School Meals

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has had from primary schools following the announcement of the provision by schools of hot meals to all children up to the age of seven. [176287]

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Mr Laws: The Deputy Prime Minister announced in September that, from September 2014, the Government will fund free school meals for every child in reception classes, year 1 and year 2, attending state-funded schools in England. Since that announcement, departmental officials have engaged in a number of discussions with primary school head teachers and their representatives, as well as other interested parties, to explore how this policy can be implemented so that the benefits of universal free school meal provision for children and families are maximised. The policy has been welcomed by the National Association of Head Teachers.

We are currently considering how the Department can best support the implementation of this policy, and we expect to announce further details in due course.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the capacity of primary schools by local authority area to provide hot dinners to all children up to the age of seven. [176288]

Mr Laws: In the period since the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement, departmental officials have held a number of discussions with schools, local authorities, representative organisations and other stakeholders in order to assess the challenges that primary schools will face in implementing this policy. We are also taking into account the experience of those primary schools that currently offer universal free school meals, as well as the evidence available to us from previous pilots of universal free school meal provision.

As far as possible, we expect children in the eligible year groups to be provided with freshly prepared meals cooked either on-site or nearby. We will also expect schools to take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are offered a hot meal each day at school, but recognise that there are circumstances when a cold, healthy meal that meets the prescribed food standards could be appropriate.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he plans to issue to primary schools following the announcement about the provision by schools of hot meals to all children up to the age of seven. [176289]

Mr Laws: In the period since the Deputy Prime Minister's announcement, departmental officials have held a number of discussions with local authorities, schools, representative organisations and other stakeholders in order to assess the challenges that primary schools will face in implementing this policy. We are also taking into account the experience of those primary schools that presently offer universal free school meals as well as the evidence available to us from previous pilots of universal free school meal provision.

We are currently considering how the Department can best support the implementation of this policy, and we expect to announce further details in due course.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many primary schools and what proportion of schools have facilities to provide hot school meals. [177108]

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Elizabeth Truss: The School Food Trust conducted annual surveys of take up of school lunches in England between 2006 and 2012. 2012 figures¹ (the latest figures available) showed that 77% of primary schools had full production kitchens, 5% had facilities for regeneration or a mini-kitchen and 17% had hot food transported from elsewhere. 99% of secondary schools had full production kitchens.

In announcing free school meals for all pupils from September 2014, the Deputy Prime Minister said that schools should aim to provide meals that are nutritious and, wherever possible, are hot and prepared onsite or nearby. We are working with schools, local authorities, caterers and others to respond to the challenges schools may face in achieving this.

¹http://www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/assets/research-reports/seventh_annual_survey2011-2012_full_report.pdf

Schools: Admissions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the minimum surplus of school places within local authorities his Department currently plans for; and how this figure has changed in the last five years. [176803]

Mr Laws: It is the responsibility of each local authority to provide a school place for every child in its area, and the Department provides capital funding to support this.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many state-funded schools were operating at or above full capacity in each year since 2009-10. [176805]

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

The data for May 2013 are currently being finalised and will be published later in the year.

Schools: Inspections

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effect of Ofsted inspections of local authority school improvement services on outcomes in those schools. [176447]

Mr Laws: To date, Ofsted has inspected the school improvement services of two local authorities, Isle of Wight and Norfolk. Ofsted announced the results of those inspections in its press release of 24 July 2013. It is too early to make an assessment of the effect of the inspections on the outcomes for schools in these areas.

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the annual cost to Ofsted of inspecting specialist support services

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for

(a)

children with special educational needs and

(b)

children with low incidence special educational needs and sensory impairment. [176449]

Mr Timpson: This question is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked Her Majesty's chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to respond to the hon. Member. A copy of his response will be placed in the House library.

Schools: Standards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) converter academies and (b) maintained schools achieved an annual increase in the proportion of year six pupils achieving level 4 or above in reading, writing, teacher assessment and mathematics in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13. [176799]

Mr Timpson: The requested information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary Education: Standards

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what meetings he has had with teachers' representatives on the timing of proposed changes to the 2014 Key Stage 4 performance tables. [175980]

Mr Laws: The Secretary of State for Education and I have met with head teacher representative bodies, including the Association of School and College Leaders and the National Association of Head Teachers, to discuss the changes to the way qualifications will count towards performance measures from 2014, including the timing of their implementation. Ministers have .also discussed the changes with a number of individual head teachers.

Sixth-form Education

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the potential correlation between the size of sixth form cohort and success in adding value at A level qualifications; what recent discussions he has held with Ofsted on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [176213]

Matthew Hancock: Data on the value added by schools and colleges in A levels were published in February 2013:

http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/performance/download/Level_3_Value_Added_2012_Performance_Tables_Download.zip

A copy of this document has been placed in the House Library.

Ministers in the Department meet regularly with Ofsted to discuss school performance, although there has been no specific conversation with Ofsted on this matter.

Special Educational Needs: Hearing Impairment

Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the future recruitment needs for teachers of the deaf in England. [176485]

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Mr Timpson: It is for schools and local authorities to assess their recruitment and workforce needs including teachers of the deaf.

We know from the report published by the Consortium for Research into Deaf Education (CRIDE) that the number of teachers of the deaf appears to be stable. The report indicated that there are more than 1,100 teachers of the deaf employed nationally.

The Government support the training which teachers and school leaders receive to help them identify where pupils with hearing loss face barriers to learning and offer appropriate support. The National Scholarship Fund, available through the Department for Education, provides funding for teachers' postgraduate qualifications and training, including specialist training for teachers of the deaf. Funding is also available to support teaching assistants and support staff to improve their skills in special educational needs.

Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the number of teachers of the deaf in England. [176486]

Mr Timpson: Information on the numbers of teachers teaching deaf pupils in schools in England is not collected by the Department.

