VAT

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies were VAT-registered in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; how much net VAT was paid by those companies in each such year by the most detailed HM Revenue and Customs reporting band available; and if he will make a statement. [174037]

Mr Gauke: Information on VAT-registered traders, broken down by their trader status (e.g. company, sole proprietor, partnership etc), is published annually in tables 2.8 and 2.9 of the VAT Statistical Factsheet on the UK Trade Statistics website:

https://uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx

No further breakdowns by reporting bands are available on the amount of net VAT declared by companies.

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VAT: Sixth Form Colleges

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of VAT paid by sixth form colleges in each of the last three years. [173975]

Mr Gauke: No estimate has been made of the VAT paid by sixth form colleges in each of the last three years. The Government are carefully considering the position of sixth form colleges in relation to VAT.

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department will publish data from 2012-13 on the use of UK biomass for electricity and combined heat and power; and if he will make a statement. [174278]

Gregory Barker: The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), which the Department publishes each year, sets out the amount of UK biomass used to generate electricity (table 6.6) and in combined heat and power plants each year (table 7.2). Current data cover the calendar year 2012. The data for 2013 will be published in July 2014.

Ofgem also publishes each year the data provided to it under sustainability reporting requirements for the renewables obligation (RO). Recent changes to the RO require information to be provided on the country of origin. The raw data for the year 2012-13 are expected to be published by 31 March 2014.

Electricity: Floods

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many electricity transmission and distribution faults occurred as a result of flooding in (a) each year since 2008 and (b) 2013 to date; what the length of each disruption was; what type of equipment was affected; how many customers were affected; and what the total customer minutes lost was. [173898]

Michael Fallon: The transmission system's overall reliability is 99.999% and hence flooding does not cause significant issues on the transmission networks.

Similarly for Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) the loss of supply due to flooding is very small. Less than 0.1% of annual interruptions on the DNO networks are caused by flooding. Specific figures are set out as follows:

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Electricity: Weather

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many electricity transmission and distribution faults occurred as a result of weather in (a) each year since 2008 and (b) 2013 to date; what the length of each disruption was; what type of equipment was affected; how many customers were affected; and what the total customer minutes lost was. [173897]

Michael Fallon: The specific number of transmission faults occurring as a result of weather is not recorded. These would be very small; the overall reliability of supply for the National Electricity Transmission System for the last three years is set out in the following table:

Information on faults on the Distribution Network Operators' (DNO) networks due to weather is set out in the following table:

Energy

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has changed energy suppliers for any of its buildings in the last 12 months. [174552]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change has not changed energy suppliers for any of its buildings in the last 12 months.

DECC buys its energy through a central energy contract negotiated by the Government Procurement Service (GPS). This uses a risk-based approach to energy purchasing to bring about overall savings for Government.

Energy Supply

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that no consumer incurs charges when they change energy supplier. [174352]

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Michael Fallon: No. Suppliers must be transparent with consumers about any costs that will be incurred when changing energy supplier. Ofgem has recently completed a thorough review of the retail energy market and introduced reforms so that consumers face simpler tariff choices, receive clearer information and are treated fairly. Under Ofgem's new rules suppliers will have to include key information about tariffs in a tariff information label, which will include any termination fee that suppliers charge on fixed-term contracts. The tariff information label will appear on customers' bills and annual statements and marketing material about the tariff. Clearer information on termination fees will allow consumers to take them into account when they are considering switching.

Energy: Competition

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to promote competition in the energy market to ensure that consumers receive the tariff best suited to them. [174258]

Michael Fallon: Consumers will get the best deals when suppliers face tough competition and that is what both the Government and Ofgem are working to achieve.

The Government are using the Energy Bill to give statutory backing to Ofgem's Retail Market Review measures which will ensure that energy companies place consumers on the cheapest tariff that meets their preferences and gives consumers clearer information so that they can more easily shop around.

Energy: Northern Ireland

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the cost of energy in Northern Ireland. [173969]

Michael Fallon: Energy policy, including the cost of energy, is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. DECC Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive about a range of energy issues.

Energy: Prices

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average increase in prices of (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) home heating oil was in each year since 2007. [173966]

Michael Fallon: The following table shows the average year-on-year increase in fuel prices within the UK, for years since 2007:

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These figures are based on the fuel components of the consumer prices index, produced by the Office for National Statistics. Domestic heating oil is comprised of kerosene only.

The figures are sourced from the DECC publication, “Quarterly Energy Prices”, in tables 2.1.1 and 2.2.2:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/monthly-domestic-energy-price-stastics

EU Energy Policy

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish his Department's analysis of the European Union energy market; and if he will make a statement. [173798]

Michael Fallon: The UK Government strongly support a well-functioning and competitive internal EU energy market. This will be important in maintaining secure supplies and competitive prices, supporting growth and jobs and in achieving our climate change targets in the most cost-effective way. Considerable progress has been made as a result of the implementation of the Third Package of internal energy market legislation, but more needs to be done. A range of initiatives are underway, including the development of EU-wide technical and market rules, the identification and facilitation of strategic energy infrastructure projects, and work to explore the feasibility of cross-border renewables trading.

