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| 2013 | |||||||
| LA Code | Total pupils | Pupils with statements of SEN | %3 | Percentage point difference between 2009 and 2013 | Percentage point difference between 2010 and 2013 | ||
| 1 Includes maintained and direct grant nursery schools, maintained primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges, university technology colleges, studio schools, primary and secondary academies including free schools, special schools, special academies including free schools, pupil referral units, alternative provision academies including free schools and independent schools. 2 Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. 3 Expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in all schools. 4 National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest five. There may be discrepancies between totals and the sum of constituent parts. Source: School Census | |||||||
Teachers: Training
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will release any unfilled initial teacher training places to the National College for Teaching and Leadership for redistribution to providers with excess demand at the end of the 2014 school summer term. [175777]
Mr Laws: The number of places allocated is not a target and should not be regarded as one. This year, as we do every year, we have over-allocated initial teacher training (ITT) places above the number of required trainees estimated by the Teacher Supply Model. This helps us to ensure we train enough teachers, taking account of the likely level of recruitment in each subject.
If lead schools or ITT providers do not recruit to allocation there will not necessarily be a shortage of teachers and it is therefore unlikely that a redistribution of places will be required, even if places are unfilled at the end of the 2014 school summer term.
Lead schools and universities will make use of local relationships to refer applicants to each other. This is preferable to a bureaucratic, centrally-administered process.
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to ensure that the final allocation of initial teacher training places provides an adequate number of places in each subject in each region. [175778]
Mr Laws:
Regional impact was considered in the allocation process for initial teacher training places.
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Recruitment across regions and subjects is monitored throughout the recruitment cycle, and informs the activities of the National College for Teaching and Leadership.
We expect the growth of the demand-driven School Direct programme to promote a closer match between the location of trainee places and where newly-qualified teachers are needed.
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the provisional allocation of initial teacher training places by subject for each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) region. [175779]
Mr Laws: The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has written to lead schools and initial teacher training (ITT) providers (school-centred ITTs and higher education institutions) to inform them of their ITT allocations. These provisional allocations will not be published as we are waiting for institutions to confirm the number of places they want in the coming weeks. NCTL will publish a full list of the places allocated by lead school and ITT provider before the end of the month, once schools and providers have had a chance to respond to our proposed allocations.
The publication of allocations will include a breakdown of allocations by subject for each region, but not by parliamentary constituency. I will write to the hon. Member with the information for each parliamentary constituency once allocations are published.
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many initial teacher training places were bid for by (a) all universities bidding and (b) universities rated by Ofsted for initial teacher education as (i) outstanding and (ii) good. [175780]
Mr Laws: The National College for Teaching and Leadership will publish a full list of the places allocated by lead school and initial teacher training provider before the end of November. This information will be included as part of the allocation data.
Treasury
Car Tax
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much Vehicle Excise Duty has been raised by vehicle in each taxation category in each of the last five years. [173418]
Nicky Morgan [holding answer 1 November 2013]: The Government do not publish a breakdown of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) revenue by vehicle in each tax category other than revenue at an aggregate level for which I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer he received on 29 October 2013, Official Report, column 384W.
Charities Act 2006
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports his Department has laid before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13. [172950]
Nicky Morgan: HMT has not laid any reports before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.
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Defence: Scotland
Dr Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effects of defence spending on the economy of Scotland. [175165]
Danny Alexander: Defence is organised, resourced and managed on a UK basis to provide high levels of protection and security for all parts of the UK and its citizens at home and abroad. Decisions on spending are based on meeting defence requirements and ensuring value for money.
As part of the UK, Scotland benefits from billions of pounds of MOD contracts placed directly and indirectly with hundreds of companies, which sustain thousands of skilled jobs.
The Treasury does not produce estimates of defence expenditure in the nations and regions or assessments of its economic impact.
Energy
Jason McCartney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12. [173069]
Nicky Morgan: Information in relation to gas and electricity spend is available with the Department's Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13.
Page 49 table 3.R provides details on spend and CO2 emissions for the Department.
EU Institutions
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [173772]
Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury Ministers make a number of visits during the year to European institutions in Brussels, including the European Commission and European Parliament, as a matter of course for Treasury business.
