John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the proportion of requests for ambulance attendance made by (a) police officers and (b) members of the public which were not fulfilled due to non-availability of vehicles in the last year; [172236]
(2) how many emergency response vehicles were available to each English ambulance service trust in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013. [172237]
Jane Ellison: Information about how many emergency response vehicles were available to each English ambulance service trust in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 is not held centrally. Decision making regarding the number of emergency response vehicles is an operational issue and is therefore a matter for the local ambulance trust.
No assessment has been made of the proportion of requests for ambulance attendance made by police officers and members of the public which were not fulfilled due to non-availability of vehicles in the last year.
Blood: Contamination
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people infected by contaminated blood through NHS blood transfusions have since died. [171861]
Jane Ellison: Approximately 100 people were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United Kingdom as a result of treatment with NHS blood transfusions, before a screening test for donated blood became available in 1985. As at 30 September 2013, 17 are known to be alive and registered with MFET Ltd, which makes payments in respect of infection with HIV, which implies that around 83% have died.
Approximately, a further 1,200 people were infected with HIV as a result of treatment for inherited bleeding disorders, primarily haemophilia, with plasma-derived clotting factor products, before safer products became available in 1985. As at 30 September 2013, 353 are known to be alive and registered with MFET Ltd, which implies that around 71% have died.
In relation to hepatitis C, the Government's 2010 'Review of the Support Available to Individuals infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV by NHS-supplied blood transfusions or blood products and their dependants' estimated that approximately 28,000 individuals were infected in the UK as a result of NHS blood transfusions before a screening test for donated blood became available in 1991. A copy of the report has already been placed in the Library. As at 30 September 2013, 2,442 of those individuals had received at least one payment from the Skipton Fund Ltd in respect of chronic infection with hepatitis C. Of these individuals, the Skipton Fund has been notified of 320 deaths, which represents approximately 13% of the total number of individuals who have received at least one payment.
The UK Haemophilia Centres Doctors' Organisation estimated in 2011 that a further 4,689 people with inherited bleeding disorders were exposed to hepatitis C through treatment with NHS supplied plasma-derived clotting factor products, before safer products became available in 1985. As at 30 September 2013, 2,648 of those individuals had received at least one payment from the Skipton Fund Ltd in respect of chronic infection with hepatitis C. Of these individuals, the Skipton Fund has been notified of 665 deaths, which represents approximately 25% of the total number of individuals who have received at least one payment.
However, the Skipton Fund does not routinely receive death notifications in respect of those who do not receive annual payments. There is no other information on those who may be infected by hepatitis C as a result of NHS-supplied blood or blood products held centrally, from which the Department can make a more accurate estimate.
Cancer: Drugs
Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on the management of the Cancer Drugs Fund budget and any projected overspend; [172240]
(2) what estimate NHS England has made of expenditure on the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2013-14; [172241]
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(3) what steps NHS England takes to assist clinicians to make the most cost-effective use of the Cancer Drugs Fund. [172242]
Norman Lamb: Management of the Cancer Drugs Fund is a matter for NHS England. Ministers have not had any discussions with NHS England on the management of the fund but departmental officials have regular discussions with NHS England about the Cancer Drugs Fund, including the financial position.
NHS England collects expenditure information for the Cancer Drugs Fund on a monthly basis from its regional area teams and we are advised that forecasting arrangements are also in place. NHS England is considering future publication arrangements for expenditure information.
The Cancer Drugs Fund is clinically led. NHS England has taken a number of steps to help clinicians make best use of the fund, including:
publishing national Standard Operating Procedures for the Fund, which explain how drug/indication combinations are assessed for inclusion in the fund, taking into account clinical and cost-effectiveness;
developing a National Cancer Drugs Fund list of drugs and indications that will be routinely funded; and
developing arrangements for dealing with individual funding requests for drugs not included on the national list.
Electronic Cigarettes
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the safety of e-cigarettes; what assessment he has made of whether e-cigarettes reduce usage of conventional cigarettes; and what steps he is taking to support smokers who have decreased their dependence on conventional cigarettes by using e-cigarettes. [171867]
Jane Ellison: The United Kingdom Government support a requirement to licence nicotine containing products (NCPs) as medicines through European Union legislation and will continue to make the case for this position during the further negotiations on the draft Tobacco Products Directive. This is intended to ensure that products are available that meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy to help users cut down their smoking and to quit and to reduce the harms of smoking to smokers and those around them.
During the period of research that informed the Government's decision, the consistent evidence from a variety of sources was that most electronic cigarette users use the products to stop smoking or as partial replacement to reduce harm associated with smoking. There is some evidence from surveys that electronic cigarette users are having success in achieving their goals with many current electronic cigarette users being ex-smokers.
Unlicensed electronic cigarettes are not risk free. Known and reported risks include acute effects on lung function, possible pneumonia, and other risks related to poor product quality. These products on the market have not been shown to meet standards of safety and efficacy required of medicines regulation. Products tested had varying amounts of nicotine that usually did not match the amount labelled. Regulating them as medicinal products would mean that accurate information can be
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provided to health care professionals and the public about their quality and effectiveness. There is insufficient evidence currently to recommend the use of unlicensed products. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence tobacco harm reduction public health guidance only recommends the use of licensed nicotine replacement therapy (for example gums, patches), and recognises that little is known about the effectiveness, quality and safety of unlicensed NCPs.
Fertility
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will convene an expert group on commissioning fertility treatment, for the purpose of encouraging adherence to the recommendations put forward by the NICE in its guidelines on fertility. [172122]
Jane Ellison: We expect that all those involved in commissioning infertility treatment services to be fully aware of the importance of having regard to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence fertility guidelines.
NHS England has advised that it does not currently have, nor plan to have, an expert group on commissioning fertility treatment.
General Practitioners: Barrow in Furness
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of GP practices in Barrow and Furness constituency offered appointments (a) before 9am, (b) after 5pm and (c) at weekends in each of the last three years. [172231]
Norman Lamb: The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to approach the NHS England Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear area team, which might hold the relevant information.
