18 Nov 2013 : Column 703W Report

, columns 32-33WS, of a City Deal for Southampton and Portsmouth that will provide £953 million of investment into the area and create more than 17,000 jobs.

QinetiQ

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department had with QinetiQ before conclusion of the agreement on Long Term Partnering prior to its announced restructuring and partial sell-off. [175152]

Mr Dunne: QinetiQ was formed from the privatised part of the former Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in July 2001. The 25 year, Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) contract between the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ came into force in April 2003. During the intervening period, there were extensive negotiations between the Ministry of Defence and QinetiQ, including during the time before and after the partial sale of the company to the Carlyle Group in February 2003. There have been continuous discussions between both parties since then regarding the operation of the LTPA contract.

Reserve Forces

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with large public and private sector employers on providing support to reservists and potential reservists. [175200]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence has engaged widely with other Departments to ensure that central Government are an exemplar in terms of supporting employees who serve as reservists and promoting the benefits of Reserve Service to its employees. The Department is also engaging with local authorities, including the Local Government Association, and other bodies, across the wider public sector.

We have been in discussions with large private sector employers and employer organisations, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence recently challenged the UK's largest 100 companies each to employ at least 100 Reservists. The Corporate Covenant allows businesses to pledge their public support for the armed forces community, including an opportunity to express their support for Reservists. Five major employers organisations (the British Chambers of Commerce, the Building Societies Association, the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and the Federation of Small Businesses) pledged their support for the Corporate Covenant at its launch in June 2013 and since then over 50 businesses have signed up.

The National Employer Advisory Board provides informed independent strategic advice to Ministers, the Chiefs of Staff and the Reserves community about how the Department can most effectively gain and maintain the support of employers for Britain's Reserve Forces. It also facilitates engagement with the business community, senior opinion formers and the employers of Reservists to get the defence message across to the commercial world.

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Armed Forces: Complaints

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army in each of the last three years achieved resolution at each level of the process, by level; [175039]

(2) how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army in each of the last three years failed to meet the timeline for settlement; [175040]

(3) how many service complaints made in the (a) Royal Naval Reserve, (b) Royal Air Force Reserve and (c) Territorial Army were made in the last three years; and what the average processing time was for such complaints; [175041]

(4) what steps he plans to take to improve the speed and management of armed forces service complaints; and if he will make a statement. [175042]

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) remains committed to ensuring that the service complaints process is as fair, effective and efficient as it can be. Since the introduction of the new service complaints system in 2008, the MOD has sought to learn from best practice and improve the manner in which complaints are managed. As part of this focus on continual improvement, in January 2013 a new system for service complaints commissioner (SCC) oversight of the complaints process took effect, requiring the services to inform the SCC of cases likely to take longer than 24 weeks to resolve.

The SCC's annual report for 2012, laid in the House on 21 March 2013, and the House of Commons Defence Select Committee's report on the work of the SCC (HC 720), published in February 2013, both recommended changes to the role. The MOD is therefore currently considering, with the SCC, how the role might be developed and reformed. That work is focusing on how any improvements in the future could make the system more effective and efficient, particularly in tackling delays.

Service complaints are recorded on the joint personnel administration system, but an exercise to distinguish complaints made by reservists from those made by regulars could be performed only at disproportionate cost.

Shipbuilding

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what his policy is towards the two properties leased to BAE Systems in Portsmouth Dockyard once the contract on such buildings expires in September 2014; [175469]

(2) how his Department plans to use the shipbuilding shed (a) once BAE Systems finish its current work and (b) after the contract expires in November 2014; and how his Department intends to use other buildings no longer required for shipbuilding work after November 2014. [175689]

Mr Dunne: Following BAE Systems’ decision to consolidate its shipbuilding business on the Clyde, the company has confirmed that complex warship building

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operations in Portsmouth will cease in the second half of 2014. The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) current planning assumption is that the facilities used for this activity will be returned to the Department.

Separate leases covering the facilities used for the manufacture and repair of the Royal Navy's boats and raiding craft, and for the wider facilities used to support and maintain the Royal Navy's warships, are due to expire in 2014. These activities will continue at the naval base and negotiations regarding extensions to the relevant leases are at an advanced stage.

