Members: Correspondence

Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the Minister of State for Immigration to reply to the letter of 18 February 2013 from the hon. Member for Angus regarding her constituent Lance Nicolle, ref M2610/13. [164843]

Mr Harper: I wrote to the hon. Member on 8 July 2013.

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for West Lancashire will receive a response to her letter, CTS reference: M4151/13; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply. [165018]

Mr Harper: I wrote to the hon. Member separately on this individual case on 10 July 2013.

The delay was due to administrative issues.

Mr Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will arrange for the hon. Member for Walsall North to received a reply to his letter of 3 June 2013 to the interim Director General, UK Visas and Immigration, on behalf of a constituent, CTS ref B15451/13. [165057]

Mr Harper: UK Visas and Immigration wrote to the hon. Member on 10 July 2013.

Passports: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people resident in Scotland hold a UK passport. [164579]

Mr Harper [holding answer 11 July 2013]: This information is not held by Her Majesty's Passport Office in the format requested. An applicant's place of residence is not relevant to consideration of the passport application.

However, information is available on the address provided at the time of application. 8.44% (442,955) of the total number of persons who applied for a new or renewal passport in the United Kingdom in financial

12 July 2013 : Column 444W

year 2011-12 did so from an address in Scotland. That percentage is broadly in line with the population distribution across the home nations.

International Development

Consultants

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much (a) she and (b) officials in her Department spent on external assistance to prepare for (i) appearances before select committees and (ii) contact with the media in (A) 2011-12 and (B) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement. [164671]

Justine Greening: None.

Food

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of all food procured for her Department was sourced from (a) British producers, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) producers which met British buying standards in the latest period for which figures are available. [164770]

Mr Duncan: All food used in DFID staff restaurants is procured by MITIE who are the catering providers. From 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 32% of all food purchased was from British producers and 85% was from producers who met British buying standards.

Prime Minister

Burma

Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the Government's aim is for the upcoming visit of President Thein Sein to the UK; and what the scope of any discussions that will be held between representatives of the Burmese and British Governments during that visit will be; [165053]

(2) what specific assurances he will be seeking from President Thein Sein regarding the treatment of the Rohingya Muslim community within Burma during his upcoming visit to the UK. [165054]

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will discuss with President Thein Sein during his visit to the UK the number of remaining political prisoners in Burma and a timetable for their release; [165047]

(2) if he will discuss with President Thein Sein during his visit to the UK efforts to end the conflicts in Kachin and Rakhine states and the need for full, independent and transparent investigations into the violence; [165048]

(3) if he will discuss with President Thein Sein the (a) treatment of the Rohingya, (b) need for unimpeded humanitarian access for all internally displaced persons, (c) reports of a two child policy imposed on the Rohingya community and (d) reviewing of the 1982 Citizenship Law; and if he will raise the Human Rights Watch report entitled, All You Can Do is Pray, with the President; [165049]

(4) if he will discuss the (a) role and accountability of the security forces in Burma, (b) level of sexual

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violence and

(c)

possibility of extending the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative to Burma with President Thein Sein during his visit to the UK; [165050]

(5) if he will discuss with President Thein Sein during his forthcoming visit to the UK (a) the opening of an office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Burma, (b) signing the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and (c) signing the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [165051]

The Prime Minister: President Thein Sein will visit the UK as a guest of the Government on 15 and 16 July. I will meet him in Downing street.

This visit will be an opportunity to discuss progress on political and economic reform, including the need for responsible trade and investment. It will also be an opportunity to raise our concerns about Kachin and Rakhine states, as well as human rights and the release of remaining political prisoners.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many answers to parliamentary questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a weblink to a website in the last year; [165475]

(2) what guidance No. 10 Downing street follows in determining whether, when answers to parliamentary questions which include statistics, those statistics are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a weblink to a website and (c) placed in the Library. [165494]

The Prime Minister: My answers to parliamentary questions are a matter of public record and can be found in the Official Report.