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) 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; [175502]
(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. [175523]
Nicky Morgan: 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/206297/2JHA_opt-in webpage_update_-_data_v0_1 .pdf
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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
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.
Housing: Prices
Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on implementing a house price growth cap of five per cent annually. [171652]
Kris Hopkins: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
We have no plans to introduce a house price cap. More broadly, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 7 November 2013, Official Report, House of Lords, column 70WA, on what the Government are doing to increase housing supply and ensure financial stability.
Mortgages: Warrington
Helen Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applicants in each group have applied for the Help to Buy scheme in Warrington North constituency. [175703]
Sajid Javid: The Government are committed to making the aspiration of home ownership a reality for as many households as possible. The Government want current and future generations to experience the benefits of owning their own home, in the same way their parents were able to. Since the financial crisis, larger deposit requirements and falling equity values mean many credit-worthy households cannot get a mortgage, or are trapped in their existing homes unable to take the next steps.
On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the Scheme and originate mortgages that will be eligible for the scheme when it opens in January.
The Government have worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the Scheme. Details of the applications received by the banks can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-buy-puts-new-generation-of-home-owners-on-housing-ladder
Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.
New Towns
Nadine Dorries: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent discussions he has had on the potential construction of a new town within the boundaries of the Mid Bedfordshire constituency; [175712]
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(2) what his policy is on promoting economic growth by building an entirely new town in the south east of England. [175714]
Danny Alexander: The Government do not currently have any plans to construct a new town.
Pay: Wales
Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the living wage. [175097]
Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials receive a wide variety of representations from organisations in the public and private sectors.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm
The Government support businesses that choose to pay a living wage where it is affordable. However, decisions on what wages to set, above the national minimum wage, are for employers and workers.
Poverty: Children
Stephen Doughty: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to publish forecasts of child poverty during the present Parliament. [175111]
Nicky Morgan [holding answer 11 November 2013]: The Government do not forecast the number of children in poverty. However the Government want to develop better measures of child poverty which include, but go beyond income to provide a more accurate picture of the reality of child poverty.
Press: Subscriptions
Michael Dugher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications his private ministerial office subscribes to on a (a) daily, (b) weekly, (c) monthly and (d) quarterly basis. [168708]
Nicky Morgan: Under this Government the Department has reduced spending on newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications by 73% compared to the final year of the previous Administration—a fall of £139,003:
| Spend (£) | |
The following list gives the newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications subscribed to by the private ministerial office of the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the frequency of those subscriptions:
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Financial Times
The Independent
The Guardian
Daily Mail
Daily Express
Daily Mirror
The Sun
The Times
Daily Telegraph
International Herald Tribune
Private Eye
Economist
New Statesman
The Spectator
None
None
Sunday Times
The Observer
Sunday Telegraph
Independent on Sunday
Mail on Sunday
Sunday Express
Sunday Mirror
Daily Star
Qualifications
Mrs Moon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [175378]
Nicky Morgan: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Recruitment
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new staff his Department has employed under (a) fixed-term contracts and (b) short-term contracts since May 2010. [174468]
Nicky Morgan: The Treasury has employed a total number of 206 new staff under fixed-term contracts since 1 May 2010. The Department does not employ people under short-term contracts outside of fixed-term contracts.
Science: Research
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the longer length of the investment cycle in the life sciences on measuring the economic effect of the Life Science Investment Organisation; and if he will make a statement. [175766]
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Nicky Morgan: There is no assessment of the effect of the longer length of the investment cycle in the life sciences on measuring the economic effect of the Life Science Investment Organisation (LSIO). UKTI will determine how to measure the economic effect of LSIO once it has a track record to evaluate.
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on how best to measure the (a) amount of foreign direct investment and (b) number of jobs generated by (i) UKTI and (ii) the Life Science Investment Organisation. [175767]
Nicky Morgan: Treasury officials have regular discussions with UKTI on its performance, and on a wide variety of topics, as part of the process and policy development.
The measurement of foreign direct investment is undertaken by the Office for National Statistics using an established method based on international standards. UKTI collects its own information on the inward investment projects that it is involved with, which includes information on jobs. This is explained on page 81 of UKTI's annual report and accounts 2012-13.