Fuel Oil

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to support people who rely mainly on home heating oil to heat their homes. [173963]

Michael Fallon: Energy efficiency, fuel poverty and heat policy in Northern Ireland are generally devolved matters for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Since 2010, this Government have worked with the wider industry and consumer representatives to help them co-ordinate their Buy Oil Early campaign messages, and to provide guidance on setting up or joining consumer buying groups. A code of practice and customer charter has been circulated by the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers.

The Fuel Poverty Advisory Group is developing recommendations on information-sharing on vulnerable consumers. An Ofgem review will also consider connecting electricity and gas priority-service registers to other markets, including heating oil.

In addition, the Government provide assistance to the most vulnerable consumers in society to help with their heating bills throughout the coldest months by the warm home discount, winter fuel payment and cold weather payment.

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Energy efficiency is also of vital importance in tackling heating costs. The Green Deal provides a means for consumers to finance energy saving measures in their home, reducing the amount of fuel they need to buy. The energy company obligation (ECO) works alongside the Green Deal and is designed to encourage energy suppliers to install measures in the least energy efficient properties, many of which are off the gas network.

Renewable heating systems can also help reduce heating costs. The Government are offering one-off grants towards the cost of these technologies under the renewable meat premium payments (RHPP) scheme. The RHPP is due to be replaced in spring 2014 by the domestic version of the renewable heat incentive, which is aimed at off-gas- grid properties.

Green Deal Scheme

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the uptake on energy efficiency measures is by those households which have had a Green Deal assessment. [174290]

Gregory Barker: In response to your question about take-up of the Green Deal, up to the end of September there had been 85,177 Green Deal assessments lodged. DECC research published in September found that 56% of households that had an assessment between the start of April and end of June had at least one recommended measure installed, with a further 6% in the process and 19% saying they probably or definitely would install something.

Heating

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of homes in England are mainly heated by (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) home heating oil. [173965]

Michael Fallon: It is estimated that in 2011, 83% of homes in the UK were mainly heated by gas, 8% by electricity and 4% by home heating oil.

Estimates for the proportion of homes in the United Kingdom mainly heated by gas, electricity and home heating oil are based on ‘Table 3.16: Installed central heating by type in UK 1970-2011' of ‘Energy Consumption in the UK (2013)', which can be accessed here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-consumption-in-the-uk

The most recent data available are for 2011. Country level figures are not available.

Hinkley Point C Power Station

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 273W, on Hinkley Point C Power Station, if he will make it his policy under the operational cost review arrangements that the strike price may not under any circumstances be subject to any further non-inflationary increases at any stage during the term of the contract. [173251]

Michael Fallon: The key commercial terms agreed with EDF in relation to the proposed investment contract for Hinkley Point C includes provisions whereby the strike price could be adjusted, up or down, in relation to

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operational and certain other costs. The Government believe this is the best way to provide a good deal for consumers, and meet their requirement for value for money, while providing a reasonable rate of return to the operator.

Natural Gas: Storage

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations his Department received on its decision not to intervene in the gas storage market. [174161]

Michael Fallon: The Department received representations from a wide range of interested parties, including: consumers; gas storage developers; gas storage operators; gas suppliers; gas producers; gas shippers; Ofgem and National Grid, as part of our review of potential interventions in the market.

Natural Gas: Weather

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many gas distribution faults occurred as a result of weather in (a) each year since 2008 and (b) 2013 to date; what the length of each disruption was; what type of equipment was affected; how many customers were affected; and what the total customer days lost was. [173899]

Michael Fallon: As the majority of the pipeline assets are underground, gas distribution customers are not affected directly by the weather.

Nuclear Fuels

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure the long-term future of nuclear fuel manufacturing in the UK. [173795]

Michael Fallon: The UK's fuel manufacturing capability has been developed and maintained since the earliest days of nuclear power, resulting in a level of fuel cycle expertise that few other countries can claim. The Springfields Fuels production facilities, near Preston, produce the unique design of fuel required by all the UK AGR reactors and will continue to do so well into the next decade.

The Nuclear Industrial Strategy, and its supporting documents, set out both Government and industry's aims to further develop the UK's fuel manufacturing capability up to 2050. This included working to establish a Nuclear Fuel Centre for Excellence as one of a number of complementary research facilities supporting the UK's nuclear sector.

