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Mental Health Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the per capita spend on mental health services in West Sussex has been in each of the last five years; and how this spend compares to the national average in that period; [179228]

(2) what the per capita breakdown of spending on mental health services in each local authority area has been in each of the last five years. [179229]

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Norman Lamb: Information is not available in the format requested. The following tables provide information on reported investment in mental health services covering the areas requested. Prior to 2013-14, primary care trusts (PCT) were responsible for commissioning services to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of national and local priorities.

We do not collect information centrally on per capita breakdown of spending on mental health services in each local authority area.

Nutrition: Low Incomes

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department takes to monitor low-income households' dietary habits and ability to eat healthily; [179299]

(2) what steps his Department takes to monitor low-income households' dietary habits and ability to eat healthily. [179300]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England, in partnership with Health Departments across the United Kingdom, monitors the food consumption and nutrient intakes of the general population using data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS)¹. Further results from the ongoing survey programme are due to be published in early 2014, building on the previous report published in July 2012. These will include an analysis of findings by equivalised income. Results from the NDNS are reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.

¹ Bates B, Lennox A, Prentice A, Bates C, and Swan G (Eds.) (2012) National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Headline results from Years 1, 2 and 3 (combined) of the rolling programme (2008-09 to 2010-11).

Prescriptions

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on negotiations between NHS employers and the British Medical Association on the reimbursement system for drugs dispensed by doctors; and when he expects these negotiations to be completed. [177621]

Norman Lamb: Responsibility for agreeing the reimbursement for drugs sits with NHS England. Acting on behalf of NHS England, NHS Employers have established together with the British Medical Association's (BMA) General Practitioners Committee, a technical group to consider the issue of the reimbursement system for drugs dispensed by doctors, rather than at pharmacies. This work is at an early stage. Once complete it will be for the BMA and NHS Employers to negotiate any changes to the current arrangements.

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons patients who want to continue to have prescription drugs dispensed by their local GP cannot use the Electronic Prescription Service; and what steps his Department plans to take to change those arrangements for patients in rural areas. [177624]

Norman Lamb: The National Health Service Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Service Regulations 2013 make provision for dispensing general

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practitioner practices to use the Electronic Prescription Service for their dispensing patients. However, we understand that wide-scale adoption is limited due to implementation issues. These should be explored with NHS England, which is responsible for the Electronic Prescription Service and commissioning NHS primary care services.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2013, Official Report, column 1010W, on secondment, what estimate he has made of the cost of collecting data on the number of private sector secondees for his Department. [177691]

Norman Lamb: The estimated cost of collecting data on the number of private sector secondees for the Department is £5,425.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's civil servants have been seconded to (a) the private sector and (b) trades unions in each year since 2010. [177717]

Norman Lamb: Five or fewer individuals have been seconded from the Department to the private sector since 2010; none are seconded to the private sector at present.

The Department's trade union side confirm that no civil servants have been seconded out to any trade union since 2010.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many secondees from (a) trades unions and (b) the voluntary sector have worked in his Department since 2010. [177740]

Norman Lamb: The Department does not hold information centrally about the organisations from which it seconds individuals. Gathering that information could be done only at disproportionate cost.

The departmental trade union side have, however, confirmed that no individuals have been seconded in to the Department from any trade union since 2010.

Social Workers: Training

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate he has made of potential shortfalls in placements available for social work students to work in NHS settings in the next year; and if he will make a statement; [177823]

(2) how many placements were available for social work students to work in an NHS setting in each of the last three years. [177824]

Norman Lamb: It is the responsibility of higher education institutions (HEIs), in partnership with employers, to determine the size of the student intake for social work qualifying courses. As part of that decision making process, HEIs will need to consider the number and availability of placement days required. Placements can take place at any social work employer including the national health service, local authorities and private

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and voluntary organisations. The Government provide a contribution to the costs of employers hosting a placement through the education support grant. We are currently consulting on the resource allocation formula for the education support grant.