Taxation: Republic of Ireland
Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the net effect on revenue collected by HM Revenue and Customs of taxation agreements between the UK and Ireland. [174700]
Nicky Morgan: Given the long time-scales, complex and shifting interactions with domestic law, large and unpredictable behavioural effects and the lack of a sensible comparator, it is not possible to produce meaningful estimates of the revenue effects of double taxation agreements and successive Governments have never attempted it.
UK Membership of EU
Mr Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement. [173751]
Nicky Morgan: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W, to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds). The Department has not made any plans for the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Unemployment: Young People
Mr McKenzie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effect of fiscal policy on the level of youth unemployment. [175756]
Danny Alexander [holding answer 18 November 2013]:The UK labour market is showing some signs of recovery. Youth unemployment excluding those in full-time education fell on the quarter, while the number of young people claiming JSA is lower now than it was in 2010.
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This Government are committed to supporting long-term unemployed young people, which is why we launched the Youth Contract in April 2012. This will help half a million young people into employment.
Visits Abroad
Chris Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many overseas trips, and at what total cost, his 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. [174859]
Nicky Morgan [holding answer 11 November 2013]: Information on overseas travel and its associated costs is not readily available within our accounting system in the format requested; to attempt to extract this information would be of disproportionate cost.
However details relating to spend on overseas air travel since 2008 are provided as follows.
| £ | |
Under this Government the Department has reduced spending on overseas air travel by 19% compared to the final year of the previous Administration.
Additionally there are two publications which are published as part of the Government's commitment to transparency which contain information on travel and subsistence for senior officials and Ministers.
These can be found on the Gov.uk website following the links shown:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/senior-officials-expenses
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many debts arising from overpayment of tax credits were transferred to debt collection agencies in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England in each month in each of the last five years. [175557]
Nicky Morgan: This information is not available centrally, and could be researched only at disproportionate cost.
Energy and Climate Change
Climate Change Levy
Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 31 October 2013, Official Report, columns 568-70W, on climate change levy, what proportion of the £8,054 million levy control framework allowance available to new entrants between 2015 and 2021 he estimates will be available in each year between 2015 and 2021, in 2011-12 prices. [175679]
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Michael Fallon: Our current estimate of expenditure on feed-in tariffs (FITs) for 2012-13 is around £477 million, in 2011-12 prices. Final figures for 2012-13 will be published in December 2013. Our current estimate of expenditure under the renewables obligation (RO) for 2014-15 is £2,796 million, in 2011-12 prices. These figures are our best estimates of the committed expenditure under the LCF for 2015 onwards.
The Levy Control Framework profile rises from £4.3 billion in 2015-16 to £7.6 billion in 2020-21.
The following table shows the proportions of total expenditure under the LCF that are therefore remaining for new entrants under FITs (from 2013-14 onwards), the RO (from 2015-16 onwards), contracts for difference (CfDs) and final investment decision enabling for renewables (FIDeR).
These are our best estimates of expenditure that is already committed, based on projects we expect to be supported under FITs in 2012-13, and under the RO in 2014-15. 2014-15 expenditure for the RO is committed, because we have set the renewables obligation on electricity suppliers for that year. If more (or less) capacity comes forward under either scheme, then in future years the total committed expenditure will be more (or less) than set out in the following table.
| 2011-12 prices | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 |
The figures will be a slight underestimate of committed expenditure, because projects coming on line in 2012-13 for FITs and 2014-15 for the RO will not receive a full year of support, reflecting that they are only generating for part of the year. Projects will receive a full year of support from 2013-14 for FITs and 2015-16 for the RO. Therefore, the estimated total support committed under each scheme will be slightly higher than the figures given here.
Energy: Billing
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the number of energy customers who choose to pay for energy online. [175880]
Michael Fallon: Data on customer numbers by tariff are supplied to DECC by the main energy suppliers. DECC estimates that around 19% of both electricity and gas customers are on online tariffs.
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Energy: Hampshire
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what change in energy bills for households in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) Hampshire there has been in each of the last five years. [175733]
Michael Fallon: The change in energy bills in each of the last five years is shown in the table. The Portsmouth South constituency and the county of Hampshire are both within the Southern Public Electricity Supply (PES) electricity supply region and the Southern Gas Local Distribution Zone (LDZ) gas supply area, with the same prices charged throughout this region.
| Average annual energy bill in southern region (£) | Change from previous year (£) | |
These data are 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.