I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Leader of the House of Commons to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson) on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W.

Transport

A338

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any pinch point funding is available to assist Bournemouth Borough Council to fund a slip road from the A338. [164513]

Norman Baker: Dorset County Council submitted a bid for the A338 Bournemouth Spur Road to the Department for Transport requesting funding from the Local Pinch Point Fund. The Fund was very oversubscribed with the Department for Transport receiving over 170 bids requesting funding is excess of £400 million.

The Department announced 72 successful schemes, which together offered the best value for the taxpayer. I am afraid the Dorset bid was unsuccessful on this occasion.

This does not preclude Dorset County Council seeking funding from alternative sources, for example, the Single

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Local Growth Fund. I would recommend they liaise closely with their Local Transport Body and Local Enterprise Partnership on this matter.

Air Traffic Control

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will meet representatives from National Air Traffic Services to discuss the technical fault that occurred at the Swanwick air traffic control centre on 9 July 2013; [165121]

(2) if he will investigate the causes of the technical fault that occurred at the Swanwick air traffic control centre on 9 July 2013; [165122]

(3) what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) National Air Traffic Services and (b) Civil Aviation Authority on the reliability of the computer system at Swanwick air traffic control centre; [165123]

(4) what recent representations he has received expressing concern about the computer system at Swanwick air traffic control centre. [165124]

Mr Simon Burns: The Government place the highest priority on aviation safety, and I am satisfied that NATS has an excellent safety and performance record achieved through a highly proactive approach to risk management and mitigation in all processes and systems. I am also satisfied that the current legislative and regulatory framework offers robust assurance that those high standards will be maintained. Under this framework, the independent Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) monitors and regulates aviation safety. There is therefore no specific need to meet with NATS at this time.

On 9 July we understand that a small number of workstations at NATS Swanwick air traffic control centre were affected by a rare and complicated software sequencing error. I have been informed that this did not affect air safety as NATS operating procedure in such circumstances is to reduce traffic movements so that air traffic controllers are not faced with more flights than they can safely handle. The incident did result in some minor but unavoidable air traffic delays, but in just over two hours the workstations affected were back to full capacity allowing the disruption to passengers and airlines to be kept to a minimum.

NATS is required to provide a safe and efficient airspace that meets the requirements set by its air traffic licence and by the CAA. The CAA is aware of the incident at Swanwick on 9 July and is already in discussions with NATS regarding its ongoing investigations. In light of NATS internal investigation, and any further investigation the CAA might require, the CAA will take any appropriate action it deems necessary. The CAA will also advise me if there was any risk to either aviation safety or to the continuity of UK air traffic services arising from the incident.

I have had no recent discussions with NATS or the CAA, or received any representations, concerning the reliability of the computer systems at Swanwick. I am aware that the safety and efficiency of those systems are constantly monitored and I am confident that any serious problem would be brought to my attention.

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Boating: Safety

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it mandatory for drivers of powerboats to wear killcords. [164541]

Stephen Hammond: We are not pursuing legislation to make the wearing of kill cords mandatory.

In the majority of cases powerboats are used close to shore where Harbour Directions, Byelaws and General Directions are applied to enforce behavioural standards which, combined with the effective application of locally devised sanctions, are the most effective way of ensuring the use of kill cords.

However, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, in association with the police, Royal Yacht Association and the Royal National Lifeboat Institute work closely to promote maritime safety, including the importance of wearing a kill cord.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria are employed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in dealing with requests for information from private car parking companies. [164929]

Stephen Hammond: Information about the registered keepers of vehicles can be released to private car parking management companies if they can demonstrate reasonable cause for requiring it.

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which occasions the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has had to correct information given in response to freedom of information requests (FoIRs) related to private car parking companies; and on which occasions the Information Commissioner's Office has investigated information provided by the DVLA in response to FoIRs. [164930]

Stephen Hammond: Statistics showing how many freedom of information request responses have been corrected by the DVLA are not recorded. Although these occurrences are very rare.