Mr Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers have accessed the National Scholarship Fund for the purpose of undergoing training to become a teacher of the deaf to date. [176491]

Mr Laws: In round one of the National Scholarship Fund (2011-12), 12 scholars accessed funding for the purpose of training for the deaf.

In round two of the National Scholarship Fund (2012-13), two scholars accessed funding for the purpose of training for the deaf.

In round three of the National Scholarship Fund (2013-14), six scholars accessed funding for the purpose of training for the deaf.

Staff

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of employees in his Department are (a) female and (b) male, by each Civil Service pay grade. [176587]

Elizabeth Truss: The proportion of female and male employees in the Department, including its three Executive agencies, on 31 October 2013, is shown in the following table.

For comparison, the corresponding proportion for the Department for Children, Schools and Families on 31 March 2009 are also shown.

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Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of employees in his Department is (a) white British and (b) black, Asian and from other minority ethnic groups, by each Civil Service pay grade. [176639]

Elizabeth Truss: The proportions of employees by ethnicity in the Department, including its three executive agencies, on 31 October 2013, are shown in the following table. Not all employees choose to declare their ethnicity, so the proportions are shown both as a percentage of those declaring and as a percentage of all employees.

For comparison, the corresponding proportions for the Department for Children, Schools and Families on 31 March 2009 are also shown.

Statistics

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the e-mail dated 15 November 2013 sent from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Yardley, to the Children and Early Years Data Unit in his Department, when he expects his Department to reply to the requests for statistical analyses contained in items (1) to (4) of that e-mail. [176794]

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Mr Timpson: The requests for statistical analyses set out in the e-mail exchange on 15 November 2013 will be delivered as early as possible in the new year. Officials estimate the full set of analyses will take approximately three weeks to complete and statisticians in the Children and Early Years Data Unit will be happy to work with the hon. Member to prioritise the requests according to his needs, to establish a timetable for delivery of each of the individual items and to agree a process for keeping him regularly informed of progress thereafter.

Teachers: Trade Unions

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he intends to meet leaders of the (a) NUT and (b) NASUWT in relation to their disputes about teachers' pay, pensions, conditions of service and jobs. [175981]

Mr Laws: The Secretary of State for Education has invited the General Secretaries of the NUT and the NASUWT to attend a programme of talks about the implementation of policy, including in those areas covered by their trade disputes. He has also invited other organisations representing the teaching profession to attend the programme of talks. He wrote to the General Secretaries of the NUT and the NASUWT. on 19 November asking them to confirm whether they will attend. Copies of his correspondence will be placed in the House Library.

Teachers: Training

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which higher education institutions have informed the National College for Teaching and Leadership that they will no longer be providing initial teacher training places. [177014]

Mr Laws: The university of Bath has informed the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) that it will not be delivering initial teacher training (ITT) places in academic year 2014/15. It will continue to train teachers in academic year 2013/14.

The Open University has informed the NCTL that it does not intend to deliver provider-led ITT in academic year 2014/15. They will, however, meet school partnership commitments to deliver School Direct places in 2014/15. It will continue to train teachers in academic year 2013/14.

There are another 74 higher education institutions who will be delivering ITT in academic year 2014/15.

Truancy

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the level of truancy in (a) Ribble Valley constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) England in each of the last five years. [177052]

Elizabeth Truss: The closest measure we have to assess truancy rates is the unauthorised absence rate. This includes family holidays taken during term time but not agreed by the head teacher, late arrival at school, and any other absence that is not authorised.

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Unauthorised absence rates for Ribble Valley constituency, Lancashire local authority and England are shown are the following table:

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parents have been issued with (a) a penalty notice and (b) parenting orders on account of truant children in (i) Ribble Valley constituency, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) England since data have been available. [177054]

Elizabeth Truss: Since 2004, the Department for Education has been publishing the number of school attendance related penalty notices and parenting orders issued by each local authority. This information is not available at constituency level. Between 2004 and 2012 Lancashire county council issued 2,106 penalty notices and made 54 parenting orders. 168,958 penalty notices were issued and 3,643 parenting orders were made by all authorities in England between 2004 and 2012. The full information on penalty notices and parenting orders can be found on the Department's website¹.

¹ http://tinvurl.com/dxemd4l

Deputy Prime Minister

Local Government: South West

Mr Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the importance of City Deals in devolving power to local Government in the South West; and if he will make a statement. [176080]

Greg Clark: City Deals devolve powers and resources from the national to the local level to unlock economic growth. They are important agreements that allow cities to take local decisions which will help businesses grow and create economic growth.

In 2012 the Government agreed city deals with all the core cities in England, including Bristol and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership. The Government have been negotiating with a further 20 city areas to agree a second wave of city deals including with Plymouth; Swindon and Wiltshire; and Bournemouth and Poole. Four of these have been agreed so far: Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire; Thames Valley Berkshire; Greater Ipswich; and Southampton and Portsmouth.

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Politics and Government: Young People

Mr Syms: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Government's steps to improve the participation of young people in politics. [176079]

Greg Clark: The transition to individual electoral registration offers the opportunity to ensure as many eligible people as possible, including young people, are registered to vote.

Additional funding has been made available and we will carefully evaluate the effectiveness of the range of activities planned.

Dr McCrea: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he plans to take to encourage the participation of young people in politics. [176900]

Greg Clark: Government, politicians, political parties, electoral administrators and others in society all have a role to play in engaging people in democracy.

Cabinet Office is working with a range of organisations, including the British Youth Council, to encourage and enable young people to have a voice—and be heard—in the democratic process.

International Development

Afghanistan

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on the Bost Airfield and Agricultural Business Park project before July 2010. [175951]

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.