Hinkley Point C Power Station
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish details of the due diligence test being applied by Infrastructure UK to the proposals put forward by EDF Energy to qualify the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project for financial guarantees. [175763]
Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury.
For projects to be considered for prequalification under the UK Guarantees scheme they must provide commercially sensitive information. This information cannot be published as non-disclosure agreements have been signed with all prequalified projects, as is normal practice in project financing.
Housing: Insulation
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many installations of (a) loft insulation, (b) cavity wall insulation and (c) solid wall insulation there were between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013. [175871]
Gregory Barker: The number of retro-fit installations of cavity wall, loft and solid wall insulation through Government schemes between 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013 are as follows:
cavity wall insulation: 340,000;
loft insulation: 870,000;
solid wall insulation: 65,000.
Source:
Estimates of homes insulation levels in Great Britain:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/estimates-of-home-insulation-levels-in-great-britain
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Radioactive Waste
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the percentage incremental increase in (a) radioactivity and (b) volume of radioactive waste earmarked for a national geological disposal facility if 16GW of new nuclear generating capacity is added in the nuclear new build programme; and if he will set out the basis for the calculation in each case. [175076]
Michael Fallon: The Government's most recent estimates of the impact of radioactive waste from a nuclear new build programme on the geological disposal facility (GDF) were prepared as an input into the preparation of the waste transfer contract for Hinkley Point C. This information will be made public when the contract is finalised.
The UK Government and devolved Administrations for Wales and Northern Ireland published a White Paper in June 2008 outlining a framework for the implementation of geological disposal of higher activity wastes (HAW) in the UK.
The MRWS White Paper provides an estimate of HAW—the ‘Baseline Inventory’. The Baseline Inventory is based on the quantities of radioactive wastes and materials reported in the 2007 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory (RWI).
Since publication of the White Paper, there have been a number of changes which have impacted on the Baseline Inventory. In 2010, the RWI was updated, available at:
http://www.nda.gov.uk/ukinventory/
which led to a reappraisal of the Baseline Inventory and development of a complementary Upper Inventory based on a number of scenarios designed to describe how the Baseline Inventory could evolve (including ILW and spent fuel from 10GW(e) new build reactors, operating for 60 years). The new build contribution to the Upper Inventory is estimated at an additional 25,000 m3 intermediate level radioactive waste (ILW), and 20,000 m3 Spent Fuel, see:
http://www.nda.gov.uk/documents/upload/An-explanation-of-the-differences-between-the-2007-derived-inventory-and-equivalent-wastes-and-materials-in-the-2010-UK-Radioactive-Waste-Inventory.pdf
Estimates of the radioactivity of waste from new nuclear power stations were made as part of the regulators' Generic Design Assessment process. We do not currently have figures comparing the radioactivity of new build waste with legacy waste, although qualitative arguments would suggest the activity per GW(e) will be less than existing reactors.
Updated figures are expected to be included in the 2013 Radioactive Waste Inventory, which we expect to publish in January 2014.
Secondment
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many private sector employees have been seconded by the private sector to his Department; what the name was of the company from which they were seconded; and whether any of those employees have worked on drafting legislation. [175650]
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Gregory Barker: Since October 2008, our central electronic records show that a total of 66 private sector employees have been seconded to the Department of Energy and Climate Change. The following table indicates the companies involved and how many people have been seconded from each company.
| Company | Number of secondees |
Our central records do not capture if a secondee was involved in assisting with the drafting of legislation. Current business managers have been asked and have been able to confirm that 13 secondees have had limited input in drafting aspects of primary and secondary legislation. The following table details which companies these secondees have come from.
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| Company | Number of secondees |
Communities and Local Government
EU Law
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [175487]
Brandon Lewis: 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 Justice and Home Affairs 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, by the Minister for Europe, the right hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), the Government committed to a number of measures to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of Justice and Home Affairs 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 Communities and Local Government 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. [175508]
Brandon Lewis: 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.