It is estimated that there were 22,500 social work practice placements in the NHS in the 2011-12 academic year. Data are not yet available for the current academic year.

Communities and Local Government

Council Housing: Hampshire

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many people (a) are currently on the housing waiting list and (b) have been on a housing waiting list for over two years in (i) Hart district council area, (ii) Rushmoor borough council area and (iii) Basingstoke and Deane borough council area; [177560]

(2) how many people (a) are currently on the housing waiting list and (b) have been on that list for over two years in (i) Test Valley borough council area and (ii) New Forest district council area. [177864]

Kris Hopkins: The latest statistics on housing waiting lists by local authority, for 1 April 2012, can be found in Table 600 on the Government's website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-rents-lettings-and-tenancies

They show the number of households, rather than people, on waiting lists. Information on the number of these which have been on the waiting list for two years is not available.

Local authorities sometimes maintain a common waiting list with housing associations in their area. However, no information is available where a housing association maintains a separate waiting list to the local authority. Also local authorities may review their lists from time to time which can reduce the list greatly whereas other local authorities may not have reviewed their list. These issues with the data mean comparisons between authorities' housing waiting lists can be misleading.

The Department will be publishing statistics for 1 April 2013 on 19 December 2013 in the Local Authority Housing Statistics release.

The Localism Act 2011 has given back to local authorities the freedom to decide who qualifies to go on to their housing waiting list.

Disabled Facilities Grants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average amount is of a disabled facilities grant award. [177524]

Kris Hopkins: In 2011-12 (the latest figures available), 44,000 grants were made in England and the average amount of a disabled facilities grant awarded was around £6,700.

The Government secured £725 million for the disabled facilities grant in the 2010 spending review for the period 2011-12 to 2014-15 and over the last two years

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they have invested a further £60 million, bringing the total amount to £785 million. In the 2015-16 spending round announcement, a further £220 million has been allocated to the disabled facilities grant.

Details about the disabled facilities grants are published on the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-facilities-grant

Discrimination

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [176549]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no employment tribunals lodged against DCLG or its Executive agencies on the grounds of pregnancy or maternity discrimination in each of the last five years.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of discrimination related to pregnancy or maternity have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) current employees and (b) prospective employees in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176566]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of discrimination related to pregnancy or maternity against employees of DCLG or its Executive agencies by (a) current employees and (b) prospective employees in each of the last five years.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of age discrimination or harassment have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years; and how many of those complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176600]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of age discrimination or harassment lodged against employees of this Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of racial discrimination or harassment have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176617]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of racial discrimination or harassment lodged against employees of this Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years.

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Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of sexual discrimination or harassment have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176670]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of sexual discrimination or harassment lodged against employees of this Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of disability discrimination or harassment have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176687]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of disability discrimination or harassment lodged against employees of this Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints of homophobic or transphobic discrimination or harassment have been lodged against employees of his Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years; and how many such complaints resulted in disciplinary action. [176704]

Brandon Lewis: There have been no complaints of homophobic or transphobic discrimination or harassment lodged against employees of this Department or its Executive agencies by (a) employees and (b) other individuals in each of the last five years.

Families: Disadvantaged

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of whether her Department's troubled families programme has led to a change in the levels of antisocial behaviour; and if she will make a statement. [179221]

Kris Hopkins: Information published by my Department on 25 November 2013 shows that, as at the end of October 2013, local authorities had turned around the lives of 22,104 troubled families. The criteria by which a family is deemed to have 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

This shows that 20,674 families have been turned around on the basis of reduction in levels of antisocial behaviour and/or youth crime and/or truancy.

