British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications for Darwin Plus funding were received in the (i) first and (ii) second application rounds; and what the total financial value was of applications received in each round. [175034]

Dan Rogerson: In 2012, 42 eligible Darwin Plus applications were received totalling £7,471,534 (ranging from £8,000 to £1.3 million). In 2013, 50 applications were received totalling £8,383,462.19 (ranging from £34,000 to £400,000).

Common Agricultural Policy

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with Ministers for Agriculture in the devolved administrations about implementation of the common agricultural policy, and the allocation of budgets to each administration; and if he will make a statement. [175161]

George Eustice: On 8 November, the Secretary of State announced the Government's decision on the allocation of the common agricultural policy (CAP) budget for the period 2014-20 within the UK. Before making a decision on how to divide the funds between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, he sought and considered the views of agriculture Ministers in each of the devolved Administrations. Although the implementation of the CAP regulations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for their respective Governments, the Secretary of State has extended an offer to work with the devolved Administrations as implementation is taken forward across the UK.

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the National Farmers' Union, NFU Scotland, the Farmers' Union of Wales and the Ulster

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Farmers' Union on

(a)

the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy from 2015 and

(b)

the allocation of the budget in that respect. [175162]

George Eustice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regularly meets a range of farming stakeholders including the National Farmers' Union. The most recent stakeholder meeting was held in September and was focused on how the next CAP should be implemented in England.

The implementation of the CAP regulations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for respective devolved Governments.

Before making a decision on the allocation of the UK's CAP funding, the Secretary of State and Ministers have listened to the views of stakeholders across the UK, including the National Farmers' Union, NFU Scotland, the Farmers' Union of Wales and the Ulster Farmers' Union. We have also sought and considered the view of agriculture Ministers in each of the devolved Administrations.

Food Banks

Dame Tessa Jowell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he intends to publish the results of the research project on the provision of food aid in the UK. [174893]

George Eustice: DEFRA has commissioned research to review publically available evidence on the landscape of food aid provision and access in the UK.

All Government-funded research projects are required to go through the necessary review and quality assurance processes prior to publication. Once this process is complete, the conclusions of this work will be made available on the Government's website.

Mr Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he intends to publish the Warwick University study on the use of food banks. [175155]

George Eustice: DEFRA has commissioned research to review publically available evidence on the landscape of food aid provision and access in the UK.

All Government-funded research projects are required to go through the necessary review and quality assurance processes prior to publication. Once this process is complete, the conclusions of this work will be made available on the Government's website.

Qualifications

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement. [175367]

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA does not hold information about the qualifications of staff centrally and therefore this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

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Sky Lanterns

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what representations he has received on the banning of Chinese lanterns; [175131]

(2) if he will make it his policy to ban the use of Chinese lanterns. [175132]

George Eustice: We have received a number of representations from farming and conservation groups arguing that sky lanterns should be banned.

Because of these concerns, we commissioned an independent study to identify and assess the impacts and risks associated with lantern use. Published in May 2013, the study concluded that any widespread risk of injury to cattle or damage to the environment is low.

We have recently issued safety guidance for the use of sky lanterns and we would urge people to follow it. However, the evidence available at this stage falls short of the level required to justify a ban.

Water Charges

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people who pay lower water bills as a result of the WaterSure tariff. [174674]

Dan Rogerson: In England 71,304 households pay lower water bills as a result of the WaterSure tariff.

Defence

Aircraft Carriers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what design features are incorporated into the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers to allow for shipborne rolling vertical landing. [174799]

Mr Dunne: The principal elements of the shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL) system, to be incorporated into the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers, include a visual landing aid system, glide path cameras and software modifications to the information displays in the aft island's flying control centre.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability of the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers to conduct shipborne rolling vertical landing operations with the Joint Strike Fighter in moderate to heavy seas. [174800]

Mr Dunne: The Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers will be able to conduct shipborne rolling vertical landings in a wide range of environmental conditions, including moderate to heavy sea states.

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of people required to maintain the second proposed aircraft carrier whilst it is baseported; and what estimate he has made of such number if that carrier is mothballed. [174936]

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Mr Dunne: The Queen Elizabeth (QE) Class Support Development Phase is expected to commence later in 2013, and will consider a range of options to produce a detailed support proposal, including manpower requirements, for approval around the middle of this decade. The initial capability support solution will be in place for the arrival of the first QE Class carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, in early 2017. Both QE class carriers will be baseported in Portsmouth but a decision on the employment of the second carrier will be taken at the next Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015.

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the sums received for the sale of surplus army housing at Dog Kennel Lane, Lisburn. [175249]

Dr Murrison: The Ministry of Defence has sold no properties on Dog Kennel Lane.

However, it did sell properties on Dog Kennel Close and Dog Kennel Crescent in March 2013 for £1.4 million.

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether all A & B vehicles back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster are held in short-term storage to comply with AESP 2300-A-401-031; and if he will make a statement. [174572]

Mr Dunne: The Army Equipment Support Publication 2300-A-401-013 defines the short-term storage procedures and minimum standards for the storage, maintenance, inspection and monitoring of automotive vehicles, for periods which are not to exceed 12 months.

All A, B, and Protected Mobility vehicles returning from Operation Herrick are held in short term storage at either the Herrick Exchange Point at Ministry of Defence Lyneham or at Ashchurch in accordance with Army Equipment Support Publication 2300-A-401-013.