Since the Freedom of Information Act came into force on 1 January 2005, the DVLA has answered over 3,500 requests. The Information Commissioner's Office has issued 15 decision notices to resolve complaints about the way the DVLA has answered a freedom of information request. The details are on the Information Commissioner's Office website. The Information Commissioner's Office investigated a further seven complaints that were resolved informally. None of these cases related to private car parking companies.

Electric Vehicles

Mr McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps he is taking to protect blind and partially sighted pedestrians from quiet and hybrid vehicles; [164997]

(2) if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure a minimum noise level for all vehicles; [164998]

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(3) if he will take steps so that it is mandatory for car manufacturers to install an alert system in all hybrid and electric vehicles; [164999]

Norman Baker: Negotiations are ongoing at EU level on a new regulation for road vehicle noise, and this includes proposals for noise generators to be fitted to all new electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. Once the negotiations are concluded I will consider how to implement the requirements in the UK.

Food

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of all food procured for their Department was sourced from (a) British producers, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) producers which met British buying standards in the latest period for which figures are available. [164774]

Norman Baker: I regret that this information is not centrally recorded in all areas of this Department, and so no meaningful figure is available.

Pedestrian Crossings

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds on how many pelican crossings and puffin crossings there are on roads in England and Wales. [164621]

Norman Baker: This information is not held centrally. Installation of traffic lights, including pelican and puffin crossings, is the responsibility of local traffic authorities.

Senior Civil Servants

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many senior civil servants left his Department and public bodies under voluntary exit and received a severance payment in each of the last three years; and what the value of such payments was. [164407]

Norman Baker: The information requested is provided in the following table. Where numbers are five or less, we have withheld the precise number on grounds of confidentiality in line with the Data Protection Act.

The figures for 2010-11 and 2011-12 include voluntary exits following the Department's change programme.

Transport

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on developing a national transport strategy. [164429]

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Norman Baker: The Secretary of State is considering the scope and timing of this publication in light of the recent Spending Round.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to encourage work between local enterprise partnerships, local transport boards and transport authorities on cross-border transport issues. [164430]

Norman Baker: We have always encouraged the relevant local decision making bodies to work collaboratively across boundaries with their neighbours on transport issues of mutual interest. This is expressly encouraged in the Departmental guidance on the devolution of major transport schemes. It is for the local bodies themselves to determine precisely how they do this.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency: Driving Standards Agency

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to (a) locate services from the merged Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and Driving Standards Agency in shared premises and (b) re-establish test centres instead of using private commercial properties. [165101]

Stephen Hammond: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and Driving Standards Agency (DSA) already share some estate. There are no immediate plans to change the existing service provision as a result of the move to a single agency. This maintains a continuing commitment to the VOSA testing transformation strategy and DSA's piloting of taking testing to the customer. There will be a review of how best to deliver services as a single agency, in line with the commitment to put customers at the heart of our motoring services made in the Motoring Services Strategy.

Treasury

Barclays

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for International Development, (b) the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and (c) representatives of Barclays bank on that bank's decision to suspend money transfer services; and what his policy is on that matter. [165111]

Sajid Javid: The Government are committed to supporting a healthy and legitimate remittance sector, and ensuring that UK citizens are able to continue to remit funds safely to family abroad. Work has been under way for some time, with HMRC and the Financial Conduct Authority, as regulators, and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, on addressing and reducing risk in this area. This has included, and continues to include, discussions between HM Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Department for International Development.

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Business: Financial Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on small businesses of the decision by Barclays bank to stop providing money transfer companies with banking services; and if he will make a statement. [165107]

Mr Gauke: The Government are continuing to monitor the effect on the market, including small businesses, of decisions by banks to limit the provision of banking services to the remittance sector. It is still too early to assess the impact on these businesses of the recent decision taken by Barclays, but the Government are working with regulators, banks and businesses themselves, to explore viable alternative options for these firms.