Prior to July 2010 DFID spent £3.59 million on the Bost Airfield and Agricultural Business Park, of which £3.50 million was spent on the airfield and £0.09 million was spent on the agricultural business park.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 11 September 2013, Official Report, column 296W, on Afghanistan, what the reasons are for the exact costs being unavailable. [176126]

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.

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It is not possible to identify the specific cost of training Afghan nationals within the ‘improving local capacity’ component of the Bost Airfield and Agricultural Business Park programme without incurring disproportionate costs.

Burma

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken to promote its Strategic Vision for Girls and Women in Burma since it was launched in March 2011. [176230]

Mr Duncan: DFID prioritises the needs of women and girls throughout its work in Burma. Since the launch of the strategy, UK aid has enabled 135,000 women to gain access to financial services and assets; helped 84,000 women with family planning; supported 80,000 girls to complete primary school; and is funding a network of 90 organisations that helped develop the Government's National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women and is working to strengthen anti-violence legislation.

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to the Development of Rangoon Hospital, Burma; and what the cost to the public purse of such support is. [176407]

Mr Duncan: DFID will provide up to £100,00 to support a small team to prepare a full feasibility study and a master plan for the renovation of Rangoon General Hospital in Burma.

Developing Countries: Eyesight

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department has allocated for the diagnosis of (a) diabetes, (b) brain tumours and (c) other diseases by means of eye tests. [176971]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK's approach to tackling non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and tumours is to strengthen the systems that enable the delivery of health services. Increasing access to accurate diagnosis and quality treatment is a key part of strengthening the health system, to help countries respond to all their health priorities, including those mentioned.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2011, the Prime Minister announced £50 million in matched funding to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust. This will include funding towards trachoma control, as well as programmes tackling diabetic retinopathy and retinopathy of prematurity.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's funded programmes are doing towards strengthening the health workforce in low and middle income countries. [176413]

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Lynne Featherstone: The UK is helping countries develop their own health care systems, including country efforts to build and maintain health worker capacity. DFID supports the health work force in the countries in which we work through programmes that help train new health workers such as nurses, birth attendants and midwives.

In addition, DFID funds the Health Partnership Scheme that supports partnerships between UK health institutions and partners in developing countries to strengthen health worker skills. DFID also provides funding to the Global Health Workforce Alliance, which advocates for improved human resources for health and which supports countries health work force co-ordination and planning.

Developing Countries: Maternity Services

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to remove user fees for maternal and newborn health. [176062]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK supported countries to replace out-of-pocket payments with other means of financing health care, especially for mothers and children, and has used a range of mechanisms to do so.

The UK has provided direct bilateral support to several countries as they removed user fees, and also funds the World Health Organisation to support more than 30 countries to develop more equitable, health financing systems.

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department plans to take to reduce the number of babies born without a skilled birth attendant present. [176412]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government are already acting to reduce the number of babies born without a skilled attendant present. We are empowering women to choose if, when and how many children to have to give them choice and control over their lives. We also support programmes that train skilled birth attendants and work with governments and other partners to facilitate their employment.

Energy

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress she has made on improving the energy efficiency of her Department. [175998]

Mr Duncan: DFID has significantly improved energy efficiency by achieving a 35% reduction in carbon emissions during 2011-12 against the 2009-10 Greening Government baseline year. DFID has improved energy efficiency through various measures; reducing the number of IT servers/printers, upgrading all laptops and PCs to models which use at least 50% less energy, installing a green roof at our Abercrombie House (AH) office and reducing plant operation times ensuring better temperature control at both UK sites. This reporting year we have installed a biomass boiler at AH and have improved the external fabric of the building reducing heat loss. In London we

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have recently moved to a new smaller office which will save 25% in energy usage. As part of this we are also replacing elements of the heating and lighting systems with more modern, energy-efficient alternatives.

European Development Fund

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the UK will contribute in the next European Development Fund in (a) 2013-14, (b) 2014-15, (c) 2015-16 and (d) 2016-17; and if she will make a statement. [177165]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK's contribution to the European Development Fund for 2013-14 will be €478,455,000 (£408 million). Individual payments have not been determined for 2015 onwards so figures for future financial years are not available.

International Assistance

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to achieve greater progress on Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. [176063]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government are investing in a broad and complementary range of cost-effective interventions to reduce child and maternal mortality. Our programmes address the continuum of care from pre-pregnancy to early childhood.

Examples of our work include investments in family planning; antenatal, pregnancy and postnatal care; vaccines, disease management and health systems strengthening. Our water, sanitation hygiene, nutrition, education and livelihoods programmes also contribute to achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. We also work in partnership with others to improve value for money from combined global efforts for example through the Partnership for Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health.

Middle East

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories are funded by the Conflict Pool. [175936]

Mr Duncan: The following projects in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories are funded by the Conflict Pool.

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Palestinians

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much of her Department's spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is allocated to programmes run by non-governmental, non-UN and non-Palestinian Authority bodies; [175937]

(2) how much of her Department's spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories was allocated to programmes run by non-governmental, non-UN and non-Palestinian Authority bodies in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012. [175938]

Mr Duncan: DFID funds a number of programmes run by non-governmental, non-UN and non-Palestinian Authority bodies. These include organisations such as the Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council and certain Israeli and Palestinian NGOs.

The Department's best estimate of the apportioned total is:

Philippines

Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid her Department is sending to the Philippines. [176904]

Justine Greening: The UK has committed over £50 million to assist with the disaster relief efforts currently under way in the Philippines.

