Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the Sativex form of nabiximols is available at NHS facilities in (a) Liverpool, (b) Merseyside and (c) England. [169106]

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently updating its clinical guideline on the management of multiple sclerosis in primary and secondary care. Sativex is one of the new interventions that NICE has identified for inclusion in its updated guideline, which it currently expects to publish in October 2014.

In the absence of positive NICE technology appraisal guidance, national health service commissioners should make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence and on the basis of an individual patient's clinical circumstances.

In April 2013, under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 (as amended) the Home Office rescheduled Sativex, a cannabis based medicine, from a schedule 1 controlled drug to a part 1 schedule 4 controlled drug. The rescheduling reflects Sativex's low potential for abuse or diversion.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 899W

NHS Foundation Trusts

Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his policy is on holding public consultations on reconfiguration proposals prior to any merger of NHS foundation hospital trusts that would entail such reconfiguration; [169178]

(2) pursuant to his oral statement of 10 September 2013, Official Report, column 837, on accident and emergency departments, in response to the hon. Member for Christchurch, if he will set out the criteria that he would use to assess whether downgrading the accident and emergency unit at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital would be to the benefit of patients; [169184]

(3) what powers he has to prevent an NHS foundation trust from downgrading one of its accident and emergency departments to a minor injuries unit; and if he will make a statement. [169185]

Norman Lamb: The Government are clear that the reconfiguration of front-line health services is a matter for the local national health services. Services should be tailored to meet the needs of the local population.

Reconfiguration is about modernising the delivery of care and facilities to improve patient outcomes, developing services closer to home and most importantly—saving lives. We believe all service changes should be led by clinicians, and not driven from the top down. All major service changes should be subject to a full public consultation.

These principles are enshrined in the four reconfiguration tests issued to the NHS in 2010. All local reconfiguration plans should demonstrate: (i) support from general practitioner commissioners; (ii) strengthened public and patient engagement; (iii) clarity on the clinical evidence base; and (iv) support for patient choice.

It is the legal role of local authorities to form health and overview scrutiny committees that can engage with the local NHS and evaluate any proposed service changes against these four tests throughout the reconfiguration process. Should those committees have concerns about the NHS’s final proposals, including the way they were consulted upon, they have the right to refer those proposals to the Secretary of State for Health for an ultimate decision on the proposals.

Before making such a decision, the Secretary of State would seek the independent, expert advice of the independent reconfiguration panel.

School Milk

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of child care settings participating in the nursery milk scheme in the 2013-14 academic year. [169070]

Dr Poulter: The Department currently has no plans to increase the number of child care settings participating in the nursery milk scheme in the 2013-14 academic year. However the Department may take a different view pending the conclusion of the current consultation process. It is possible that the number of children eligible for nursery milk may increase as a result of the Department for Education offering funded early education places to two-year-olds from September 2013.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 900W

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent assessment he has made of the benefits of the nursery milk scheme; [169155]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education regarding the nursery milk scheme. [169156]

Dr Poulter: No recent assessment has been made of the benefits of the nursery milk scheme.

Following the Department's proposed response to the ‘Next Steps for Nursery Milk’ consultation, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), wrote in April 2013 to confirm his Department's increased contribution to the nursery milk scheme. This increase is a result of the Department for Education offering funded early education places to two-year-olds from September 2013.

Home Department

Boxing

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice her Department provides on the provision of boxing as an intervention in tackling anti-social behaviour and youth crime. [169159]

Mr Jeremy Browne: The Government recognise the important part that boxing and other diversionary activities can play in preventing young people getting involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. However, the Department does not provide advice on the provision of boxing as an intervention. Police and crime commissioners, police forces and their partner agencies are best placed to consider and decide how to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour at local level.

Crime

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the criteria are for a reported crime being recorded as a crime. [168949]

Mr Jeremy Browne: The recording of crime is governed by the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS). NCRS only applies to those notifiable offences which should be notified to the Home Office and not to all offences which are reported to the police.