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Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, columns 82-3W, on disadvantaged families and with reference to the statement in the answer that his Department does not hold the information requested relating to employment and incidence of antisocial behaviour (ASB), through what mechanisms his Department monitors (a) the effectiveness of the programme against its stated criteria including employment and ASB and (b) its cost-effectiveness in terms of use of public funds; and if he will make a statement. [179227]

Kris Hopkins: Progress information showing the effectiveness of the troubled families programme is published regularly by my Department. The most recent publication on 25 November 2013 shows that, as at the end of October 2013, local authorities have successfully turned around the lives of 22,104 troubled families. Of this number, 20,674 have achieved the combined education/crime/antisocial behaviour result and 1,430 have achieved the continuous employment result. A breakdown of these results by upper-tier local authority is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260612/131122__PI_ResultsOct13_final_.xls

In addition, my Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the troubled families programme which will look at outcomes achieved beyond those claimed under the terms of my Department's “financial framework for the troubled families programme's payment-by-results scheme for local authorities

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

This will include the measurement of employment and antisocial behaviour outcomes and a fiscal evaluation. Details of the evaluation are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/study-to-assess-impact-of-troubled-families-work

Growing Places Fund

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many successful applications have been made to the Growing Places Fund since its introduction; [179380]

(2) how many projects which were given funding under the Growing Places Fund have been started; and how many homes have been completed as a result. [179381]

Kris Hopkins: An analysis of progress updates submitted by local enterprise partnerships in England, ‘The Growing Places Fund: investing in infrastructure’, was published on 13 November 2013 and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-growing-places-fund-investing-in-infrastructure

As set out in that document, progress updates submitted in June 2013 show that £652 million of capital funding has been allocated to 305 projects across England. 159 projects (52% of the 305 approved projects across England) with an estimated total value of £1.5 billion are already under way; local enterprise partnerships expect these projects to create 4,900 businesses, 94,000 jobs and 27,000 houses. Data on housing units completed to date are not yet collected centrally.

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Housing

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 11, on New Homes Bonus, if he will set out the purpose of the New Homes Bonus. [179379]

Kris Hopkins: The New Homes Bonus is a powerful, simple and transparent incentive to reward local councils and communities for helping build more homes. It match funds the additional council tax raised for new homes and empty properties brought back into use, for six years with an enhancement for affordable homes.

This extra funding ensures that people with new homes in their neighbourhood experience the benefits of growth, and local councils can choose to spend the money however they like. That could be providing new facilities, protecting frontline services or simply freezing council tax. Indeed, this is why the New Homes Bonus is included in the spending power figures we publish as part of the local government finance settlement.

I note that Her Majesty's Opposition have recently criticised the fact that councils have not spent the monies on house building. However, this is a straw man argument—it was never intended to be ring-fenced for housing. As my right hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) told the House previously:

“The Government do not propose to tell local authorities how and when to spend the funding received from the New Homes Bonus.”

Official Report, 24 November 2010, column 307W

“The New Homes Bonus is not ring-fenced...The priorities of local communities and barriers to growth are different across the country and the Government will not dictate where the Bonus should be spent.”

Official Report, 4 July 2011, column 997W

The New Homes Bonus was originally drawn up by the Conservative party in opposition in its policy Green Paper, Control Shift. I appreciate that having actual policies on local government may be an alien concept for the current Opposition, so it may assist the hon. Lady if I cite the original explanation for the policy:

“Labour's approach has been to impose a variety of Whitehall master plans on local government, wrapped in a thick layer of bureaucracy and studded with detailed housing targets. And when those targets are inevitably missed, the reaction is simply to announce new, yet more ambitious targets. This top-down approach has failed to provide the housing we need.”

“Under the current system, when families move into new houses built in an area, the local authority receives additional council tax receipts from these properties. However, in addition to having to fund the extra services and infrastructure for these new residents and properties, local authorities that acquire larger council tax bases as a result of house-building in their areas will in many cases find that the amount of formula grant they receive from central government is reduced by the equalisation process.”

“We can meet the housing challenge only if we acknowledge that local support for new development is the crucial missing element. The solution lies in giving local councils and local communities incentives for house building, not targets. By creating a real and substantial financial incentive to reward communities that accept house building, we guarantee that those directly affected by development are those that benefit”

Conservative party, Control Shift, October 2008

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The incentive of the New Homes Bonus is complemented by the local retention of business rates and community infrastructure levy, to ensure that local communities can share the benefits of new development.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households affected by the under-occupancy penalty have previously been in receipt of a disabled facilities grant. [177525]

Kris Hopkins: This information is not collected centrally.

