Recycling: Job Creation

Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of jobs created by recycling between 2013 and 2020. [165659]

Richard Benyon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme has estimated that the recycling industry has the potential to generate roughly 10,000 new jobs in the UK by 2020, available at:

www.wrap.org.uk/content/wraps-vision-uk-circular-economy-2020

The Environmental Services Association also estimates that there is potential for 7,500 to 12,000 new jobs in the recycling sector by 2020, available at:

www.esauk.org/esa_reports/Circular_Economy_Report_FINAL_High_Res_For_Release.pdf

It is estimated that Britain’s waste and resource management sector currently employs over 100,000 people and generates over £12 billion in sales.

Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the title is of each regulation his Department (a) introduced and (b) revoked in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (iv) 2013 to date; and if he will make a statement. [165903]

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Michael Fallon: The One In, One Out rule was introduced on 1 September 2010 and applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2011. It was replaced by the One In, Two Out rule which has applied to regulations introduced from 1 January 2013. Details of regulations introduced and revoked by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) that fall within the scope of One In, One Out (OIOO) and One In, Two Out (OITO) are published online in the Statements of New Regulation and have also been placed in the Library in response to the answers I gave on 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 633W.

The complete tables of measures, including those in the recent Sixth Statement of New Regulation (covering July to December 2013) are contained in the annex which will be placed in the Library.

Science of Cyber Security Research Institute

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the timescale is for funding of the Institute for Science of Cyber Security. [166010]

Mr Willetts: The ‘Science of Cyber Security’ Research Institute is looking to improve understanding of the science behind the growing cyber security threat. The institute is funded by a £3.8 million grant as part of the cross-Government commitment to increasing the UK's academic capability in cyber security. This is administered through Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council research grants which were granted on 1 October 2012 and will run until 31 March 2016.

Shipbuilding Industry

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to support the shipbuilding industry. [166119]

Michael Fallon: We are working with shipbuilders and the rest of the marine sector to implement the Marine Industries Growth Strategy through the Marine Industries Leadership Council that I co-chair. Good progress is being made on the priority areas of technology, skills and exports. The Technology Strategy Board launched an £8 million collaborative research competition in January 2013 aimed at accelerating innovation and technologies to improve vessel efficiency. This proved to be highly successful and illustrated the industry's capability to develop innovative projects. A further competition will be launched in the winter.

In January 2013 I launched the Marine Export Strategy, which UK Trade & Investment has developed with industry to deliver export growth. Support has also been provided to Princess Yachts under the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) and Fairline Boats Ltd received a conditional offer under the latest round of the RGF.

Supermarkets: Competition

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans the Competition and Markets Authority has to assess market features restricting, preventing or distorting competition between supermarkets and small independent retailers. [166035]

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Jo Swinson: The new Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will come into force formally in April 2014. It will take forward the responsibilities of the Office of Fair Trading and Competition Commission, which have previously investigated the groceries market and put in place remedies. The CMA will similarly have access to powers (under the Enterprise Act 2002) to deal with anti-competitive behaviour in UK markets. Decisions on individual cases will be a matter for the CMA.

Following the Competition Commission's recommendation in its groceries market investigation, the Government have established a Groceries Code Adjudicator which focuses on contract issues between supermarkets and suppliers.

Trade Missions

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department records on the (a) the levels of satisfaction of businesses participating in trade missions and delegations and (b) reasons why businesses chose not to participate in such missions and delegations; what steps he plans to take following assessment of that information; and if he will publish in anonymised form the data so collected. [165551]

Michael Fallon: Economic research and analysis in UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) contributes to the development of the portfolio of UKTI services. The research tends either to be concerned with estimating the benefits of trade and investment or with barriers to such activity rather than why a specific service has not been taken up. All reports and data are published on the UKTI website.

UKTI monitors the performance and effectiveness of its trade services through the use of its Performance and Impact Monitoring Surveys (PIMS). The satisfaction scores for missions in the most recent period (covering the 12 months to December 2012), suggests that 84% of clients reported to be very satisfied, or fairly satisfied with the missions. Results are readily available on the UKTI website:

http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti/ourperformance/performanceimpactandmonitoringsurvey.html

To assist in benchmarking the effectiveness of UKTI’s services, UKTI conducts an annual survey with businesses that do not use its services. The purpose of these surveys is to compare the experience of companies who do not use our support together with the outcomes of their activities. More information can be found at:

http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/aboutukti/ourperformance/performanceimpactandmonitoringsurvey/nonusersurveys.html

UKTI also receives information and comments from industry bodies through their participation in UKTI's Sector Advisory Groups and Trade Challenge Partners Programme. These bodies advise UKTI on a number of issues including feedback on UKTI's trade mission programme. Additionally, although not systematic, feedback is received from users in response to marketing campaigns for events and missions.

UKTI uses the information received from these various sources to improve the quality and satisfaction ratings of events and missions and to both expand its reach to

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new companies who are unaware of its services (including trade missions) and increase the return rate of attendees reusing its services.

UK Trade & Investment

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what training UK Trade & Investment staff receive to ensure they identify potential markets and specific business opportunities for UK manufacturers. [165550]

Michael Fallon: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) staff receive training relevant to their role for effective and successful delivery to business. Regional customer-facing staff and locally employed staff in the overseas network are recruited for their private sector business experience. All staff including those in UKTI headquarters can access a range of training programmes specifically aimed at upskilling staff to better assist UK companies, either delivered directly by an external training provider or through Civil Service Learning.