Ofgem

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons Ofgem has not yet published its Annual Sustainability report 2012-13; when Ofgem intends to publish that report; and if he will make a statement. [174277]

Michael Fallon: Ofgem published this at the beginning of July 2013. The link to the report is as follows:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/ofgem%E2%80%99s-annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13?docid=25&refer=About%20us/annlrprt

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Oil: Exploration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what records his Department holds on surveys on oil explorations in the Firth of Clyde in the 1980s. [174305]

Michael Fallon: The only information which DECC holds regarding surveys on oil explorations in the Firth of Clyde has already been published by DECC in response to a Freedom of Information request. The information can be found on the Government website via the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oil-gas-exploration-in-the-firth-of-clyde-foi-130568

Plutonium

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the costs of securing civilian stocks of plutonium have been in each of the last five years; and what estimate he has made of such costs in each of the next 10 years. [173670]

Michael Fallon: The costs of storing plutonium, both historically and for the future, have not been disclosed as they relate in part to commercial contracts with third parties. The Sellafield Plan contains a section entitled “Safe Storage of Pu” which provides information on this topic:

http://www.sellafieldsites.com/publications/sellafieldplan/Sellafield_Plan.pdf

Recruitment

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many new staff his Department has employed under (a) fixed-term contracts and (b) short-term contracts since May 2010. [174458]

Gregory Barker: In the period May 2010 to October 2013 the Department of Energy and Climate Change has employed (a) 136 new staff on fixed-term contracts, and (b) 63 new staff on short-term contracts.

Defence

Afghanistan

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the regular armed forces killed during operations in Afghanistan who enlisted between 1999-2000 and 2008-09 were aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years old or above at the time they enlisted. [172712]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence holds relevant information for the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2012. Enlistment data prior to April 2007 is held on legacy systems and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

UK regular armed forces deaths on operations in Afghanistan among personnel who enlisted in calendar years 1999-2000 and in calendar years 2008-09, by age on enlistment, 1 April 2007 to 30 December 2012, are shown in the following table:

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Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the fatality rate in Afghanistan has been of soldiers, excluding Gurkhas, officers and reservists, who completed phase one and two training between 1999-2000 and enlisted aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 years old or above. [172714]

Mr Francois: The fatality rate in Afghanistan for regular soldiers who completed phase one and two training between 1999-2000, by age on enlistment, is given in the following table. The fatality rate is for the period 1 April 2007 to 30 June 2013. Enlistment data prior to April 2007 are held on legacy systems and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

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The 1,000 person years at risk data are the amount of time each individual spent on operations (where each calendar day recorded as being in theatre is recorded as a day at risk) and this is totalled across all personnel to provide the total number of days at risk in that time period. The total days at risk in a given time period is divided by the number of days in the year and the calculated rate is then multiplied by a thousand.

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Army corps, including infantry, has had the highest fatality rate in Afghanistan; and what proportion of new recruits who enlisted aged (a) under 18 and (b) 18 years old or above joined that corps. [172715]

Mr Francois: The infantry has had the highest fatality rate in Afghanistan. The following tables show the proportion of recruits aged under 18 and 18 and over entering the infantry between 1 April 2007 and 30 June 2013. Enlistment data prior to April 2007 are held on legacy systems and are could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Apache AH-64 Helicopter

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Capability Sustainment Programme for the Apache helicopter will be complete. [174203]

Mr Dunne: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave on 17 December 2012, Official Report, column 618W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford North (Mr Scott).

Armed Forces: Suicide

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of armed forces (a) recruits, (b) personnel who committed suicide and (c) veterans who committed suicide were under 18 years old at the time they enlisted in the last 20 years. [172713]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) holds relevant information on untrained and trained regular armed forces personnel in the period from 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2012. Date of entry to the armed forces prior to April 2007 is held on legacy systems and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The MOD does not hold information on the number of suicide and open verdict deaths among all veterans, but does hold data for personnel who deployed to the 1991 Gulf Conflict (Gulf 1) and an era comparison group.

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In the period 1 April 2007 to 31 December 2012, two untrained regular armed forces personnel committed suicide. Of these, neither was aged under 18 at the time they joined the armed forces. In the same period, 58 trained regular armed forces personnel committed suicide. Of these 34% were aged under 18 at the time they joined the armed forces.

In the 20-year period 1 January 1993 to 31 December 2012 there were 276 post-service suicides and open verdict deaths among Gulf 1 veterans and the comparison group. Of these, 48% were aged under 18 at the time they joined the armed forces.

Defence Exports Support Group

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the membership is of the Defence Exports Support Group; on which dates it has met; and what it has discussed at those meetings since the inception of the group. [174111]

Mr Dunne: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Peter Luff), gave on 23 April 2012 Official Report, column 718W.

The Defence Exports Support Group (DESG) first met in December 2010 and again in June 2011. The DESG has not met recently, but Ministers and officials regularly engage on important export issues including through the National Security Council (NSC) as part of wider defence engagement and NSC co-ordinated sub-groups. The discussions have included specific defence and security export campaigns, such as Typhoon and Hawk, and related issues such as training.

