltd is due to be abolished at the end of September this year. BRBR continues to work closely with Railway Paths Ltd, who own a substantial amount of former track beds used as part of the National Cycle Network. DfT continues to work with Sustrans to support new cycle routes.
Bus Services
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to promote easier and cheaper (a) bus use and (b) interchange between bus, metro and train. [161309]
Norman Baker: The Government set out its vision for buses in its policy paper ‘Green Light for Better Buses’. Measures include incentivising partnership working between local authorities and bus operators and helping them to develop multi-operator ticketing schemes, improving competition in the local bus market, reforming the way Bus Service Operators Grant is paid, and supporting local authorities in their ability to procure non-commercial services.
I have also encouraged initiatives to improve access to bus services for young people and job seekers, such as the new industry led web portal ‘BusforUs’ which aims to improve access to bus information for young people and Stagecoach's discounted bus travel scheme for job seekers. Older and disabled people remain entitled to free travel.
The Department published a Door to Door Strategy in March 2013 which sets out our vision for improved integration across sustainable transport modes. This includes how we will work towards more affordable, smart and integrated ticketing and improve connections between public transport modes. An Action Plan setting out progress against our commitments will be published on the DFT website in November 2013.
Bus Services: Barnsley
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of people who (a) qualify for and (b) have claimed a disabled person’s bus pass in Barnsley East constituency. [160925]
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Norman Baker: We estimate that in 2011-12, the latest year for which data is available, there were 748,000 disabled bus passes in circulation in England, of which, 33,000 were issued by South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive—we do not have a specific estimate for Barnsley East.
The relevant published tables are BUS0820 and BUS0890 which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus08-concessionary-travel
In some travel concession authorities (TCAs) a number of eligible older disabled people will hold an older person’s bus pass rather than a disabled person’s bus pass—in particular, if no discretionary concessions are available in a TCA or if they offer the same to both older and disabled people. For example, if pre-9.30 am travel is offered to both older and disabled people then an older disabled person may choose to apply for an older person’s pass as eligibility is easier to prove—and will therefore not be included in the figures quoted for disabled passes.
We do not know the number of people who qualify for a disabled bus pass but do not apply for one.
Driving: Licensing
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of illegal immigrants who currently hold a UK driving licence. [161037]
Stephen Hammond: No estimate has been made of the number of illegal immigrants who currently hold a GB driving licence.
Heathrow Airport
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of landing slots at Heathrow airport for use by flights to the UK’s regional airports. [161346]
Mr Simon Burns: EU regulations govern the allocation, transfer and exchange of slots at Heathrow and other slot-co-ordinated airports in the UK. The purpose of the EU slot regulations is to support the operation of a single market for aviation by seeking to ensure airlines have fair and equal access to airports across the EU through the application of independent, non-discriminatory and transparent slot-allocation procedures. The regulations stipulate that the actual process of slot allocation is undertaken entirely independently of the Government, the UK Civil Aviation Authority or other parties.
In circumstances where vital connectivity would be lost, EU law does provide some scope to protect regional air services, by allowing member states to impose public service obligations (PSOs) to protect air services to airports serving a peripheral or development region, or on thin routes considered vital for a region’s economic and social development. Where a PSO has been approved, this would permit slots to be ring-fenced at a London airport. There is no other mechanism for the Government to intervene in the allocation of slots at London airports.
The Government recognise the importance of regional air connectivity to London airports and the Aviation Policy Framework (APF) confirms that the Government
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would be inclined to support proposals by devolved and regional bodies to establish PSOs that comply with the specific conditions within EU law, where necessary to protect services between other UK airports and London.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional compensation schemes for people whose homes are affected by High Speed 2 would be funded under clause 4(c) of the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill. [160668]
Mr Simon Burns: The 1932 PAC concordat(1) specifies that where spending carried out under common law powers is significant or likely to persist, parliamentary authority should be sought. Any non-statutory property compensation payments for HS2, beyond the phase one Exceptional Hardship Scheme, appears to meet both these criteria. The High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill will, therefore, ensure that authority is granted for such compensation to be made following the planned consultation that will be held later this year.
The PAC Concordat is not believed to apply to the phase one Exceptional Hardship Scheme, as this scheme was only ever considered as an interim measure and as such the spending is not likely to persist.
(1) See Annex 2.1 of HM Treasury Managing Public Money:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/179695/mpm_whole.pdf.pdf
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requests for discussions he has received from his counterpart in the Scottish Government on their potential involvement in the planned high-speed rail networks. [161342]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), is in regular contact with the Scottish Government but has not had any meetings to discuss high-speed rail. The Department is undertaking a study in collaboration with the Scottish Government on how to boost capacity and cut journey times so that Scotland can enjoy the benefits of a High Speed Britain.
Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at:
http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ministerial-transparency/#meetings
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of High Speed 2 on UK air travel. [161471]
Mr Simon Burns: The Economic Case for HS2 incorporates estimates of mode shift from air to rail as a result of the introduction of HS2. The current HS2 Economic Case forecast from HS2 Ltd is that in 2037 the completed Y network will carry 5.4 million passengers who might otherwise have travelled by air.
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Members: Correspondence
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South (Bridget Phillipson) of 11 December 2012. [161101][Official Report, 1 July 2013, Vol. 565, c. 8MC.]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport does not have a record of receiving a letter from the hon. Member dated 11 December 2012, but we will be pleased to respond speedily if she could provide a copy.
Motor Vehicles: Insurance
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of telematics in helping to prevent accidents among new drivers. [160142]
Stephen Hammond: There are several studies that show that in-vehicle monitoring can help towards reducing risky behaviours, especially among the most risk-prone young drivers. However, published literature does not yet quantify the prevention of accidents among young drivers.
The Department is publishing a Green Paper later this year, which will look at a range of options for ensuring young drivers have the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe on the roads. Vehicle technology and how it can help improve young driver behaviour will be considered within the wider context of the Green Paper.
Motor Vehicles: Registration
Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to public funds is of the replacement on security grounds of current vehicle registration certificates by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; whether this change was necessitated by a theft of V5C forms; and what steps have been taken to recover these costs. [161296]
Stephen Hammond: The additional cost of issuing new vehicle registration certificates to all vehicle keepers has been £6.3 million. The new style vehicle registration certificate was introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in August 2010 to help protect motorists from vehicle crime following the theft of a quantity of blank certificates from a commercial premises in 2006. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has started legal action to attempt to recover these costs.
Public Transport: Tickets
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost was of issuing English National Concessionary Scheme cards through the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation. [160943]
Norman Baker: The responsibility for issuing English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) passes lies with local transport authorities. In 2007/08, the Department for Transport provided £31 million of grant funding to local authorities in England for the cost of producing and issuing the new England-wide ENCTS bus passes.
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However a significant proportion of these costs were not linked to the requirement for passes to be ITSO smartcards. Costs such as entitlement checking, photo collection and postage costs would have been incurred even if passes were issued in a non-smart format.
Between 2007 and 2012, the Department provided a further £3.6m in contract payments to ITSO Services Ltd for the provision of back office functions to support the smart element of ENCTS for some local authorities. With additional costs of £1.9m, the total cost of issuing ENCTS cards was £36.5m.
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what value of (a) direct grants and (b) loans were made for the purposes of Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation implementation and renewal between April 2006 and March 2013. [160944]
Norman Baker: Between April 2000 and March 2013, the Department provided £7.5m in direct grant to ITSO Ltd. In 2009, a loan of £3.6m was made by the Department to ITSO Ltd, on which interest and capital are repayable over the period 2010/11-2021/22. It is not possible to separate the payments made between 2000 and 2010 without incurring disproportionate costs.
For ease of reference, the payments are detailed below.
| Year | £ million | |
| (1) Interest and capital repayable over the period 2010-11 to 2021-22. | ||
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on consultants contracted to the development and implementation of the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation project, by date of allocation. [160945]
Norman Baker: With regard to the Integrated Transport Smartcard Organisation, now renamed ITSO Ltd, the Department for Transport has not contracted or paid directly for any consultants to work on the establishment and functioning of the organisation in this Parliament.
The Department took ownership of the ITSO specification in 2006 and capitalised its value at £4,136,375. It is reasonable to assess that the majority of the costs incurred in drafting the ITSO specification were made up of input from consultants with the appropriate expertise.
Railways
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the benefit-cost ratio was in his Department's final business case for the Northern Hub project. [161618]
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Mr Simon Burns: Business cases were undertaken for each major scheme contained within the Northern Hub programme. Before funding was agreed, the benefit:cost ratios were in the range of 2.1 to 4.2. These will be subject to change as each scheme reaches a further level of development.
Railways: Cycling
Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with Network Rail about (a) the closure to cyclists of the crossing of the Clacton branch railway line which gives access to the grounds of the University of Essex from the Wivenhoe Trail and (b) similar closures by Network Rail in other parts of the country. [161562]
Mr Simon Burns: The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with Network Rail either over the closure to cyclists of the level crossing of the Clacton branch railway line, which gives access to the grounds of the University of Essex from the Wivenhoe Trail, or similar closures in other parts of the country.
The decision to close the level crossing of the Clacton branch railway line to cyclists was taken by Network Rail in its role as safety duty holder, following a risk assessment.
Railways: Debts
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what degree the Government are liable for National Rail's debt. [161094]
Mr Simon Burns: Network Rail is responsible for any debt which it incurs. Under the Financial Indemnity Mechanism (FIM) provided by the Government to Network Rail, the Government provide a guarantee for all of Network Rail's net debt after taking into account any cash assets. In the event that Network Rail is unable to meet its debt and this guarantee is called, the Government will be responsible for the level of debt that Network Rail is unable to satisfy at the time that the guarantee is called.
