Social Security Benefits: Greater London
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes he intends to make to the national implementation of the household benefit cap as a result of the experience of the pilot project in London. [162207]
Mr Hoban: The experience of the phased roll-out of the benefit cap has been used to inform the approach to national implementation in a number of ways, including:
Through an agreement reached with the Local Authority Association to replicate capping activity over a similar time frame for each local authority in national implementation as that managed by phased roll-out sites;
Replicating the ramp up approach in phased roll-out with lower capping volumes being passed to each local authority in national implementation during the first week of that activity;
Extending the approach, where appropriate, that existed in some of the phased roll-out sites around physical co-location of DWP and LA staff to work together and support claimants affected by the cap; in terms of providing co-ordinated support around employment; money and budgetary advice; and housing options, including support to negotiate rent reductions with private landlords;
Extending the approach to accuracy checking which has been tested in phased roll-out and through its success will be replicated for national implementation, ensuring the strong accuracy achieved to date is maintained;
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The guidance and communication around capping activity has been refined following lessons learned;
The extent to which the updating of local authority records on households in supported exempt accommodation improves the efficiency of the capping process has been highlighted to all local authorities; and
In order to ensure that these lessons learned inform all local authorities, DWP has hosted nine regional events with DWP and local authority staff. These events have involved the four phased roll-out sites and has helped those involved in national implementation understand how the approach to phased roll-out has supported a refined and secure approach for delivering the benefit cap from 15 July 2013.
Social Security Benefits: Industrial Diseases
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals have had lump sum payments awarded from the 2008 Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme clawed back by the Compensation Recovery Unit in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012. [162488]
Mr Hoban: The Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU) holds the following information for individuals who have had lump sum payments awarded from the 2008 Diffuse Mesothelioma Scheme clawed back by the CRU:
| Financial year | Individual cases |
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Social Security Benefits: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed introduction of a one-week waiting period for benefits payments in Northern Ireland. [162559]
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will review the effects of welfare reform in Northern Ireland. [161896]
Mr Hoban: Northern Ireland is responsible for its own social security system and the Northern Ireland Assembly is currently considering a separate Northern Ireland Welfare Reform Bill. These questions should, therefore, be addressed to the Minister for Social Development in the Northern Ireland Executive.
State Retirement Pensions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracted-in pension schemes there are in the UK. [162263]
Steve Webb: The total number in 2011 (the latest year for which data were available) was 37,960, with the vast majority (33,410) being in small schemes (two to 11 members). The source for these data is the 2012 Occupational Pension Schemes Survey, produced annually by the ONS.
| Number of private sector occupational pension schemes with only one section: by size and route to contracting out, 2011, United Kingdom | |||||
| COSRS | COMBS | COM PS | Total contracted out | Total not contracted out | |
| (1) Indicates cells that have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. Key: COSRS = Contracted Out Salary Related Scheme; COMBS = Contracted Out Mixed Benefit Scheme; COMPS = Contracted Out Money Purchase Scheme. Notes: 1. Excludes non response. 2. Total contracted out column includes schemes that did not provide information about method (COSRS, COMBS, COMPS) of contracting out. 3. Estimates for very small schemes are subject to considerable uncertainty, so figures for such schemes should be interpreted with caution. Source: Occupational Pension Schemes Survey | |||||
Universal Credit: Thames Gateway
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of universal credit in Thameside on 31 May 2013. [162489]
Mr Hoban: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I provided on 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1253W, on how many people have claimed universal credit in the pathfinder to date.
The pathfinder is currently taking place in Ashton-under-Lyne in the borough of Tameside. Future roll-outs will include Thameside. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish Official Statistics on pathfinder areas in autumn 2013.
We expect around 7,000 claims to be processed in pathfinders.
Work Capability Assessment
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will take steps to ensure that Atos interviews are conducted by a person of the same gender as the interviewee. [162298]
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Mr Hoban: There is no assurance that Atos Healthcare interviews are conducted by a person of the same gender as the interviewee. If the interviewee requests this, Atos Healthcare will accommodate that request.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on how many people have committed or attempted suicide whilst awaiting a work capability assessment or appeal since the inception of that assessment. [162379]
Mr Hoban: The requested information is not available.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal Experiments
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department has provided for the development of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures in each year between 2009 and 2012; how much of that funding has been provided to the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research; and if he will make a statement. [162214]
Mr Heath: DEFRA has not provided any funding to the development of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures for the years between 2009 and 2012, or towards the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research. The Home Office is responsible for any such funding.
Animal Welfare
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department plans to begin prosecution proceedings against anyone for possible breaches of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, as reported by Hillside Animal Sanctuary on 18 January 2013. [161935]
Mr Heath [holding answer 27 June 2013]: DEFRA's enforcement body, the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, works with local authority Trading Standards officers, as well as the RSPCA where appropriate to investigate potential breaches of animal welfare legislation. This particular case is currently being investigated by local Trading Standards officers. They will be responsible for deciding in due course whether to take the case to prosecution.
Ash Dieback Disease
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which products are being tested by the Food and Environment Research Agency as potential treatments for Chalara ash dieback. [162344]
Mr Heath:
The process to evaluate the possible usefulness against Chalara of various chemical treatments submitted by a number of producers is covered in the Chalara Management Plan, published on 26 March 2013. Based
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on scientific advice and other European countries' experience of Chalara we are advised against expecting to find a treatment that can be widely applied to protect woodland or treat an infected wood or forest. However, in some circumstances treatments may have a role in protecting individual trees or groups of trees, or reducing production of spores, level of damage and rate of spread.
Out of a total of more than 80 products that were suggested to DEFRA and the Forestry Commission as possible treatments for ash dieback, 14 will be tested in the laboratory at the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera). Some of these products along with two others, potassium phosphite and urea, will be tested in field studies using potted ash trees. The purpose of these studies is to investigate how effective the products are at preventing infestation by this disease.
The shortlist of products includes examples of the fungicide groups, that are considered most likely to be effective and, where possible, products with a single active ingredient have been preferred to mixtures for the purpose of the laboratory screen.