Defence: Procurement

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of expenditure on defence procurement contracts valued in excess of £5 million was placed with UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises in each of the last three years. [172619]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has published details of expenditure with small and medium-sized enterprises over the last three years. These are available at the following link:

http://www.dasa.mod.uk/index.php/publications/finance-and-economics/MOD-contracting-with-small-and-medium-sized-enterprises/financial-year-2012-13

Information specifically related to contracts with a value over £5 million is, however, not separately identified. This information will take additional time to collate and I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

Substantive answer from Philip Dunne to John Woodcock:

I undertook to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question on 28th October 2013, (Official Report, column 351W), to your recent question about defence procurement contracts with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), I am now writing to provide the additional information you requested on contracts over £5 million.

The proportion of expenditure with SMEs on contracts valued at over £5 million was 3% in each of the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. The analysis includes open contracts within these financial years, which have a value in excess of £5 million and which have incurred some expenditure. Some contracts have expenditure exceeding £5 million but a recorded contract value of

7 Nov 2013 : Column 306W

less than £5 million; this would indicate that the recorded contract value is incorrect. For this reason we have also included such contracts in the analysis.

The data underpinning this analysis have been extracted from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts database. This information is initially input by MOD commercial staff when most contracts are established. The contracts database covers the majority of such payments and reflects transactions made by the MOD's Defence Business Services in Liverpool, which handles about 95% of all payments made by the MOD and Defence Agencies. Payments not included are those which may have been made (a) on behalf of other Government Departments, (b) by the MOD's Trading Funds and Executive Non-Departmental Public Bodies (which lie outside the MOD's accounting boundary), (c) locally by the Department, (d) through third parties such as prime contractors or other Government Departments and (e) in relation to collaborative projects where the payments are made through international procurement agencies or overseas Governments. Government Procurement Card payments are also not included as they are not procurement contracts. Also excluded from our analysis are contracts with Government organisations where the MOD did not have the opportunity to influence placement of contracts with SMEs.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there is a minimum voluntary offset threshold under the new Defence and Security Industrial Engagement Policy. [174202]

Mr Dunne: There is no voluntary offset threshold, minimum or otherwise, under the new Defence and Security Industrial Engagement Policy.

This policy, introduced following the publication of the Government's White Paper “National Security through Technology” in February 2012, encourages overseas-based companies to work with the UK defence and security sectors on a voluntary basis in order to attract inward investment and improve capability to support the front line.

Military Bases: Lancashire

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the Weeton Barracks in Lancashire. [173651]

Mr Philip Hammond: I do not currently have any plans to visit Weeton Barracks but hope for an opportunity to do so in due course.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174051]

Anna Soubry: One official is employed to provide direct support to the special advisers at the Ministry of Defence at band D/executive officer level.

Patrol Craft

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress he has made on plans to build new offshore patrol vessels; and if he will make a statement. [173903]

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Mr Dunne: As the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced on 6 November 2013, Official Report, columns 251-54, three new, more capable, Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) are to be built for the Royal Navy. Subject to approval, it is anticipated that these ships will be built by BAE Systems on the Clyde. The First of Class of these new OPVs is expected to enter service in 2017.

Red Arrows

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 654W, on the Red Arrows, when a decision needs to be made about a potential replacement for Hawk TMk1 for the Red Arrows aerobatic team. [174357]

Mr Dunne: The out-of-service date for the Hawk TMk1 is currently 2020. We continue to evaluate options to maintain this capability. Programme decision points have yet to be agreed.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many remotely piloted aircraft weapons discharge reports have been referred to the ISAF Joint Incident Assessment Team. [R] [172867]

Mr Francois: My response relates to strikes involving UK Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) only.

There has been one Joint Incident Assessment Team convened to discuss reports of civilian casualties resulting from a UK Reaper RPAS strike.

Cabinet Office

10 and 11 Downing Street: Energy

Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the total energy costs for the flats in (a) 10 and (b) 11 Downing street were in the last two financial years; what proportion of these costs were met by the public purse; if he will list the (i) energy provider and (ii) tariff for those apartments; and if he will make a statement. [174230]

John Woodcock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether the supplier of energy for No. 10 Downing street has been changed at any point in the last 12 months. [174555]

Mr Maude: The Government Procurement Service procures utilities for all central Government Departments, including the Cabinet Office estate. Under my Department's transparency programme, contracts over £10,000 are listed on Contracts Finder, available at:

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk

and spend of over £25,000 is published on gov.uk, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-spend-data

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Costs for utilities are reported in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts:

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1012/hc09/0999/0999.pdf

http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1213/hc00/0056/0056.pdf

As was the case under the previous Administration, Ministers occupying ministerial residences are assessed under section 315 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.

Children: Death

Nick de Bois: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many deaths of children aged under 18 there have been in each NHS commissioning board area from (a) epilepsy, (b) diabetes and (c) asthma in each of the last five years; [174371]

(2) how many children aged under 18 have died in each of the last five years, by cause of death. [174372]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Secretary of State for Health asking respectively a) how many children aged under 18 have died in each of the last five years, by cause of death and b) how many deaths of children aged under 18 have there been in each NHS commissioning board area from i) epilepsy, ii) diabetes and iii) asthma in each of the last five years. [174372, 174371].