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether UK Trade & Investment staff are remunerated through bonuses based on the increase in UK exports following trade missions and delegations. [165553]

Michael Fallon: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is not an employer in its own right; for the majority of its human resource requirements it draws on civil service staff (including those with contractual arrangements) employed by one or other of its two parent Departments—the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

UKTI utilises the performance management and reward arrangements of the relevant Departments in order to set individual objectives and recognise achievement.

Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department provides services to people resident in Wales or usually resident in Wales. [166096]

Michael Fallon: This Department and its agencies provide a range of services to people resident in Wales or usually resident in Wales.

Welsh Language

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department has a current Welsh language scheme; when that scheme was adopted; and whether it has been reviewed since May 2011. [166078]

Jo Swinson: This Government are fully committed to the Welsh language and fully committed to providing Government services in the Welsh language where there is demand for them.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has a current Welsh language scheme, which was endorsed by the then Welsh Language Board and adopted on 28 May 2009.

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The Department reviews activities under its Welsh language scheme each year when preparing its annual report on the scheme to the Welsh Language Board/Welsh Language Commissioner.

Women and Equalities

Caste

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities if she will take steps to launch the proposed public consultation on caste discrimination before the summer recess in order to enable the necessary legislative changes to be made before the end of the current parliamentary session. [165815]

Mrs Grant: We expect to be able to outline the timetable shortly.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the exceptions are mentioned in the letter from the Under Secretary of State for Women and Equalities to Lord Avebury of 25 June 2013 regarding the proposed research on caste by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. [165816]

Mrs Grant: There are provisions and exceptions within the Equality Act 2010 that apply to aspects of race, such as immigration, that may not be appropriate in relation to caste. These are clearly sensitive issues and before we consult on and seek to define exceptions, we need to know more about how 'caste' fits into the race characteristic within the Act.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether the Government plan to run the Equality and Human Rights Commission research on caste in parallel with the caste discrimination consultation for the purpose of ensuring there are not unnecessary delays to implementation. [165817]

Mrs Grant: Among the statutory responsibilities of the Equality and Human Rights Commission is a requirement for it to advise on the effectiveness of equality law. The Commission has already indicated in its Business Plan for 2013-14 that it intends to undertake research into caste issues in this country and make recommendations. The complexity of caste means that it is vital that preparatory work for the public consultation is able to draw on the Equality and Human Rights Commission's research as a key, independent source.

Equalities Ministerial Group

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities when the inter-ministerial group on equalities last met. [164011]

Mrs Grant [holding answer 8 July 2013]: The inter-ministerial group on equalities (IMGE) last met on 7 February 2012 to consider progress on the Government's equality strategy. A report (“Building a Fairer Britain: Progress Report”) was subsequently published on 22 May 2012.

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The IMGE is a mechanism for monitoring the overall effectiveness of the Government's equality strategy; however, implementation of the strategy is overseen by other relevant ministerial groups and committees. For example, the Minister for Women and Equalities is chair of a bespoke ministerial group, which includes members of the IMGE, which has been established to drive delivery of the Women's Business Council recommendations. This work will significantly contribute to the aim set out in the equality strategy of creating a fair and flexible labour market.

Women

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent steps she has taken to ensure that women fulfil their potential. [162870]

Mrs Grant: We are taking strong action to ensure women are able to fulfil their potential. The Children and Families Bill currently going through Parliament will extend the right to request flexible working to all by 2014 and encourage shared parenting through a new system of parental leave. Measures taken in the Budget 2013 will mean that more than a million low-paid women will be lifted out of income tax and families will get more help with their child care costs.

As a result of the recommendations made by Lord Davies, women now account for 17.4% of FTSE 100, and 13.8% of FTSE 250 board directorships, up from 12.5% and 7.8% respectively in February 2011. As of this month, there are now only five all-male boards in the FTSE 100. We are also working with employers to ensure greater transparency on issues such as pay and progression through ‘Think, Act, Report’. Over 110 leading businesses have signed up to this initiative, covering over 1.8 million employees.

In addition, the Women's Business Council, set up by the Government in 2012, published its report last month with recommendations focusing on the key areas they have identified where girls and women face particular barriers to fulfilling their potential, from making informed choices made about education through to ensuring the knowledge and skills of older women are not lost to the economy. The Government have published their response to the report which, alongside a series of early actions for Government, announced that the Secretary of State for Women and Equalities will be working with ministerial colleagues to produce a Government action plan. The report and the Government response can be found at:

www.womensbusinesscouncil.dcms.gov.uk

Additionally, Ministers have recently spoken at events about the need for more women to apply and take on public appointment roles and are working to ensure that this happens.

Staff

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what the Government Equalities Office's staffing levels were in May (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013; and what these levels will be at the end of the current Spending Review period. [164010]

Mrs Grant: In May 2010 the Government Equalities Office was a separate Department. It was subsequently moved into the Home Office, where corporate services

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were largely provided for the GEO by the Home Office, and most recently into DCMS where all corporate services for GEO will be provided by DCMS. It is not possible to provide precise like for like figures, but the figures provided as follows show the overall staffing levels devoted to delivering GEO objectives:

(a)May 2010: 123 staff, including 16 working in the Women's National Commission and an estimated 27 providing corporate services;

(b) May 2011: 111 staff, including an estimated 20 providing corporate services

(c) May 2012: 120 staff, including an estimated 15 providing corporate services

(d)May 2013: 97 staff, including an estimated 9 providing corporate services

Planned staffing levels at the end of the Spending Review period are a core GEO policy team of 50 policy staff with corporate and accountability services being provided by DCMS. The level of corporate and accountability resource to be devoted to GEO is difficult to estimate but on current plans would be in the region of 15-20 people. This includes a significantly wider range of services than the corporate service figures provided for earlier years.