No vehicles have been back-loaded through the reverse supply chain for short-term storage to Donnington or Warminster, although some vehicles held at MOD Lyneham may be sent to Warminster for repair and maintenance before being issued to units or returned to storage.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many A and B vehicles were back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster from Afghanistan in 2012 and 2013; and if he will make a statement. [174573]

Mr Dunne: The reverse supply chain has back-loaded the following vehicles from Afghanistan in 2012:

29 A vehicles and 93 B vehicles to Ashchurch.

The reverse supply chain has back-loaded the following vehicles from Afghanistan in 2013:

20 A vehicles, 146 B vehicles and 167 protected mobility vehicles to Lyneham.

Two A vehicles and 72 B vehicles to Ashchurch.

No vehicles have been back-loaded through the reverse supply chain to Donnington or Warminster.

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Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many A and B vehicles were issued through Ashchurch to Afghanistan in each year between 2002 and 2013; and if he will make a statement. [174574]

Mr Dunne: The numbers of A and B vehicles issued through Ashchurch to Afghanistan from 2009 are supplied in the following table:

Information on the number of vehicles issued prior to 2009 is not held.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much individual covered vehicle storage space is available at (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [174575]

Mr Dunne: Covered vehicle storage at Ministry of Defence Lyneham totals 24,964 square metres and at Ashchurch totals 325,748 square metres.

No vehicles are stored at Warminster or Donnington.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the frequency is of the regular visual inspection of A & B vehicles stored at (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [174578]

Mr Dunne: Vehicles stored at Ministry of Defence Lyneham and Ashchurch are visually inspected on a regular basis for signs of deterioration due to age or storage conditions. Initially this should be on a weekly basis; storage conditions will dictate subsequent inspection intervals. As a general rule, all equipment will be left alone as much as possible during the storage term.

No vehicles are stored at Warminster or Donnington.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many A & B vehicles are currently (a) stored under cover in an unheated hangar and (b) outside in the open at (i) RAF Warminster, (ii) RAF Lyneham, (iii) Ashchurch, (iv) Donnington and (v) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [174579]

Mr Dunne: Ashchurch has 1,277 A and B vehicles stored under cover in a controlled humidity environment, 4,445 A and B vehicles stored under cover in unheated hangars and 485 vehicles stored uncovered as stock pending disposal.

Ministry of Defence Lyneham has 20 A vehicles, 146 B vehicles and 167 Protected Mobility vehicles stored under cover in unheated hangars.

No vehicles are stored at Warminster or Donnington.

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Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any (a) Defence Council instructions, (b) standard operating procedures and (c) local regulations issued in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) 2012 override AESP2300-A-401-031; and if he will make a statement. [174580]

Mr Dunne: Defence Council instructions, standing operating procedures or local regulations do not override Army Equipment Support Publication 2300-A-401-013. There is a formal change procedure that is used when amendments are required to Army Equipment Support Publication 2300-A-401-013.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a detailed stockholding assessment has been carried out for the storage of military vehicles following withdrawal from (a) Afghanistan and (b) Germany; and if he will make a statement. [174873]

Mr Dunne: An initial assessment was conducted at the end of 2012 of the size of the vehicle fleet that would be required to equip the new Army 2020 structure. This took account of vehicles redeploying from Afghanistan and Germany. The assessment included a requirement to store around 7,000 vehicles in a controlled humidity environment. Work continues to determine the exact storage requirement and is scheduled to be complete by the middle of 2014.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicles held by his Department offer nuclear, biological and chemical protection; which Defence Support Group sites are able to provide inspection and testing capability; and if he will make a statement. [174878]

Mr Dunne: I am withholding information on the number of vehicles that offer protection against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

The Defence Support Group sites at Ashchurch, Bovington and Donnington are able to provide inspection and testing capability for vehicles that have CBRN protection.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a controlled humidity environment is available for the storage of vehicles at (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) MOD Ashchurch, (d) MOD Donnington and (e) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [175333]

Mr Dunne: Currently only Ashchurch has a controlled humidity environment available for the storage of vehicles. An assessment is under way to consider what additional controlled humidity environment storage capacity is required to meet Future Force 2020.

Army: Northern Ireland

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his assessment is of the adequacy of the treatment for mental health issues available to soldiers in Northern Ireland. [173660]

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Anna Soubry: Members of the armed forces based in Northern Ireland have access to military mental health services that follow the same model as those available in other parts of the United Kingdom. These are configured to provide community-based mental health care in line with national best practice, providing assessment and treatment in line with the guidelines and standards set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Service Frameworks.

Mental health care is available from a range of medical facilities, starting with local service primary care facilities. Where necessary, patients in Northern Ireland can be referred to the military operated Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) at Lisburn, near Belfast, which provides out-patient mental health care. The DCMH mental health team comprises psychiatrists and mental health nurses, with access to clinical psychologists and mental health social workers. A wide range of psychiatric and psychological treatments are available, including medication, psychological therapies, and environmental adjustment where appropriate. In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialised psychiatric units under a contract with a partnership involving eight NHS mental health trusts.

Charities Act 2006

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports his Department has laid before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13. [172933]

Anna Soubry: The information requested is contained in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13, page 151, paragraph 26.6 which is available on the Gov.uk website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mod-annual-report-and-accounts-201213

See also pages 36 and 37 which include specific references to some of the Department's work with charities.

Defence: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which equipment programmes currently have a cost overrun risk ratio of 90 per cent for the public purse and 10 per cent for the contractor. [175048]

Mr Dunne: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Notice of Concern from the Deputy Inspector General of the US Department of Defense dated 22 October 2012 regarding the visit to BAE Systems in Samlesbury in connection with the Joint Strike Fighter Programme. [174797]

Mr Dunne: The US Department of Defense Inspector General routinely undertakes quality assurance assessments of UK contractors working on US defence contracts. The aim of the inspection is to ensure that contractors

12 Nov 2013 : Column 557W

are compliant with the agreed processes and procedures, with corrective actions put in place where this is not the case.

