Energy: Ashfield

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average annual energy bill for a typical family in Ashfield constituency in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [169053]

Gregory Barker: Energy bill data are only produced at regional level, and since Ashfield constituency is in the east midlands, energy bill estimates for that region have been provided.

The following table shows the estimated average annual energy bill for customers in the east midlands over the last four calendar years. These are based on an assumed annual consumption of 3,300 kWh of electricity and 18,000 kWh of gas per year.

While it covers all consumer households in the region, the figures are typical of the energy bills paid by families. The bills shown are averages across the different methods by which customers can pay their bills (standard credit, direct debit and pre-payment meter).

These estimates can be found in table 2.2.3 (electricity) and 2.3.3 (gas) of DECC's Quarterly Energy Prices publication:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/annual-domestic-energy-price-statistics

Provisional estimates for average annual energy bills in 2013 will be published on 19 December 2013 in Quarterly Energy Prices.

Energy: Competition

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to open the energy market to greater competition. [169037]

Michael Fallon: Wider participation is key to a competitive market. The Government have already cut red tape for small suppliers to boost competition and action is being taken to address other barriers to entry. The Government are also giving statutory backing to Ofgem's Retail Market Review to introduce a range of reforms designed to increase consumer engagement and competitive pressure on suppliers.

Low levels of wholesale market liquidity are acting as a barrier to entry to supply and generation markets. We support Ofgem's work in this area but are also taking powers in the Energy Bill to enable us to act if necessary. The Government is also working to strengthen routes to market for independent renewable developers and amendment has been made to the Energy Bill to enable the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) to implement an 'off-taker of last resort' scheme.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme: Manufacturing Industries

Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the impact of the Cross Sectoral Correction factor on the competitiveness of UK manufacturing sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System. [169559]

Gregory Barker: Under the European Commission's Decision on Member State's National Implementation Measures UK manufacturing sectors will receive over 510 million free allowances over the course of Phase III (2013-20), worth over £2.5 billion at the current allowance price of around €5/tCO2. This level of allocation is after application of the Cross Sectoral Correction Factor, which will be applied uniformly to non-electricity generating installations across the EU.

The Government recognise the risk of carbon leakage within the EU ETS, and supports the proportionate free allocation of allowances as a tool to mitigate this, without raising barriers to international trade. However, we have expressed concern to the European Commission that those most at risk may not be compensated sufficiently in the future if current rules are not reformed to ensure that free allowances are better targeted to those sectors genuinely at significant risk. We continue to monitor and evaluate the impact of the EU ETS on the competitiveness of UK industry, and have commissioned research to investigate this issue further.

Garages and Petrol Stations

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to support independent petrol retailers. [169589]

Michael Fallon: DECC published a report from Deloitte LLP in December 2012, which considered long-term changes to the retail market for road fuels in the UK. DECC continue to monitor the petrol retail market and

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are continuing to engage with the industry, including independent petrol retailers, on the findings of the report.

In recognition of the impact that persistently high pump prices have on the cost of living and business costs, the 1.89ppl fuel duty increase that was planned for 1 September 2013 was cancelled. As a result of this, fuel duty has been frozen for nearly three and a half years, the longest duty freeze for over 20 years.

This latest decision has built on previous actions to cut fuel duty, abolish the previous Government fuel duty escalator, introduce a fair fuel stabiliser (FFS) and scrap two increases planned by the previous Government.

Geothermal Power

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when the Deep Geothermal Review Study, which he has commissioned from Atkins Global, will be published. [169574]

Gregory Barker: The Department is currently reviewing the Atkins Study. We aim to publish the study as soon as this review has been completed.

Heating

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) solid wall insulation, (b) floor insulation, (c) boiler replacement and (d) central heating repairs have been carried out by energy companies as part of the (i) Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation and (ii) Energy Company Obligation to date. [169227]

Gregory Barker: The provisional number of ECO measures installed up to end June 2013, by measure type and by the obligation category, including HHCRO, was in Table 4a in the latest monthly Green Deal/ECO statistical release, published on 20 August 2013:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230138/Statistical_Release_-_Green_ Deal_and_Energy_Company_Obligation_in_Great_Britain_-_20_August_2013.pdf

The same table, up to the end July 2013, will be included in the next monthly Green Deal/ECO statistical release which will be published on 19 September 2013.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many energy companies offer (a) solid wall insulation, (b) floor insulation, (c) boiler replacement and (d) central heating repairs under the (i) Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation and (ii) Energy Company Obligation. [169228]

Gregory Barker: All the measures referred to are potentially eligible under at least one of the sub-obligations within the Energy Company Obligation (ECO)—including the Home Heating Cost Reduction Obligation. However, within the rules of the scheme, what measures companies decide to make available and in what circumstances is a commercial matter for them.

A detailed breakdown of specific measures delivered to date under ECO is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-energy-climate-change/series/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics

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This shows that to end-June 2013 there had been a total of:

4,704 solid wall insulation measures;

25,836 boiler replacements;

181 central heating repairs.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to his answer of 6 March 2012, Official Report, column 686W, on Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: consultants, how much the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has spent on public affairs consultancy firms since March 2012. [169470]

Michael Fallon: This is a matter for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). I have asked the NDA to write to you directly, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Older People: Winter

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to keep pensioners warm in winter. [169040]

Gregory Barker: The Government are committed to supporting older and vulnerable people keep warm and we have a strong package of policies which are already delivering assistance to those in need. These include the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Home Discount. ECO is expected to generate investment worth around £540 million annually to fund efficient boilers and insulation measures to some 230,000 low income and vulnerable households, including pensioner households, each year.: This year, around 2 million households will get help under the Warm Home Discount—including an automatic electricity bill discount of £135 for over 1.1 million of the poorest pensioners. The Warm Home Discount scheme is worth £1.1 billion during this Parliament.