Women’s National Commission

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what arrangements she has put in place to enable her to engage directly with women on issues affecting them following the winding-up of the Women's National Commission. [164362]

Mrs Grant: Following the closure of the Women's National Commission in December 2010, the Government conducted a national consultation on engagement with women. Their response, “Strengthening Women's Voices in Government” was published in November 2011 together with a written ministerial statement. The Government have committed themselves to an engagement programme with women which prioritises direct ministerial contact rather than through an intermediary non-elected body. The programme is managed from within the Government Equalities Office and works with other Government Departments and the devolved administrations. Its activities include:

A programme of ministerial roundtables: all three Ministers for Women and Equalities hold regular roundtables discussions with individual women and women's organisations.

Bi-monthly women's engagement newsletter: our online newsletter is sent to over 2,000 organisations that represent women, with a combined potential reach of 1 million women

Stakeholder meetings: there are frequent meetings to consult and engage with women on areas of particular priority. For example, the Women's Business Council has held a series of consultative meetings, and a dedicated NGO Liaison Group is established each year to ensure close co-ordination in the run-up to the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

The new approach is well established, understood and largely appreciated by our stakeholders. Over the coming year we plan to increase our reach to those women who are under-represented through the current channels, through a programme of social and digital engagement.

Links:

Women's Engagement Newsletter:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/womens-engagement-newsletter

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Consultation response: Strengthening Women's Voices:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/publication-of-consultation-response-strengthening-womens-voices-in-government-wms

Youth Work

Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities how much funding the Government Equalities Office allocated for youth work in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement. [164080]

Mrs Grant: The Department of Culture, Media & Sport, which includes the Government Equalities Office, does not hold data in such a way that the amount specifically spent on youth work can be extracted.

Education

Apprentices

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what strategies he has to create apprenticeships in his Department; and what plans he has to promote such strategies. [165889]

Matthew Hancock: The Department promotes apprenticeship opportunities through our apprenticeship provider, learndirect, and uses the National Apprenticeship Service to advertise opportunities online.

The Government have also started the civil service fast track apprenticeship scheme to bring in 100 apprentices by September 2013, akin to the graduate fast stream. 15 new apprentices will begin work in the Department for Education under this scheme in September 2013 and we plan to increase this number over time.

Cultural Education

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to promote the Government's Cultural Education Plan; and if he will make a statement. [166282]

Elizabeth Truss: ‘Cultural education' was published on 5 July. The document sets out the Government's ambitions for cultural education and provides an overview of the programmes and opportunities open to children and young people in England.

The Secretary of State for Education and the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries held a cultural roundtable on 5 June with a number of organisations in the arts sector to discuss the forthcoming document. Attenders included representatives from: the National Portrait Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Barbican, Classic FM, English Heritage, the British Film Institute, Arts Council England and head teachers. On 5 July the Secretary of State wrote to these organisations and others, including the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Sadler's Wells and the Lyric Theatre, notifying them of the document's publication. He also wrote to the Chair of the Education Committee and Chair of the Culture, Media and Sports Committee, and issued

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a joint press notice with the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries.

The 'Cultural education' document can be found on the GOV.UK website⁽¹⁾. Its release was advertised through DFE social media channels, including to 13,500 DFE followers on Facebook and over 77,000 followers on Twitter.

⁽¹⁾ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cultural-education

Education: Finance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which capital projects for the development of academies, schools and colleges his Department has supported with what level of funding in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) England since May 2010. [166162]

Mr Laws: Since 2010-11 the Department has provided capital support of (a) £30 million in Barnsley, (b) £470 million in South Yorkshire and (c) £20,618 million in England⁽¹⁾. The Department for Education allocates a significant amount of capital funding to local authorities so they have the freedom to decide their school investment needs according to local priorities.

The Department does not collect information on how these funds have been used. As such the Department does not hold complete information on investment at a constituency level.

⁽¹⁾ These figures include capital grant and supported borrowing allocations made to schools and local authorities. They also include provisional figures for 2013/14.

South Yorkshire comprised of aggregated figures for Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster, and Rotherham areas.

Financial Services: Education

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what steps his Department is taking to signpost teachers to existing resources, advice and support available for delivering financial education in the curriculum; [166180]

(2) how his Department is working with (a) subject experts, (b) educationalists and (c) providers of initial teacher training on the inclusion of financial capability components within the new curriculum; [166183]

(3) what training is currently available for teachers to prepare them for the introduction of financial education into the curriculum; and what new additional training in this area is planned. [166193]

Elizabeth Truss: As a general principle, schools themselves are best placed to decide what support they will need to support their staff to teach the new national curriculum. As part of the consultation, however, we asked specifically for views on who was best placed to develop resources to support schools to teach it successfully. Responses and suggestions from financial education experts, including on how the Department might assist by signposting existing resources, are currently being considered. We will provide further information in due course.

The Government do not prescribe the content of initial teacher training courses. Providers must ensure that their programmes enable all trainees to demonstrate

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that they meet the Teachers' Standards. This includes preparing trainees for teaching new or revised aspects of the national curriculum, such as financial education.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to extend financial education into the National Colleges for Teaching and Leadership and in teaching school clusters. [166181]

Elizabeth Truss: The Government recognise the importance of financial education, as reflected in the draft national curriculum programmes of study that are currently available for consultation.

