Press: Subscriptions
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months. [162653]
James Brokenshire: For the most recently available 12-month period (July 2012 to June 2013), the Home Department spent £66,057 on newspapers, periodicals and trade magazines.
Prostitution: Greater London
Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many brothels were identified by the Metropolitan Police in each London borough in each of the last three years. [161747]
2 July 2013 : Column 567W
Mr Jeremy Browne: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 February 2013, Official Report column 760W.
Security Guards: Licensing
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether she plans to introduce legislation in this Session to reform regulation of the private security industry; [162237]
(2) when she plans to publish the response to the consultation on proposals to reform regulation of the private security industry. [162244]
James Brokenshire: Legislation designed for the regulation of businesses in the private security industry will be introduced this Session.
A response to the Home Office consultation on a future regulatory regime for the private security industry will be published later in the summer.
Serious Organised Crime Agency
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made to date on moving the Serious and Organised Crime Agency to the National Crime Agency. [162768]
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Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government are committed to establishing the National Crime Agency (NCA) by the end of 2013 and are well on track to do so—the NCA will be delivered in October this year. Following Royal Assent of the Crime and Courts Bill on 25 April 2013, the NCA became a legal entity on 27 May 2013. The NCA top team is almost complete and the four new commands have all been established and are leading shadow operations. Staff and property transfer schemes which will enable (SOCA) staff and assets to be transferred to the NCA will be laid before Parliament shortly.
Sick Leave
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many days on average staff of her Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [162585]
James Brokenshire: Table 1 includes the average working days lost to sickness absence in each pay grade in the Home Department for each of the last 12 months (June 2012 to May 2013).
Figures include both the parent Home Department as well as any executive agencies at the end of each month but exclude non-departmental public bodies.
| Table 1: Rolling year average days lost (RYAWDL) to sick absence in each of the last 12 months | ||||||||||||
| 2012 | 2013 | |||||||||||
| Grade equivalency | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May |
| Notes: 1 .Organisational Coverage: Figures up to and including 30 November 2012: Comprise Home Office headquarters and its executive agencies (United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA), Identity and Passport Service (IPS), National Fraud Authority (NFA) and Criminal Records Bureau (CRB)). Figures from 31 December 2012 to 31 March 2013: On 3 December 2012 CRB left the Home Office and, together with the Independent Safeguarding Authority, formed a new non-departmental public body, the Disclosure and Barring Service. Sick absences attributed to CRB employees have, therefore, been excluded from the figures from this date. Figures from 30 April 2013: On 1 April 2013 the Home Office underwent a significant restructure; UKBA was abolished and its teams were incorporated into the former Home Office headquarters area of the Department. At the same time, IPS was renamed Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO). Figures therefore include Home Office (including former headquarters areas as well as the former UKBA areas) and its executive agencies (NFA and HMPO). 2. Calculation and Employee Coverage: Rolling Year Average Working Days Lost (RYAWDL) to sick absence is reported in line with Cabinet Office standards, definitions and reporting guidelines, using Office for National Statistics methodology: figures include all working days lost to sick absence as well as working days available for all current paid civil servants and any leavers who were paid at the time of their departure during the preceding 12 months. In March 2013 the Home Office introduced a new Oracle-based corporate HR MI system called Galena; RYAWDL figures from 31 March 2013 have been calculated using this system. Prior to this, legacy systems were used to calculate RYAWDL. The table includes calculations based on both systems in line with the time period covered by the question. Source: Data View—the Home Office's single source of Office for National Statistics compliant monthly snapshot corporate Human Resources data. Extract date: Data View is extracted on the first day of the following month. Period covered: 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2013 | ||||||||||||
Staff
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months. [162617]
James Brokenshire: The information is as follows:
(a) The Home Department spent £3,398,825 on recruitment agency fees (including the provision of agency staff) in the 2012-13 financial year.
(b) The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
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(c) We are unable to break this down monthly, but able to provide the quarterly figures as follows:
| £ | |
Stephen Lawrence
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the statement of 24 June 2013, Official Report, columns 25-37, on undercover policing, when she expects the Ellison review to report. [161998]
Damian Green: It is critically important that the Ellison review is thorough and comprehensive in identifying and assessing any evidence of wrongdoing to inform decisions on next steps.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department’s written ministerial statement of 11 July 2012, Official Report, columns 30-31WS, estimated that the review would report in July 2013. As the Secretary of State said in her statement of 24 June 2013, Official Report, columns 25-27, given the need to consider the latest allegations, the review will now be reporting later than intended.
Steroid Drugs
Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of men taking steroids. [163019]
Mr Jeremy Browne: Findings from the 2011-12 Crime Survey for England and Wales show that around 0.4% of men aged 16 to 59 had used anabolic steroids in the last year, equating to around 69,000 men.
Termination of Employment
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement. [160909]
James Brokenshire: The Home Office has taken this to mean:
“in cases where there was no litigation and where the confidentiality clause prevents the individual from disclosing or discussing the existence, negotiation and terms of settlement”.