Health Services: Worcestershire
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress he has made on the reconfiguration of health services in Worcestershire; and if he will make a statement. [172038]
Jane Ellison: The reconfiguration of local health services is a matter for the local national health service. Commissioners in Worcestershire are working with local providers and stakeholders to develop proposals for the future provision of acute services across the county, which will be subject to public consultation.
NHS: Innovation
Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to re-establish the Innovations Commissioning Fund; and if he will make a statement. [171952]
Dr Poulter: From April 2013, NHS England has had responsibility for the commissioning of specialised services.
NHS England has advised that the scale of this task —to bring together regional commissioning into a single, nationally consistent operating model for specialised services commissioning—has resulted in a level of unplanned expenditure. To manage this unplanned
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expenditure both in year and into the future, NHS England has needed to concentrate its efforts on their core commissioning requirements. The Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund announced by NHS England in August 2013, sits outside the core requirements and in October NHS England reluctantly took the decision to suspend it. NHS England has advised that it remains committed to both leading and facilitating the uptake and spread of innovation and will seek ways to reinstate the fund in future years.
Organs: Donors
Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reported cases there are each year of potential organ donors failing to donate organs due to an unavailability of (a) suitable beds and (b) specialist nurses. [171868]
Jane Ellison: NHS Blood and Transplant's (NHSBT) national Potential Donor Audit (PDA) records the number of potential solid organ donors in the United Kingdom and documents the reasons for donation not proceeding. NHSBT have no recorded instances of a solid organ donation not proceeding due to pressure in intensive care unit (ICU) beds after the potential donor has been referred to the Organ Donation Services team and consent has been obtained.
The following table shows the number of patients meeting the referral criteria for solid organ donation who were not referred to the Organ Donation Services Team due to pressure on ICU beds.
| Financial year | Number of patients |
| Notes: 1. All data is as recorded on NHSBT’s Potential Donor Audit (PDA) as at 10 October 2013. 2. During the above time period, the PDA audited all patient deaths in emergency departments and critical care units in the UK, except cardiothoracic ICUs. Patients aged <=75 only. Source: NHSBT | |
There were a further three cases recorded where pressure on ICU beds was the reason for not testing for death by Neurological Criteria and as a consequence were not referred to the Organ Donation Services Team (one in 2010-11 and two in 2011-12).
Information on the number of potential donors referred to the Organ. Donation Services Team and where the family were not approached for consent due to the pressure on intensive care beds has only been collected since 1 April 2013. During the first six months there have been seven potential cases.
There are no recorded instances where a donation could not proceed due to a specialist nurse not being available.
School Milk
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the outcome of the nursery milk scheme consultation will be announced. [172255]
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Dr Poulter: The Department is conducting a comprehensive analysis of all the responses to the Nursery Milk consultation, the impact assessment and the accompanying survey of child care providers. A Government response on the future operation of the Nursery Milk Scheme will be made after full consideration is given to these and other relevant information.
Telemedicine
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department has taken to calculate the cost-effectiveness of increased use of telehealth for people with long-term conditions; [172168]
(2) what assessment he has made of (a) the effect of telehealth on the number of people presenting at accident and emergency departments and (b) the financial implications of wider use of telehealth within the NHS; [172169]
(3) what assessment he has made of the potential long term benefits of wider use of telehealth within the NHS; [172173]
(4) what recent meetings he has had with companies on innovations in telehealth; [172174]
(5) what steps his Department is taking to incentivise greater innovation in the telehealth industry. [172175]
Norman Lamb: The Whole System Demonstrator (WSD) programme, launched in 2008, was funded and run by the Department and was the largest randomised control trial in the world of telecare and telehealth in the world. This WSD evaluated the effects of telehealth service utilisation on 6,191 patients in 238 general practitioner practices across three sites in Newham, Kent and Cornwall. It was set up to look at cost effectiveness, clinical effectiveness, organisational issues, effect on carers and workforce issues.
A paper from the London School of Economics (LSE) on cost effectiveness of telehealth in the WSD study, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 March 2013 found that it was delivered at high cost. The LSE identified a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) figure of £90,000 per patient which is there times the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended level. The LSE paper can be found at:
www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1035
We recognise that, when delivered as an add-on to existing services at low volume use and at a high unit price, telehealth and telecare is not cost effective. This is why the 3millionlives initiative was developed. This initiative aims to build a different approach to delivery based on a new business model that will help to make telehealth both cost and clinically effective. WSD clearly shows that using telehealth as an integral part of health and care services can help to reduce hospital admissions. The three WSD sites using telehealth experienced:
a 15% reduction in A&E visits;
a 20% reduction in emergency admissions;
a 14% reduction in elective admissions;
a 14% reduction in bed days;
an 8% reduction in tariff costs; and
a 45% reduction in mortality rates.
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Implemented effectively as part of a whole system redesign of care, telehealth and telecare has long-term benefits such as alleviating pressure on long-term NHS costs and improve people's quality of life through better self-care in the home setting.
The Department is working closely with the NHS, social care and other stakeholders to simplify procurement and commissioning processes for telehealth and telecare services. 3millionlives aims to work in collaboration with industry, the NHS, social care and professional partners to improve the lives of three million people over the next five years through the introduction of telehealth and telecare technologies into redesigned clinical pathways.
Since 1 January 2013 the following meetings have taken place between Ministers of the Department and companies with an interest in telehealth:
on 4 June the Under-Secretary of State, the right hon. and noble Lord, Earl Howe, met with representatives from O2 Health;
on 18 June the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), met with representatives of Tunstall Healthcare; and
on 24 October I held a round table with a number of companies with an interest in telehealth, telecare and assistive technologies.
Attendees at the roundtable event included: 2020Health; British Telecom, British Healthcare Industries; Tunstall Healthcare, Health Fabric Ltd, Medvivo Group, Computer Services Corporation; the Advanced Digital Institute; the Florence Programme; the Telecare Services Association; and Intellect. I also attended an All Party Parliamentary Group on Telehealth on 25 June 2013.
