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Written Answers to Questions

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Education

Computers

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what access (a) he and (b) his ministerial private office has to tablet devices; and what the purchase cost was of those devices in the most recent year for which figures are available. [167470]

Elizabeth Truss: The Department does not provide tablet devices for the use of the Secretary of State for Education, or staff in his ministerial private office.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the budget per pupil for each school in England before and after the introduction of the pupil premium. [166971]

Mr Laws: We do not hold a full set of the information requested covering all schools. However, at national level, in the financial year 2010 to 2011, the year before the pupil premium was introduced, £36.1 billion was allocated through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and other grants, at a per pupil figure of £5,083.

In the financial year 2012 to 2013, the year after the pupil premium was introduced, £36.9 billion was allocated through the DSG, again at a per pupil rate of £5,083. The pupil premium budget was £1.25 billion, at a rate of £623 per pupil for deprived and looked-after children, and £250 per pupil for service children.

For the financial year 2013 to 2014, £38.1 billion has been allocated through the DSG. The reform of DSG to allocate funding through three blocks (schools, early years and high needs) means that the per pupil figures are not directly comparable to those for the previous year. Overall average funding per pupil for the schools block and early years block is £4,551 and £4,282 respectively, with funding of £10,000 per high needs place and £8,000 per place in alternative provision settings. The total pupil premium budget is £1.875 billion, at a rate of £900 per pupil for deprived and looked-after children, and £300 per pupil for service children.

We are determined to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers because it is unacceptable for children's achievement at school and success in life to be constrained by economic disadvantage. The evidence could not be clearer: economic disadvantage remains strongly associated with poorer academic performance. That is why we introduced the pupil premium which is additional funding given to schools so that they can support their disadvantaged pupils. Since the pupil premium was introduced, disadvantaged pupils' attainment has improved. Results for 2012, the first

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year to reflect the impact of a full year of pupil premium, showed a larger than expected narrowing of attainment gaps nationally for both key stage 2 and key stage 4.

Schools Commissioner

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to appoint a new Schools Commissioner. [167457]

Mr Timpson: Final interviews for the Schools Commissioner are being held during the first two weeks of September. The Permanent Secretary hopes to make an appointment shortly thereafter.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the Ofsted thematic review of careers provision will be published. [167472]

Matthew Hancock: This question is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the hon. Member, and a copy of his response has been placed in the House Library.

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he takes to ensure that (a) non-academy schools, (b) academy schools and (c) free schools secure independent and impartial careers service provision. [167473]

Matthew Hancock: Maintained schools in England have a statutory responsibility to secure independent and impartial careers guidance.

Academies and free schools which opened from September 2012 onwards are required by their funding agreements to secure independent and impartial careers guidance in line with the duties on maintained schools.

Maintained schools, academies and free schools are held to account through Ofsted inspections, which consider how well pupils are prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has confirmed that Ofsted will give careers guidance a greater priority as part of school inspections in the 2013/14 academic year.

This year saw publication of the second set of Destination Measures. These show the percentage of students at each secondary school continuing their education in school, further education or sixth form college or higher education institution, the percentage training, including through an apprenticeship and the percentage who went into employment.

These measures will enable maintained schools, academies and free schools to evaluate the effectiveness of their careers advice.

Work and Pensions

Food Banks

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all jobcentres issue vouchers for food banks; and if he will make a statement. [167423]

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Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department has issued to Jobcentre Plus staff on referring claimants to food banks; and if he will make a statement. [167362]

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2013, Official Report, column 346W, on food banks: voucher schemes, for what reasons his Department has no plans to monitor the usage of food banks. [167301]

Mr Hoban: Food banks are not part of Government policy and, as such, the Department for Work and Pensions does not hold or collect information on their usage. Jobcentre Plus signposts people to food banks only; it does not refer people to food banks or issue vouchers.

Personal Independence Payment

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many calls his Department has received since the introduction of personal independence payments asking for an extension of time to submit the forms. [167433]

Esther McVey: The Department does not keep a record of how many requests have been made for extensions of time to submit PIP application forms. Should evidence from live running highlight a need to record this data, the Department will consider including it in future enhancements to DWP IT systems supporting the administration of PIP.

Self-employed: Unemployment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many self-employed persons previously paying Class 2 National Insurance Contributions have declared themselves unemployed since 2010. [167624]

Mr Hoban: The information requested is not available.

Standards

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26 June 2013, Official Report, column 314, on spending review, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer about those programmes in his Department identified in that statement as under-performing; and if he will make a statement. [167441]

Mr Hoban: The Department continually assesses the performance of programmes to ensure that the best possible value for money is received and they meet the standards required. This is a clear Government priority which HMT and DWP continue to monitor on an ongoing basis.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much expenditure by his Department on information technology for universal credit has been written off to date. [167439]

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Mr Hoban: The Department regularly reviews the value of its IT. Any impairments to these assets are disclosed in the annual accounts. There were no impairments in the accounts for 2011-12; the accounts for 2012-13 will be published shortly.

International Development

Afghanistan

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps he has taken to ensure the preservation of women's rights and young girls' access to education in Afghanistan once UK armed forces leave that country. [167421]

Justine Greening: DFID has made combating violence against women and girls a strategic priority in the Afghanistan country programme and making sure that the law on Elimination of Violence Against Women and the National Action Plan for the Women of Afghanistan are fully implemented.

The UK will continue supporting girls’ education in Afghanistan until at least 2017 and has committed £47 million to the DFID Girls Education Challenge Fund between 2013 and 2016 to help 250,000 girls access quality schooling in Afghanistan.

Bangladesh

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2013, Official Report, column 393W, on Bangladesh, whether her Department has considered using the preferential trade access policy to encourage better health and safety regulations in Bangladesh; and whether she has discussed how to encourage better health and safety regulations in Bangladesh with (a) her European counterparts and (b) the European Commission. [167647]

Mr Duncan: Improving health and safety in Bangladesh was discussed at senior official level at the EU Director General meeting in June.

Duty-free, quota-free access to EU markets is granted to Bangladesh on the basis of need in line with agreed EU regulations and there is no provision for the use of additional conditionally. DFID does not believe that it would be appropriate to link Bangladesh's preferential access to EU markets directly to health and safety regulations. Any reduction in Bangladesh's market access would result in immediate and long-term harm to the livelihoods of poor Bangladeshi workers. A better approach is reflected in the ‘Compact’ signed on 8 July between the EU, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Government of Bangladesh committing Bangladesh to improvements in occupational health and safety. DFID officials, including in our Bangladesh office are also working closely with European counterparts and others to co-ordinate action to improve health and safety in Bangladesh.

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Central African Republic

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what long-term plans her Department has to provide support for children affected by conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic. [167409]

Justine Greening: The UK is providing £5 million in immediate humanitarian funding, which will provide urgent medical, food and livelihoods assistance to people in the Central African Republic.

Children are among the worst affected in any humanitarian crisis. Funding will provide support to girls who have been affected by sexual violence, as well as helping families to provide for their children's basic needs,

The UK will continue to liaise with UN organisations, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations to monitor the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic and will revise its plans accordingly as the situation develops.