We are unable to provide information on litigation matters in relation to judicial mediation, as these data are not held centrally. When using such clauses, the Home Office and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are mindful of business needs and the requirements of law, including accountability to Parliament.
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A compromise agreement and confidentiality clause has been used on the following number of occasions:
2010-11: 3
2011-12: 3
2012-13: 6
The NDPBs position on record keeping for such matters is as follows, but none have reported judicial mediations, and where numbers are reported they are for compromise agreements and include a confidentiality clause:
National Policing Improvement Agency
2010-11: 0
2011-12: 0
2012-13: 1
Serious Organised Crime Agency
2010-11: 3
2011-12: 4
2012-13: 4
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)—Existed since 1 December 2012
Therefore the DBS can only report on a four month period—0.
Independent Safeguarding Authority
Nil return
2010-11: 59
2011-12: 0
2013-13: 0
2010-11: Nil return
2011-12: Nil return
2012-13: 1
Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
No data held
Independent Police Complaints Commission
The information is held but could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's vacancy rate was in 2012-13; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2013-14. [162671]
James Brokenshire: Estimates of vacancy rates are not calculated centrally. The Department's vacancy rate in 2012-13 and an estimate for 2013-14 could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
International Development
Billing
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque. [162636]
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Mr Duncan: The average cost to DFID of processing the payment of an invoice from the UK during 2012-13 is £7.25. All payments made from the United Kingdom are paid electronically.
Developing Countries: Nutrition
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to invest in better data collection for information on chronic malnutrition and stunting. [162325]
Justine Greening: DFID (alongside other signatories) committed in the Nutrition for Growth compact to ensure strengthened data systems, common definitions and progress indicators are in place, supported by real-time monitoring tools to measure and report progress on chronic malnutrition (stunting).
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to involve civil society in developing the Nutrition for Growth accountability framework. [162326]
Justine Greening: In developing the accountability framework for Nutrition for Growth, we intend to engage with civil society organisations, which we expect will play a key role in advocacy for accountability.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had about the accountability framework for Nutrition for Growth; and which institution will be responsible for housing it. [162327]
Justine Greening: Discussions are under way with partners to develop the accountability mechanism and institutional home for the commitments made at the Nutrition for Growth event. Further details will be set out at the UN General Assembly in September 2013.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the accountability framework for Nutrition for Growth will cover the UN system and private sector institutions in addition to donors and Governments; and if she will make a statement. [162328]
Justine Greening: All of the commitments made at the Nutrition for Growth event, including those from Governments, UN agencies and businesses, are captured in a document published on the Government website
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-host-high-level-meeting-on-global-nutrition-and-growth
This is a tool which stakeholders can use to hold each other to account and is one aspect of the accountability framework.
Discussions are under way with partners to develop the wider accountability mechanism and institutional home for the commitments made at the event. Further details will be set out at the UN General Assembly in September 2013.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to open new bilateral nutrition programmes as part of the UK funding commitment made at the recent Nutrition for Growth summit. [162329]
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Justine Greening: On June 8, DFID announced that it will increase its spend on direct nutrition programmes to up to £375 million (a tripling of 2010 levels) from 2013 to 2020. This means a significant scale up of nutrition programmes. We will work closely with DFID country offices, partner Governments, donors and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement as part of the decision making process on the allocation of investment.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department plans to prioritise any (a) countries and (b) regions to receive the UK funding committed at the recent Nutrition for Growth Summit. [162330]
Justine Greening: DFID will continue to prioritise nutrition interventions in countries with a high burden of undernutrition and where we have bilateral programmes. DFID will work closely with its country offices, partner Governments, donors and the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement as part of the decision making process.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that other G8 nations and donors make funding commitments to tackle malnutrition. [162331]
Justine Greening: Nutrition for Growth: beating hunger through business and science, held as a pre-G8 event on 8 June, was part of DFID's efforts to ensure that other G8 nations and donors make funding commitments to tackle malnutrition. International financial commitments made by G8 nations, donors, partner Governments and civil society organisations amounted to an additional £2.7 billion for programmes to directly tackle malnutrition. In addition, £12.5 billion was committed for programmes in agriculture, sanitation and hygiene and social safety nets, which will also reduce malnutrition.
Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to tackle malnutrition in (a) India, (b) Nigeria, (c) Pakistan and (d) Indonesia. [162332]
Justine Greening: DFID supports programmes in India, Nigeria and Pakistan which reach close to 8 million people with a range of essential nutrition services and technical advice. DFID does not have a bilateral nutrition programme in Indonesia.
India
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much overseas aid is allocated to India from the UK's international development budget. [162902]
Mr Duncan: Information on how much overseas aid is allocated to India can be found on the gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13
In a written ministerial statement last November, the Secretary of State announced that the UK's programme of financial grant aid to India will end. All new development co-operation programmes will be either technical assistance programmes, or private sector investments. DFID will finish existing financial grant projects, so that they all complete as planned by 2015.