Notifiable offences include all offences that could possibly be tried by a jury (these include some less serious offences, such as minor theft that would not usually be dealt with this way) plus a few additional closely-related offences, such as assault without injury.

The NCRS states that:

“Following the initial registration, an incident will be recorded as a crime (notifiable offence) for offences against an identified victim if, on the balance of probability:

(a) the circumstances as reported amount to a crime defined by law (the police will determine this, based on their knowledge of the law and counting rules), and

(b) there is no credible evidence to the contrary.

For offences against the State the points to prove to evidence the offence must clearly be made out, before a crime is recorded.”

13 Sep 2013 : Column 901W

Entry Clearances

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on reducing the income thresholds for family visas applications. [168472]

Mr Harper [holding answer 12 September 2013]:The Government have no plans to reduce the minimum income threshold for sponsoring a spouse or partner and dependent children of non-European economic area nationality to settle in the UK under the family immigration rules. The level of the income threshold, which was set in the light of advice from the independent Migration Advisory Committee, reflects the level of income at which a couple, once settled in the UK, generally cannot access income-related benefits. The income threshold therefore prevents family migrants becoming a burden on the taxpayer and helps to ensure that they are well enough supported to integrate effectively in British society.

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many family visa applications have been paused since 5 July 2013. [168473]

Mr Harper [holding answer 12 September 2013]:Spouse or partner and child settlement visa and leave to remain applications have been put on hold since the 5 July 2013 High Court judgment in MM & Others, where the only grounds on which the application falls to be refused are the applicant's failure to meet the income threshold (under appendix FM to the immigration rules or the related evidential requirements under appendix FM-SE).

The Home Office is putting in place arrangements to monitor the number of applications put on hold.

Entry Clearances: Married People

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how her Department plans to amend spouse visa rules following the High Court judgment on 5 July 2013. [168474]

Mr Harper [holding answer 12 September 2013]: We have no plans to amend the immigration rules for spouse or partner visa applications following the 5 July 2013 High Court judgment in MM and Others. The Home Office is pursuing an appeal against the judgment. The Court of Appeal has agreed to our request to expedite this, but it is a matter for the Court of Appeal how quickly the appeal is considered. Until the legal challenge has been finally determined by the courts, applications will be placed and will remain on hold where grounds relating to the income threshold would be the sole basis for refusal.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mr Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many education institutions are able to offer below-degree level courses to adults entering the UK under tier 4 of the points-based system. [168219]

13 Sep 2013 : Column 902W

Mr Harper [holding answer 10 September 2013]:There are 1,710 education institutions that are able to offer below-degree level courses to adults under tier 4.

The total number above is derived from the published register of tier 4 sponsors:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/pointsbasedsystem/registerofsponsorseducation

Note:

The register of tier 4 sponsors is updated daily. The figures provided are accurate as of 9 September 2013.

Firearms: Licensing

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to introduce full cost recovery for firearms licence applications. [169162]

Damian Green: We remain firmly committed to ensuring taxpayers do not continue to bear the burden of subsidising the firearms licensing administration process. We are working with the police to improve the efficiency of the licensing process, in part by moving much of the licensing system online. Once these efficiencies are realised we will be in a position to move to full cost recovery. In the interim we are considering options on how to address the shortfall in part, and in a manner that is fair and proportionate.

Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration

Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has had any recent communication with the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration on guidelines surrounding the ministerial use of powers of redaction. [168942]

Mr Harper: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), exercises her power to redact information from the chief inspector's reports in line with the provisions in the UK Borders Act 2007, which provide that she may omit material from his reports if she thinks that its publication is undesirable for reasons of national security or might jeopardise the safety of an individual. Home Office Ministers have regular communications with ministerial colleagues and others as part of the process of policy development and delivery. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such communications.

Neighbourhood Watch Schemes

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to encourage neighbourhood watch schemes in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) the UK. [169020]

Mr Jeremy Browne: The Home Office encourages community-based efforts to prevent crime and has provided funding to the national Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (NHWN) to help support and promote local schemes in 2013-14.