The BAE Systems assessment was completed in 2012 and highlighted a number of non-compliances which are all being rectified as part of normal routine work.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Notice of Concern from the Deputy Inspector General of the US Department of Defense dated 20 November 2012 regarding the visit to Honeywell Aerospace in Yeovil in connection with the Joint Strike Fighter Programme. [174798]

Mr Dunne: The US Department of Defense Inspector General routinely undertakes quality assurance assessments of UK contractors working on US defence contracts. The aim of the inspection is to ensure that contractors are compliant with the agreed processes and procedures, with corrective actions put in place where this is not the case.

The Honeywell assessment was completed in 2012 and highlighted a number of non-compliances which are all being rectified as part of normal routine work.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels will use gas turbine parts from Kawasaki Heavy Industries. [175120]

Mr Dunne: Gas turbine parts supplied by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) are not currently in use on any Royal Navy ships. No decisions about whether to use parts supplied by KHI in the future have been taken; such decisions will be taken at the appropriate time.

Military Bases

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recorded accidents there were at (a) Donnington, (b) Warminster and (c) Ashfield by (i) Defence Support Group staff and (ii) agency workers in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [174880]

Mr Dunne: Ashfield is not a recognised Defence Support Group (DSG) location therefore my response includes figures for DSG Ashchurch.

Recorded accidents by DSG employees and agency personnel in the last three financial years (FY) at Donnington, Warminster and Ashchurch are as follows:

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Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether access to a railway line is available at (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [174911]

Mr Dunne: Access to a railway line is available at Ashchurch, Donnington and Defence Support Group Warminster.

There is no access to a railway line at Ministry of Defence Lyneham.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how far it is to the nearest motorway access point from (a) RAF Warminster, (b) RAF Lyneham, (c) Ashchurch, (d) Donnington and (e) Warminster; and if he will make a statement. [174912]

Mr Dunne: The information requested is provided in the following table:

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much rental income was earned from buildings at each defence support group site in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [174914]

Mr Dunne: The Defence Support Group derived rental income in each of the last five financial years (FY) from the sites outlined in the following table.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which defence support group sites have the capacity to inspect and test nuclear biological and chemical clean air supply in military vehicles; what training is required for staff to carry out such work; and if he will make a statement. [174916]

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Mr Dunne: Defence Support Group (DSG) Ashchurch, Bovington and Donnington all have the capacity presently to inspect and test nuclear, biological and chemical clean air supply in military vehicles. All DSG employees undertaking this work are suitably qualified technicians working to required established procedures.

Military Bases: Northern Ireland

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many cases of self-harm by civilian staff took place in military establishments in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement; [173411]

(2) how many cases of self-harm by civilian staff took place in military establishments in Northern Ireland between 1 April and 30 September 2013. [173412]

Anna Soubry: I will answer shortly.

Substantive answer from Anna Soubry to Margaret Ritchie:

The Ministry of Defence is unaware of any such cases having occurred.

Military Decorations

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to reduce the qualifying period for the General Service Medal Cyprus Clasp from 120 days; and if he will make a statement. [173446]

Anna Soubry: The qualification period for the General Service Medal Clasp Cyprus is one of a number of issues that is being considered further by Sir John Holmes’ independent medal review. As this is an independent review it is not possible for me to pre-empt the outcome.

MOD Ashchurch

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what planning applications have been made in relation to the Ashchurch site in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [174875]

Mr Dunne: Planning applications made at Ashchurch since 2005 are shown in the following table:

12 Nov 2013 : Column 560W

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the role of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and Logistic Commodities and Services in planning for any closure of Ashchurch; and if he will make a statement. [174877]

Mr Dunne: The role of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation is to provide for any reprovision of facilities required and in due course to dispose of the Ashchurch site.

Logistic Commodities and Services are responsible for managing the Ashchurch site.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 1265W, on defence support group, whether his Department has developed a business case for the sale of Defence Support Group Ashchurch; and if he will make a statement. [174915]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence is in early discussions which may lead to the appointment of a development partner. At this moment in time, no business case has been developed.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 1265W, on defence support group, whether a contamination survey has found evidence of asbestos at Defence Support Group Ashchurch; and if he will make a statement. [174917]

Mr Dunne: The last Ashchurch land quality assessment completed in 2012 identified three locations containing asbestos fibres.

The asbestos fibres are buried and therefore the risk to site users is low and there is no effect on day to day operations.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury of 15 April 2013, Official Report, column 285W, on MOD Ashchurch, what recent estimate he has made of the costs of (a) physical movements, (b) extra training, (c) redundancy payments and (d) any other items of expenditure as a result of moving operations carried out at Ashchurch; and if he will make a statement. [174918]

Mr Dunne: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 April 2013, Official Report, columns 284-85W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Tewkesbury (Mr Robertson).

The estimate of the cost of moving operations carried out at Ashchurch remains unchanged.

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MOD Donnington

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what planning applications have been made in relation to Defence Support Group Donnington in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement. [174876]

Mr Dunne: The Defence Support Group at Donnington submitted one planning application during the period in 2012 to upgrade its ultra high pressure wash facility.