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many businesses in (a) Washington and Sunderland West constituency, (b) the North East and (c) England have been awaiting a determination from the Valuation Tribunal Service for (i) up to three months, (ii) three to six months and (iii) over six months; [176006]

(2) how many businesses in (a) Washington and Sunderland West constituency, (b) the North East and (c) England are currently awaiting a determination from the Valuation Tribunal Service. [176007]

Brandon Lewis: As was the case under the last Administration, business rates appeals are listed in accordance with the Valuation Office Agency's programming protocols for dealing with appeals. The Valuation Tribunal Service lists for hearing those business rates appeals that have not been settled by the target date set by the Valuation Office Agency; this is the point when the negotiation period between the ratepayers and the Valuation Office Agency should end.

A table has been placed in the Library of the House, which shows the total number of appeals that the Valuation Tribunal Service is aware of after the target date. Before the target date, the Valuation Office Agency will be in discussion with the appellant with a view to resolving the issue.

The Valuation Tribunal Service does not record business rates appeals by parliamentary constituency. The table instead notes the relevant cases in the area of the local billing authority—Sunderland city council. As outlined in the written statement of 18 September 2012, Official Report, column 32WS, my Department does not publish statistics by the former Government office regions. I am happy to provide information on other local billing authorities on request.

The postponement of the 2015 rates revaluation has allowed the Valuation Office Agency to allocate more resources to clearing appeals. The agency cleared 24% more appeals than in the previous year (224,000 in England in 2012-13, up from 181,000 in 2011-12). The number of outstanding rating appeals has fallen in six successive quarters.

Three quarters of all appeals to the 2010 list which have been decided to date have resulted in no change to the rateable value.

Notwithstanding the extra resources being allocated to tackle the backlog thanks to the postponement of the 2015 revaluation, this Government want to improve transparency in the valuation system, including improving

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the system for challenging rateable values. We are currently considering how best to do this, and will consult as appropriate.

Public Lavatories

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect on the availability of public toilets of the reduced resources made available to local authorities since May 2010; and what steps he is taking to restore public conveniences closed during this period. [167233]

Brandon Lewis: The Government have urged councils to protect local services by sharing back office functions, cutting wasteful expenditure, improving procurement to get more for less, and bringing senior pay under control. We have published a best practice document, “50 ways to save”, to encourage councils to make sensible savings and protect frontline services:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/50-ways-to-save-examples-of-sensible-savings-in-local-government

The Department continues to support the Changing Places campaign which is proving effective in driving up provision of these important toilet facilities, and we have recently updated Part M (access to and use of buildings) of the building regulations to highlight where changing places are needed and link to guidance available from the campaign website.

We are continuing to work with industry and members of the Changing Places campaign to develop a range of initiatives including a joint project to map the location of Changing Places toilets across the UK.

Right to Buy Scheme

Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of local authorities' compliance with their statutory obligations under the right-to-buy scheme; what reports he has received on Stevenage borough council's compliance with these obligations; and if he will take steps to improve the performance of Stevenage borough council with its obligations under right to buy. [177465]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 27 November 2013]: Social housing landlords have a statutory duty to process right-to-buy applications within set timescales. Where landlords are failing in this duty, I would encourage tenants to make use of the delay response mechanisms available, including serving landlords with statutory notices of delay where appropriate.

Continual delays can result in a reduction in the purchase price (rent paid during the delayed period is treated as an advance payment towards the purchase price of the property under the right to buy). Statutory notice of delay forms and guidance can be found here:

www.gov.uk/right-to-buy-buying-your-council-home/delays

I am pleased that my hon. Friend is committed to helping his constituents fulfil their dreams of home ownership. While my Department has made no such assessment, I would welcome any representations from any hon. Member if they have concerns about particular local authorities.