Double Taxation

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many applications have been made for an HM Revenue and Customs Residency Certificate in each of the last five tax years for which figures are available; [165014]

(2) what comparative assessment he has made of the processing time for an HM Revenue and Customs Residency Certificate and equivalent times in other EU countries; [165015]

(3) what the average waiting time was for receiving an HM Revenue and Customs Residency Certificate in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [165119]

(4) what the target waiting time was for receiving an HM Revenue and Customs Residency Certificate in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [165120]

Mr Gauke: Requests for residence certificates are usually received by post and, as such, fall within Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs normal post turnaround targets. These are to process 80% of post items within 15 working days and 95% within 40 working days. No separate record is kept of the numbers of applications, processing or turn around times for residence certificates by individuals, companies or other persons.

Since 2011 individuals have been able to apply for a residence certificate online.

Infrastructure: Scotland

Mr McKenzie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Finance Minister about money allocated to infrastructure projects in Scotland on which work is ready to begin; and if he will make a statement. [164926]

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers have regular discussions with the Scottish Government on a wide variety of topics.

Revenue and Customs

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 17 January 2013, Official Report, column 924W, on Revenue and

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Customs, how many full-time equivalent posts there were in each area of HM Revenue and Customs activity on 31 March in each year since 2009. [165114]

Mr Gauke: The full-time equivalent posts (FTE) for each area of HMRC since 2009 is shown in the following table.

In 2009-10 approximately 4,300 FTE Enforcement and Compliance staff transferred out of HMRC to UKBA.

Senior Civil Servants

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many senior civil servants left his Department and public bodies under voluntary exit and received a severance payment in each of the last three years; and what the value of such payments was. [164408]

Sajid Javid: The information is as follows.

Please note numbers for HM Treasury, Debt Management Office, and Office for Budget Responsibility have been combined—we do not give details where they amount to less than five as there is a risk that individuals may be identified.

From 2010-11, Government Departments are required to report the use of exit packages in their resource accounts. Details of payments for 2010-11 and 2011-12 can be found in HM Treasury's annual report and accounts for 2011-12 page 82 table 7d.The resource accounts for 2012-13 are due to be published in the next few days.

The civil service compensation scheme was reformed in 2010. Under the previous terms there could be costs extending for up to 10 years from a departure while under the reformed scheme all of the costs fall within the year of departure. The NAO have estimated that under the reformed scheme, exits cost around 40-50% less than the previous compensation scheme in place before the general election. In addition the reformed

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scheme allows for greater distinction between voluntary and compulsory exits and is designed to encourage voluntary rather than compulsory departures.

Work and Pensions

Agriculture: Industrial Health and Safety

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to (a) improve health and safety in agriculture and (b) ensure the safest possible conditions for agricultural workers; and what measures his Department has introduced to improve worker safety in UK agriculture since 2010. [164428]

Mr Hoban: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recognises agriculture as a priority industry due to the continuing high rate of fatalities. In May 2008, the HSE Board agreed to a refreshed programme of work to bring about measurable and sustainable changes to the industry's health and safety performance.

The programme includes a range of approaches including the delivery of free Safety and Health Awareness Days for farmers. These events are a proven, trusted and well received mechanism for promoting awareness and understanding of the risks and control measures in the industry.

Following HSE engagement, key industry stakeholders have set up a number of industry-led safety partnerships such as the Farm Safety Partnership, the On Farm Charter (Wales) and the Forestry Industry Safety Accord. These partnerships provide a vehicle for the industry to take responsibility for the industry's poor performance and provide leadership in tackling it and challenging traditional attitudes to risk in the industry. HSE provides legal and technical support and health and safety guidance to these groups and facilitates the sharing of good practice and lessons learned from previous initiatives.