Operational and security considerations will influence the extent to which the MOD can exploit unused parts of the naval base estate for commercial use, and we are looking at options to support employment-generating activity both in the dockyard and on adjoining MOD-owned land. This work is at an early stage and it would therefore be premature to comment on the options that might be available.

Stephen Allbutt

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for what reason his Department has not maintained the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt to a decent standard; [175574]

(2) if he will take steps to ensure that the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt is maintained to a decent standard; [175575]

(3) what maintenance his Department has conducted at the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt. [175576]

Anna Soubry: The Department is maintaining the grave of Corporal Stephen Allbutt. It was last inspected in May 2013 and will be inspected again in November 2013 as part of a routine inspection regime.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case. [174993]

Mr Dunne: The following table depicts the number of telephone lines with the prefixes 0845, 0844 and 0843 that the Ministry of Defence operates and sponsors through the Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service (DFTS) contract with British Telecom (BT). It is possible, albeit unlikely, that additional premium rate telephone lines are used outside of the DFTS contract, but this information is not held centrally. Alternative numbers are available for those numbers in the table and are charged at the BT peak residential rate. Costs from mobile phones would depend on the mobile package.

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Trident

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his oral answer of 4 November 2013, what the cost to his Department in (a) time, (b) staffing costs and (c) any other categories was of the Trident Alternatives Review. [174413]

Mr Philip Hammond (holding answer 7 November 2013): When the Trident Alternatives review was announced, it was decided that costs would lie where they fell, within existing budgets of all relevant Departments. The Ministry of Defence did not centrally record the costs relating to the review. A comprehensive response could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he expects his Department to spend on the D-5 missile life extension programme in each of the next 10 years. [175802]

Mr Dunne: Forecast and planned expenditure on the D5 missile life extension programme for the current and next two financial years (FY) are as follows:

Spending plans for FY 2016-17 and beyond have not yet been agreed and will be set as part of the Government's spending review process. Therefore, I am withholding details of the proposed spending beyond 2015-16 as to release this information would be likely to impact upon the formulation of Government policy.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to paragraph 78 of the report on unmanned arial vehicles of the UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-terrorism and Human Rights to the UN General Assembly published September 2013; what assessment he has made of the UK's compliance with that paragraph's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [R] [174485]

Mr Francois: We are aware of the UN Special Rapporteur's report published in September 2013 and are reviewing our practices against the position set out in paragraph 78. However, the UK already has strict procedures, updated in the light of experience, to minimise the risk of civilian casualties and to ensure that any use of unmanned aerial vehicles that may have resulted in civilian casualties is identified and effectively investigated.

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for Navy Command's development of the Marine Unmanned Air Systems Strategy Paper. [175702]

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Mr Francois: The Maritime Unmanned Air Systems Strategy Paper is expected to be endorsed by Navy Command by the end of December 2013.

Veterans: Teachers

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made with the Department for Education in developing the Troops to Teachers scheme. [175199]

Anna Soubry: Since the announcement of the Troops to Teachers programme in England in the Schools White Paper, published in November 2010 (CM 7980), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Department for Education have worked closely together to develop a coherent programme that service leavers are aware of, and can use to access teaching opportunities, with the wider aim of increasing the number of high-quality service leavers joining the teaching profession.

The new two-year, school-based Troops to Teachers programme for non-graduates, starting in January 2014, is being designed and developed together with a group of outstanding schools and initial teacher training providers, and with the MOD’s resettlement contractor, Career Transition Partnership. It uses a rigorous assessment, selection and recruitment process to identify those non-graduate service leavers with the potential to become outstanding teachers. This process also recognises the professional skills service leavers already have and provides training to make best use of and further develop them in schools. Good progress is currently being made in recruiting eligible service leavers for this scheme.

Graduate service leavers are able to apply for a place on the School Direct (Salaried) programme; this is an employment-based route into teaching for high quality graduates with three years or more career experience. If a school recruits and employs an eligible graduate service leaver, the school is entitled to a £2,000 incentive payment. We will be monitoring the performance of this graduate scheme over the coming months.

Naval Shipbuilding

Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from Scottish Government Ministers on the future of naval shipbuilding on the Clyde. [175238]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has received no representations from Scottish Government Ministers on the future of naval shipbuilding on the Clyde.

World War II: Military Decorations

Mr Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people have been awarded the Bomber Command clasp following a reconsideration of their initial application. [175577]

Anna Soubry: As at 12 November 2013, 280 people have been awarded the Bomber Command Clasp following a reconsideration of their initial application.