Although we do not prescribe the content of initial teacher training courses, providers must ensure that their programmes enable all trainees to achieve qualified teacher status by demonstrating that they meet the appropriate standards. This includes preparing trainees to deliver the appropriate curriculum for their chosen subject and phase.

School leaders are best placed to decide what arrangements are needed to support their staff to deliver the new national curriculum.

Teaching school alliances can provide additional support. within these clusters, teaching schools will be able to respond to the needs of each school, and if they identify a particular need for teacher or leadership development, for example with regards to financial education, they will be able to respond appropriately.

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the value of extending financial education to the primary school curriculum; and if he will make a statement. [166184]

Elizabeth Truss: The Government considered a range of proposals on how to make finance education compulsory in the national curriculum. With regard to the primary school curriculum, our assessment was that children should focus on mastering arithmetic, including arithmetic with money and percentages, so they have the necessary foundations to be taught financial literacy as part of the citizenship curriculum from ages 11 to 16.

We are also planning to strengthen the secondary curriculum and GCSE qualification in mathematics so young people will understand concepts such as compound interest, which will enable them to make sound financial decisions.

Free School Meals

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of pupils attending (a) Church of England, (b) Catholic, (c) other denominational or faith and (d) other maintained (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools in (A) Greater London and (B) nationally claimed free school meals for the last year for which figures are available. [165927]

Mr Laws: Data on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals are collected via the school census and the latest available data is for January 2013. The following table sets out the proportion of pupils that were known to be eligible and claiming

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free school meals in state-funded primary and secondary schools in London and England by religious denomination of the school.

Primary Education

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many state-funded primary schools there are; and how many such schools there are with (a) up to 100, (b) between 101 and 200, (c) between 201 and 300, (d) between 301 and 400, (e) between 401 and 500, (f) between 501 and 600, (g) between 601 and 700, (h) between 701 and 800, (i) between 801 and 900, (j) between 901 and 1,000, (k) between 1,001 and 1,100, (l) between 1,101 and 1,200, (m) between 1,201 and 1,300, (n) between 1,301 and 1,400, (o) between 1,401 and 1,500, (p) between 1,501 and 1,600 and (q) more than 1,601 pupils. [166291]

Mr Laws: Data on the number of pupils in each school are collected in the School Census. The latest data are for January 2013 and were published in the Statistical Release about the School Census on 20 June 2013:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013

This has been placed in the House Library.

Pupils: Ethnic Groups

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the answer of 17 March 2011, Official Report, columns 606-10W, what proportion of pupils attending (a) Church of England, (b) Catholic, (c) other denominational or faith and (d) other maintained (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools in (A) Greater London and (B) nationally were from each ethnic group in the last year for which figures are available. [165931]

Mr Laws: Data on the number of pupils in each ethnic group who attend different types of faith schools are collected in the School Census. The latest available data are for January 2013.

A table including the requested information has been placed in the House Library.

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School Meals

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to address the needs of children who require gluten-free meals in schools that do not allow their pupils to bring in packed lunches. [166204]

Elizabeth Truss: This is not a matter for central Government. Head teachers and school governors are well placed to know how best to accommodate the needs of children with specific dietary needs.

We would expect schools to work with parents, setting out their objectives and gaining their support for removing packed lunches.

Schools: Construction

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new schools have been built in each (a) local education authority area and (b) parliamentary constituency in England since May 2010; and if he will make a statement. [165298]

Mr Laws [holding answer 15 July 2013]: The Government provide local authorities with capital funding for schools through maintenance funding and basic need funding for new school places. Since May 2010, £4.2 billion has been allocated to local authorities in maintenance funding, £4.3 billion has been allocated in basic need funding and we have set up a Targeted Basic Need Programme.

Local authorities can spend this money on new school buildings but the Department does not collect the data centrally. Information on the impact of this funding in each local authority and parliamentary constituency could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary Education

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many state-funded secondary schools there are; and how many such schools there are with (a) up to 100, (b) between 101 and 200, (c) between 201 and 300, (d) between 301 and 400, (e) between 401 and 500, (f) between 501 and 600, (g) between 601 and 700, (h) between 701 and 800, (i) between 801 and 900, (j) between 901 and 1,000, (k) between 1,001 and 1,100, (l) between 1,101 and 1,200, (m) between 1,201 and 1,300, (n) between 1,301 and 1,400, (o) between 1,401 and 1,500, (p) between 1,501 and 1,600 and (q) more than 1,601 pupils. [166292]

Mr Laws: Data on the number of pupils in each school are collected in the School Census. The latest data are for January 2013 and were published in the Statistical Release about the School Census on 20 June 2013:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013

This has been placed in the House Library.

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Teachers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teacher training entrants did not gain qualified teacher status within 12 months of beginning initial teacher training in each year since 2010. [165840]

Mr Laws: The National College for Teaching and Learning (NCTL) publishes data about initial teacher training in England annually⁽¹⁾. The latest published data are for the academic year 2010/11.

The data show that of the 28,050 trainees who started a one-year programme in the autumn of 2010, 2,830 (10%) did not gain qualified teacher status by the end of the academic year (July 2011).

We have raised the bar for entry to initial teacher training courses to ensure that all trainees who start a course are equipped to complete it.