2 July 2013 : Column 573W
Legal Costs
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on external lawyers' fees in the last year for which figures are available. [162519]
Mr Duncan: The central finance records of DFID show expenditure, categorised as external legal costs, totalling £404,849.79 for the year ended 31 March 2013. This excludes amounts paid to internal legal services within Government, including fees paid to the Treasury Solicitors department.
Palestinians
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent discussions she has had with her Norwegian counterpart on Palestinian Authority payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails; [162369]
(2) what assessment her Department has made of the decision in Norway to establish a parliamentary committee inquiring into Palestinian Authority payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. [162370]
Lynne Featherstone: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 18 March 2013, Official Report, column 428-30W.
Sick Leave
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many days on average staff of her Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months. [162586]
Mr Duncan: The average number of days absence per grade for home civil servants is shown in the following table
| DFID Grade | Civil service equivalent | Average days absence April 2012 to March 2013 |
Vacancies
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's vacancy rate was in 2012-13; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2013-14. [162672]
Mr Duncan: We have applied an 8% vacancy rate across the organisation for budget purposes in 2013-14. In previous years vacancy rates were monitored and managed at a local business unit level.
2 July 2013 : Column 574W
Deputy Prime Minister
Local Growth Committee
Mr Umunna: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which Ministers will be members of the Government's Local Growth Committee; and what terms of reference that committee will have. [162158]
The Deputy Prime Minister: The membership of the Local Growth Committee is listed as follows:
Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council (Chair)
(The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP)
Chancellor of the Exchequer (Deputy Chair)
(The Rt Hon George Osborne MP)
Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills
(The Rt Hon Dr Vincent Cable MP)
Secretary of State for Education
(The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP)
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
(The Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP)
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
(The Rt Hon Edward Davey MP)
Secretary of State for Transport
(The Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP)
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP)
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Minister for Women and Equalities
(The Rt Hon Maria Miller MP)
Minister without Portfolio
(The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
(The Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP)
Minister of State—Cabinet Office
(The Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP)
Minister of State—Business, Innovation and Skills
(The Rt Hon David Willets MP)
Commercial Secretary to the Treasury
(The Rt Hon Lord Deighton KBE)
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
(The Rt Hon Greg Clark MP).
“To consider issues relating to local growth.”
Work and Pensions
Bereavement Benefits
Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason people over the age of eligibility to receive a state pension are ineligible to receive a bereavement payment. [162904]
Steve Webb: Bereavement payment is payable to a surviving spouse or civil partner over state pension age if their late husband wife or civil partner was not entitled to category A state pension when they died, and they satisfied the other conditions of entitlement.
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Carer’s Allowance
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has any plans to review the carer's allowance. [162081]
Esther McVey: The Government have announced that carer's allowance will continue to exist as a separate benefit outside of universal credit. It was thought important that carers should continue to enjoy the recognition and support of a dedicated benefit, but we will be reviewing carer's allowance in the context of the introduction of universal credit.
Construction: Industrial Health and Safety
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reintroduce the provisions contained in the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations. [162310]
Mr Hoban: The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 were amended when the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989 were revoked. The amendments extend the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 to cover the provision and use of head protection on construction sites, providing the same level of legal protection as previously existed.
Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 882, on work capability assessment, if he will publish a table of the main reasons why appellants are successful on appeal against employment and support allowance appeals. [162318]
Mr Hoban: The provision of feedback on reasons for tribunal's decisions is a matter for the judiciary. Last year the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the President of the Social Entitlement Chambers, His Honour Judge Robert Martin agreed to pilot a scheme to provide feedback from tribunals to help inform DWP decision makers about why decisions were being overturned.
A report focusing on high-level explanations from tribunal judges of why decisions by DWP decision makers had been overturned was published by the DWP on 19 November 2012 and can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/196742/sscs_appeals.pdf.pdf
Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing
Mrs Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to assist those affected by the social sector size criteria to move to smaller homes. [162888]
Steve Webb: The changes taken forward in the Localism Act 2011 make it easier for councils and housing associations to move under-occupying tenants, and free up family-sized housing for other households in need.
The Government have also provided councils with £7.8 million between 2011 and 2013 to help support social tenants who wish to downsize. The Government
2 July 2013 : Column 576W
also continues to fund an action team within the Chartered Institute of Housing to work with all social landlords to help them promote moves.
Members: Correspondence
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will reply to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton's letter of 21 May 2013 from a constituent concerning the loss of disability living allowance and a mobility vehicle for her daughter. [163022]
Esther McVey: John Oliver, the Department's Director for Operational Excellence replied to my hon. Friend on behalf of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith), on 26 June 2013.