Police and crime commissioners also play a key role in crime prevention, and many are working closely with local Neighbourhood Watch schemes.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 903W

Pathology: South West

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether she intends to increase resources available for the training of pathologists in the South West; [168987]

(2) what steps she is taking to improve the provision of pathology services in the South West. [168988]

Mr Jeremy Browne: In general, pathology is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt).

The Secretary of State for the Home Department, the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), is responsible specifically for forensic pathology services, and the Home Office maintains the Home Office register of forensic pathologists on my behalf.

Home Office registered forensic pathologists are independent of the police, coroners and the Home Office; and group practices are currently structured so that pathologists working within them may be self-employed or employed by a university hospital or a hospital trust.

The Home Office register of forensic pathologists is a list of forensic pathologists who meet the criteria for registration as detailed in ‘The Process and Criteria for Recommendation for Admission to the Home Secretary's Register’ which is the responsibility of the Home Office Pathology Delivery Board's Registration and Training Committee, and sets out what is required of all candidates who apply to join the register.

There are currently 37 forensic pathologists on the register, working in six group practice areas around England and Wales, who provide a service to police and coroners in their geographical areas of operation, to assist in the investigation of violent and suspicious death cases.

The West and South West forensic pathology group practice currently consists of five self-employed forensic pathologist consultants.

The Home Office currently funds the initial training of prospective members of the Home Office register.

Both the initial and ongoing training for members of the register is administered and overseen by the Royal College of Pathologists; and members of the register are also required to attend regular continuing professional development events as part of their criteria for continuing registration.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people in Cleveland have been (a) arrested, (b) charged, (c) convicted and (d) jailed for offences under (i) section 2A and (ii) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 to date; [168890]

(2) how many people in Cumbria have been (a) arrested, (b) charged, (c) convicted and (d) jailed for offences under (i) section 2A and (ii) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 to date; [168891]

(3) how many people in Lincolnshire have been (a) arrested, (b) charged, (c) convicted and (d) jailed for offences under (i) section 2A and (ii) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 to date. [168892]

13 Sep 2013 : Column 904W

Mr Jeremy Browne: The information requested on arrests and charges is not collected centrally.

Offences for stalking introduced in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, as inserted by section 111 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, commenced on 25 November 2012.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) advises that between 25 November 2012 and the end 31 December 2012 there were no convictions (and hence no immediate custodial sentences) for offences under sections 2A or 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 in the Cleveland, Cumbria or Lincolnshire police force areas. Offence level court proceedings data for 2013 are scheduled for publication by MOJ in May 2014.

Speed Limits: Cameras

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many speed cameras there have been in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years; [169046]

(2) how many people were caught speeding by a speed camera in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years; [169047]

(3) how much has been generated through speed cameras in (a) the East Midlands and (b) England in each of the last five years. [169080]

Mr Jeremy Browne: Information is not held centrally on the number of speed cameras and numbers of people who have been caught speeding by a speed camera. Available data held by the Home Office are at police force area level and relate to the number of persons who were issued with a fixed penalty notice for speeding offences by speed cameras in the Nottinghamshire police force area, East Midlands, England and England and Wales. The data are given in the following table. Information relating to Ashfield constituency is not collected centrally.

St Pancras Station: Immigration Controls

Sir Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and under whose authority, the practice of requiring Eurostar passengers travelling between Brussels and London to keep their boarding passes for checking on arrival at St Pancras was introduced. [168841]

Mr Harper [holding answer 12 September 2013]: The Secretary of State and Immigration Minister approved this course of action in 2012 until a permanent Eurostar- led solution can be developed.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 905W

This is a proportionate response to a known border security risk.

House of Commons Commission

ICT

Dr Huppert: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the policy of PICT is on (a) the use of open source software and (b) the choice of computer languages used for developing ICT services; and when this policy was last reviewed. [168482]

John Thurso: Parliamentary ICT's objective is to procure or produce IT services and systems which meet business requirements as cost-effectively as possible, in terms of their whole lifecycle and total cost of ownership. Where systems are developed in-house, to meet unique parliamentary needs, open source products are always considered as part of the design process. Several such products are currently in use in Parliament. PICT's bespoke software development is undertaken to open standards using methodologies appropriate to existing technologies, which are selected on grounds of effectiveness, economy, extensibility and the ready availability of the skills required for their operation, support and maintenance.