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Deputy Prime Minister

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Helen Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent in total on special advisers to his Department in each year since 2010. [175709]

The Deputy Prime Minister: Information about the costs of Special Advisers working in the Cabinet Office is published each year in the Annual Report and Accounts which are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts

Travel

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 658W, on travel, if he will publish a list of all occasions on which he has used military transport for domestic travel since taking office. [175397]

The Deputy Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 1 November 2013, Official Report, column 658W.

International Development

Afghanistan

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, how many fluent Pashto speakers her Department currently employs in Afghanistan; what the total annual cost to her Department is of such employees; and how many such fluent Pashto speakers are employed in the Helmand region of Afghanistan. [174939]

Justine Greening: DFID Afghanistan employs local staff and fluent Pashto speakers on all projects as appropriate.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, how many commercial flights currently run each week; when flight services began from the Bost airfield; and how many local businesses have used the airfield for commercial flights to date. [174940]

Justine Greening: The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original timeframe and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers' money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame.

The first landing of a commercial flight at Bost airfield was in June 2009. There are currently three commercial flights per week into Bost airfield. DFID does not hold information on the number of local businesses who have used these flight services.

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Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 268W, on Afghanistan, whether the airfield has been used to transport any freight from the local area to other regions of Afghanistan. [174941]

Justine Greening: The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original timeframe and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers' money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame.

The airfield is not used for freight transport.

Africa

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the programmes to which her Department has provided support in the last three years which have sought to improve and strengthen tax collection systems in African nations. [175285]

Lynne Featherstone: The following table lists active or recent DFID programmes which have been designed to strengthen tax collection systems in Africa. The table does not cover all DFID activity as some wider programmes not listed may include elements supporting tax systems. In addition, DFID has set up a Tax Capability Building Unit within HM Revenue and Customs to provide us with an in-house team of tax experts dedicated to working in developing countries with DFID teams. Detailed information on DFID's programmes can be found on the Development Tracker

http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/

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Cameroon: Central African Republic

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what assistance her Department is providing to people in refugee camps on the border between Cameroon and the Central African Republic; [174793]

(2) what recent reports she has received on the humanitarian situation in eastern Cameroon; and what assessment she has made of the potential threat presented by Seleka forces to the humanitarian effort in eastern Cameroon. [174794]

Lynne Featherstone: Since January 2013 approximately 5,000 Central Africans have sought refuge in neighbouring Cameroon, in addition to 85,000 people from the Central African Republic (CAR) that were already there. Over 200,000 people are displaced to CAR's neighbouring countries, including those newly displaced in 2013 and existing refugees.

The situation remains volatile in areas outside of the capital in CAR The UK is supporting the humanitarian effort by providing core contributions to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), who is providing support to over 90,000 refugees from CAR currently in eastern Cameroon. UNHCR is providing protection and essential services, income-generating activities targeting farmers, grazers, and small businesses and new school facilities are being constructed in existing refugee sites.

The most pressing needs for those affected by violence in CAR are inside the country where over 394,000 people are internally displaced. Through the UK's contribution of humanitarian aid to the ICRC, Solidarités International and Merlin, the UK is providing improved water and sanitation, healthcare, emergency nutrition, food, shelter and livelihoods support for thousands of people remaining in CAR. We are closely monitoring the humanitarian situation and the UK stands ready to provide further assistance.

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many direct employees and contracted workers of her Department and its arms lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts. [174981]

Mr Duncan: DFID and its arm’s lengths bodies do not pay any of their employees or directly contracted workers less than the “living wage” as defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

DFID does not have any employees on zero hours contracts.

Disaster Relief

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the UK's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake in 2010; how this assessment has influenced the UK's current humanitarian support to the Philippines; and if she will make a statement. [175736]

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Mr Duncan: Published in June 2011, the Government's response to Lord Ashdown's Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) made a series of commitments to improve and reinforce the UK response to humanitarian emergencies.

A number of lessons were learned from the UK's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake of 2010, including the importance of preventing and tackling infectious diseases in the period immediately following a disaster. This has directly influenced the Government's decision to deploy a team of 12 UK surgeons and medical staff to provide immediate life-saving assistance in response to the impact of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

All humanitarian emergencies are different in their characteristics, and the Government's reaction must reflect this. We have committed £50 million in humanitarian support to the Philippines and will keep this under review as the situation becomes clearer.

