Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Bovine Tuberculosis
Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recorded incidents of TB in bison there have been in the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [172591]
George Eustice: There have been three cases of TB recorded in bison in the UK during the last five years. One case in 2010, one case in 2011, and one case in 2012. (All these cases were recorded in Great Britain).
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Food
Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the UK's food supply is produced (a) in the UK and (b) abroad. [172842]
George Eustice: Food production to supply ratio is calculated as the farm gate value of raw food production (including for export) divided by the value of raw food for human consumption. It provides a broad indicator of the ability of UK agriculture to meet consumer demand.
The ratio in 2012 was 62% for all food and 76% for indigenous type food.
Source:
Food Statistics Pocketbook 2013:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243770/foodpocketbook-2013report-19sep13.pdf
Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the current level of the UK's food security. [172843]
George Eustice: The UK Food Security Assessment published in 2010 is a detailed analysis of the global and domestic factors affecting UK food security, including productivity, supply, affordability and safety. The Government continues to monitor trends, but overall the assessment concludes that the UK is well placed to deal with future challenges. In 2012 officials reassessed the report and concluded that it still represents a robust analysis of food security in the UK.
Food: Imports
Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the UK's imported food supply enters the UK by (a) land, (b) shipping and (c) air freight. [172841]
George Eustice: The information available suggests that in terms of tonnage of food less than 1% of total food imported into the UK comes by air freight. The remainder (greater than 99%) comes by sea, the channel tunnel and the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
It is not possible to separate out the proportion coming via land routes but it is thought that this will be relatively small (less than 10%).
Food: Poverty
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effect of that Department's policies on food poverty in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [172902]
George Eustice: There have been no ministerial discussions between the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on this issue.
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Forests
Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to encourage sustainable forest management in (a) the UK, (b) Europe and (c) developing countries. [172197]
Dan Rogerson: In 2011 the Forestry Commission published the UK Forestry Standard, the reference standard for sustainable forest management in the UK. This is supported by a series of guidelines that: set out our approach to sustainable forest management; define standards and requirements; and provide a basis for regulation and monitoring. The Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement for England, published in January, makes protection our top priority and strongly supports an increase in sustainable woodland management. This includes working with partners across the UK to combat the threats from tree pests and diseases.
At the European level we are currently engaged in negotiation of a new EU Forest Strategy, which aims to improve sustainable forest management across the EU through improving best practice and through creating links between EU and member state policies and initiatives.
We are also negotiating a legally binding agreement on sustainable forest management as part of Forest Europe, a process involving 46 countries from the pan-European region including the EU, Balkan states, Russia and Turkey.
DEFRA supports sustainable forest management in developing countries through supply- and demand-side measures to combat trade in illegally harvested timber and timber products. We have introduced legislation to implement the EU Timber Regulations through the Timber and Timber Products (Placing on the Market) Regulation, which came into force in March 2013. In addition, the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Regulations came into force in February 2012; these are based on bilateral relationships with timber-exporting developing countries.
Additionally, DEFRA's £140 million share of the £3.87 billion International Climate Fund is ring-fenced for forestry projects, including those on sustainable forest management, in developing countries.
Grown in Britain, a major sector led initiative to develop forestry's economic engine, has the UK Forestry Standard at its core.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iran: Nuclear Proliferation
16. Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on nuclear proliferation in Iran. [900745]
Hugh Robertson: As part of the E3+3, the UK plays a key role in efforts to reach a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue. While respecting the confidentiality of negotiations, we continue to discuss nuclear proliferation in Iran with a range of interested governments and international organisations.
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Eritrea
17. Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the UK’s relations with Eritrea. [900746]
Mark Simmonds: We are extremely concerned about the human rights situation in Eritrea, including human trafficking and abuse of migrants. We engage with the Eritrean Government at every opportunity. I raised our human rights concerns with the Eritrean Foreign Minister in July.
Egypt
18. Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of developments in Egypt and stability in the middle east. [900747]
Hugh Robertson: Egypt is in the midst of a difficult political transition. I believe for long-term stability, it needs an inclusive political process leading to early and fair elections which all parties are able to contest, and for all sides to refrain from violence. Egypt occupies an important role in the middle east, and a stable, democratic Egypt would also contribute to wider regional stability.
Burma
22. Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to support human rights in Burma, in accordance with recent resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council. [900751]
Mr Swire: The UK is active in support of UN Human Rights Council resolutions on Burma and human rights remain at the heart of our policy towards the country. We lobby for the release of all political prisoners, provide expertise on ethnic reconciliation and support to the Rohingya. My hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for International Development and I discussed a broad range of human rights and democracy issues with Aung San Suu Kyi in London last week and with President Thein Sein in July.
Zimbabwe: Pension Payments
23. Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Zimbabwe since the most recent elections in that country on the withdrawal of pension payments to UK citizens. [900752]
Mark Simmonds: The Government of Zimbabwe has previously committed to paying pensions to British nationals and is seeking a mechanism to do so. With the new Zimbabwe Government now appointed, we will seek an update on this issue at the earliest opportunity, and continue to highlight the importance of this issue to British nationals.