UK support so far has included:

£8 million through the Rapid Response Facility, which provides funding to pre-approved NGOs and private sector partners in the first 72 hours of a humanitarian emergency;

£3 million in logistics support (including £1 million for an Antonov aircraft to carry vital replacement unloading equipment to Cebu airport);

£5 million in matched funding, to help kick-start the DEC appeal;

Over £5 million in military support (HMS Daring, HMS Illustrious, C-17 flights and the use of a C-130 Hercules);

£23 million to the UN Flash appeal, the first tranche of which will provide immediate resources for coordination through OCHA, the provision of water and sanitation supplies through UNICEF, and food through the WFP;

£7 million to the Red Cross movement. This will fund approximately 12% of both the IFRC and ICRC appeals. This money is already being programmed; and

£1 million to support the UN Humanitarian Air Service.

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The UK Government are delivering food, shelter, clean water and medicines to up to 800,000 victims of Typhoon Haiyan. Eleven flights, including three RAF C-17s, have so far landed in Cebu. Relief items delivered include:

more than 17,000 shelter kits;

more than 21,000 tarpaulins;

more than 16,000 hygiene kits;

more than 1,000 family tents;

water and sanitary equipment, jerry cans, buckets;

nine 4x4 vehicles; three JCBs.

The UK is providing heavy lifting equipment at the request of the WFP to double the loading and unloading capability for aid supplies at Cebu airport and unblock roads that are vital to aid efforts. Two fuel bowsers, with the ability to carry up to 2,000 litres of fuel each will help keep this equipment running.

As well as our own stocks, we have funded cargo flights for organisations including the Red Cross, World Vision, Save the Children, Oxfam and Shelter Box. Further airlifts are planned this week. The UK has also deployed a team of 12 doctors and paramedics who are expert at operating in emergency situations. They have been providing emergency medical assessments and assistance in Tacloban, and to more remote islands aboard HMS Daring.

In addition the Philippines will receive up to £5 million for four cities to plan and invest in practical measures, such as early warning systems, and in resilient infrastructure which support physical improvements such as drainage, housing, flood protection, and wastewater systems.

Other European and international institutions are also responding to the crisis. Our response team on the ground is co-ordinating with other organisations in order to better target UK aid and reduce duplication of efforts.

Travel

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of travel within the UK was for staff of her Department in each year since 2010; and how much of this was spent on (a) hire cars, (b) helicopter hire, (c) hotel accommodation and (d) subsistence. [177168]

Mr Duncan: DFID's central finance records do not enable a response to this question without an incurring disproportionate cost: While the financial systems provide detail on the costs associated with travel it is not possible to split this by cost of travel incurred within the UK and costs incurred overseas.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Burma

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has raised the case of Sumlat Roi Ja with the Burmese government. [176406]

Mr Swire: While we have not specifically raised the case of Sumlat Roi Ja, we remain concerned by the continued reports of arbitrary arrests and human rights abuses in Kachin State, particularly their potential impact on negotiations between the Burmese Government and Kachin Independence Organisation on a ceasefire and political dialogue.

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We continue to call on the Government to ensure that people, including in conflict areas, are able to go about their daily lives without fear of arbitrary arrest or detention, and to repeal all existing laws which are not in line with democratic standards.

Most recently, I raised these issues with the Minister for the President's Office, Tin Naing Thein on 22 November 2013. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised our concerns about Burma's political prisoners and the country's continuing ethnic conflicts, particularly in Kachin State, with President Thein Sein during his visit to London in July 2013. We welcome the commitment of the Kachin Independence Organisation and the Burmese Government to the process of dialogue.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the end of the M23 insurgency on peace and security in Democratic Republic of Congo. [176002]

Mark Simmonds: We welcome the end to the M23 rebellion in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is an important step towards stabilising the region.

However, other illegal armed groups remain active in the region, and we continue to stress the importance of continuing the fight against such groups who prey on the long-suffering civilian population.

But military action is only part of what is needed. It is important now that regional leaders work together—with the international community's support—to implement their commitments under the Peace, Security and Co-operation Framework, and to underpin this with a political dialogue. This provides the best chance of addressing the underlying causes of conflict and of achieving lasting stability in eastern DRC.

Dominican Republic

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the state of human rights in the Dominican Republic; and if he will make a statement. [176775]

Mr Swire: The British embassy in Santo Domingo regularly raises human rights issues with the Government of the Dominican Republic, bilaterally and through the European Union. The human rights performance of the Dominican Republic will be further considered during the 18^th Session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group in January 2014. As part of this peer-review process, the UK will put forward recommendations to the Dominican Republic in relation to human rights.

Employment Tribunals Service

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many claims at employment tribunals have been lodged against his Department on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity discrimination in each of the last five years; and how many such cases were found against his Department. [176555]

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Hugh Robertson: One employment tribunal case was lodged against the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity discrimination within the last five years, but was subsequently withdrawn by the Claimant before the matter came before the courts. The FCO—in line with Cabinet Office guidance—cannot disclose more detailed information. This is for reasons of confidentiality and to avoid the possibility of revealing the identities of individual staff.

Energy

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made on improving the energy efficiency of his Department. [175997]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) is committed to meeting the Greener Government Commitments and to reducing the energy use of its operations. The FCO's UK estates annual energy consumption has fallen by 3.4% since FY 2009-10. This has been achieved through energy saving projects including the installation of LED lighting, powering off IT equipment at night, lowering office heating temperatures, installing voltage regulation, variable speed drives and other energy efficient equipment.

Since FY 2009-10, the annual CO2 emissions of its UK estate have dropped by 12.5%. The drop is due to switching to lower carbon energy sources, for example: non-food crop biodiesel used in heating the FCO's Hanslope Park site.

The four FCO buildings with current display energy certificates (DECs)—King Charles Street, Old Admiralty Building, Lancaster House and 1 Carlton Gardens—have ‘C’, ‘D’ or ‘E’ ratings which means they are either more energy efficient than a typical building or nearly as efficient. Hanslope Park does not qualify for a DEC as it is not visited by the public and we are investigating whether Northgate House requires a DEC given its recently changed use. I will write to the hon. Member once I have further detail.