EU Law

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development into which EU Directives within her Department's areas of responsibility the Government have formally opted in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if she will make a statement. [175497]

Lynne Featherstone: There have been no EU directives concerning DFID since May 2010.

India

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will end aid to India following the recent launch of an Indian space mission to Mars. [174850]

Mr Duncan: In a written ministerial statement on 9 November 2012, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development informed the House that she would not approve any new financial grant to India. Our existing commitments will complete by 2015. After which aid assistance will only comply of technical assistance and loans to the private sector.

Qualifications

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people employed by her Department hold (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if she will make a statement. [175373]

Mr Duncan: At 30 September 2013 DFID employed four individuals with an undergraduate qualification and one individual with a master's qualification in computer science.

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St Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role her Department plays in meeting the cost of any budget overruns in the St Helena Air Access Project. [175033]

Mr Duncan: The contract for the airport construction is fixed price and is being delivered to plan. There have been no budget overruns.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 her Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case. [175001]

Mr Duncan: DFID uses one 0845 number for UK calls to the Public Enquiry Point. DFID does not record the number of calls made to the 0845 number and no alternative is offered.

DFID has no telephone lines with the prefix 0844 or 0843.

UNRWA

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether UK aid to UNRWA is used to fund UNRWA political lobbyists. [174929]

Mr Duncan: No. It does not.

House of Commons Commission

Qualifications

Mrs Moon: To ask the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross representing the House of Commons Commission, how many people employed by the House of Commons Commission hold a (a) bachelor's, (b) master's and (c) PhD-level degree in computer science; and if he will make a statement. [175372]

John Thurso: The House of Commons does not hold structured information about the degrees or higher degrees that Commons employees hold.

Westminster Hall

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what committees of the House are consulted before displays or exhibitions take place in Westminster Hall. [174846]

John Thurso: Control of Westminster Hall is vested jointly in the Lord Great Chamberlain, representing Her Majesty the Queen, and in the two Speakers on behalf of the two Houses. These three keyholders have joint authority for deciding on proposals for displays or exhibitions in Westminster Hall. Before making their

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decision, the keyholders normally seek the advice of the Exhibitions Advisory Group, a group of officials from both Houses of Parliament (bringing together public engagement and heritage expertise). The keyholders may consult other committees as they think appropriate in any case.

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Aberdeen North, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many written questions were tabled on each sitting day between 25 June 2009 and 30 October 2009. [175102]

John Thurso: The number of parliamentary questions tabled for written answer each sitting day between 25 June 2009 and 25 October 2009 is set out in the following table. In order to present a complete and accurate answer, non-sitting Fridays and recess periods have been included.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Biodiversity

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of necessary crop field margins under the Entry Level Stewardship Scheme on levels of biodiversity. [175195]

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George Eustice: DEFRA has funded a large number of studies assessing the potential effect of crop field margins on biodiversity under Entry Level Stewardship. The projects have included impacts on rare arable plants, pollinators and their food plants, small mammals and farmland birds. Final reports for these projects can be accessed on DEFRA's science web pages at:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/

Bovine Tuberculosis

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge, of 10 October 2013, Official Report, column 280 on bovine tuberculosis, on the basis of what evidence he stated that some of the badgers that have been shot have been desperately sick; and how many and what proportion of the badgers that have been shot to date have (a) undergone a post-mortem sufficient to test for TB infection and (b) been found to have advanced TB. [174928]

George Eustice: The Secretary of State's comments about sick badgers relate to the comments made to him by contractors and farmers during the culls.

A total of 155 badgers were subjected to post mortem examination during the pilot culls as part of the assessment of the humaneness of controlled shooting. Any outward signs of illness or poor condition were noted as part of the procedure. TB testing in culled badgers is not being undertaken as a routine procedure in these pilots as high levels of TB were confirmed in badgers in the regions in which the cull areas are located during the randomised badger cull trial (RBCT).

However, on a few occasions, testing has been carried out at the specific request of landowners when there has been concern that a culled badger appeared to have been in a poor state of health. As post-mortems and testing have not been completed, the numbers of badgers found to be carrying TB is not known at present. Moreover, conducting conclusive testing for TB in shot carcasses is highly challenging.