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Sri Lanka
Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. [900749]
Mr Swire: The UK has serious concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, including on freedom of expression and judicial independence. We consistently press for progress through our engagement with the Sri Lankan Government, international organisations and other states. The Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I will use our attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to see the situation on the ground and raise our concerns directly with the Sri Lankan Government.
Exports
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made in increasing exports to (a) established and (b) emerging markets since May 2010. [172299]
Mr Swire: Export driven growth remains a top priority for this Government. Promoting UK prosperity is increasingly central to what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does. We have taken major steps forward in transforming the culture and capabilities in commercial work in the FCO in the past two years. Our network shift has allowed us to open or upgrade 14 posts since 2010, increasing our presence in the Emerging Powers and strengthening our existing posts in Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa and increase our programme spend.
Since 2009, UK exports rose by 23%, in the wake of the deepest recession in post-war history. Growth in exports has been driven by demand in the emerging markets—e.g. UK Exports to Emerging markets 2009-12 to South Korea were up 103%, Thailand 84%, China, (excluding Hong Kong) 80%, Russia 76%, Brazil 64%, India 48%.
In 2012, UK export growth was largely flat, in part due to slowdown in emerging markets and the Eurozone which is only now coming out of a deep recession.
Exports to the US grew by over 8% in the last two years.
Gibraltar: Spain
Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has made to his Spanish counterpart about the imposition of fees and charges for people and goods moving into and out of Gibraltar by land. [172464]
Mr Lidington: On 6 August 2013 we informed the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the British Government's deep concern about reports that the Spanish Government was considering the imposition of charges at the Gibraltar/Spain border. While these reports were of concern, no charges have been imposed. We continue to respond to actions and not rhetoric, consistent with our call for de-escalation of the situation at the border.
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Iran
Sir Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he discussed religious freedom in Iran with Special Rapporteur Dr Ahmed Shaheed at the Interactive Dialogue at the UN on 23 October 2013; and if he will make a statement; [172723]
(2) if he will raise the human rights for Baha'i in Iran with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, at the Interactive Dialogue at the UN on 29 October 2013; and if he will make a statement. [172734]
Hugh Robertson: Our officials made a statement expressing our concerns about the treatment of the Baha'i and other religious minorities with Special Rapporteur Dr Ahmed Shaheed on 23 October during the UN General Assembly. The UK will continue to urge Iran to respect the human rights of all its citizens.
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Iran and the persecution of people from religious minorities in that country; [172827]
(2) what assessment has he made of the most recent report by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran and freedom of religion in that country. [172904]
Hugh Robertson: We are deeply concerned by the high level of human rights abuses in Iran—including the use of the death penalty and the persecution of religious minorities as highlighted in the UN Special Rapporteur's report. While there have been some recent positive developments—in particular the release of a number of political prisoners—Iran's overall human rights record remains appalling.
Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Iranian counterpart on the situation of members of the Baha'i faith. [172905]
Hugh Robertson: On 23 September the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised human rights in Iran with the Iranian Foreign Minister in the margins of the UN General Assembly. On 23 October, the UK released a statement at the UN General Assembly in response to the UN Special Rapporteur's report on the human rights situation in Iran. This highlighted the UK's concerns about the persecution of the Baha'i community and other religious minorities in Iran.
International Development
Belarus
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK-funded aid programmes in Belarus. [172906]
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Justine Greening: Under the previous Multi-annual Financial Framework (2007-13), negotiated when the hon. Member was Minister for Europe, EU aid investments funded projects in Belarus, regardless of progress on reform. This Government have ensured that under the next MFF (2014-20), where reforms on democracy and human rights have not taken place, funding to governments can be reduced or withdrawn.
The UK does not have a bilateral aid programme to Belarus. The UK provides indirect support to Belarus through the EU's European Neighbourhood Programme (ENP), the policy for which is determined and assessed by the FCO.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spends annually in Belarus (a) directly and (b) with multilateral organisations; and on what programmes such funding is spent. [172910]
Justine Greening: Under the previous Multi-annual Financial Framework (2007-13), negotiated when the hon. Member was Minister for Europe, EU aid investments funded projects in Belarus, regardless of progress on reform. This Government have ensured that under the next MFF (2014-20), where reforms on democracy and human rights have not taken place, funding to governments can be reduced or withdrawn.
DFID no longer has a bilateral programme in Belarus. The latest available information on the UK's share of multilateral net Official Development Assistance in Belarus is £3.5 million in 2011. Information on which programmes in Belarus each of the multilateral organisations spends funding on is not readily available.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how many times (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her Department have visited Belarus since May 2010; [172912]
(2) how many times she has met Ministers from the Belarusian Government since taking office. [172913]
Justine Greening: Under the previous Multi-annual Financial Framework (2007-13), negotiated when the hon. Member was Minister for Europe, EU aid investments funded projects in Belarus, regardless of progress on reform. This Government have ensured that under the next MFF (2014-20), where reforms on democracy and human rights have not taken place, funding to governments can be reduced or withdrawn.