The FCO is also in the process of developing a project to install a tri-generation heat, cooling and power plant in King Charles Street and the current re-procurement of its IT system will also produce significant energy savings.

The answer relates to the FCO's UK estate which for purposes of this response comprises King Charles Street, Old Admiralty Building, Lancaster House, Carlton Gardens, Hanslope Park, Northgate House and Wilton Park. It would incur a disproportionate cost to source this information from our network of Posts as this information is held locally.

Iran

Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with his Iranian counterpart on the murder of Mr Ataollah Rezvani in Bandar Abbas on 24 August 2013. [177017]

Hugh Robertson: The previous Minister, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), expressed

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his concern about the murder, and called on Iran to conduct a full investigation. We are yet to receive an update from the Iranian Government.

Israel

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times Ministers in his Department have visited Israel in the last 12 months. [176292]

Hugh Robertson: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers, including the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), have visited Israel four times in the last 12 months.

Palestinians

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the potential economic benefit of the proposed Rawabi city in the west bank. [176237]

Hugh Robertson: If successful, the proposed Rawabi city would be an important contributor to economic development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We understand that the proposed west bank city of Rawabi is planned to ultimately serve a population of 40,000. The total cost of the development is estimated at over US$850 million. It is expected to generate between 8,000 and 10,000 new construction sector jobs and an additional 3,000 to 5,000 jobs in banking, communications and information technology.

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs following the announcement on 19 November 2013 of a new UK-Palestinian Strategic Dialogue, what the remit of the Dialogue is, who it will involve and when the first meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement. [177015]

Hugh Robertson: The first meeting of the Strategic Dialogue will be held in 2014, and will focus on UK-Palestinian relations, the prospects for Middle East Peace, and wider regional issues. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be involved.

South Sudan

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to tailor the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative to conditions in South Sudan. [176249]

Mark Simmonds: The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative is tailored to local needs and circumstances. We welcome the Government of South Sudan's support of the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which was launched by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs during the UN General Assembly week in September 2013.

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The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict is currently producing a report on South Sudan. This report will set out a strategy to address problems related to conflict-related sexual violence in the areas of rule of law and justice. We will be considering how we can best support the implementation of the recommendations of that report. In addition, we are providing funding for a grassroots project to set up women's protection teams in the border region of Northern Bahr Al Ghazal to empower women at community level to identify risks and engage with local security forces to prevent sexual violence. I also stressed the importance of preventing sexual violence with Defence Minister John Kong Nyuon during my recent visit to South Sudan.

Syria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made at the United Nations about the use of incendiary weapons on civilians in Syria; whether the UK will respond to Syria's use of incendiary weapons by seeking to universalise and strengthen Protocol III on incendiary weapons of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons; and if he will make a statement. [176121]

Hugh Robertson: The UK is concerned about their alleged use of incendiary weapons in Syria. It is prohibited in all circumstances to attack without discrimination, or to make civilians the object of attack and not just with incendiary weapons.

These are matters of international law to which Syria is bound, including through the Geneva conventions. The UK remains committed to upholding the Geneva conventions and expects other states to do the same. High Contracting Parties agreed in Geneva in November not to re-open Protocol III of the convention on certain conventional weapons, on incendiary weapons, for further discussion.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on the use of frozen Syrian government assets for humanitarian aid. [176148]

Hugh Robertson: A key priority for the UK is alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people. That is why we have been at the forefront of the international humanitarian response, giving £500 million in aid and leading efforts to improve access so aid can get to those in need.

The Assad regime has repeatedly demonstrated its complete disregard for its people's welfare, launching indiscriminate attacks against civilians—including with chemical weapons, incendiary bombs and Scud missiles—and using food as a weapon of war, laying siege to populations, including women and children, in cities and towns across Syria.

The UK Government are carefully considering—with our international partners—how frozen funds could best be used to meet humanitarian needs in Syria. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working closely with other Departments, including the Department for International Development, on this effort. We are clear

25 Nov 2013 : Column 80W

that any process would need to ensure that aid is distributed impartially to ordinary civilians, on the basis of need, and should not benefit the Syrian regime or its supporters.

Communities and Local Government

Rent Arrears: Social Housing

21. Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of trends in rent arrears in social housing. [901218]

Stephen Williams: Housing association arrears at the end of 2011-12 were 4.8% in England—an improvement in performance on the previous year, when they were 5.1%.

Local Plans

23. Mr Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to help local authorities to develop their local plans. [901220]

Nick Boles: Over 200 authorities have already received help on plans from the Planning Inspectorate and the Planning Advisory Service. 76% of local planning authorities now have a published local plan.

Climate Change Officers

25. David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities in the UK employ (a) climate change and (b) sustainable development officers. [901222]

Stephen Williams: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in response to his topical question during DCLG oral questions today.

Affordable Housing: Lancaster

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many houses for social housing use only were built in the Lancaster District area solely using Government funding in the period from (a) May 1997 to May 2010 and (b) June 2010 to date. [176769]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: The Department publishes annual figures for all additional affordable housing (table 1008) and additional housing for social rent (table 1006) and affordable rent (table 1006b) by local authority area from 1991-92 to 2012-13. These tables can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housing-supply

However, this time series does not include the funding source of the housing. A one-year snapshot of all delivery in Lancaster in 2012-13 by the source of funding can be found in table 1011 at the link above.

