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Written Answers to Questions
Thursday 7 November 2013
House of Commons Commission
House of Commons Employees
9. Mr Sheerman: To ask the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps are being taken to ensure the fair treatment of all House of Commons employees. [900971]
Mr Doran: The Commission is committed to ensuring that House staff are treated fairly and in accordance with the law. The Management Board seeks to engage with staff at all levels on the Commission's behalf, and staff are encouraged to join a trade union to represent their interests. I am pleased that, in the staff survey in the summer, 88% of staff said they were proud to work for the House Service.
School Parties
10. Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps are being taken to increase support to school parties which wish to visit the Houses of Parliament. [900972]
Mr Doran: Since 2009, a transport subsidy has been available to support state-funded schools from outside London and the South East with the costs of their journey to Parliament.
The House has submitted a planning application to Westminster city council to seek permission to establish a dedicated Education Centre on the north end of Victoria Tower Gardens. This would increase the number of young people able to visit Parliament each year from 45,000 to 100,000.
Attorney-General
Money Laundering: Prosecutions
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General how many anti-money-laundering cases, originating from suspicious activity reports or from independent law enforcement investigations, were prosecuted in each year from 2008 to 2012. [171632]
The Solicitor-General: Money laundering involves dealing with the proceeds of crime and the principal money laundering offences are found in sections 327, 328 and 329 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. The number of offences charged by the CPS under these sections is detailed in the following table:
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| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | |
To ascertain the number of money laundering cases that involved a suspicious activity report (SAR) or that arose from independent law enforcement investigations would require a manual search of files which would incur a disproportionate cost.
Money laundering often features in Serious Fraud Office cases but may be an alternative count on the indictment or otherwise reflected within the prosecution case for a particular criminal offence. Between April and December 2012, there were two convictions relating to money laundering counts in SFO cases.
Before this time, records are less reliable. However, the records available show that six SFO cases involving money laundering counts were dealt with between January 2008 and April 2012. Of these, two were in 2010, two in 2011, and two in 2012 before April. Four individuals were successfully prosecuted in three of those cases.
Given the small number of cases involved it would not be appropriate to provide more information about the source of any referrals.
Sovereignty: Scotland
Pamela Nash: To ask the Attorney-General what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their counterparts in the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Government's White Paper on independence. [174384]
The Solicitor-General: Neither the Attorney-General nor the Solicitor-General have held discussions with the Scottish Government regarding their White Paper on independence.
Transport
Road User Pricing
11. Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on road user pricing. [900954]
Mr Goodwill: The Government have been clear that they does not support national road pricing and have made a clear commitment not to toll existing road capacity.
We are committed to a system of charging for trucks that ensures UK hauliers get a fairer deal and all users contribute to the cost of maintaining our roads. This is currently on track to be introduced in April 2014.
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Great Eastern Main Line
17. Simon Wright To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve rail services on the great eastern main line between Norwich and London Liverpool Street. [900961]
Stephen Hammond: The Department is engaged in negotiations to secure a direct award contract with Abellio for them to continue running services on the Greater Anglia routes from July 2014 through to October 2016. As this stage it is not possible to say what improvements will be included in that contract.
A47
18. Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve safety on the A47 in (a) Cambridgeshire and (b) other counties. [900962]
Mr Goodwill: The Highways Agency takes road safety on the strategic road network very seriously and they continue to monitor the safety of the A47 trunk road as with all other routes on the strategic road network.
The Agency is delivering six safety improvement schemes on the A47 this financial year and this programme will continue with over £1.2 million earmarked for next year on safety schemes, as well as over £700,000 on a pinch point scheme.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of proposed High Speed 2 route on (a) waterways and (b) waterways managed by the Canal and River Trust. [173424]
Mr Goodwill: An environmental statement will be published alongside the hybrid Bill later this year. That document will set out likely significant impacts of the scheme, along with potential mitigation measures, including in relation to any waterways. The Minister of State for Transport, the noble Lady Baroness Kramer, will meet with the Canal and River Trust shortly.
Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174061]
Stephen Hammond: One private secretary provides direct support to special advisers at the Department for Transport.
Railways: Kettering
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what preliminary estimates have been made of the frequency of train services (a) to and (b) from Kettering after High Speed 2 has become operational. [174478]
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Mr Goodwill: The Department's aim is that all towns or cities will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed. It is not appropriate to specify the exact timetable for train services that are planned to operate in 2026 when HS2 Phase 1 services begin. The detailed timetable development will take place nearer the time and will consider operational considerations as well as the forecast passenger demand for services.
Transport
Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to tackle pinch points in the transport network. [900959]
Mr Goodwill: To date the Government have provided funding of over £486 million for 208 schemes covering both the strategic and local road networks.
Leader of the House
Sitting Times
Mr Hollobone: To ask the Leader of the House if he will publish any plans to change the sitting times of the last sitting day before any recess. [174479]
Mr Lansley: The Government bring forward any proposals to change sitting hours on the last day before a recess in the light of the particular circumstances and the day of the week in question, and after appropriate consultation. The final decision is for the House itself. The Government have no plans to bring forward proposals to change these arrangements.
Prime Minister
CasteWatchUK
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister what response he has given to CasteWatchUK to their petition delivered to Downing Street on 19 October 2013. [174112]
The Prime Minister: My hon. Friend the Minister for Women and Equalities, the Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Mrs Grant) replied to CasteWatchUK on 25 October. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library of the House.
Environment Protection: Taxation
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward Miliband) on 23 October 2013, Official Report, columns 293-94, which green levies are being reviewed; which Department is reviewing those levies; and when a decision on this matter will be announced. [174266]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bexhill and Battle (Gregory Barker) on 5 November 2013, Official Report, column 150W.