9,200 trainees began an initial teacher training programme lasting longer than 12 months and are expected to gain qualified teacher status in a later academic year.

⁽¹⁾ The initial teacher training performance profiles:

http://dataprovision.education.gov.uk/public/page.htm?to-page=publicOpencmsStaticPage&cms-page-id=tta_public/en/publicAdditionalReports/sectorLevelReports.html

Work Experience

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have withdrawn provision for work experience for 14 to 16-year-olds in each year since 2010. [166290]

Matthew Hancock: We do not hold the information requested because schools have never been required to provide information about pre-16 work experience.

For the first time, from September 2013, it will be a requirement for schools and colleges to record work experience by 16 to 18-year-olds as part of Government plans to expand the provision of work experience for this age group. This information will, therefore, be available in the future.

Treasury

Apprentices

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many apprenticeships his Department offered to people aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 21 and (c) 22 to 26 years old in each year since 2010; [165881]

(2) what strategies he has to create apprenticeships in his Department; and what plans he has to promote such strategies. [165900]

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Sajid Javid: The information requested is as follows:

In 2012 and 2013, HM Treasury created apprenticeships by recruiting into vacancies that already existed in HM Treasury, advertising via the National Apprenticeship Service. By bringing apprentices into existing vacancies, the strategy was to create the prospect of employment in the longer term if the posts continued to exist, and the apprentices successfully completed their apprenticeship. There are currently 6 Range Bs (AA/AO equivalent), who have studied or are studying Level 2 NVQ in Business and Administration, of whom five have been offered employment on a permanent basis. More recently, one higher level apprenticeship at Range C (EO equivalent), who is studying the Advanced IT user qualification has begun. HM Treasury continues to actively support the Government Apprenticeship scheme and will continue to look for further apprenticeship opportunities in the future.

Bank of England: Public Appointments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women are on the shortlist of candidates for deputy Governor of the Bank of England; and how many women are on the selection panel. [166278]

Sajid Javid: Applications for the position of deputy governor for financial stability closed on 15 July 2013. The composition of the selection panel was outlined in the application pack and the process for selecting a preferred candidate is ongoing.

The Government are committed to appointing serious, knowledgeable and experienced candidates with the appropriate qualifications and skills to sit on the Bank of England’s decision-making bodies.

Appointments should be made on merit. Diversity is always an important consideration and the Government continue to encourage women to apply for vacancies.

Bank Services

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people do not have a bank current account; [164626]

(2) how many people who have been discharged from bankruptcy in the last 12 months do not have a current bank account. [164628]

Sajid Javid: The Government do not collect those data.

The Treasury does not hold the requested information on the number of people who have been discharged from bankruptcy in the last 12 months but do not have a bank account.

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Cash Dispensing

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make an assessment of the number of automatic free-of-charge money dispensing machines which have been removed from communities in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Wales and (d) each region of England in each of the last four years; [165634]

(2) if he will make an assessment of the number of automatic money dispensing machines which operate only by payment of a fee or charge which have been installed in communities in (a) Scotland, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Wales and (d) each region of England in each of the last four years. [165637]

Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans to carry out an assessment of the number of automatic money dispensing machines in the UK.

Child Benefit: EU Nationals

Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence nationals of other EEA states are required to show in order to demonstrate proof of entitlement to child benefit in respect of a child resident (a) in the UK and (b) in another EEA member state; and in respect of what proportion of such applications such proof was requested in the last financial year. [166277]

Sajid Javid: An EEA national is required to provide evidence that they have been allocated, or applied for, a national insurance number. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) use this to carry out a variety of checks including whether they have a right to reside. If the child being claimed for is living in the UK they are required to provide the child's birth certificate and one other form of evidence of birth—this usually being the child's passport. If the child they are responsible for is resident in another EEA country, as well as providing a birth certificate, checks are carried out with the family benefits authorities in the child's country of residence to confirm the composition of the family and whether family benefits are in payment there.

All claims falling into the above categories are subject to these checks.

Children: Day Care

George Eustice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of extending free childcare for all three and four year olds to 17.5 hours a week in 2015-16. [164654]

Sajid Javid [holding answer 16 July 2013]: Extending free child care for all three and four-year-olds to 17.5 hours a week in 2015-16 would cost approximately £390 million. This does not include Barnett consequentials.

Credit Unions

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions his Department has had with the Association of British Credit Unions to broaden the range of financial services provided by them to their members in areas of social deprivation. [165639]

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Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

DWP is providing funds of up to £38 million to support credit unions. A contract has been awarded to the Association of British Credit Unions Limited (ABCUL) to develop the sector.

This will support participating credit unions to become financially sustainable while offering an increased range of financial services to a million more consumers, many of whom reside in areas of social deprivation.

Since the commencement of the contract on 1 May 2013 my officials have held numerous meetings with ABCUL, both informally and as part of the formal commercial governance.

Financial Services

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the progress of the Financial Conduct Authority redress scheme for businesses mis-sold interest rate hedging products. [165969]

Sajid Javid: The Financial Conduct Authority's review into the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products is now under way. Each bank has appointed independent reviewers who will assess each case to determine whether a customer was mis-sold these products, and if so, what redress is due. The FCA has recommended that, where possible, banks complete their full review within six months.

Future Jobs Fund

George Eustice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of restoring the Future Jobs Fund in 2015-16. [164653]

Sajid Javid: The total programme cost of the Future Jobs Fund was £480 million in 2010-11. Grown in line with forecasts for general inflation in the economy, this would cost £530 million in 2015-16.