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Culture, Media and Sport

BBC

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are available to hon. Members to hold the BBC to account on management issues. [177455]

Mr Vaizey: The BBC is an independent body governed by the Royal charter, which is its constitutional basis. The charter sets out the public purposes of the BBC, guarantees its independence, and outlines the duties of the trust and the executive board. Under the terms of the BBC's charter and agreement, the BBC is operationally and editorially independent of Government and there is no provision for the Government to intervene in the corporation's day-to-day operations. Ultimately, it is for the BBC Trust to hold the Executive to account for managerial decisions, and to ensure value for money in the spending of the licence fee.

As a public body, the BBC lays its annual report and accounts in Parliament, and Members of the BBC and BBC Trust are invited to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Select Committees.

This Government have also opened up the BBC to a greater degree of scrutiny by the National Audit Office than ever before, and the NAO's reports—such as that into the remuneration of senior executives—have been scrutinized by the Public Accounts Committee. The Government are currently working with the NAO and the BBC Trust to amend the agreement and provide greater flexibility and scope for the NAO's value-for- money work at the BBC.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many radio stations with an FM licence broadcasting to a total survey area of fewer than 500,000 adults currently also broadcast on DAB. [177860]

Mr Vaizey: The licensing of commercial radio stations is a matter for Ofcom, which works independently of Government. According to figures from Ofcom, there are 56 stations with an FM licence which broadcast to a total survey area of fewer than 500,000 adults and currently also broadcast on DAB.

ICT

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed within centralised IT departments or teams in her Department; and if she will make a statement. [179163]

Mrs Grant: The Department has three people who are employed within centralised IT departments or teams.

Rugby: World Cup

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to prevent rugby fans wishing to attend the 2015 Rugby World Cup from being exploited by ticket touts through the secondary ticketing market; and if she will make a statement. [179334]

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Mrs Grant: We are in very regular contact with the CEO of England Rugby 2015 and her team and have provided advice on a range of options available to them to manage the risk of ticket touts at venues. We have also encouraged them to look at ways to make tickets available for rugby fans, as well as those interested in attending a rugby match for the first time, through their club structures and other mechanisms.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the organisers of the 2015 Rugby World Cup regarding problems relating to tickets reaching the secondary ticketing market; and if she will make a statement. [179335]

Mrs Grant: I met England Rugby 2015 recently and am aware of its concerns about the secondary ticketing market.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the implications for rugby fans wishing to attend the 2015 Rugby World Cup of tickets reaching the secondary ticketing market; and if she will make a statement. [179336]

Mrs Grant: This is a matter for the event organisers.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the potential threat to the success of the 2015 Rugby World Cup of tickets being resold through the secondary ticketing market; and if she will make a statement. [179337]

Mrs Grant: I have not seen any evidence that suggests the success of the 2015 Rugby World Cup is under threat from tickets being resold on the secondary market.

UK City of Culture: Londonderry

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effect on tourism from overseas of the Londonderry City of Culture 2013 events. [179277]

Mrs Grant: This is not a matter for this Department since tourism is a devolved issue. Tourism statistics relating to Northern Ireland are maintained by the Northern Ireland Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

World War I: Anniversaries

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance her Department is providing to help local authorities mark the 100 years since the start of the first world war; and if she will make a statement. [177771]

Mrs Grant: The Government are leading a wide-ranging centenary commemoration programme with opportunities for all. Commemorative paving stones to mark Victoria Cross recipients in their home towns are being made available to local authorities, including Montague Moore, Cecil Noble and Frederick Riggs from Bournemouth.

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Local authorities can apply for Heritage Lottery Fund grants for community projects and become members of the Imperial War Museum's centenary partnership. Several from Bournemouth have done so.