Patrol Craft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate (a) the total cost of the contract for the three offshore patrol vessels, (b) the unit cost of the vessels and (c) when each vessel will enter service. [175045]

Mr Dunne: Based on a firm price offer, and subject to main gate approval and contractual agreement, the cost of the contract for the three offshore patrol vessels, including initial spares and support, is expected to be £348 million. A unit cost for these vessels has not yet been calculated. On current plans, the contract will be signed in 2014, with the three vessels entering service between 2017 and 2018.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether ocean patrol vessels will be equipped with (a) Scanter 4100 air search radar and (b) a hanger capable of housing a Merlin helicopter. [175046]

Mr Dunne: As the Secretary of State for Defence announced in the House on 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 252, the Ministry of Defence has signed an Agreement in Principle with BAE Systems to order three new Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy, based on a more capable variant of the River Class, including a landing deck able to take a Merlin helicopter. This project will be subject to Main Gate approval in the coming months and, as is the standard practice with equipment projects, the final design, equipment fit and build programme will not finally be set until this main investment decision has been taken.

Pensions

Mr Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the review of the pension ages of the Ministry of Defence Police and the Defence Fire and Rescue Service will consider the cost of individuals' pension contributions and existing net pay deductions; and if he will make a statement; [173913]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2013, Official Report, columns 125-6W, on pensions, when he intends to place in the Library the terms of reference for the review of the pension ages of the Ministry of Defence Police and the Defence Fire and Rescue Service. [173914]

Anna Soubry [holding answer 5 November 2013]: For details of the remit of the review I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), on 31 October 2013, Official Report, column 549W, to the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire (Gemma Doyle).

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A copy of the Terms of Reference has now been placed in the Library of the House. It is regretted that this was not done earlier.

Portsmouth Dockyard

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps his Department has taken to ensure that Portsmouth Dockyard has the capability to supply power to two aircraft carriers in dock simultaneously; [174617]

(2) what steps his Department plans to take to ensure appropriate power supply to two aircraft carriers when simultaneously alongside each other in Portsmouth dockyard. [175167]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence is fully aware that the existing National Grid electrical supply arrangements at the dockyard will not support the potential peak demand of the Queen Elizabeth (QE) Class and other Royal Navy vessels planned to be based in Portsmouth. Options to address this shortfall were studied in detail during the QE Class Baseport Assessment Study 2007-09. To meet the needs of the first vessel, a dedicated National Grid supply is currently being procured to service the QE Class Jetties and will be in place ready for the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth in her home port in early 2017. Further detailed analysis to meet the enduring long-term demand is scheduled for 2014, to ensure that when the deployment of the second vessel is considered in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, potential outcomes are not constrained.

Salvage

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many on-site exploratory salvage and marine operations have occurred in each of the last three years. [174675]

Mr Dunne: In the last three years, the Ministry of Defence’s salvage and marine operations team has completed a total of 12 exploratory operations on eight wrecks, two in 2011, four in 2012 and six in 2013.

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vessels (a) worldwide and (b) in UK territorial waters are active concerns for the Salvage and Marine Operations unit. [174676]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Salvage and Marine Operations (S&MO) Team is responsible for the management of approximately 3,500 MOD-owned legacy wrecks. Of the 807 UK military wrecks for which we have confirmed locations, 231 lie in UK territorial waters and 576 lie elsewhere, either in international waters or the territorial waters of other countries. Information relating to the locations of the remaining 2,700 MOD-owned legacy wrecks is limited to the general sea area.

Sickness Absence

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff in his Department (a) were disciplined and (b) had their employment terminated as a result of a poor sickness record in each of the last 12 months. [174645]

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Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence does not use disciplinary processes to deal with poor attendance due to sickness; measures are taken under 'restoring efficiency' policies, which can culminate in dismissal. Some 148 individuals had their employment terminated in the period November 2012 to October 2013 due to absence related to their sickness record. An additional 31 individuals were dismissed for reasons of poor attendance in which sickness may have been a factor.

Territorial Army

Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by Operation Fortify in relation to its quarterly targets for number of recruits. [174088]

Anna Soubry: [holding answer 5 November 2013]:Following the publication of the White Paper “Reserves in the Future Force 2020: Valuable and Valued” on 3 July 2013 (CM 8655), the conditions are now in place to grow the Army Reserve to 30,000 by the end of 2018 as part of a fully integrated Army. In support of this; we are investing £1.8 billion, in training, support and equipment for the reserves over the next ten years.

To further help kick start Army Reserve recruitment, the Army has put in place a series of measures under Op FORTIFY, including increasing the infrastructure and staff in the National Recruiting Centre to deal with demand, and launching a pilot scheme to run ‘pre-assessment clinics’ regionally for Reservist candidates.

The Secretary of State for Defence has committed to publishing recruitment figures and trained strength figures in due course.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the RAF Centre for Air Power Studies publication, British air and space power doctrine AP 3000, 4th edition, Counter-Air operations for Psychological Effect, published in 2009, what assessment his Department has made of that publication's (a) conclusions on the psychological effect of air power and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and (b) other conclusions; and when that assessment was made. [R] [174261]

Mr Francois: AP 3000 Edition 4 (now superseded by Joint Doctrine Publication 0-30) sets out the broad principles and philosophy for the application of UK Air and Space Power.

Using the psychological effect created by Air Power, it is sometimes possible to deter potential adversaries and avoid bloodshed altogether. No specific study has been conducted by the Ministry of Defence into the psychological effects of using RPAS and indeed, it would be difficult to measure such effects quantitatively. However, empirical evidence based on observation and post-operational reporting suggests that the presence of an aircraft (manned or remotely piloted) modifies the behaviour of insurgents such as the Taliban. When aircraft are present, notable reductions in insurgent activities (such as the emplacement of improvised explosive devices) are observed with a consequent reduction in the threat to both military personnel and civilians. Troops under fire from Taliban positions have also

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observed that the mere approach of an aircraft is often sufficient to cause the Taliban to break off the engagement and withdraw.