Further details of the actual products and how they were selected are available on the Fera website:
http://www.fera.defra.gov.uk/plants/plantHealth/pestsDiseases/chalaraInfo.cfm
Fera will publish progress updates on its website as each element of the chemical trials work is completed. By the end of 2013 Fera expects to have some indication of which products from the 14 shortlisted, might be most effective but these would still need to be subject to more wide-scale testing on mature trees.
Beekeeping
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to introduce farmers in England and Wales to bee-keeping. [161890]
Mr Heath: DEFRA does not work directly with groups of farmers to introduce them to beekeeping. However, the National Bee Unit (NBU) has run initiatives to encourage farmers who have bees on their land to ensure that the beekeepers sign up to BeeBase. BeeBase is the NBU's website, which provides free information and advice for beekeepers.
The National Farmers Union is an active member of DEFRA's Bee Health Advisory Forum, whose remit is to influence delivery of the Healthy Bees Plan and other issues affecting bee health.
Additionally, the Bee Farmers Association (BFA) is also a member of this forum and DEFRA has contributed funding to enable the BFA to start an apprenticeship scheme to introduce young people into commercial farming of bees.
Bees
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of levels of honeybees in colonies; if he will take steps to support bee farmers whose colonies have suffered losses to restock; and if he will make a statement. [161493]
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Mr Heath: Preliminary reports suggest that the poor summer of 2012 and the prolonged cold spring this year have resulted in significant losses of honey bee colonies across the UK. The National Bee Unit is carrying out its annual survey across England and Wales and will provide data on these losses and other measures of the health of the honey bees later this summer. The indications are that surviving honey bee colonies have built up their populations well in the past month and in most areas a honey crop may be obtained if sunny stable weather conditions prevail.
While it remains Government policy not to fund restocking following winter losses directly, DEFRA has and will continue to support bee farmers under its bee health programme: providing free advice and training on maintaining healthy bees and in supporting other initiatives being developed such as the Bee Farmers' Association apprenticeship scheme.
Billing
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the financial benefits that could be achieved by paying suppliers early in return for rebates. [160933]
Richard Benyon: No assessment has been made of any savings core DEFRA could achieve by paying its suppliers early in return for rebates.
Core DEFRA aims to pay its suppliers within five days of receiving a valid invoice in compliance with Government policy. This is significantly earlier than the typical payment time of 30 days required by many suppliers.
Percentage performance against the five-day target for 2012-13 will be published in DEFRA's Annual Report and Accounts.
Birds of Prey
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences for the destruction of buzzards and buzzard nests have been issued in the last 12 months; and in which counties such licences were issued. [161160]
Richard Benyon: Nature conservation and wildlife licensing is a devolved matter. Natural England is the licensing authority for England. Between 1 June 2012 and 1 June 2013, Natural England granted 12 licences to airports permitting up to 39 buzzards to be killed where airport authorities deemed such action to be essential to tackle a serious risk of birds striking aircraft and putting the safety of the public and air travellers at risk. In practice, it typically only proves necessary to shoot about one-third of the birds permitted.
During the same period, Natural England granted two licences to remove up to four buzzard nests to prevent serious damage to livestock.
The buzzard population has increased substantially in the last few decades and there are now estimated to be 57,000 to 80,000 breeding pairs of buzzards in the UK.
Licensing statistics for England are published on Natural England’s website at:
www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/regulation/wildlife/licences/statistics.aspx
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Birds: Wind Power
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many birds have been killed by wind farm turbines (a) on land and (b) at sea to date. [161887]
Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
DECC does not hold this data. Potential impacts on birds arising from operation of onshore and offshore wind farms are considered as part of the consenting process at the planning stage. Applications should only be approved if the impact is, or can be made, acceptable.
Bovine Tuberculosis
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what written communication he has received from the European Commission on criteria under which field trials for bovine TB vaccination can proceed. [161646]
Mr Heath: EU Commissioner Tonio Borg wrote to the Secretary of State about this on 14 January 2013. The letter can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/183229/bovinetb-letter-paterson.pdf
I have also placed a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria the pilot badger culls will use to assess humaneness. [161821]
Mr Heath: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr Cunningham) on 12 June 2013, Official Report, columns 348-49W.
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made to improve the protection and control of all cattle herds in the prevention of the spread of bovine tuberculosis. [161959]
Mr Heath: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 379-80W, to the hon. Member for South Northamptonshire (Andrea Leadsom).
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice he has received from the European Commission on the timeframe for developing and implementing a bovine TB vaccination. [162078]
Mr Heath: EU Commissioner Tonio Borg wrote to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 14 January 2013 setting out the substantial scientific evidence that will be needed before any decision can be taken on lifting the current EU ban on cattle vaccination. For that reason, his view is that it would be reasonable to expect the full process to take 10 years.
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A copy of the letter has already been placed in the Library of the House.
Dangerous Dogs
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the likely reduction of incidents in private places of (a) dogs being dangerously out of control and (b) people being injured by dogs as a result of his proposed changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. [161809]
Mr Heath: DEFRA's impact assessment, "Extending the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to Private Property", estimates that there could be anywhere between 50 and 250 more cases per year brought before the courts as a result of the extension of the criminal law to all places. However, it also acknowledges the effects of the new proposed measures to tackle antisocial behaviour which will be used to prevent dogs becoming dangerous and therefore reduce the number of cases reaching court. No estimates have been made of the change in the law on the number of people injured by dogs.
Dogs: Tagging
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding he has allocated to the programme for compulsory microchipping of dogs by 2016; and what steps he plans to take to publicise this programme. [160719]
Mr Heath: Funding for the programme will be subsumed within the allotted funding for animal welfare. In addition, free microchipping is available at centres run by Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Blue Cross. Dogs Trust will also make free microchips available to veterinary surgeries.
We are working with these stakeholders as well as others such as the British Veterinary Association to promote the benefits of microchipping in the lead up to April 2016 on their websites and through their online presences.
The launch of the compulsory microchipping policy generated significant national print and broadcast coverage earlier this year.