Table 1 provides the number of deaths of children under the age of 18 (excluding neonatal deaths) which occurred in England and Wales, by broad underlying cause of death group, in each year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available). Figures for 2012 will be available in the first quarter of 2014.

Table 2 provides the number of neonatal deaths which occurred in England and Wales, by ONS neonatal cause of death group, in each year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available). Figures for 2012 will be available in the first quarter of 2014.

Table 3 provides the number of deaths of children under the age of 18 (excluding neonatal deaths) which occurred in England and Wales, by NHS area team, where the underlying cause was i) epilepsy, ii) diabetes and iii) asthma in each year from 2007 to 2011 (the latest year available). Figures for 2012 will be available in the first quarter of 2014.

A copy of the tables has been placed in the Library of the House.

Figures for perinatal, infant and childhood mortality in England and Wales are published annually on the ONS website:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/child-mortality-statistics--childhood--infant-and-perinatal/2011/index.html

Cot Deaths

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the case for publishing annual figures on how many babies die of SIDS each year. [174192]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

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Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what assessment he has made of the case for publishing annual figures on how many babies die of SIDS each year. [174188].

ONS ran a public consultation from 2 September to 31 October 2013 to inform necessary reductions to our statistical outputs. The statistical bulletin that presents figures for unexplained deaths in infancy (including figures for deaths from sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS) was included in this consultation.

In common with much of the public sector, ONS is facing significant funding pressures and we need to make annual savings of around £9 million this year and next. Most of these savings will come from streamlining our business operations, but some cuts to statistical outputs will also be necessary.

As around 80% of our outputs are required under EU or UK law, this consultation focused on those not required by law.

While we will have to reduce some outputs, we are not proposing to cut all of those included in the consultation. The aim of the consultation was to obtain feedback on the need for, and use of, these outputs so ONS could determine which cuts would have the least impact on our users. We have not yet had the opportunity to analyse all of the responses or to make decisions about which outputs will be cut.

Figures for unexplained deaths in infancy in England and Wales are published annually on the ONS website:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/child-health/unexplained-deaths-in-infancy--england-and-wales/index.html

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in (a) his Department, (b) the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and (c) the Office of the Prime Minister. [174039]

Mr Maude: As set out in the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers, Departments may provide support for special advisers in order to enable them to work effectively. This has been the practice of successive Administrations.

Private offices in my Department include a mixture of special advisers and other civil servants working together to serve their Minister. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley East (Michael Dugher), on 8 October 2013, Official Report, columns 168-69W, which includes details on the structure of private offices and to our departmental organogram, available at:

http://data.gov.uk/organogram/cabinet-office

Statistics

Graham Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals have been received from the Office of National Statistics on the future collection of (a) social, (b) health and (c) poverty indicators. [174265]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Peter Fullerton:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals have been

7 Nov 2013 : Column 310W

received from the Office of National Statistics on the future collection of (a) social, (b) health and (c) poverty indicators. (174265)

The ONS has recently closed its public consultation on a number of ONS outputs including outputs on social, health and poverty indicators to assess the impact on our users if some of these outputs are stopped or reduced. A full list of outputs ONS has consulted on is attached. The consultation ran from 2 September 2013 till 31 October 2013.

We are currently reviewing the 650 responses we have received and will be publishing the results of the consultation in early 2014. We will be meeting the Department of Health and other public bodies as part of our review process.

The results of our consultation will be published on our website.

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Suicide

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the suicide rate was for (a) young people aged 15 to 25 and (b) people aged over 25 years in each of the last six years. [174427]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the suicide rate was for (a) young people aged 15 to 25 and (b) people aged over 25 years in each of the last six years. [174427]

Table 1 provides the age-specific suicide rate per 100,000 population, for (a) people aged 15 to 25 and (b) people aged over 25 years, in England and Wales, for deaths registered between 2007 and 2012 (the latest year available).

The Office for National Statistics routinely report suicide statistics based on when a death was registered, rather than when it occurred. As suicides are certified by a coroner following an inquest, there can be a considerable delay between when a death is registered and when it occurred.

Figures for suicides in the United Kingdom, England, Wales and regions of England are published annually on the ONS website and are available from 1981 onwards. The latest statistical bulletin also includes analysis of the impact of registration delays on UK suicide statistics:

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health4/suicides-in-the-united-kingdom/index.html

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Unpaid Work

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were working unpaid in each of the last six years. [174510]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were working unpaid in each of the last six years. (174510).

Unfortunately, using ONS data sources, it is not possible to comprehensively estimate the number of people working unpaid.

Health

Artificial Sweeteners

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the safety of xylitol as a substitute for sugar cane for use in the production of food and drinks products; and what quantity of xylitol has been imported in each year since 2003. [173996]

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency advises that xylitol and other bulk sweeteners, which are to be used as alternatives to sugar in food and drink, are considered to be food additives for which there is a European harmonised authorisation regime. Safety in use is one of the criteria which must be met in order for a substance to be authorised. Xylitol is authorised for use in the EU based on the opinion of the European Scientific Committee for Food on its acceptability.