Transport
A27
Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to hold the Highways Agency to account for the time taken to repair pedestrian traffic lights across the A27 highway at Arundel over the last three months. [172278]
Mr Goodwill: The Highways Agency recognises that there has been a delay in carrying out a repair to the pedestrian traffic lights on the A27 at Arundel. This is due to problems with the power supply. The agency has been actively pursuing the issues with their service provider for this route and I have asked the agency to treat the matter as a high priority.
A417
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents have occurred between Nettleton Bottom and the bottom of Crickley Hill in the last 10 years. [171916]
Mr Goodwill: The number of reported personal injury road accidents on the A417 between Nettleton Bottom (Ordnance Survey grid reference 394866, 213420) and the bottom of Crickley Hill (Ordnance Survey grid reference 392361, 215774) in each of the last 10 years are given in the following table:
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| Number of reported personal injury accidents by severity on the A417 between Nettleton Bottom and bottom of Crickley Hill: 2003-12 | ||||
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total Accidents | |
Data for 2013 will be available July 2014. The Department does not collect information on damage only accidents.
Electric Vehicles
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from or on behalf of Guide Dogs on the safety of quiet hybrid and electric vehicles; what response he has given; and if he will make a statement. [172248]
Mr Goodwill: The Ministers have received correspondence from Guide Dogs, other organisations and individuals asking for the mandatory fitment of added sound devices to electric and hybrid electric vehicles in order to improve the safety of pedestrians.
The former Under-Secretary of State for Transport met with Guide Dogs and the Royal National Institute of Blind People to discuss this subject. One of my ministerial colleagues will be having further discussions on these issues with them in due course.
The Government are keenly interested in the safety of all road users, and is continuing to examine the evidence in this area.
High Speed 2
Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he plans to ensure that the knowledge, skills and expertise developed during the building of Crossrail will feed into future construction plans regarding High Speed 2. [172042]
Mr Goodwill: Construction of Phase 1 of HS2 is not expected to commence until 2017. HS2 will provide significant opportunities for businesses currently involved in the construction of Crossrail to deploy their expertise on this project. Skills developed at facilities such as the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy established for Crossrail will be invaluable in supporting the needs of HS2.
Humber Bridge
Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Humber Bridge Board on the need to avoid traffic delays on and around the bridge; and when he next intends to meet the Board. [171906]
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Mr Goodwill: Recently, traffic delays have been experienced on the Humber Bridge, due to necessary work to renew the toll plaza infrastructure and toll collection system. These works are planned to be substantially completed by February 2014, and free-flow tolling by smart tag will be introduced later in 2014. The Humber Bridge Board, comprising the four Humber area local authorities, is responsible for operating the bridge, and has taken action to reduce the delays. I do not plan to meet the Board on this matter.
Large Goods Vehicles
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Campaign for Better Transport on demonstrations of longer semi-trailers for articulated goods vehicles and risks to vulnerable road users; what response he has given; and if he will make a statement. [172247]
Mr Goodwill: The Secretary of State for Transport has recently received a letter and report from Campaign for Better Transport following their attendance at a demonstration of a longer semi-trailer in June. The report has made very broad assumptions based on a single demonstration of a longer semi-trailer that was not representative.
The report has called for longer semi-trailers to be allowed only on designated local authority roads and we anticipate responding to the report's authors shortly.
The Government will continue to monitor the trial closely and will report in full when the trial concludes at which point Ministers will decide whether these vehicles will be allowed permanently on UK roads.
Motor Vehicles: Electronic Equipment
Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials have had concerning the European Union proposal for legislation requiring the future fitment of an electronic in-vehicle system that automatically alerts the emergency services when an accident occurs; and if he will make a statement. [171616]
Mr Goodwill: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has not had any discussions on this subject.
Officials from the Department for Transport have engaged in discussions with European Commission officials on a number of occasions.
The Government support in principle any action that would assist in reducing the number of collisions, deaths and serious injuries.
The UK has some of the safest roads in the world and technology has an important role to play in this, but it is important that each initiative is carefully considered on its merits.
The results of independent research by TRL Ltd in 2010 showed that the benefits of making eCall mandatory in all new cars will not justify the cost of implementing it in the UK. The Government had therefore decided
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that it would not be appropriate for the UK to support mandatory installation of eCall at this stage. The published project report (PPR470) can be found at:
www.trl.co.uk
Parking
Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department has issued to all local authorities on constructing and operating car parking bays of sufficient size to accommodate the average family motor vehicle. [171907]
Mr Goodwill: The Department for Transport (DFT) gives advice to local authorities on the design of on-street parking bays in Chapter 5 of the Traffic Signs Manual. The design and size of such bays are prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-traffic-signs-regulations-and-general-directions-tsrgd-2002
The DFT also provides advice on the provision of Blue Badge disabled parking bays in its Inclusive Mobility document.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-mobility
DFT only has a role in setting the limits of the sizes of parking bays on the public highway. The design and size of parking bays in council or private car parks, such as for example supermarkets, are not regulated by the DFT.
Public Footpaths
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what funding his Department has made available to support new (a) cycle paths, (b) bridleways and (c) footpaths in the current financial year; [172182]
(2) how much funding his Department made available to support new footpaths in the council areas of (a) East Cambridgeshire and (b) England in each of the last 30 years; [172183]
(3) how much funding his Department made available to support new cycle paths in the council areas of (a) Cambridge City, (b) East Cambridgeshire and (c) England in each of the last 30 years. [172184]
Mr Goodwill: The Department does not make funding available specifically to support cycle paths, bridleways and footpaths. The provision of cycling facilities is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. We provide funding through the Integrated Transport block to local authorities to use for small transport improvement schemes, including walking and cycling schemes.
However, since 2004 the Department has made a number of funding streams available to local authorities that could have been used for cycle paths, bridleways and footpaths, as well a range of other interventions to support cycling. These are the “Sustainable Travel Towns”; “Cycling Cities and Towns” programme; “Links to Schools”; the “Local Sustainable Transport Fund”; the “Linking Places Fund”; the “Cycle Safety Fund”, and the “Cycle City Ambition” grants.