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Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Mr Watson: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 426W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, for what reasons the Minister for Armed Forces has lead responsibility for the regulation and operation of drones in civil airspace. [R] [174452]
The Prime Minister: There is no such thing as civil airspace, only national airspace, in which both civil and military aviation activities are conducted. Ministerial responsibilities reflect the different use of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) in the UK.
Ministerial responsibility for regulation of military RPAS lies with the Secretary of State for Defence and the Minister for the Armed Forces overseeing military operational responsibilities. Ministerial responsibility for non-military RPAS lies with the Secretary of State for Transport and the Minister for Aviation.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority Committee
Conflict of Interests
Steve Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what ultimate recourse is available to hon. Members who find themselves in an infrastructure dispute with IPSA. [173856]
Mr Charles Walker: The Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 provides for Members in dispute with IPSA to appeal to the compliance officer and to the first tier tribunal as appropriate.
Steve Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority if he will make an assessment of any potential for conflict of interest between IPSA's dual roles of regulator and provider of professional services to hon. Members. [173857]
Mr Charles Walker: No. IPSA's roles were agreed to by Parliament during the passage of legislation that became the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 and Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
European Union
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what submissions to the Balance of Competences review he has received from EU member states and institutions. [174279]
Mr Lidington: During the first semester, we received formal submissions from Bulgaria, Italy, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank and the European External Action Service. This evidence was published alongside the final reports on www.gov.uk.
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Iran
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any substantive evidence of Iran slowing down its nuclear programme since the discussions on Iran's nuclear future in Geneva in October 2013. [174158]
Hugh Robertson: The International Atomic Energy Agency report covering the period since August 2013 is due to be released later this month. However, there is nothing to suggest that Iran has slowed down its programme since the October discussions in Geneva. Iran continues to enrich uranium and develop its programme.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the EU High Representative on External Affairs on negotiations with Iran on nuclear development. [174178]
Hugh Robertson: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and other E3+3 Foreign Ministers discussed the Iranian nuclear programme with the EU High Representative in the margins of UN General Assembly on 26 September 2013. Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif attended part of this meeting. On 21 October at the Foreign Affairs Council, Baroness Ashton discussed with EU Foreign Ministers the nuclear talks with Iran.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of any changes in Iran's position on nuclear development since the election of President Rouhani. [174179]
Hugh Robertson: Since President Rouhani's election, Iran has engaged positively and seriously in nuclear talks with the E3+3. But as the International Atomic Energy Agency Director General's report of 28 August noted, Iran's nuclear programme has continued to develop. Iran now needs to translate its constructive approach into concrete steps to address the international community's concerns.
Kenya
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Kenyans have initiated legal proceedings against the Government in connection with alleged abuses committed during the Kenya Emergency. [174356]
Mark Simmonds: The Government reached an out-of-court settlement agreement with 5,228 Kenyans involved in the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. They were represented by Leigh Day, and supported by the Kenyan Human Rights Commission and the Mau Mau War Veterans Association. In that case, five claimants initiated proceedings against the Government, although two of these did not proceed. The remaining 5,225 did not issue a claim and their claims were dealt with outside of court. A further set of proceedings have been issued in respect of 20 claimants represented by Tandem Law. An application has been made to the High Court to make these claims the subject of a Group Litigation Order.
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Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174055]
Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has two full-time positions which support the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague)’s three special advisers: one band A member of staff (administrative officer equivalent) and one band B member (executive officer equivalent).
These civil servants provide administrative support of a non-political nature, in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.
Palestinians
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent economic progress being made in the West Bank; and what steps the Government are taking to support and encourage further progress in this area. [174182]
Hugh Robertson: Economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza declined from an average of 11% in 2010-11 to 6% in 2012 and has fallen further in 2013 (3% in Quarter 1). Unemployment remains persistently high, especially youth unemployment which hovers around one-third in the West Bank.
Through the Department for International Development (DFID) the UK provides direct budget support to the Palestinian Authority, increasing the UK's existing £122 million bilateral commitment by a further £7.5 million this autumn. The UK is also supporting the private sector through DFID's new £15.3 million Palestinian Market Development programme.
Syria
Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to ensure that conflict in Syria does not destabilise Lebanon and its political system. [174157]
Hugh Robertson: The UK is fully committed to supporting Lebanon's stability in the face of the challenges posed by the Syrian conflict. I reiterated our support when I met the caretaker Lebanese Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, on 16 October. We are encouraging the Lebanese parties to engage in dialogue and agree urgently a new consensual government.
The UK has more than tripled both our humanitarian and security assistance to Lebanon this year. We are now providing £69 million to support refugees and host communities in Lebanon, in addition to our contribution through the EU and international organisations. We are also providing £14 million in assistance to the Lebanese armed forces, including to protect the country's border with Syria.
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We are encouraging the rest of the international community to follow suit in terms of increasing assistance to Lebanon. We have therefore strongly encouraged the establishment of an International Support Group for Lebanon and took part in its inaugural meeting in New York on 25 September.
Work and Pensions
Cold Weather Payments
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how much has been spent on cold weather payments in each year since the introduction of such payments; [174515]
(2) how much has been spent on winter fuel allowance in each year since the introduction of the allowance. [174516]
Steve Webb: The requested information for Great Britain is published at the following URL:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-expenditure-tables
To access the data, click on the link to the latest version of "Benefit and Expenditure Caseload Tables" and then click on the link to "Medium-term forecast for all DWP benefits".
Expenditure information, both nominal and real terms, for Cold Weather Payments can be found in the Benefit Expenditure tables in the tab labelled Social Fund.
Expenditure information, both nominal and real terms, for Winter Fuel Payments can be found in the Benefit Expenditure tables in the tab labelled 1A (Nominal Terms) and in the tab labelled 1B (Cash Terms, 2013-14 prices).