It is not possible to provide import statistics specifically for xylitol because it is not separately reported under the trade statistics system.

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Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which sugar substitutes have been (a) approved and (b) rejected for use in the production of food and drinks products since 2005. [174001]

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency advises that sugar substitutes such as bulk and intense sweeteners are considered to be food additives and require European Union authorisation. Steviol glycosides were approved in 2011 for use as a sugar substitute across the EU.

An application to extend the use of the approved bulk sweetener erythritol was rejected. A revised application for that extension and an application for the new intense sweetener advantame are currently under discussion between the European Commission and EU member states.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the safety of coconut sugar as a substitute for sugar cane for use in the production of food and drinks products; and what quantity of coconut sugar has been imported in each year since 2003. [174003]

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is not aware of any food safety concerns raised about coconut sugar.

The FSA is not aware that any assessment has been made of food safety concerns about coconut 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 coconut sugar because it is not separately reported under the trade statistics system.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the safety of stevia as a substitute for sugar cane in the production of food and drinks products; and what quantity of stevia has been imported to the UK in each year since 2003. [174041]

Jane Ellison: The Food Standards Agency advises that stevia leaves are considered to be a novel food within the European Union and an application for authorisation under the EU harmonised regime is currently being considered. Commercial use in the production of food and drinks products is not permitted prior to authorisation.

Extracts from stevia leaves known as steviol glycosides,which are intended to be used as a substitute for sugar cane in the production of food and drinks, are considered to be food additives for which there is a harmonised EU regime. Steviol glycosides have been assessed for safety by the European Food Safety Authority and were authorised for use across the EU in 2011.

Autism

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to fund new research on the effects of ageing on people with autism. [174349]

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Dr Poulter: The usual practice of the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and the national health service, value for money and scientific quality.

The NIHR-funded Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme has launched a call for research proposals in ASD. Proposals are sought for studies of clinical efficacy of interventions used in the diagnosis or treatment of ASD and related diagnoses, and should have the potential to contribute work of significant benefit to the day-to-day lives of patients and their carers.

The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London is carrying out research on ASD and is seeking to address the need for diagnostic tests and treatments throughout the life course.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the statutory review of the Adult Autism Strategy is considering what progress has been made on providing support for older adults with autism. [174350]

Norman Lamb: The review of the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy is considering older adults with autism and this issue has featured in the self evaluation exercise on progress undertaken by local authorities and their partners. It has been also raised in focus groups arranged to hear views from people with autism, their families and carers, and in ongoing discussions with the National Autistic Society following its recent report on autism and ageing.

Blood: Contamination

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to bring legal proceedings against those who dispensed contaminated blood. [174004]

Jane Ellison: The blood-borne viral infections that tragically resulted from this occurred before an effective method of viral inactivation was introduced in 1985 for clotting factor production, and before effective blood screening tests were implemented. The Government are not bringing any legal proceedings against those who dispensed contaminated blood.

Blood: Donors

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will lift the lifetime ban in Northern Ireland on gay and bisexual men donating blood; and if he will make a statement. [174483]

Jane Ellison: In Northern Ireland, all men who have had sex with another man (MSM), regardless of their sexual orientation, are currently permanently deferred from donating blood. The High Court of Justice of

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Northern Ireland has recently given judgment in a judicial review that the Secretary of State rather than the Northern Ireland Health Minister is responsible for determining the blood donor deferral period for MSM. The Secretary of State is currently considering the implications of this judgment.

Breast Cancer

Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he had with (a) Public Health England and (b) NHS Choices about work they are undertaking to raise awareness of breast cancer risk factors; [174007]

(2) what estimate he has made of the number of cases of breast cancer that could be prevented by lifestyle changes. [174010]

Jane Ellison: In December 2011, Cancer Research UK published ‘The Fraction of Cancer Attributable to Lifestyle and Environmental factors in the UK in 2010’ (Parkin et al, British Journal of Cancer 105, Suppl2, S77-S81). This report estimated that 26.8% of breast cancers in women were attributable to risk factor exposure, broken down as follows:

We are taking wide-ranging action to tackle risk factors for the prevention of disease, including tobacco use, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets and harmful consumption of alcohol. This work aims to reduce the many premature deaths and illnesses which could be avoided by improving lifestyles.

Key elements of the work programme involve action at the national level, including working with industry through the Public Health Responsibility Deal, alongside strengthening local action, promoting healthy choices, and giving appropriate information to support healthier lives through social marketing campaigns such as Change4Life.

The NHS Choices website provides information on familial, lifestyle and environmental risk factors of breast cancer. The site also includes information on how to reduce the risks of breast cancer where possible.