Housing: Construction
Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of new homes built in (a) Dorset and (b) England since May 2010. [175311]
Kris Hopkins: Statistics on house building completions by tenure in each local authority district, Dorset and England are published in the Department's live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link.
http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of new homes built in (a) Hampshire and (b) England since May 2010. [175641]
Kris Hopkins: Statistics on house building completions by tenure in each local authority district, Hampshire and England are published in the Department's live tables 253 (annual) and 253a (quarterly), which are available at the following link.
http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building
Mortgages: Government Assistance
Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people who have used the Government's Help to Buy scheme in (a) Portsmouth South constituency, (b) Hampshire and (c) England to date. [175596]
Kris Hopkins: The Help to Buy equity loan scheme is a demand led scheme, which we anticipate will help up to 74,000 households into home ownership with investment of over £3.7 billion over the next three years. The Scheme is proving extremely popular and in the first six months alone has helped over 15,000 households reserve a newly built home.
Publication of Help to Buy: equity loan sales data is governed by the UK Statistics Authority's Code of Practice for Official Statistics. My Department will be publishing data on sales in accordance with the code of practice on 21 November.
On 8 October, the Government published the scheme rules for the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme. Lenders are now able to sign up to the Scheme and offer mortgages that will be eligible for the Scheme when it opens in January.
The Government have worked with participating banks to collect data on the first month of the Scheme. A summary of the applications received by the banks can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-to-buy-puts-new-generation-of-home-owners-on-housing-ladder
At present, local authority level data are not available.
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Once the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme opens in January, the Government will collect more detailed data on mortgages covered by the guarantee, and will report in due course.
Work and Pensions
Conditions of Employment
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many direct employees and contracted workers of his Department and its arm's lengths bodies are paid less than the living wage; and how many direct employees of his Department are on zero hours contracts. [174908]
Mike Penning: The Department, all of its arm's length bodies and all of its contractors comply with the National Minimum Wage. This statutory minimum is set by the Government at a rate judged to provide the right balance between employee's earnings, the cost of their employment to employers, and also the level of employment in the UK, which is now at record levels. With significant pressure on public expenditure the Government's scope to go further is constrained. Nonetheless all of our London based staff continue to be paid more than the London Living Wage.
All of our staff outside of London are paid above the National Minimum Wage. However 229 members of staff in DWP and 57 in arm's length bodies now earn below the new National Living Wage, the majority falling below the new hourly rate by 1p.
We will continue to take Living Wage rates into account when considering our remit for the 2014-15 pay award.
I can confirm that no people are employed by the Department for Work and Pensions on a zero-hour contract.
Public Expenditure
Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what social impact bonds his Department has commissioned or co-funded to date; and how he is ensuring that information from such commissioning or co-funding is disseminated across his Department. [175919]
Esther McVey: To date, the Department's Youth Unemployment Innovation Fund has commissioned 10 Social Impact Bonds providing support to young people who are disadvantaged or at risk of disadvantage. Information on these Social Impact Bonds can be seen on the website:
http://data.gov.uk/sib_knowledge_box/department-work-and-pensions-innovation-fund
The emerging knowledge and best practice attained through the commissioning of these Social Impact Bonds is regularly shared across the Department, with other Government Departments and with interested external organisations looking to use such social investment approaches to help those experiencing disadvantage. For example, the lessons learned have been fed into the current review of the Department's Commissioning Strategy and is one of the case studies highlighted on the Centre for Social Impact Bonds website:
https://www.gov.uk/social-impact-bonds
The Innovation Fund will also be subject to a comprehensive and independent evaluation, which will be made publicly available.
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Qualifications
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [175380]
Mike Penning: The facility to record educational qualifications on the Department's personnel system is available to DWP employees on a voluntary basis. However, the system does not support recording qualifications at the level of detail requested therefore the information cannot be supplied.
Women and Equalities
Females: Executives
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent representations she has received on the number of women on the boards of FTSE 100 companies. [175386]
Jo Swinson: The Government support Lord Davies' voluntary business-led approach for increasing the number of women in UK boardrooms and good progress is being made. Women now account for 19% of board members in our FTSE 100 companies up from 12.5% in February 2011.
Ensuring women can fulfil their potential in the workplace is a key priority. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), and I have hosted a number of sector based roundtables for the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 to listen to the challenges they face. The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the right hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), recently hosted a high level breakfast summit at Number 11 with the Chancellor and CEOs from the FTSE 250 and other key stakeholders to discuss how progress can be made to develop the pipeline of talent for executive roles and encourage further action.