Spending in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.
Crisis Loans
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what information his Department holds on the number of local authorities which have contracted out the provision of crisis loans to the private sector. [174242]
Steve Webb: Crisis Loans are not administered by local authorities. From 1 April 2013, Crisis Loans were abolished, and funding transferred to English local authorities and the Scottish and Welsh governments, to deliver new local welfare provision. The new provision allows local authorities to deliver tailored, flexible support to those in greatest need based on detailed knowledge of the issues they are facing in their communities. This funding is now therefore better targeted than the previous, more remote, centralised system.
While the locally based support will continue to provide those in need with help when it is most needed, it will be for the local authority to decide on how that support is delivered to best meet an individual's needs.
We do not hold information about how many local authorities have contracted out their services.
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Disability: Employment Schemes
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to publish performance data from the Work Choice programme. [174369]
Esther McVey: Official Statistics on Work Choice are published on a quarterly basis, and have been since May 2012. These can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/work-choice-statistics-number-of-starts-and-referrals--2
This latest publication contains information on referrals, starts and job outcomes up to 30 June 2013 and can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229350/work-choice-statistics-august-2013.pdf
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have started on the Work Choice programme since its inception; and how many were referred by (a) his Department's specialist disability advisers, (b) other jobcentre advisers, (c) advisers in the NHS and (d) advisers in a local authority. [174370]
Esther McVey: Since the start of the programme (and up to 30 June 2013), 54,000 people have started on the Work Choice programme.
Information on the source of the Work Choice referral is not available.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people have been placed on the Work Programme without any remuneration to date. [174425]
Esther McVey:
As with all other claimant groups disabled people continue to receive the benefit they are
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entitled to, and are already in receipt of, when they are placed on the Work Programme.
Food Banks: Voucher Schemes
Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the answer of 13 September 2013, Official Report, column 921W, on food banks: voucher schemes, which organisations his Department consulted in designing the New Food Bank Signposting Slip issued by Jobcentre Plus staff to clients; and when each was consulted. [170508]
Esther McVey: The change made to our Signposting Slip was of a minor nature and therefore it was not deemed necessary to consult. The operation of food banks is not the responsibility of this Department.
Low Pay
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were classified as working poor in each of the last three years. [174434]
Esther McVey: Estimates of the number of people in relative low income by economic status of the household are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series.
The table shows the number of people in relative low income (income below 60% of contemporary median income Before Housing Costs (BHC)) from 2009-10 to 2011-12, which is the latest year for which data are available.
It should be highlighted that the increase in the number of people in poverty living in households with some work seen in the table is largely explained by a growing employed population. The total number of individuals in households with some work has increased from 44.9 million to 46.1 million from 2009-10 to 2011-12.
| Table 1: Number of people in relative low income (BHC), by household economic status, UK, 2009-10 to 2011-12 | |||||||
| Million | |||||||
| All adults in work | At least one adult in work, but not all | Workless households | In work | Out of work | Total | ||
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| Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equivalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Relative low income sets the threshold as a proportion of the median income, and moves each year as median income moves. It is used to measure the number and proportion of individuals who have incomes a certain proportion below the median. Someone is considered to be in relative low-income if they live in a household whose income is below 60% of median income for all households. 3. BHC refers to income before housing costs have been deducted: Housing costs include; rent (gross of housing benefit); water rates, community water charges and council water charges; mortgage interest payments; structural insurance premiums (for owner occupiers); ground rent and service charges. 4. A household is defined as a single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal together or share the living accommodation. A household will consist of one or more benefit units. 5. Adults are defined as all those individuals who are aged 16 and over, unless defined as a dependent child. 6. A dependent child is defined as an individual aged under 16. A person will also be defined as a child if they are 16 to 19 years old and they are not married nor in a Civil Partnership nor living with a partner; and living with parents; and in full-time non-advanced education or in unwaged Government training. 7. The State Pension age is currently 65 for men. For women born on or before 5 April 1950, State Pension age is 60. From 6 April 2010, the State Pension age for women born on or after 6 April 1950 is increasing gradually. A pensioner is defined as a person of State Pension age or above. 8. Workless households are those where no-one aged 16 or over is in employment. 9. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences, particularly at the bottom of the income distribution, should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 10. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 11. Population estimates are rounded to the nearest 100,000. Source: HBAI 2009-10 to 2011-12 | |||||||
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions of those households affected by the benefit cap where someone has moved into work, how many include individuals who are working (a) fewer than 16 hours, (b) between 16 hours and 30 hours and (c) over 30 hours a week. [174366]
Esther McVey: Official Statistics on the number of households affected by the benefit cap where someone has moved into work are not available.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households (a) in and (b) outside London were affected by the benefit cap up to 31 October 2013; and how many of those households were living in (i) temporary accommodation, (ii) the private rented sector and (iii) social housing. [174367]
Esther McVey: Official Statistics on the number of households affected by the benefit cap up to September 2013 are published on 7 November 2013 and are available from 9.30 am. These statistics are available at regional and GB level and are found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-cap-statistics
Information on the number of households to whom the benefit cap has been applied split by temporary accommodation, private sector and social housing is not available.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of (a) all benefit claimants, (b) homeless recipients of jobseeker's allowance and (c) homeless recipients of employment and support allowance were sanctioned between May and July 2013. [174368]
Esther McVey: The information needed to provide the proportion of benefit claimants sanctioned between May and July 2013 has not yet been released as National Statistics.
However, the number of jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) and employment and support allowance (ESA) sanctions up to June 2013 is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions
Data for income support lone parents (ISLP) sanctions up to June 2013 will be available from 13 November 2013 at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/income-support-lone-parent-regime-figures-on-sanctions-and-work-focused-interviews--2
Information on homeless benefit recipients is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
UK Membership of EU
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the potential effects on UK employment of a decision for the UK to leave the EU; and if he will make a statement. [174269]
Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington) provided the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds), on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Acid Rain
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the levels of acid rain were in each year for which data is available. [173935]
Dan Rogerson: Monitored levels of acid rain are available on the Government's air quality data website:
http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/
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I have also placed in the House Library a copy of the results for all currently operating acid deposition monitoring sites and, where site moves have been necessary for operational reasons, the predecessor site.
Air Pollution
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he intends to publish his Department's response to the Local Air Quality Management delivery in England consultation. [174673]
Dan Rogerson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 644W.
Coastal Areas
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) if the Government will make a commitment to funding the England Coast Path project; [174118]
(2) what the completion date is for the England Coast Path project. [174119]
Dan Rogerson: The Government are continuing the programme to deliver coastal access around the English coast but we have not set a timetable for completion of the coastal path. We will be implementing coastal access step-by-step by tailoring the amount of activity to the resources available and will be applying the lessons that we have learnt to make sure it offers value for money.
Dangerous Dogs
Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were subject to proceedings in a magistrate's court for offences under the Dogs Act 1871 in 2012; and if he will make a statement. [174043]
George Eustice: The following table provides details of prosecutions and convictions under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989 for 2012. The 1989 Act is the legislation under which people are proceeded against for breaching an order made under section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871.
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Drinking Water
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the purity of bottled water sold in the UK. [173962]
George Eustice: All bottled drinking water produced in compliance with regulatory requirements in the UK, is safe to drink.
Waters marketed as ‘natural mineral water' or ‘spring water' must originate from a natural, protected and specific underground source, be bottled at source, be free from pathogenic bacteria and microbiologically safe to drink from source to exploitation, during bottling and throughout marketing, without the need for any treatment.
Any assessment of the purity of all types of bottled water sold in the UK is the responsibility of Enforcement Authority Officials.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has responsibility for the assessment of any application made in England for the ‘recognition' (chemical and microbiological assessment against catchment area) of a natural mineral water source located in a non-EEA country under Directive 2009/54 EC:
http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:164:0045:0058:EN:PDF
and may also be called upon to review decisions made by the Enforcement Authority Officials in relation to any withdrawal of authorised treatments for natural mineral waters.
The Food Standards Agency has a similar role for assessment of any application made in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland for recognition of a natural mineral water source located in a non-EEA country under Directive 2009/54 EC.
There have not been any product recalls caused by safety concerns for bottled water reported to the Food Standards Agency since 2004.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential improvements to water quality from water filtering within households. [173967]
Dan Rogerson: It is a legal requirement in the UK for water at the tap to be wholesome, clean and suitable for domestic purposes (drinking, cooking and washing). The results of monitoring published by the independent drinking water regulators for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales show that tap water quality in the UK is equivalent to the best in Europe. As the quality of drinking water in the UK is already at a very high standard it is not necessary for consumers to install water treatment devices within their homes; any decision to do so is considered a matter of consumer choice.
Drinking Water: Contamination
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of drinking water supplies being contaminated occurred in each year for which data are available; and what the location of each such incident was. [173968]
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Dan Rogerson: Whenever a water supply event occurs in the UK that might lead to contaminated drinking water being supplied to consumers, it is a legal duty of the water company to notify the independent drinking water quality regulator. All events are investigated and action taken immediately to safeguard consumers. Details of the number, nature and location of all significant drinking water quality events are published each year in the annual drinking water quality reports of the Drinking Water Inspectorate (England and Wales), the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (Scotland) and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (Northern Ireland).
The record of all prosecutions of water companies since 1990 for the offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption (s70 of the Water Industry Act 1991) in England and Wales can be found on the Drinking Water Inspectorate's website.
EU Institutions
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [173762]
Dan Rogerson: DEFRA Ministers have made frequent visits to the European Commission and European Parliament since 2010, and continue to do so. The details of these visits are not held centrally; it would be of disproportionate cost to provide this information.
Exhaust Emissions: Motor Vehicles
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of pollutants from motor vehicles over the past 30 years. [173954]
Dan Rogerson: I have placed a table containing the emissions from motor vehicles of those pollutants that are quantified in the House Library. The data cover the 30 year period from 1981 to 2011 (the most recent year for which data are available). Emissions from motor vehicles refer to road vehicles, and exclude trains, shipping and aircraft. Data on emissions of some pollutants are only available from 1990.
Farms: Plastics
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many tons of identifiable farm waste plastics were exported from England in the latest period for which figures are available. [174114]
Dan Rogerson: Specific information on the volumes of farm waste plastics that have been exported from England is not measured, therefore we do not hold these figures.
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many exporters of identifiable farm waste plastics have been prosecuted in the latest period for which figures are available. [174115]
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Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency has not carried out any prosecutions for illegal export of farm waste plastics.
Farms: Waste Disposal
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) the Environment Agency and (b) other Government bodies investigate and bring charges against illegal exporters of farm waste. [174117]
Dan Rogerson: The UK competent authorities (the Environment Agency for England, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency) carry out joint intelligence-led inspections and investigations, enabling cross-border multi-agency sharing of intelligence, techniques and skills. The agencies also work to improve business awareness of the controls that apply to the export of waste. Their work has led to them stopping a number of illegal shipments and taking enforcement action against offenders.
Fisheries: British Overseas Territories
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits for the fishing industry in (a) the Falkland Islands and (b) other overseas territories of a decision for the UK to leave the EU; and if he will make a statement. [174268]
George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Fracking
Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what provisions are in place to cover financial liabilities arising from environmental damage and civil claims associated with shale gas exploration should a shale gas operator be declared bankrupt. [172980]
Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change.
In the case of installations, covered by the Industrial Emissions Directive and waste and mining waste operations, financial competence checks are made at the permitting stage and the Environment Agency will only issue a permit if it believes the operator is capable of meeting the obligations of the permit. Financial competence is considered at the compliance assessment stage for installations, waste operations, mining waste operations; as well as for water discharge and groundwater activities. Financial guarantees are also required for certain types of facilities, such as a hazardous waste facility, under the Mining Waste Directive.
Genetically Modified Organisms
Dr Whiteford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) the devolved Administrations
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on the introduction of a single regulatory framework covering laboratory safety for genetically modified organisms. [174014]
Dan Rogerson: DEFRA is in regular contact with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on matters concerning the regulatory regime for the contained use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). As the lead authority the HSE is responsible for liaison with the devolved Administrations. The current focus in this area is a plan to consolidate the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 and the three sets of amending regulations. A single regulatory framework for the contained use of GMOs and human and animal pathogens remains a longer term objective.
Ground Water: Pollution
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of ground water pollution his Department recorded in each year for which data are available. [173961]
Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency receives reports of over 23,000 incidents of pollution to land, air and water each year. These are recorded on the National Incident Recording System.
The Environment Agency is unable to provide the number of pollution incidents that involve groundwater only due to disproportionate cost. However, details of reported pollution incidents for water are:
| Number of water pollution incidents | |
| Note: Figures are provided for England and Wales except where specified. Source: National Incident Recording System | |
Ministerial Policy Advisors
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174054]
Dan Rogerson: Two officials provide support to special advisers in DEFRA. As has been the practice under successive Administrations, and as set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, Departments may provide civil servants to support special advisers, in order to enable special advisers to work effectively.
Pesticides
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pounds of pesticides have been used in the UK in each year for which data are available. [173959]
Dan Rogerson:
Information on the use of plant protection products in agriculture and horticulture in the UK is collected through a rolling programme of pesticide
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usage surveys. Published reports of 2012 surveys of arable crops, orchards and soft fruit showed a total pesticide usage on these crops of 15,853.91 tonnes in the UK (information on weight is collected, and hence expressed, in kilograms (kg)). GB survey reports and data (and from 2010 consolidated data for the UK) are published on the Food and Environment Research Agency's website.
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to monitor the levels of pesticides in (a) food grown and consumed in the UK and (b) imported food. [173960]
Dan Rogerson: As part of the EU regulatory framework for pesticides, statutory Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are set on an EU wide basis under EC Regulation 396/2005. They apply to all foods that are placed on the EU market, irrespective of whether they have been produced inside or outside the EU. The MRLs reflect the highest amount of pesticide residue expected in food when pesticides are applied correctly in accordance with authorised conditions of use. It is important to note that MRLs are not safety limits, and are always set below, often far below, the safety limit.
Farmers and growers, importers, distributors and retailers are responsible for ensuring marketed food complies with all statutory MRLs set, and there is a substantial Government programme of testing for residues in food and drink to check this. The UK programme is overseen by the independent Expert Scientific Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food (PRiF). All the results from the residues monitoring programme together with supporting material, and annual reports of the Committee, can be found on the Committee's website at:
http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/guidance/industries/pesticides/advisory-groups/PRiF
This monitoring also contributes to specific EU monitoring surveys, and the EU results are published annually by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
In addition, imports of certain feed and food of non-animal origin, from certain non-EU countries, that are considered to be ‘high-risk' can only enter the UK through specific ports and airports approved as designated points of entry (DPEs) where official controls will be carried out by local authority enforcement officers. A list of the ‘high-risk' products, country of origin and the frequency of checks can be found at Annex I of Commission Regulation (EC) 669/2009, as amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 925/2013 of 25 September 2013.
Pesticides: Poisoning
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of people being poisoned by pesticides his Department recorded in each year for which data are available. [173958]
Dan Rogerson:
Information on human health effects of pesticides is gathered on an annual basis from three main sources: the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Pesticide Incidents Appraisal Panel (PIAP), the UK National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) and the
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Human Health Enquiry and Incident Survey (HHEIS). Overall annual figures for the number of cases of poisoning do not exist and could be created only at disproportionate cost.
PIAP reports on incidents and complaints involving pesticides investigated by HSE. Data from PIAP reports can be found on HSE's website.
HHEIS reports on the requirement for authorisation holders for products to provide details of all human health related reports or enquiries involving their products. The results are also published on HSE's website.
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NPIS provides an inquiry service for health professionals and data on inquiries for pesticides is reported. To preserve patient confidentiality, these data are not published in detail. NPIS grades all exposures using the poisoning severity score (PSS). The scores applied are None (no symptoms or signs); Minor (mild, transient and spontaneously resolving symptoms or signs); Moderate (pronounced or prolonged symptoms or signs); Severe (severe or life threatening symptoms or signs); and Fatal. Most fatalities are associated with self-harm, and none resulted from authorised use of the pesticide.
| NPIS severity grades during 2010-13 for acute unintentional pesticide exposures in adults | ||||||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | ||||
| NPIS severity grade (PSS) | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage |
| Source: HSE | ||||||
| NPIS severity grades during 2010-13 for acute unintentional pesticide exposures in children | ||||||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | ||||
| NPIS severity grade (PSS) | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage | Number | Percentage |
| Source: HSE | ||||||
Plastics: Exports
Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of commercial plastic that is being illegally exported. [174116]
Dan Rogerson: Neither DEFRA nor the Environment Agency has made any such estimate. The very nature of illegal waste exports means that those involved in this activity seek to avoid detection, and this makes it difficult to provide an accurate assessment of the volume illegally exported from the UK.
Sugar
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the safety of date sugar as a substitute for sugar cane for use in the production of food and drinks products; and what quantity of date sugar has been imported in each year since 2003. [173998]
Jane Ellison: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Health.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is not aware of any food safety concerns raised about date sugar.
The FSA is not aware that any assessment has been made of food safety concerns about date sugar.
Imported foodstuffs records are held by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in England. DEFRA has confirmed that it is not possible to provide import statistics specifically for date sugar because it is not separately reported under the trade statistics system.
Sunningdale Park
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often his Department has used Sunningdale Park for Civil Service events since May 2010; what the nature of each such event was; and what the cost of each such event was. [174400]
Dan Rogerson: Following a review of learning and development across Government the National School of Government, which delivered training on the Sunningdale Park site, closed in March 2012.
Any data we would have on attendance at such events for previous years are not held in a way that would enable us to answer this question other than at disproportionate cost.
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Wells
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many licences for water wells the Environment Agency granted in each year for which data are available. [173956]
Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency has granted 88 licences to abstract water from wells in England and Wales since 1996, as shown in the table. 55 of these licences are still in force.
| Number of licences issued | |
| Source: Environment Agency's National Abstraction Licence Database | |
International Development
Brazil
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with multilateral funding agencies on support for anti-corruption and good governance programmes in Brazil. [174480]
Lynne Featherstone: As part of our regular discussions and exchange of information with multilateral partners in Brazil, we know of a number of programmes being implemented in the areas of good governance and anti-corruption. However, as DFID does not have a bilateral programme in Brazil we do not directly support these initiatives.
British Overseas Territories
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make an assessment of the potential costs and benefits for British overseas territories in the areas for which she has responsibility of a decision for the UK to leave the EU; and if she will make a statement. [174267]
Mr Duncan: DFID has not made any such plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
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Developing Countries: Nutrition
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what will trigger the release of the matched funds pledged by the UK on 8 June 2013 at the Nutrition for Growth meeting; and whether release of UK funds is contingent on pledges from other countries or institutions, through a particular mechanism or by a certain date. [174360]
Lynne Featherstone: DFID's matched funds pledged for nutrition will be released if matched by new financial commitments, which meet certain conditions, made by other organisations. The new financial commitments must be for nutrition-specific programmes, additional to existing spend, over and above any commitments made at the Nutrition for Growth event and spent before 2020. Funds will be matched at a ratio of one DFID pound to two new pounds. New commitments could be made by existing donors, non-traditional donors or philanthropists, civil society organisations or businesses.
Languages
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff of her Department speak a second language other than English; what those languages are; and to what standard they speak them. [174275]
Justine Greening: DFID does not assess the language skills of its staff.
Security
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's role was in (a) the strategic defence and security review 2010 and (b) the national security strategy 2010. [174276]
Justine Greening: I am a member of the National Security Council and the Cabinet, in which the strategic defence and security review and the national security strategy are decided.
Senior Civil Servants
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of staff in her Department are in the senior civil service grades; and how that proportion compares with other Departments. [174104]
Justine Greening: As of 30 September the percentage of senior civil servants within the home civil servant population of DFID was 5%.
Details for other ministerial Departments can be found in the public domain at:
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-319802
Syria
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) doctors and (b) other humanitarian aid workers are not prevented from carrying out their work in Syria. [R] [173985]
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Justine Greening: Government restrictions, bureaucratic hurdles and the security situation have left many parts of Syria cut off from medical assistance, and medical professionals are unable to fulfil their duty to provide medical care to those who need it. At the UN General Assembly, the UK called for action to implement the UN's proposals for unfettered humanitarian access inside Syria. This resulted in a Presidential Statement on the humanitarian situation in Syria which called for unhindered humanitarian access, lifting bureaucratic obstacles, granting visas/permits, assisting cross-border delivery and demilitarising schools and medical centres. We are working hard with our partners to achieve this.
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to help prevent further spread of polio in Syria. [R] [173986]
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development following the reports of a polio outbreak in Syria, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that as many children as possible in that country are vaccinated. [173909]
Justine Greening: We are working with our partners including the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is supporting a targeted immunisation campaign against polio in the priority zones in Syria, with a multi-phase campaign under preparation. Access is key and the UK has been leading the call for full unhindered humanitarian access and will continue to push for this and for specific measures to be taken to allow rapid scale-up.
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the humanitarian implications of the recent outbreak of polio in Syria. [R] [173987]
Justine Greening: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has so far confirmed 10 cases of Wild Polio Virus and there are a further 12 suspected cases. The UK Government are in discussion with the WHO-led ‘Emergency Response Team’ established specifically for this purpose on how to do this.
Nadhim Zahawi: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to encourage a humanitarian ceasefire in Syria. [R] [173988]
Justine Greening: At the UN General Assembly, the UK called for action to implement the UN's proposals for unfettered humanitarian access inside Syria. This resulted in a Presidential Statement on the humanitarian situation in Syria which called for a humanitarian ceasefire as well as unhindered humanitarian access, lifting bureaucratic obstacles, granting visas/permits, assisting cross-border delivery and demilitarising schools and medical centres. This must now be implemented and a UN High Level Group led by Baroness Amos is being established to oversee this.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will assess the effect of events in Syria on the capacity for development of the Governments of Jordan and Lebanon. [174175]
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Justine Greening: In Jordan 70% of refugees from Syria are estimated to live outside refugee camps. In Lebanon, there are no refugee camps; all refugees are living with host communities or in informal settlements.
In both countries this is causing a severe strain on local and national services.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the short-term demands of the Syrian crisis on the long-term obligations to support from the UNWRA and other refugee organisations operating in the region. [174180]
Justine Greening: DFID is providing £106.5 million between 2011 and 2015 to support UNRWA's long-term obligations. DFID has also separately supported UNRWA's appeal for the Syria crisis with over £20 million.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of the situation in Syria on the agriculture industry in Jordan. [174185]
Justine Greening: Agriculture is estimated to account for around 3% of Jordan's GDP and 2.7% of employment. We continue to engage with the Jordanian Government and other partners to assess the impact on the country as a whole and discuss how the UK can best support responding to the refugee situation.
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the World Health Organisation on providing full-scale and nationwide response to polio in Syria. [174252]
Justine Greening: We are working with our partners including the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is supporting a targeted immunisation campaign against Polio in the priority zones in Syria, with a multi-phase campaign under preparation. Access is key and the UK has been leading the call for full unhindered humanitarian access and will continue to push for this and for specific measures to be taken to allow rapid scale-up.
Termination of Employment
Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff have left her Department since 2010; for which units they worked; and what effect their departure has had on the Department's capacity to deliver. [174273]
Justine Greening: The following table shows the number of staff from each director general command who have left the Department since 2010.
| Director general command | Staff |
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DFID continually monitors staff turnover and has recruitment strategies in place to ensure that the Department is always in a position to deliver aid effectively.
Northern Ireland
Richard Haass
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings she has had with Dr Richard Haass to discuss (a) ongoing parade disputes, (b) legacy of the past and (c) flags and emblems to date. [174047]
Mrs Villiers: I have met Dr Haass and his team on three occasions and have also spoken to him by telephone. Additionally, my officials have met Dr Haass and members of his team on a number of occasions. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister also met Dr Haass on 17 October 2013.
UK Membership of EU
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment the balances of competences review has made of the effect of EU membership on Northern Ireland. [174280]
Mrs Villiers: This review is an objective analysis of evidence, looking at how the balance of competences with the EU impacts on the UK as a whole. The three devolved Administrations have been invited to contribute evidence, and have done so, as have stakeholders from across the UK. Where there are regional variations in the impact of EU competence, they make note of these with relevant evidence published alongside.
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of a referendum on EU membership. [174281]
Mrs Villiers: The Government have not made an assessment of the effect on Northern Ireland of a referendum on EU membership.
Treasury
Children: Day Care
Lucy Powell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of families in each region who will benefit from the tax-free childcare policy. [174107]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available.
Lucy Powell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of families using childcare vouchers whose income is (i) £0-9,999, (ii) £10,000-19,999, (iii) £20,000-29,999, (iv) £30,000-39,999, (v) £40,000-49,999, (vi) £50,000-59,999, (vii) £60,000-69,999, (viii) £70,000-79,999, (ix) £80,000-89,999, (x) £90,000-99,999 and (xi) £100,000-149,999. [174108]
Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available.
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Corporation Tax
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate HM Revenue and Customs made of the number of companies liable for corporation tax in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; [174020]
(2) how many companies were sent a corporation tax return for an accounting period ending in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; [174021]
(3) to how many companies HM Revenue and Customs made the decision not to send a request for a corporation tax return in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13. [174022]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs sends a notice to file a company tax return to every company which it believes is within the charge to corporation tax.
Notices were sent to the following number of companies in respect of accounting periods ending in the years shown:
| Number of companies (thousand) | |
This represents HMRC's estimate of the number of companies that might be within the charge to corporation tax.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the companies sent a request to submit a corporation tax return in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13 submitted the return (i) within the required time limit and (ii) late. [174023]
Mr Gauke: The position as at end of September 2013 was:
| Thousand | ||
| Number of companies | ||
| Year of accounting period end date | Return filed within the time limit | Return filed late |
Some companies requested to file a return for accounting periods ending in these years had not reached the filing deadline by the end of September 2013. This affected over 700,000 companies in 2012-13 and about 1,000 companies for earlier years.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies were sent form CT41G by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; how many such forms were returned in each such year; and if he will make a statement. [174027]
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Mr Gauke: The number of companies sent form CT41G by HM Revenue and Customs in the relevant years was:
| Number | |
HMRC does not count the number of CT41Gs returned. Companies supply the required information in a variety of ways, not always using the form. There is now an online registration service that companies can use.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs takes to make sure that companies that were not sent a request for a corporation tax return and which were not recorded as dormant do not owe corporation tax; and if he will make a statement. [174029]
Mr Gauke: HMRC does not require dormant companies, or companies that are otherwise outside the charge to tax (for example, charities), to file a company tax return because this would give rise to wasteful costs for companies and HMRC. The Department does, however, deploy an increasingly sophisticated range of risk assessment tools, including IT systems such as Connect, with real-time information from banks and credit card companies, to manage the risk that a company is active and has failed to notify chargeability. The tax status of all companies that have not been asked to file a company tax return is reviewed at least every five years. HMRC may issue a notice to file a company tax return to any company at any time if it judges there is a risk that they may have failed to notify that they are within the charge to tax.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investigations HM Revenue and Customs has undertaken of companies to which requests for corporation tax returns were not made in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; what sums were raised as a result of those investigations in each such year; and if he will make a statement. [174030]
Mr Gauke: HMRC does not separately identify these figures.
If HMRC believes a company may have tax to pay, or transactions relevant for tax purposes, it requests a return. HMRC's power of investigation relates to company tax returns.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies were issued with penalty notices as a result of failure to submit a corporation tax return on time in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [174031]
Mr Gauke: The number of companies issued with penalty notices as a result of their failure to submit a company tax return on time in the relevant years was:
| Number of companies | |
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Companies have been counted a maximum of once in each year, regardless of the number of penalty notices issued to the company in one year.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value of penalty notices issued in respect of the failure by companies to submit their corporation tax returns on time was in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13. [174032]
Mr Gauke: The value of the penalty notices issued in respect of the failure by companies to submit their company tax returns on time in the relevant years was:
| Value of penalty notices issued (£) | |
The value includes all late filing penalties recorded by HMRC in each year, with no adjustment made for those which were later amended, cancelled or remitted. Both flat rate and tax-related penalties have been included.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value of penalties due by companies for failing to submit a corporation tax return was outstanding at the end of (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13. [174033]
Mr Gauke: The cumulative amounts of penalties imposed but not paid were:
| Total penalties outstanding at the year end (£) | |
These figures are cumulative. Penalties outstanding in one year which are still outstanding in later years are included in the figure for each year.
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of penalty notices issued for the non-submission of corporation tax returns written off as irrecoverable in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [174034]
Mr Gauke: The value of late filing penalties remitted as irrecoverable in each of the relevant years was:
| Total penalties remitted (£) | |
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The value of late filing penalties remitted as irrecoverable in a year relates to penalties issued in the year and in earlier years.
Economic Growth: Greater London
Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the proportion of GDP which is generated through economic activity in Greater London. [173890]
Nicky Morgan: The Office for National Statistics publishes annual estimates for regional and sub-regional gross value added (GVA); on 12 December 2012 it published provisional estimates for 2011. Between 1997 and 2009 the proportion of UK GVA attributable to London rose to 21.4% from 18.5%. In 2010 and 2011 the proportion declined by 0.2 and 0.1 percentage points respectively, to reach 21.1% respectively.
Economic Situation
Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the geographical balance of the UK economy; and if he will make a statement. [173888]
Mr Gauke: Returning the UK economy to sustainable economic growth that is more balanced across the UK and sectors is a key priority. Every locality must be able to fulfil its potential by taking responsibility for decisions and resources that affect their local economies. The Government have already taken action, including:
Promoting the establishment of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)—39 strategic partnerships between local business leaders, local authority leaders and other partners;
Allowing the local retention of business rates—incentivising local areas to prioritise growth and keep 50% of the proceeds;
Creating the Growing Places Fund and the Regional Growth Fund—providing support to businesses, LEPs and local authorities for local projects and programmes;
Introducing City Deals—negotiating bespoke deals with cities and their LEPs to give them the powers and tools they need to drive local economic growth;
Establishing Enterprise Zones—areas around the country that support both new and expanding businesses by offering incentives, creating local jobs and growth; and
Removing £7 billion of ring-fences from local government at spending review 2010.
Financial Conduct Authority
Graham Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Financial Conduct Authority is responsible for regulating the activities of an unregulated income fund. [173991]
Sajid Javid: Unregulated collective investment schemes (UCIS) are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and are not subject to the same restrictions as a regulated collective investment scheme (CIS). Although the schemes themselves are not regulated, persons carrying on regulated activities in the UK in relation to a UCIS, including establishing, operating and managing UCIS, are subject to FCA regulation.
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Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to reply to the letter dated 16 August 2013 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) with regard to Mr Robin Wright, transferred by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 29 August 2013. [174243]
Mr Gauke: I have replied to the right hon. Gentleman.
Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174062]
Mr Gauke: Fewer than five officials provide direct support to special advisers in the Department.
Taxation
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what value of the VAT owed by companies was written off as a bad debt by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement; [174018]
(2) how many companies made PAYE contributions in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; how many companies' total payment was less than (i) £10,000, (ii) £20,000, (iii) £30,000, (iv) £40,000 and (v) £50,000 in each such year; what the total monetary value was of payments in each such band in each such year; and if he will make a statement; [174036]
(3) what value of PAYE owing by companies was written off as bad debt by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [174038]
Mr Gauke: This information is not available centrally, and could be researched only at disproportionate cost.
However, Table 7.2 on page 168 of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) 2012-13 Annual Accounts sets out the overall amounts of revenue that HMRC remitted and wrote off in 2011-12 and 2012-13. The HMRC Annual Accounts are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13--3
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate is included in his tax gap calculations for (a) corporation tax, (b) PAYE and (c) VAT in each year from 2007-08 to 2011-12 in respect of companies struck from the Register of Companies without filing corporation tax returns, PAYE returns, VAT returns or accounts due to HM Revenue and Customs in each such year; and if he will make a statement; [174019]
(2) what estimate HM Revenue and Customs has made of the value of the revenue foregone in relation to (a) corporation tax, (b) income tax, (c) national insurance contributions, (d) VAT and (e) other taxes as a result of companies being struck from the Register of Companies in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12 and (iv) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement; [174024]
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(3) how many notices of intention to strike a company from the Register of Companies HM Revenue and Customs received in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; to how many such notices they objected in each such year; and if he will make a statement; [174025]
(4) how much revenue was subsequently raised from companies where objections to striking-off had been issued by HM Revenue and Customs in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [174026]
Mr Gauke: HMRC is notified directly by Companies House where there is the intention to strike a company off the register. HMRC objects to strike-off where there is tax outstanding or in dispute.
The number of notices of intention to strike a company from the Register of Companies received by HM Revenue and Customs in the relevant years was:
| Number of notices | |
The number of notices of intention to strike a company from the Register of Companies to which HMRC raised an objection in the relevant years was:
| Number | |
| 1 Information not available pre 13 August 2010. 2 Information available from 13 August 2010. | |
The loss of tax from companies struck off the register is largely due to company insolvency. The tax gap estimates for non-payment includes tax lost due to insolvency.
HMRC do not separately estimate the tax gap due to companies being struck off. However, the HMRC Trust Statement contains figures for tax remitted each year. Around 90% of the amounts remitted relate to insolvencies.