Grant Thornton

Mr Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has spent on contracts with Grant Thornton in each year since 2008. [165700]

Sajid Javid: The Department has spent a total of £1,321,604 in relation to contracts with Grant Thornton since 2008 to 2012, a breakdown of these costs can be found in the following table.

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The majority of spend with Grant Thornton has been in connection with independent advisory services in relation to financial stability, Equitable Life and Project OSCAR.

By taking stronger control of our consulting and temporary labour bills this Government has saved over £1.6 billion in 2012-13.

Since January 2011, central Government Departments have been required to publish on Contracts Finder information on the contracts they award:

www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

In addition, Departments publish details of spend in excess of £25,000.

Green Construction Board

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he plans to make available for the Green Construction Board in 2015-16. [166122]

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and as Minister with responsibility for construction.

This Department is yet to allocate budgets for 2015-16, so I cannot yet confirm the funding to be made available to the Green Construction Board.

Income Tax

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Harlow of 14 January 2013, Official Report, columns 556-7W on income tax, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of implementing an income tax rate of 10p on all earnings between £9,440 and £12,230 in the fiscal year 2015-16. [164424]

Mr Gauke: The cost to the Exchequer of reintroducing an income tax rate of 10p on all earnings in the same band as the starting rate for savings is estimated to be around £8.0 billion in 2015-16.

This estimate is based on the 2010-11 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected to 2015-16 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2013 economic and fiscal outlook.

Mortgages

Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) number of households in mortgage arrears, (b) number of repossessions and (c) number of households benefiting from the Mortgage Rescue Scheme (i) in each region of England, (ii) in each London borough and (iii) in total in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [163380]

Mrs Grant: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Justice does not hold information on (a) number of mortgage arrears, (b) number of repossessions (i) in each region of England, (ii) by London borough as these can occur without a court order, such as where borrowers hand the keys back to

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the lender. Our figures only include repossessions carried out by county court bailiffs, and do not indicate how many properties have actually been repossessed.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) publishes the total numbers of mortgage repossessions in the UK. The following table shows the numbers of claims leading to orders being made for the (a) number of mortgage arrears, (b) number of repossessions in the UK in each of the last three years. These data are not broken down by region.

Information on numbers of households benefiting from the Mortgage Rescue Scheme is available on the DCLG website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-repossession-activity

and the Homes and Communities Agency website at:

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/mortgage_rescue_guidance

NHS: Redundancy Pay

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in the North West of England since taking office; [162569]

(2) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in the North East of England since taking office; [162570]

(3) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in Yorkshire and the Humber since taking office; [162571]

(4) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in the West Midlands since taking office; [162572]

(5) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in the East Midlands since taking office; [162573]

(6) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in the East of England since taking office; [163032]

(7) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in South East England since taking office; [163033]

(8) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in South West England since taking office; [163034]

(9) on how many occasions he has approved special severance payments for NHS employees based in Greater London since taking office. [163035]

Danny Alexander [holding answers 1 and 2 July 2013]:While the Treasury is required to approve all special severance payments, as the primary responsibility for making these settlements falls to departments, it is the

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responsibility of those bodies to keep records of them. The Treasury does not therefore hold the information in the format requested and could provide such information only at a disproportionate cost.

I have written to the hon. Gentleman in response to his Point of Order of 25 June 2013, a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

Ofgem

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the full cost to the Exchequer of abolishing Ofgem and replacing it with a new regulator in the fiscal year 2015-16. [164538]

Sajid Javid: Ofgem fulfils a number of statutory duties to enforce competition law and to protect consumers. Any replacement body would need to take on these functions. In addition a change to a new regulator would be likely to incur transitional costs associated with any staffing changes, establishment of a new organisation, premises and so forth. These costs would be above the ongoing running costs inherited from Ofgem.

Overseas Aid

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which Departments the UK's official development assistance (ODA) budget will be allocated in 2015-16; and how much each Department will administer. [162562]

Danny Alexander: In 2015-16, ODA will be allocated to Departments as follows:

Spending Round Video

Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to his Department was of the commissioning, production and dissemination of the cartoon video published on his Department's website setting out the spending review strategy in June 2013. [161855]

Sajid Javid: The video, ‘What is the Spending Round’, was produced within the Department using a software package which cost £16. To date this video has been viewed by 3,300 people. There was no other cost to the Department from commissioning, producing or disseminating this video.

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Spending Rounds: Reductions

George Eustice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer in 2015-16 of restoring police funding to the level it would have been without the decisions made in the 2010 spending review and the 2013 spending round. [164655]

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the full cost to the Exchequer of restoring spending on legal aid to the level it would have been without the spending rounds of 2010 and 2013 in fiscal year 2015-16. [164544]

Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the full cost to the Exchequer of restoring funding to the Criminal Justice System, by agency, to the level it would have been without the spending rounds of both 2010 and 2013 in the fiscal year 2015-16. [165104]

Danny Alexander: The amount of Exchequer funding that would be required to make spending in 2015-16 on legal aid, the police and other Criminal Justice System agencies equivalent to the 2010-11 baselines for those agencies in real terms is estimated as follows:

Railways: Finance

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer Pursuant to the oral answer from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Bristol West of 25 June 2013, Official Report, column 151, on infrastructure investment, what the evidential basis was for the statement that the Government are undertaking the largest investment in the railways since Victorian times. [166276]

Danny Alexander: This Government are spending more than £64 billion on the railway in the 10 years between 2010 and 2020.