Dairy Farming: Dorset

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures his Department has put in place to help the dairy industry in Dorset; and if he will make a statement. [175352]

George Eustice: DEFRA continues to support the UK dairy industry's work in a number of key areas. We have given our full support to the dairy industry's Code of Best Practice for Contractual Relations. The Code already covers in excess of 85% of raw milk production in the UK and is helping to improve contractual relationships between farmers and milk buyers.

The Government are also providing £5 million worth of new funding under the Rural Economy Grant Scheme for high quality dairy projects which can help dairy farmers explore the potential in new markets through support for collaboration and marketing.

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DEFRA, in partnership with UKTI, has developed the Government's ‘Exports Action Plan' for driving export growth across all farming, food, and drink sectors. The dairy industry has also established the first “Dairy Exports Forum” which is fully supported by this Department.

Dairy Products: Imports

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions his Department has had with other EU member states and the European Commission regarding the draft Regulation amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 900/2008 to correct the anomalies in the test methodology for assessing the content of milk fat in whey protein as set out in article 2(3)b of that Regulation. [175100]

George Eustice: Imports of some processed agricultural products incur a duty based on the levels of milk fat and whey protein they contain. European Commission Regulation 900/2008 lays down the methods of analysis for determining these levels. The methods have been challenged by importers of high protein whey products who suggest that they are not reliable when applied to their particular products.

The Government are working with the European Commission to address the anomalies in the test method in Regulation 900/800 for high protein whey products where the analytical marker present from milk is used to measure milk fat levels and has been chemically modified during the production process. The Commission is looking to amend Regulation 900/08 to take account of these anomalies.

EU Law

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) to which EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government has formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement; [175492]

(2) what EU Directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement. [175513]

Dan Rogerson: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page. The website can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf

In the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington)’s written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

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Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do

The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol 21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to Title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Fires: Northumberland

Sir Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations were received by Ministers in his Department relating to the regulation by the Environment Agency of the storage of carpets at the former Thrunton brickworks, Northumberland; and whether any action was taken in response to such representations. [173495]

Dan Rogerson: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs received one representation about an application to the Environment Agency for end-of-waste status for combustible briquettes produced from a blend of waste carpet and wood. The Secretary of State replied advising that the appropriate process was for the operator to work with the Environment Agency and provide them with the information that had been requested.

Fisheries

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to support the UK fishing industry; and what assessment he has made of the effect of such measures on fishing boats operating from Poole. [175344]

George Eustice: We are committed to achieving an economically viable and sustainable long-term future for the fishing industry. We will seek to secure the best deal possible at the December Fisheries Council, which will provide the industry with fishing opportunities that are based on sound scientific advice. We are also working with industry to help them prepare for the landings obligation which will come into force in 2015 for pelagic species and 2016 for all other quota species. The fishermen of Poole will receive the same assistance as those operating in other regions.

Funding under the European Fisheries Fund is available to assist fishermen with a range of projects such as improving infrastructure and the industry in Poole is able to apply for this.

Frozen Rodents

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what classification of food are frozen rodents, when being imported into the UK. [175747]

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Nicky Morgan: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.

The Customs Tariff does not specifically mention frozen rodents. However, when imported, they would be classified in commodity code 0208 90 98 00 which is for 'Other meat and edible meat offal, fresh, chilled or frozen'.

Livestock

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the definition of livestock his Department and its agencies use. [175722]

George Eustice: DEFRA does not have an overarching definition of livestock. A general working definition applies to species that are commonly farmed for animal products (meat, eggs, milk, leather, wool, etc.), such as cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses and poultry. However, individual regulations may adopt different definitions depending on their purpose and origin.

Public Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) agencies, (b) non-department public bodies and (c) core services of his Department will be affected by the 10 per cent reduction to his Department's budget; and what assessment he has made of the potential effects on service delivery across his Department. [175603]

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA and its network bodies are reviewing all activities to ensure that resources are focussed on delivering our priorities and to realise the 10% savings required for 2015-16. Individual organisations' business plans will be published at the start of the 2014-15 financial year. These will show how services are to be delivered within the new financial boundaries.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, (b) 0844 and (c) 0843 his Department (i) operates and (ii) sponsors; how many calls each number has received in the last 12 months; and whether alternative numbers charged at the BT local rate are available in each case. [174997]

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA operates a single helpline using the prefix 0845. This number is delivered by Serco.