The director of PICT would be happy to meet the hon. Member to discuss these matters.

International Development

India

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what private sector projects her Department will support in India after 2015. [169075]

Justine Greening: Our plans for supporting private sector projects in India after 2015 are not finalised, but we will seek to make investments in India's low income states which will benefit the poorest people while also generating a return.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department will provide to the Poorest Areas Civil Society programme in India after 2015. [169076]

Justine Greening: As technical assistance, DFID's Poorest Access Civil Society (PACS) programme will run until March 2016. Our transition plan will include working with PACS partners to help decrease their reliance on international funding.

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that UK assistance to India after 2015 will benefit the poorest and most marginalised. [169077]

Justine Greening: Our new development partnership with India after 2015 will continue to focus on the poorest and most marginalised people. We will do this through providing technical assistance, and investments in private sector projects which benefit the poor.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 906W

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's (a) definition is and (b) plans are for technical assistance as it relates to her Department's support for India from 2015 onwards; and who the providers and intended recipients of that assistance will be. [169117]

Justine Greening: DFID uses the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definition of technical cooperation, which is available online at:

http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=6022

Our plans for technical assistance support for India from 2015 onwards are still in development.

Staff

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has undertaken a human resources review in light of her Department's 30 per cent budgetary increase in 2013 and whether this will affect her Department's staffing levels. [169116]

Justine Greening: The Department regularly reviews staffing levels. Since 2010, DFID has reduced the number of staff in corporate functions, while recruiting staff with specialist skills into frontline posts.

Syria

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made of the ability of humanitarian organisations to deliver aid in Syria. [169074]

Justine Greening: Humanitarian organisations are continuing to distribute aid in Syria, although worsening security and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by the Syrian Government are slowing delivery. The UK supports humanitarian organisations to deliver aid in all 14 Syrian governorates.

Justice

Youth Offending Teams

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the budgets for each youth offending team were in each financial year between 2009-10 and 2013-14. [166024]

Jeremy Wright: Youth offending teams (YOTs) are multi-agency partnerships. Their budget comprises funding provided primarily by the local authority and local statutory partners, including the police, probation, health authorities and where relevant the Welsh Assembly Government. Additional funding is provided by the Ministry of Justice through the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in the form of youth justice good practice grants to YOTs. Individual contributions vary but on average this grant from the YJB represents around a third of a YOT's funding.

The data in the following table have been provided by the YJB and set out the total budget for each YOT, comprising all contributions from local statutory partners and the YJB, for each financial year from 2009-10 to

13 Sep 2013 : Column 907W

2012-13. It is not possible for a number of YOTs to confirm their full budget allocation for the current financial year, as they do not yet know what they will receive from their statutory partners. My officials will write to the right hon. Gentleman in October to inform him of these figures, once known.

YOTs reported working with 66,430 young people in 2011-12—a 48% reduction since 2008-09 and a reduction of 22% since 2010-11, The average youth custodial population has also fallen: from 2,040 in 2010-11 to 1,963 in 2011-12 and 1,561 in 2012-13 (a 23% reduction from 2010-11, figures for 2012-13 are provisional). It is against this backdrop that decisions relating to funding have been made.

In the last decade the number of young people entering the youth justice system for the first time has more than halved. Youth offending teams play a key role in diverting young people away from crime. Through the Troubled Families programme, the Government have also made available £448 million to local authorities—a key aim of which is to reduce reoffending.

The table shows the total budget of each YOT in England and Wales during the financial years 2009-10 to 2012-13.

YOT funding data are published for each financial year on the MOJ website in the January following the financial year to which they refer. Prior to 2011-12 only the national total was published but for 2011-12 the breakdown by youth offending team was included.

Data for 2012-13 are due to be published in January 2014 and so the usual validation and reconciliation process has not yet been completed.

Full data for 2013-14 are not yet available as negotiations at local level to finalise partners' contributions to YOT funding have not been concluded for some youth offending teams.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 908W

13 Sep 2013 : Column 909W

13 Sep 2013 : Column 910W

13 Sep 2013 : Column 911W

Northern Ireland

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what requests she has made for Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland arising from the High Speed 2 project. [168993]

Mrs Villiers: Barnett consequentials for HS2 will be determined in line with the statement of funding policy in the normal way.

Transport

A14

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the additional capacity will be of the planned A14 toll road between Ellington and Girton. [168380]

Stephen Hammond: Under the proposed scheme currently being consulted on, the Highways Agency is proposing a tolled route between Ellington and Brampton providing an additional 103 lane kilometres.

In addition, it is proposing to add a further (non-tolled) 18 lane kilometres between Brampton and Swavesey providing a total additional capacity of 121 lane kilometres.

Under the proposals the existing A14 through Huntingdon would be detrunked but maintain its existing capacity.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of the costs of development of the proposed new A14 toll road that will be met by tolling. [168382]

Stephen Hammond: In the spending review announcement in June 2013 the Government announced a capital investment for the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme of £1.5 billion.

It was estimated that tolling revenue would be in the order of £30 million per annum.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of insurance companies being able to store information collected from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for commercial purposes. [168985]

Stephen Hammond: No recent assessment has been made of insurance companies being able to store information collected from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for commercial purposes. Insurers may request information from the DVLA for the handling of motor insurance claims and to help prevent fraud. The information obtained may not be used for any other purpose. Insurers are required to adhere to the data protection requirements governing the storage and processing of personal data.

Driving: Young People

Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the Green Paper on young driver safety; and what the reasons are for the delay in publication of this report. [168454]

13 Sep 2013 : Column 912W

Stephen Hammond: We intend to publish the Green Paper later in the year. This is an important piece of work and we need to make sure we consider the issues thoroughly before we come forward with the Green Paper.

Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulations on safety of HGV wheels; and if he will make a statement; [168906]

(2) what recent research his Department has undertaken on the safety of HGV wheels; [168907]

(3) what recent discussions he has had with trade bodies on HGV wheel safety. [168908]

Stephen Hammond: There has been no assessment of regulations on the safety of HGV wheels. However, the Department has recently consulted the trade associations of heavy vehicle operators to survey their members' experiences of road wheel durability. The study report will be available shortly and will inform any future decisions on research and the need for regulatory intervention.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts about changes to the rules for roadworthiness inspections. [168900]

Stephen Hammond: Both myself and the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (Mr McLoughlin), have had general discussions with the European Commission and with representatives from other member states, including the Irish presidency, on the roadworthiness proposal since it was published in July 2012.

More specifically, I addressed the Council of Transport Ministers on this issue in October 2012 and also December 2012 where the majority of member states agreed a general approach on periodic technical inspection which modified the proposal to be more acceptable for the UK. The Secretary of State attended the council meeting in June this year where general approaches were agreed on roadside inspection and on the registration directive.

I refer the hon. Member to my written ministerial statement concerning the transport council in December 2012 on 7 January 2013, Official Report, columns 10-12WS.

Paul Goggins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the provisions within the EU roadworthiness package. [168905]

Stephen Hammond: The EU roadworthiness package is a wide-ranging legislative proposal. It comprises two regulations and a directive containing several detailed annexes. An initial assessment of the implications for vehicle examination in the UK was included in my letter to the European Affairs Committee of 8 October 2012. The EU has not been able to prove any significant improvements to road safety for the UK and, as such,

13 Sep 2013 : Column 913W

I have opposed those measures that result in additional cost or administrative burden for the UK motorist or business.

Motorcycles

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislative proposals his Department has considered bringing forward for the registration of off-road motor bikes in order to facilitate police prosecution of owners if such bikes are ridden illegally or dangerously on roads. [168437]

Stephen Hammond: Consideration has previously been given to introducing legislation making the registration of off-road motor bikes mandatory. Most recently when a private Member’s Bill was put forward in June 2012.

It is already an offence to use an unlicensed or uninsured vehicle on the road. The police are able to use existing powers to take action against someone riding a motor bike illegally or dangerously.

Offshore Industry: Norway

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will conduct a full review of all helicopter operations in the UK continental shelf which includes in the terms of reference comparisons with the (a) safety record and (b) inspection of helicopter operations in the Norwegian offshore sector. [168989]

Mr Simon Burns: The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is currently investigating the recent accident involving an AS332 L2 Super Puma helicopter on 23 August 2013. In its special bulletin issued on 5 September 2013 the AAIB stated that, to date, no evidence of causal technical failure had been identified. Both the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) are satisfied that there is no evidence to suggest that there are any issues with the Super Puma helicopter and are content for operations to continue. It would be inappropriate, at this stage, for me to consider whether a full review of offshore helicopters is necessary, pending the outcome of the AAIB investigation.

Roads: Accidents

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road deaths were recorded in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years. [169045]

Stephen Hammond: The reported numbers of fatalities in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands and (d) England in each of the last five years were as follows:

13 Sep 2013 : Column 914W

2013 data will be available in June 2014.

Tolls

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on the provision of alternative, toll-free routes when a toll is introduced on an existing road. [168379]

Stephen Hammond: The Government have made a very clear commitment not to toll existing road capacity. They have, however, always said that they will consider tolling as an option for funding new road capacity where schemes deliver new roads or transform an existing road into a new route beyond all recognition.

Where tolls are used to fund new road capacity drivers will have a choice whether or not to use the tolled section of the road or travel via other routes.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional free-of-tolling routes between Ellington and Girton have been planned for development. [168381]

Stephen Hammond: A five-week public consultation exercise for the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme started on Monday 9 September in order to gain views of the proposed scheme, tolling arrangements and other options considered.

As part of the scheme proposals, heavy traffic would have non-tolled alternatives: either via the A1 and the A428 from St Neots to Cambridge; or via the country A-roads through St Ives. Light vehicles would also be able to use the de-trunked route of the former A14 through Huntington and a short length of Brampton Road.

Full details of the proposals can be viewed in the consultation document which is available on the HA website.

Treasury

Financial Services

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he plans to bring forward proposals for the continuation of money transfer services in relation to Somaliland and Somalia; and if he will make a statement; [169103]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the British banking sector and regulators on the suspensions of money transfer services by Barclays; [169104]

13 Sep 2013 : Column 915W

(3) what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the United States banking sector and regulators on the suspension of money transfer services by Barclays. [169105]

Sajid Javid: The Government recognise that money service businesses play a critical role and are committed to supporting a thriving and well-regulated money remittance sector.

Last month, the Government chaired a round table attended by representatives from Parliament, Government, anti-money laundering supervisors, banks, money service businesses and trade associations, to discuss the impact of regulation, supervision and other important factors on money remittances.

G20

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 9 September 2013, Official Report, column 706, on G20, if the Prime Minister will raise the issue of money transfer services and global regulation with his US and other G20 counterparts. [168979]

Sajid Javid: The Government recognise that money service businesses play a critical role and are committed to supporting a thriving and well-regulated money remittance sector.

Last month, the Government chaired a round table attended by representatives from Parliament, Government, anti-money laundering supervisors, banks, money service businesses and trade associations, to discuss the impact of regulation, supervision and other important factors on money remittances.

The Government and appointed anti-money laundering supervisors maintain an ongoing dialogue on this issue with a range of stakeholders, both in the UK and internationally.

The Department for International Development has commissioned and funded independent reports to assess the impact on the money service business sector and consider solutions for Somalia in particular. The Government will consider these reports and their recommendations to formulate a way forward.

Income Tax

Mr Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals no longer pay income tax in (a) Kettering constituency, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England as a result of the increase in the personal income tax allowance since May 2010. [168165]

Mr Gauke [holding answer 9 September 2013]: By April 2013, the cumulative effect of the Government's increases in the personal allowance for those aged under 65 years (born after 5 April 1948 since 2013-14 tax year) since 2010-11 had taken 2.4 million people out of the income tax system of which 2 million are in England.