The Government have also provided £900,000 to fund the creation of the ‘Big Energy Saving Network’ which will focus on helping consumers understand tariffs and switching options as well as how they could benefit from energy efficiency programmes available to them.

As we approach winter, my officials are seeking opportunities to maximise the use of the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS—contact number 0300 123 1234), which provides a referral service for ECO affordable warmth. Plans are already-in motion to promote it through existing correspondence from the Department for Work and Pensions to qualifying benefit recipients, and DECC's communications to nearly 1.5 million pensioners in the Warm Home Discount Core Group.

The Department of Health's Cold Weather Plan, supported by the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign, setting out a series of clear actions to minimise the health impact of severe winter weather on the elderly and vulnerable is due to be published in early November.

Last winter, £2.15 billion of winter fuel payments were made to 12.5 million pensioners, providing very valuable support at a time of year when it is most needed.

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Cold weather payments are also made to the elderly and vulnerable during periods of very cold weather. Cold weather payments will remain at £25, for each qualifying period, for the duration of this administration.

Press: Subscriptions

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications his private ministerial office subscribes to on a (a) daily, (b) weekly, (c) monthly and (d) quarterly basis. [168698]

Gregory Barker: UK daily newspapers are purchased for the private ministerial office in DECC and are used by Ministers, special advisers and other staff to keep Ministers informed of news and comment on the DECC agenda. The office also has a subscription to the New Statesman, Economist and TheSpectator.

The Department subscribes to energy and climate change periodicals and trade press, which may be passed to Ministers on some occasions, but Private Office does not subscribe to any of these.

Procurement

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department makes of the (a) payment of minimum wage, (b) payment of living wage and (c) use of zero hours contracts when tendering for public procurement contracts. [169318]

Gregory Barker: Zero hour-contracts are not used within the Department. The terms and conditions of the Department ensure that it's contractors and their sub-contractors agree to a security vetting procedure, and to work within the laws of the United Kingdom. If the contractor fails to comply with these conditions and the authority decides that such failure is prejudicial to its interests, the authority may immediately terminate the contract by notice in writing to the contractor. In addition procurement procedures ensure that contracts are regularly managed to ensure that suppliers act responsibly to their employees.

Procurement contracts of the Department are procured through Government Procurement Service framework agreements whenever possible. When this is not possible contracts are competed through the Cabinet Office website "Contracts Finder" or the Official Journal of the European Union. Procurement Procedures ensure that framework agreements are only set up at the point when the work is required.

Public Relations

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department and its associated public bodies spent on (a) external public relations consultants and (b) public affairs consultants, in each of the past three years; and for what purposes such consultants were engaged. [168661]

Gregory Barker: The following table shows public relations-type activities expenditure provided for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its constituent bodies:

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Publications

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will list (a) the title and subject, (b) the total cost to his Department and (c) the commissioned author or organisation of each external report commissioned by his Department in each year since 2010. [168784]

Gregory Barker: The information requested is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Travel

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on travel for departmental officials in each of the last five years. [169012]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change's expenditure on travel is shown as follows:

The figures shown may include an element of subsistence which cannot be separately identified without incurring disproportional cost.

Trillium Group

Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department has spent on contracts with Trillium Group in each year since 2008. [169254]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not have any contracts with the Trillium Group, and has not had in any year since 2008.

Justice

Departmental Procurement

16. Mr Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department is taking to improve the way in which it procures services. [900379]

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Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice is fully committed to the Government Procurement Reform. We are developing plans to transfer non strategic contracts to the newly created Crown Commercial Service thereby allowing our professionally trained staff to focus on the delivery of our strategic requirements.

Vulnerable Victims

23. Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to protect vulnerable victims. [900387]

Damian Green: For too long victims have felt intimidated and confused by a system that treated them as an afterthought. This Government are committed to putting victims first and we will give them a voice at every stage of the criminal justice system. To do this we are:

Launching a new Victims' Code

Testing pre-trial cross-examination

Looking at how we might reduce the distress caused to victims by multiple cross-examination in court

Making up to £100 million available to support victims.

Abduction Notices

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many abduction notices have been served in each English police force area in each year since the legal provisions for such action were introduced. [168995]

Damian Green [holding answer 13 September 2013]:I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

Data on abduction notices is not collated centrally. It is a matter for each police force to use such notices as is appropriate to an investigation.

Child: Abuse

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress his Department has made in its review of the criminal law on child neglect; and if he will report the findings of that review to the House before Second Reading of the Child Maltreatment Bill. [167871]

Damian Green: I have asked my officials to undertake a targeted consultation with the relevant experts to explore the adequacy of the existing offence of child cruelty.

I have asked them to report to me before the end of the year.

Corruption

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to reviewing the ban on facilitation payments under the Bribery Act 2010. [168268]

Damian Green: The Government are not considering a review of the ban on facilitation payments under the Bribery Act 2010.

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Dorchester Prison

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the total cost was of the new Healthcare Unit at HMP Dorchester; [168197]

(2) when the commissioning process for the new Healthcare Unit at HMP Dorchester began; [168198]

(3)when the new Healthcare Unit at HMP Dorchester was opened. [168206]

Jeremy Wright: The total cost of the new healthcare unit at HMP Dorchester was £1,823,270.