Since then, we have been using social media to engage with dog owners and promote microchipping. We run a Facebook page promoting the benefits of compulsory microchipping to dog owners and we use this page to promote free chipping events and share case studies and reunification stories. We use Twitter to share information and to answer dog owners' questions about microchipping. We have a Google map with locations of centres offering free chipping, so that dog owners can find a convenient location to get their dog chipped free of charge.
We are also targeting specialist media and programmes targeted at dog owners as well as the national and regional press to promote the benefits of compulsory microchipping.
In the run up to 2016, we will be working with veterinarians and welfare organisations to develop a joined up, structured programme of advice and information including posters and leaflets.
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Eels
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what change there has been in the number of eels in the last five years; and what steps he has taken to address any such decline. [161888]
Richard Benyon: European eel stocks have declined significantly over recent decades. The European eel regulation(1) seeks to achieve stock recovery by requiring member states to develop and implement eel management plans for river basins within their jurisdiction. These should include measures aiming to achieve 40% ‘escapement’ of silver (mature) eel to the sea compared to ‘pristine’ conditions. (Pristine conditions are defined as conditions before declines started and without any anthropogenic impacts such as habitat loss affecting the eels as they grow to maturity in river systems before ‘escaping’ to the sea).
Member states are required to report progress in implementing the measures outlined in eel management plans and estimated numbers of silver eel escaping on a three-yearly basis. During the first reporting period (2008-11), an estimated average of 1,375t per year of silver eel escaped from UK waters to the sea(2). To establish this figure several sites were sampled, but typically only once during the three-year period, meaning figures for individual years were not developed.
Estimates have not been developed for the years preceding 2008, before the regulation was in place. However, in order to consider progress against the 40% target, an estimate of silver eel ‘escapement’ in ‘pristine’ conditions has been developed: it is estimated that 7,535t of silver eel would escape in such conditions(3).
Fisheries management is devolved in the UK and each Administration is responsible for developing and implementing eel management plans for each of its river basin districts, outlining measures specific to that district. Measures typically include careful regulation of eel fishing (including complete cessation where necessary), addressing barriers such as tidal flaps that prevent eel colonising available habitat, and also restocking programmes that involve catching, captive rearing and releasing eels into suitable habitat, which they might not otherwise reach.
(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 of 18 September 2007 establishing measures for the recovery of the stock of European eel.
(2) This estimate is based on analysis undertaken by Environment Agency, Marine Scotland Science and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Northern Ireland).
(3) This estimate is based on analysis undertaken by Environment Agency, Marine Scotland Science and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Northern Ireland).
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people worked in eel fishing in (a) 1983, (b) 1993 and (c) 2013. [161889]
Richard Benyon: The breakdown for the UK is as follows:
In England and Wales the number of licensed elver fishermen was 1,537 in 1983, 1,000 in 1993, and 482 in 2013(1). The number of licensed yellow and silver eel fishermen in 2013 is 104(2). We do not have figures for
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1983 or 1993, as licences were issued for instruments, not fishermen, at those times.
In Northern Ireland there were 93 licensed elver fishermen in 1983, 207 in 1993, and 97 in 2013.
As well as licensed fishermen, other people are or were employed in roles that depend on eel fishing (for example in processing). Figures are not available to indicate how many people work or worked in such roles.
Figures are not available for Scotland for 1983 and 1993. In 2013, there were no commercial or recreational fisheries for eels in Scotland(3).
(1 )The 2013 elver season is now closed so this is the final figure.
(2) The 2013 yellow/silver eel season is not yet closed so this figure may increase.
(3) The Freshwater Fish Conservation (Prohibition on Fishing for Eels) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 prohibit fishing by any method for eels without a licence from Scottish Ministers. The current position taken by SG is for a presumption against the issue of licenses to fish for eels other than for the purposes of scientific research, monitoring, protecting, improving or developing Scotland's fish stocks. The last operating commercial yellow and silver eel fisheries ceased to operate in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
Floods: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to question 159799, what estimate he has made of the number of new properties built in areas of risk between February 2010 and October 2011; and if he will make a statement. [161476]
Richard Benyon: According to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Land Use Change Statistics, an estimated 9,600 homes (9% of the total number completed) were built in areas of high flood risk in 2010. This is the latest information available.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to question 159799, how much funding he allocated for London’s flood defences in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [161477]
Richard Benyon: The London boroughs and the Environment Agency work together as risk management authorities to reduce the risk of flooding in London. Government funds the work through flood defence grant in aid and there are other sources of funding such as local levy, raised by the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee.
Funding allocated to London boroughs and the Environment Agency for investment in flood risk management (i.e. new or improved flood defences and capital maintenance) is shown in the following table.
| £ million | |||
| Authorities | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
| Source: Environment Agency data. | |||
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These figures do not include revenue activities such as routine maintenance carried out by either the Environment Agency or local authorities.
The London tidal defences figures refer to the investment in the Thames barrier and associated structures downstream of Teddington lock.
Food: Northern Ireland
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Assembly on the promotion of British food producers jointly between England and Northern Ireland. [161891]
Mr Heath: I have met with colleagues in both the NI (Northern Ireland) Assembly and in other UK devolved Administrations. Food and drink promotion is a devolved issue, but I believe there is much that we can do together. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I certainly fly the flag for the whole of the UK when we attend key overseas trade events.
Additionally, since November 2011, three products from Northern Ireland have been awarded registered status under the EU protected food names (PFN) scheme (Lough Neagh Eels, Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), Comber Early Potatoes (PGI) and Armagh Bramley Apples (PGI)), and have featured in PFN promotional activities. DEFRA officials continue to work closely with colleagues at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for Northern Ireland (DARDNI) to encourage more NI applications under the PFN scheme.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent meetings officials in his Department have had to discuss the approval of the planting of genetically modified crops. [161978]
Mr Heath: DEFRA officials have discussions from time to time with a wide range of interested parties to inform the Government's policy on GM crops. Decisions on whether to approve the commercial cultivation of GM crops are taken at EU level. The Government will only agree to the planting of GM crops, or the marketing of GM food and feed products, if a robust assessment indicates that it is safe for people and the environment.