Developing Countries: Asylum

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what estimate she has made of the length of the average stay in a refugee camp; [167582]

(2) what steps she is taking to reduce the length of stays in refugee camps. [167583]

Mr Duncan: There were 15.4 million refugees at the end of 2012. Of these, over 6 million were living in long-term refugee situations with an average length of stay of 17 years (UN High Commission for Refugees figures).

The UK provides support to UN agencies such as the UN High Commission for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration, as well as non-governmental organisations and the Red Cross, to help refugees return to their countries of origin or temporarily settle in host communities where feasible.

Developing Countries: Children

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what specific work on child protection work her Department is undertaking in the 22 countries listed in the report of the UN Secretary General on children and armed conflict, published in May 2013, as being ones where grave violations are being committed against children. [167406]

Justine Greening: The UK provides funding to humanitarian agencies which specialise in the protection of civilians, including children, in situations of armed conflict.

For example, since 2011 the UK provided £60 million of core funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for activities that include family tracing and reunification of separated and unaccompanied children in most of the 22 countries listed in the report.

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Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what amount of bilateral funding is provided by her Department each year to those countries identified as of concern by the UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict; and what proportion of such funding is provided through direct budgetary support to the governments of those countries. [167407]

Justine Greening: These figures are available in table 14 of the Statistics in International Development (SID). Table 14 is broken down into five geographically split tables showing each country and type of aid including budget support.

The link for the SID is located at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/about/statistics

The link to table 14 specifically is at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/series/statistics-on-international-development-2012

Developing Countries: Females

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has made to host a summit on violence against women and girls in humanitarian emergencies as outlined in her speech at Amnesty International; when it will take place; who will attend; and what her priorities for the event will be. [167426]

Justine Greening: Preparations for the event are under way and I will update Parliament on plans in due course.

Developing Countries: Nature Conservation

Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what recent discussions she has had with (a) her EU counterparts and (b) the Intergovernmental Authority on Development on establishing a wildlife enforcement network in the Horn of Africa; and if she will make a statement; [167116]

(2) what recent discussions she has had with her (a) EU and (b) G8 counterparts on combating wildlife trafficking; and if she will make a statement; [167161]

(3) what discussions she has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) her European counterparts on the establishment of a trust fund to tackle the rule of law, security and human effects of wildlife trafficking and poaching in Africa; and if she will make a statement; [167163]

(4) what recent discussions she has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) her European counterparts on the threat to rule of law and regional security from wildlife trafficking; and if she will make a statement. [167166]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK's response to the recent increase in illegal wildlife trafficking (IWT) is being led by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. As a member of the inter-ministerial group on this issue, I am co-ordinating DFID's contribution to the planned high-level summit and associated dialogue with key actors next year.

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Developing Countries: Taxation

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans her Department has to support developing nations in their efforts to prevent capital flight; how much official development assistance will be spent on support for tax administrations in the current financial year. [167462]

Justine Greening: DFID is currently funding 48 tax programmes across 20 countries, totalling around £20 million per annum. DFID also supports the World Bank and International Monetary Fund programmes on anti-money laundering.

Namibia

Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what steps her Department is taking in respect of Namibia; [167199]

(2) how her Department plans to respond to growing food insecurity and malnutrition in Namibia. [167200]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID is actively monitoring the food insecurity and malnutrition situation and tracking the response to the situation from the Government of Namibia and international community, and considering whether DFID support is needed.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has undertaken any research into levels of corruption involving foreign businesses operating in Sub-Saharan Africa. [167528]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID has not conducted research into overall levels of corruption involving foreign businesses operating in Sub-Saharan Africa. DFID has anti-corruption strategies for all the countries where it has a bilateral aid programme and takes a proactive approach to reducing potential for fraud through Fiduciary Risk Assessments and Due Diligence assessments of its contractors.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs appeal requests have been met by her Department in the areas of (a) food, (b) education and (c) child protection in the last five years; and who has responsibility for taking such decisions. [167408]

Justine Greening: The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has oversight of the UN's Common Appeal Process and Flash Appeals worldwide. The UK has contributed £1.6 billion directly to these appeals since 2009. In addition, the UK provides a significant proportion of humanitarian aid as core funding to UN humanitarian agencies such as the Red Cross, and through pooled funds.

Decisions are taken at the ministerial level.

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Cabinet Office

Average Earnings: Females

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2013, Official Report, columns 556-8W, on average earnings: Clwyd, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the doubling of female full-time gross weekly earnings between 1997 and 2012. [166870]

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, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2013, Official Report, columns 556-8W, on average earnings: Clwyd, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the doubling of female full-time gross weekly earnings between 1997 and 2012. (166870)

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Weekly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence.

The estimate for median full-time gross weekly earnings of female employees in the Vale of Clwyd constituency in 1997 is £264.20, while the estimate for 2012 is £484.60, Consequently, the increase over this period is 83 per cent. In comparison, the corresponding increase for full-time female employees in the UK is 69 per cent.

Clearly, much of the increase in earnings is attributable to inflation. For example the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) shows an increase of 37 per cent over this period. In addition, changes in average earnings may be influenced by various factors in the labour market. For example median earnings may increase if there is growth in the number of high-paid jobs or a loss of low-paid jobs. Beyond this, the Office for National Statistics has not made an assessment of the reasons for the increase in median full-time gross weekly earnings for female employees in the Vale of Clwyd constituency between 1997 and 2012.

Government Departments: South West

Conor Burns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Government Departments and agencies have offices based in (a) Bristol, (b) Swindon and (c) Bournemouth; and how many people are employed in each such office. [167053]

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, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government departments and agencies have offices based in (a) Bristol, (b) Swindon and (c) Bournemouth; and how many people are employed in each such office (167053).

Estimates of Civil Service employment are published annually by the Office for National Statistics on the National Statistics website. The data available refer to the survey reference date of 31 March 2012.

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The table provides the headcount of Civil Servants in post in the City of Bristol, Swindon and Bournemouth by department, agency and location as at 31 March 2012. These headcounts were selected at NUTS4 geographic level, to maintain comparability between the areas you requested information for.

A copy of the table will be placed in the Library of the House.

Low Pay

Jessica Morden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people in work who earn below £7.45 per hour in (a) the UK and (b) Wales; and how many such people are (i) women and (ii) men. [166048]

Mr Hurd [holding answer 18 July 2013]: 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, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of people in work who earn below £7.45 per hour in (a) the UK and (b) Wales; and how many such people are (i) women and (ii) men. (166048)

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Hourly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. It is not possible to estimate the number of jobs with hourly pay between specified thresholds using ASHE data, though it is possible to estimate the corresponding proportions of jobs.

The following table shows the proportion of employee jobs with hourly earnings below £7.45 in the UK and in Wales, as at April 2012, the latest period for which results are available. Figures are provided for male employees, female employees and all employees.