The DEFRA helpline received 52,258 calls between November 2012 and October 2013.

Core DEFRA offers an alternative number to international callers. The number is also available to BT users in the UK who may be charged at the local call rate.

Funding provided by DEFRA to third party organisations may be used towards funding or “sponsoring” helpline services but such information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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UN Convention On Biological Diversity

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department is taking to improve the equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources in accordance with the 2010 Nagoya Protocol. [175107]

George Eustice: The UK signed the Nagoya Protocol in 2011 and is committed to its early ratification.

DEFRA has been working to agree an EU Regulation which will implement elements of the Nagoya Protocol within the EU's competence. The regulation is currently in the final stages of negotiation between the Council, European Parliament and Commission. Once in force, the regulation is intended to allow the UK and other member states to ratify the Nagoya Protocol. DEFRA is also working to implement remaining elements of the Protocol that are currently expected to be addressed domestically.

In 2012 DEFRA contributed $0.5 million to the Nagoya Protocol Implementation Fund, which is designed to support developing countries that intend to ratify the Protocol by facilitating access and benefit sharing agreements with involvement of the private sector. DEFRA has since provided financial and technical support to a number of other international processes aimed at implementing the Nagoya Protocol internationally.

Water Charges

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that water bills remain affordable; and if he will make a statement. [175477]

Dan Rogerson: Water bills are capped by Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry, which undertakes a price review every five years. Ofwat has estimated that the next price review could significantly reduce pressure on bills from 2015 by between £120 million to £750 million a year. The Government have urged water companies to consider the impact on the customer when making decisions about future bills, and particularly to consider if they need to apply the full price increases allowed for in the 2009 price review next year. The Government are also encouraging water companies to introduce social tariffs for vulnerable consumers and reduce bad debt.

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels

Mrs McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to ensure that generating stations using biomass to generate electricity adhere to their forecast domestic wood use; and if he will make a statement. [175190]

Gregory Barker: We continue to monitor domestic wood use by biomass generating stations, both through their returns on actual use under the sustainability reporting requirements of the renewables obligation

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and through the forecasts large scale generators provide to the Department. We intend to publish the aggregated results of these each year:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246006/UK_wood_and_biomass.pdf

We assess the aggregated results of these forecasts and compare against the Department's previous biomass availability forecasts. The most recent set of wood use data supported the Department's initial wood use estimates (from the renewables obligation banding review) and were within our availability estimates (from the Bioenergy Strategy). The Department has no plans to ensure individual generating stations using biomass adhere to their individual forecast domestic wood use, which are by their very nature subject to change, and would involve practical implementation problems.

Sir Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) with reference to his Department's publication, Use of UK Biomass for Electricity and CHP, published on 2 October 2013, what assessment he has made of the data presented in that document; and if he will make a statement; [175601]

(2) what assessment he has made of the subsidised use of domestic virgin wood for biomass electricity generation; and if he will make a statement. [175605]

Michael Fallon: As part of the impact assessment to the Renewables Obligation Banding Review the Department assessed the amount of woody biomass, including domestic and imported, that is likely to be used for electricity generation up to 2017.

This year we have aggregated data provided to Ofgem under the Renewables Obligation biomass sustainability reporting requirements. We also asked all large scale electricity generators using biomass to provide the Department with an estimate of the amount of UK-sourced wood they expect to source over the coming five years. The results of these two analyses have now been published:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246006/UK_wood_and_biomass.pdf

These data support the Department's initial estimates of the amount of UK biomass that is expected to be used for electricity generation up to 2017 (of between 2.5 and 3.5 million oven dried tonnes (modt)). Use of UK biomass for electricity has remained stable over the 2009-12 period at between 2.3 and 2.5 modt (of which between 1.3 and 1.6 modt was wood).

Conditions of Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage; and how many direct employees are on zero hours contracts. [174976]

Gregory Barker: The Department has no staff who are paid less than the London or national living wage.

DECC has received assurances from its key suppliers that they have no workers currently in post earning less than the London or national living wage guidelines. The

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rates payable by DECC's key suppliers are in line with the GPS framework fees agreed centrally across the civil service.

DECC has not employed staff on zero hours contracts.