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the spending review, (1) what additional costs will be incurred as a result of (a) Upfront Work Search, (b) jobcentre attendance by lone parents of three and four-year-olds and (c) weekly signing for half of all jobseekers to be implemented in 2015-16; [162833]
(2) what estimate he has made of the reduction in benefit spending in 2015-16 as a result of (a) Upfront Work Search, (b) weekly signing by jobseekers and (c) new conditionality for lone parents with a youngest child aged three and four years old. [162837]
Mr Hoban: The reforms we have announced will deliver over £350 million in annual savings. All these savings will be re-invested in more help for claimants to get back into work, including the cost of the new conditions jobcentres will be asked to enforce. There will be a phased introduction of these policies from early 2014, with full implementation by April 2015.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the spending review, what saving he anticipates will accrue to his Department in 2015-16 as a result of the (a) application of the welfare cap, (b) introduction of a temperature test for the winter fuel payment and (c) new seven-day wait before people can claim benefits. [162834]
Mr Hoban: The welfare cap will improve spending control, support fiscal consolidation and ensure the welfare system remains affordable. If the Office for Budget Responsibility projects that spending will breach the cap in any year of the forecast horizon, the Government will need to bring forward a response—changing policy or explaining publicly why they judge that action is not appropriate. The Government will announce the level of the cap at Budget 2014.
The Department estimates that the introduction of a temperature link for the winter fuel payment, will produce savings in the region of £30 million in 2015/16. The level
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of savings will be assessed and certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility at the autumn statement.
As published in the OBR policy costing notes, costings for the new seven-day waiting period before people receive benefits have been estimated on the basis that from April 2015, new awards of universal credit for claimants that have not had a universal credit claim in the past six months and at least one person in the household is subject to conditionality, are reduced by the average amount of universal credit claimed per claimant per week. This would save £245 million in 2015-16.
Unemployment and Early Retirement
John Robertson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has
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made of trends in the number of
(a)
jobseekers and
(b)
people taking early retirement in (i) Glasgow North West constituency, (ii) Glasgow, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK; what projections he has made of trends in each category for each of the next five years; and what assessment he has made of the economic factors underlying those trends. [162313]
Mr Hoban: The following table shows jobseeker’s allowance claimants in the Glasgow North West parliamentary constituency, Glasgow City local authority district, Scotland and the UK. The number of people claiming JSA has fallen in all these areas, both in the last year and since May 2010.
| May 2010 | May 2011 | May 2012 | May 2013 | Change on year 2012-13 | Change since May 2010 | |
| Note: For consistency, figures above are not seasonally adjusted (seasonally adjusted data are only available at a national and regional level, not sub-regional). As such, the UK and Scotland figures will differ from the normally quoted headline numbers. Source: nomisweb.co.uk | ||||||
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) produces an independent forecast of the claimant count. The latest forecast is published at:
http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/March-2013-EFO-44734674673453.pdf
OBR forecasts are only available at national level.
There is no officially recognised definition of “early” retirement. The default retirement age has been abolished. Receiving a state pension at state pension age is not synonymous with retirement from work.
The following table shows the number of people self-reporting as “retired” before state pension age. People leave the labour market for a variety of reasons. Some who report other reasons for inactivity may in effect be retired, so the figures are likely to be an underestimate. There are no projections for the number of people who will retire early.
| “Retired” before State Pension Age (assumed 65 for men, 60 for women) | Q2 2010 | Q2 2011 | Q2 2012 | Change since 2010 |
| Notes: 1. These data are subject to sampling variation. Sample sizes were too small to produce figures for Glasgow City or the Glasgow North West parliamentary constituency. 2. State pension age for women is currently increasing from 60 in 2010 to 65 in 2018. For the purposes of showing a consistent comparison over time the figures in the table assume SPA for women remained at 60. Source: Labour Force Survey April-June 2010, 2011, 2012 | ||||
Welfare State: Reform
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, on 26 June 2013, Official Report, columns 303-334, on the spending review, what criteria he will use to identify the under-performing programmes in his Department mentioned in that statement; and if he will make a statement. [162835]
Mr Hoban: The Department continually assesses the value for money and performance of programmes to ensure that they meet the standards required. Where formal evaluations are undertaken, these are, and will continue to be published.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from the Chancellor of the Exchequer on under-performing programmes in his Department. [162836]
Mr Hoban: The Department continuously receives and seeks feedback and views on all aspects of its delivery, which are used to inform future policy development and ensure that the best possible value for money is received from all programmes and activity.
Winter Fuel Payments
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration he has given to paying the winter fuel allowance early to allow the early purchase of fuel stocks when prices are lower. [162429]
Steve Webb: We have considered this, and concluded that it would not be feasible to identify subgroups within a flat rate universal benefit. However, we are working with DECC, consumer groups and the industry on initiatives such as encouraging off-grid consumers to pool resources and purchase fuel in bulk to attract lower delivery costs, as discussed at the roundtable chaired by DECC and DEFRA Ministers in May.