Horses: Imports
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2013, Official Report, columns 699-700W, on horses: France, from which country each horse imported from third (non EU) countries was imported from in each of the last four years. [161403]
Mr Heath [holding answer 24 June 2013]: Pursuant to my answer of 20 March 2013, Official Report, columns 699-700W, I can confirm that the number of horses imported into the UK from third (non EU) countries during 2011 was 1,877 and not 6,502, as indicated in the original answer. I apologise for any inconvenience caused by this administrative error.
A revised grid appears as follows:
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| Country | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
Horses: Slaughterhouses
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses were slaughtered in UK abattoirs, by horse passport issuing agency, in each of the last four years. [161519]
Mr Heath: DEFRA does not hold the data requested. It only holds data on the total number of horses slaughtered for human consumption. The number of horses slaughtered in the last four full calendar years is as follows:
| UK slaughter numbers (as provided by the Food Standards Agency) | |||
| UK total | Of which: England | Of which: Northern Ireland | |
Livestock: Transport
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with his EU counterpart a strategy to replace the long distance transport of live farm animals with a policy whereby animals are reared reasonably near to the farm of birth and slaughtered reasonably near to the farm of rearing; and if he will make a statement. [162538]
Mr Heath: The Government continue to support the principle that the slaughter of livestock should be as close as is practicable to their place of production.
However, the number one priority under the current EU Commission strategy on the protection of animals during transport, which was endorsed by the majority of member states in June of last year, is for the better enforcement of the existing rules on the transportation of animals (Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005. The strategy precludes any further changes to the Council regulation for the time being.
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Given these circumstances, there would be little to be gained in holding bilateral discussions with my EU counterparts as the hon. Member has suggested.
Milk
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) which milk buyers have not signed up to the Dairy Code; [162307]
(2) what reasons have been given by those milk buyers who have not yet signed up to the Dairy Code; [162308]
(3) what proportion of milk by volume sold is now covered by Dairy Code agreements. [162309]
Mr Heath: We understand that at least 85% of UK raw milk production is already covered by the code and milk purchasers who are Dairy UK members are or will soon have all contracts in full compliance with the code.
Dairy UK has established a public web page providing information from compliant purchasers, which can be viewed at:
http://www.dairyuk.org/index.php ?option=com_content&view=article&id=316<emid=379
We strongly support the work of Dairy UK and farming unions to increase wider adoption of the code or acceptable alternatives for farmers supplying smaller non-Dairy UK members, by improving understanding or overcoming any individual commercial concerns.
Pigs: Animal Welfare
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission on levels of compliance with pig welfare conditions in other European nations. [161912]
Mr Heath: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and I met with Tonio Borg, Commissioner for Health and Consumer policy on 17 January 2013 and raised our concerns about the large scale non-compliance across the EU with the partial sow stall ban, which came into force on 1 January 2013. This issue was also discussed at the January Agriculture Council of Ministers. The Secretary of State, following up correspondence earlier in the year wrote to Commissioner Borg in May, seeking a progress report on infringement proceedings against non-compliant member states and urging swift and full compliance as quickly as possible. The Commissioner has since confirmed that infringement proceedings against non-compliant member states are ongoing and progress is being closely monitored by the Commission.
We have and continue to use every opportunity to press for rapid compliance in other member states, as the priority must be to protect those pig producers across the EU who have invested heavily in converting to more welfare-friendly group housing systems from illegal production.
Discussions with the Commission and EU member states on the level of compliance with the ban are being held on a monthly basis at meetings of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health.
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Schmallenberg Virus
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of the Schmallenberg virus in (a) sheep and (b) cattle; what assessment he has made of whether the virus should be made notifiable; and if he will make a statement. [157323]
Mr Heath: DEFRA funded surveillance over the summer of 2012 identified that the virus had spread across all rural counties in England and Wales. While many animals and farms in GB may have been infected, clinical signs in adult sheep and beef cattle to date have been non-existent. The signs in dairy cattle of a raised temperature, reduced milk yield and in some cases diarrhoea are mild/moderate, short-lived and similar to other endemic diseases due to their non-specific nature. In an individual dairy cow, these mild clinical signs may last up to five days and across the herd as a whole for several weeks. The main impact is in pregnancy on the developing foetus. The virus attacks the developing neurological system and limbs of foetal lambs or calves resulting in malformations such as domed heads, fixed bent limbs and jaw deformities. The affected newborns are often born dead or die shortly after birth. Birthing may be difficult due to the foetal limb presentation and care needs to be taken in assisting the mother, seeking veterinary assistance as appropriate. Post partum aftercare should be provided as with any other difficult birth.
In considering if a disease should be made notifiable, there needs to be a clear value benefiting disease control in the placing of additional burden on farmers and Government. In terms of control measures, preventing vector spread is very difficult and therefore not a realistic control measure. A vaccine has very recently received provisional marketing authorisation and will be available for use by farmers this summer in advance of the next sheep breeding period. The onus would lie with the farmer to report suspicion of disease and then for Government to intervene. The impact of Schmallenberg virus has to date been shown to be low at a national level, with farms infected showing 2% to 5% of malformed lambs or calves affected and as such, there is no rationale for intervening. Some early lambing flocks where mating periods are synchronised have seen greater impacts. These will now be able to be protected by vaccination. This is a disease with few defined clinical signs in adult animals, making detection difficult. By the time clinical signs are seen in offspring, it is too late to control. It is also possible that notifiying presence of disease on a farm may complicate trade, both with the UK, the EU and for third country partners.
We therefore consider that making Schmallenberg virus notifiable would be over burdensome and not proportionate to the disease impact. The decision was taken in full consultation with industry and the European Commission.
Sharks: Conservation
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy to ban the sale of shark fin soup in restaurants. [162231]
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Richard Benyon: The UK Government are aware of the conservation implications of the international trade in shark fins and the need for more stringent controls to ensure any such trade is rooted in sustainable fishing practices. While the UK opposes, and has banned, wasteful finning (removal and retention of shark fins at sea, but discarding the carcass), the Government do not oppose fishing for species where scientific advice indicates that they can be sustainably exploited. We do however promote full utilisation of the shark.