DECC is also signed into a larger Shared Services contract through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to provide facilities management (FM) and catering services. There are 21 staff working for the FM contractor and six working for the catering contractor who receive less than the London living wage and are based primarily in DECC buildings.

DECC's arm’s lengths bodies advised with regards to paying less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage and also with regards to direct employees employed on zero hours contracts that:

The Civil Nuclear Police Authority, (CNPA) do not have any employees earning below the living wage. The CNPA is responsible for their own staffing arrangements. They review their use of such contracts regularly. Currently the CNPA have one FTE zero hours contract in effect. The zero hours contract is a long standing flexible arrangement (beginning under UKAEAC and therefore prior to 2004).

The Coal Authority (CA) have no employees on zero hours contracts or who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) confirmed that no workers are paid less than the living wage and they do not retain employees on zero hours contracts.

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) confirmed that no workers are paid less than the living wage and they do not retain employees on zero hours contracts.

Energy

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many consumers switched energy supplier in each quarter of the last 10 years for which data are available. [175862]

Michael Fallon: Data on consumer switches for both electricity and gas are available in Table 2.7.1 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) and can be found on the DECC website. Data are available for all quarters from 2003 Quarter 1 to 2013 Quarter 2.

Energy Ombudsman

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how many complaints to the energy ombudsman (a) were upheld, (b) were rejected, (c) resulted in financial award, (d) resulted in apology or explanation and (e) resulted in other practical action in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13 and (iv) 2013-14; [175864]

(2) how many complaints were made to the energy ombudsman in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date. [175865]

Michael Fallon: The Ombudsman Service publishes data on energy complaints in their annual energy reports. In 2010-11, the ombudsman investigated 5,812 complaints, of which 69% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, such as an apology or explanation, 26% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 5% did not require further action.

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In 2011-12, the ombudsman investigated 6,608 complaints, of which 71% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, 3% resulted in a financial award only, 21% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 5% did not require further action.

In 2012-13, the ombudsman investigated 8,768 complaints, of which 61% resulted in both a financial award and a non-financial remedy, 10% resulted in a financial award only, 22% resulted in a non-financial remedy and 7% did not require further action.

Data for 2013-14 are not available.

Energy: Billing

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what change in energy bills for households in (a) North West Norfolk constituency, (b) Norfolk and (c) London there has been in each of the last five years. [175409]

Michael Fallon: The change in energy bills in each of the last five years is shown as follows. The North West Norfolk constituency and the county of Norfolk are both within the Eastern Public Electricity Supply (PES) electricity supply region and the Eastern Local Distribution Zone (LDZ) gas supply area, with the same prices charged throughout this region.

Data are only available on a consistent basis from 2008. This data is taken by combining annual bill estimates for electricity and gas from Tables 2.2.3 and 2.3.3 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP), assuming an annual consumption of 3,300 kWh for electricity and 18,000 kWh for gas. Provisional annual bill estimates for 2013 will be published in December's edition of QEP on 19 December 2013.

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount of customer credit held by (a) British Gas, (b) EDF Energy, (c) E.ON, (d) nPower, (e) Scottish Power and (f) SSE. [175410]

Michael Fallon: The Department is in discussions with suppliers to develop a clearer picture of the amounts involved. The Government are working with industry, consumer groups and Ofgem to agree a common approach to consumer credit that ensures that consumers are not disadvantaged if they pay by direct debit.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of average debt levels of customers in debt to their energy supplier for (a) electricity and (b) gas in (i) 2011, (ii) 2012 and (iii) 2013. [175866]

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Michael Fallon: Ofgem monitors and publishes information in its Social Obligations Annual Reports about the average level of debt that domestic customers owe for their gas and electricity supplies.