Railways: Finance
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total amount of private sector investment in the UK's railway network has been since 1996. [161159]
Mr Simon Burns: The Department for Transport does not hold data relating to private investment in the rail industry. The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) website provides data for 2006-07 and 2012-13, and this can be found at:
http://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/browsereports/1
Railways: Franchises
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the criteria are for determing whether a train operating company (a) pays a premium and (b) receives subsidy for running services on the rail network. [161303]
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Mr Simon Burns: Franchise payments are offered by bidders as part of the competition for each franchise. Whether a franchise is premium or subsidy-paying depends on the underlying costs and revenue basis of the franchise and the commercial and risk appetites of the bidders.
Railways: Industrial Disputes
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what agreements his Department has with train operating companies to cover financial losses caused by industrial action. [161095]
Norman Baker: The Secretary of State has discretion, under the terms of Franchise Agreements with franchised train operators, to reimburse or ameliorate net losses of a franchised operator arising from industrial action, where he or she is satisfied that the franchisee has taken all reasonable steps to mitigate its effects.
Roads
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount his Department spent on (a) road building and (b) road maintenance in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [161168]
Stephen Hammond: The Department has spent the following on major road schemes in each of the last five years:
| (a) Major road improvement schemes | |
| Financial year | £ million |
These include schemes on the national strategic road network and the local road network. The figures include some "package" schemes which are predominantly roads- based but which also include an element of public transport infrastructure. It would not be possible to separate these out from local roads spend without disproportionate cost.
In addition the Department has spent the following on road maintenance in each of the last five years:
| (b) Road maintenance | |
| Financial Year | £million |
| (1) Includes additional funding agreed. Figures are total maintenance £ million. | |
Please note that local authorities are also able to use revenue funding, allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government through the revenue support grant for maintaining their local highways. Neither revenue nor capital highways maintenance block funding is ring-fenced and it is for local highway authorities to decide upon their spending priorities across the whole range of services that they provide.
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The Department is also funding highways maintenance projects in Portsmouth, Birmingham, Sheffield, Isle of Wight and the London borough of Hounslow through the private finance initiative.
The funding for road repairs in London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are matters for the respective Administrations.
South West Trains
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the franchising arrangements for South West Trains will be formally reviewed. [161217]
Mr Simon Burns: The. South West franchise is under constant review as part of the standard franchise management process. The Government have stated their intention to negotiate a Direct Award contract with the incumbent operator for the period following the end of the current franchise in 2017 to 31 March 2019. This will be subject to affordability and value for money.
The next South West franchise is due to start in April 2019. Specifications for the new franchise will be formally defined over the two years leading up to April 2019.
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the future franchising arrangements for South West Trains will be subject to open consultation. [161302]
Mr Simon Burns: For previous full franchise competitions we have carried out formal consultations and we expect to follow similar processes in future. The detailed franchise arrangements specific to South West are not yet finalised and decisions about potential consultation opportunities are yet to be reached.
Transport: Finance
Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of local government spending on transport is funded from (a) local funding sources and (b) central Government allocations and grants. [160576]
Norman Baker: It is not possible to say what the proportions of local government spending on transport funded come from (a) local and (b) central government sources.
In 2011-12 local authorities received £2.2bn from the Department for Transport. Formula Grant, administered by the Department for Communities and Local Government, was £29.4bn.This included elements for some transport services. However authorities are able to allocate it according to their own priorities. In 2011-12 local government spent £7.9bn on transport.
West Coast Railway Line
Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 531W, on West Coast Railway Line, what assessment he has made of the effect on the (a) UK and (b) Scottish economies of the deterioration of the public performance measure. [161370]
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Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not made any such assessment in relation to the UK economy. It would be a matter for the Scottish Government to consider whether it wished to make an assessment specifically in relation to the Scottish economy.
As indicated in the previous answer referred to by the hon. Member, the Department is monitoring closely performance issues on the West Coast route, and the Office of Rail Regulation has indicated that it intends to take enforcement action against Network Rail for poor performance on the West Coast and other long distance routes if the company fails to achieve its performance targets for 2013-14.
Education
School Examination Reform
18. Sir Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy objectives are in reforming the school examination system. [160867]
Elizabeth Truss: We need an examination system that competes with the best in the world. Students will gain a deep understanding and fluency in core subjects so that they can progress to higher education and employment. That is why we are moving away from ‘learn and forget' modules and ‘predictable questions' to a deeper, linear assessment.
Academies (Surplus Places)
19. John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on surplus places in academies; and if he will make a statement. [160869]
Mr Laws: Many academies, being good schools, are oversubscribed. For example, ARK and Harris academies receive, on average, four applications for each place available.
We are clear, however, that money should be spent on pupils who are actually in schools and not spent on funding empty places. That is why we fund the vast majority of academies on the basis of the annual school census.
Free Schools
20. Paul Uppal: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many additional school places will be provided by free schools by 2015. [160871]
Elizabeth Truss: All open and currently approved free schools will deliver 130,000 new school places when full. We also hope to approve more new schools for opening in 2015 or before.
Academies
21. Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the academies programme. [160872]
Michael Gove:
This month we published the 2011-12 Academies Annual Report which provides an analysis of the academies programme's performance. There are
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now 2,976 open academies and 1,079 in the pipeline. Last year GCSE results increased faster in sponsored academies than in comparable LA-run schools, while the number of disadvantaged children at converter academies who achieved five or more good GCSEs was higher than the number of children who achieved similar results in maintained schools.
Anti-Slavery Day
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have to mark Anti-Slavery Day; and if he will take steps to ensure that officials in his Department are offered an opportunity to be involved in various events organised by (i) his Department, (ii) local authorities and (iii) NGOs. [161110]
Elizabeth Truss: The Government are committed to combating human trafficking by tackling organised crime groups and protecting the victims of modern-day slavery.
The Department recognises the importance of Anti-Slavery Day as an opportunity to improve understanding of historical and modern-day slavery, but does not have any specific plans to mark the day.
Apprentices
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many apprentices are currently employed by his Department; and how many are aged (a) under 19, (b) 19 to 25, (c) 26 to 30, (d) 31 to 59 and (e) 60 and over. [161046]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education currently employs 33 apprentices. Their age breakdown is provided in the following table:
| Age | Number |
By comparison, the Department employed 18 apprentices in May 2010. Their age breakdown is provided in the following table:
| Age | Number |
Children in Care: Missing Persons
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children went missing from the care of each local authority in each of the last three years. [161038]
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Mr Timpson: The Department currently collects information on children looked after by local authorities in England who went missing from their agreed placement for a period of 24 hours or more.
A table showing the number of children who went missing from their agreed placement, in each local authority, during the years ending 31 March 2010 to 2012, has been placed in the Library. Children who went missing on more than one occasion during the year have been recorded only once for that year.
It is known that there is some under-reporting of children missing from their agreed placement by local authorities and therefore in the statistics we publish. Comparisons with other data sources on missing children indicate that the figures presented are an undercount of the true figure, in part due to definitional issues (e.g. the Department only collects information on children missing for more than 24 hours).
Work was undertaken in 2012 to improve the quality of the data returned by local authorities and this is likely to have contributed to the significant rise in the numbers of missing children reported. This quality improvement work is ongoing this year and will continue in future years.
Children: Protection
Mrs Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent steps his Department has taken to protect children from sexual abuse. [160870]
Mr Timpson: This Government believe that protection from abuse is a fundamental right for all children. We are reforming the child protection system so that professionals can provide the best support for all vulnerable children and their families. We are also continuing to work with other Government Departments to respond to specific forms of abuse, such as child sexual exploitation and grooming, and areas where children may come to harm—for example, through accessing inappropriate material online.
Children's Centres
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) Sure Start centres and (b) children's centres are operating. [160737]
Elizabeth Truss: Sure Start centres and Sure Start children's centres are the same thing: that is, institutions that meet the statutory definition of a children's centre in section 5 of the Childcare Act 2006.
Information supplied by local authorities showed that, as of 31 May 2013, there were 3,103 Sure Start children's centres in England.
Education
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has identified a shortfall in available (a) education and training places and (b) education places in (i) Yorkshire and (ii) England. [160672]
Mr Laws: Local authorities in England have statutory responsibility under the Education Act 1996 to secure suitable education and training places to meet the needs of 16 to 19-year-olds.
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The Education Funding Agency (EFA) supports local authorities to discharge their duty by supplying local- level student data and giving them the opportunity to present their case for any identified shortfall in education and training places for students aged 16-19. In cases where gaps are identified, the EFA will either fill those places through negotiation with providers or it will run a competitive tender.
In 2011/12 no bids were received for an identified shortfall in places from local authorities in Yorkshire. Bids for approximately 5,000 places were received from 50 local authorities from other areas of England.
In 2012/13 one bid was received from the East Riding of Yorkshire for a shortfall of 235 places. Bids for 1,459 places were received from 15 other local authorities from other areas of England.
Education: Assessments
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he plans to take to ensure that reformed GCSEs and A-levels match the quality of exams in the world's top-performing states. [160873]
Elizabeth Truss: The best-performing jurisdictions deliberately set out to benchmark themselves against others. Our reforms to GCSEs and A-levels are informed by the expectations set in those jurisdictions that perform best in international tests. The new GCSEs and A-levels will be demanding and fulfilling qualifications that match those expectations.
Ofqual will also expect exam boards to draw on international evidence as they develop their new qualifications.
National Curriculum Tests
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what key stage 1 results were achieved by children (a) eligible and (b) not eligible for free school meals in each Government Office region in each of the last 10 years. [160738]
Mr Laws: The Department published data for the last three years on the achievements at key stage 1 of pupils eligible for free school meals and all other pupils in the ‘Phonics screening check and national curriculum assessments at Key Stage 1 in England: 2012’ Statistical First Release (SFR). This document can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phonics-screening-check-and-national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-1-in-england-2012
The relevant data are within table 22, which can be found in the ‘KS1—local authority and pupil residency-based tables: SFR21/2012’ link. The data for 2010 or 2011 can be displayed by using the drop-down menus on the top right of the table.
The Department published data for 2008 and 2009 on achievements at key stage 1 by pupils eligible for free school meals and pupils not eligible for free school meals in the ‘National curriculum assessments at Key Stage 1 in England: 2011’ SFR, which can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-assessments-at-key-stage-1-in-england-2011
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The relevant data are within table 14, which can be found in the ‘Local authority tables by pupil characteristics and pupil residency tables: SFR22/2011’ link. The data for 2008 or 2009 can be displayed by using the drop down menus on the top right of the table.
The figures for 2006 and 2007 can be found in the table which has been placed in the House Libraries.
Figures for the years 2003 to 2005 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what criteria the pupil premium will be set under universal credit. [161483]
Mr Laws: Under universal credit, pupil premium eligibility will continue to be based on the current criteria. Pupil premium grant for each school is based on the number of its pupils recorded either as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years (known as Ever 6 FSM) or as pupils in care who have been continuously looked after for more than six months by a local authority. The grant is paid at a rate of £900 per pupil for 2013-14. The total pupil premium will amount to £2.5 billion in 2014-15.
Special Educational Needs
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to make local services more inclusive and accessible for disabled children and their families. [160596]
Mr Timpson: Decisions about the development of local services are for local authorities to make, taking into account their statutory responsibilities.
Part 3 of the Children and Families Bill includes provision for local authorities to publish a local offer setting out the support they expect to be available to children and young people with special educational needs, many of whom will be disabled.
The Bill provides for the involvement of local parents, children and young people in developing and reviewing the local offer. Indicative draft regulations make clear that local authorities will be required to seek and publish comments on the content of the local offer, including the quality of the provision available and any provision that is not available; the accessibility of the local offer; and how the local offer has been developed or reviewed, including how children, young people and parents have been involved in those processes.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support he plans to make available to children with less complex special educational needs once the School Action and School Action Plus programmes have ended. [160597]
Mr Timpson: As part of a new special education needs (SEN) code of practice, the Department will publish details of a new approach for children with SEN.
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The changes will not affect the overall availability of support for children with SEN; the aim is to help improve teaching and support for pupils with SEN and promote better identification of need and associated provision.
An indicative SEN code of practice which includes the draft SEN support was published during the Committee stages of the Children and Families Bill. The Department is engaging with a range of interested parties before producing a full draft for public consultation in autumn 2013.
Subject to the passage of the Children and Families Bill, the resulting code will be laid before Parliament in early 2014 with the aim of it being approved by spring 2014 in time for it to come into force alongside the other reforms.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the evaluation of the SEND pathfinder programme process and implementation research report published on 13 June 2013. [160599]
Mr Timpson: The process and implementation research report provides an important ‘stocktake' of the effectiveness of the systems and processes which pathfinders have been developing, and indicates where further refinement and support are necessary.
Overall, the report shows that good progress is being made. Levels of engagement with the pathfinder programme are generally high, especially with parents. Key working approaches have been well-received by families, who report experiencing an increase in choice and control. Pathfinders are picking up the pace in developing their local offers and we are seeing the beginnings of a culture shift in assessment and planning, with a growing emphasis on personalisation and multi-agency approaches.
The report identifies a number of significant challenges, most notably for pathfinders to scale-up new approaches to whole areas without losing the benefits to families. Our pathfinder support team, Mott MacDonald, is using the evaluation findings to shape forthcoming learning events with pathfinders.
Findings from this and previous independent evaluation reports continue to inform scrutiny of the special educational needs (SEN) provisions in the Children and Families Bill and the development of regulations and the new SEN code of practice.
Pathfinder champions are operating in every region and supporting non-pathfinder areas to prepare for implementation of the reforms. The champions are using the findings of the evaluation to shape the information and advice they offer. In addition, emerging findings from the report are being incorporated into a suite of tools for non-pathfinder areas, including a series of information packs demonstrating pathfinder learning.
Our SEN Strategic Reform Partner, the Council for Disabled Children, is drawing on the findings of the evaluation as it shares key messages with local areas to help them prepare for implementation of the reforms.
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Third Sector
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether each contract awarded under the Department's voluntary, community and social enterprise sector Prospectus Grants Programme 2013-15 was publicly advertised. [161031]
Mr Timpson: The VCSE National Prospectus Grants Programme 2013-15 was launched in October 2012. Full details were made publicly available on the DFE website, including the Prospectus and a series of frequently asked questions. A list of organisations which were successful is also on the website.