The UK cannot unilaterally take action to ban shark fin soup without contravening EU trade agreements and World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations. In addition, the conservation benefits for sharks of implementing a UK wide ban are considered minimal at best.
However, we are not complacent. We believe the market for shark fin products in the UK is decreasing and we will continue to support campaigns that raise public awareness and change consumer and retailer behaviour.
We will also continue to work closely with stakeholders, including the Shark Trust and the fishing industry, to ensure sharks are properly managed and conserved globally. We consider that the most effective means of protecting sharks is by continuing to press for a range of international conservation and management measures within the appropriate bodies. This includes pushing for changes to ensure all sharks are landed with their ‘fins naturally attached’ (thus removing the possibility of shark finning occurring) and supporting scientifically robust proposals for regulating the international trade in shark products through the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES).
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and (b) local enterprise partnerships on the arts and creative industries. [162036]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 27 June 2013]: The Secretary of State and Ministers hold regular meetings with Ministers from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and there are frequent discussions between Government Ministers and local economic partnerships.
Local enterprise partnerships such as that of Greater Birmingham and Solihull are fully recognising the important role that culture and the creative industries can play in economic growth.
Betting
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make an estimate of the amount spent in betting shops, before winnings are accounted for, in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in each of the last five years. [162315]
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Hugh Robertson: Neither the Department nor the Gambling Commission (GC) hold data in the form requested. The measure most commonly used by the GC and DCMS is Gross Gambling Yield, which is the amount retained by licensed betting operators in Great Britain, after the payment of winnings, but before the deduction of the costs of the operation (excluding pool betting); this statistic gives a better indication of gaming behaviours and betting shop patterns. The last complete figures available for betting shops in Great Britain show that the Gross Gambling Yield equalled £2,729 million in 2008-09, £2,647 million in 2009-10, £2,794 million in 2010-11 and £2,846 million in 2011-12. The full year figures for 2012-13 will be published in December 2013. However, due to the way the data are collated, we are not able to provide statistics broken down by area.
Broadband Delivery UK
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the report on Broadband Delivery UK submitted to her Department by Gerry Pennell. [162361]
Mr Vaizey: The report submitted by Mr Gerry Pennell concerns Broadband Delivery UK's interactions with suppliers. The Department does not intend to publish the report as it contains commercially confidential information.
Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press Inquiry
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of (a) the cross-party agreement on the Royal Charter and related matters that was made on 18 March 2013 between the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition and (b) any associated correspondence. [162056]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 27 June 2013]: The cross-party Royal Charter published on 18 March 2013 has been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. In addition, the Prime Minister's statement to the House on that day, Official Report, column 632, set out the agreement reached.
MITIE Group
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department spends on contracts with MITIE; and how much was spent on contracts with MITIE in each year since 2008. [162460]
Hugh Robertson: The amount the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has spent with MITIE, in each year, since 2008, is set out in the table. The Department does not have any current contracts with MITIE.
| £ | ||||||
| Name | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | Total |
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Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to her Department. [162683]
Hugh Robertson: Mobile telephones are provided by Vodafone and O2. Mobile data services are also provided by Vodafone and O2. Both services are obtained through central contracts via the Government Procurement Service.
Press: Regulation
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many representations were received from (a) groups and (b) individual members of the public in (i) support of and (ii) opposition to the Press BoF Royal Charter in response to the period of openness that closed on 24 May 2013. [162057]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 27 June 2013]: Almost 20,000 responses were received as part of the period of openness. As the PressBoF Charter is currently under consideration it would not be appropriate to publish further detail on responses received at this time.
Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether she has received advice from officials as to whether to put forward the Press BoF Royal Charter to the Privy Council for consideration; and if she will make a statement. [162058]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 27 June 2013]: The PressBoF Royal Charter petition to the Privy Council Office is being considered by the Department for Culture Media and Sport in the usual way.
Public Lending Right
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) whether her Department conducted an impact assessment of the proposals in the Digital Economy Act 2010 to extend public lending right to e-books and audio books; [161805]
(2) what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on funding to extend public lending right to e-books and audio books by commencing the relevant provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2010; [161806]
(3) what representations she has received seeking the commencement of the provisions in the Digital Economy Act 2010 that extend public lending right to e-books and audio books. [161807]
Mr Vaizey: The Government commissioned an independent review of e-lending in public libraries in England last year and the panel, led by William Sieghart, received evidence on this and related matters from the parties listed in the review:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-independent-review-of-e-lending-in-public-libraries-in-england
The review recommended that public lending right (PLR) be extended by commencing the provisions of the Digital Economy Act 2010 and, on 26 June 2013, HM Treasury announced that in response to the recommendations of the Sieghart Review, the Government will consult on plans to extend the public lending right scheme to cover onsite loans of e-books and audio books, with loans data to be collected from July 2014:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spending-round-2013-documents
S4C
Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times she and Ministers of her Department have met officials of S4C to discuss future funding arrangements since 2010. [161627]
Mr Vaizey: Ministers' external meetings are published quarterly on the departmental website and can be found at:
http://www.transparency.culture.gov.uk/category/other/meetings/
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from the Welsh Government in 2013 to date on future funding and governance arrangements for S4C. [162064]
Mr Vaizey: We received one representation from the Welsh Government on S4C’s funding arrangements earlier this week.
Termination of Employment
Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of (i) her Department and (ii) the public bodies for which she is responsible left their employment in (A)
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2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement. [160902]
Hugh Robertson: The number of occasions (a) a compromise agreement, (b) a confidentiality clause and (c) judicial mediation was used when an employee of my Department left their employment in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; is shown in the table:
| Financial year | Number of occasions a compromise agreement was used | Number of occasions a confidentiality clause was used | Number of occasions a judicial mediation was used |
The role and purpose of compromise agreements and confidentiality clauses is outlined in the National Audit Office report, published on 21 June, and available at:
http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/10168-001-Confidentiality-clauses-and-payments.pdf
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her Department's vacancy rate was in 2012-13; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2013-14. [162665]
Hugh Robertson: DCMS has advertised the following numbers of vacancies in the periods specified:
2012-13: 35 job vacancies were advertised during the year. We do not calculate a vacancy rate.