This sum includes the c£16 billion recently committed to capital expenditure in HS2 between 2015-16 and 2020-21, and the c£1 5 billion funding provided to Crossrail. It also includes over £32 billion support for the rail network from 2010, projected out to 2019—which includes support for the delivery of the over £9 billion programme of enhancements announced July 2012.

The British railways developed in the Victorian era and early 20th century into over a hundred medium to large sized railway undertakings and the majority of these were grouped into four main privately-owned companies in 1923. Each of these companies had its own investment plans and cycles. These four companies were merged and nationalised in 1947. Prior to the publication of the Rail Investment Strategy (RIS) in

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July 2012, the only comparable national rail investment plan since the Victorian era was the 1955 British Rail modernisation plan.

The Government judges the current plans to be a larger scale investment than the 1955 plan for the following reasons:

The 1955 plan covered the whole rail industry including rolling stock and operations, whereas the RIS covers just rail infrastructure;

The enhancement component of the 1955 plan at today's values is calculated to be less than £15 billion; and

Delivery of the RIS will take just five years, whereas the 1955 plan included improvements which slipped into the 1970s or were never delivered.

Revenue and Customs: Scotland

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many employees of HM Revenue and Customs resident in Scotland have been made redundant through compulsory redundancy schemes since May 2010; and how much this has cost his Department; [165559]

(2) how many employees of HM Revenue and Customs resident in Scotland have been made redundant through compulsory redundancy schemes since May 2010; and what the cost to the public purse of such schemes has been. [166221]

Mr Gauke: HMRC is committed to avoiding compulsory redundancy (CR) as far as it is possible to do so.

Under Cabinet Office protocols for managing staff surpluses all HMRC staff leaving under CR terms have first been offered and declined voluntary redundancy (VR) terms. To date this approach has ensured that all staff who have left HMRC on CR terms have acquiesced to compulsory redundancy either because accepting CR over VR terms has not financially disadvantaged them or they have declined a reasonable alternative redeployment solution in favour of CR terms.

Since May 2010 one member of HMRC staff employed at an office in Scotland has left under CR terms, at a cost of £6,686.

Tax Allowances: Social Enterprises

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress he has made on confirming the outcome of consultation on a new tax relief to encourage investment in social enterprises, at the autumn statement 2013. [166296]

Mr Gauke: The consultation on the social investment tax relief closes on 6 September 2013. The Government will set out the outcome of the consultation once all responses have been considered.

Taxation: Construction

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of subcontractors operating within the Construction Industry scheme who did not claim any deduction for the costs of materials, plant and equipment and provided only their own labour in each of the last five years. [166172]

Mr Gauke: An estimate of the number of subcontractors providing labour only has not been made for the previous five-year period.

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Unemployment: Young People

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of young people unemployed for over a year in financial year 2015-16 according to (a) official claimant count and (b) International Labour Organisation forecasts. [164816]

Sajid Javid: The Government do not publish unemployment forecasts broken down by age, or duration on benefit. The latest labour market statistics recorded 265,000 16 to 24-year-olds unemployed for over a year, and 73,100 18 to 24-year-olds on the Claimant Count for over a year.

To tackle long-term unemployment, the Government launched the Work programme in June 2011 that will provide personalised support to an expected 3.3 million claimants. The £1 billion Youth Contract will also support up to 500,000 young people into employment and education opportunities.

VAT

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue accrued to the Exchequer from VAT in 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of the likely level of revenue accruing in 2013-14 and 2014-15. [164817]

Sajid Javid: The revenue accrued from VAT in 2012-13 is £100.4 billion. The Office for National Statistics publishes accrued receipts in the Public Sector Finances here:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/psa/public-sector-finances/may-2013/tsd---public-sector-finances.html

The forecast for revenue accruing from VAT in 2013-14 is £103.3 billion and for 2014-15 is £107.2 billion. This can be found m the Economic and Fiscal Outlook published by the Office for Budget Responsibility here:

http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-march-2013/

Welfare Tax Credits

Mr Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received working tax credits in each year since that scheme's inception; [165158]

(2) how many people have received working tax credit payments in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since that scheme's inception; [165159]

(3) how many people have received child tax credit payments in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since that scheme's inception. [165160]

(4) how much money has been overpaid to working tax credit recipients in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since that scheme's inception; [165162]

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(5) how much money has been overpaid to child tax credit recipients in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since that scheme's inception; [165163]

(6) how many families in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received tax credits in each year since that scheme's inception; [165164]

(7) how many families in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received child tax credits in each year since that scheme's inception; [165165]

(8) how many people in work in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received working tax credits in each year since that scheme's inception; [165166]

(9) how many people in work in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK have received (i) tax credits and (ii) child tax credits in each year since those schemes inception. [165167]

Sajid Javid: The information is as follows:

PQ 0955W, 0961W and 0962W

Information on the number of families benefiting from tax credits, child tax credit (CTC) and working tax credit (WTC) for the geographical areas requested is available in the HM Revenue and Customs snapshot publication “Personal Tax Credits: Provisional Statistics—Geographical Statistics”. Data for April and December each year from April 2009 to April 2013 are available at:

www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/prov-geog-stats.htm

Data for years 2004 and 2008 are available here:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/*/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geog-stats.htm

PQ 0959W and 0960W

Information on the number of tax credits awards where there is an overpayment as at 5 April 2012 is published in the HMRC publication “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2011-12. Supplement on Payments 2011-12”. This publication is available on the HMRC website at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/fin-main-stats.htm#2

It is not possible to split overpayments into parts attributable to CTC and WTC but table 4 in this publication gives the level of overpayments at 5 April 2012 split by profile position (that is, whether the family is out of work with children, in work with children, in work without children etc) at UK level.

Equivalent publications for previous years are available at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/*/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/final-award-main.htm

HMRC also publishes information on overpayments for lower geographical areas in the publication “Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics. Finalised Annual Awards 2011-12. Supplement on Payments 2011-12. Geographical Analysis” at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/fin-geog-stats.htm#1

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Archived publications for previous years are available at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/*/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/final-award-geog.htm

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Earlier years would be available only at disproportionate cost.

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The value of overpayments, both at UK level and in the areas requested, has increased over the last five years. However, as a proportion of total entitlement it has stayed fairly stable. Policy changes announced in Budget 2010 and Spending Review 2010 will have increased the level and number of overpayments. In particular, the decrease in the income rises disregard from £25,000 to £10,000 will have increased overpayments in 2011-12. In addition, increased error and fraud interventions by HMRC may have increased overpayments as well as identifying error and fraud.

HMRC’s strategy for reducing tax credit overpayments is to continue to focus on getting it right first time. We are developing a greater understanding of the causes of overpayments and continue to re-engineer products and processes to reduce the amount of debt entering the system.

PQ 0956W, 0957W, 0963W and 0964W

The information provided is based on snapshots of tax credits awards as at April where possible, and will have been liable to change once awards were finalised. For 2003-04, January was the closest published month to April 2004.

“People” are defined as adults in a family unit benefiting from working tax credit and/or child tax credit as relevant. A family can have one or two adults present.

“People in work” are defined as an adult in a family eligible for working tax credit, who works 16 or more hours a week.

The Government are taking steps to ensure that spending on welfare is sustainable by making sure that work pays, while also supporting those most in need. It is rewarding work by:

raising the personal allowance to £9,440 and announcing a further increase to £10,000 from April 2014. The combined effect of all personal allowance increases announced by this Government will be to remove 2.7 million low income individuals, under 65, out of income tax altogether from April 2014;

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developing a new tax-free child care scheme to expand support for affordable child care to 2.5 million families; and

introducing universal credit to make the benefits of work clearer and simpler, with the aim of offering a smooth transition into work and encouraging progression in work.

Sir Robert Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals resident in (a) Scotland and (b) England have had tax credit overpayments written off in the last 10 financial years. [166293]

Sajid Javid: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold the information in the format requested and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

HMRC does hold information relating to the totality of remissions and write-offs of tax credit overpayments. The latest account figures for remissions and write-offs can be found on page 118 of the HM Revenue and Customs annual report and accounts 2012-13, at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210244/9549-TSO-HMRC_RA_ACCESSIBLE.pdf

Welfare Tax Credits: Woking

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) people, (b) people in work and (c) families in Woking constituency are in receipt of tax credits. [165268]

Sajid Javid: In the constituency of Woking there are:

4,900 families in receipt of tax credits.

7,200 people within these families.

3,900 people in work within these families.

Within this answer, ‘people’ have been defined as ‘adults’. A family can have one or two adults present.

A person in work is defined as an adult in a family eligible for working tax credit, who works 16 or more hours a week.

The Government are taking steps to ensure that spending on welfare is sustainable by making sure that work pays, while also supporting those most in need. It is rewarding work by:

raising the personal allowance to £9,440 and announcing a further increase to £10,000 from April 2014. The combined effect of all personal allowance increases announced by this Government will be to remove 2.7 million low income individuals, under 65, out of income tax altogether from April 2014;

developing a new tax-free childcare scheme to expand support for affordable childcare to 2.5 million families; and

introducing universal credit to make the benefits of work clearer and simpler, with the aim of offering a smooth transition into work and encouraging progression in work.

Defence

Air Force: Reserve Forces

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are any plans to use reserve officers as combat pilots in the RAF along the lines of the US National Guard. [165646]

Mr Robathan: There are no current plans to use reserve officers to fly combat aircraft. However, RAF reserves provide pilots and other aircrew for air transport such as the CI30 Hercules and C17 Globemaster aircraft.

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Armed Forces: Discharges

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy, (c) the RAF and (d) the Royal Marines were medically discharged for reasons relating to alcohol in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012. [158071]

Mr Francois [holding answer 5 June 2013]:Defence Statistics release annual updates on medical discharges in the UK armed forces as an Official Statistic publication. In accordance with the code of practice for the release of National/Official Statistics we are unable to provide the data for 2012 prior to the next statistical release, due on 11 July 2013, as set out in the Statistics and Registration Service Act, 2007.

In the Royal Navy, there were no personnel medically discharged with a principal condition relating to alcohol in 2010 or 2011, and none with a contributory condition relating to alcohol in 2010. There were fewer than five with a contributory condition in 2011.

In the Royal Marines, there were no personnel medically discharged with a principal or contributory condition relating to alcohol in 2010 or 2011.

In the Army, there were no personnel medically discharged with a contributory condition relating to alcohol in 2011. There were fewer than five with a contributory condition in 2010 and fever than five with a principal condition in both 2010 and 2011.

In the Royal Air Force, there were no personnel medically discharged with a principal or contributory condition relating to alcohol in 2010 or 2011.

We have used the term 'fewer than five' rather than giving a specific number in order to protect medical confidentiality.