Provision for the management of women at high risk of breast cancer through the NHS Breast Screening Programme is contained in the service specification for breast screening in the agreement between the Department of Health and NHS England on the public health functions to be exercised by the NHS (the Section 7a agreement). The specification was developed by Public Health England.

Women who think they are at a raised risk of breast cancer should seek advice from their general practitioner, who will be able to refer them to the local genetics

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service for assessment if clinically appropriate. Those women at the highest risk will be enrolled on the NHS Breast Screening Programme for earlier and more regular screening. There is local provision for those women with a moderately raised risk.

Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects NHS England to commission a breast cancer services audit. [174009]

Jane Ellison: Breast cancer was added to the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) along with 10 other audit topics in October 2011, following recommendations made to the Department by the National Advisory Group for Clinical Audit and Inquiries. The audit topics were planned for addition to NCAPOP programme between 2011 and 2014 and specification for the breast cancer audit is due for development in 2014.

NCAPOP audits are now commissioned and managed on behalf of NHS England by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

Cancer

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of progress in the earlier diagnosis of cancer; and what estimate it has made of the number of lives saved as a result, in the period following the announcement of an allocation of £450 million funding for that purpose. [173906]

Jane Ellison: From February 2014 we will be publishing data for the Public Health Outcomes indicator about the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2, and so that will enable us to assess progress with tackling late diagnosis. We have a range of other data available about progress with our earlier diagnosis of cancer programme, for example, in relation to the impact of the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns.

There is inevitably a time lag because of the nature of cancer as a disease before we can assess the impact of the earlier diagnosis work on cancer survival (and therefore on additional lives saved), and there is a range of factors that will make it difficult to assess this rapidly—in particular how far improvements are as a result of earlier diagnosis and how far as a result of better access to treatment. We are currently considering the best way to assess progress, in advance of the data being available on changes in survival, in terms of the ambition set out in January 2011 to save an additional 5,000 lives per year by 2014-15.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the effects of the transition from Cancer Networks to Strategic Clinical Networks on cancer expertise in the NHS; [174346]

(2) what guidance and support he has provided to strategic clinical networks on maintaining breast cancer site-specific groups; [174347]

(3) what discussions he has had with NHS England about the future of site-specific groups. [174348]

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Jane Ellison: No formal assessment has been made of the effects of the transition from Cancer Networks to Strategic Clinical Networks (SCNs) on cancer expertise in the national health service.

No discussions have been had with NHS England about the future of site-specific groups; however, the requirement for the provision of site-specific groups, such as those for breast cancer, is written into national cancer peer review requirements and remains unchanged.

In consultation with SCNs, NHS England has developed an SCN framework. The framework reiterates the role and importance of clinical networking groups as support for the commissioning process, but allows for local agreement to how those groups are supported.

Disability Aids: Children

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the time between assessments and delivery of mobility equipment and wheelchairs to disabled children and young people. [173565]

Norman Lamb: Since April 2013, work to improve services for people needing a wheelchair has been led by NHS England discharging its responsibilities through the Operating Model for Specialised Services and through clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which it will hold to account. One of NHS England's Mandate objectives is for improvement in supporting children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities. We want to see CCGs—and the NHS Commissioning Board in relation to the more specialised wheelchairs—supported to be proactive in commissioning wheelchair services, drawing on the best clinical expertise and listening to patients.

The Whizz Kidz ‘Child in a Chair in a Day' programme has been showcased as best in class in Sir David Nicholson's 2011 ‘Innovation Health and Wealth’ report and referred to as a priority for 2013 in the subsequent ‘Creating Change: Innovation, Health and Wealth One Year On’ report published in 2012. A copy of each report has already been placed in the Library.

Energy

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department and each of its non-departmental bodies spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2012-13 and (v) 2013 to date. [174200]

Dr Poulter: The Department's gas and electricity expenditure for the years 2009 to date is as follows:

Expenditure figures for NHS England are as follows:

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The gas figure in 2013 (October 2012 to March 2013) is a single invoice from North West strategic health authority—unpaid. There are no other charges showing as the Department does not itemise gas charges to NHS England.

Electricity is higher in 2013-14 (April 2013 to March 2014) as staff numbers increased from around 200 to in excess of 5,000 from 1 April 2013. Therefore NHS England occupied more space in Maple Street and Quarry House and was charged a bigger share of electricity costs.

NHS England does not own any property and therefore has no direct relationship with electricity and gas suppliers. Instead gas and electricity is part of the leasing charges paid to the landlords of which the main suppliers are Department of Health and NHS Property Services. NHS Property Services is the largest provider of accommodation across NHS England to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and no breakdown is provided on its invoices and therefore the full value of the invoice is charged to rent. Therefore, NHS England is unable to provide a total cost for gas and electricity because it is part of the rent charge.