2013-14: 16 job vacancies have been advertised to date. We do not assume a vacancy rate during the year.
VisitBritain
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been provided to VisitBritain to promote visits to Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland in each year since 2010. [161866]
Hugh Robertson: Tourism is a devolved matter; however, VisitBritain promotes the whole of Britain overseas and develops the visitor economy. VisitBritain promotes Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland through their marketing campaigns, PR and digital work. VisitBritain does not allocate funding to promote specific destinations. Instead, it works with tourist boards to promote tourism across the whole of the UK. In 2013-14 VisitBritain received £22.5 million grant in aid funding, and an additional £12 million in GREAT money, to promote the whole of the UK as a destination.
International Development
Africa
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department plans to support an increase in the number of climate stations and training of hydrogeologists in Africa. [162481]
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Lynne Featherstone: DFID is helping to improve the quality and type of hydrometeorological data available and to develop African technical expertise. DFID supports the Africa Climate Policy Centre under the ClimDev initiative. One of the aims of the Africa Climate Policy Centre is to assess climate monitoring requirements across the continent. To improve climate information, the programme is identifying major gaps, securing historical data, improving data storage and identifying strategic investments in climate monitoring stations. DFID also supports work at the country level across Africa in areas where the need for climate information and expertise is particularly pressing.
Burma
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that non-governmental organisations and UN agencies have the capacity to deliver basic health care in Burma, particularly to the poorest and most vulnerable people. [161717]
Mr Duncan: DFID's activities for health in Burma are primarily delivered through the multi-donor health fund, the 3MDG Fund. The 3MDG Fund provides funding to a range of partners, including the UN and non-government organisations to provide health care to the poorest and most vulnerable. Priority is given to health care which addresses the major causes of illness and death for the poor of Burma, such as HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and to care which is delivered to communities in remote rural areas.
DFID also works in conflict-affected areas such as Kachin, Rakhine and along the Thai-Burma border to help meet the health needs of poor and vulnerable people there.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in (a) Rakhine State and (b) Kachin State in Burma. [161731]
Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her most recent assessment is of the humanitarian situation in Burma. [161874]
Mr Duncan: I visited Rakhine State on 18 and 19 June to see the humanitarian situation for myself. I met UN agencies, local officials, political and community leaders and made visits to several camps for internally displaced people (IDP) to see DFID's work. The number of displaced persons is estimated at around 140,000 across 89 locations, although this does not take into account some isolated villages. While aid is increasingly getting to where it is needed, it is difficult for humanitarian agencies to gain access to all of the affected areas. Restrictions on movement mean that it is difficult for some communities, particularly Rohingya and Kaman, to get access to areas where they earned a livelihood. On 15 May DFID announced a £4.4 million package of humanitarian support which includes nutrition, drinking water, sanitation, protection and camp coordination.
In Kachin State, consistent humanitarian access remains a concern, especially in non-government controlled areas. There are thought to be around 100,000 internally
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displaced persons (IDPs), of whom more than half are in hard to reach non-government controlled areas. The UK is the largest bilateral humanitarian donor in Kachin State, where £3.5 million of humanitarian aid is helping to meet the needs of around 27,000 internally displaced people.
Developing Countries: Agriculture
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department plans to support the formation of farmer organisations. [162482]
Lynne Featherstone: DFID already supports farmer organisations through our agricultural growth, wealth creation and livelihoods programmes, for example in Burma. We also support farmer organisations through our "making markets work for the poor" activities, for example in Tanzania. Bilateral programmes, for example in Ethiopia and Ghana, are planning to provide support to farmer organisations. Our multilateral funding on agriculture, for example through the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme, funds country-owned plans which sometimes include specific support to farmer organisations.
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to ensure that the agricultural extension workers whose work her Department supports address the issue of land degradation in their work. [162493]
Lynne Featherstone: Support to agricultural extension is delivered through NGOs and other civil society organisations, private sector company partnerships, investment in key multilateral organisations and support for agricultural research initiatives. DFID plans to contribute £63.5 million in the next two financial years to the World Bank-led Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme. In at least 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, DFID is investing in smallholders. Soil degradation can be a significant threat their productivity, so where appropriate, extension activities are focused on soil and water conservation as a major priority for sustainable, climate-smart development.
Ecuador
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will offer support to the government of Ecuador in preserving the Yasuni rainforest reserve. [161975]
Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government recognise the importance of forests in supporting livelihoods, protecting biodiversity and mitigating climate change. The UK does not provide bilateral development assistance to Ecuador, nor is it one of the priority countries for bilateral assistance on forests through the UK's International Climate Fund.
Mobile Phones
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which companies supply (a) mobile telephones and (b) mobile data services to her Department. [162690]
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Mr Duncan: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 11 November 2012, Official Report, column 322W.
Overseas Aid
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will publish details of any plans her Department has to establish a UK Development Bank; [162080]
(2) whether any steps have been taken by her Department to consider the establishment of a UK Development Bank. [162045]
Justine Greening: As the nature of development changes, DFID continues to assess new and existing instruments.
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the use of the international development budget to support military operations. [162557]
Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (Mr Clarke) on 3 June, Official Report, column 886W.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what definition of official development assistance the UK uses; and whether this definition has been revised for spending between 2012-13 and 2015-16. [162563]
Justine Greening: The UK uses the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) definition of Official Development Assistance (ODA). There have been no major revisions to the definition of ODA since 1972.