The commissioning process for the healthcare unit began on 10 August 2011 and the unit was opened on 3 June 2013. Due to the nature of the construction, the unit is capable of being completely transferred to a new location.

The Department needs to modernise the estate to provide prison capacity at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambition of reducing reoffending. That is why MOJ are replacing older accommodation that is expensive to run with newer, cheaper and more efficient accommodation that will provide better value for money.

Driving Offences: Disqualification

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people convicted of driving whilst disqualified had been convicted of the same offence within the previous 10 years in each year since 2000; [167269]

(2) how many people given a custodial sentence for driving whilst disqualified had been convicted of the same offence within the previous 10 years in each year since 2000; [167270]

(3) how many people have been given multiple custodial sentences for driving whilst disqualified since 2000. [167271]

Jeremy Wright: Sentencing is entirely a matter for our independent courts, which must follow sentencing guidelines. The maximum penalty for driving while disqualified is six months' imprisonment and/or a level 5 fine (£5,000). The offender's licence must also be endorsed and either six penalty points imposed or the offender will be disqualified for a further period. Recent and relevant convictions are a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing and will make the sentence more severe, within the maximum penalty provided for. The court also has a power to deprive the offender of the vehicle used for the purpose of committing the offence.

Table 1 shows the number of offenders convicted of driving while disqualified in each year since 2000 with previous convictions for the same offence within the previous 10 years.

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Table 2 shows the number of offenders sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence for driving while disqualified in each year since 2000 with previous convictions for the same offence within the previous 10 years.

Table 3 shows the number of offenders¹ sentenced for driving while disqualified in each year since 2000 and also shows the number of offenders with multiple immediate custodial sentences given for the same offence over the entire criminal history of the offender, rather than the previous 10 years.

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Multiple custodial sentences have been defined as offenders who have more than one custodial sentence over the entire criminal history of the offender; this includes offenders where the current sentence given in each year is not an immediate custodial sentence.

These figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Legal Aid Scheme

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made, and on what evidential basis, of the cost implications arising from his Transforming Legal Aid proposals, of (a) lawyers having to investigate compliance with the residence test in all civil legal aid cases and (b) the likelihood of an increase in time spent in immigration detention by people who cannot satisfy the residence test; and if he will make a statement. [166153]

Jeremy Wright: The Government have carefully considered the responses to the consultation “Transforming Legal Aid: Delivering a more credible and efficient system” and has published the response “Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps” available along with an updated impact assessment at:

https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-legal-aid-next-steps

We continue to believe that in principle, individuals should have a strong connection to the UK in order to benefit from the civil legal aid scheme and that the residence test we have proposed is a fair and appropriate way to demonstrate that connection.

Therefore we will proceed with our proposal that applicants for civil legal aid will need to be lawfully resident in the UK, Crown Dependencies or British

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Overseas Territories at the time they apply and have resided there lawfully for a continuous period of at least 12 months in the past.

In addition to exceptions previously proposed for serving members of Her Majesty's armed forces and their immediate families and asylum seekers, as set out in more detail in paragraph 125/6 and 7 of Annex B of “Transforming Legal Aid: Next Steps” the residence test will not apply in certain categories of cases for which civil legal aid is currently available. These are cases broadly relating to an individual's liberty, or where the individual is particularly vulnerable or where the case relates to the protection of children. In addition, we are making limited exceptions for certain cases to enable individuals to continue to access legal aid to judicially review certifications by the Home Office under sections 94 and 96 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002. Further, children under the age of 12 months will not need to have resided lawfully in the UK, Crown Dependencies or British Overseas Territories for a continuous period of at least 12 months in the past. However, such children would still need to be lawfully resident at the time of application for civil legal aid.

We continue to believe it is reasonable to expect providers to carry out the test. It is our intention that the test will be objective and not overly onerous to administer. Further details on how compliance with the test will need to be demonstrated will be set out in secondary legislation and guidance as appropriate so that the requirements are clear and providers will be clear on what is required of them.

In addition, anybody excluded from civil legal aid as a result of the residence test will be entitled to apply for exceptional funding under the power set out in section 10 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) including applications for services described in part 1 of schedule 1 to LASPO from which the individual has been excluded as a result of the residence test.

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for exceptional funding have been (a) received and (b) approved by the Legal Aid Agency since 1 April 2013. [169383]

Jeremy Wright: At around £2 billion a year we have one of the most expensive legal aid systems in the world. We are reforming legal aid so it remains available to those that need it most while getting better value for the hard-working taxpayers that fund it.

As of 12 September 2013, the Legal Aid Agency has received 664 applications for exceptional funding (of which 596 have been processed) and approved exceptional funding in 11 cases.

The exceptional funding scheme ensures the protection of an individual's rights to legal aid under the European Convention on Human Rights, as well as those rights to legal aid that are directly enforceable under European Union law.

Nature Conservation: Crime

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress has been made by (a) the Sentencing Council and (b) the Magistrates' Association on the introduction of sentencing guidelines in relation to wildlife crime offences. [169675]

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Jeremy Wright: Tough maximum penalties, including prison sentences are available for wildlife crimes. Sentencing Guidelines are produced by the sentencing council which is independent from Government. The introduction of any guidelines for wildlife crime offences are a matter for the council.