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 15 October 2013, Official Report, column 632W, on unmanned aerial vehicles, (1) whether the legal advice provided to RAF personnel operating the Reaper Piloted Aircraft System include UK international humanitarian and human rights obligations; [R] [174297]

(2) in which other locations legal advice is provided to the operating personnel of unmanned aircraft systems. [R] [174298]

Mr Francois: As I stated in my previous answer, all UK armed forces personnel receive legal briefing during their pre-deployment training. They also have access to legal advice which will include advice on international humanitarian law and human rights law obligations, as appropriate.

Warships

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the statement of 6 November 2013, Official Report, columns 251-54, on Aircraft Carriers and UK Shipbuilding, what assessment he has made of the effect of the decisions on naval vessels on the UK's naval supply chain. [175272]

Mr Dunne: The agreement with BAE Systems over the future warship building programme announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on 6 November 2013, Official Report, columns 251-54, ensures a sustainable future for the UK warship building industry. It will maintain the skills and jobs needed to deliver the programme, both within BAE Systems and within a supply chain that extends across many different areas of the UK.

World War II

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had in relation to military chains suspected of being stolen by commissioned officers during World War II. [173796]

Anna Soubry: There have been no recent representations to Ministers on this subject other than your letter of 17 June 2013 and your Freedom of Information request to the Ministry of Defence on 17 October 2013.

Treasury

Counterfeit Manufacturing: Clothing

Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will commission an assessment of the cost to the economy of counterfeit bridal wear being imported into the UK. [174240]

Jo Swinson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

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I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November 2013, Official Report, column reference 232W.

As indicated my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (Viscount Younger of Leckie) would be pleased to discuss the issues concerned.

Income Tax: Scotland

Mike Crockart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of revenue foregone by the Exchequer from taxpayers resident in Scotland due to changes in the income tax threshold in each year since 2010; [174707]

(2) what revenue will be forgone by the Exchequer from taxpayers resident in Scotland due to changes in the income tax threshold by 25 December 2013. [174714]

Sajid Javid: The Government increased the personal allowance for those aged under 65 years between 2010-11 and 2013-14 as shown in table 1 as follows:

An estimated 2.24 million people in Scotland will benefit by an average of £393 by April 2014 and 200,000 people in Scotland will have been taken out of tax altogether.

Ineos

Mr Watts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government plans to make any new grants available to Ineos to secure the long-term future of its plant in Scotland. [174334]

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury, the right hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), confirmed last month that Infrastructure UK are in discussions with Ineos over a Government guarantee for a new ethane facility at the Grangemouth petrochemical plant, a key part of the company's plans for the future.

Regional aid for this proposed investment is a matter for the Scottish Government.

Mr Watts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Government grants have been made to Ineos since 1994; and what the (a) value, (b) conditions and (c) purposes of such grants were. [174335]

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Ineos Chlor Ltd (now known as Ineos ChlorVinyls Ltd) was awarded a grant of up to £32 million on 16 December 2005 under the Regional Selective Assistance scheme. Following minor changes to the project, a total of £31.2 million was paid over a period up to 21 April 2008.

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The Department's agreement with the company contained a range of conditions, principally concerned with the expenditure to be defrayed under the project and the number of jobs to be safeguarded as a result of it.

The purpose of the grant was to assist in the modernisation of the company's chlor-alkali production process at its plant in Runcorn and to protect the jobs associated with it.

Discussions are currently taking place between Infrastructure UK and Ineos over a Government guarantee for a new ethane facility at the Grangemouth petrochemical plant, a key part of the company's plans for the future.

Regional aid for this proposed investment is a matter for the Scottish Government.

Mortgages

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of mortgage default was in each (a) region, (b) local authority area, (c) parliamentary constituency and (d) town in the latest period for which data is available. [174640]

Sajid Javid: The Government do not collect or publish data on the rate of mortgage default. A number of organisations including the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Council of Mortgage Lenders collect data on mortgages, which they make available publically.

Payment Systems Regulator

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the process will be for appointing the new head of the Payment Systems Regulator. [175209]

Sajid Javid: As set out in the Government amendments to the Banking Reform Bill, the Financial Conduct Authority will be responsible for appointing the chair and managing director of the Payment Systems Regulator, subject to HM Treasury approval. The Financial Conduct Authority will set out the exact process for doing this in due course.

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the appointment of the head of the new Payment Systems Regulator will be subject to a pre-appointment hearing with his or her attendance at the Treasury Select Committee. [175210]

Sajid Javid: As set out in the Government amendments to the Banking Reform Bill, the Financial Conduct Authority will be responsible for appointing the chair and managing director of the Payment Systems Regulator, subject to Treasury approval. The Financial Conduct Authority will set out the exact process for doing this in due course. Given that the managing director of the PSR will be an executive, appointed by the FCA, there are no plans for the appointment to be subject to a pre-appointment hearing at the Treasury Select Committee.

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the relationship will be between the new Payment Systems Regulator and (a) the Financial Conduct Authority and (b) the Prudential Regulation Authority. [175211]

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Sajid Javid: As set out in the Government amendments to the Banking Reform Bill, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for establishing the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), appointing its Board, and approving its budget, annual plan and annual report. There is also provision which allows the PSR to make arrangements for any of its functions to be discharged by an officer or member of staff of the FCA.

The PSR, FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority (“PRA”) (and the Bank of England) will be under a duty to co-ordinate the exercise of their relevant functions and to prepare and maintain a memorandum of understanding describing the role of each regulator in relation to the exercise of relevant functions which relate to matters of common regulator interest and how the regulators intend to comply with their co-ordination duty. The PSR will have powers to share information with both the FCA and the PRA and vice-versa. The FCA and PRA will have powers to require the PSR to refrain from planned action, or to require modification to that action, where such an action would in their opinion damage the ability of the FCA or PRA to comply with their general duties.

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers his Department will have over the new payment systems regulator. [175215]

Sajid Javid: As set out in the Government amendments to the Banking Reform Bill, HM Treasury approval will be required for the appointment, or dismissal, of the Chair and Managing Director of the new Payment Systems Regulator (PSR). HM Treasury will also have the power to designate particular payment systems, so bringing them within the scope of the PSR's regulatory powers.

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the main objectives of the new payment systems regulator will be. [175216]

Sajid Javid: As set out in the Government amendments to the Banking Reform Bill, the new Payment Systems Regulator will have three payment systems objectives:

1. The competition objective—to promote effective competition in:

(a) the market for payment systems, and

(b) the markets for services provided by payment systems, in the interests of those who use, or are likely to use, services provided by payment systems.

2. The innovation objective—to promote the development of, and innovation in, payment systems in the interests of those who use, or are likely to use, services provided by payment systems, with a view to improving the quality, efficiency and economy of payment systems.

3. The service-user objective—to ensure that payment systems are operated and developed in a way that takes account of, and promotes, the interests of those who use, or are likely to use, services provided by payment systems.

Public Sector Relocation Independent Review

Mr Streeter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much Sir Michael Lyons was paid in (a) salary, (b) other fees, (c) related expenses and (d) total for his work on the Public Sector Relocation Review published on 15 March 2013; [174669]

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(2) how much his Department paid Sir Michael Lyons in (a) salary, (b) fees and (c) related expenses for his work on the Public Sector Relocation Review in 2007. [175109]

Nicky Morgan: No Government-related reviews into public sector relocation by Sir Michael Lyons were published in either 2007 or 2013. For the 2004 review in to public sector relocation, Sir Michael Lyons received remuneration of £40,000 excluding VAT, and expenses of £6,000.

Tax Avoidance: Luxembourg

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in Luxembourg about tax avoidance schemes involving that country. [174704]

Sajid Javid: I have regular discussions with counterparts on a range of policy issues, including on the UK's efforts to tackle tax avoidance.

Tax Yields: Water Companies

Maria Eagle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much extra revenue he expects to raise from the UK water companies which have financial holding vehicles registered in the Cayman Islands following the Government's recent automatic tax information sharing agreement with the Cayman Islands signed on 5 November; [175286]

(2) how much extra revenue he expects to raise from each UK water company following the Government's recent automatic tax information sharing agreement with the Cayman Islands signed on 5 November. [175287]

Sajid Javid: There are no estimates available to answer these questions.

Taxation

Ian Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of taxpayers affected by the retrospective tax changes introduced in section 58(4) of the Finance Act 2008. [175217]

Sajid Javid: UK residents are taxable on their worldwide income wherever it arises—including situations where it arises by way of foreign partnerships. Section 58 of Finance Act 2008 was enacted to help put that beyond doubt and in so doing, made clear that a wholly artificial tax avoidance scheme involving a foreign partnership comprised of foreign trustees did not work. As section 58 retrospectively clarified existing legislation, its introduction had no affect on any taxpayers tax position. HMRC has currently identified around 2,000 individuals who used the avoidance scheme or one of its variants and whose tax returns are currently under inquiry.

Taxation: Republic of Ireland

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps his Department is taking to prevent companies erroneously claiming that sales were made in Ireland and not the UK for the purposes of calculating corporation tax; [174678]

(2) if he will seek to renegotiate international tax agreements to prevent companies paying tax in Ireland on profits and sales made in the UK. [174699]

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Sajid Javid: The UK, along with most major economies in the world, charges corporation tax on profits not on sales or turnover. The UK system is based on internationally agreed principles, which determine how much profit each country should tax. However, I cannot comment on the tax system in Ireland.

The UK is committed to multilateral action through the G20 and OECD to tackle the issue of base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS). The OECD BEPS project has been scrutinising the international tax rules to find where they do not work in today's modern globalised economy.

The G8 leaders have confirmed their support for the ongoing G20/OECD work. At the Lough Erne summit in June they called on the OECD to develop a common tool for multinationals to report to tax authorities where they make their profits and pay taxes around the world. This work is being taken forward as part of the BEPS action plan.

Culture, Media and Sport

Gaming Machines

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has

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made of the number of fixed odds betting terminals in

(a)

Birkenhead constituency,

(b)

the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral and

(c)

the UK. [175242]

Mrs Grant: DCMS does not collate figures on the number of FOBTs by parliamentary constituency or local authority area. The Gambling Commission's most recent Industry Statistics publication shows there were 33,319 B2 gaming machines made available for use in Great Britain in the period between October 2011 and September 2012.

Visits Abroad

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, her Department made in each year since 2010; and what the costs of (a) flights, (b) internal travel, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence were of each trip. [174856]

Mrs Grant: The details requested for overseas trips are shown in the following table:

Further detail could be provided only at disproportionate cost due to the way that these records are stored in the Department's financial systems.

The figure has fallen from 2007-08 when the total spent on international travel was just under £300,000.