In 2011, the average level of debt held by domestic customers at the end of the year was £357 for electricity and £371 for gas. During 2012 Ofgem changed the way it collected information about average debt from suppliers. The changes have led to data showing the average level of debt for customers who had agreed a repayment arrangement and for those who had not. The average level of debt held by domestic customers who had agreed a repayment arrangement the end of 2012 was £304 for electricity and £313 for gas. The average level of debt held by domestic customers who had not yet agreed a repayment arrangement the end of 2012 was £439 for electricity and £443 for gas. Data for 2013 are not available.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of energy consumers who pay their domestic energy supplies by (a) direct debit, (b) standard credit and (c) pre-payment meter. [175881]

Michael Fallon: Data on methods of payment for domestic energy consumers are published in Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) available on the DECC website. The latest edition, published in September 2013, provides data for quarter 2 of 2013. Percentage of customers paying by each payment type can be found in the following table:

Energy: Disconnections

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of domestic customers disconnected by their energy supplier in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013. [175870]

Michael Fallon: Ofgem monitors and publishes information about disconnections of domestic electricity supplies in its Domestic Supplies' Obligations Annual Reports:

http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Sustainability/SocAction/Monitoring/SoObMonitor/Pages/SocObMonitor.aspx

In 2011, 921 domestic electricity and 331 gas customer supplies were disconnected due to debt. In 2012, 453 domestic electricity and 104 gas customer supplies were disconnected due to debt. Data for 2013 are not available.

Energy: Meters

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households using pre-payment electricity meters in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last five years. [175921]

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Michael Fallon: Data are available only at regional level. The table provides the percentage of customers who pay by pre-payment for the whole of the North West Public Electricity Supply (PES) region, which includes the Barrow and Furness constituency.

This data is taken from Table 2.4.2 of DECC's publication Quarterly Energy Prices (QEP) and can be found on the DECC website. The latest edition of QEP, published in September 2013, provides data for quarter 2 of 2013.

EU Law

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to which EU directives within his Department's areas of responsibility the Government have formally opted into in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive was signed; and if he will make a statement. [175491]

Gregory Barker: Details of all EU directives that the UK has opted into pursuant to protocol 21 to the treaties on the functioning of the European Union since May 2010 are listed on the Government's JHA opt-in web page.

The website can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206297/2_JHA_opt-in_webpage_update_-_data_v0_1.pdf

In the written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011, Official Report, columns 51-52WS, of the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of JHA measures, in particular to make written statements to Parliament on each opt-in decision and to set aside Government time for debates in both Houses in circumstances where there is particularly strong parliamentary interest in an opt-in decision.

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what EU directives within his Department's areas of responsibility have come into force without the need for an opt-in decision in each financial year since May 2010; on what dates each such directive came into force; and if he will make a statement. [175512]

Gregory Barker: Details of all EU legislation, including full details of all EU directives that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission's website:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/RECH_legislation.do

The Government's position is that the UK's Justice and Home Affairs opt-in applies to all measures adopted pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, as set out in protocol

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21 to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union. It follows that the opt-in does not apply to measures adopted that are not pursuant to title V of part three of the treaty on the functioning of the European Union.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to pages 14-15 of the report Review of the Potential Public Health Impacts of Exposures to Chemical and Radioactive Pollutants as a result of Shale Gas Extraction, published by Public Health England on 31 October 2013, what assessment he has made of the hazards to human health of radon in the methane gas streams obtained by the hydraulic fracturing of shale which is delivered to homes within less than 3.8 days of extraction. [175077]

Michael Fallon: Public Health England (PHE) has identified that radon may be present in natural gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing of shale reserves, as is the case for natural gas derived from some other sources, see:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/shale-gas-extraction-emissions-are-a-low-risk-to-public-health

Radon in domestic gas supply has been assessed previously for its radiological significance in relation to natural gas from the North Sea and it leads to domestic gas customers receiving very small radiation exposures, compared with other naturally occurring radiation. Measurements from the USA of radon in shale gas methane suggest that the concentrations are similar to those found in natural gas from other sources, and that radiation exposure to domestic gas users from this source will also be very low.

PHE anticipates a low risk to public health from direct releases of radioactive material if shale gas extraction is properly operated and regulated.

PHE has recommended that it will be appropriate to determine the initial radon concentrations in natural gas from shale sources in the UK.

PHE has further recommended that the existing radiological assessment, of radon in natural gas, should be reviewed using measurements of radon in UK shale gas together with assessment parameters that reflect the processing and transport network that will apply to UK shale gas methane.

The Government are considering PHE's recommendations and will respond in due course.

Fuel Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of people were living in fuel poverty in each of the last three years. [174489]

Gregory Barker: DECC has recently announced the intention to adopt the new Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator to measure fuel poverty, based on the recommendations from Professor Hills' independent review.

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The following table shows the number and proportion of fuel poor households in England under this new measure: