Community Development: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Big Society community organisers living in Ashfield constituency have been trained to date. [165780]

Mr Hurd: To date no community organisers have been trained in Ashfield. I would welcome applications from organisations in Ashfield to become hosts to community organisers. Interested organisations should look here for more information on how to apply:

http://www.cocollaborative.org.uk/resource/become-host

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Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Education on putting cybersecurity on the school curriculum; [165945]

(2) what steps he is taking to increase cyber security in further education colleges. [166033]

Miss Chloe Smith: The UK Cyber Security Strategy published in November 2011, stresses the importance of building:

'the UK's cross-cutting knowledge, skills and capability to underpin all the other cyber security objectives by extending knowledge and enhancing skills'.

The Cabinet Office works with other Government Departments and partners to deliver the NCSP.

In line with the practice of previous Administrations, details of ministerial discussions are not normally disclosed.

The Government have worked with various partners to develop cyber security teaching and learning materials aimed at key stage 4 (14 to 16-year-olds). These are available now and those targeted at GCE-A level will be available in the autumn.

The Government have also worked on developing several different types of apprenticeship scheme including the GCHQ Higher Apprenticeship programme (post A-level) which is heavily subscribed to and an effective employer-led national training partnership for cyber security, with over 80 employers, universities, private providers and colleges, working together to address employer needs.

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, columns 496-7W, on cybercrime, whether the Government has requested or obtained data from (a) Google, (b) Facebook and (c) Microsoft better to understand the online behaviour of different segments of consumers and small to medium sized-enterprises. [165947]

Miss Chloe Smith: Further to my answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, columns 496-7W, on cybercrime, through the National Cyber Security Programme we have funded research into better understanding the online behaviour of different segments of consumers and SMEs through work done by the National Fraud Authority. This segmentation work was conducted through a number of commissioned research studies allowing us to understand the specific vulnerabilities of individuals and SMEs by their attitudes and behaviours when online, and to target them with specific messages, delivered at the right time, through the right channels to make a measurable impact. The research has informed the development of a new cyber security public awareness campaign to be launched later this year.

Employment: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate his Department has made of the net change in the number of people in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey in employment in each of the last five years. [166303]

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Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the net change in the number of people in (a) Woking constituency and (b) Surrey in employment in each of the last five years. (166303)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.

The table shows the number and net change of people employed in Woking constituency and Surrey. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the period January 2012 to December 2012 and the 12 month periods ending in December in each year since 2008.

As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.

National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Defence

Air Force: Deployment

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what personnel of what rank will work at the Combined Air and Space Operations Centre at Torrejon de Ardoz; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of those personnel being stationed there. [165324]

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Dr Murrison: The United Kingdom has been allocated 16 posts in the Combined Air Operations Centre Torrejon, which as of 1 December 2012 forms part of the NATO Command Structure. All 16 posts will be filled by Royal Air Force personnel, broken down by rank as follows:

Three x Wing Commander (OF4)

Six x Squadron Leader (OF3)

Three x Flight Lieutenant (OF2)

One x Warrant Officer (OR9)

Two x Flight Sergeant (OR7)

One x Sergeant (OR6).

Location allowances for 16 personnel stationed in Spain are estimated at £150,000 per annum. Nation-borne support costs are estimated at £395,000 per annum.

Army: Reorganisation

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what training will take place as part of re-establishing the Lead Armour Battlegroup; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of that training; [165329]

(2) when the Lead Armour Battlegroup will be certified for deployment. [165330]

Mr Robathan: On current plans it is envisaged that the Army will be ready to deploy the Lead Armoured Battlegroup from 2018.

Training for the Lead Armoured Battlegroup will be developed incrementally in order to deliver the full capability from 2018. At present we envisage Lead Armoured Battlegroup training progressing from individual and team level through troop level to squadron level culminating in an overseas exercise in due course. It is too soon to assess the full cost of the training involved with the Lead Armoured Battlegroup.

Defence: Procurement

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Future Maritime Support Delivery Framework to come into force. [165364]

Dr Murrison: The Ministry of Defence is currently negotiating with industry with the intention of awarding the Maritime Support Delivery Framework contracts before the end of the current financial year.

In the meantime, continuity of support to ships and submarines and to the running of Her Majesty's Naval Bases (HMNB) at Devonport, Portsmouth and the Faslane site at HMNB Clyde will be provided under the existing contractual arrangements.

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent by his Department (a) in total and (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose. [165450]

Mr Francois: The Department takes the promotion of equality and diversity (E and D) seriously. All civilian staff are required to undertake on-line training within

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six months of joining, and facilitated workshops are held regularly for military personnel.

However, the information requested is not held centrally. To disaggregate the annual spend, and estimate percentages devoted to the promotion of equality and diversity across the Department, would incur disproportionate cost.

With regard to the number of personnel employed on E&D roles, there is a Head Office team of five people, with smaller teams supporting the individual top level budget holders. Below this level the role of E and D advisor and assistant advisor is an additional duty at unit locations and establishments.

Guided Weapons

Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his United States counterpart on the (a) development and (b) export of a Brimstone missile prototype. [165175]

Dr Murrison: The Secretary of State for Defence has had no official discussions with his United States counterpart on either the development or export of Brimstone.

Iceland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his Icelandic counterpart; and what was discussed at that meeting. [165095]

Mr Philip Hammond: I have no direct Icelandic counterpart: although a member of NATO, Iceland has no standing armed forces nor a Ministry of Defence. Iceland is represented by their Permanent Representative to NATO, Thorsteinn Ingolfsson, at meetings of NATO Defence Ministers, and I met him in this capacity at the last meeting in Brussels on 3/4 June 2013. Ambassador Ingolfsson also represented Iceland at a meeting of the Northern Group Defence Ministers which I also attended at that time.

Jordan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's assets are currently based in Jordan. [165316]

Dr Murrison: The Ministry of Defence has 26 personnel based in Jordan.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2013, Official Report, column 779W, on military aircraft, how many aircraft of each type were used to calculate the net book value. [165317]

Dr Murrison: Pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2013, Official Report, column 779W, the number of aircraft used to calculate the current net book value (NBV) of each fleet is shown in the following table.

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These numbers only reflect aircraft currently on the asset register; they do not include assets in the course of construction or future deliveries. It should also be noted that the number of aircraft and the total NBV figure cannot be used in conjunction to calculate an accurate NBV per aircraft.

Military Bases: County Down

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit Palace Barracks and Kinnegar Barracks in Holywood in North Down constituency; and if he will make a statement. [165293]

Mr Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence has no current plans to visit Palace Barracks or Kinnegar Barracks. However, he hopes that he will be able to visit Northern Ireland at some point in the future.

NATO

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets have been assigned to (a) Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, (b) Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, (c) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 and (d) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 since 2012; and for how long each asset was assigned to each group. [165779]

Dr Murrison: There have been no Royal Navy ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 or Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 since 2012.

The Royal Navy Mine Countermeasures Vessels assigned to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 were HMS Ledbury and HMS Blyth in 2012 and HMS Cattistock and HMS Ledbury in 2013. The period of support is six months per ship.

In addition, the Royal Navy provides regular contributions to maritime NATO exercises, supports Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean using transiting surface vessels and submarines, and allows other NATO vessels in the Arabian Gulf to refuel using the on station UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker.

Surveillance

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what imagery his Department has requested from other signatories of the Open Skies Treaty in each of the last 10 years. [165323]

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Dr Murrison: There is no record of the Ministry of Defence requesting imagery from other signatories of the Open Skies Treaty.

Warships

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the cannibalisation of Link 16 data systems from Type 22 ships and their installation on the Royal Fleet Auxiliary's Bay-Class ships. [165333]

Dr Murrison: The cost to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for the removal and storage of Link 16 data systems from four Type 22 ships was close to £12,000. The cost to the MOD for the refurbishment, transport, fitting and testing of these systems on three Bay-Class ships was approximately £826,000.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many answers by his Department to Parliamentary Questions involving tables of statistics fewer than four pages in length were (a) printed in full and (b) provided via a link to a website in the last year. [165464]

Mr Francois: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance his Department follows in determining whether statistics in answers to Parliamentary Questions are (a) provided in full, (b) provided via a link to a website and (c) deposited in the Library. [165484]

Mr Francois: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Leader of the House of Commons, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on 12 February 2013, Official Report, column 649W, to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East (Mr Watson).

International Development

Democratic Republic of the Congo

8. Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the upholding of humanitarian commitments made by the Government of Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in that region under the peace, security and co-operation framework to date. [165591]

Justine Greening: I am deeply concerned by the recent outbreaks of fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and call on all armed groups to cease fighting. The UK fully supports the peace framework, and the work of the UN Special Envoy, Mary Robinson. It is important for all signatories to implement the commitments they made in February.

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UK-Israeli Co-operation

9. Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK-Israeli co-operation on international development. [165592]

Mr Duncan: We work with Israel in international development co-operation forums such as the Global Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation. We do not have any joint international development projects with Israel but would consider any proposals made by MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

G8 Summit

10. Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the likely effects of the outcomes agreed at the G8 Summit in June 2013 on developing countries. [165593]

Justine Greening: Our G8 focused on tax, trade and transparency, alongside the earlier event on nutrition and impact investing. The commitments made will help developing countries to raise revenues from trade, taxes and the sale of natural resources, so that they can fund their own development. The G8 also endorsed the Nutrition for Growth compact which will save 20 million children from stunting by 2020.

Syria

12. Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Syria and neighbouring countries. [165595]

Justine Greening: The humanitarian situation in Syria is catastrophic. More than 93,000 people have been killed, 6.8 million are in need, and a further 1.75 million refugees are in neighbouring countries. By the end of the year, the UN estimates that 10 million people will be in need of assistance in the region. Lebanon now has over 600,000 refugees that have arrived in a country with a population of just over four million—projected to rise to one million by the end of the year.

Child Labour

13. Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to eradicate child labour. [165596]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID’s primary contribution to combating child labour is by working with others to address the underlying conditions that encourage child labour, in particular extreme poverty. DFID also supports action to increase access and availability of primary-level education for children from poor families and provide social protection for many of the most vulnerable children and families.

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Fairtrade

15. Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the role of Fairtrade goods in development. [165598]

Mr Duncan: DFID supports Fairtrade and assesses its performance on an annual basis. Fairtrade is one way to ensure the supply chain delivers benefits for poor people. Certification ensures producers receive fair prices for their products and workers receive good wages, supporting growth, investment, trade and livelihoods.

Afghanistan

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department provides for health-related projects in Helmand province, Afghanistan; and if she will make a statement. [165547]

Justine Greening: £260,000 has been allocated from the Conflict Pool—which is jointly managed by DFID, the MOD and FCO—to deliver health programmes in Helmand for 2013-14 via the Provincial Reconstruction Team. In addition, a joint UK and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) programme is providing £1.05 million for health-related projects in Helmand over the same time frame.

DFID also supports the provision of basic services in Helmand through contributions to the multi-donor Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). Since 2009, the ARTF has provided over £9.4 million to improve primary healthcare services for Helmand's rural poor.

Africa

Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information her Department holds on (a) the adult prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS and (b) the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in (i) Uganda and (ii) Africa in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement. [166231]

Lynne Featherstone: The most recent report on the Global AIDS Epidemic was published by UNAIDS in 2012. This data is available via:

www.aidsinfoonline.org

and shown in the following tables. Regional data are not routinely presented on an annual basis; the UNAIDS Global Report 2012 includes data shown above for Sub-Saharan Africa for 2001 and 2011.

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The UK remains committed to the vision of getting to zero—zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Recent advances in treatment and prevention make this ever more possible.

Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in (a) Uganda and (b) Africa in the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [166232]

Lynne Featherstone: Between 2006 and 2010 DFID provided £7.2 million through its HIV/AIDS programme in Uganda with a focus on behavioural change efforts to reduce HIV transmission and to support the development of a National HIV Prevention Strategy. DFID is currently providing £16.3 million over four years (2011-14) to improve the effectiveness of Uganda's HIV/AIDS prevention response. Because of the importance of continued research in the fight against HIV/AIDS, DFID is supporting collaborations between UK and Ugandan scientists to test new interventions aimed at reducing new infections, including through the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative which has set up laboratories in Uganda.

In Southern Africa, DFID spent £28 million between 2008 and 2011 on a regional programme for HIV prevention through social and behaviour change. In 2012-13 DFID developed four new HIV prevention programmes in sub-Saharan Africa (Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia and southern Africa Regional). These new programmes will contribute to reducing by at least 500,000 new HIV infections among women in sub-Saharan Africa by 2015. A new regional programme (launched by the PUSS on 8 July) will generate better evidence on successful HIV interventions, focusing on two vulnerable populations, including adolescents.

The UK continues to be a major donor to the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, HIV and Malaria which provides major funding for HIV prevention, treatment and care across Africa, including approximately 40% of the funding for Uganda's HIV response.

Developing Countries: Discrimination

Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on restricting aid to nations that promote and maintain policies and practices that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people; and if she will make a statement. [166140]

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Lynne Featherstone: The UK recognises that human rights underpin sustainable development. DFID’s partnership principles require that before providing direct support to Governments, we assess their shared commitment to respecting the human rights of citizens, including the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Where we have specific concerns about a government’s failure to protect its citizens’ rights we raise these at the highest levels of the government concerned. We may judge that specific human rights concerns are sufficiently serious to merit a suspension of our aid to that government. However, our priority will be to ensure that the interests of poor people are protected, and groups are not exposed to further risk as a result of UK action.

Developing Countries: Education

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes her Department funds to support the training of teachers in the developing world. [166012]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government recognise the centrality of teachers to learning, and invest in improving teaching practice across its education programmes. This includes supporting the provision of sufficient numbers of skilled teachers who are motivated to turn up on time, can act as role models and use teaching techniques based on the best available evidence of what works to improve learning. The 2013 DFID annual report shows that the UK has helped to train 99,000 teachers in poor countries since 2010.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all children everywhere will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015. [166013]

Lynne Featherstone: As the largest bilateral donor to basic education, the UK is playing its part to ensure that all children everywhere will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015.

DFID's 2013 Annual Report shows that the UK is supporting over 5.8 million children in primary education (2.8 million girls) and 570,000 in lower secondary education in developing countries. The UK has also helped to train 99,000 teachers. Over the spending review period the UK has pledged to support 9 million children in primary school, over half of whom will be girls, and 2 million in lower secondary education.

In addition, up to 1 million more of the world's poorest girls will be supported to complete their education through the Girls' Education Challenge (GEC). The GEC is encouraging innovation in the non-state sector to find new ways to reach girls in marginalised communities.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to help children and young people in conflict areas who are out of school access some form of education. [166015]

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Mr Duncan: Around half of DFID's annual bilateral aid for education is in fragile and conflict affected states. Where possible, we work with Governments of those countries to re-open schools and pay teacher salaries to ensure that children can secure good quality education. Where this is not possible we work through humanitarian agencies to guarantee safe learning spaces, particularly for girls.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Heather Wheeler: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what (a) new and (b) additional resources in respect of the pledge made by her predecessor at the family planning summit of June 2012 have been programmed for the provision of such services; [166227]

(2) if she will place in the Library a copy of the plan for expenditure in the next two years in support of her Department's family planning initiative announced in June 2012. [166226]

Mr Duncan: At the London Summit on Family Planning in July 2012, the UK announced its commitment to double its efforts on family planning, from an average of £90 million per year to an average of £180 million per year (equivalent to an additional £516 million over eight years) towards achieving the Summit goal.

The Department's plans for delivering results and measuring progress against health programmes up to 2015 are laid out in a series of Operational Plans. These are available online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/series/operational-plans-2013

In addition, the Department is exploring new partnerships with multilateral partners, civil society and the private sector to deliver the family planning results that we want to achieve. As specific programmes are approved, they will be made publically available via the DFID website, alongside annual reviews of progress.

Developing Countries: Forests

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the new £969 million funding for climate change projects in developing countries is planned to support reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. [166008]

Lynne Featherstone: No decision has yet been taken on what proportion of the new funding for climate change projects in developing countries will be used to tackle deforestation and reduce forest degradation. The funding will be shared between DFID, the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and discussions will take place between these Departments in the coming months.

Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much has been spent by her Department (a) in total and (b) on staff costs

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on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by her Department for this purpose. [165458]

Mr Duncan: Prior to April DFID had two full-time HR personnel responsible for diversity and equality and one who worked part-time. These two jobs have now finished and have been replaced by a single equality and diversity post for a duration of six months.

Grant Thornton

Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008. [165695]

Mr Duncan: DFID's expenditure on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008:

Himalayas

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of British support for the Great Himalaya Trail; and if she will make a statement. [165544]

Mr Duncan: In many remote and mountainous areas in Nepal, tourism and trekking offer the only viable opportunity for poor people and local communities to build livelihoods, establish small businesses and generate employment. Since 2011, the UK has been working with the Government of Nepal and the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) to help support the Great Himalayan Trail Development Programme. The programme aims to develop the fuller potential of the tourism market and to physically link up trekking trails and facilities right across Nepal's Himalayan range, including in less popular or visited regions.

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UK support has helped to: establish the Great Himalayan Trail brand so that it is now being actively promoted by major international airlines and tour operators; directly support around 750 small businesses with management skills training; and promote environmentally friendly infrastructure and practices. The UK will continue to support the Programme in order to bring sustainable economic benefits to some of the poorest regions of Nepal.

Malawi

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which education programmes her Department is supporting in Malawi. [166014]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID supports the Malawi Government's education sector plan aimed at reforming the sector and ensuring more children are completing primary education and are able to read and write. Since 2010, UK Government funding has helped build 1,200 classrooms, train 4,500 teachers with an additional 10,000 in training and enabled 8,700 girls to enter secondary school through the provision of bursaries. By 2016, UK support will have provided over 200,000 girls in upper primary with cash transfers to complete primary school by addressing the financial challenges that cause girls to drop out of school. It will also provide access to improved sanitation facilities for up to 100,000 secondary school girls and set up a system in schools that will help tackle the pervasive sexual abuse of girls in school.

DFID is also co-funding with the Malawi Government the construction of a Teacher Training College in Phalombe district with one of the highest pupil/teacher ratios in the country. The college, once finished, will graduate 300 new teachers per year, 50% of which will be women.

Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department provides services to people resident in Wales or usually resident in Wales. [166109]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not provide services specifically to people resident, or usually resident, in Wales.

Welsh Language

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has a current Welsh Language scheme; when that scheme was adopted; and whether it has been reviewed since May 2011. [166091]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not have a Welsh Language scheme.