Electoral Register

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent by each local authority on voter registration in each of the last 10 years. [176813]

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Brandon Lewis: The information requested is not held by DCLG. However, the following information from the Electoral Commission website may be of interest:

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/performance-standards/financial-information

Energy

Ian Swales: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress he has made in improving the energy efficiency of his Department. [176203]

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government has made excellent progress in improving the energy efficiency of its estate, reducing its total operational Greenhouse Gas emissions by 41% to 2012-13 against a 2009-10 baseline. This exceeds the cross-Government requirement to reduce emissions from travel and energy use by 25% by 2014-15, and has led to a reduction of c£1.3 million to the Department's annual energy bill.

The Department has primarily achieved these improvements through adopting low and no-cost energy efficiency measures, estate rationalisation (by using space more efficiently and co-locating with other organisations), and by operating its remaining buildings even more efficiently, upgrading key plant and equipment where this represents value for money.

I also refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) of 30 October 2013, Official Report, column 463W, which covered steps we are taking to reduce our spend on gas and electricity.

Families: Disadvantaged

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the budget for the troubled families programme has been paid to each responsible local authority in each month since the start of the programme. [176526]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: Payments are made in accordance with the programme's published financial framework:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf

Payments comprise three parts—results payments, attachment fees and grants to fund troubled families co-ordinators.

The Department has paid the following attachment fee payments to date:

For 2012-13: £105,142,400 in May 2012 and £6,435,200 in July 2012.

For 2013-14: £102,478,000 in June 2013 and £15,630,000 in August 2013.

The Department has paid the following results payments to date:

£1,005,400 in March 2013 for results claimed in January 2013

£7,331,500 in September 2013 for results claimed in July 2013.

The Department has paid the following troubled families co-ordinator payments to date:

£16,535,000 in May 2012 and £450,000 in July 2012.

£16,985,000 in June 2013.

25 Nov 2013 : Column 82W

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the original cohort of troubled families have successfully completed the programme to date; and if he will make a statement. [176527]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: Local authorities reported in July that they had successfully turned around the lives of 14,000 troubled families. 152 upper-tier councils in England have already identified two-thirds (over 80,000) of their families and almost 50,000 of these are already being worked with.

A full breakdown of this information is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237773/130906_PI_RESULTS_TABLE.xls

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what criteria his Department uses to measure whether a troubled family has been turned around; and if he will make a statement. [176528]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: The results which define a family as turned around are published in the Financial Framework for the Troubled Families Programme's Payment by Results Scheme:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-troubled-families-programme-financial-framework

These are as follows:

A troubled family has been ‘turned around' when:

each child in the family has had fewer than three exclusions from school and at least 85% attendance over the last three school terms; and

the number of proven offences by all young people in the family has reduced by at least a third in the last six months; and

the antisocial behaviour of the whole family has reduced by at least 60% over the last six months.

Or:

one member of the family has moved off out of work benefits, into work and kept this job for at least 13 weeks.

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the 120,000 families in the Troubled Families programme (a) had a member of their household receive an antisocial behaviour order in the 12 months before the start of the programme and (b) have had a member of their household receive an antisocial behaviour order since the start of the programme; and if he will make a statement. [176731]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: My Department does not hold the information requested. This information is held by upper-tier local authorities, who lead the delivery of the programme and are responsible for the identification of troubled families, against the programme's published eligibility criteria:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf

For a family to be eligible, it must meet at least two out of three of the nationally published criteria. Where only two national criteria have been met, the family must also meet a local eligibility criterion. The national eligibility criteria include families in which at least one member is subject to an antisocial behaviour intervention, such as an antisocial behaviour order.

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Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many of the 120,000 families in the troubled families programme (a) had no parent in work at the start of the programme, (b) now have at least one parent in work and (c) now have both parents in work; and if he will make a statement. [176732]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 22 November 2013]: My Department does not hold the information requested. This information is held by upper-tier local authorities, who lead the delivery of the programme and the identification of troubled families, against the programme's published eligibility criteria:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf

For a family to be eligible, it must meet at least two out of three of the nationally published criteria. Where only two national criteria have been met, the family must also meet a local eligibility criterion. The national eligibility criteria include families in which at least one member is in receipt of out-of-work benefits.

Fire Services: Cleveland

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions his Department has had with Cleveland Fire Authority on amendments to the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to permit the spinning out of fire brigades as public service mutuals. [175934]

Brandon Lewis: I and my officials meet representatives from external interest groups, such as fire and rescue authorities, from time to time on a whole range of issues, and details of meetings are published regularly. I refer the hon. Member to my speech in the Adjournment Debate, which he attended, of 13 May 2013, Official Report, column 470 onwards, which sets out my position on mutuals very clearly.

Housing: Construction

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new homes have been built (a) nationally, (b) in Kingston-Upon Hull and (c) in Greater London since 1 January 2009. [176165]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer November 2013]: Statistics on house building completions in each local authority area 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

Local Government Finance

Mr Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much local government general revenue, excluding the housing revenue account, has been provided by (a) council tax, (b) business rates, (c) central Government grant both general and specific and (d) fees and charges in each financial year since the introduction of the council tax. [175207]

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Brandon Lewis [holding answer 12 November 2013]:Historical figures on local government funding can be found in the annual publication, “Local government financial statistics England”, copies of which can be found online and which are also presented to Parliament each year further to section 168(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-government-finance-statistics-england

Local Government Services

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people employed by private and voluntary sector providers of local government services in the UK. [176482]

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect data on or estimate the number of people employed by private and voluntary sector providers of local government services in England.

New Towns

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what progress the Government have made in delivering garden cities and new towns; [176363]

(2) with reference to the Government's housing strategy, launched on 21 November 2011, when he plans to publish the prospectus for the establishment of new garden cities and new towns. [176364]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 21 November 2013]: As promised in the coalition agreement, this Government have scrapped top-down Whitehall planning, included ending the last Government's failed so-called eco-towns programme, which built nothing but resentment. Instead, this Government are committed to working with local communities to build more homes and promote sustainable development.