Justice
Crimes of Violence: Victim Support Schemes
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the support services available to witnesses of violent crime. [172519]
Damian Green: As part of its Transforming the CJS strategy and action plan (June 2013), the Ministry of Justice has committed to improving the consistency and take-up of special measures for vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, including witnesses to violent crime, to improve witness engagement with the criminal justice system. Some of the special measures include giving evidence behind a screen in court or from outside the courtroom via live video link, or in private in cases where the witness might be intimidated in court.
The Ministry is reviewing the Witness Charter, a document that lays out the standards of care that all witnesses can expect to receive from service providers. Witnesses to serious crimes can expect to receive additional
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services, such as regular police updates and fixed dates for trials. Last month we also launched a new United Kingdom Protected Person Service to provide a better coordinated and accountable service for protected persons, including witnesses, where there is a risk to life.
EU Institutions
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [173768]
Mr Vara: The Minister of State for Justice, Lord McNally, visited both the European Commission and the European Parliament in a visit to Brussels on 18-19 September 2012. He also visited the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 21-23 May of this year.
The Secretary of State for Justice has attended the Justice and Home Affairs Council, where members of the European Commission and European Parliament have been present.
Details of JHA Council meetings attended by the Secretary of State for Justice can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports
Quarters from September 2013 will be published in due course.
EU Justice and Home Affairs
Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether Council Framework Decision 2001/413/JHA has required any alteration to law or practice in the UK; [170802]
(2) whether the UK complies with all the requirements of Council Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA, as amended; and whether the Government intend to maintain the laws implementing these requirements once the Framework Decision ceases to bind the UK. [170803]
Damian Green: No alteration to law or practice in the UK has been required as a result of Council Framework Decision 2001/413/JHA. Long before this Framework Decision, the UK had robust laws in this respect.
The Government consider that existing domestic law meets the requirements of the Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA, as amended, and provides the appropriate domestic sanctions for forgery and counterfeiting. It is important that we maintain legislation to deal with this significant criminal activity.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the possible financial implications of opting out of each of the police and criminal justice measures in the third pillar of the EU treaties; and if he will make a statement. [173633]
Damian Green:
On 9 July 2013, Official Report, columns 177-180, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), announced to Parliament that the Government intended to exercise the UK's opt-out under the Lisbon Treaty and seek to rejoin a package of 35 police and criminal justice measures which are in the UK's national
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interest. Following debates and votes in both Houses of Parliament the Prime Minister wrote to the President of the Council of Ministers on 24 July to provide formal notification that the Government have decided to exercise their right, provided for by Article 10(4) of Protocol 36 to the Treaties, to opt out of all pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures.
The Government have committed to providing Parliament with an Impact Assessment on the final list of measures that the UK will apply to rejoin. This will be done in good time ahead of the second vote on this matter and contain all relevant information.
European Commission
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement. [173788]
Damian Green: The current Permanent Secretary, Dame Ursula Brennan DCB, visited the European Commission once in July 2013, as one of a number of Permanent Secretaries and delegations from Government Departments. The previous MOJ Permanent Secretary, Sir Suma Chakrabarti KCB, had not visited the European Commission between 2010 and leaving office in 2012.
We have interpreted the four next most senior civil servants to be the longest serving MOJ directors general, and can confirm that none has visited the European Commission in the periods covered.
Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions his Department has had with organisations which provide care to victims of trafficking about how they can contribute to formulation of any new legislation on modern slavery. [174444]
Damian Green: The Ministry of Justice is responsible for managing a contract, currently run by the Salvation Army, to co-ordinate and manage the provision of support and assistance to adult victims of human trafficking.
The Department has encouraged the Salvation Army and it sub-contractors to contribute to the evidence sessions, being led by the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr Field) on the development of the Modern Slavery Bill.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) which organisations which currently provide services under contract to his Department to provide care for victims of trafficking have been contacted by officials in his Department in the last quarter; [174926]
(2) whether organisations which currently provide services under contract to his Department to provide care for victims of trafficking have been instructed or advised by officials in his Department not to comment on the policies and practice of his Department. [174927]
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Damian Green: Ministry of Justice officials are in regular contact with the Salvation Army—which holds the Government contract to support both male and female victims of human trafficking—to co-ordinate and monitor the provision of support and assistance to adult victims of human trafficking.