Additionally since 2010, HSE has introduced a number of other measures to improve worker safety, including:

Work to improve the design of plant and machinery and to improve the information provided through the supply chain to users.

An initiative to ensure that health and safety is embedded in land- based training syllabi in future.

A programme of targeted inspection in the fresh produce growing and processing sectors.

Commissioning research to inform future policy and work on emerging issues such as the influence of gypsum in animal slurry systems on the generation of hydrogen sulphide (slurry gas).

A comprehensive review and revision of all its agriculture guidance to ensure health and safety advice and guidance is disseminated to the industry effectively, in particular to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of work-related support group decisions for employment and support allowance were successfully appealed against in the latest period for which figures are available; [164841]

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(2) what proportion of work-related activity group decisions for employment and support allowance ended in appeal in the latest period for which figures are available. [164842]

Mr Hoban: This information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Employment Schemes: Barnsley

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support is available in Barnsley Central constituency to help people with learning disabilities into work. [165116]

Esther McVey: There is a wide range of support available to help people with learning disabilities into work in Barnsley Central.

Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentre Plus will give ongoing support to people with learning disabilities and help them access appropriate sources of help.

This support includes national programmes funded by the Department for Work and Pensions including:

‘The Work Programme’ (provided in Barnsley mainly by A4E and SERCO), ‘Work Choice’ (provided by Remploy and Shaw Trust) and ‘Access to Work’.

The ‘Right to Control’ initiative is being piloted in Barnsley where customers can elect to have their own personal budget to buy suitable support.

Also in the local area support includes:

‘MENCAP’ for example provide a Work Club for people with learning disabilities, offering employability skills training, on-going job search support and sourcing work placements.

‘Positive Steps’, offered through Interserve who run employability skills training, including an eight week programme to support individuals with learning disabilities who are on the autistic spectrum to find sustained employment.

Barnsley College, Northern College and Dearne Valley College all run a variety of courses which are tailored to the needs of people with learning disabilities.

Independent Living Fund

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to replace the Independent Living Fund in 2015. [164928]

Esther McVey: Following the closure of the Independent Living Fund on 31 March 2015, sole responsibility for its users' support needs will transfer from my Department to local government in England and to the devolved Administrations. It will be for the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales to decide how best to support former Independent Living Fund users within their distinctive adult social care systems.

Motability

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will take steps to prevent Motability from repossessing cars and other equipment from disabled claimants whose benefits assessments are currently undergoing an appeal; [164635]

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(2) if he will increase links between his Department's Benefits Team and Motability to prevent claimants losing their scheme support until any benefits assessment dispute has been resolved. [164636]

Esther McVey: The Motability Scheme leases cars, powered wheelchairs and scooters to disabled people who choose to use their higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or personal independence payment for this purpose.

Motability is an independent charitable organisation wholly responsible for the administration of the scheme; it is therefore for Motability to decide on their policies in relation to vehicle recovery.

From October, anyone in receipt of disability living allowance who reports a change in their needs will be asked to claim personal independence payment. All existing disability living allowance claimants who claim personal independence payment and comply with the processes will continue to be paid their disability living allowance for a minimum of four weeks following the decision on their personal independence claim. This includes claimants who have an existing Motability agreement, whether or not entitlement to the enhanced rate of the mobility component of personal independence payment has been awarded.

Where an existing Motability user is not awarded the enhanced rate of the mobility component of personal independence payment it is Motability's policy to allow a period of up to 28 days after the payment of disability living allowance has stopped to return the car.

Both these arrangements effectively give Motability users up to 56 days to return their vehicle and make other arrangements.

We have no plans to continue to pay the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance or personal independence payment where no entitlement to either of these components has been established.