The capital allocations made to Cambridgeshire and Cambridge City through these funds were/are:
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| £ million | |
The Department does not hold data for the amounts within these schemes that were specifically spent on cycle paths, bridleways and footpaths. The Department also does not hold data on funding streams over a longer time period.
Railways: Tickets
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the planned flexible ticket trial will begin. [172256]
Stephen Hammond: It is currently envisaged that the competition to run the flexible ticketing trial will take place in early 2014 and the necessary infrastructure to allow the trial to commence should be in place by early 2015. The exact details of the trial, including its start date and duration, remain subject to negotiation with train companies and it would not be appropriate to comment further at this stage.
Rescue Services: Belfast
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Belfast, was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in September 2013. [172125]
Stephen Hammond: Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in September 2013 on 34 occasions out of 60 shifts.
These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Belfast MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Stornoway MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead.
Every effort is made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards filling 28 vacancies and offering a further 31 jobs to candidates in the most recent round. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded on the terms and conditions for the new coastguard jobs, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.
Rescue Services: Liverpool
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Liverpool, was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in September 2013. [172127]
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Stephen Hammond: Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in September 2013 on 20 occasions out of 60 shifts.
These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Liverpool MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Holyhead MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Swansea, Milford Haven, Belfast and Stornoway.
Every effort is made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards filling 28 vacancies and offering a further 31 jobs to candidates in the most recent round. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded on the terms and conditions for the new coastguard jobs, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.
Rescue Services: Stornoway
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre, Stornoway, was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in September 2013. [172126]
Stephen Hammond: Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in September 2013 on 12 occasions out of 60 shifts.
These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Stornoway MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Belfast MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead.
Roads: Accidents
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the number of children injured in road accidents on their way to school in the last year; and what proportion of such children were cycling. [172293]
Mr Goodwill: There were 2,227 children aged between five and 16 (inclusive) injured in reported road accidents between 7.30 am and 8.59 am on school days in Great Britain during 2012. Of these, 308 (14%) were pedal cyclists. It is likely that a very large majority of these children were travelling to school at the time of the accident.
More detailed estimates for accidents involving travelling to and from school including figures for younger children and breakdowns by age and mode of transport can be found in published statistics table RAS30030, at the following link:
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239765/ras30030.xls
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Roads: Lighting
Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on the selective switching-off of road lighting at night during poor weather conditions and reduced visibility; and if he will make a statement. [171615]
Mr Goodwill: The Department has not issued guidance to local authorities on this matter. It is important that authorities consider the safety, cost and environmental savings before switching off lighting columns, reducing the hours of operation or dimming lighting levels within their areas. It is also the responsibility of each authority to determine whether or not to have highway lighting switched on during the hours of darkness and in poor weather conditions and reduced visibility.
Telephone Numbers
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what geographic telephone number his Department advertises for use by the general public. [171895]
Stephen Hammond: The information requested is in the following table:
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For information, the Department has the following non geographic inquiries/information lines: DFTc 0300 330 3000, Highways Agency 0300 123 5000, VCA 0300 330 5799 and 0300 330 5797, VOSA 0300 123 9000.
Work and Pensions
Cold Weather Payments: East Riding
Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the number of people eligible for cold weather payments in East Riding. [171905]
Steve Webb: The estimates for the number of people eligible for cold weather payments in each weather station area in the UK will not be available until the end of October. The estimates are produced by a scan of the systems immediately prior to the start of the cold weather payment season, commencing 1 November 2013. The scan is conducted as close as possible to the start of the cold weather season to best represent the most accurate number of eligible customers.
The postcodes for East Riding are covered by Leconfield, Linton on Ouse and Sheffield weather stations. As the weather station areas are based on the climate of the relevant postcodes, they do not align with any standard regional mapping. When the estimates become available, I will place a copy in the House of Commons Library, showing the regions that overlap with each weather station.
Housing Benefit
Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the contribution of the Deputy Prime Minister of 15 October 2013, Official Report, column 586, whether the under-occupancy penalty will be included in the research he has commissioned into the effect of housing benefit changes; what the terms of reference for this research will be; whether a public consultation will be held as part of this research; and when this research is expected to be published. [172171]
Esther McVey: A consortium has been commissioned to carry out a two year monitoring of the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy measure. The research will include effects of the measures on supply issues, impacts in rural areas as well as effects on financial circumstances and vulnerable individuals. The evaluation includes research with claimants, social landlords, local authority staff and voluntary organisations. A public consultation is not being undertaken as part of this research. The evaluation is taking place over a two year period, starting from April 2013, with initial findings available in 2014 and a final report published in late 2015.
Self-employed
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in each region who moved from public sector employment into self-employment in the last financial year. [172161]
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Esther McVey: Robust information is not available, as Labour Force Survey data on self-employment does not measure reliably whether individuals were previously working in the public or private sector.
Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made by his Department of the number of former EU country migrants resident in the Brightside and Hillsborough constituency who are of working age but are currently unemployed and receiving jobseeker's allowance or employment and support allowance. [172074]
Esther McVey: We do not have this information. Although the Department for Work and Pensions checks the nationality and immigration status of benefit claimants to ensure the benefit is paid properly and to prevent fraud, this information is not recorded as part of the benefit payment administrative systems.
The Government are looking at ways to record nationality and immigration status of migrants who make a claim to universal credit so that we have more robust management information about our claimants.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many clients have asked for their work capability assessments to be audio taped; and what proportion of such requests were (a) agreed to and (b) denied in the most recent period for which data is available. [172166]
Mike Penning: Between September 2011 and September 2013 the number of applicants for employment and support allowance who requested an audio recorded work capability assessment was 4,109, 99.8% of these were agreed to.
To date nine requests have been turned down to audio record a work capability assessment. This represents 0.2% of the total number of requests made.
Universal Credit
Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate the number of people claiming universal credit who would otherwise be included on the Claimant Count in (a) total and (b) each month since May 2013; [172222]
(2) if he will estimate the number of people claiming universal credit who would otherwise be included on the Claimant Count by constituency; [172223]
(3) when he expects to publish the number of universal credit claimants in each month since May 2013; [172224]
(4) when the number of universal credit claimants will be included in the Claimant Count published by the Office for National Statistics. [172225]
Esther McVey: The Department published the strategy for releasing official statistics on universal credit in September 2013 and this is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics
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As outlined in the strategy, DWP officials are currently quality assuring data for universal credit and aim to release an initial set of official statistics on universal credit claimants before the end of 2013. These official statistics will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Statistics Code of Practice and the precise release date will be pre-announced as soon as possible.