To date, our large sites programme has provided total investment now of over £82.7 million of recoverable capital funding and nearly £6 million of capacity funding to bring forward up to 69,000 new homes.

We are supporting local ambitions for locally-led new communities that incorporate high quality and design standards, including garden city principles. We have provided support for the development of new communities such as:

Cranbrook near Exeter, where we have invested over £20 million to create up to 6,300 homes and 1,500 jobs;

Wokingham, where we have invested over £25 million to enable the development of up to 2,500 new homes and a Science and Innovation Park;

Sherford, where our investment of over £32 million will accelerate up to 5,500 homes and approximately 5,000 new jobs;

Ebbsfleet, where DCLG, DFT and the Highways Agency worked in close collaboration with local authorities and developers to find solutions to transport issues at eastern Quarry, helping to bring forward a site with wider potential for up to 22,000 homes.

In February this year we published a prospectus inviting bids for a further £474 million of recoverable investment for 2013-2015 through our Local Infrastructure Fund:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-infrastructure-fund-prospectus

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Over 50 bids were registered and 14 sites were shortlisted for potential investment following detailed due diligence, which is currently ongoing.

For 2015-16 an additional £102 million of investment is available. We will launch a prospectus inviting further bids for this funding in the spring.

Parking: Fees and Charges

Richard Harrington: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effects of parking charges at business parks on businesses and local economies. [176476]

Brandon Lewis: The Government recognise the importance of good affordable parking and are committed to putting an end to excessive parking charges and unfair parking fines, which push up the cost of living and damage the local economy. We have already taken action to increase the number of parking spaces and withdrawn guidance that encouraged councils to set high parking fees.

We are currently looking at what more can be done to reform parking rules and a consultation document will shortly be published by the Department for Transport.

More information can be found in my Department's press notice of 27 September 2013 at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-parking-reform-proposals-to-support-local-shops-and-high-streets

Private Rented Housing

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to encourage the delivery of more private rented sector accommodation. [176101]

Kris Hopkins: This Government are committed to a bigger and better private rented sector, which is why, following the Montague review, we have put in place the £1 billion Build to Rent fund, the £10 billion Housing Guarantees schemes, and the private rented sector taskforce.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households in private rented accommodation were at risk of poverty in (a) April 2010 and (b) the most recent date for which figures are available. [176122]

Kris Hopkins: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not collect data on the number of households at risk of poverty.

Senior Civil Servants

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many senior civil servants left his Department and public bodies under voluntary exit and received a severance payment in each of the last three years; and what the value of such payments was. [164395]

Brandon Lewis: The following table sets out the number of senior civil servants who have left my Department and Executive agencies under voluntary exit and the total amounts paid through 2010 to 2013.

25 Nov 2013 : Column 86W

Staff in my Department's other public bodies do not have the status of civil servants.

Figures on senior civil service voluntary exits through 2010-13 reflect the completion of the Department's major programme of restructuring, shrinking the size of the Department. Our departmental audited annual accounts for the core Department show that total staff costs fell from £216 million in 2009-10 to £99 million in 2012-13, a reduction of 54% in cash terms, or a saving of £117,000,000 a year. The number of staff has been reduced from 3,781 full-time equivalent in 2009-10 to 1,681 in 2012-13, a reduction of 56%.

The Department publishes information on the number and cost of staff leaving under a voluntary exit scheme in its annual report and accounts, which can be viewed at

www.gov.uk/dclg

The Civil Service Compensation Scheme was reformed in December 2010. Under the previous terms there could be costs extending for up to 10 years after a departure. The revised terms mean all of the costs now fall within the year of departure. The National Audit Office has estimated that the changes have reduced exit costs by around 40% to 50% across the whole of the scheme compared to the previous terms. The reformed scheme allows for greater distinction between voluntary and compulsory exits and is designed to encourage voluntary rather than compulsory departures.

Social Rented Housing

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the estimated annual cost to each registered social landlord in England and Wales was of holding a vacant (a) one-bedroom house, (b) two-bedroom house, (c) three-bedroom house and (d) bungalow in the most recent period for which figures are available. [176299]

Kris Hopkins: My Department does not collect this information.

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many property sales have taken place for each registered social landlord in each month since January 2013 in England and Wales; and what the average discount to house buyers was in (a) January, (b) February, (c) March, (d) April, (e) May, (f) June, (g) July, (h) August and (i) September 2013. [176302]

Kris Hopkins: Although monthly figures are not available, financial year statistics were published in October. These show that 9,920 social housing sales were made in

25 Nov 2013 : Column 87W

2012-13 by private registered providers (the new term for registered social landlords). These sales are in addition to those made by local authorities and include sales through the Preserved Right to Buy, Right to Acquire and Social Homebuy schemes.

2,458 of these 9,920 sales were under the Preserved Right to Buy scheme, with an average discount of 50%. Discount data for other schemes are not available.

More detailed data on each private registered provider can be found in the Statistical Data Return, published by the Homes and Communities Agency, here:

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/news/second-statistical-data-return

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what analysis his Department has undertaken of waiting lists for (a) one-bedroom houses, (b) two-bedroom houses, (c) three-bedroom houses and (d) bungalows for each registered social landlord in England and Wales since January 2013. [176305]

Kris Hopkins: This information is not collected centrally.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of working-age tenants in the social rented sector whose housing costs have (a) increased, (b) decreased and (c) stayed the same as a result of the implementation of the under-occupancy penalty. [176834]

Esther McVey: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

The information requested is not available.

Social Rented Housing: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the level of housing supply for smaller units for those affected by the under-occupancy penalty in (a) Vale of Clwyd constituency and (b) North Wales. [176833]

Kris Hopkins: My Department is only responsible for housing in England.