Northallerton Prison

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) adult prisoners and (b) young offenders currently in HM Prison-Young Offenders' Institution Northallerton were previously resident in (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (ii) the Tees Valley, (iii) the North East and (iv) North Yorkshire; [168033]

(2) what effect the closure of HM Prison-Young Offenders' Institution Northallerton will have on levels of unemployment in (a) Teesside and (b) North Yorkshire; [168034]

(3) what assessment he has made of the effect of closing HM Prison-Young Offenders' Institution Northallerton on prison populations in the North East of England; [168035]

(4) what the (a) operational capacity and (b) current population is of each prison in (i) Yorkshire and Humber and (ii) the North East of England. [168036]

Jeremy Wright: My right hon. Friend, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, announced on 4 September 2013 the next steps to modernise the prison estate so that we always have enough prison places for those sentenced by the courts but at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambitions for reducing our stubbornly high reoffending rates.

The Government are doing this through a significant programme of replacing accommodation which is old, inefficient or has limited long-term strategic value and by reshaping the rest of the prison estate so that we are able to release offenders closer to home which we know improves their resettlement and reduces reoffending.

Table 1 details the number of adults and young offenders who were held in HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Northallerton on 30 June 2013 who were previously resident in (1) the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency, (2) the Tees Valley region, which is interpreted as including the four local of authorities of Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton-on-Tees, (3) the North East and (4) North Yorkshire.

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Information on prisoners' residences is provided by prisoners when being processed on arrival into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, an address to which offenders intend to return on discharge or next of kin address and these figures are provided in the answer.

If no address is given, an offender's committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. These figures are also included in the answer. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders, these figures are excluded from the answer.

We have successfully managed previous prison closures to avoid compulsory redundancies. We will aim to achieve this again, either through redeploying staff or offering voluntary early departures. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) will continue to work with the relevant agencies to mitigate the effects of Northallerton's closure.

The decision to close prisons will only be taken if population levels mean that they can be managed without undermining our ability to hold all those committed to custody by the courts. There is currently unused capacity in the North East and Yorkshire and Humberside regions. NOMS will allocate prisoners currently in Northallerton to other prisons according to their security categorisation, offending behaviour needs and closeness to home.

Table 2 shows the information for the operational capacity and the prison population of each prison in the NOMS Yorkshire and Humberside region and the NOMS North East region as published on 26 July 2013, which can also be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-population-figures

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All data have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which as with any larger-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison Sentences

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of custodial sentences have been served in full on average in each of the last 20 years. [168422]

Jeremy Wright: All custodial sentences are served as set out in the relevant legislation. Parliament has consistently determined that custodial sentences should be served part in prison and part in the community and all custodial sentences are served to the full extent required under the legislation.

People who commit serious crimes are now more likely to be convicted and sent to prison for longer than they were a decade ago. This Government have also introduced a tough new regime for dangerous offenders which will see more of them given life sentences, and others spending long periods in prison—all will serve at least two-thirds of their custodial term and some will serve the full custodial term—and being supervised for long periods after their release. In addition, we have introduced provisions in the Offender Rehabilitation Bill which will ensure that all sentenced offenders leaving prison, including those sentenced to less than 12 months in custody, will now spend a minimum of 12 months being supervised and rehabilitated in the community.

Prisoners

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people are enrolled in each offender behaviour programme in prisons in England. [168076]

Jeremy Wright: During 2012-13, there were a total of 12,374 offender behaviour programme starts in prisons in England and Wales.

The following table shows the number of programme starts in each category of programme during 2012-13.

The figures cover England and Wales in line with the National Offender Management Service’s responsibilities for prisons in both.

Figures on starts and completions for offender behaviour programmes are published annually in the “Accredited Programmes Annual Bulletin”, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225196/accredited-programmes-annual-bulletin-2012-13.pdf

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Offending behaviour programmes are not the only form of intervention. Offending can also be addressed by supervision and multi-agency monitoring after release, by use of medication where appropriate, and by cognitive skills training.

The information provided has been drawn from an administrative data system, and although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Prisoners: Freedom of Information

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many freedom of information requests have been submitted by prisoners in each of the last five years. [167319]

Jeremy Wright: The number of freedom of information requests submitted by prisoners is as follows:

2012: 91 requests.

2013: 130 requests to date.

No data is held for the period before 2012.

Prisoners: Pets

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners keep a pet in prison. [167322]

Jeremy Wright: Governors currently produce a facilities list, which sets out the items prisoners are allowed to possess, for their own establishments. Under changes to the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) national policy framework which come into effect from 1 November 2013, a centralised facilities list will be introduced. This will help ensure that prisons operate to a consistent standard when rewarding prisoners for engaging with efforts to rehabilitate them and positive behaviour. The list will be available for each Governor to select from, as considered suitable for the specific population, the physical fabric and the regime of the prison.

In establishments where the Governor permits, prisoners on the highest level of the IEP scheme will be allowed to possess a bird in cell. To reach the highest level of the scheme, prisoners will have to demonstrate that they are fully committed to their rehabilitation, seeking to reduce their risk of reoffending, complying with the regime and meeting expected behaviour levels. In addition, they must demonstrate that they have helped other prisoners or staff.

NOMS does not record centrally the number of prisoners who keep a pet in prison. To identify these prisoners would require examining and collating personal records from individual establishments and this would incur disproportionate costs.

Prisons

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what capital expenditure projects his Department commissioned at (a) HMP Blundeston, (b) HMP Dorchester, (c) HMP Northallerton and (d) HMP Reading in each of the last five years; what the cost of each such project was; and if he will make a statement. [168199][Official Report, 18 December 2013, Vol. 572, c. 11MC.]

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Jeremy Wright: The following table shows the centrally-funded capital expenditure projects commissioned at HMP Blundeston, HMP/YOI Dorchester, HMP/YOI Northallerton and HMP/YOI Reading in each of the last five years and their cost. As at 6 September 2013 there have been no projects in those prisons in 2013/14. The total projected maintenance requirements for the four prisons over the next five years would have amounted to £17 million.

The Department needs to modernise the estate to provide prison capacity at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambition of reducing re-offending. That is why MoJ are replacing older accommodation that is expensive to run with newer, cheaper and more efficient accommodation that will provide better value for money.

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the ongoing maintenance programme costs at (a) HMP Blundeston, (b) HMP Dorchester, (c) HMP Northallerton and (d) HMP Reading will be in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [168200]

Jeremy Wright: The table shows the identified maintenance projections for the next five years at each of the prisons. The total projected maintenance requirements for the four prisons over the next five years would have amounted to just over £17 million.

The information is taken from Custodial Asset Investment Planning Tool (CAIP) which does not record the operational effectiveness or the suitability of the environment at the prison. As announced by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), on 4 September, these prisons will be closed in the early part of 2014 and therefore most of these works are no longer required, except where maintenance is essential.

The Department needs to modernise the estate to provide prison capacity at much lower cost and in the right places to deliver our ambition of reducing reoffending.

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That is why the MOJ are replacing older accommodation that is expensive to run with newer, cheaper and more efficient accommodation that will provide better value for money.

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what plans his Department has to replace prison places that will be lost following the closure of prisons at (a) Blundeston, (b) Dorchester, (c) Northallerton, (d) Reading and (e) Dartmoor; [169563]

(2) what recent assessment he has made of the availability of prison places; [169565]

(3) what recent assessment he has made of overcrowding in prisons; [169566]

(4) what measures his Department is taking to increase the number of prison places and reduce overcrowding in prisons. [169567]

Jeremy Wright: My right hon. Friend, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice announced on 4 September 2013, Official Report, column 24W, the next steps to modernise the prison estate so that we always have enough prison places for those sentenced by the courts but at much lower cost and in the right places.

In January this year we announced we will open an additional 1,260 places in four new houseblocks. The first one at HMP The Mount, is on track to accept prisoners in September 2014. In addition we will open 180 new places at HMP and YOI Rochester and HMP

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Bure this year. We have also announced the construction of, subject to planning permission, a new prison at the former Firestone site in Wrexham, which will offer around 2,100 places and will be fully operational from late 2017. It is our aim to have more adult male prison capacity in May 2015 than there was at the start of this Parliament.

Because of the new capacity coming on stream we are now in a position to close four prisons (HMPs Blundeston, Dorchester, Northallerton and Reading), removing 1,400 uneconomic places from the estate. The changes form part of plans to save over £500 million from the costs of running prisons by the end of this Spending Review period.

In 2012/13 the average number of prisoners held in accommodation which had originally been designed for fewer occupants decreased to 23.3% of the total population compared to 24.1% in 2011/12. Two of the prisons being closed (Dorchester and Northallerton) are operating at significant levels of crowding.

Prisons: Employment

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners currently serving a custodial sentence work outside prison. [167320]

Jeremy Wright: As stated in my answer to the hon. Gentleman's accompanying question (under reference 167032) on the subject of Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) the Department is conducting a review of the policy and processes on ROTL and, as part of that review, we are considering the availability and quality of data.

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were employed in prisons in England in each of the last 10 years; and how many people he expects to be so employed in May 2015. [168081]

Jeremy Wright: The response to the question provides the number of staff employed in public sector prisons in England on a full-time equivalent (FTE) basis at the end of each financial year in the past ten years, from 31 March 2004 to 31 March 2013, and the forecast FTE number of staff employed in public sector prisons in England as at 31 May 2015.

The number of people forecast to be employed in public sector prisons in England as at 31 May 2015 is 30,500 FTE.

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Annual staffing figures are provided for the end of the financial year as this is the date used in publications for annual comparisons. Figures are provided on an FTE basis for public sector prisons for comparability with forecast figures, which are for public sector prisons only on an FTE basis.

During the period, some prisons have transferred into the private sector. For example, on 1 October 2011, HMP Birmingham transferred into the private sector, along with 610 staff FTE. Consequently year on year comparisons should be treated with caution.

Deployment of prison officers will continue at a level that maintains safe, decent and secure establishments whilst providing the best value for money.

Prisons: Internet

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have facilities for accessing the internet from (a) their cell and (b) other prison premises. [165443]

Jeremy Wright: Access by prisoners to the internet presents a serious threat to security and is therefore subject to tight restrictions.

National Offender Management Service policy is that prisoners may not be permitted access to the internet from their cells. Where risk assessment criteria are satisfied, however, access may be permitted to pre-approved websites in a managed classroom environment for rehabilitative purposes.

Very restricted access to the internet is provided at most prisons via a secure online learning and support system entitled "Virtual Campus". Virtual Campus is a partnership initiative between NOMS and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills that allows prisoners closely controlled and fully monitored access to a limited range of selected internet-based learning and employment related material via a small number of approved websites.

A central record is not held of the number of prisoners that have access to the internet in the secure circumstances described and a figure could only be provided at disproportionate cost by collating the relevant information from records held locally by individual prisons, where available.

Prisons: Swimming Pools

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2013, Official Report, column 731W, on prisons: swimming pools, (1) what consideration he has given to the removal of the swimming pools in HM Prison Holloway and HM Prison Standford Hill; [167043]

(2) how much on average local groups are charged for the use of the swimming pools. [167045]

Jeremy Wright: The swimming pool at HMP Holloway is not used by local groups. The swimming pool at HMP Standford Hill is used by local groups without charge. We are looking into the possibility of introducing a nominal charge but no decisions have yet been made.

There are no plans at present to remove the swimming pool in either HM Prison Holloway or HM Prison Standford Hill. The swimming pool at HMP Standford Hill is used by local group, including swimmers with

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disabilities, when it is not being used by prisoners and is seen as a valuable resource for the local community. The swimming pool at HMP Holloway provides a valuable resource to engage women in health promoting activity and is of particular importance for women who have disorders which mean they are unable to take part in the prisons mainstream regime.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2013, Official Report, column 731W, on prisons: swimming pools, how many recorded incidents there have been in the swimming pool area of (a) HMP Holloway and (b) HMP Standford Hill in each of the last three years; and what those incidents were. [168433]

Jeremy Wright: There have been no recorded incidents in the swimming pool of HMP Holloway in the last three years (b) There have been two recorded health and safety incidents which resulted in minor injuries to prisoners in the swimming pool area of HMP Standford Hill in the last three years; one in 2012 and one in 2013.

Prisons: Television

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prison cells in England and Wales were equipped with a television in each of the last three years. [168868]

Jeremy Wright: Information relating to the number of prison cells equipped with televisions is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by manual checking with individual establishments.

Access to in-cell television is a key earnable privilege under the Incentives and Earned Privileges (IEP) policy framework, in-cell television is entirely self-financing from the rental payments made by prisoners and is a forfeitable privilege. Under changes to the IEP policy framework which will come into effect from 1 November, prisoners will have to work towards their own rehabilitation, behave well and (to reach the highest privileges level) help others. Prisoners who do not cooperate with the prison regime or engage in their rehabilitation sufficiently will move to basic level and stay there until they do. In-cell television is not available at "Basic" level. Prisoners will also not be allowed to watch television when they should be at work, in education, engaged in activities to reduce their reoffending or other activities as directed.

Probation Chiefs Association

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many meetings he has had with the Chairman of the Probation Chiefs Association to discuss the transforming justice agenda to date; [157590]

(2) how many meetings he has had with G4 representatives to discuss the transforming justice agenda to date. [157591]

Jeremy Wright: The Department publishes details of meetings between Ministers and all external organisations on a quarterly basis. Meetings from January 2010 to December 2012 can be found at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/information-access-rights/transparency-data

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Meetings from January 2013 can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments 5B%5D=ministry-of-justice&publication_type=transparency-data

Meetings from March 2013 will be published in due course.

Procurement

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to the discretionary grounds for prohibiting G4S and Serco from applying for contracts from his Department. [169109]

Jeremy Wright: My right hon. Friend, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, has made clear that the Ministry of Justice will not award new contracts to G4S or Serco unless the audit of every Ministry of Justice contract held by the two companies is completed to our satisfaction. A decision will be taken once the audit has concluded.

Protection from Harassment Act 1997

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people have been charged under the provisions of Section 2a of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 since 25 November 2012; [168542]

(2) how many people have been charged under the provisions of Section 4a of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 since 25 November 2012. [168543]

Jeremy Wright: Stalking causes misery for victims and will not be tolerated. Since 2012 the Government has introduced new specific stalking offences and delivered training and guidance for police officers and prosecutors about the new legislation. The Government Action Plan to End Violence Against Women and Girls makes an undertaking to continue to raise awareness of stalking to improve professionals' response. The Ministry of Justice is supporting the Home Office who lead on this work.

Charging data are not held by the Ministry of Justice. The Department holds courts proceedings data, but only for the number of defendants proceeded against in the first month of the offences being available. Between 25 November 2012 and 31 December 2012, eight defendants were proceeded against under section 2A and no defendants were proceeded against under section 4A of Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Court proceedings data for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.

Please note this data presents the principal offences under which a defendant has been proceeded against. If a defendant has been proceeded against for two or more offences it is the offence with the higher or highest maximum penalty that is selected.

Public Relations

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its associated public bodies spent on (a) external public relations

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consultants and

(b)

public affairs consultants, in each of the past three years; and for what purposes such consultants were engaged. [168667]

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice does not spend any money on (a) external public relations consultants or (b) public affairs consultants.

Health

Abortion

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Justice on the pre-signing of abortion forms; and if he will make a statement. [168408]

Dr Poulter: We have no current plans to meet with the Ministry of Justice on the pre-signing of abortion forms. Consideration is being given to what, if any, further action should be taken following the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to prosecute any individuals whom they were investigating in relation to pre-signing.

Absenteeism

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. [168736]

Dr Poulter: Staff may be absent from the Department for a variety of reasons other than illness. These will include adoption leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, and special leave with and without pay which may be offered for a range of reasons. The Department has clear policies with defined limits for eligibility or entitlement and all leave is managed and monitored by line managers and the Department's Human Resource team. There is no automatic entitlement to special leave, with the exception of maternity, parental and dependency leave.

The Department does not have a specific sickness absence target. However, it does currently have one of the lowest rates across Whitehall for the average number of working days lost per staff.

The following three tables provide data on the rates of staff absence within the last five complete financial years.

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Accident and Emergency Departments

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library details of the figures used to calculate how the extra funds he has allocated to deal with the pressures on accident and emergency departments are to be disbursed; [169272]

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the written statement of 10 September 2013, Official Report, columns 45-48WS, on NHS winter planning, if he will publish the methodology used by NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority to allocate the winter planning funding; and if he will make a statement; [169384]

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 10 September 2013, Official Report, column 46WS, on NHS winter planning, whether (a) recent changes to accident and emergency provision in hospitals, (b) reconfiguration of health services and awareness among the population of access to emergency care, (c) adequacy of local transport provision, (d) proportion of elderly people in the local population and (e) relative level of deprivation was considered as part of the criteria in selecting hospitals for additional funding. [169411]

Dr Poulter: As set out in the written ministerial statement of 10 September 2013, Official Report, columns 46-48WS, £221 million has been provisionally allocated for 53 high risk areas across England (along with £15 million towards securing a reliable NHS 111 service throughout the winter period and a small contingency fund of £14 million). Decisions on which trusts to concentrate the resources for the upcoming winter were made jointly by NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority (NTDA), working together with regional and national tripartite groups.

Decisions were made on the basis of a number of factors including risk to delivery of the accident and emergency (A and E) standard, challenging local circumstances and the needs of local populations. This

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gave a picture of those facing the greatest compound risk and identified the trusts thought most likely to benefit most from additional funding.

Proposals were then reviewed by regional groups made up of NHS England, Monitor and the NTDA to ensure that plans are robust and evidence-based.

The money will be targeted at local systems which will benefit most from the extra funding. If a trust has not been identified to receive a share of these winter monies it is a sign that they are performing well in delivering their A and E services or have robust and well-resourced plans in place to deliver and sustain improved A and E performance throughout the winter and beyond. Nonetheless we are not complacent, each of the 143 urgent care boards have presented specific plans for initiatives to alleviate pressures on local A and E departments, and NHS England, Monitor and the NTDA will be working with hospitals across the whole country to ensure that emergency services are ready for winter.

Accountancy

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on accountants in each year since 2010. [168593]

Dr Poulter: Information recorded in the Department's Business Management System is not detailed enough to allow separate identification of the amount spent on accountants, and to calculate this category of expenditure would incur disproportionate costs.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made towards achieving the Alcohol Unit Reduction Pledge. [169619]

Dr Poulter: The major alcohol producers and retailers are signed up (around 34 companies) to the Responsibility Deal pledge to remove 1 billion units of alcohol from the market by the end of 2015. Individual companies publicly set out their actions to contribute to this pledge and publicly provided annual updates on what they did between March 2012 and March 2013 and work will continue to encourage others to sign up to help achieve this goal. The unit reduction pledge action plans and annual updates can be found on the Department's website:

https://responsibilitydeal.dh.gov.uk/pledges/

and click A8. Alcohol Unit Reduction.

The Government's response to the alcohol consultation Next steps following the consultation on delivering the Governments alcohol strategy 23 July 2013 sets a challenge to industry to increase their level of ambition and ownership of the issues and to deliver rapid action, through the Responsibility Deal, in the following areas:

tackling the high strength or high volume products that can cause the most harm;

promoting and displaying alcohol responsibly in shops;

improving education around drinking; and

supporting targeted local action.

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Allergies

Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investment his Department has made in research and training to tackle the effects of allergies in the current and the next two financial years. [168423]

Dr Poulter: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds a wide range of research relating to allergies.

Three NIHR biomedical research units in respiratory disease have been awarded a combined total of £21.6 million over five years from April 2012. The programmes of these units include research on severe asthma.

The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London has a research theme on environmental, respiratory health and allergy with total funding of £2.2 million over five years from April 2012.

The NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre has a paediatrics research theme with total funding of £4.4 million over five years from April 2012. This theme includes a focus on allergic diseases (asthma, eczema, rhino-conjunctivitis, anaphylaxis and food allergy).

The University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust is receiving £2.5 million NIHR funding between September 2012 and March 2017 for a respiratory and allergy clinical research facility.

The NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme is funding a £0.5 million study on preventing and lessening exacerbations of asthma in school-age children associated with a new term. This study began in January 2013 and the report of its findings is expected to be published in late 2016.

Other individual studies currently funded by the NIHR relating to allergy include a £0.2 million project on enabling people with the oral allergy syndrome to eat fresh fruit. This study is due to end in March 2015.

The Government have mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and work force development in the national health service. This mandate includes a commitment that HEE will ensure that general practitioner (GP) training produces GPs with the required competencies to practise in the new NHS. Consequently HEE will work with stakeholders to influence training curricula as appropriate.

Two allergy specialty trainees were recruited this year. It is currently anticipated that two new trainees will also be recruited in the next two years.

Ambulance Services

Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department gives on the circumstances where ambulance crews should turn on blue lights and sirens. [168958]

Anna Soubry: The Department of Health has not issued national guidelines that stipulate the use of sirens and blue lights. Matters of this nature are the responsibility of the Department for Transport, as it is the sponsoring Department for the Road Traffic Act, the Road Vehicles and Lighting Regulations and other associated legislation.

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Where a vehicle is permitted to use blue lights under the definitions of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (as amended), they may only do so at the scene of an emergency or when it is necessary or desirable to indicate to persons using the road the urgency of the purpose for which the vehicle is being used or to warn of the presence of the vehicle.

It is a matter for national health service ambulance trusts to manage locally the use of sirens and to ensure that their drivers are using them responsibly and in line with the above requirements.

Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to ambulance services on providing training to paramedics on new drugs before those drugs are brought into use. [169473]

Dr Poulter: There is no departmental policy setting out protocol for ambulance staff to follow when attending to patients.

It is the responsibility of employers of paramedics to keep their staff up to date on new developments relevant to their work, including the use of new drugs. This is a part of their continuing professional development.

