VAT: Charities

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost to the Exchequer of exempting all charities from liability for VAT. [167500]

Mr Gauke: There is no scope under EU VAT law for relieving all purchases made by charities from the imposition of VAT, therefore no estimate has been made.

Culture, Media and Sport

BBC

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidance her Department gives to the BBC on the exercise of its responsibility to broadcast impartial and accurate information; how often such guidance is reviewed; and what information her Department holds on how often such guidance is communicated to BBC editorial staff. [167562]

Mr Vaizey: The BBC is required through its Charter, and accompanying Agreement, to ensure its broadcasts are impartial and accurate, and it is the role of the BBC Trust, among other things to

“seek to ensure that the BBC gives information about, and increases understanding of, the world through accurate and impartial news, other information, and analysis of current events and ideas”.

Clause 15 of the Agreement requires the Trust to have regard to the purposes of public service broadcasting as set out in Section 264(4) of the Communications Act 2003 and the desirability of those purposes being fulfilled in a manner compatible with the requirements detailed under Section 264(6).

Further information on how the BBC Trust fulfils this obligation can be found at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/our_work/editorial_standards/impartiality.html

The current Charter and Agreement expire on 31 December 2016.

BBC: Children

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of children that (a) watch BBC television channels, (b) listen to BBC radio and (c) use BBC digital services regularly in (i) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (ii) Renfrewshire, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK. [167250]

Mr Vaizey: Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) data show that in the UK, the average number of children per day watching the BBC's TV services in 2012 was 222,000 (or 26.6% share of total daily viewing by children). The relevant services comprise BBC One, BBC Two, and its digital services—BBC Three, BBC Four, the HD channel, News 24, CBBC and Cbeebies.

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Data specific to Paisley and the Renfrewshire North constituency, to Renfrewshire, and to Scotland, is not available.

Radio Joint Audience Research measures and profiles the audiences of UK radio stations. Data from Q4 2012 indicate in the UK, average weekly reach among children 10-14 of BBC Radio stations is 48.3% of that audience (est. 1.67 million) and in Scotland it is 50.2% (est. 139,000). Of hours listened to the radio, BBC Radio stations account for 28.6% in the UK and in Scotland it is 30.1%. Data specific to Paisley and the Renfrewshire North constituency, and to Renfrewshire, are not available.

Boxing: Females

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding her Department provides to support women amateur boxers. [166762]

Hugh Robertson: Sport England is investing £4.8 million into the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) between 2013-17. This investment will fund a number of programmes focused on supporting the traditional club network and developing more opportunities for men and women to get involved in boxing. The ABAE is looking to capitalise on the increased profile of women's boxing, following the Olympic Games, and get more women taking part in the sport. Women's boxing has seen a 51% increase in participation in the past 12 months (an increase of 11,800).

Sport England's ABAE funding also includes £1.2 million to support the development of talented young male and female boxers, providing support for those aiming to represent Team GB at future Olympic Games.

UK Sport is investing £13.7 million into elite Boxing for the Rio cycle (2013-17). This funding ensures that the female boxers, on the sport's World Class Programme, have access to the very best facilities, coaches and medical support, enabling them to compete and win at the highest level as they aim to emulate the success of Nicola Adams, who became the very first female Olympic boxing champion at London 2012.

Gambling

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what recent discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission regarding the prevention of addiction to gambling; [167216]

(2) what recent discussions she has had with technology companies regarding methods to detect those with gambling addictions online. [167217]

Hugh Robertson: My Officials and I discuss a range of matters with the Gambling Commission on a regular basis. In addition, I met with a number of gambling operators earlier this year to discuss a range of issues including the role of technology in enhancing player protection. Separately, the Responsible Gambling Trust has outlined in its Commissioning Plan for 2013-14 its intention to examine new and existing technology and media in gambling and the unique challenges and opportunities they pose to promoting player protection and the mitigation of problem gambling. This work should help inform our understanding of the risks and experiences associated with gambling-related harm.

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Swimming: Children

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to encourage children to learn to swim. [167330]

Hugh Robertson: Sport England has given £20 million to the Amateur Swimming Association, to get more people swimming. The ASA are increasing the number of swimming clubs for young people aged 14 and above, and improving after-school provision through new satellite clubs.

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the number of children in the UK who are able to swim. [167331]

Hugh Robertson: Data, from the latest DCMS Taking Part Survey, show that, in 2012-13, 80.1% of 5 to 10-year-olds can swim (23.7% aided with floats/armbands and 56.4% 25 meters unaided) and 93.2% of 11 to 15-year-olds can swim.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many questions answered by her Department included fewer than four pages of statistics in the Official Report for the last month. [166698]

Hugh Robertson: This information is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to ensure that all answers provided by her 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. [166723]

Hugh Robertson: It is currently the policy of DCMS, which includes GEO, to provide a hyperlink for information which is easily accessible to the public; where this is not the case, the Department will endeavour to publish the information, in full, in the Official Report.

Home Department

Abu Qatada

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1), pursuant to the statement of 8 July 2013, Official Report, columns 23-36, on Abu Qatada; deportation, what plans her Department has for the long-term funding of Abu Qatada's immediate family that remain resident in the UK; [165994]

(2) what discussions her Department has had with the London Borough of Harrow on that local authority becoming financially responsible for the immediate family of Abu Qatada. [166004]

James Brokenshire: On 15 August 2013, Abu Qatada's wife and five children left the United Kingdom. The family formally agreed to drop an outstanding application for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

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Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the statement of 8 July 2013, Official Report, columns 23-36, on Abu Qatada: deportation what steps her Department has taken to prevent Abu Qatada returning to the UK if he attempts to exercise his rights in respect of article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [166042]

James Brokenshire: Abu Qatada was deported from the UK on national security grounds. As such, there is a permanent bar to him re-entering the country unless a future Secretary of State lifts the deportation decision.

We believe that any attempt by Abu Qatada to return to the UK by seeking to exercise rights under article 8 of the European convention on human rights would be bound to fail. As article 8 (right to a private and family life) is a qualified right, the national security grounds for his deportation would outweigh any article 8 grounds for visiting. Abu Qatada did not make any representations under article 8 during the recent deportation proceedings, and since his wife and children have now returned to Jordan, the likelihood of any such application is remote.

Derbyshire Constabulary

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of formula damping on the amount of funding allocated to the Derbyshire Police Service in each of the last three years. [167420]

Damian Green: Damping is a means of ensuring stability in funding for police and crime commissioners (PCCs) between years. After considering the responses to an informal consultation on damping, the Government decided that every police force area in 2013-14 (and in 2014-15) will face the same percentage reduction in core central Government funding. The cash reduction in this funding for 2013-14 is 1.6%. This mirrors the approach taken for the first two years of this spending review period.

Damping is only one part of the police funding picture, which is driven by the Police Allocation Formula (PAF). The Government will conduct a fundamental review of the PAF (including damping) to begin in due course. Until this review of the PAF is completed, it would be inappropriate to change existing arrangements, as this is the basis on which many PCCs have made their financial plans.

In 2011-12, the effect of damping was to reduce core Government funding to Derbyshire police by £1.9 million (equating to 1.7%), compared to what it would have received if the raw formula had been used. In 2012-13, the reduction was £1.9 million (equating to 1.8%), and in 2013-14, the reduction is £2.1million (equating to 1.9%).

Driving under Influence: Drugs

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what type of operational device is planned to be introduced for roadside tests for offences associated with drug driving; [167136]

(2) whether she has approved the (a) purchase and (b) deployment of handheld devices to enforce the law relating to drug driving. [167137]

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Mr Jeremy Browne: The enforcement of drug driving offences does not depend on the availability of drug testing devices. They can help enforcement by enabling the police to require an evidential blood specimen without having to seek medical authorisation.

Devices must be of a type approved by the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Type approval is granted only on proof of compliance with the detailed requirements set out in a Home Office specification. A device for use at a police station has already been approved. The issue of a specification for a roadside device is currently under consideration in the light of the consultation on the details of a new drug driving offence being conducted by the Department for Transport.

Once any devices have been approved, it will be a matter for individual police and crime commissioners and individual chief officers of police to decide on their purchase and deployment.

Europol

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment she has made of the cost to UK police forces of processing Europol requests for the UK to (a) supply information and (b) initiate a criminal investigation (i) in total and (ii) on average, broken down by (A) denied requests and (B) accepted requests in each year since 2009; [166185]

(2) how many times the UK has made a request to Europol for (a) advice, (b) information, (c) intelligence and (d) analysis in each year since 2009; and how many such requests led to a successful conviction; [166186]

(3) how many requests the UK received from Europol to initiate a criminal investigation in each year since 2009; how many such applications were (a) accepted and (b) denied; and how many accepted applications led to successful convictions; [166187]

(4) how many requests the UK has received from Europol to supply information in each year since 2009; how many such applications were (a) accepted and (b) denied; and how many of the accepted applications led to successful convictions. [166194]

James Brokenshire [holding answer 18 July 2013]:The UK Liaison Bureau in Europol is not aware of any formal requests received from Europol to initiate a criminal investigation in the UK. There are no available figures on which a reasonable assessment can be made of the cost to UK police forces in response to the processing of Europol requests for the UK to supply information.

The information on how many requests the UK has received from Europol to supply information and how many requests it has made to Europol is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the preparedness of local authorities for implementation of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013; and if he will make a statement. [167374]

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Mr Jeremy Browne: Since Royal Assent on 28 February 2013, the Home Office has been working closely with the Local Government Association to ensure local authorities have the right information to prepare for the Act's commencement on 1 October 2013.

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Government plan to implement the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013; and if she will make a statement. [167375]

Chris Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timescale is for implementation of the measures contained in the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. [167376]

Mr Jeremy Browne: The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 will commence on 1 October 2013. The Commencement Order for the Act was made on 6 August 2013 and sets out when each provision within the Act comes into force as well as the transitional arrangements for moving to the new scheme. The Order can be found at:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1966/contents/made

Vetting

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to amend the Disclosure and Barring Service Form so that question E55 is not asked without account having been taken of the change in the law relating to spent convictions. [167278]

James Brokenshire: Question E55 on the criminal record check application form only relates to those convictions, cautions, reprimands or final warnings which would not be filtered in line with legislation. Online guidance is available regarding the filtering rules, and the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) will amend its application process in due course.

Transport

Air Traffic Control

Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effect the Single European Sky initiative and its accompanying targets will have on (a) job numbers in and (b) safe and efficient air traffic services provision by National Air Traffic Services. [167432]

Mr Simon Burns: The Single European Sky (SES) initiative aims to modernise the European air traffic network to deliver a seamless, safe, sustainable, cost-effective, high performing and modern European air traffic management system capable of meeting future capacity needs.

The Government are a strong supporter of the SES initiative because of the benefits it is delivering to UK business and passengers.

How NATS En Route Ltd (NERL), the UK's regulated en route air traffic control service provider, meets its SES obligations, including targets on safety and cost-efficiency, as well as capacity and environment, is a matter for NERL and the UK's independent aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (the CAA).

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Aircraft: Air Conditioning

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent progress has been made on improving air quality standards on commercial aircraft. [167410]

Mr Simon Burns: The Department has no evidence that air quality standards on commercial aircraft need improving. The Cranfield University research, published in May 2011 and funded by this Department, found no evidence of pollutants occurring in cabin air at levels exceeding acceptable health and safety standards and guidelines.

BRB (Residuary)

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is involved in any discussions with Network Rail over the transfer of specific assets from BRB (Residuary) Ltd to Network Rail or other bodies. [167401]

Stephen Hammond: While the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), is not involved in any discussions with Network Rail, officials have been working closely with them over the transfer of specific assets from BRB (Residuary) Ltd to Network Rail or other bodies.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sites have been sold or leased by BRB (Residuary) Ltd since 31 March 2013; and how much revenue has been raised by land sales and rental payments since that date. [167402]

Stephen Hammond: During the period from 31 March 2013 to 30 August 2013 BRB (Residuary) Ltd has sold 20 sites and generated sales proceeds of £11.9 million. Over the same period BRB (Residuary) Ltd has completed 14 leases (combination of new leases and lease renewals) and received rental payments of £118,700.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there will be any staffing reductions in his Department as a consequence of abolishing BRB (Residuary) Ltd; and whether transfers to other Government departments or agencies will involve any changes to terms and conditions. [167403]

Stephen Hammond: There will be no staffing reductions within the Department itself as a consequence of abolishing BRB (Residuary) Ltd.

Staff transfers to successor bodies are being done under TUPE so there are no changes to terms and conditions.

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the capability of his Department, Network Rail, London and Continental Railways and the Rail Safety and Standards Board to undertake the functions transferred to them by the abolition of BRB (Residuary) Ltd; and whether any additional resources will be provided to those bodies in order to fulfil their new responsibilities. [167404]

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Stephen Hammond: The public consultation, in 2012, on the proposed abolition of BRB (Residuary) Ltd set out the rationale for the successor bodies having the capabilities and being best placed to deliver the responsibilities transferring. Since then the Department has been working closely with BRBR and the successor bodies to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. This also includes the transfer of certain staff from BRBR to London and Continental Railways Ltd and the Department under TUPE regulations.

Buses: Tyres

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the benefits of ensuring that public service vehicle operators cannot use tyres over a certain age; and if he will make a statement; [167576]

(2) what recent research he has commissioned on the role played by old tyres in public service vehicle crashes. [167577]

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport has not made an assessment of the benefits of ensuring that public service vehicle operators cannot use tyres over a certain age, and has not commissioned any research on the role played by old tyres in public service vehicle crashes.

Her Majesty's Coroner for Surrey has written to the Secretary of State following an inquest into a tragic incident on the A3 in Surrey last September. The Department's officials are considering the information provided by the Coroner and I will respond to him in accordance with the established procedure.

Driving: Eyesight

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of commercial and domestic drivers whose eyesight would not pass the standard eyesight test. [167662]

Stephen Hammond: No estimate has been made on the number of drivers whose eyesight does not meet the minimum standard required for safe driving.

Driving: Licensing

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the number of drivers in the UK who are yet to exchange their paper driving licence for a photocard licence. [167359]

Stephen Hammond: In Great Britain on the 30 August 2013, 9,751,572 individuals held a valid paper driving licence as compared to 35,306,492 photo card driving licence holders.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has for the future of paper driving licences. [167360]

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Stephen Hammond: Although existing legislation allows us to make the surrender of paper driving licences compulsory there are no current plans to require this. The European directive on driving licences does however require that all driving licences issued or in circulation must be in the form of photocard by 19 January 2033.

East Coast Railway Line

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the formula is to determine the funding for the British Transport Police on the East Coast Main Line; and if he will place a copy of the formula in the Library. [166797]

Mr Simon Burns: Policing charges are set by the British Transport Police Authority. A copy of a demonstration version of the model they use to calculate these charges has been placed in the House Library. This demonstrates how the model works, but includes artificial proxy data. This version of the model has been shared with all PSA holders covered by the new 2013 PSA. A ‘model process’ document, which explains the steps taken in the model in preparing the charges, has also been provided.

The Authority would be happy to meet with the hon. Member to provide a detailed explanation of the model and its application if this would be helpful.

Ferries: Exhaust Emissions

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effect of measures to meet 2015 targets for sulphur emissions on (a) the (i) economic operation and (ii) employment levels of passenger and freight ferry operations in the UK and (b) the UK economy. [167526]

Stephen Hammond: The Department is currently preparing an impact assessment on the new sulphur requirements, which will be published later this year. Our assessment will consider the impacts both on the shipping and ports industries and on the wider UK economy.

General Lighthouse Authorities

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with (a) Ministers in other Departments and (b) outside bodies about the future of the General Lighthouse Authorities. [167452]

Stephen Hammond: There have been no such meetings.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the (a) potential loss of business rates and jobs which would result from the construction of the Hoo Green to Bamfurlong Spur of High Speed 2, (b) ability of areas with a High Speed 2 station to attract investment which might otherwise come to Warrington and (c) overall potential economic effect of High Speed 2 on Warrington Borough. [167466]

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Mr Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd has set up a programme of work with the explicit aim of considering more widely how, as a transformational infrastructure project, HS2 could impact on the economy at the national and regional level. Early outputs of this work are expected to be available later this year.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason no examination of the costs and benefits of the Hoo Green to Bamfurlong Spur proposed for High Speed 2 has been conducted by HS2 Ltd; and if he will make it his policy that such an analysis should be undertaken. [167467]

Mr Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd has considered the costs and benefits of the Hoo Green to Bamfurlong line and this is incorporated into the economic case for HS2 published in February 2011. An updated assessment of the economic case for HS2 will be published in October 2013.

HS2 Ltd has examined the benefits a connection at Goldborne would have in terms of journey time decreases for Preston and the North; the test indicated a high value return would be gained.

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason no examination of the costs and benefits of the High Speed 2 line connecting to the West Coast Main Line immediately north of Crewe has been carried out by HS2 Ltd; and if he will make it his policy that such a study should be undertaken. [167468]

Mr Simon Burns: HS2 Ltd's analysis identified the connection south of Crewe as having the strongest economic case and delivering the widest strategic benefits for a larger proportion of passengers. As well as enabling services to run to and between key markets of Crewe, Liverpool, Runcorn, Wigan and Warrington, it also offered the potential to serve Chester and North Wales (subject to electrification).

A connection north of Crewe would have significant sustainability impacts, incur substantial infrastructure costs and mean that some of the above markets could not be served. For this reason, HS2 Ltd did not undertake a detailed assessment of this option.

However, the proposed route is part of the Phase Two consultation which ends on 31 January 2014. The views we get during this consultation will play an important part in informing the Secretary of State's decision on final route, station and depot options by the end of 2014.

Travel

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with Ministers from other Departments to promote the policy of active travel. [167448]

Norman Baker: In the past year, as DFT Minister with responsibility for cycling and walking, I have held meetings with Ministers in DCLG, DFE, DH and DEFRA to promote walking and cycling policy.

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Waterloo Station

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of options for returning platforms 21 to 24 of London Waterloo station to operation. [167405]

Mr Simon Burns: The Government are committed to bringing the former international platforms at Waterloo station into domestic use. A comprehensive and long-term plan for the whole of Waterloo station and the route is being developed, to include use of all of Waterloo International.

Network Rail published its Strategic Business Plan (SBP) in January 2013 setting out how the rail industry proposes to deliver the Government's HLOS rail strategy for 2014-19. The SBP proposes a £300 million investment to increase capacity into London Waterloo in CP5 as part of a longer term enhancement programme that will deliver significant capacity improvements into CP6 and beyond. During CP5, improvements will focus on suburban

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routes into London with platform extensions to accommodate longer 10 car trains and the integration of the former Waterloo International terminal and its platforms to increase capacity within the station.

The independent Office of Rail Regulation published its draft findings for public consultation in June 2013. The draft determination notes that the Waterloo scheme is at an early stage of development and proposes a mechanism for cost review later in the control period when the costs are more certain. The final determination is due in October 2013 and will set, among other matters, what enhancements Network Rail is required to provide and what funds it is to be provided with for this purpose.

In advance of this, DFT and industry partners are continuing the early development of options to deliver additional capacity at Waterloo and along the south-west route.

The Department for Transport is committed to making sure the industry is making best use of Government-funded investment.