Telephone Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [174991]

Brandon Lewis: Each of the principal access numbers operated by the Department and its agencies (the Planning Inspectorate and the Homes and Communities Agency) are 030 numbers.

030 numbers were specifically designed for not-for-profit organisations, charities and public sector bodies to offer consumers a single point of contact nationally. Calls cost no more than calls to geographic (01 and 02) numbers and are included in inclusive minutes and discount schemes in the same way.

25 Nov 2013 : Column 88W

For the purposes of answering this question, I have not reviewed or included the practices of all the organisations which may receive grant funding from or have contracts with the Department.

Justice

Children: Protection

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when she expects her Department's targeted consultation on child neglect to be completed. [176115]

Damian Green: I am replying as this area of the law (The Children and Young Persons Act 1933) is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.

I have asked my officials to report to me before the end of the year and will then consider next steps.

Crime: Victims

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent representations he has received on alleged premium rate telephone numbers being used to access victim support; if he will investigate such allegations with a view to taking appropriate action; and if he will make a statement. [175687]

Damian Green: The Ministry of Justice is aware of the issue and is working with the national charity, Victim Support, to look at ways of reducing the cost to people calling its national victim supportline.

Victim Support does offer a call back service to anybody leaving a message or raising concerns about the cost of contacting the helpline. People can also contact their local Victim Support in office hours on local rate numbers or e-mail the victim support line as an alternative to calling.

No other public-facing premium rate numbers are used by the Department.

I welcome the forthcoming Cabinet Office guidance on prefix number selection and best practice in the use of premium rate telephone numbers.

National Tactical Response Group

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) on which occasions the National Tactical Response Group was called out in each month since January 2010; [171876]

(2) to which prisons the National Tactical Response Group has been called out in each year since 2010. [171886]

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service's National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) is a specialist resource to assist both public and private sector establishments in safely managing and resolving serious incidents in prisons. NTRG also supports “Tornado” response teams. Operation Tornado is the code name used by the National Offender Management Service to describe mutual aid arrangements across the prison estate in England and Wales. Trained staff are deployed from neighbouring establishments to assist with the most serious incidents. Available information shows that the incidences of deployment of Tornado teams from April 2010 to 30 September 2013 have fallen.

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NTRG staff have been called to attend incidents at 45% of the total number of establishments in the past year, illustrating that the majority of prisons have not required assistance. The number of call outs has been fairly consistent over the period in question, though there has been a slight rise in the number of call outs over recent months. This is mainly due to minor incidents such as prisoners protesting by climbing onto the netting between landings. NTRG staff have the specialist skills required to deal with such incidents, which accounted for 68% of all the call outs in the past year, and they are frequently called to attend as a precautionary measure. Not all call outs result in engagement by NTRG staff, with a number of situations being resolved locally. Of the 151 incidents NTRG attended up to 30 September 2013, 75% were resolved by surrender. There has been no rise in the number of serious incidents being attended.

The following table sets out the occasions from 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2013 when NTRG has been called out to public and private sector establishments. This information does not include aborted call outs:

25 Nov 2013 : Column 90W

The following list sets out which public and private sector establishments have been attended by NTRG between 1 January 2010 and 30 September 2013. This information does not include aborted call outs:

Establishments attended by NTRG in 2010

Acklington

Altcourse

Ashfield

Bristol

Brixton

Buckley Hall

Camp Hill

Canterbury

Cardiff

Castington

Channings Wood

Coldingley

Cookham Wood

Dartmoor

Deerbolt

Down View

Elmley

Erlestoke

Featherstone

Full Sutton

Gartree

Haverigg

Hewell

Highdown

Hindley

Holloway

Isis

Lancaster Farms

Leeds

Lindholme

Littlehey

Liverpool

Long Lartin

Moorlands

Northallerton

Nottingham

Oakington

Onley

Parc

Ranby

Reading

Rochester

Rye Hill

Stafford

25 Nov 2013 : Column 91W

Stoke Heath

Styal

The Mount

Wakefield

Warren Hill

Wayland

Wellingborough

Werrington

Wetherby

Winchester

Wormwood Scrubs

Yarls Wood

Establishments attended by NTRG in 2011

Altcourse

Ashfield

Aylesbury

Bedford

Belmarsh

Blundeston

Bristol

Camp Hill

Channings Wood

Chelmsford

Coldingley

Dartmoor

Deerbolt

Dorchester

Downview

Elmley

Erlestoke

Exeter

Featherstone

Feltham

Ford

Garth

Gloucester

Guys Marsh

Haverigg

Highdown

Highpoint

Hindley

Isis

Lancaster Farms

Leeds

Leicester

Lewes

Lincoln

Lindholme

Littlehey

Long Lartin

Manchester

Moorlands

Northallerton

Nottingham

Parc

Pentonville

Peterborough

Portland

Preston

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Risley

Rochester

Rye Hill

Send

Stoke Heath

Styal

Swaleside

Swansea

Swinfen Hall

The Verne

Wakefield

Wandsworth

Wellingborough

Wetherby

Winchester

Woodhill

Establishments attended by NTRG in 2012

Altcourse

Aylesbury

Bedford

Belmarsh

Birmingham

Blundeston

Brixton

Buckley Hall

Campsfield House

Channings Wood

Chelmsford

Coldingley

Cookham Wood

Dartmoor

Durham

Elmley

Everthorpe

Featherstone

Feltham

Forest Bank

Foston Hall

Garth

Glen Parva

Gloucester

Haverigg

Hewell

Highpoint

Hindley

Holme House

Huntercombe

Isis

Lancaster Farms

Leeds

Leicester

Lincoln

Lindholme

Long Lartin

Lowdham Grange

Moorland

Morton Hall

Nottingham

Onley

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Parc

Parkhurst

Portland

Preston