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Business, Innovation and Skills
Adult Education
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department (a) collects and (b) holds on participation rates in adult education in each Government office region. [163066]
Matthew Hancock: The Individualised Learner Record (ILR) is a collection of data about learners and their learning that is requested from providers in the Further Education (FE) and Skills sector:
http://www.theia.org.uk/ilr/
Information on all Government-funded adult (19+) learner participation by Region is published in supplementary tables to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR):
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C74D91A3-4CEE-4FD2-9A22-4307920D11A8/0/January2013_OverallFEandSkillsParticipation.xls
Animal Experiments
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 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. [162212]
Mr Willetts: The Government established The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) in May 2004 to advance and promote the 3Rs in research and testing that uses animals. The NC3Rs primarily receives Government funding through BIS via the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
MRC and BBSRC funding for the NC3Rs between 2009 and 2012 is shown in the following table. Alongside funding directed through the NC3Rs, the BBSRC provides funding for research on the replacement, refinement and reduction of animals in research and spend on this is indicated in the table. The MRC also supports research projects which contribute to the development of new knowledge and new methods that help replace or refine animal use.
| £ | ||||
| NC3Rs | ||||
| BBSRC Programmes and Responsive Mode funding | MRC | BBSRC | Total BIS funding | |
MRC and BBSRC have agreed to maintain funding for the NC3Rs in real terms for the current spending review period. In addition to this funding the MRC
2 July 2013 : Column 580W
have agreed to provide an further £1 million per year for three years for industry co-sponsored projects through the CRACK IT initiative from FY 2013/14, and BBSRC are providing an extra £300,000 per year for three years from FY 2012/13 for project and pilot grants under the animal welfare call. Also, in early 2013 BIS provided the NC3Rs with an additional £250,000 for two years from FY 2013/14 for the development of shared research infrastructure.
Business Bank Project
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 249W, how many (a) of his Department's officials and (b) Capital For Enterprise Limited employees are part of his Department's interim business bank team. [162783]
Michael Fallon: There are currently 31.3 full-time equivalent staff working in the Department on the business bank initiative, either on the establishment of the business bank or on the programmes which are expected to form part of it.
There are currently a total of 33.6 full-time equivalents working at Capital for Enterprise Ltd, all of whom are contributing to the business bank project.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to his answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, column 249W, within which directorate the interim business bank team is located in his Department. [162784]
Michael Fallon: The Department's interim business bank team is predominantly located in the Shareholder Executive and Enterprise Directorate directorates.
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an application for approval under EU state aid rules of the Government's business bank proposal. [162785]
Michael Fallon: Officials in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills are in continuing dialogue with the Commission regarding the business bank and its activities, in preparation for submitting a formal notification to the Commission later this year.
Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what steps he plans to take to ensure that implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and changes to the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) system in the UK leads to all hazardous WEEE being obligated and funded post-recast; [162277]
(2) what steps he plans to take to ensure that implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and changes to the UK waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) system will minimise adverse environmental effects of WEEE disposal; [162278]
(3) what meetings officials of his Department have had with representatives of producers and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) treatment facilities to discuss the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU consultation; and if he will make a statement; [162280]
2 July 2013 : Column 581W
(4) what assessment he has made of the likely effects of using percentage targets as maximums on the overall level of waste electrical and electronic equipment collected. [162281]
Michael Fallon: The Government consultation, Implementation of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and Changes to the UK WEEE System (BIS/13/762), closed on 21 June 2013. BIS officials are currently evaluating the responses. The Government response to the consultation will be published shortly. It will set out how the Government intend to transpose the recast WEEE Directive in a way that ensures the environmental objectives agreed at the EU level are met whilst minimising the burdens on business.
BIS officials have had extensive and regular discussions directly with key stakeholders over the 18 months leading up to the publication of the consultation paper in April this year. The consultation document lists key stakeholders that were consulted before publication.
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he will take to prevent producer compliance schemes allowing companies to obtain or abuse a dominant market position in the disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) as a result of the WEEE Recast Directive 2012/19/EU and changes to the UK WEEE system. [162279]
Michael Fallon: Protection against anti-competitive behaviour and abuse by a company of a dominant position in the market in particular is prohibited under the Competition Act 1998. Responsibility for enforcing competition law falls to the Office of Fair Trading as the competent authority in the UK. It has significant powers to investigate and act if it finds firms are abusing a dominant position or behaving anti-competitively.
Engineering
Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will consider establishing a new post of Government Chief Engineering Officer. [162066]
Mr Willetts: The remit of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser covers all areas of science and engineering. In addition, the network of Chief Scientific Advisers (CSAs) across Government includes those with expertise in all areas of science. Three of the current CSAs are engineers, including the CSA in BIS. They, like all CSAs, contribute their expertise across Government. The Government therefore do not consider it necessary to create a specific post of Government Chief Engineering Officer. Departments which have a strong need for additional engineering expertise can recruit such. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), for example, have recently appointed a Chief Engineer within the DECC CSA's team.
Green Investment Bank
Mr Umunna:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what target he has set for the (a) number and (b) value of investments made under the Green Investment Bank in each of the next
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two years; and what assessment he has made of progress against such targets to date. [162239]
Michael Fallon: There is no specific target as to the total value or number of commitments the Green Investment Bank should make in any given year. To date the Bank has committed £635 million and its senior management is confident of committing the full £3.8 billion that has now been allocated to the Bank for the period to April 2016. The Bank has full flexibility to carry over funds between years within the current spending review period to April 2015. It also has scope to make commitments during this spending review period which only crystallise as spending after April 2015. This flexibility is limited to a maximum of £500 million per annum.
Local Enterprise Partnerships
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has (a) made and (b) commissioned of the effectiveness of local enterprise partnerships and their operation. [162782]
Michael Fallon: The Government do not carry out formal assessments of the effectiveness of local enterprise partnerships. As partnerships of business and civic leaders, local enterprise partnerships are first and foremost accountable to their local community and local businesses.
Post Offices
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress the Government has made in achieving its aim of making the Post Office a front office for local and national government. [162333]
Jo Swinson: Under EU procurement rules Government Departments, their agencies and local authorities must procure services in a competitive tendering process. The Post Office, with its network of over 11,500 branches, is well placed to become a provider of front office services, helping citizens interact with Government either face-to-face or online.
Post Office Ltd has shown that it can competitively tender for new work, and since March 2011 has won the following contracts:
DVLA Front Office Counter Services (identity verification and enrolment, also a framework contract that can be used by other Government Departments and agencies)
UK Borders Agency (biometric residency permits)
Taxi and Private Hire (previously Public Carriage Office) (identity verification for CRB checks)
Care Quality Commission (identity verification for CRB checks)
Driver Standards Agency (identity Verification for CRB checks)
Skills Funding Agency (identity verification for the Learner Passport scheme)
DWP ID Framework (ensures a customer has a trusted identity before accessing online services. This framework contract has been transferred to GPS in the Cabinet Office)
London Public Service Network (identity enrolment for local authority employees)
Westminster city council (contract to provide a number of face to face council services)
London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (contract to provide a number of face to face council services)
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I am hopeful that the Post Office will be able to build on this success to bid competitively for, and win, further front office for Government work.
Post Offices: Rhyl
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made on the closure of Rhyl Crown post office. [162908]
Jo Swinson: The Government are fully committed to modernising the post office network and to safeguarding its future. This is why we are investing £1.34 billion over the next two years to modernise the network, helping the post office to compete in a changing retail market with no programme of closures.
Ensuring that the heavy losses of the Crown post office segment of the network are eliminated to reach break-even by 2015 is a key element of the strategy to make the network sustainable.
The Government do not have any role in the franchising proposals for Crown post office branches such as Rhyl. The development and implementation, following local public consultation, of such proposals is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd.
Prisons: Education
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many educational qualifications were awarded to prisoners in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 by (i) type of qualification and (ii) prison. [163029]
Matthew Hancock: Information on the number of Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) courses enrolled on and achieved by sector subject area, is available at the following link:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/FA56D899-CCCA-4D1A-A9DB-8B2A78DF4AC2/0/January2013_OLASS_Aims_SSA.xls
Information on OLASS learner participation and achievement by level is available at the following link:
http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/11E30F3F-C15D-4C8B-9064-710454EEC3F5/0/January2013_OLASS_Participation Achievement.xls
Final data are shown for the 2010/11 and 2011/12 academic years.
Information on the number of OLASS achievement by prison name will be placed in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is received.
Staff
Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the headcount of (a) his Department and (b) its Executive agencies and public bodies was in each month since May 2010, broken down by office location. [162781]
Jo Swinson:
The following table shows the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) headcount by each month since May 2010. We can only provide a breakdown by office location for the current month,
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May 2013. To obtain this information for previous months, from May 2010 would result in disproportionate costs.
| BIS headcount (including UKTI) | |
| BIS location | Headcount May 2013 |
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All BIS core (including UKTI) headcount data is published on a monthly basis and can be found at the following link:
http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/staff
BIS reports annually to the Office of National Statistics on headcount data by location and information for 2010/11 and 2011/12 can be found at the following link:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-279335
I have asked chief executives of the Executive agencies to respond directly to the hon. Member. This information is not held by BIS in respect of non-departmental public bodies.
Copies of the chief executives’ letters will be placed in the Library of the House.
Students: Fees
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the anticipated revenue from tuition fees charged in higher education institutions in England in each year since 2010 will be; and if he will make a statement. [162987]
Mr Willetts: Estimates of future income from tuition fees were published in the January 2013 grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England. These are shown as follows, alongside estimates of income for 2010-11 and 2011-12.
| Fee income from students subject to regulated fees(1) | |
| Financial year | £ million |
| (1) Estimated income for 2010-11 and 2011-12. Forecasts for 2012-13 onwards | |
These figures cover full-time and part-time, home and EU domiciled students at institutions in England. They exclude those whose fees are paid by the Department of Health.
The grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) for 2013-14 can be found here:
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http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/newsarchive/2013/name,76313,en.html
The figures for 2010-11 and 2011-12 are estimated using data from the HE Finance Plus report, published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), which can be found here:
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_ pubs&task=show_pub_detail&pubid=1710&Itemid=276
Transport
Cycling: Accidents
Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured on the UK's roads for each of the last 3 years; and what steps the Government have taken to improve cycling safety. [162901]
Stephen Hammond: The number of reported pedal cyclists that have been (a) killed and (b) seriously injured in Great Britain in each of last three years are given in the following table.
| Number of reported pedal cycle casualties in Great Britain: 2010-12 | |||
| Number of casualties | |||
| Pedal cyclists | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
Together with local contributions, earlier this year we announced £40 million of funding for cycle safety schemes in England outside London. The funding will improve the design and layout of roads at 78 locations across the country, with all schemes due for completion within the next 12 months. Also, 94 out of the 96 schemes in the £600 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund include a cycling element.