Expenditure figures for Monitor are as follows:

Expenditure figures for the Care Quality Commission are as follows:

Expenditure figures for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (formerly National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) are as follows:

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Expenditure figures for Health and Social Care Information Centre are as follows:

Expenditure figures for Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are as follows:

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Expenditure figures for the Human Tissue Authority are as follows:

Food

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of changes in calorie intake for (a) men, (b) women, (c) boys and (d) girls in the last 30 years. [173879]

Jane Ellison: Data on energy (calorie) intakes are collected in the National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS). The earliest data available are from The Dietary and Nutrition Survey of British Adults, carried out in 1986-87. Average daily total energy intakes from this and later surveys are shown in the following tables.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on changes in meal portion size in (a) households and (b) restaurants in the last 30 years. [173880]

Jane Ellison: In 2002, the Government published studies of typical portion weights for a range of foods consumed by adults and children, based on analysis of data collected in earlier dietary surveys.

The report on children is available at:

www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=223

The report on adults in available at:

www.foodbase.org.uk/results.php?f_report_id=82

In 2008, the Government commissioned a review of portion size trends and hosted a workshop to assess the evidence. Details of both are available at:

http://collections.europarchive.Org/tna/20100907111047/http://food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2008/jun/portionsize

No data are held at household or restaurant level.

Food: Labelling

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent representations he has received about the effect on businesses and practitioners in the natural health sector of the implementation of the EU Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims; [173970]

(2) what assessment he has made of the financial effect on British business of the implementation of the EU Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims; [173971]

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(3) how many nutrition and health claims have so far been received by the Food Standards Agency in relation to the EU Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims for passing to the European Commission; what information his Department holds about the number of such claims which have now been received by the Commission from all EU member states; what information his Department holds about the number of potential claims that have been submitted by the Commission to the European Food Safety Authority for assessment; and how many specific claims have now been (a) approved, (b) refused and (c) otherwise not determined following the receipt by the Commission of advice from that Authority; [173972]

(4) what information his Department holds on which claims have now been approved for glucosamine by the EU following assessment under the provisions of the EU Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims. [173973]

Jane Ellison: Members of the natural health sector have made representations to Health Ministers about the impact of the European Union Regulation on Nutrition and Health Claims on businesses and on the information that can be provided to consumers to promote products.

A Regulatory Impact Assessment was published in July 2007.

The EU Regulation requires the European Commission to submit a report on the application of the Regulation, in particular on the evolution of the market in foods for which nutrition or health claims are made. This will look at the impact of the implementation of the Regulation across the EU, including in the United Kingdom.

The Food Standards Agency, as the UK Competent Authority in relation to the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation in 2007, sent 2,907 general function health claim applications to the European Commission in 2008. In total, the European Commission received over 44,000 such applications from all EU member states. These were aggregated into 4,637 health claim applications submitted to the European Food Safety Authority for assessment. The EU Register of claims lists 229 general function health claims as authorised and 1,875 as non-authorised. The European Commission's website lists 2,095 such applications on which decisions are still to be made; 2,078 of these are health claims for plant- based “botanical” substances which have been placed ‘on hold' pending further reflection by the Commission.

No health claims have been authorised for glucosamine.

General Practitioners

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department issues to GPs on the maximum number of patients they can have on their register. [173907]

Dr Poulter: The Department is not prescriptive on the number of patients on a practice list. It is for each general practitioner practice to ensure they are able to provide services to all their patients as set out in their contract with NHS England.

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Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for a hospital appointment was in (a) Greater Manchester, (b) the North West and (c) the UK in each of the last five years. [173681]

Jane Ellison: The average (median) waiting time for a first out-patient appointment in Greater Manchester, North West strategic health authority and England in each of the last four years is shown in the following table. Waiting times for hospital appointments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved Administrations.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether (a) his Department and (b) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have received legal advice regarding a potential liability for damage claims if any mitochondrial replacement technique were to be approved for clinical use in the UK on the basis of insufficient preclinical data regarding safety. [174231]

Jane Ellison: Neither the Government nor the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have received legal advice on this issue. The Government have received expert advice that there is nothing to suggest that the techniques proposed are unsafe, and we intend to assess the situation further following consultation on the draft regulations.

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Mental Health Services

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he plans to extend the street triage initiative; [173937]

(2) when results of the street triage pilot will be published; [173938]

(3) what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of the street triage pilot. [173939]

Norman Lamb: The Department is funding mental health street triage pilots to be carried by nine police force areas. The forces involved are the Metropolitan Police Service, British Transport police, West Yorkshire police, West Midlands police, Thames Valley police, North Yorkshire police, Sussex police, Derbyshire Constabulary, and Devon and Cornwall police. Each force is working in partnership with local health commissioners and providers.

The pilots will run for one calendar year. A national evaluation will report in early 2015.

Police forces in Leicestershire and Cleveland have similar schemes in operation and are reporting improved outcomes for people in mental health crisis who come to the attention of police officers. We expect that the pilots funded by the Department will show similar benefits.

Although there are no plans to extend the initiative through central funding, the project will support participating forces and their partners to mainstream the benefits of the schemes, and encourage other areas to adopt similar approaches.