Annex A of the Prospectus included details of a number of contracted services that were likely to be procured in due course through separate formal tender processes. We used the Prospectus document to alert the VCSE sector to these potential contracts. When it was decided to proceed with the contracts, these were advertised on the Contracts Finder website and awarded following standard Department procedures.
Young People: Unemployment
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps local authorities will be expected to take in respect of any young people aged between 16 and 18 years not in full-time education, employment and training from September 2015. [160724]
Mr Laws: Local authorities will have statutory duties to promote the effective participation of 16 and 17-year-olds in education or training and to identify those who are not participating. These complement their existing duties to secure sufficient education and training provision for 16 to 18-year-olds and to enable, encourage or assist them to participate. Local authorities will be responsible for establishing the most effective steps to deliver these duties in their area.
The Department published statutory guidance in March 2013 setting out the key expectations on local authorities.(1) These include: working with schools to identify those who are in need of targeted support or who are at risk of not participating post-16; adhering to the September Guarantee process; and providing strategic leadership in their area, working with and influencing partners to support participation. The guidance makes it clear that local authorities are expected to pay particular attention to young people who are not in any form of education, employment or training.
(1)http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/youngpeople/participation/rpa/g00222993/sta-guide-young-people-edu-employ-train
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the proportion of young people aged between 16 and 18 years who are expected to not be in education in September 2015. [160725]
Mr Laws:
From 2015, young people will be under a duty to participate in education or training, until their 18th birthday. We recognise that there will always be a
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small number of young people who require a temporary break in education or training (such as new mothers or the very ill).
Young people will be able to choose how they meet this duty. While many will continue in state-funded education, others may undertake full-time employment with employer-funded training or enrol in independent schools. The number of places we will provide for state-funded education and training for the 2015/16 academic year will largely be determined by recruitment in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic years and will be considered as part of the deliberations on the current spending round, which are not yet complete.
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what analysis his Department has undertaken of the number of places for post-16 education, employment or training which will be available from September 2015. [160726]
Mr Laws: The number of places we will provide for state-funded education and training for the 2015/16 academic year is part of the deliberations on the current spending round, which are not yet complete. The Department for Education funds each year predominantly on the basis of student recruitment in the previous year. The number of state-funded places made available in the 2015/16 academic year will therefore be determined by recruitment in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic years. The Department for Education does not forecast numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds in employment.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the role of EUFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [161000]
Mr Lidington: This Government are a committed supporter of EUFOR Operation Althea. It plays a critical role in helping to deter political and ethnic tensions, which might threaten the country's stability. The renewal of EUFOR's executive mandate later this year is vital to ensure this safeguard continues.
This year the UK is contributing a company of Irish Guards to the EUFOR regional reserve, as a demonstration of our commitment to the EUFOR mission. The Irish Guards trained alongside Bosnian and Herzegovinian forces in country in April in an effort to help improve the latter's capabilities and change perceptions toward NATO.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister will represent the Government at the 11 July Commemoration of the Srebrenica massacre. [161001]
Mr Lidington:
The Government are usually represented at the memorial event held in Srebrenica by our ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Senior Minister of State, my right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Warsi, also attended in 2010 and 2011. This year the Secretary
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of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), Baroness Warsi and the Attorney-General will represent the Government at the ‘Remembering Srebrenica' commemoration event on 11 July at Lancaster House.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to support Bosnia's Euro-Atlantic Agreement aspirations since 2012; and if he will make a statement. [161002]
Mr Lidington: The UK Government strongly support Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU and NATO membership ambitions. We continue to deliver clear and consistent messages to the country's political leaders on the importance of a committed effort to meet the conditions required for progress along the EU and NATO accession paths. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), stressed this most recently when he met Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister in London in April.
The UK is supporting this process and the work of the EU through a number of programmes designed to help Bosnia and Herzegovina make the reforms necessary for accession. These include work to help improve the judicial and security sectors, and ensuring that the rule of law is enshrined, thus strengthening internal stability.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the continuation of the role of the Office of the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina. [161003]
Mr Lidington: This Government support the continued role of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) for Bosnia and Herzegovina in ensuring implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton Peace Agreement. We maintain that the OHR should remain until the five objectives and two conditions (known as the ‘5 + 2’) for its closure are met. There has been no progress on the ‘5 + 2’ this year.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina with his German counterpart; and what the outcome was of that discussion. [161004]
Mr Lidington: Both the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I frequently meet our counterparts, His Excellency Guido Westerwelle and Mr Michael Link and discuss current challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in the Western Balkans. Our senior officials also have frequent contact with their German counterparts, most recently discussing the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the meeting of the Peace Implementation Council in Sarajevo in May.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his Bosnian counterpart; and what the outcome was of that meeting. [161005]
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Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), last met the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, His Excellency Zlatko Lagumdzija on 17 April in London. He expressed his deep disappointment that Bosnia and Herzegovina's political leaders had failed to reach agreement on bringing the Constitution into line with the 2009 European Court of Human Rights ruling on Sejdic Finci, so that all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina might stand for election to the presidency and the House of Peoples irrespective of their ethnic background. The Secretary of State stressed UK commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's ambition for EU and NATO membership, but made clear that the onus was on the country's leaders to make the reforms necessary to move their country forward in the interests of its citizens.
Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implementation of the Dayton Agreement in Bosnia- Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [161006]
Mr Lidington: In recent months in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have seen actions challenging the authority of state-level institutions and laws and the authority of decisions made by the High Representative, as well as inflammatory nationalistic rhetoric. In Republika Srpksa, President Dodik continues to challenge the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, thus undermining the Dayton Peace Agreement. In Mostar, the failure of local institutions to implement the Constitutional Court's decision on Mostar's electoral system violates the peace agreement and prevents the population from participating in a vote on their local political representatives. I am concerned also at the continuing disregard for the rule of law throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As a member of the Peace Implementation Council Steering Board, the UK works closely with the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The UK Government fully support the continuing role of the High Representative as the final authority in theatre on the implementation of the civilian elements of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The UK is also a strong supporter of the EU-led peacekeeping mission, EUFOR Althea, whose executive mandate remains an important safeguard of stability. We remain resolutely committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign and stable country on the path to the EU and NATO.
British Overseas Territories
Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to implement their commitment in the June 2012 White Paper on the Overseas Territories (OTs) to (a) help the populated OTs to extend UN human rights conventions and to implement fully those that have already been extended to them and (b) further safeguard children from abuse. [161015]
Mark Simmonds:
Most of the main UN human rights conventions have already been extended to the majority of the populated territories. We continue to encourage territories to request the extension of any outstanding
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human rights conventions when they are in a position to implement them, and continue to provide assistance where necessary.
At the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council in December 2012 we agreed to work with the territories to improve strategies to ensure the safeguarding of children. We recently commissioned expert reviews of child safeguarding measures in Ascension, St Helena, Pitcairn and Montserrat. We are exploring with the Department for International Development how we can support further work on this important agenda.
Disciplinary Proceedings
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [160414]
Alistair Burt: In each of the three years, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) suspended fewer than five staff. The FCO, in line with Cabinet Office guidance, cannot disclose more detailed information for reasons of confidentiality and to avoid the possibility of revealing the identities of individual staff. The figures do not include locally employed staff as records are not held centrally. To obtain this additional data would incur disproportionate costs.
In 2010-11 and 2011-12, FCO Services, a trading fund of the FCO, did not suspend any staff. In 2012-13, five staff were suspended on full pay. The total cost of salary payments for all five individuals over the periods of their suspension was £19,599.
The British Council does not hold central records on staff suspensions for its global network and therefore the requested information could be collated only at disproportionate cost.
In each of the three years, fewer than five staff were suspended by Wilton Park and our arm’s length bodies.
Hungary
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Hungarian counterpart on the treatment of the Roma minority in Hungary. [161481]
Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has not recently discussed the treatment of the Roma community with his Hungarian counterpart.
However, the UK makes a full and constructive contribution to discussions on Roma integration in international organisations, such as the EU, the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We are committed to working with our European partners in improving the social and economic situation of the Roma; and British embassies are active in this area in a number of European countries. The British embassy in Budapest is involved in a number of local projects, including liaising with the Hungarian Roma Police Union, as well as organising school and
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community programmes in disadvantaged areas of Hungary heavily populated by Roma. The British ambassador has recently been on a regional visit to Roma communities in the north-east of Hungary to promote diversification and the rule of law.
Iran
Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the closure of stores and warehouses belonging to members of the Bahá'i community in Hamadan, Iran by Government officials; what assessment he has made of the implications of those actions for the 1958 Convention on Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation; and if he will make a statement. [160847]
Alistair Burt: I have not received any reports on this specific issue, but I am well aware from the Bahá’i community in the UK and the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, Dr Ahmed Shaheed, of the Iranian regime's continued persecution of the Bahá’i. This includes systematic exclusion of Bahá’is in Iran from economic life in contravention of Iran's obligations as a signatory to the 1958 convention in respect of employment and occupations and the international covenant on civil and political rights. I have repeatedly and publicly called for Iran to stop their persecution of the Bahá’i, and to abide by its international obligations. We will continue to closely monitor the situation of the Bahá’i in Iran, and condemn any violations of their rights.
Israel
Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the report on Children in Israeli Military Detention, published by UNICEF in March 2013. [161155]
Alistair Burt: We are aware of the worrying report by UNICEF on Children in Israeli Military Detention. The British Government share many of the report's concerns, which accord with an independent report on Children in Military Custody published in June 2012 by leading British lawyers, which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) funded and facilitated.