Transport

A15

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the injury rate in accidents on the A15 north of Lincoln was in each of the last 10 years. [174845]

Mr Goodwill: The Department only holds information relating to road accidents reported to the police in which at least one person was injured. The Department does not hold information relating to damage-only accidents.

The following table gives (a) the number of reported personal injury road accidents, (b) the number of reported road casualties, (c) the number of casualties per personal injury accident, (d) the number of reported personal injury road accidents per million vehicle miles and (e) the number of reported road casualties per million vehicle miles, on the A15 north of Lincoln for 2003 to 2012. These figures include all reported personal injury accidents on the A15 between the A46 north of Lincoln and the junction with the A63 on the north side of the Humber bridge.

The number of accidents and casualties is relatively small, so changes between years, especially in the rate figures, will occur naturally and may not be indicative of any broader trend.

A428

Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the personal injury rate on the A428 has been in each of the last 10 years; [174565]

(2) what the (a) traffic volume and (b) accident rate was on the A428 in each of the last 10 years. [174606]

Mr Goodwill: (a) The annual average daily traffic flows on the A428 for each of the last 10 years are as follows:

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(b) The recorded personal injury rate (casualty rate) for the A428 between St Neots and Cambridge for each of the last 10 years is as follows:

The Highways Agency only records accidents in which personal injuries occur. No record is kept of damage only accidents.

Mr Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how long the average journey time on the A428 from St Neots to Cambridge has been in each of the last 10 years. [174566]

Mr Goodwill: The average journey times, in minutes, for the A428 from St Neots to Cambridge for each of the last 10 years is as follows:

Aviation

Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he or his officials had with the chief inspector of borders and immigration when drawing up their General Aviation Red Tape Challenge. [175262]

Mr Goodwill: Neither the Secretary of State for Transport nor his officials have held discussions with the chief inspector of borders while developing the response to the General Aviation Red Tape Challenge.

Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to match arrivals data from general aviation entries into the UK with the National Air Traffic System. [175264]

Mr Goodwill: There are no plans to match the arrivals data which the UK Border Force logs for general aviation arrivals at UK airfields. The Home Office is responsible for policy on border security and leads on information gathering in relation to general aviation arrivals. The data which is collected includes the names of all of those individuals arriving in the UK on these flights who are subsequently screened upon entry as a result of this process. The Home Office should continue to take the lead in relation to such matters.

Driving: Sleep Apnoea

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea on road safety. [174594]

Mr Goodwill: The effect of obstructive sleep apnoea on road safety was considered in a report (commissioned by the Department) ‘Fatigue and Road Safety: A Critical Analysis of Recent Evidence’ and published in February 2011.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths caused by road traffic accidents in each of the last five years were attributable to the driver having undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea. [174595]

Mr Goodwill: Information on the number of road traffic deaths attributed to undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea is not held.

Finsbury Park Station

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Network Rail and Transport for London on re-development works at Finsbury Park station; and if he will make a statement. [175265]

Stephen Hammond: There have been no ministerial discussions with Network Rail or Transport for London (TfL) about re-development works at Finsbury Park station.

However, officials continue to monitor delivery of the Network Rail project to provide step free access to the mainline platforms, due for completion by the end of 2014, and the TfL project to provide access to the Victoria and Piccadilly line platforms, due for completion in 2017.

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Network Rail and TfL are working closely together to ensure that both of these complex projects are properly co-ordinated.

Gospel Oak-Barking Railway Line

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost and timetable for the electrification work of the Barking to Gospel Oak line; and if he will make a statement. [175267]

Stephen Hammond: Network Rail has estimated the cost of electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak line to be £90 million. It is now developing a more detailed GRIP 3 estimate. I have asked Network Rail to explore with Transport for London and the freight operating companies ways this route might be efficiently electrified by December 2017 and I await their suggestions.

High Speed 2

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many passenger train services will stop at Stafford on High Speed 2 (HS2) after completion of (a) phase 1 and (b) phase 2 of HS2. [174718]

(2) how many passenger train services will run on the West Coast Mainline servicing (a) London to Stafford and (b) London to Stoke-on-Trent after completion of (i) phase one and (ii) phase two of High Speed 2; and what the average time will be of such journeys. [174719]

Mr Goodwill: The Department's aim is that all towns or cities which currently have a direct service to London will retain broadly comparable or better services once HS2 is completed.

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.

As highlighted in the Strategic Case, published on 29 October, in partnership with the railway industry, we intend to announce, shortly, a transparent and participatory process to consider long-term issues, opportunities and options for rail services on HS2 corridors. This will consider how these services can support the delivery of economic growth on a sustainable basis.

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the five criteria referred to in the document, Property Compensation Consultation for London - West Midlands HS2 Route, are all weighted equally; and if not, what are the weightings for each criterion. [175277]

Mr Goodwill: We have not stated a weighting for the five policy criteria set out in the consultation document, and this means we consider them to be of equal importance.

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties on Phase One of the proposed route for High Speed 2, in rural areas only and excluding those over deep bored tunnels, are within

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(a)

120 metres,

(b)

250 metres,

(c)

300 metres,

(d)

350 metres,

(e)

400 metres,

(f)

450 metres and

(g)

500usb metres of the line. [175278]

Mr Goodwill: HS2 Ltd is working to compile this information. I will write to my right hon. Friend shortly and place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of the House.

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties in the entire safeguarded area for Phase One of High Speed 2 are assigned to be demolished. [175279]

Mr Goodwill: The total number of residential properties to be demolished is 339 residential dwellings (265 buildings). Not all properties within safeguarding are required to be demolished. In addition to the number of residential properties, there are 404 commercial units (312 buildings) and 21 community facilities required for demolition. Further information will be published as part of the Environmental Statement and submitted with the hybrid Bill later this year.