Statisticians within DWP and Office for National Statistics are working closely to ensure that information on universal credit claimants can be included within the claimant count as soon as possible.
Welfare State: Northern Ireland
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 499W, on welfare state: Northern Ireland, what future flexibilities will be introduced for Northern Ireland in respect of mitigation measures for welfare reform. [172195]
Mike Penning: Social Security in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the Northern Ireland Assembly is currently considering a separate Northern Ireland Welfare Reform Bill.
Should the Northern Ireland Executive decide not to implement the welfare reform agenda, this would have a number of implications—both financial and operational.
It is now a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive to decide what course of action they wish to take. However, I can confirm that my officials and I will continue to work closely with the Department for Social Development.
Justice
Bail
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 13 July 2011, Official Report, column 323W, on bail, if he will publish figures for the most recent period for which information is available. [170442]
Mr Vara: During financial year April 2011 to March 2012, there were a total of 68 breaches of bail conditions (securities only) amounting to forfeiture of £433,398.54. There were no forfeitures of bail conditions where surety was given.
Also during financial year April 2012 to March 2013, there were a total of 84 breaches of bail conditions (securities only) amounting to forfeiture of £739,192.35. There were no forfeitures of bail conditions where surety was given.
This was recovered in full from bail deposits (lodged) paid directly into the HMCTS Bail Deposit bank account.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will ensure that the UK's Mid-Term Report (Universal Periodic Review) to the UN Human Rights Council includes British Indian Ocean Territory. [171729]
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Mr Vara: There were no specific recommendations regarding the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) in the UK's Universal Periodic Review report in May 2012. The mid-term review document is currently being drafted, and we cannot comment further on its content at this time.
Corruption: EU Law
Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what assessment he has made of the usefulness of co-operation involving the UK undertaken as a result of Article 9(2) of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union in the fight against the offences in question; whether the Government intends to maintain this co-operation unchanged if the UK ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; and if the Government intends to maintain this co-operation, how it will be maintained; [171301]
(2) in how many cases the UK has co-operated with the authorities of one or more other EU member state owing to the provisions of Article 9(2) of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of members states of the European Union in each of the last five years; and what the substance and outcome of the co-operation was in each case; [171302]
(3) what assessment he has made of the usefulness of co-operation involving the UK undertaken as a result of Article 9(1) of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union in the fight against the offences in question; whether the Government intends to maintain this co-operation unchanged if the UK ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; and if the Government intends to maintain this co-operation, how it will be maintained; [171303]
(4) what laws or practices have been implemented in the UK to meet the requirements of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union; and whether the Government intends to retain these implementing measures unchanged if the UK ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; [171304]
(5) in how many cases UK authorities have co-operated with the authorities of one or more other EU member state owing to the provisions of Article 9(1) of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union in each of the last five years; and what the substance and outcome of the co-operation was in each case; [171305]
(6) whether the UK implements all the requirements of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union; and if not, which requirements are not implemented. [171316]
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Mr Vara: I have made no assessment of the usefulness of co-operation involving the UK undertaken as a result of Article 9(1) or Article 9(2) of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union but note that many of the matters covered have now been superseded by other measures. The Government do not hold data relating specifically to co-operation with the authorities of one or more other EU member state owing to the provisions of Articles 9(1) and (2) of the Convention. The Government intend to maintain international co-operation unchanged if the UK ceases to be bound pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties. This will be maintained through the usual operational and judicial co-operation arrangements. The UK implements all the requirements of the Convention, in the main through the Bribery Act 2010, with reliance also on the UK law and practices relating to extradition, mutual legal assistance and international police, prosecutorial and judicial co-operation. The Government intend to retain these measures unchanged if the UK ceases to be bound pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.
EU Justice and Home Affairs
Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Government plan to maintain unchanged all UK measures implementing Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that Framework Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties. [171684]
Mr Vara: The Government plan to maintain unchanged all UK measures implementing the Council Framework Decision 2003/568/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that Framework Decision pursuant to article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.
Food Banks
Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of court diversion schemes make referrals to local food banks. [171662]
Mr Vara: Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service does not operate any court diversion schemes which make referrals to local food banks.
HMCTS is working with the Department of Health, wider Ministry of Justice, the Youth Justice Board and the Home Office to take forward Government proposals to invest in liaison and diversion services for offenders with mental health, substance misuse and other vulnerabilities.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Wales
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff have been employed by the Court Service in North Wales in the last five years for which records are available. [170940]
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Mr Vara: Permanent and fixed terms staff headcount in courts and tribunals in North Wales since September 2009:
| As at September: | FTE |
In 2011 Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals service was created. Enforcement staff and directorate personnel including those responsible for the administration of Estates and Finance were removed from North Wales headcount and included in directorate administrative structures.
In 2009 staffing numbers included those working in Enforcement, Estates and Finance Directorates. Since the establishment of national administrative units, staff based in North Wales within these directorates are no longer shown within these numbers. Therefore it is not possible to provide a direct staffing comparison between staffing levels now and in 2009.
Prison Sentences: Wales
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women were sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence of less than six months for each type of offence by courts in North Wales in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013 to date. [170176]
Jeremy Wright: Prison is the right place for serious, dangerous and persistent offenders. Since 2010, those who break the law are more likely to be sent to prison.
The number of offenders sentenced to immediate custody of less than six months, by gender and offence type, in the North Wales police force are in 2012 is given in Table 1.