We have given local authorities flexibility to introduce 20 mph speed limits in residential areas and a process for applications for further rural 40 mph zones. We have also made it easier for authorities to install Trixi mirrors to improve the visibility of cyclists at junctions. Furthermore, our THINK! campaign, ‘THINK CYCLIST’, highlights the importance of drivers and cyclists looking out for each other.
Driving Licences
Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the application fee for a new driving licence was in each of the last 10 years. [157470]
Stephen Hammond: The following table shows the fees for all driving licences since 2001:
| £ | |||||
| Licence type | From 15 November 2001 | From 1 March 2004 | From 1 May 2007 | From 1 April 2008 | From 6 April 2009 |
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East Coast Railway Line
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what precautions are in place to avoid cartel collusion by potential bidders for the ECML franchise. [162075]
Mr Simon Burns: All bidders for the East Coast Mainline (ECML) franchise will be required to enter into a franchise letting process agreement in which they sign up to anti-collusion provisions.
The ECML franchise competition is subject to UK competition law as enforced by the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what comparative studies his Department has conducted of the qualifying distance for compensation paid to land and property owners under (a) High Speed 2 and (b) comparable schemes in other EU member states. [162351]
Mr Simon Burns: Legal and administrative frameworks relating to land tenure, infrastructure development, compulsory purchase and compensation vary substantially across EU member states, so we have no reason to believe a comparative study of that kind would produce relevant or useful information. The Department, therefore, has not conducted this sort of comparative study.
Railways: Finance
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much each train operator had to pay in rail access charges in each year between 2004 and 2012. [162235]
Mr Simon Burns: The data requested refer to transactions between private train operating companies and Network Rail which is not held by the Department. However, information for recent years is contained within Network Rail's Regulatory Financial Statements which are available on their website at:
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browsedirectory .aspx?dir=%5Crequlatory%20documents %5Cregulatory %20compliance%20and%20reporting%5Cregulatory%2 0accounts&root
George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to increase rail access charges. [162236]
Mr Simon Burns: The Office of Rail Regulation determines the appropriate level of track access charges through its periodic reviews of Network Rail's costs and charges. The periodic review for the next five-year control period is in progress and ORR published its draft conclusions on 12 June, which are open to consultation until 4 September:
http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/pr13/consultations/draft-determination.php
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Railways: Industrial Disputes
Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been paid in each year since 1996 by his Department to reimburse or ameliorate net losses of a franchised operator arising from industrial action. [162794]
Norman Baker: The total amounts paid to train operators, in each year when any such payments were made, were as follows:
| £ | |
| (1) Less than. | |
The payments in 2003 and 2004 were made by the Strategic Rail Authority rather than the Department for Transport.
Railways: Overcrowding
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the frequency with which railway passengers are required to stand for more than 20 minutes as a result of train overcrowding. [162355]
Norman Baker: The Department for Transport publishes an annual statistical release on Rail passenger numbers and crowding on weekdays in major cities in England and Wales. The latest publication based on 2011 data can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49880/rail-passengers-crowding-2011-revised.pdf
The statistics show rail passenger numbers on trains throughout the day in several major cities, as well as the levels of peak crowding. Tables Rai0212 and Rai0213 show the total number of passengers standing in the peaks on arrival into and on departure from major stations on a typical day:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/49881/rail-passenger-xls-tables-revised.zip
Roads: Repairs and Maintenance
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings have been held and with whom to review the road maintenance block grant since 1 January 2010; and what the outcome was of those meetings. [162256]
Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 19 June 2013, Official Report, column 678W.
Rolling Stock: Procurement
Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will remove the requirement in the National Rail franchise terms for train operating companies to seek his agreement before altering the class designations of rolling stock. [162350]
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Mr Simon Burns: There are currently no plans to remove or amend the provision for train operating companies to seek the agreement of the Secretary of State before altering the class designations of rolling stock.
Speed Limits: Cameras
Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department's latest guidelines for the placement of speed cameras specifies that speed camera housings must be coloured yellow. [162142]
Stephen Hammond: It is for local authorities and police to decide whether or not to use speed cameras and how they wish to operate them.
The Department's latest guidance on the placement, visibility and signing of speed cameras was contained in DFT Circular 01/2007.
Transport: Rural Areas
Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve transport links in rural areas (a) nationally and (b) in the North West. [162181]
Norman Baker: The Government has made investment in transport a top priority since 2010. Our investment will support jobs and growth and give confidence to industry, attracting inward investment. The Government will make sure all parts of the country benefit from this investment.