No DFID Ministers or officials in my Department have visited Belarus or received officials from the Belarusian Government since May 2010.
EU Aid
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries her Department's contribution to EuropeAid is directed. [172914]
Justine Greening:
Under the previous Multi-annual Financial Framework (2007-13), negotiated when the hon. Member was Minister for Europe, EU aid investments funded projects in Belarus, regardless of progress on
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reform. This Government has ensured that under the next MFF (2014-20), where reforms on democracy and human rights have not taken place, funding to governments can be reduced or withdrawn.
Recipient countries of member state contributions to the EU budget and the European Development Fund are listed in Table 5.11 of the 2013 EuropeAid Annual Report.
The UK has led the way in pressing for the number of recipients of EU aid under the next MFF (2014-20) to be reduced. Under the changes, upper-middle income countries including Brazil, China and India will no longer receive bilateral grant assistance under the Development Cooperation Instrument. The MFF is now subject to approval by the European Parliament.
Justice
Children and Young Persons Act 1933
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to amend section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 so that it explicitly applies to social media. [172911]
Jeremy Wright: The Government is currently considering the existing law on reporting restrictions in cases involving under-18s, including social (electronic) media.
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 Gibraltar 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 of Gibraltar has indicated that it intends to maintain this co-operation unchanged if Gibraltar ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; and how such co-operation would be maintained; [171685]
(2) what assessment he has made of the usefulness of co-operation involving Gibraltar 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 of Gibraltar have indicated that it intends to maintain this co-operation unchanged if Gibraltar ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties; and how such co-operation would be maintained; [171686]
(3) in how many cases the Gibraltarian authorities have co-operated with the authorities of one or more EU member state due 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
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each of the last five years; and what the substance and outcome of the co-operation was in each case; [171696]
(4) in how many cases the Gibraltarian authorities have co-operated with the authorities of one or more EU member states due to the provisions 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 each of the last five years; and what the substance and outcome of the co-operation was in each case; [171697]
(5) which requirements of the Convention on the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union Gibraltar (a) does and (b) does not implement; [171698]
(6) what laws or practices implement in Gibraltar the requirements of the Convention of the fight against corruption involving officials of the European Communities or officials of member states of the European Union; and what conversations he has had with the Government of Gibraltar on whether that body intends to retain these implementing measures unchanged if Gibraltar ceases to be bound by the Convention pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties. [171699]
Mr Vara: The implementation of anti-corruption legislation in Gibraltar is the constitutional competence of HM Government of Gibraltar. The UK Government have therefore made no assessment of the usefulness of co-operation involving Gibraltar 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. Many of the matters covered have now been superseded by other measures. It will be for HM Government of Gibraltar in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to decide whether to continue international cooperation unchanged.
The UK Government do not hold data relating specifically to co-operation of the Gibraltarian authorities with the authorities of one or more other EU member states owing to the provisions of Articles 9(1) and (2) of the Convention. The maintenance of such data is a matter for the Government of Gibraltar. The implementation of the requirements of the Convention is also a matter for the Government of Gibraltar. On this basis, I have had no conversations with the Government of Gibraltar concerning the retention or otherwise of measures implementing the Convention if Gibraltar ceases to be bound pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.
Courts: Buildings
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) which court buildings closed since May 2010 have been disposed of (a) on the open market and (b) through an alternative route; [169733]
(2) which court buildings announced for closure since May 2010 have been (a) disposed of and (b) not disposed of; [169734]
(3) which organisations have taken over ownership of each court building closed but not disposed of on the open market since May 2010; [169735]
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(4) how much is spent each month on each court building which has been closed but not disposed of since May 2010; [169738]
(5) which courts announced to be closing since May 2010 have been disposed of; and how much has been generated in capital receipts from their disposal. [170518]
Mr Vara: Some 138 of the 142 courts announced as part of the Court Estate Reform Programme (CERP) in December 2010 have now closed. The remaining courts scheduled to close are Andover magistrates court, Rhyl county court and Alton magistrates court. Due to changes in workload Bicester magistrates court will no longer close under the programme.
Due to co-location or combined courts, the 141 courts remaining as part of CERP were/are housed in 95 separate properties.
The sale of 46 court buildings closed under the Court Estate Reform Programme has generated £ 19.67 million in capital receipts. The total cumulative gross benefits are expected from CERP to be £99.2 million over the SR10 period, consisting of resource savings from court closures of £60.6 million and gross capital proceeds of £38.6 million from the sale of buildings.
In addition to the courts announced for closure under the Court Estate Reform Programme the Ministry of Justice has closed and disposed of a number of court buildings as a result of the integration and co-location of courts.
The information requested in relation to court buildings which have closed since 2010 is set out in three tables and has been placed in the Library of the House.
Advertising: The Guardian
Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent 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. [171157][Official Report, 14 January 2014, Vol. 573, c. 7MC.]
Mr Vara: The information requested is set out in the following table:
Spend on advertising by year (£ rounded) | ||||
2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | |
The Ministry's expenditure on advertising and promotion relates to recruitment, with the majority of recruitment activity being within the National Offender Management Service to ensure sufficient prison officers are in post to operate effectively the prison system.
The Guardian outlets are only one of many that are used for this purpose. For example, the Ministry also uses The Sunday Times.
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Judges
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what proportion of serving judge advocates were (a) male, (b) female, (c) black, Asian and minority ethnic, (d) educated at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, (e) educated at other Russell Group universities, (f) educated at all other universities, (g) solicitors, (h) barristers and (i) Queen's Counsel in each year since 2003; [172369]
(2) what proportion of serving deputy judge advocates were (a) male, (b) female, (c) black, Asian and minority ethnic, (d) educated at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, (e) educated at other Russell Group universities, (f) educated at all other universities, (g) solicitors, (h) barristers and (i) Queen's counsel in each year since 2003; [172370]
(3) what proportion of serving Lord Justices of Appeal were (a) male, (b) female, (c) black, Asian and minority ethnic, (d) educated at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, (e) educated at other Russell Group universities, (f) educated at all other universities, (g) solicitors, (h) barristers and (i) Queen's counsel in each year since 2003; [172371]
(4) what proportion of serving high court judges were (a) male, (b) female, (c) black, Asian and minority ethnic, (d) educated at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, (e) educated at other Russell Group universities, (f) educated at all other universities, (g) solicitors, (h) barristers and (i) Queen's counsel in each year since 2003; [172372]
(5) what proportion of serving heads of division were (a) male, (b) female, (c) black, Asian and minority ethnic, (d) educated at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge, (e) educated at other Russell Group universities, (f) educated at all other universities, (g) solicitors, (h) barristers and (i) Queen's counsel in each year since 2003. [172373]
Mr Vara: Shailesh Vara: The data on the gender, ethnicity and professional background of the judiciary are held and published by the Judicial Office. (Information on previous professional background was not published before 2007.)
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications-and-reports/statistics/diversity-stats-and-gen-overview
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications-and-reports/statistics/diversity-stats-and-gen-overview/archived-diversity-stats
Information on the education or Queen’s counsel status of the judiciary is not published by the Judicial Office.
The Ministry of Justice only holds data on appointments to Advocate-General and Deputy Judge Advocate-General since 2008, following the commencement of the changes introduced through the Armed Forces Act 2006.
The following tables provide the information on the diversity of the relevant judicial office holders from 2003 (where data is held):
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Serving Judge Advocates | ||||||||
Number Male | Number female | Percentage female | BAME1 | Percentage BAME2 | Former barristers | Former solicitors | Total in post | |
(172369) |
Serving Deputy Judge Advocates | ||||||||
Number male | Number female | Percentage female | BAME1 | Percentage BAME2 | Former barristers | Former solicitors | Total in post | |
(172370) |
Serving Lord Justices of Appeal | ||||||||
Number male | Number female | Percentage female | BAME1 | Percentage BAME2 | Former barristers | Former solicitors | Total in post | |
(172371) |
Serving High Court Judges | ||||||||
Number male | Number female | Percentage female | BAME1 | Percentage BAME2 | Former barristers | Former solicitors | Total in post | |
(172372) |
Serving Heads of Division | ||||||||
Number male | Number female | Percentage female | BAME1 | Percentage BAME2 | Former barristers | Former solicitors | Total in post | |
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(172373) ‘—’ = Denotes not available. 1 The database of the ethnic origin of the judiciary is incomplete as candidates are asked to provide the information on a voluntary basis. 2 The black, Asian and minority ethnic figure has been calculated as a percentage of all members of the judiciary. Note: Due to the small numbers caution should be taken when considering changes in proportions over time. |
Offenders: Deportation
Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many conditional cautions have been issued by police forces and prosecutors in England and Wales for foreign offenders to facilitate their removal from the UK since 2013; and for what offences each such caution was issued. [168052]
Mr Harper: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The provisions for issuing conditional cautions to facilitate the removal of low-level foreign offenders came into force on 8 April 2013. The figures are as follows:
We are working with the national policing lead and the Crown Prosecution Service to increase the use of conditional cautions with foreign offender conditions in appropriate cases.
Prisoners
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have been released on parole after serving the minimum period of their indeterminate sentence in prison. [170973]
Jeremy Wright: It is for the independent Parole Board to determine whether to direct the release of life or other indeterminate sentence prisoners, once they have completed their minimum period of imprisonment (the tariff), as determined by the sentencing court. Such prisoners become eligible for release only once they have completed their tariff, which is the minimum period of imprisonment specified by the court for the purposes of retribution and deterrence. In many cases, such prisoners will serve longer periods in custody than their tariff, in some cases considerably longer.
The Parole Board will direct the release of such prisoners only if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary on the grounds of public protection for them to be detained in custody.
Between 1 January 2006 and 31 March 2013, the latest period for which figures are available, there have been 1,026 releases from prison of those serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP) who have served at least their tariff.
The number of releases from prison following a life sentence in the same period is 1,322, again who have served at least their tariff.
Data on releases are published quarterly in the Ministry of Justice statistical bulletin Offender Management Statistics Quarterly and may be found at the following web address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/series/prisons-and-probation-statistics
The average time in years spent in custody for indeterminate sentence prisoners (ISPs) once the minimum tariff has been served is shown in the following table.
2010 | 2011 | 2012 | Q1 2013 | |
Data are only available in this format for ISP releases since 2010. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
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Mr Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners released in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 had spent more than two years in open conditions. [172640]
Jeremy Wright: To provide figures over this time period of the number of prisoners who had spent more than two years in open conditions prior to release would involve the manual interrogation of around 15,000 records which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
Probation
Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who his Department consulted about the supervision of female offenders and males convicted of domestic abuse in respect of Transforming Rehabilitation; and if he will publish the responses from those consultees. [172291]
Jeremy Wright: We received almost 600 formal responses to the consultation “Transforming Rehabilitation: a revolution in the way we manage offenders” and held 14 consultation events which were attended by over 800 stakeholders. We published a summary of the written responses in May.
The responses we received were wide ranging and were fed into the policy design process. We know that domestic violence has the highest rate of repeat victimisation and it is therefore vital that perpetrators of domestic violence are identified and their risk reduced through appropriate interventions. Under our reforms providers of rehabilitation services will be focused on what works to reduce reoffending, including working with offenders to tackle domestic violence issues and consequently reduce the number of victims.
Sexual Offences
Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to improve the conviction rates in cases of alleged rape and sexual violence. [169716]
The Attorney-General: I have been asked to reply.
In 2012-13, the conviction rate for rape rose to 63.2%, and that for sexual offences (excluding rape) to 76.8%: in both cases, the highest recorded conviction rate.
Improving the conviction rate for such prosecutions continues to be a priority for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Director of Public Prosecutions is committed to building effective cases and supporting victims.
The work of the CPS on sexual offences feeds into the cross-Government strategy on violence against women and girls (VAWG). This is overseen by a VAWG inter-ministerial group chaired by the Home Secretary, which I regularly attend.
Transport
Bus Services
Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department provides to the (a) Better Bus Area Fund, (b) Green Bus Fund and (c) Local Sustainable Transport Fund. [172845]
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Stephen Hammond: In 2012, the Department provided funding of £70 million through the Better Bus Area fund to 24 local authorities. Since 2009, through four rounds of the Green Bus Fund, the Department has provided £88 million of funding to bus operators and local authorities. The Local Sustainable Transport Fund will see funding of £600 million provided to local authorities from 2011 to 2015.
First TransPennine Express
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new (a) Class 68 diesels and (b) Class 88 bi-mode locomotives are able to couple and operate with the planned electric rolling stock for use on the North West Trans Pennine routes. [172494]
Stephen Hammond: Operational issues are a matter for the train operating companies to manage. It is their role to deliver their services within the scope and obligations set out in the Franchise Agreement.
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to consult on the terms of the contract to operate Trans Pennine rail services between April 2015 and February 2016; and what form that consultation will take. [172970]
Stephen Hammond: In September 2013, the Department for Transport began a project to deliver a new franchise by direct award, in order to continue operations on the TransPennine Express (TPE) franchise between the end of the current franchise in April 2015 and the start of the next competed franchise in February 2016.
Department officials are in regular discussions with key stakeholders, including the incumbent franchisee, in developing the terms of the agreement. Further discussions will take place as the franchising project progresses.
High Speed 2
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will direct HS2 Ltd to commission a study on the potential economic effects on Warrington of (a) that town not having a station on the High Speed 2 line and (b) a reduction in the number of direct trains to London and Scotland from Warrington Bank Quay. [172624]
Mr Goodwill [holding answer 28 October 2013]: HS2 Ltd has recently published an initial study analysing the regional economic impacts of HS2 and associated use of the classic rail network infrastructure. This includes an estimate that the productivity benefits to the North West region could be between £1.1 billion and £2.5 billion in 2037. HS2 Ltd will continue to develop analysis in this area.
The indicative train timetable in this modelling shows that Warrington Bank Quay would be served by high speed classic-compatible trains in both phase one and phase two of HS2. One of the key principles that will guide future service patterns is that all towns or cities which currently have a direct service to London will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed.
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Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2013, Official Report, column 120W, on High Speed 2, if he will publish (a) the case for strategic rail alternatives to High Speed 2 commissioned from WS Atkins, (b) the Professional Services Commercial analysis WP7 commissioined from PwC, (c) the professional Services Regional Economic Analysis commissioned from KPMG LLP and (d) the professional services full audit of HS2 Ltd modelling from Sinclair Knight Merz (Europe) Ltd (SKM). [172917]
Mr Goodwill: The information is as follows:
(a) The Atkins report on Strategic Rail Alternatives to HS2 is published today by the Department and a copy has been placed in the House Library.
(b) HS2 Ltd will consider publication of the Commercial Analysis WP7 by PwC once the work is complete.
(c) The KPMG report on HS2 Regional Economic Impacts was published on 1 September 2013.
(d) The audit of the Planet Framework Model carried out by SKM is published today by HS2 Ltd.
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the parliamentary constituencies which the KPMG report on the economic impact of High Speed 2 indicated would be negatively affected. [172925]
Mr Goodwill: The analysis in the KPMG report on regional economic impacts is based on transport zones rather than parliamentary constituencies and the results cannot be presented on the basis of the latter. The report estimates that HS2 would deliver a £15 billion annual boost to economic output from 2037.
High Speed 2
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people retained by HS2 Ltd on personal service contracts have been found not to have been compliant with their tax and National Insurance obligations until contacted by the Department's representive looking into this aspect of their employment. [172915]
Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which people engaged by (a) HS2 Ltd and (b) his Department with responsibility for the High Speed 2 project have (a) received bonuses or (b) been contracted with promises of bonus payments; what the value of each such bonus payments was; and what performance indicators were attached to such bonuses. [172919]
Mr Goodwill: Within the Department, the performance arrangements provide for bonuses in respect of staff achieving certain levels of performance measured against individual achievement of objectives.
In 2011-12 and 2012-13, 95% of staff below the senior civil service were eligible for a bonus ranging between £380 to £1,800 and 25% of staff in the senior civil service were eligible for a bonus ranging between £7,000 to £12,500. The total value of the bonuses paid in the two years across the Department was £3,033,937.
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In 2013-14, 25% of staff below the senior civil service were eligible for a bonus ranging between £540 to £2,700 and 25% of staff in the senior civil service were eligible for a bonus ranging between £10,000 to £15,000. The total value of the bonuses paid was £1,158,538.
The same proportions would apply to staff engaged on HS2 issues as to the rest of the Department.
In 2011-12 HS2 Ltd paid bonuses of £1,000 or less to four people and a bonus of £14,000 to one person.
In 2012-13 HS2 Ltd paid a bonus to one person in the range £15,000 to £20,000 for performance in the year ending March 2012.
Criteria used were business delivery objectives, development of capability and contribution to corporate objectives.
HS2 Ltd no longer operates a bonus scheme for employees.
Liverpool Airport
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the effect of Liverpool John Lennon Airport on the (a) North West and (b) British economy. [172736]
Mr Goodwill: The Government's Aviation Policy Framework recognises the important role of airports across the UK in providing air connectivity and their vital contribution to regional economic growth. We support making best use of airports such as Liverpool John Lennon, subject to the appropriate management of local environmental impacts. The independent Airports Commission's remit requires it to maintain a UK-wide perspective in proposing how the UK should maintain its position as Europe's most important aviation hub. The Government's “UK Aviation Forecasts”, published in January 2013, predict that passenger numbers at the airport will increase from 4.5 million in 2012 by 18% to 5.3 million passenger per annum by 2020 (and a further 26% to 6.7 million in 2030).
Railways: Scotland
Mr Darling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the punctuality targets are for trains between (a) Edinburgh Waverley and London King's Cross and (b) Glasgow Central and London Euston; and what proportion of those targets are currently being met; [172769]
(2) what plans he has to (a) amend the current punctuality targets for trains between (i) Edinburgh Waverley and London King's Cross and (ii) Glasgow Central and London Euston and (b) announce any such amendment. [172770]
Stephen Hammond: The Department does not set such targets for specific routes.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) sets regulated outputs which are the minimum level of performance specified as obligations for Network Rail to achieve, and these are set by sector. Network Rail are required by ORR's final determinations to deliver improvements in the public performance measure (PPM) for punctuality at both a national and sector level. The targets for period 2009-14 for the long distance sector were:
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Public performance measure | |
(Percentage annual average) | |
The Office of Rail Regulation is expected to publish shortly its decision on targets for the next period, 2014-19.
Railways: Standards
Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the current punctuality targets are for franchises on the (a) West Coast mainline and (b) East Coast mainline; and what he plans such targets to be in the next control period. [172896]
Stephen Hammond: The Department does not currently set performance targets for franchised rail operators, although it is currently considering introducing such targets for future franchises, which would be intended to align as closely as possible with the regulatory performance targets set by the Office of Rail Regulation for Network Rail.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) sets regulated outputs which are the minimum level of performance specified as obligations for Network Rail to achieve, and these are set by sector. Network Rail are required by ORR's final determinations to deliver improvements in the public performance measure (PPM) for punctuality at both a national and sector level. The targets for period 2009-14 for the long distance sector were:
Public performance measure | |
(Percentage annual average) | |
Roads: South West
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he had made of the effects of improving the A303/A30/A358 corridor to improve the severe weather resilience of the transport network in the South West; [172302]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the economic benefit to the South West of improving the A303/A30/A358 corridor. [172303]
Mr Goodwill: The Department has not undertaken a specific recent assessment of the effects of improving the A303/A30/A358 corridor to improve the severe weather resilience of the transport network in the south-west, or the economic benefit to the south-west of improving the corridor.
The Department is undertaking six feasibility studies as part of the process of identifying and funding solutions to tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country, one of which is focused on the A303/A30/A358 corridor.
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The Department is in the process of developing the detailed scope of this study, and through a process of engagement with stakeholders is aiming to finalise the timing, aims and scope of the A303 study by the end of 2013.
Tankers
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the statement of 24 October 2013 on Haulage, Road Tank Vehicle Compliance, which model of fuel tanker the statement refers to; for what reason they are not in full compliance with the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road; what assessment he has made of the risk posed by such non-compliance to other road users; and what assessment he has made of vehicle inspection services by Bureau Veritas. [172968]
Mr Goodwill: The non-compliant road tank vehicles were manufactured by GRW Engineering (Pty) Ltd based in South Africa. The quality of the welding and the hatches on top of the tank fall short of the required standards and the bottom off-take nozzles need to be re-fitted. The nature of these problems means that in day-to-day use, these tankers present a low risk as evidenced by many years of safe operation. The defects have been assessed to determine whether the tankers could withstand a roll-over incident. Our preliminary finding is that they may be more likely to rupture than a fully compliant tanker. However, even a compliant tanker will not be able to withstand a severe accident. These vehicles have been on the road for up to seven years without incident and they would not be allowed to continue in service if they presented an immediate risk.
The tanks were inspected and certified by Bureau Veritas (South Africa), a body that the UK competent authority has never appointed to undertake those functions. Bureau Veritas (UK)'s appointment has been severely restricted in scope but has not been withdrawn so that it can assist with the re-certification of the GRW manufactured road tank vehicles and service the needs of its existing customers. Its appointment is kept under review.
Energy and Climate Change
Energy
Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [172777]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change incurred the following costs in respect of gas and electricity in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
£ | ||
2010/11 | 2011/12 | |
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Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which company supplied (a) gas and (b) electricity to his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [172781]
Gregory Barker: The gas and electricity suppliers to the Department of Energy and Climate Change were as follows:
2010/11 | 2011/12 | |
This Department also occupies space in a building in Aberdeen (leased through the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills—BIS). The suppliers for both specified years in this building were:
Electricity—EDF Energy
Gas—Corona.
Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what costs were incurred by his Department's estate in respect of (a) gas and (b) electricity supply in the 2012-13 financial year. [172792]
Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change incurred the following costs in the year 2012-13:
£ | |
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of people who have switched energy supplier in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK in each of the last 60 months. [172853]
Michael Fallon: Data are only available for Great Britain. The following table shows the number of transfers between suppliers over the last 60 months of available data for Great Britain.
Number | ||
Month and year | Electricity Transfers | Gas Transfers |
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These numbers refer to the total number of switches, rather than the number of consumers who have switched (i.e. they may include some customers who have switched more than once). They do not include switches to a different tariff with the same supplier. For gas the figures only include the Big 6 energy suppliers, while for electricity, the figures include all energy suppliers.
These data are published in table 2.7.1 of DECC's Quarterly Energy Prices Publication. The source data are provided by Ofgem, and are based on meter-point data.
Energy: Meters
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the smart meters currently installed in UK homes were manufactured in the UK. [172716]
Gregory Barker: The Government do not maintain records of the country of manufacture for smart meters installed in homes in the UK. Nevertheless, while many of the components for smart meters are likely to be manufactured overseas, we expect factories in the UK to receive substantial new orders to do the final assembly and technical configuration for many millions of smart meters needed for the roll-out of smart meters in Great Britain. To this end, the Government welcomed the announcement in September that manufacturer Landis+Gyr expects to double its 600-strong UK workforce following a £600 million deal with British Gas to supply smart meters.
Fuel Oil: Prices
Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2013, Official Report, column 149W, on snow and ice, what assessment he has made of the success of the Buy Oil Early campaign. [172802]
Michael Fallon: It is too early at this point to measure the success of the campaign. DECC will be monitoring the impact through the statistics for inland deliveries of kerosene and average temperature which we gather and monitor throughout the year (with a two-month lag). The statistics are available from:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/244816/et3_13.xls
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/244827/et7_1.xls
In addition the Federation of Petroleum Supplier have asked a cross-section of their members to canvass customer calls and report on a regional basis what percentage of orders have been influenced by the campaign.
Hinkley Point C Power Station
Paul Flynn:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish in full the security package provided by the investors in Hinkley
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C in order to permit them access to the £10 billion loan guarantee provided in support of the project by HM Treasury. [172353]
Nicky Morgan: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
As is normal practice in project financing, non-disclosure agreements have been signed ahead of commercial discussions with potential investors in Hinkley Point C.
A guarantee has not been approved and a security package has not been agreed. At this early stage of discussion with investors it cannot be said what will be published. However the Government will disclose information within the bounds of the confidentiality agreement.
Education
Academies
Mr Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the level of subscription for places in academies in the most recent admissions round. [172452]
Mr Timpson: The annual admissions round is co-ordinated by local authorities. The Department does not collect information on the level of oversubscription at individual schools, but does collect preference data at local authority level. These tell us how many parents received an offer of a place at one of the schools for which they expressed a preference. From 2014 we will be collecting preference data at pupil level and we will then be able to look at individual schools and academies.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Academy chains have had restrictions placed on them by his Department to date. [172456]
Mr Timpson: Since January 2013, a total of 25 academy chains have agreed to pause and restrict their growth and further expansion. Any plans they produce for future growth and expansion will be assessed by the Department and reviewed on an ongoing basis. This will allow them to concentrate on improving performance at their existing schools.
Where academies are underperforming we will use our statutory powers, such as Pre-Warning Notices and Warning Notices. For the worst performing sponsors we have immediately paused their growth and intervened at board level. We are also implementing a number of steps to bring about improvement, such as helping them to build board-level capability and identifying people with relevant skills and experience to join boards.
As well as looking at annual performance results we also undertake regular assessments of sponsors' capacity to ensure growth is sensible and well-managed. This will allow us to identify where sponsors are at risk of being overstretched.
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of academy trusts that are in a position to take on new academies. [172689]
Mr Timpson:
As of 25 October 2013, 491 approved academy trusts are in a position to take on new academies.
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However, we are currently reviewing the capacity of all sponsors based on analysis of their performance and 2013 exam results and each week we approve and add more academy trusts to our pool of approved sponsors.
Academies: Yorkshire and the Humber
Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children in (a) Huddersfield and (b) Yorkshire attend an academy school. [172673]
Mr Timpson: The January 2013 school census showed that 10% of children in state-funded mainstream schools in Huddersfield constituency were attending an academy. There have been no subsequent academy openings in the constituency to date, so the current figure is likely to be similar.
The January 2013 school census showed that 22% of children in state-funded mainstream schools in Yorkshire and the Humber were attending an academy. 99 mainstream academies have opened in the Yorkshire and the Humber region since then. Taking this into account, it is estimated that 28% of children in state-funded mainstream schools in the region are currently attending an academy.
Curriculum
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 2 September 2013, Official Report, column 69W, on the curriculum, whether any new sources of funding will be provided to assist schools in providing training for teachers; and if he will make a statement. [172786]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education recognises that the high expectations set by the new national curriculum will present challenges for some schools. To assist them, existing opportunities funded by Government in core subjects are being adapted to reflect the requirements of the new curriculum. For example, the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM) has a range of support for schools. The match funding scheme of £3,000 for phonics materials and training has been extended until October 2013. We have made £2 million available to recruit 400 master teachers in computer science over the next two years. We also announced a further £2 million to support teaching schools to take forward the delivery of the new curriculum in their alliances, and in March we announced £150 million per year of ring-fenced funding for primary school sport.
Beyond this, we will not be rolling out a national support programme for all schools, as the Government believe that schools are best placed to decide which professional development meets their needs.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 2 September 2013, Official Report, column 69W, on the curriculum, what discussions he has had with subject experts, publishers and school suppliers to identify what support for schools is already in place and what is still needed to fulfil the requirements of the new National Curriculum; which organisations or individuals his Department is working with in this area; and if he will make a statement. [172787]
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Elizabeth Truss: Departmental officials have regular discussions with publishers' and suppliers' representatives, namely the Educational Publishers Council (EPC), a division of the Publishers' Association, and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA). These discussions have focused on what the sector is doing to make sure that high-quality teaching materials are available to schools to support the new national curriculum. We have also facilitated a series of ‘expert subject groups', comprising members of teaching schools, subject associations and Higher Education Institutions. They have been looking at the challenges posed, the materials currently available to support teachers, and gaps in materials. These groups have started to produce their own guidance for schools as they prepare to deliver the new curriculum. We have also made the link between the EPC/BESA and these expert groups, so that they can help the publishers to target gaps in the market.
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 2 September 2013, Official Report, column 69W, on the curriculum, when his Department will have formulated a communications plan for ensuring that schools are aware of the changes to the National Curriculum; and if he will make a statement. [172788]
Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education has a communications plan in place for the reform of the national curriculum. Following its publication, we published a simple and comprehensive guide that has already been viewed over 8,000 times. We are also making information and support available for teachers to help implement the new national curriculum and will continue to do so for the next year, and beyond. For example, we have a series of podcasts in which experts explain to teachers the resources available and how they can help. This can all be viewed on our TES page.1
1Note:
http://community.tes.co.uk/national_curriculum_2014/b/national_curriculum_2014/default.aspx
We are speaking directly to headteachers and teachers at conferences around the country to share the support available and hear from them what they need.
Education Endowment Foundation
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2013, Official Report, column 696W, on Education Endowment Foundation, what information his Department holds on meetings between Ministers of his Department and EEF since May 2010. [172826]
Mr Laws: Pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 236W, the Department holds ministerial briefing papers for these meetings.