The contract is aimed at helping some of the most vulnerable people in society, and protecting their safety and security is our primary concern.
Given the sensitive nature of the contract, the Salvation Army and the Ministry of Justice have a standard agreement in place to inform each other if and when they intend to carry out any publicity around the functioning of the contract. This does not affect the Salvation Army's ability to comment on wider Departmental policy in any way.
MOJ and Home Office provided £3 million last year to support victims of human trafficking to recover and move on with their lives. Since July 2011 the Government contract has allowed the Salvation Army to support almost 1,000 victims from over 43 different countries.
Judges: County Courts
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 30 November 2012, Official Report, column 543W, on judges: county courts, what the identity of each county court was in relation to each judge in respect of which any direction was provided authorising the judge to sit pursuant to section 5(3) of the County Courts Act 1984 between 1 January 2007 and 1 November 2013. [175116]
Mr Vara: The details for the judges listed in the answer of 30 November 2012 are provided in the following table; this table provides details of those courts the judges were initially authorised to sit. In accordance with the provisions of s.5(3) of the County Courts Act 1984, as amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (CC&A), all High Court Judges are automatically authorised to sit in the county court. Prior to the implementation of the CC&A the Lord Chancellor was consulted by the Lord Chief Justice in February 2013 and he agreed that all High Court Judges should be authorised to sit in the county court pending Royal Assent being given to the CC&A.
| Names of those approved and year authorisation granted | Court |
|
All County Courts to enable a case with civil jurisdiction to be heard in the Chancery Division | |
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Ministerial Policy Advisers
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department. [174059]
Mr Vara: The special advisers receive direct support from one member of staff at Band D level. This member of staff provides administrative support and manages the special advisers’ diaries, in addition to carrying out other duties in the Justice Secretary's private office.
Prisons: Vandalism
Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the current annual cost of damage to prison property by inmates; and if he will make a statement. [175440]
Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service's central accounting system does not capture the costs of damage to prison property caused by prisoners. To obtain the information requested would involve a survey of all prisons which could be done only at a disproportionate cost. Costs associated with such damages are captured within the local establishment maintenance expenditure.
We have introduced amendments to the prison rules and young offender institution rules which took effect on 1 November. The changes require individual prisoners to pay compensation for the destruction or damage they cause to prisons and prison property and to allow governors to take monies directly from prisoners' private cash, savings and spend accounts to satisfy the compensation requirement.
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The introduction of the new policy will allow NOMS to record all compensation awards received from prisoners as a result of damage caused to prison property.
Further information is available on the following link;
PSI 31/2013—Recovery of monies for damage to prisons and prison property
http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/offenders/psipso/psi-2013/psi-31-2013.doc
Reoffenders
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were recalled to prison after their release in each probation service in each month since May 2010 to the latest month for which figures are available. [174288]
Jeremy Wright: It is vital to public protection that offenders released on licence should be effectively supervised in the community and swiftly recalled to custody if their behaviour gives cause for concern. Offender managers explain to offenders, including at the commencement of their period of licensed supervision in the community, that they may be recalled to custody if they breach any of the conditions of their licence.
The time an offender spends on licence is an integral part of their sentence and we have robust enforcement arrangements in place to recall offenders who breach their licence conditions. There are approximately 5, 000 recalled prisoners in custody at any given time.
The following tables show the number of offenders recalled to prison in each probation trust in each month from January 2012 to June 2013 and in each quarter from April 2010 to December 2011 (monthly figures are not available for this earlier period).
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
| Number of offenders recalled from determinate and indeterminate sentences, by Local Criminal Justice Board, 1 April 2010 to 31 December 2011, England and Wales | |||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | ||||||
| April to June | July to September | October to December | January to March | April to June | July to September | October to December | |
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| Data sources and quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. | |||||||
| Number of offenders recalled from determinate and indeterminate sentences, by probation trust, 1 January 2012 to 30 June 2013, England and Wales | |||||||||
| 2012 | |||||||||
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | |
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