These estimates are based on the 2010-11 survey of personal incomes, projected to 2013-14 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2013 economic and fiscal outlook.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 916W

Reliable estimates are not available at parliamentary constituency or county level due to greater uncertainties in making projections for smaller geographical areas.

Insurance Companies

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to introduce a dedicated switching service in the insurance industry. [168981]

Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans to introduce a dedicated switching service for insurance policies. Competition is currently maintained through online comparison sites and brokers, and customers are able to cancel their current policies to take advantage of these services.

Insurance: Databases

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the introduction of a centrally held No Claims Database for use by insurers. [168984]

Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans to introduce a centrally held No Claims Database for insurers. The Claims and Underwriting Exchange, a company set up through industry cooperation, already enables all major insurers to access information on previous insurance contracts. Offering a no claims discount on the basis of this information is a commercial decision for insurers.

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to allow the insurance industry greater access to data that would allow insurance companies to validate an individual's (a) identification and (b) claims history. [168986]

Sajid Javid: The Government have no plans to increase insurer's access to customer data for identification or claims history. There are multiple commercial operators and industry-led initiatives which fulfil this function.

Overseas Aid

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which Government Department the UK's official development assistance budget has been allocated in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014; and how much each such Department will administer in each such year. [168462]

Danny Alexander: Overseas development assistance will be allocated to Departments in 2013 and 2014 as follows:

13 Sep 2013 : Column 917W

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total costs to date have been of his Department's consultation entitled “Stamp Duty Land Tax: Consultation on the potential impacts of devolving to the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Government.” [169166]

Mr Gauke: The Government consultation entitled ‘Stamp Duty Land Tax: Consultation on the potential impacts of devolving to the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Government’ allowed the Government to hear directly from business and other groups interested in this issue.

The cost of this consultation has been absorbed by the Treasury's existing budget for tax policy making and has not been recorded separately.

Wales

Commission on Devolution in Wales

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what estimate he has made of any additional costs incurred by the Commission on Devolution in Wales due to the Government not responding to the commission's part 1 recommendations by the end of Spring 2013; [169164]

(2) what steps he has put in place to monitor the costs incurred by the Commission on Devolution in Wales. [169165]

Mr David Jones: None. The Commission on Devolution in Wales fulfilled its part 1 remit in November 2012.

The commission is an independent body with its own delegated budget, and is responsible for its own expenditure within that budget. The Wales Office meets the commission secretariat on a monthly basis to monitor its spend against budget.

Work and Pensions

Absenteeism

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the rates of staff (a) absence and (b) sickness absence in his Department in each of the past five years were; and what the departmental targets were in each case. [168745]

Mr Hoban: In accordance with cross-Government arrangements; DWP reports sick leave expressed as average working days lost (AWDL) per employee per year. The following table provides AWDL data and targets for the last five performance years.

13 Sep 2013 : Column 918W

DWP has succeeded in cutting sickness absence from an annual average of 11.1 days per employee in 2007 to 7.4 days per employee currently. As a result, we are spending around £26 million per year less on sick pay and saving time which is the equivalent of employing around 1,500 extra employees.

DWP does not report an employee absence rate, in line with cross-Government arrangements. Leave entitlement is not recorded centrally and to calculate an employee absence rate would incur disproportionate costs.

Accountancy

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on accountants in each year since 2010. [168602]

Mr Hoban: The estimated spend on accountants by the Department for Work and Pensions for each year since 2010 is as follows:

The figures relate to the number of qualified accountants directly employed by the Department and paid against an accountancy pay scale (grades HEO to grade 6 excluding the senior civil service).

The estimated spend is the cost to the Department comprising actual base salary inclusive of superannuation and employer's national insurance contributions. The figures are based on information as at 31 March. The figures for 31 March 2013 include the Child Maintenance Group.

Accountants are 0.7% of the pay bill and 0.3% of staff in post.