Social Fund: Funerals

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Social Fund budgeting loan applications to pay for funeral expenses have been (a) received and (b) awarded; and what the total cost of the awards was in each month since May 2012. [163855]

Steve Webb: DWP does not hold information on the reasons why budgeting loans were requested. Consequently, it is not possible to provide statistics on the number of budgeting loans that were taken out to contribute to funeral costs. The only figures available are for applications made directly to the Social Fund's funeral payment scheme.

Table 1 provides the number of funeral payment applications received, awards made and total expenditure made monthly between May 2012 and June 2013 inclusive.

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State Retirement Pensions

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the revenue raised as a result of the cessation of contracted out pensions and increase in national insurance contributions. [165001]

Steve Webb: This information is set out in Table 6.1 of the Single Tier impact assessment, published in May 2013 available on the Gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197841/single-tier-ia-april-2013.pdf

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of (a) men and (b) women born between 1951 and 1953 who will be at a financial disadvantage as a result of the implementation of the single tier pensions scheme. [165113]

Steve Webb: Men born on or after 6 April 1951, and women born on or after 6 April 1953 will be eligible for a single-tier pension, subject to meeting the minimum qualifying period. Analysis of the financial impact of the single-tier pension is presented in the impact assessment, available on the GOV.uk website at

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197841/single-tier-ia-april-2013.pdf

Women born before 6 April 1953 will reach state pension age before the implementation of the single-tier pension and will receive their state pension in line with the current system rules. The Government have published an analysis of the state pension outcomes of the cohort of women born between 6 April 1951 and 5 April 1953 on the GOV.uk website at:

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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-single-tier-pension-note-on-the-cohort-of-women-born-between-6-april-1951-and-5-april-1953

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the single tier pension scheme on women born between 1951 and 1953. [165112]

Steve Webb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (Gregg McClymont) on 13 May 2013, Official Report, columns 68-69W.

Universal Credit

Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to publish the caseload figures for the universal credit pathfinder. [164840]

Mr Hoban: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I provided him with on 25 June 2013, Official Report, column 250W and 6 June 2013, Official Report, column 1253W. 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.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to improve the effectiveness of the Work Programme in helping those aged over 50 years into employment. [165024]

Mr Hoban: I have set up the ‘Work Programme: Building Best Practice Group’ to help organisations delivering the Work programme to find the best ways to support the harder to help. The Best Practice Group will develop a framework so they can all benefit from as much expertise as possible; the group is chaired independently by Andrew Sells.

Business, Innovation and Skills

Business: Loans

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) England received Enterprise Finance Guarantee loans from the Government between (i) May 2011 and May 2012 and (ii) May 2012 and May 2013; and what the total value of the loans guaranteed was in each case. [165117]

Michael Fallon: Enterprise Finance Guarantee loans are provided by participating banks with the support of the Government guarantee.

The following table details the volume and value of EFG loans provided to businesses and includes loan offers and actual loans drawn down.

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Economic and Social Research Council: Scotland

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what grants have been awarded and to whom as part of the Economic and Social Research Council research programme into pre and post-referendum investment; and if he will make a statement. [164726]

Mr Willetts: No grants have yet been awarded as part of the Economic and Social Research Councils (ESRC's) pre and post referendum investment. The ESRC is in the process of commissioning this research and is at contract negotiation stage. Hence, awards have yet to be publicly announced.

Further details of the investment specification for this call can be found at:

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/funding-opportunities/24735/latest-opportunity-15.aspx

It is hoped that this investment will be launched in September 2013, at which point full details will be made available on the ESRC website.

Information on ESRC-funded grants can be found via the Research Catalogue, which also includes details of over 100,000 research outputs arising from ESRC funding. The catalogue can be browsed by grantholder, year, output type, subject area and keyword:

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/impacts-and-findings/research-catalogue/

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) to whom grants have been awarded by the Economic and Social Research Council as part of their research programme into the future of the UK and Scotland; and if he will make a statement; [164727]

(2) what grants have been awarded by the Economic and Social Research Council to undertake research work into the future of the UK and Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [164728]

Mr Willetts: Economic and Social Research Councils (ESRCs) Future of the UK and Scotland programme of activities will aim to both inform the debate in the run-up to the referendum and assist in planning across a wide range of areas which will be affected by the outcome of the vote—whether for Scottish independence or the Union.