Inland Waterways: Freight

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of inland waterways for freight movements. [175103]

Mr Goodwill: The Department supports the shift of freight from road to inland waterways, primarily through the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme. This can assist companies with the operating costs of transporting freight by inland waterway or rail, where this is more expensive than road and where there are environmental benefits to be gained.

M180

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason the slip road onto the M180 was closed at Scunthorpe on 31 October 2013; for what reason such closure was not posted on the A15 and other approach routes; and if he will make a statement. [175186]

Mr Goodwill: The eastbound entry slip road at junction 4 was closed between the hours of 8 pm and 6 am from 29 to 31 October 2013, and similarly at junction 5, the westbound entry slip road was closed from 31 October to 2 November 2013, to enable carriageway resurfacing works to be carried out.

Advisory signing was deployed within the locality of junction 4 and junction 5 in the week prior to the works. The agency also issued a road works press release on 25 October 2013 and undertook a letter drop to residents.

The agency does not normally place signing on local roads for short duration closures, given the practicality of erecting multiple advisory road signs and the associated costs. However, the signage for the agreed diversion routes was also implemented during the closures.

Motor Vehicles: Lighting

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to reduce the inappropriate use of rear fog lights by motorists; and if he will make a statement. [175187]

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Mr Goodwill: The use of rear fog lamps is controlled by the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 as amended, which sets the conditions under which the lamps may be used. Modern vehicles are designed to help prevent drivers inadvertently leaving the rear fog lamps illuminated; such as automatically switching off when all other lamps are extinguished and then to remain off until deliberately switched on again. Alternatively an audible warning may be given if the driver leaves the vehicle with the rear fog lamps illuminated.

Guidance on the correct use of fog lamps is provided in the Highway Code and I consider that the current provisions are sufficiently robust. Enforcement of road traffic law is a matter for the police.

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Motorcycles: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths and serious injuries occurred to motorcyclists as a result of road accidents in Cumbria in each of the last five years, on each type of road. [175284]

Mr Goodwill: The number of reported motorcycle casualties in Cumbria by area and road type for year of the last five years is given following table:

Data for 2013 will be available in June 2014.

Parking: Pedestrian Areas

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authorities have used the powers given to them in February 2011 to implement local bans on parking on pavements. [174804]

Mr Goodwill: This information is not held centrally. The enforcement of parking on the footway (pavement) is the responsibility of local traffic authorities in areas that have civil parking enforcement powers and a matter for the police in areas that do not.

Qualifications

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people employed by his Department hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement. [175377]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold data relating to qualifications held by employees. It would not be possible for the Department of Transport to obtain this information without incurring disproportionate costs.

Road Signs and Markings

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the potential benefits of standardising road signage systems in the EU. [175174]

Mr Goodwill: No such assessment has been made. Most traffic sign designs across Europe, including the United Kingdom, are based on international standards set in the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals 1968.

Roads: Accidents

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of the relationship between (a) changes to the number and funding of reductions to road safety grants and (b) the number of people killed and seriously injured in road traffic accidents between 2010 and 2013. [174746]

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Mr Goodwill: The Department has not made any formal assessment of the relationship between (a) changes to the number and funding of reductions to road safety grants and (b) the number of people killed and seriously injured in road traffic accidents between 2010 and 2013.

However, the number of people killed in reported road traffic accidents decreased from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,754 in 2012. The number of people seriously injured in reported road traffic accidents in Great Britain increased from 22,660 in 2010 to 23,039 in 2012. The number of casualties in 2010 were affected by heavy snowfall during the year which would led to fewer accidents than might have been expected had the weather been more typical.

Statistics for 2013 will be available in June 2014.

South West Trains

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the total network grant was paid by Network Rail to South West Trains in each year since 2009-10. [175391]

Stephen Hammond: The Network Grant is a sum of money from the Department to Network Rail which is not allocated to specific parts of the rail network, nor is it paid to franchised train operators.

There is no recognised rule for allocating the Network Grant across franchises. However, the Department for Transport (DFT) does publish an indication of how it may be distributed across the train operators. This is calculated by taking the total Network Grant, apportioned according to each franchise's share of fixed track access charges, charged by Network Rail to run trains on the network:

http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/cp4-pl-fixedtrackchargessched181208.pdf

A breakdown by operator is available on the DFT website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rail-subsidy-per-passenger-mile

UK Border Force

Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he or his officials of his Department have had with their counterparts in the Home Office on including passengers travelling by private flights (general aviation) or private boats (general maritime) to the UK in the Border Force's operating mandate. [175263]

Mr Goodwill: No discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Transport or his officials in relation to the UK Border Force's operating mandate in relation to either the general aviation or maritime sectors. The Home Office is responsible for policy on border security. Border Force is a law enforcement command within the Home Office responsible for securing the UK border by carrying out immigration and customs controls for people and goods entering the UK.

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Cabinet Office

Civil Servants

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were employed in (a) May 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which data is available. [175142]

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, dated November 2013:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants were employed in (a) May 2010 and (b) the most recent period for which data are available. (175142)

Estimates of Civil Service employment are published quarterly in March, June, September and December, by the Office for National Statistics on the National Statistics website. Data are not available for May 2010. The data provided refer to the survey reference dates as at 30 June 2010 and 30 June 2013.

The number of people employed by home Civil Service departments was 522,000 in June 2010 and 450,000 in June 2013. Home Civil Service excludes employees in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.