In looking at rural areas we will continue to work closely with ministers and officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Government's Rural Statement was published in September 2012 and this links fair access to services in rural areas, including transport, with the need for rural businesses to make a sustainable contribution to national growth.
At a local level the Local Transport Bodies and the in future Local Enterprise Partnerships will have an increasingly important role to play in deciding transport investment priorities for their areas with the creation of the Single Local Growth Fund. Importantly they can now do this with the benefit of the longer term commitment to funding infrastructure announced in the Spending Review.
The Government has already committed funding to support the provision of significant transport links in the North West. These include for instance road schemes that will assist rural areas such as the Heynsham to M6 link. At a more local level the Government's Local Sustainable Transport Fund is supporting innovative schemes in rural part of the NW, such as the Lake District Sustainable Visitor Transport Beacon project.
The Government also recognises and supports the role that Community Travel plays in providing transport links in rural areas. We have provided £20m specifically to help local authorities in rural areas foster community travel initiatives in their areas. Furthermore, we will soon be announcing successful bidders for the Cycling National Parks Grant, which as well as targeting improving cycle infrastructure is aimed at linking rural communities.
We have also continued to encourage the creation of Community Rail Partnerships, examples of existing partnerships include a number in the NW, such as the Cumbria Coastal Line and Community Rail Lancashire
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which includes 5 related partnerships: - Clitheroe Line; East Lancashire; Leeds, Lancaster and Morecambe; South Fylde and West of Lanes. Additionally the Green Bus Fund has helped to support 4 new low carbon buses in Cumbria.
Finally the Government has confirmed in the Spending Review that spending on buses will be protected for 2015/16, in recognition of the important role buses play as the backbone of the public transport system and key to a healthy, growing economy. Spending on buses plays an important role in providing transport in rural areas. The Government has also previously announced its intention to devolve around half of the existing Bus Service Operators Grant budget to local authorities to give them greater say over how that money should be spent. An announcement will be made very shortly on the final arrangements for implementing these changes.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Billing
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque. [162633]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) paid 61.5% of global invoices electronically and 29.2% of global invoices by cheque in May 2013. The residual balance is made up of small cash payments made by its overseas offices. The FCO's global operation means that payment of invoices is devolved to its overseas offices and therefore the average cost of processing the payment of an invoice on a global basis is not held centrally, and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.
In the UK, the FCO settles all invoices electronically. The average cost of processing an invoice for payment at the FCO's UK Corporate Service Centre in Milton Keynes is £2.53 for the month of May 2013.
British Overseas Territories
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which British Overseas Territories have ratified the Aarhus Convention to Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters. [162338]
Mark Simmonds: The UK's ratification of the Convention, which was deposited with the UN on 23 February 2005, does not currently extend to any of the UK Overseas Territories.
Human Rights: Business
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there is a confirmed date for the launch of the National Action Plan on business and human rights. [162224]
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Mr Lidington: The UK action plan on business and human rights has been developed across Whitehall and in consultation with businesses, industry-led associations and civil society. We hope to launch it soon but do not yet have a confirmed date.
Human Trafficking
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which countries the UK operates a joint investigation team to look into human trafficking. [161905]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The UK is currently operating five joint investigation teams with: Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Sweden.
Russia
Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Olympic Association on the implications for holding the Winter Olympics at Sochi of the tightening of anti-gay laws in Russia. [162375]
Mr Lidington: I am deeply concerned by the recent decision of the Russian Federation Council to approve a Bill which bans the distribution of “gay propaganda”. This decision will further marginalise the LGBT community in Russia. I am also concerned by the draft law banning foreign adoptions by same-sex couples and by single people in countries where same-sex marriage is legal. The Prime Minister raised concerns on a wide range of human rights issues, including the rights of all people to freedom of expression, in his meeting with President Putin in London on 16 June.
I have not had any discussions with the Olympic Association on this topic.
Education
Children: Human Trafficking
Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to prevent the re-trafficking of child victims of trafficking placed in local authority care. [162548]
Mr Timpson: Local authorities have well-established child support arrangements in place to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in need of protection, including trafficked children. The arrangements also include preventing and mitigating the risk of them going missing from care.
Local authorities work in close co-operation with the police and, where appropriate, the immigration service to support and provide protection for potentially trafficked children.
To improve the care of looked-after children, the Government have embarked on a major programme of reform and as a result of this work, the following consultations have just been launched:
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1. A consultation to strengthen safeguarding in children's homes.
2. A consultation to strengthen safeguards for looked-after children placed out of authority. This consultation also contains proposals to strengthen scrutiny of decisions to cease looking after 16 and 17-year-olds.
3. A consultation on revised statutory guidance on children who run away and go missing from home or care. This final consultation includes specific advice on how to support and safeguard children who may have been trafficked, and to minimise the risk of these children potentially being re-trafficked.
Further information can be found-on. the Department's website(1).
The Government has also asked the Refugee Council and The Children's Society to carry out a review of the practical care arrangements for children in care who may have been trafficked, and we expect this to report shortly.
(1 )https://www.education.gov.uk/consultations/