Syria
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent reports she has received on the number of Syrian refugees currently in (a) Lebanon, (b) Jordan, (c) Turkey, (d) Iraq and (e) North Africa; and what reports she has received on the number of displaced people within Syria. [161711]
Justine Greening: The UN estimates there are currently almost 1.7 million refugees in the region, including 560,000 in Lebanon, 489,000 in Jordan, 387,000 in Turkey, 159,000 in Iraq, 86,000 in Egypt and 12,000 refugees in North Africa. There are approximately 6.8 million people in need in Syria, of whom 4.25 million have been displaced.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to provide relief and assistance to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. [161712]
Justine Greening:
To date the UK has provided a total of £19.5 million to support the refugee response in Lebanon. This funding is already providing support including food for almost 20,000 refugees, shelter assistance and financial support to 4,000 people as well as safe
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drinking water and sanitation services to 40,000 people, including refugees and vulnerable host communities. We have also funded a humanitarian adviser to work with the Government of Lebanon, to support them in their co-ordination of the refugee response.
The Prime Minister announced a further £175 million for Syria at the G8. Further details on allocation of this funding will be announced shortly.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the funding and capacity shortfall within UNHCR to register and assist Syrian refugees entering Lebanon. [161713]
Justine Greening: On 7 June, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) launched its revised appeal for the countries hosting refugees from Syria, which totalled £3.8 billion, including £1.2 billion appealed for to meet needs in Lebanon. To date, the UN has received $321 million to support the refugee response in Lebanon, meaning the appeal for Lebanon is currently 26% funded.
The Government of Lebanon also appealed for a further $449 million to help them cope with the growing needs. UNHCR have made improvements to registration in recent months, and are working along with other humanitarian agencies to assist refugees in need in Lebanon. However, in order to continue meeting the rapidly growing needs in Lebanon, UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies urgently need further funding.
The Prime Minister announced a further £175 million for Syria at the G8. Further details on allocation of this funding will be announced shortly.
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she made of humanitarian needs in Syria and neighbouring countries; and if she will consider providing additional funding to the UN Syria Emergency Response Fund that channels resources to humanitarian partners. [161714]
Justine Greening: The UN estimates 6.8 million people in need inside Syria and a further 1.7 million refugees in the region. At the G8 summit, the Prime Minister announced that the UK was doubling its funding for Syria and the region, announcing a further £175 million. Our funding to date includes £2 million to the UN's Emergency Response Fund for Syria.
World Population Day
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures or events her Department is planning to mark World Population Day in July 2013. [162195]
Lynne Featherstone: Lord Ahmad will speak on DFID's behalf at a World Population Day event being held on 10 July, hosted by the all-party parliamentary group for population, development and reproductive health and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. The theme this year is "Healthy Lives: Young women, rights and pregnancy".
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Health
Abortion
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that counselling should be undertaken before an abortion takes place. [162763]
Anna Soubry: The Government believes that counselling should be available for women prior to undergoing a termination of pregnancy but it is not going to become compulsory.
The Framework for Improving Sexual Health in England (March 2013), has an ambition that all women requesting an abortion should be offered the opportunity to discuss their options and choices with a trained counsellor.
Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse
Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the NHS on alcohol-related hospital admissions in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2010-11 and (d) 2009-10. [162730]
Anna Soubry: An internal departmental analysis of the costs of alcohol-related hospital admissions estimated that the national health service spent £1.8 billion on alcohol-related hospital admissions in 2009-10.
As this was bespoke piece of work, the figures for 2010-13 are not available.
Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amount was spent by NHS bodies and local authorities on (a) drug abuse and (b) alcohol abuse (i) prevention and (ii) treatment in each of the last three years; and what amount has been spent on such services in 2013-14 to date. [162734]
Anna Soubry: Figures on actual national health service and local authority spending on drug and alcohol treatment and prevention between 2010-11 and 2012-13 and year-to-date spend on these services in 2013-14 are not collected centrally.
The Department allocated funds, via the pooled treatment budget, to support local areas for drug treatment until March 2013. This information has been placed in the Library. In 2012-13 an additional £32 million was provided via the drug interventions programme.
From April 2013, alcohol and drug prevention, treatment and recovery activity are funded from a ring-fenced grant intended to fund all local authorities' public health responsibilities.
In 2013-14, this grant totals £2.7 billion. A table showing the breakdown of the public health grant to each local authority in England has also been placed in the Library. Each local authority is free to determine their actual spend on alcohol and drug prevention, treatment and recovery based on an assessment of need. They will be required to report their spending in these areas on an annual basis.
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Ambulance Services
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce compensation payments for patients made to wait over an hour for an ambulance. [162285]
Anna Soubry: There are no plans to introduce compensation payments for patients made to wait over an hour for an ambulance.
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time a patient waited for an ambulance in (a) Liverpool, Walton constituency, (b) Liverpool city-region, (c) Merseyside and (d) England was in each quarter of the last five years. [162345]
Dr Poulter: The information requested is not collected in the format requested. Information on the median time to treatment a patient waited for an ambulance from North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust in each month since 2011-12 is shown in the following table for category A (Red 1/Red 2) calls only. Category A calls are divided into Red 1, immediately life threatening, and Red 2, serious but less immediately time critical. No data are collected for Category C calls. As we are supplying the median, it is not statistically correct to combine medians to get a quarterly or national position. Data on median time to treatment is only collected at ambulance trust level and was first collected in 2011-12.
| North West Ambulance Service Trust median time to treatment for category A (Red 1/Red 2) calls (minutes and seconds)( 1) | |||
| 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |
| (1 )Data supplied by Analytical Service (Operations), NHS England | |||
Animal Experiments
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department has provided for the development of reduction, refinement and replacement alternatives to the use of animals in scientific procedures in each year between 2009 and 2012; how much of that funding has been provided to the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research; and if he will make a statement. [162215]
Dr Poulter: The Department's National Institute for Health Research focuses on clinical and health services research. It does not therefore fund scientific procedures on animals or work to replace, refine or reduce (3Rs) the use of animals in scientific procedures.
Estimated expenditure by the Health Protection Agency on 3Rs work is shown in the following table:
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| £000 | |
This expenditure supported intramural work.
Anti-depressants: Prisoners
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for benzodiazepines, Z drugs, SSRIs or other antidepressants have been issued to inmates in UK prisons in each of the last five years. [162778]
Norman Lamb: This information is not collected centrally.