The information for 2013 is not provided as it is only provisional and it is planned for publication in May 2014.
| Table 1: Persons sentenced to immediate custody1 for less than six months by gender and offence group in North Wales police force area, 2012 | ||||
| 2012 | ||||
| Offence group | Males | Females | Unknown | Total |
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| 1 Includes: sentences imposed under sections 90-92 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000; indeterminate sentence for public protection; extended sentence for public protection; Detention and Training Orders; Young Offenders Institute; and unsuspended imprisonment. Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services | ||||
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates in England and Wales have been given training on sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [170150]
Mr Vara: The responsibility for judicial training, including magistrates, lies with the Lord Chief Justice and is exercised through the Judicial College. Magistrates are advised in court by their legal advisers who, as professional lawyers, will keep themselves up-to-date with legal developments. The Judicial College assists with this by providing regular updates on any changes to the law via a jurisdictional electronic internal newsletter. It did so in respect of these provisions in June 2012. Additionally, the Justices' Clerks Society, the professional body for legal advisers, circulated a news-sheet in December 2012 dealing with the new offences.
Victims' Commissioner
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget is allocated to support the work of the Victims' Commissioner. [171641]
Mr Vara: In the current financial year (2013-14) the budget allocation for the Victims' Commissioner is £264,126 this covers the salary of the Commissioner and the costs of her office.
Cabinet Office
Government Departments: ICT
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of the accredited providers for the G-Cloud are (a) consultants and (b) application providers. [172055]
Mr Hurd: Of the 708 suppliers on G-Cloud iii around 100 are consultancy firms and 400 offer software as a service. Over 80% of the suppliers are small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Since the last general election, Government spend on consultancy has fallen dramatically saving the taxpayer £1 billion last year alone.
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Implementation Unit and Delivery Unit
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of (a) establishing the Number 10 Implementation Unit and (b) abolishing the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit; and what the differences are between the work of both units. [171909]
Mr Maude: There was no cost of abolishing the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit (PMDU). There was no specific cost to setting up the Implementation Unit (IU) beyond that of normal departmental business.
PMDU primarily focused on delivery of the previous Government's top-down targets. It reported to the Prime Minister through the Cabinet Secretary.
IU focuses on improving the implementation of the Government's highest strategic priority programmes, as determined by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. This includes a strong focus on the implementation of both growth and social policy commitments. In addition, it is responsible for co-ordinating Departmental Business Plans and supporting their implementation. The Implementation Unit reports to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister via the Minister for Government Policy and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Public Consultation
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what proportion of Government consultations include a summary of responses; [170200]
(2) if he will consider introducing the role of Consultation Commissioner to oversee Government consultations; [170201]
(3) if he will consider making the publication of a summary of responses obligatory in Government consultations; [170202]
(4) what proportion of Government consultations have published (a) all responses, (b) some of the responses and (c) none of the responses since May 2010. [170203]
Mr Letwin: As part of the recent review of the Consultation Principles, Cabinet Office officials have worked closely with an Independent Advisory Panel drawn from academe, industry and charities to help officials better understand the practical operation of the principles. The findings and recommendations from this review will be published in the near future.
The Consultation Principles are not intended to be prescriptive nor impose strict obligations on Departments. Oversight of consultations remains a departmental role but the principles provide best practice across Government.
Information regarding the specific content of Government consultations is not held centrally.
International Development
Afghanistan
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who paid for the road building programme associated with Bost Airfield and Bost Agricultural Park in Afghanistan. [171976]
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Justine Greening: This programme was funded by the US and the UK.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what return has been achieved on her Department's investment in Bost Airfield and Bost Agricultural Park in Afghanistan. [171978]
Justine Greening: The completion of phase one of the project enabled three commercial flights per week into Bost Airfield, connecting Helmand to the rest of the country. This cut journey times between Kabul and Helmand from two days to a one and a half hour flight.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons her Department operated a leaseholdings rather than land purchase programme at Bost Agricultural Park. [171979]
Justine Greening: No leaseholding programme was in place.
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many fluent Pashto speakers her Department hired to work with locals on the leaseholding elements of Bost Agricultural Park. [171980]
Justine Greening: DFID Afghanistan employs local staff and fluent Pashto speakers on all projects as appropriate.
African Union
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions (a) she and (b) her Ministers have met officials of the African Union in the last 12 months; and what subjects were discussed on each such occasion. [172232]
Lynne Featherstone: There have been three meetings involving DFID Ministers in the last 12 months. The Deputy Prime Minister and I met African Union Commission (AUC) Deputy Chairperson H.E. Erastus Mwencha in February 2013 to discuss G8 issues. I met AUC Chairperson H.E. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma in June 2013 to discuss G8 and gender issues. Dlamini-Zuma and DFID Secretary of State Justine Greening co-chaired the New Alliance Steering Committee in April 2013.
Bangladesh
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role her Department played in developing the International Labour Organisation programme for improving working conditions in the Bangladesh ready-made-garment sector; and what involvement her Department plans to have in the operation of that programme. [172233]
Mr Duncan: Since my visit to Bangladesh at the beginning of June, DFID has been working with partners to develop a package of support to help improve working conditions in the garment sector in Bangladesh. The ILO programme, which is a key part of this package, is a result of months of discussion and development with the ILO and others, in which DFID officials have played an active part.
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DFID Bangladesh will provide up to £4.8 million in support of the ILO programme, and will be directly involved in the direction and monitoring of the programme over the next three years, through the programme steering committee and regular monthly meetings with the other donors and the ILO. The programme supports the implementation of the National Action Plan, which brings together the Government of Bangladesh, workers and manufacturers for real and sustained change that will ensure safe conditions for workers. It will also play a coordinating role with two brand initiatives: the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.
Developing Countries: Females
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that gender equality and women's empowerment becomes a stand-alone goal in the post-2015 development framework. [172033]
Justine Greening: The UK has been clear in its advocacy for a standalone post-2015 goal on gender equality and girls' and women's empowerment as well as ensuring that these issues are mainstreamed in the goals and targets in the framework to be agreed by the United Nations.
We are working with others across the international community, including civil society, to ensure that this is achieved.
Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effect of barriers to political participation to the lives of women and girls in developing countries. [172034]
Lynne Featherstone: Women's equal participation in political processes is central to achieving DFID's strategic vision for girls and women. These show that removing barriers to women's political participation can lead to increased numbers of female representatives and decisions that give greater priority to poverty reduction and gender equality, for example, legislation relating to honour killing or the provision of rural water and sanitation services.
Energy and Climate Change
Climate Change
David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost to (a) UK businesses and (b) the public purse of compliance with policies in the European Climate Change Programme since the implementation of those policies. [171538]
Gregory Barker: The EU climate and energy package, enacted in 2009, is a set of binding legislation which aims to ensure the EU meets its climate and energy targets for 2020. These targets, known as the “20-20-20” targets, set three key objectives for 2020:
A 20% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels;
Raising the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20%;
A non-binding 20% improvement in the EU's energy efficiency.
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The package comprises four pieces of complementary legislation (see as follows) and estimates, of the costs and benefits were set out in the original Impact Assessment published in 2009.1 This estimated average annual costs to the UK over the period 2013 to 2020 of around £3 billion with annual benefits estimated at between around £1.3 billion and £35.2 billion, depending on the value of carbon used for emissions savings (all figures in present value terms, 2008 prices).
The Government have not estimated the total costs to UK businesses and public purse since the implementation of these policies but, where available, latest cost estimates for individual elements of the package are given as follows.
1. The EU Renewable Energy Directive.
This requires that 15% of the UK's energy demand in 2020 is from renewable sources. To increase and accelerate the use of renewable energy a number of schemes have been introduced. The renewables obligation (RO) provides incentives for large-scale renewable electricity generation by making UK suppliers source a proportion of their electricity from eligible renewable sources. The feed-in tariffs (FITs) scheme pays energy users who invest in small-scale, low-carbon electricity generation systems for the electricity they generate and for unused electricity they export back to the grid. Combined, the costs of the RO and FITs schemes are estimated to add around £10 per MWh or 9% to the price of electricity for businesses in 2013 (all real 2012 prices).
In addition the renewable heat incentive and renewable heat premium payment schemes provide support to renewable heat and are estimated to have cost a total of £15 million in financial year 2011-12 and £39 million in 2012-13, with budgets to the end of the spending review period of £251 million in 2013-14, £424 million in 2014-15 and £430 million in 2015-16 (all nominal prices). This is funded through general taxation.
The renewable transport fuel obligation (RTFO) requires companies that supply more than 450,000 litres of fuel per year to source a percentage from renewable sources. In financial year 2012-13, the RTFO is estimated to have added around £315 million (in nominal prices) onto the cost of the UK transport fuel supply.
2. Reform of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) Directive.
The EU ETS puts a price on carbon by placing a cap on total EU greenhouse gas emissions from the power and energy intensive industrial sectors. By enabling trading of allowances, emission reductions can take place where the cost of the reduction is lowest. More abatement will be undertaken by organisations with lower abatement costs and those with high abatement costs can instead purchase allowances.
Over the course of Phase II of the EU ETS (2008-12), UK industrial sectors received around 136 million more free allowances than they needed to cover their emissions over this period. At the same time UK large electricity producers received a shortfall (around 218 million fewer than their total emissions). In addition over the same period, UK participants used around 77 million international project credits for compliance; these trade at a lower price to EU ETS allowances, reducing costs.
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In 2013 the EU ETS is estimated to add around £2 per megawatt hour (MWh) or around 2% to the price of electricity for businesses in 2013, based on an EU ETS price of around £6 per tonne of CO2 (all real 2012 prices).
3. National targets for non-EU ETS emissions.
Under the so-called effort sharing decision, member states have taken on binding annual targets for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions from the sectors not covered by the EU ETS, such as housing, agriculture, waste and transport (excluding aviation). The UK's target is a 16% reduction in 2020 levels compared to 2005. Policies to comply with the Renewable Energy Directive and the UK's carbon budgets are expected to deliver the reductions in emissions required to meet this target, implying no additional costs.
4. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
The final element is a directive creating a legal framework for the environmentally safe use of CCS technologies. The climate and energy package does not address the energy efficiency target directly. This is being done through the 2011 energy efficiency plan and the Energy Efficiency Directive. It is too early to assess the costs and benefits of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive, as the UK has until June 2014 to transpose its requirements into domestic law. Any significant costs and benefits will be set out in published impact assessments, relating to the separate articles of the directive.
1 http://www.ukccsrc.ac.uk/system/files/euclimateenergypackage.pdf
Climate Change Convention
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department will attend COP19 in Warsaw. [171090]
Gregory Barker: The UK delegation to the UNFCCC COP in Warsaw has not yet been finalised. The delegation list will be published following the meeting, as is normal practice.
Energy
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from (a) the solar PV industry and (b) the nuclear industry on (i) the length of contract and (ii) the approximate £ per MWH subsidy required from around 2019 to bring forward investment. [172137]
Michael Fallon: The Government consulted from 17 July to 25 September this year on the draft EMR Delivery Plan that set out proposed strike prices for renewables, including for Solar Photo-Voltaic (>5MW), under Contracts for Difference commissioning 2014-15 to 2018-19.
The Government will publish a summary of representations received alongside the final Delivery Plan scheduled for publication in December 2013.
The Government have been engaged in lengthy negotiations over an investment contract for Hinkley Point C nuclear power station, the results of which were announced on 21 October. The key terms of this deal are that there will be a strike price of £89.50/MWh (assuming a £3/MWh reduction if a positive final investment
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decision is taken for a follow-up EPR reactor at Sizewell) from when the plant begins commercial operations in 2023, and the contract will last for 35 years.
We anticipate entering into negotiations in due course with Hitachi for an investment contract to cover their planned developments.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the cost trajectories of (a) solar PV and (b) nuclear power over the past decade; and if he will make a statement. [172138]
Michael Fallon: DECC has not made an assessment of the cost trajectories of (a) solar PV and (b) nuclear power over the past decade. DECC estimates for levelised costs are forward looking and estimate the cost of future build for various technologies.
DECC has published levelised costs since 2010. These can be found on the 'Energy generation cost projections' page of the DECC Website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/energy-generation-cost-projections
Energy: Billing
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to help people in (a) the North West and (b) Rossendale and Darwen constituency reduce their energy bills. [171871]
Gregory Barker: We have a range of initiatives to help all households with their energy bills.
Firstly, we are helping vulnerable consumers with their bills through the warm home discount scheme, winter fuel payments and cold weather payments. Secondly, we are helping households waste less energy and cut their bills through energy company obligation, the green deal and smart meters. Thirdly, we are providing legislative backing to Ofgem's Retail Market Reforms which will ensure that consumers are on the cheapest tariff their supplier offer which meets their preferences as well as providing clearer and more transparent information to help consumers switch suppliers.
Last year, the Department provided funding to reduce fuel poverty, boost energy efficiency through the green deal and encourage collective switching through the DECC Local Authority Competition 2012-13. 19 grants were awarded to local authorities in the North West. The full list of projects awarded funding is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/decc-local-authority-competition
Energy: Prices
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information he holds on whether the big six energy companies will raise prices further over the next six months. [171891]
Michael Fallon: Price alterations are a commercial decision for energy suppliers: the Government are committed to increasing competition between them and greater transparency for their customers.
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Fracking: Clwyd
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely level of tar shale deposits in the Vale of Clwyd. [172206]
Michael Fallon: No detailed assessment of shale oil or gas in the Vale of Clwyd has been made. A DECC-commissioned British Geological Survey report, “The Hydrocarbon Prospectivity of Britain's Onshore Basins”, notes the Formby oil seep and identifies oil seeps in north Wales, east of the Vale of Clwyd:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66170/uk-onshore-prospectivity.pdf
These have been recognised since the 17th century, and led to the discovery of the very shallow Formby Oilfield in 1939 which produced heavy oil from sandstone.
Hinkley Point C Power Station
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department plans to underwrite the construction costs of the power station at Hinkley Point; what the terms of the £10 billion loan guarantee for that power station announced in the Spending Review are; whether the strike price will be updated in line with the Consumer Prices Index or Retail Prices Index; whether his discussions with investors have included provision for future alterations of the strike price (a) upwards or (b) downwards; if he will make it his policy that any increase in anticipated costs for Hinkley C will not result in any further funding from (i) the public purse and (ii) bill payers to complete the project; and if he will make a statement. [172139]
Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change made a full statement to Parliament on 21 October 2013, Official Report, columns 23-25, on the key commercial terms for Hinkley Point investment contract.
HM Treasury announced in June that Hinkley Point C qualifies for a UK Guarantee, but no agreement has yet been reached with the investors in Hinkley Point C about the terms of any such Guarantee. The Strike Price which has recently been announced will not change as a result of any Guarantee.
The Strike Price will be fully indexed to CPI. There will be operational cost review arrangements, including at 15 and 25 years, to reassess operating costs and adjust the strike price if necessary.
Oil: Scotland
Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent meetings he has had with representatives from oil import and distribution companies, with regard to increasing the amount of oil imported into Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [R] [172258]
Michael Fallon: DECC Ministers have been engaging regularly with representatives from the oil industry with regard to contingency planning for oil in Scotland.
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The UK Government have been working closely with the fuel industry and the Scottish Government to ensure that motorists can carry on as normal, by encouraging Scottish forecourts to increase their stock levels well above normal levels as a precaution, by engaging with other import terminal operators in Scotland to increase their throughput to maximum and by ensuring that hauliers have strong contingency measures in place. We have also been working with airports to ensure they have contingency plans in place to ensure supply of jet fuel, and with heating oil distributors to encourage them to stock up early. Arrangements are also being made to protect the continuing operation of the Forties Pipeline at the Kinneil processing plant on the Grangemouth site so crude oil can continue to flow from North sea operations that use this pipeline.
Plutonium
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to determine which technologies are deemed credible to reuse plutonium at the end of the nuclear fuel cycle; and what the reasons are for the time taken to make that decision. [172277]
Michael Fallon: The Government's position on plutonium management, as set out in our December 2011 consultation response, is that converting the plutonium into MOX is the most credible and technologically mature option for reuse, but that we remain open to any alternative proposals that offer better value to the taxpayer.
As part of the work to consider alternative proposals, the NDA has been working closely with both GE Hitachi on their Prism reactor and with Candu on their EC6 reactors. The NDA has prepared advice for DECC on these alternatives as well as on the reuse as MOX option.
The NDA's advice will help us to understand the technical and commercial risks associated with all the options and form part of our considerations about how we should progress this work. In due course the NDA will publish its planned public version of that advice, as announced on 1 August. It will provide information about the work that has been done and present views about the various options proposed for plutonium management. It is not intended to be a final decision on the technology we will use to manage our plutonium.
As noted in our 2011 consultation response, there will be many steps to go through before we reach the point of taking a final decision. This is expected to include a competitive tendering and procurement process to help secure best value to the taxpayer; only when the Government are confident that their preferred option could be implemented safely and securely, that it is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will they be in a position to proceed.
Radioactive Waste
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons his Department has decided not to hold stakeholder information and engagement meetings in (a) Scotland and (b) Northern Ireland in association with his Department's national public consultation on the Geological Disposal Facility siting process review. [171989]
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Michael Fallon: The stakeholder events are supplementary to the consultation on a revised siting process for a geological disposal facility (GDF), which follows standard Government consultation procedure and is a full 12 weeks long. The events have been planned to cover as wide a geographical spread as is proportionate and cost-effective.
Nuclear waste policy is a devolved issue and since policy in Scotland for the management of higher level radioactive waste is not geological disposal, the consultation has not been issued by the Scottish Government.
Advertising: The Guardian
Julian Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent
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on advertising with
(a)
The Guardian
newspaper,
(b)
The Guardian
website and
(c)
The Guardian
Media Group in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13. [171547]
Gregory Barker [holding answer 18 October 2013]: From the Department's financial records, two direct payments have been identified attributable to advertisements appearing in The Guardian in 2009-10 (£5,000) and in 2012-13 (£2,000).
DECC on occasion uses agencies to manage newspaper advertising which may include advertisements placed in The Guardian. We are not able to identify payments that they may have made on our behalf without incurring disproportionate cost.