I note that £7.45 is the current rate suggested by the Living Wage Foundation for a UK living wage. The latest ASHE data are for April 2012, at which time the corresponding rate was £7.20. I have therefore also provided an answer which shows the proportion of employee jobs with earnings below £7.20 in April 2012 in the UK and in Wales.

Teenage Pregnancy

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the teenage pregnancy rate was in each year since 2010; and what he expects it be in 2014-15. [166946]

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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, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what the teenage pregnancy rate was in each year since 2010 and what it expects it to be in 2014-15 (166946).

This question has been answered using conception statistics to women aged under 18 to represent teenage pregnancies for England and Wales for 2010 and 2011. Conception statistics are estimated for women usually resident in England and Wales and are based on birth registrations and abortion records.

The latest year for which conception statistics are available is 2011. Statistics for 2012 are due to be published in February/March 2014.

The ONS does not produce projections of conception rates, so cannot provide projected figures for 2014-15.

The conception rate for women aged under 18 in England and Wales for 1998-2011 are available on the ONS website (see table 6):

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/conception-statistics--england-and-wales/2011/rft-conception-statistics-2011.xls

Telephone Services: Fees and Charges

Richard Burden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office What assessment he has made of the National Audit Office report, Charges for customer telephone lines, HC 541, and if he will make a statement. [900025]

Mr Hurd: The report makes the case for greater co-ordination across Government on charges for telephone lines and we agree in principle that it is inappropriate for vulnerable people to pay high charges for accessing vital public services. For far too long, Government were not joined up in the use of paid for numbers and so a more co-ordinated approach is required.

As a result, key Departments such as HMRC and DWP, have agreed to work together (with the Cabinet Office) to develop guidance and best practice to share across Government.

More broadly, the Government Digital Service is driving the transformation of services to become ‘digital by default’. As a result, the use of call centres and telephones will diminish over time.

Attorney-General

Crown Prosecution Service

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to the answer of 15 July 2013, Official Report, column 512W, on Crown Prosecution Service, what recent discussions he has had on the work of the Crown Prosecution Service. [167054]

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The Solicitor-General: As Ministers charged with superintendence of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) both the Attorney-General and I have regular discussions with the Director of Public Prosecutions and with many others with an interest in the criminal justice system and the work of the CPS, including members of the judiciary.

Prime Minister

Russia

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will discuss Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender rights in Russia with President Putin at the G20 Leaders' Summit in St Petersburg in September 2013; [167434]

(2) if he will seek assurances from President Putin about the (a) safety and (b) rights and freedoms of athletes and spectators at the Winter Olympics in Sochi while at the G20 Leaders' Summit in St Petersburg in September 2013; [167435]

(3) if he will discuss the repeal of the law on propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors with President Putin at the G20 Leaders' Summit in St Petersburg in September 2013. [167436]

The Prime Minister: The Government share concerns about the growing restrictions on LGBT freedoms in Russia. British officials at all levels have been lobbying on the issue of the LGBT law since the first regional anti-gay propaganda law was tabled in 2012. I have personally expressed my strong concern about human rights in Russia when I met President Putin in June and I will be raising my concerns on LGBT freedoms when I meet President Putin in St Petersburg this week.

We are working with the International Olympic Committee and the British Olympic Association to ensure that the Games take place in the spirit of the Olympic Charter and are free from discrimination.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agriculture: Subsidies

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what controls will be placed on administration costs for individual agreements under reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy. [167209]

Mr Heath: Subject to confirmation, over the 2014-20 multi-annual framework of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) the UK will receive £17.8 billion in Pillar 1 for direct subsidies for farmers, and £1.84 billion to spend in Pillar 2 on the environment and rural development. It will be essential to ensure we implement the CAP in a way which is as simple as possible, affordable and effective in delivering the outcomes we all want to achieve. The ideal will be to devise a scheme which is as straightforward as possible for both farmers and the delivery bodies, thus ensuring administration costs are kept to a minimum for both farmers and the UK

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taxpayer. To this end, DEFRA and the Paying Agencies are working closely together towards delivering the CAP in line with these objectives.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to English farmers of modulation under the next stage of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms; what the implications for the uplands of CAP reform will be; and if he will consider reintroducing headage payments. [167210]

Mr Heath: Scenarios are being developed on the impact of different rates of transfer from direct payments to the Rural Development Programme of the CAP. A formal consultation, which will cover this issue, will be undertaken in the near future.

Under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), the proportion of funds allocated to each region is broadly consistent with the historic distribution of agricultural subsidies. Hill farming plays a crucial role in maintaining the social, environmental and economic fabric of the uplands. It also has the potential to deliver ecosystems services. For these reasons, Ministers' initial view is that hill farming could be additionally supported through a level of redistribution of basic payments from the lowland region to the Severely Disadvantaged Areas (SDA) and moorland regions. We will welcome the views of consultees on this issue before we make a final decision.

We have the option to use a proportion of the amount available for direct payments to fund coupled support schemes to maintain levels of production in certain sectors; 'headage payments' would be an example of such payments. A key achievement of the 2005 reform of the CAP was a progressive move away from coupled support schemes in order to promote a more market oriented farm sector, and in England the last coupled schemes ended in 2011. Ministers' initial view is not to reintroduce any coupled support schemes.

Food: Production

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of food consumed in the UK was produced in the UK in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010; what estimate he has made of the likely proportion for (i) 2013 and (ii) 2023; and if he will make a statement. [167585]

Mr Heath: The proportion of UK food consumption produced in the UK was 58% in 1997 and 51% in 2010.

The latest available figures for 2012 give the proportion as 53%.

A full time series from 1988 to 2012 is available in Chapter 14 of the publication 'Agriculture in the United Kingdom' at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/agriculture-in-the-united-kingdom

We do not make estimates for future years. Meaningful and accurate estimates of domestic production food are difficult to calculate and would run the risk of influencing commodity markets.

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Afghanistan

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to secure the closure of Guantanamo Bay. [167355]

Alistair Burt: The British Government are committed to assisting the US in its aim to close Guantanamo Bay. We have made a significant contribution to reducing the number of detainees by taking back nine UK nationals and, exceptionally, five former legal residents. The Government continue to make clear to the US that we want Shaker Aamer released and returned to the UK.

Bahrain

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the treatment of Ms Rayhana Almosawi while in custody in Bahrain. [167349]

Alistair Burt: We are concerned by allegations that Ms Rayhana Almosawi has been mistreated while in detention, The Government stand firmly against torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment. We have consistently made clear our absolute opposition to such behaviour. We urge the Bahraini authorities to investigate any allegation of mistreatment promptly, thoroughly, and impartially.

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with his Bahraini counterparts on ensuring that Hasan Mushaima has access to appropriate medical treatment. [167350]

Alistair Burt: We have previously raised the issue of access to medical treatment for detainees in this case with the Government of Bahrain. Allegations that Hasan Mushaima is being denied medical treatment are very worrying if true. We expect the Government of Bahrain to meet all of its human rights obligations, and ensure all defendants have access to the medical care they require. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised human rights with the Bahraini Crown Prince in May, and we will continue to pursue a policy of direct and frank engagement.

Billing

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many creditors to his Department owed more than £10,000 remained unpaid for more than (a) 30 days, (b) 45 days, (c) 60 days, (d) 75 days and (e) more than 90 days in each of the last three years. [166374]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) policy is to pay 80% of all undisputed UK invoices within five working days of receipt of invoice. This target has been met in each of the last 12 months, with an average of 86.4% having been achieved across that period.

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In each of the last three financial years, the number of creditors with outstanding invoices over £10,000 remaining unpaid for the time periods outlined by my hon. Friend were as follows:

FY 2010-11

(a) 165;

(b) 62;

(c) 39;

(d) 23;

(e ) 20.

FY 2011-12

(a) 328;

(b) 138;

(c) 64;

(d) 27;

(e) 20.

FY 2012- 13

(a) 176;

(b)79;

(c) 46;

(d) 31;

(e) 20.

Where there is a prolonged delay in payment of an invoice, it usually results from provision of incorrect information by a supplier, resulting in an unresolved discrepancy.

This response relates to the UK only. Information regarding invoices paid by the FCO overseas is not held centrally, and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of efforts by the EU to create a lasting political solution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [167458]

Mr Lidington: The Government believe that membership of the EU remains the best way to ensure a lasting political solution in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We fully support the EU's work in Bosnia and Herzegovina towards this goal, including through the efforts of the EU Special Representative (EUSR) to Bosnia and Herzegovina. As made clear in the Conclusions at the Foreign Affairs Council in July, the EUSR commands the support of all member states to facilitate talks aimed at resolving the Sejdic-Finci constitutional issue. The onus remains on Bosnia's leaders to deliver on this reform soon so that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU can come into force, thus paving the way for Bosnia and Herzegovina to apply for EU membership.

China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role of China in negotiations towards a new international agreement on climate change. [167416]

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Mr Swire: China, along with all other Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has agreed to work towards a new, global and legally binding climate deal by 2015. Achieving a strong global agreement which binds all countries, including China, to implement emissions reductions commitments remains a UK priority. Discussions to date have seen Parties working constructively together.

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government provided any names for the invitation list for the business networking reception attended by the Minister for External Affairs from the Scottish Government in Shenzen on 26 June 2013. [167429]

Mr Swire: The business networking reception held in Shenzhen on 26 June 2013 was organised by Scottish Development International. The UK Trade & Investment team at our consulate-general in Guangzhou did suggest some companies that could be invited. However, we understand that hone of the companies suggested by our consulate were able to attend the event.

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items of business were discussed by the Minister for External Affairs of the Scottish Government and the British Ambassador in Beijing on 25 June 2013. [167431]

Mr Swire: The Scottish Government Minister for External and Cultural Affairs, Mr Humza Yousaf, and our ambassador in Beijing discussed the promotion of Scottish economic interests in China, including and whether Scotland can assist with China's environmental agenda. They also discussed workers' rights and development of a national human rights organisation in China.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on steps to assist British businesses to operate in China without engaging in bribery or other corrupt practices. [167524]

Mr Swire: All British companies are subject to the Bribery Act 2010 when operating overseas. We also expect them to operate within the law of the host country at all times.

When the Bribery Act came into force, officials in China engaged in a number of discussions with British businesses about the implications of the Act for business operations in China. We expect UK companies overseas to operate within the law of both the UK and the host country.

Corruption

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources his Department is spending on tackling corruption overseas. [166469]

Mr Swire: This Government are committed to tackling the problem of overseas corruption. As part of that effort the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has focused

4 Sep 2013 : Column 386W

on dealing with the obstacles to UK firms operating in emerging markets. This financial year we are spending over £2 million on bilateral projects that focus specifically on anti-corruption and transparency, all of which form part of our wider effort to promote a rules based international economic system. Following our successful G8 agenda, we are also working multilaterally to promote transparency, including through our co-Chairmanship this year of the Open Government Partnership.

Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other signatories to the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence on ratification of that Convention. [167368]

Mr Jeremy Browne: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

The Home Office leads on the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, which the UK signed on 8 June 2012. I met with the Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policies earlier this year to discuss approaches to tackling violence against women and girls, which included progress towards ratifying the Istanbul Convention.

European Union

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the first reports of the Government's Balance of Competences Review will be published. [167380]

Mr Lidington: The first set of reports were published on 22 July.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his written statement of 14 May 2013, Official Report, column 32WS on Balance of Competences Review, for what reason the first six first semester reports of the Balance of Competences Review were not published in early summer. [167381]

Mr Lidington: The first set of reports were published on 22 July in line with our commitment to publish them in summer.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants currently work full-time on the Government's Balance of Competences Review. [167382]

Mr Lidington: Departments provide appropriate levels of staffing to their parts of this exercise, as with any other issue. We will provide value for money for the taxpayer, while ensuring that resources are sufficient to make this a thorough exercise.

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Hong Kong

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK Government provided any names for the invitation list for the Globalscots and key contacts dinner attended by the Minister for External Affairs of the Scottish Government in Hong Kong on 27 June 2013. [167428]

Mr Swire: The UK Government did not provide any names for the GlobalScots and key contacts dinner.

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what items of business were discussed by the Minister for External Affairs of the Scottish Government and the British Consul-General in Hong Kong on 27 June 2013. [167430]

Mr Swire: The Scottish Government Minister for External and Cultural Affairs, Mr Humza Yousaf, and our consul general in Hong Kong discussed political and economic developments in the territory, cultural and heritage links between Scotland and Hong Kong and growing business opportunities in the context of "One Country, Two Systems". They also discussed Hong Kong's continued strategic importance as a business and technology bridge to mainland China.

Israel

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the likelihood of the Government of Israel having a nuclear weapons programme; and if he will make a statement. [167222]

Alistair Burt: We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on a wide range of nuclear-related issues. Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. We encourage Israel to sign up to the non-proliferation treaty and call on them to agree a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Malaysia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will respond to the postcards submitted through the British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur by Malaysians on 18 June 2013 calling on the Government to take responsibility for the killings at Batang Kali in December 1948. [166892]

Mr Swire: Our high commissioner to Kuala Lumpur received the postcards in person on 18 June. We have not responded directly to the postcard campaign as legal proceedings are ongoing, we are limited in what we can say at this time, but we note the content of the postcards and the aim of the campaign.

Methanol: Poisoning

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to warn UK nationals of the dangers presented by methanol poisoning in (a) Indonesia, (b) Bali and (c) other countries with high levels of methanol poisoning. [167154]

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Mr Swire: While the vast majority of alcoholic drinks purchased in reputable bars, hotels and shops in Indonesia and the region do not pose a danger there have been a number of deaths and cases of serious illness caused by methanol poisoning. This was highlighted in April following the tragic death of British backpacker Cheznye Emmons who died as a result of drinking gin contaminated with methanol in Medan, Indonesia.

We warn UK nationals of the dangers posed by methanol poisoning via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office country travel advice on the gov.uk website.

www.gov.uk

We encourage the travelling public to consult country travel advice via our ‘Know Before You Go’ advertising campaign.

The travel advice for Indonesia/Bali contains the following warning:

“There have been a number of deaths and cases of serious illness of locals and foreigners in Indonesia caused by drinking alcoholic drinks contaminated with methanol. Many of these cases have occurred in bars and shops in tourist areas. Seek local advice about reputable shops, bars and brands and take care when purchasing drinks, as bottles may appear to be genuine when they are not.

There have also been cases of methanol poisoning from drinking adulterated arak/arrack, a local rice or palm liquor. Make sure cocktails are prepared in your sight and do not leave drinks unattended as there have been reports of drink-spiking in clubs and nightspots. If you or someone you're travelling with show signs of methanol poisoning or drink-spiking, seek immediate medical attention”.

We include information and advice in other country travel advice pages where we are aware that methanol poisoning poses a significant risk. We currently have such advice in our travel advice for Vietnam and the Czech Republic.

Nature Conservation: Crime

Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the May 2013 Resolution by the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice on the categorisation of wildlife and forest crime as a serious form of organised crime, what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the utilisation of the Instrument for Stability to tackle wildlife trafficking; and if he will make a statement. [167160]

Mr Lidington: The Instrument for Stability is the EU's principal tool for pre-empting and responding to conflict in the wider world. Its funds are used for a large number of projects concerned with conflict resolution, response to security threats and the establishment of good international practices in terms of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. It operates in Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia. None of the Instrument's current projects is explicitly concerned with wildlife and forestry protection. However most of the Instrument's work is designed to improve the capacity of authorities in fragile states to police their territories effectively, including the lawful use of natural resources. Wildlife poaching and trafficking and illegal logging undermine the rule of law and flourish in the types of lawless environments which the use of the Instrument is intended to improve. Negotiations between the Commission and the European Parliament as to the use of the

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Instrument's substantial resources during the next budgetary period—2014-20—are continuing. Some of the Instrument's resources from 2014 onwards may be allocated to climate change response, which might also improve the protection of forests and fragile habitats.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his response of 10 June 2013, Official Report, columns 85-86W, when the five IPCC master plans were sent to the Israeli road and water departments for comment; when the comments were received; and when the 60 day period for public objections commenced. [167645]

Alistair Burt: The International Peace and Cooperation Centre provides us with quarterly updates; however, we do not have access to the necessary level of detail to provide the information requested.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his response of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 862W, whether any assessment of Government indirect finance to Israeli settlements through (a) procurement, (b) tax benefits or (c) participation in bilateral programmes was made before 2005; and when any such assessment was made. [167654]

Alistair Burt: Due to the complexity and cost to the taxpayer, we have not made an assessment of possible indirect finance to Israeli settlements through the cited mechanisms before 2005.

Palestinians

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to Baroness Tonge of 30 July 2013, Official Report, House of Lords, column 294WA, on Palestine, if his Department will correct the figures given by Baroness Warsi regarding the number of Palestinian deaths attributed to Israeli intervention. [167235]

Alistair Burt: In a response, to a parliamentary question asked by the noble Baroness Tonge, the answer contained a clerical error.

The answer should have stated:

‘We have made no assessment of the number of non-violent protestors killed or injured in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since 2002.

According to the website of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 3,643 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis since 1 January 2005 in incidents directly related to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict in the West Bank and Gaza strip.'

My noble Friend, the Senior Minister of State, the right hon. Baroness Warsi wrote to Baroness Tonge on 16 August, a copy of which was deposited in the House Library, informing her of the clerical error.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his response of 21 May 2013, Official Report, columns 679-80W, what progress has been made through the Israeli planning

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system on the 32 master plans since May 2013, including those deemed to have met the required technical standard in December 2012. [167653]

Alistair Burt: The International Peace and Cooperation Centre provides us with quarterly project updates. However, the most recent update we received, in June 2013, did not include information pertinent to this request.

Private Education

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much can be claimed by officials of his Department in support of the payment of private school fees; and what the average individual payment was in each year since May 2010. [166415]

Alistair Burt: Members of the Diplomatic Service must be prepared to serve anywhere in the world at any time during their career, sometimes at very short notice. Those who are parents are legally obliged to ensure that their children receive a full-time education. Where staff cannot or choose not to take their children overseas, we contribute through Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) towards the costs of boarding school education for children up to the age of 18. provided that officers meet specific eligibility criteria. This enables the children to have stability and continuity of education, which is particularly important for secondary school age children. We provide financial support to all diplomatic staff, irrespective of grade, who serve overseas, to help enable them to meet this requirement.

The FCO's financial support towards the cost of UK schooling for children of eligible staff is limited to term fees up to a ceiling. The ceiling for a senior boarding child is determined by an independent survey conducted annually by ECA International, which is used by public and private sector employers whose staff work across the world. The ceiling is reviewed each summer based on the results of the survey. Any changes to it, and to the lower ceiling for children of junior (prep) boarding age, come into effect in the following autumn school term. The maximum amount which may be claimed towards standard term fees for a senior boarding child for school year 2013-14 will be £9,285 per term. In 2012-13 it stood at £8,885 per term. Staff whose children attend more expensive schools must always pay the difference in cost of fees themselves.

The average payments (to the nearest £) made by the FCO towards the costs of UK schooling in each of the last three financial years were:

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Shaker Aamer

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his American counterpart about the repatriation of Shaker Aamer to the UK from Guantanamo. [167354]

Alistair Burt: The British Government continue to make clear to the US that we want Mr Aamer released and returned to the UK as a matter of urgency. The Prime Minister raised Mr Aamer's case with President Obama during the G8 in Northern Ireland in June. The Prime Minister later wrote to President Obama reaffirming the importance the UK places on the request for Mr Aamer's release. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, raised Mr Aamer's case with the US Secretary of State on two separate occasions in May.

Syria

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the free Syrian Army about the welfare of Christians living in rebel-held areas of Syria. [166930]

Alistair Burt: We regularly engage with the Syrian National Coalition and the Supreme Military Council and continue to encourage them to respect all minority rights. The National Coalition has committed to reaching out to minorities and has made clear that there will be a place for all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious belief, in a future Syria. At the Friends of Syria meeting in Istanbul on 20 April, the National Coalition set out clear commitments on reaching out to minorities and to guaranteeing the rights, interests and participation of all components of Syrian society. We continue to encourage the National Coalition to deliver on these principles and commitments.

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the welfare of Christian communities in rebel-held areas of Syria. [167260]

Alistair Burt: We have serious concerns about rising sectarian tensions in Syria. The Assad regime's actions continue to-undermine the stability and security of Syria and therefore endanger all Syria's citizens, including Christians and other religious minorities. We regularly engage with the Syrian National Coalition and the Supreme Military Council and continue to encourage them to respect all minority rights. The National Coalition has committed to reaching out to minorities and has made clear that there will be a place for all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity or religious belief, in a future Syria. At the Friends of Syria meeting in Istanbul on 20 April, the National Coalition set out clear commitments on reaching out to minorities and to guaranteeing the rights, interests and participation of all components of Syrian society. We continue to encourage the National Coalition to deliver on these principles and commitments.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Syrian

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opposition forces have requested any non-lethal chemical or biological defence equipment; and what such equipment has been provided in the last 12 months. [167459]

Alistair Burt: On 16 July 2013, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, made a statement to Parliament on the provision of chemical weapons protective equipment to the Syrian opposition:

“...we are exploring the possibility of supplying the Syrian Opposition protective equipment against chemical and biological weapons use and yesterday I laid a Minute before Parliament providing more detail on these plans. We plan to equip the moderate armed opposition with 5000 escape hoods, nerve-agent pre-treatment tablets (NAPs) and chemical weapons detector paper.”

The package of chemical weapons protective equipment which the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs laid before the House just before the summer break has now arrived in the region and is ready for onward delivery to the opposition. This package includes 5,000 escape hoods, three-colour detector paper and a stock of nerve agent pre treatment tablets for the moderate armed opposition.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of Syrian opposition forces using military equipment and armaments previously belonging to the Syrian army in the last 12 months. [167460]

Alistair Burt: Due to the volatile situation on the ground, we are aware of the possibility that equipment belonging to the Syrian army may fall into the hands of Syrian opposition forces. However, we do not have specific data to be able to give a detailed assessment as to the exact nature of the equipment belonging to the Syria army which may or may not have been obtained by opposition forces over the last 12 months. To date we have seen no credible reporting of chemical weapons use by anyone other than Assad's forces.

In the Syrian National Coalition's declaration on 20 April, they committed to ensuring that

“...weapons will not fall into the wrong hands”.

In the same declaration, the Syrian Supreme Military Command (SMC), which operate under the civilian authority of the Coalition, committed to

“upholding international humanitarian and human rights law.”,

and that

“...weapons and military equipment will be returned to the relevant and appropriate institutions upon the conclusion of the revolution”.

United Nations Committee On Decolonisation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his (a) French, (b) US and (c) New Zealand counterparts on winding up the United Nations Committee on Decolonisation. [167480]

Mr Lidington: There has been no recent ministerial engagement with counterparts in France, the US and New Zealand on winding up the UN Special Committee on Decolonisation.

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Business, Innovation and Skills

Arms Trade: Trade Fairs

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any representatives from (a) Syria and (b) Egypt (i) were invited to and (ii) will be attending the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition in London in September 2013. [167273]

Michael Fallon: A full list of countries invited to and attending the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition will be published at the start of the event. I can confirm that neither Syria nor Egypt has received an invitation from UKTI DSO to attend.

Business: Norfolk

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department took to increase the level of access to credit for businesses in (a) North West Norfolk constituency and (b) Norfolk in the last year. [167188]

Michael Fallon: It is one of the Government's priorities to increase access to finance, in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Funding for Lending Scheme is reducing the cost of lending to business and this was extended by a year in April, and will be made available to providers of asset backed, invoice and lease/hire financial products which will further boost the availability of credit to SMEs.

Additionally, we have widened the scope of the existing Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG), which will for the first time, provide Government guarantees to facilitate the provision of additional trade credit. A nine month pilot started in April with Kingfisher plc, through their nationwide network of Screwfix and B&Q stores and the scheme is being expanded to include new providers.

Company Accounts

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the Government's policy is on requiring UK-based companies to produce publicly-available financial reports on a country-by-country basis (a) as a UK-only initiative, (b) as a result of EU requirements and (c) as part of a wider international initiative. [167652]

Jo Swinson: Financial reporting can cover a number of areas, from tax to the payments made by companies for mining privileges. These are typically contained in companies' annual reports. These are available from Companies House or on the company's website.

We have already committed to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative that asks oil, gas, and mining companies to publish what they pay to governments. We have also recently made significant changes to the reporting framework in the UK to help improve transparency in annual reporting, by adopting new Narrative Reporting Regulations. Looking ahead, the Government will also be implementing the Capital Requirements Directive IV, which includes certain country-by-country reporting requirements for the banking sector.

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The Government have also used its G8 presidency to secure agreement that the OECD should develop a standard template for multinational companies to use to report high-level information of profits and taxes to the tax authorities of all countries in which they operate, enabling more effective identification of tax risks. This is being taken forward as part of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting agreed by G20 Finance Ministers.

At this stage, while we would need to consider further the practicalities and merits of additional financial reporting obligations, the Government are not minded to seek further changes requiring publically available financial reports.

Conditions of Employment: Scotland

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in Scotland on the use of zero-hours contracts for local authority staff in Scotland. [167255]

Jo Swinson: Neither Ministers or officials have had any discussions with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in Scotland on local authority use of zero-hours contracts.

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what estimate he has made of the number of people who are (a) aged 18-24 and (b) over the age of 24 and on zero-hours contracts in (i) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (ii) Renfrewshire, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK; [167256]

(2) if he will estimate the average number of hours worked per week by people on zero-hours contracts. [167565]

Jo Swinson: According to data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the (non-seasonally adjusted) estimated number of people who say they are on zero-hours contracts in the UK in the fourth quarter of 2012 who were (a) aged 18-24 was 81,000 and (b) aged over the age of 24 was 158,000. BIS has not made estimates of numbers on zero-hours contracts below UK level as the sample sizes are too small to provide reliable estimates.

Using LFS data it is estimated that people who said they were on zero-hours contracts usually worked a mean average 25 hours per week and a median average 21 hours per week in the fourth quarter of 2012.

The LFS also measures the actual hours worked during a reference week in the period the respondent was interviewed for. In the 4th quarter of 2012, the mean average actual hours for those who said they worked on zero-hours contracts was 21 hours per week while the median average actual hours was 17 hours per week.

The LFS is the largest household survey conducted in the UK, however the estimates are dependent on responses provided by individuals answering the survey.

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Consumer Rights Bill (Draft)

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what submissions he has received either orally or in writing from the Scottish Government in relation to the draft Consumer Rights Bill. [167379]

Jo Swinson: Our consumer law reforms are the most fundamental reform of UK consumer rights in a generation and will set out in one place consumer rights if something goes wrong for goods, services and digital content. Regulation of the sale and supply of goods and services to consumers and regulation of anti-competitive practices are reserved under the Scotland Act 1998.

Although the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has not received any submissions from the Scottish Government in relation to the draft Bill, BIS officials are working very closely with officials in the Scottish Government to ensure the Bill works in Scotland in view of the different legal system and that it respects the devolution settlement. I expect this constructive dialogue to continue throughout the scrutiny process.

Copyright

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of any potential economic harm to creators under a private copying exception for lawfully-owned content. [167655]

Jo Swinson: The Government published an impact assessment on this exception, approved by the independent Regulatory Policy Committee and available at

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/consult-ia-bis1055.pdf

The impact assessment found that any potential economic harm caused to creators under the proposed narrow private copying exception is likely to be minimal.

Credit: Interest Rates

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what submissions he has received either orally or in writing from the Scottish Government in relation to regulation of the payday lending sector over the last 12 months. [167425]

Jo Swinson: I have received one written submission from the Scottish Government in relation to regulation of the payday lending sector over the last 12 months. I am due to meet with Fergus Ewing MSP from the Scottish Government shortly to discuss this topic.

Dementia

Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Medical Research Council spent on dementia research in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13; and what activities were funded by such spending. [167623]

Mr Willetts: The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research.

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In 2011/12 the MRC spent £19.8 million on dementia research. Information on spend and activities for 2012/13 is not currently available.

During 2012/13 the MRC has increased its activity in this area of research in response to the Prime Minister's Challenge on Dementia. Activities that have been initiated include:

(i) £9.6 million is being provided by the MRC for a pilot study involving 8,000 volunteers as the first phase of a brain imaging programme that will ultimately scan the brains of 100,000 UK Biobank participants. In support of this, MRC and DH recently announced a £20 million investment to fully genotype the UK Biobank cohort, with a specific focus on determining the genetic profile of known risk factors that contribute to the development of the dementias.

(ii) The provision of £3 million to promote the participation of UK groups in two major international funding initiatives focussed on dementia research—the Centres of Excellence in Neurodegeneration and Joint Programme on Neurodegenerative Diseases (JPND) initiatives.

(iii) A 50% increase in funding for neuroscience research including dementia in the world-leading MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, which in summer 2012 received an expanded budget of £49 million over the next five years.

(iv) MRC provides approximately £1 million per annum as core support to four Banks and co-ordination activity within the UK network of 10 brain banks. This funding was recently renewed. During 2012 an additional £0.5 million was provided to improve the process for donation of brain tissue by meeting the costs of collecting brain tissue through the NHS, so smoothing the pathway to donation. In conjunction with publicity regarding donation, this has led to an increase of 18% in the number of brains collected by the Network.

(v) An investment of £4.5 million in three new therapeutic programmes seeking to evaluate the ‘repurposing' of existing drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Spend on these activities and other initiatives on dementia research during 2012-13 will be available later this year.

A list of research activities supported by the MRC in 2011/12 will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Financial Services: Regulation

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has made to the Financial Conduct Authority on the regulation of continuous payment authorities operated by high cost credit providers and debt management companies. [167625]

Jo Swinson: Government Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.

The Financial Conduct Authority attended the Payday Lending Summit I convened in July. At this event we discussed a range of issues, including continuous payment authorities.

Minimum Wage

Mr Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many names of employers found to have breached the provisions of legislation on the national minimum wage (a) nationally and (b) in London have been published under his Department's scheme to name such employers since its inception in January 2011. [167633]

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Jo Swinson: Since the scheme was introduced we have named one person: Mrs Rita Patel, a hair and beauty salon owner, trading as Treena Professional Hair & Beauty in Leicester. She did not pay £3,361.22 in outstanding arrears of the national minimum wage (NMW) to a former worker following an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs.

The Government announced on 23 August that the Naming scheme will be revised so that any employer issued with a final Notice of Underpayment (NoU) by HM Revenue and Customs and found to be in breach of national minimum wage law will be named in all but exceptional circumstances.

The revised scheme which will come into effect on 1 October 2013, reduces previous restrictions on who can be named under the scheme and is one part of Government efforts to toughen up enforcement and increase compliance with NMW law. Negative publicity will become an additional deterrent to employers who would otherwise be tempted not to pay the NMW. This is on top of financial penalties which employers already face if they fail to pay NMW.

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National Careers Service

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) telephone calls, (b) web chats, (c) texts and (d) e-mails from young people aged 13 to 18 years old have been handled by the National Careers Service in each month since April 2012. [167474]

Matthew Hancock: The National Careers Service offers careers information and advice to adults and young people, through a website and helpline service. Adults can also access guidance services on a face-to-face basis with an adviser.

A dedicated helpline provides young people between the ages of 13 and 18 years old with a variety of services, including advice via phone, web chat, text and e-mail.

The following table shows the phone call, web chat, text and e-mail activity carried out by the National Careers Service Young People's Contact Centre broken down by month since April 2012.

Office for National Statistics

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has recently discussed with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the (a) accuracy of workforce statistics and (b) collaboration by ONS with other bodies when collecting such statistics. [167254]

Jo Swinson: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, has not had any discussions with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) about its statistics. Such discussions generally take place at official level.

Officials within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) regularly meet with ONS officials to discuss the quality and coverage of ONS's labour market statistics, both at cross-Government meetings and at bi-lateral meetings between BIS labour market analysts and ONS officials working on labour market statistics.

Overseas Investment: Mozambique

Mr Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2013, Official Report, columns 919-20W on Overseas Investment: Mozambique, which companies UK Trade and Investment has supported in Mozambique since May 2010. [167164]

Michael Fallon: In autumn 2012, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) reopened its office in Maputo with a full-time trade adviser to deliver the full range of UKTI services in-country. UKTI has subsequently provided support to a range of UK companies across the energy, infrastructure, healthcare and agriculture sectors. More than 50 UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are currently engaged with UKTI in developing their business in Mozambique.

In addition, UKTI's High Value Opportunities (HVO) programme, which helps UK-based firms to capitalise on major projects worldwide, has identified a major

4 Sep 2013 : Column 399W

Eastern Africa Oil and Gas project that will provide further opportunities for UK companies from the energy supply chain.

Mr Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2013, Official Report, columns 919-20W on Overseas Investment: Mozambique, what assessment he has made of the value of business achieved by UK companies assisted by UK Trade and Investment in Mozambique since May 2010. [167165]

Michael Fallon: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) re-established its office in Mozambique in the autumn of 2012. UKTI's High Value Opportunities (HVO) programme that helps UK-based firms to capitalise on major projects worldwide, will support UK companies in pursuing opportunities in the energy, oil and gas supply chain. UKTI continually assesses its performance: it is currently brokering contracts in Mozambique on behalf of UK business and will assess its impact in due course.

Pay

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of businesses paying salaries between the value of the minimum wage and £7.45 per hour; and how many workers would be in receipt of such a salary. [166002]

Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

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, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate he has made of the number of businesses paying salaries between the value of the minimum wage and £7.45 per hour; and how many workers would be in receipt of such a salary. (166002)

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Hourly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. It is not possible to estimate the number of jobs with hourly pay between specified thresholds using ASHE data, though it is possible to estimate the corresponding proportions of jobs. There is no data source from which to make corresponding estimates for the number or proportion of businesses.

The latest ASHE data are for April 2012. The table shows the proportion of employee jobs with hourly earnings between the minimum wage as applied at April 2012 and £7.45.

I note that £7.45 is the current rate suggested by the Living Wage Foundation for a UK living wage. The corresponding rate at April 2012 was £7.20. I have therefore also provided an answer which shows the proportion of employee jobs with earnings between the value of the minimum wage and £7.20 in April 2012.

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Royal Mail: Theft

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many thefts were recorded from the Royal Mail delivery service in each of the last three years. [167201]

Michael Fallon: Recording thefts is the operational responsibility of Royal Mail.

I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make it his policy to ensure that all answers provided by his Department containing tables of statistical data which would not require more than four pages in the Official Report are published in full rather than by reference to a hyperlink. [166718]

Jo Swinson: As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member’s parliamentary question (166852) on 2 September 2013, Official Report, column reference 144W, the Department normally includes statistical data in the text of the answer. However, in some cases the Department considers there to be benefits in providing a hyperlink, for example where a website provides a reader with web links related to the topic. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 July 2013, Official Report, column reference 686W.

Defence

Afghanistan

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what duty of care his Department owes to (a) soldiers and (b) medical auxiliaries who have left military service after one or more tour of duty in Afghanistan; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the delivery of this duty of care; [166340]

(2) what recent assessment he has made of the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on the ability of former services personnel to reintegrate into civilian life. [166341]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the health of its personnel seriously, regardless of whether serving personnel or veterans have undertaken an operational tour. We work hard to continually improve health care and have taken steps to improve awareness of care, including the implementation of Trauma Risk

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Management, a team of mental health nurses in Afghanistan and the use of decompression after deployments. Veterans can access the Veterans Welfare Service which provides free, confidential and personal advice on a variety of financial, health, employment and welfare issues.

We work closely with the Department of Health and the NHS to improve the transfer of service personnel medical records on discharge. This will facilitate GPs awareness of new patients; enabling more proactive monitoring of veterans' mental health and help them receive entitlement to priority treatment where their health problems are related to service.

Mental health services for veterans have improved through the successful implementation of all 13 recommendations contained in the 2010 “Fighting Fit” report by the Under-Secretary, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison). NHS services are complemented by our Veterans and Reserves Mental Health Programme which offers specialist mental health assessments for individuals with operational service since 1982 and Reservists with operational service since 2003. We are not, however, complacent about the support we provide to veterans.

In 2012 Lord Ashcroft was appointed as Special Representative for Veterans Transition. In this role he will provide the MOD with advice on how we can further support those leaving the armed forces. It is expected that Lord Ashcroft will produce an interim report to the Secretary of State for Defence by the end of 2013, with more comprehensive recommendations being made during 2014.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether recruits at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy receive training on UN Security Council Resolution 1325. [167123]

Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 395W, to the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth (Debbie Abrahams).

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2013, Official Report, column 5W, on Afghanistan, if he will make it his policy to engage with the review of criteria required to establish positive identification and determination of status undertaken by international forces in Afghanistan. [R] [167608]

Mr Robathan: The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to formulate policy on reviewing the criteria required to establish positive identification and determination of status undertaken by international forces in Afghanistan. ISAF and UK forces have strict operating procedures to minimise the risk of civilian casualties, for investigating any incidents that do occur and learning the lessons from them. We remain confident that these processes remain sufficiently robust to identify and determine the status of targets and fully meet our obligations under international law.

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department holds information on how many occasions US pilots have flown Reapers in the launch and recovery phase in Afghanistan. [R] [167612]

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Mr Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested.

All UK sorties are launched and recovered by the United States Air Force (USAF) 62 Expeditionary Response Squadron (62 ERS). 62 ERS launch UK and US Reapers and are manned on a 24 hour basis by both UK and USAF personnel.

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the recording of casualties from drone strikes in Afghanistan; and if he will place in the Library copies of any such information. [R] [167614]

Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 601W, and to the answer my predecessor, the hon. Member for North Devon (Sir Nick Harvey), gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr Godsiff) on 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 187W.

Armed Forces: Carbon Emissions

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to reduce carbon emissions by the armed forces. [167444]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has set itself the target of reducing the armed forces reliance on fossil fuels for equipment by 18%. The MOD is on track to achieve this by the target year of financial year 2020-21.

Steps undertaken by the MOD to reduce carbon emissions on the Defence estate include a range of energy efficiency measures such as installing heating controls, lighting controls and energy efficient lighting, insulation and building energy management systems.

The MOD has a green electricity supply to sites in the UK and Germany, and is developing renewable energy systems, alongside combined heat and power units, to provide on-site low-carbon energy supplies.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 May 2013, Official Report, column 495W, on armed forces: sexual offences, (1) what options are available to a commanding officer where they receive allegations relating to sexual offences not listed in schedule 2 to the Armed Forces Act 2006; and if he will make a statement; [161386]

(2) what forms of redress are available to armed forces personnel who make allegations of sexual offences not listed in schedule 2 to the Armed Forces Act 2006 if a commanding officer (a) decides not to investigate that allegation and (b) does not refer the allegation to the service police; and if he will make a statement. [161387]

Mr Francois: I will write to the hon. Member on this matter shortly.

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Armed Forces: Travel

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the potential cost savings of allowing service personnel to travel from Gosport to Portsmouth for work by ferry rather than car; [167332]

(2) whether his Department plans to extend the provision of travel expenses to service personnel who choose to commute to work from Gosport to Portsmouth using the Gosport Ferry instead of travelling by car; [167333]

(3) what estimate he has made of the annual costs to his Department of service personnel commuting to work from Gosport to Portsmouth. [167334]

Mr Francois: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 31 January 2013, Official Report, column 881W.

Service personnel may travel from Gosport to Portsmouth by any means of transport they choose but there are at present no plans to revisit this decision to remove reimbursement of the Gosport Ferry costs from the Department's travel regulations. To do so would not result in any savings as the cost to the Department of the concession under the home to duty travel allowance for personnel to claim for travel on the Gosport Ferry is some £20 more expensive per claim per month than the payment of the allowance for car drivers.

Information on home to duty expenses is not held to the level of detail required to establish the annual costs requested. To identify journey details or mode of transport would require scrutiny of individual records and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the value of the (a) Challenger, (b) Warrior, (c) Bulldog, (d) Stormer, (e) Snatch 2 Land Rover, (f) RWMIK Land Rover, (g) Vector, (h) Viking BVS10, (i) Mastiff, (j) Panther, (k) Foxhound, (l) Husky, (m) Warthog, (n) Wolfhound, (o) Scimitar, (p) Spartan, (q) Jackal and (r) Coyote vehicle fleets; and how large each such fleet is; [166576]

(2) if he will estimate the value of the (a) Land Rover battlefield ambulance, (b) M3, (c) Titan armoured bridge launcher, (d) Challenger armoured repair and recovery vehicle, (e) BR90 bridge vehicle, (f) Terrier, (g) Trojan, (h) Python, (i) heavy equipment transporter, (j) Demountable rack offload and pickup system and (k) all-terrain mobility platform vehicle fleets; and how large each such fleet is. [166577]

Mr Dunne: The current value of each equipment fleet is shown in the table. The values reflect the Net Book Value (NBV) of the fleet; they do not include future deliveries or assets in the course of construction, or associated munition costs. NBV is calculated by adding the cost of any historic major upgrades to the original capital cost of each asset and deducting depreciation to reflect the decrease in value of an asset over time.

The values quoted bear no relation to the replacement costs of the assets and capabilities, nor can they be used to calculate an accurate NBV per piece of equipment. NBVs have not been provided for the Foxhound and

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Terrier fleets, which are still being delivered, as the release of these figures would provide the means to calculate the Unit Purchase Costs. I am withholding this information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.