Guidance for national health service paramedics is provided by the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee. The clinical practice guidelines are developed by the Guideline Development Group and are applicable to all pre-hospital clinicians.

Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to ambulance services on the use of text messages to pass information to fast response vehicles which are out on the road. [169474]

Dr Poulter: It is the responsibility of individual ambulance service providers to provide guidance and training on the usage of digital terminals.

A majority, if not all, of ambulance trusts do not send information to emergency ambulance staff via text but use mobile data terminals (MDT). In addition, all crews carry airwave radios.

Emergency Operations Centre dispatchers send all information about urgent and emergency incidents via MDTs to ambulances and rapid response vehicles.

Aortic Aneurysm

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has made of the pilot national aortic aneurysm screening programme; and what plans he has for national roll-out of that programme. [168930]

Dr Poulter: Before making its recommendation on screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) considered the evidence, merits and costs of introducing the screening programme against its internationally recognised criteria to ensure it would deliver benefits at a reasonable cost. Following the recommendation from the UK NSC in January 2008, the Department announced the introduction of a screening programme for AAA for men aged 65 in England.

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In common with other national screening programmes, the programme’s roll-out was managed in phases to ensure high quality programmes could be put in place while a validation and assurance process of appropriate treatment services was also completed. This assurance process led to the reorganisation of some treatment services. The phased roll-out of the NHS AAA screening programme began in 2009 and was completed in April 2013. There was no formal pilot stage prior to the roll-out beginning in 2009. The first early implementation phase was reviewed and lessons learned were acted upon during the implementation of later phases. The changes were operational and based upon what worked best in practice and provided best value.

Following completion of the national roll-out, AAA screening is now offered to all men across England during their 65th year. Men over 65 can self-refer for screening if they have not previously been tested.

Bill Morgan

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions Mr Bill Morgan has been registered as a visitor to his Department's main building since December 2012. [169638]

Dr Poulter: We are not aware that Bill Morgan has visited Richmond House since December 2012. However; to check visitor records to confirm this would incur disproportionate cost.

Blood: Contamination

Mr Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims made by victims of tainted blood have been settled out of court in the most recent period for which records are available. [169434]

Dr Poulter: Since the out-of-court settlement in 1991 of a case brought by a group of individuals with bleeding disorders, the Department has not paid any out of court settlements in respect of the infection of individuals with HIV and/or hepatitis C through treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products.

The Department currently funds five ex-gratia schemes for those affected. As at the end of the 2012-13 financial year, the Department had paid out over £308 million to the ex-gratia payment schemes, the preceding schemes and the 1991 settlement.

Buildings

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what refurbishments to his Department's buildings have been carried out in the last 24 months; and at what cost. [168804]

Dr Poulter: As part of the transition to the new Health Social Care system a number of new organisations were established in line with the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This has required the Department to improve and update its buildings to accommodate these new organisations within its own buildings, thus maximising efficiency and effectiveness without purchasing expensive new buildings. We have also taken the opportunity to deliver a number of improvements to our lighting,

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heating and cooling systems which will make our buildings more energy efficient and help towards delivering our Greener Government targets.

Expenditure on office refurbishment undertaken by the Department and its non-departmental public bodies relate to the general fit out, improvement and provision of furniture and equipment and exclude building repair and maintenance. It is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown of this expenditure by category of refurbishment without incurring disproportionate cost.

Total refurbishment costs for the period 2011-12 to 2012-13 are detailed as follows:

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many square metres of office space his Department (a) owns and (b) rents in London; and what the value is of that property. [169423]

Dr Poulter: The Department owns/rents the following office space in London:

The Department does not hold information on the value of properties it rents.

Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the expenditure on office refurbishment by (a) his Department and (b) his Department's non-departmental public bodies in each year since 2010-11. [169450]

Dr Poulter: As part of the Transition to the new Health Social Care system a number of new organisations were established in line with the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This has required the Department to improve and update its buildings to accommodate these new organisations within its own buildings thus maximising efficiency and effectiveness without purchasing expensive new buildings. We have also taken the opportunity to deliver a number of improvements to our lighting, heating and cooling systems which will make our buildings more energy efficient and help towards delivering our Greener Government targets.

Expenditure on office refurbishment undertaken by the Department and its non-departmental public bodies since 2010-11 is as follows. Refurbishment costs relate to the general fit out, improvement and provision of furniture and equipment and excludes building repair and maintenance. It is not possible to provide a more

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detailed breakdown of this expenditure by category of refurbishment without incurring disproportionate cost. Partial information for non-departmental bodies can be provided only as some of this data is not available.

Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the number of office relocations made by staff of (a) his Department and (b) his Department's non-departmental public bodies (i) within the original building and (ii) to other buildings in each year since 2009-10; what the cost of (A) removals and (B) refurbishments related to such moves has been; and on how many occasions offices refurbished by his Department in that period have been

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used by his Department's staff for less than four years before a further move. [169464]

Dr Poulter: As part of the transition to the new health and social care system a number of new organisations were established as part of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. This has required the Department to improve and update its buildings to accommodate these new organisations thus maximising efficiency and effectiveness without purchasing expensive new buildings.

Refurbishment relates to the general fit out, improvement and provision of furniture and equipment and it is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown of this expenditure directly related to each relocation without incurring disproportionate cost.

The Department and its non-departmental public bodies do not hold a complete set of information on the number of office relocations carried out within the original building and to other buildings since 2009-10. Information that is available is detailed as follows. Where known we have provided the actual number of individual moves undertaken.