In addition to providing grants for the Senior Fellowships, details of which are provided in response to 2013/823, the ESRC invited its major research and resource investments to bid for additional funding (paid as a supplement to existing grants) for new work. The successful projects are listed in the following table. Further information on all these projects is available on the ESRC website at:

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/impacts-and-findings/our-research/future-of-uk-and-scotland/investments.aspx

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A grant has been provided to support a project co-ordinator for the Future of UK and Scotland initiative. Following a competitive process, this was awarded to Professor Charlie Jeffery. The grant value is £233,327 (80% FEC), and runs for the period 1 April 2013-31 March 2015.

Two enhancements to existing surveys have also been made under the initiative—the first to the British Election Study Internet Panel Survey (£498,491, 1 August 2013 to 30 November 2017) and the second to the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) to support the addition of 40 new questions on political attitudes to independence and the Union to the 2012 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey (£49,740, 15 August 2012 to 14 February 2014).

Information on ESRC-funded grants can be found via the Research Catalogue, which also includes details of over 100,000 research outputs arising from ESRC funding. The catalogue can be browsed by grantholder, year, output type, subject area and keyword:

http://www.esrc.ac.uk/impacts-and-findings/research-catalogue/

EU External Trade: USA

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the EU-US trade deal excludes arrangements for health care. [164620]

Michael Fallon: HMG continue to consider carefully all potential impacts and implications to ensure that national interests, including those related to health care, are protected. This will be the case within the EU-US trade negotiations which started in the week commencing 8 July. The UK has already undertaken some long-standing commitments at the multilateral level in terms of access to the health sector through the General Agreement in Trade in Services (GATS, 1995). The European Commission regularly consults EU member states both in writing and orally on all elements of trade negotiations. Furthermore, UK consent will be required on the final package.

Food

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of all food procured for his Department was sourced from (a) British producers, (b) small and medium-sized enterprises and (c) producers which met British buying standards in the latest period for which figures are available. [164756]

Jo Swinson: The Department's catering and conference services are contracted to Baxter Storey who source the food used.

Currently 85% of food procured is sourced from British producers. 73% of food procured is sourced from small and medium-sized enterprises. 100% of food procured is sourced from producers which met British buying standards.

Retail Trade: Empty Property

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage owners of derelict or mothballed retail sites to (a) redevelop them and (b) bring them back into retail use. [164933]

Michael Fallon: We recognise the importance of vibrant high streets and town centres and have encouraged increased flexibility to open up options to landlords

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and prospective tenants; changes to planning rules mean that it is now easier to change the use of buildings to support our high streets, businesses, and increase opportunities for housing.

We are supporting those looking for premises to try out new business ideas which will play a part in supporting our economic recovery. These changes mean people can bring empty properties on the high street back into use for a wide range of new uses.

In addition, we have doubled small business rate relief and extended it for another year—half a million SMEs are expected to benefit. We have also given councils a financial incentive to support high streets. These changes will help town centre landlords make better use of their empty properties, get more start-up businesses set up in the high street, and see a third of a million small businesses paying no rates at all. Empty (non-industrial) commercial property is subject to business rates after three months (six months for industrial).

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Last year we also increased the permitted development for flats above shops.

Finally, the Future High Streets Forum has been established which brings together leaders across retail, property, business, academics, third sector, civil society and Government to better understand the competition town centres across the country face and to drive forward new ideas and policies to help revive the high street.

Space

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress he has made on (a) development and (b) implementation of the UK's space security policy. [164414]

Mr Willetts: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 22 January 2013, Official Report, column 136W. This still stands.