I have written to the Israeli ambassador to London to urge Israel to take action on this latter report. Both myself and the Attorney-General, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve), raised these issues again with the Israeli Attorney-General when he visited the UK between 19 and 20 June 2013. I also raised these issues with the Israeli Justice Minister when I was in the region between 11 and 13 June 2013.
We continue to call on Israel to take action in line with the recommendations made in the independent report and echoed in the UNICEF report, whose publication has enabled greater co-ordination with EU partners on these issues. My officials continue to work with the Israeli authorities in conjunction with European partners to implement important recommendations to end the use of solitary confinement among minors and apply existing guidelines for the use of single hand ties, translation of arrest warrants into Arabic, the use of audio-visual equipment at all interrogations and efforts to ensure the presence of parents at the event of an arrest of a minor.
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In the meantime I welcome some limited steps taken by the Israeli authorities. These include a recent Israeli military order which reduces the length of time children can be held in pre-trial detention and a reduction, from April, of the period a Palestinian minor can be held before being brought before a judge. I also welcome the introduction in some cases of audio-visual recording of interrogations and greater efforts to ensure that parents are present during interrogations. However, this is not sufficient and we continue to press the Israeli authorities for further action.
Occupied Territories
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide guidance to UK tour operators operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories on the status and legality of Israeli settlement businesses. [161297]
Alistair Burt: When approached by British companies, we set out our clear position on settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories—they are illegal, an obstacle to peace and make a negotiated two-state solution harder to achieve.
International law does not impose obligations on corporations and, for a British company to operate in Israeli settlements is, per se, not contrary to UK law. However, the British Government expect British companies to show respect for human rights in their operations in the UK and internationally. The UK is developing a global strategy on business and human rights—based on the UN Guiding Principles—which will be launched soon.
As part of this we intend to place additional country-specific guidance on human rights issues in overseas markets on the Overseas Business Risk Service website. This will include guidance on Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to ensure that British corporations are aware of our clear position on the illegality of settlements, and our expectation that British companies respect human rights throughout their operations.
Syria
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ensure that weapons' shipments are not sent to Syria without a full debate in Parliament. [160334]
Alistair Burt: No decision has been made to send shipments of weapons to the Syrian opposition. If there were to be a decision, both the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), have been clear that there would be an opportunity for Parliament to have a say on the matter. The Secretary of State reiterated this point in the House on 18 June, saying:
“we would not want to pursue any aspect of our policy on this issue against the will of the House of Commons. That is neither feasible nor desirable, so of course we have made clear that there would be a vote. I have also made it clear that we would expect it to be before any such decision was put into action”. [Official Report], 18 June 2013; Vol. 564, c. 746.]
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Although we have not made a decision to send arms, with the ending of the EU arms embargo we now have the flexibility to respond in the future if the situation continues to deteriorate and if the Assad regime refuses to negotiate. We would only provide lethal equipment in carefully controlled circumstances and in accordance with our obligations under national and international law.
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition his Department uses for an extremist when allocating military and non-military aid in Syria. [161367]
Alistair Burt: We are not sending any lethal support to any elements of the Syrian opposition, nor have we made a decision to do so.
The UK has committed £30 million in non-lethal assistance to strengthen the moderate opposition to help continue its work in responding to the needs of the population and to engage in political dialogue. All the support we provide is carefully targeted and provided to carefully identified recipients, co-ordinated with like-minded countries, consistent with our laws and values and based on rigorous analysis.
We draw a clear distinction between extremist groups and the moderate opposition, including the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and the Supreme Military Council (SMC) led by General Idris. Over 130 countries now recognise the SNC as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. We work with the SNC and SMC on the basis that they have rejected and condemned all forms of terrorism and any extremist ideology or mentality.
Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the total number of (a) people and (b) people described by his Department as extremists fighting in Syria against Government forces. [161368]
Alistair Burt: We do not have a reliable estimate of the total number of individuals fighting in Syria against Government forces or the proportion of extremists. As stated in the G8 Communiqué we are deeply concerned by the growing threat from terrorism and extremism in Syria, and also by the increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict. The Communiqué called on the Syrian authorities and opposition to commit to destroying and expelling from Syria all organisations and individuals affiliated to al-Qaeda, and any other non-state actors linked to terrorism.
Turkey
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the current political situation in Turkey is; and if he will make a statement. [161485]
Mr Lidington:
The Government are following events in Turkey closely and have been concerned by the disturbing events in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities across Turkey. We hope to see the issues raised by the protesters resolved peacefully through dialogue. A stable, democratic and prosperous Turkey is important for
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regional stability. Turkey remains an important foreign policy partner and a NATO ally, and the UK will continue to support its reform agenda.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond
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(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.