Cancer
Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps will be taken by his Department and NHS England to ensure that health providers and commissioners act on cancer patients' feedback; [161861]
(2) what criteria will be used to measure and assess the performance of cancer strategic clinical networks. [161929]
Anna Soubry: The patient feedback in the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) 2011-12, published in August 2012, continues to support both commissioners and providers to drive and inform local service improvement.
The trust level reports provided benchmarked data both nationally and between teams which supports providers to identify priority improvement areas and enables clinical commissioning groups to better commission high quality cancer services for local populations. It is anticipated that national and trust level reports of the NCPES 2012-13 will be published in summer 2013.
The Single Operating Framework (SOP) for Strategic Clinical Networks (SCNs), published in November 2012 sets out how effectiveness and performance of SCNs will be measured. NHS England, working with commissioners and other key partners, will evaluate SCNs based on a structure-process-outcome model. Structure covers areas such as governance arrangements and process covers the functions the SCNs are expected to fulfil, such as having an agreed annual programme of quality improvement based on the national priorities. In terms of outcomes, progress in local areas against the relevant metrics in the NHS Outcomes Framework and Commissioning Outcomes Framework will be incorporated into the assessment of network performance as a proxy of network effectiveness. A copy of the SOP has already been placed in the Library.
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of his Department's programme of improving the experience of cancer patients. [162380]
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Anna Soubry: The results of the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) 2011-12, published in August 2012, showed that 98 trusts had improved on their results from the 2010 survey and overall 88% of patients surveyed rated their overall care as excellent or very good. On most questions in the 2011-12 survey, scores had improved on the previous year. The 2011-12 Survey report provides more detailed information and a copy has already been placed in the Library.
It is anticipated that national and trust level reports of the NCPES 2012-13 will be published in summer 2013.
Cancer: Drugs
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to avoid variations in patients' access to medicines just before or just after the end of the current Cancer Drugs Fund arrangements. [162198]
Norman Lamb: NHS England has developed a single national list of cancer drugs that will be routinely funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund. This should lead to improved consistency in access and improved speed of access to most cancer medicines not routinely funded by the national health service.
We are committed to ensuring that arrangements are in place to protect individual patients receiving treatment through the Fund as the planned end of the Fund approaches.
In the context of developing new pricing arrangements for branded medicines, we are also exploring ways in which patients can continue to benefit from innovative cancer drugs at a cost that represents value to the NHS.
Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from NHS England about the future of the Cancer Drugs Fund; and if he will make a statement. [162723]
Norman Lamb: In the context of developing new pricing arrangements for branded medicines, we are exploring ways in which patients can continue to benefit from innovative cancer drugs at a cost that represents value to the national health service. NHS England is involved in this work.
Colorectal Cancer
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase the number of home testing kits used by men to detect bowel cancer returned after use. [161825]
Anna Soubry: The pilot of the original NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NHS BCSP) showed that men were less likely than women to complete a testing kit. That is why the Department funded the Men's Health Forum (MHF) to undertake a three year study on the uptake of bowel cancer screening in men. The project culminated in the report, 'Slow on the uptake? Encouraging male participation in the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme'. The report can be found by doing a search on the Men's Health Forum website.
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The main recommendations of the report were about the importance of general practitioner and other primary care staff and the importance of spouses and partners in men's decision-making about the test and whether they should complete a testing kit. Based on their report the MHF has developed an intervention to go with invitations to men urging them to talk to somebody before deciding whether or not to do the test.
This idea has been taken up by the NHS BCSP in Manchester, who have developed the leaflet—'Thinking about bowel cancer screening? Don't just think. Talk about it'. The MHF report has also been shared widely around other local NHS BCSPs, and has been presented to the National Cancer Equality Initiative and the Bowel Screening Advisory Committee.
Going forward, addressing inequalities in cancer screening will be a matter for Public Health England (PHE), the expert national public health agency which fulfils the Secretary of State's statutory duty to protect health and address inequalities, and executes his power to promote the health and wellbeing of the nation.
NHS Cancer Screening Programmes, now part of the PHE Health and Wellbeing Directorate, are contributing to work to ensure that health equity is integrated within screening programmes, and to identify and promote areas of good practice to achieve this.
Dementia
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each age group were diagnosed with dementia in each of the last five years. [161834]
Norman Lamb: Information on dementia diagnosis by age is not collected centrally. Information on the total number of people in England with a diagnosis of dementia is shown in the following table:
| Prevalence of dementia in England | ||||
| List size (All patients). | Number of practices participating in QOF | Number of patients on dementia register | Prevalence (percentage) | |
| Source: Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) | ||||
Dentistry
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many training placements have been available for dental graduates over the last five years; and how many such placements were awarded to (a) UK graduates and (b) overseas and EU graduates; [162173]
(2) what recent assessment his Department has made of the availability of training placements for UK dental graduates. [162226]
Dr Poulter:
Up until 2012, when a national recruitment scheme was introduced in England, foundation trainees were recruited locally under the oversight of the 11 postgraduate dental deans in England. When the English
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national scheme was established Wales decided to join, so the 2012 figures encompass places in both England and Wales.
Information is not held centrally about the nationality of dentists who were successful in obtaining places before 2012. Such information as is available is shown in the following table.
| Dental foundation training places: England 2008-12, England and Wales 2012(1) | ||||
| Foundation training places funded | Places filled by European Economic Area dentists | Places filled by other overseas dentists | Total dentists placed | |
| (1 )Figures are from England Postgraduate Dental Deans. (2 )The step increase in 2010 was to provide for the increased number of graduates expected from English dental schools as a result of the increase in annual admissions quota for English dental schools that was made in 2005. (3 )Includes 60 places in Wales. | ||||
In recent years there has been pressure on the availability of places for English (and other United Kingdom) graduates as significant numbers of overseas dentists, including dentists from countries in the European Economic Area, have competed for foundation training places and have sometimes been ranked higher than home applicants.
Health Education England is keeping the situation with regard to the 2013 cohort of graduates under close review.