Treasury

Bank Cards

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department is giving to those asked to vote on the scheme of arrangement the FCA has agreed with Card Protection Plan Limited and high street banks. [179112]

Sajid Javid: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA will reply to my hon. Friend directly by letter. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Bank of England

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is possible for another sovereign state to possess a shareholding in the Bank of England. [177617]

Sajid Javid: The Bank of England is the central bank of the UK. Pursuant to the Bank of England Act 1946, on 1 March 1946 all capital stock of the Bank of England, or 'Bank stock', was transferred into the name of the Treasury Solicitor, to be held on behalf of HM Treasury.

That legislation does not authorise the stock to be held for any person, including any foreign state, except the Treasury.

Bradford & Bingley Building Society

Richard Harrington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many former shareholders of Bradford & Bingley building society at the time of its nationalisation in 2008 lived in (a) the UK and (b) Watford constituency. [179216]

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury does not hold the information requested.

Business: Loans

Mr Denham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the level of net bank lending to small and medium-sized enterprises in each English region in each quarter since 2009. [177811]

Sajid Javid: The Government do not collect data on bank lending by region. However, as part of the Better Business Finance taskforce agreed between the Government and the banks in 2011, the British Bankers' Association now publishes an enhanced SME lending dataset that includes a regional breakdown. The first dataset was published on 20 March 2012, and data are published on a quarterly basis.

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The Government also announced in July that they had reached an agreement with the major UK banks to publish lending data across 10,000 individual postcodes on a bank-by-bank basis. The first dataset will be published in December.

The postcode lending data will be published on a quarterly basis and show the outstanding stock of lending that has been committed to customers across three categories: loans and overdrafts to SMEs, mortgages, and unsecured personal loans.

Corporation Tax

Mr Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that multinational corporations are not able to deduct payments made to settle legal disputes from their profits for the purposes of calculating their UK corporation tax liability. [179095]

Mr Gauke: Companies can generally claim a deduction against taxable profits for expenditure incurred in the ordinary course of business. It is well established that punitive fines and damages paid to compensate for illegal actions are not incurred in the ordinary course of business and are not, therefore, allowable.

Additionally, in the context of multinational enterprises (MNEs) and payments made to settle legal disputes, it should be understood that, for each company within the MNE group, only expenditure incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of the company's own trade can be claimed. This means that no tax relief is available to a UK company for such a payment, or a proportion of the payment, which is proper to a separate company, such as an overseas fellow group company, for example.

These long-standing principles provide equitable tax treatment for all businesses and, as such, no further steps are currently required.

Debts: Barrow in Furness

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of levels of consumer debt in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last five years. [179306]

Mr Hurd: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Cabinet Office.

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

Letter from Jil Matheson, dated December 2013:

As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of levels of consumer debt in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last five years 179306.

The Office for National Statistics publishes details of consumer debt, in the form of short and long term loans, at a UK level only. The most recent analyses can be found in table A53 of the United Kingdom Economic Accounts (UKEA) 2013 Q2, published on 26 September 2013. The UKEA is available on the National Statistics website at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/naa1-rd/united-kingdom-economic-accounts/q2-2013/index.html

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Excise Duties: Fuels

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long he intends to continue with the current rural fuel rebate. [177473]

Danny Alexander: The European Commission has provided approval for a reduced rate of fuel duty to be applied on the Scottish Islands and the Isles of Scilly until 31 October 2017, after which the Government will need to review the approval of the scheme.

Finance Act 2008

Mrs Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the implications for HM Revenue and Customs of the recent High Court judgement in respect of section 58(4) of the Finance Act 2008. [177815]

Mr Gauke: UK residents are taxable on their worldwide income wherever it arises—including situations where it arises by way of foreign partnerships. Section 58 of Finance Act 2008 was enacted to help put that beyond doubt, and in so doing, made clear that a wholly artificial tax avoidance scheme involving a foreign partnership comprised of foreign trustees did not work. As section 58 retrospectively clarified existing legislation, its introduction had no affect on any taxpayer's tax position.

HMRC is not aware of any recent High Court decision in respect of section 58 and therefore no assessment has been made.

Individual Savings Accounts

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to (a) allow individuals to utilise the full annual ISA allowance in either cash or stocks and shares and (b) enable people to convert from one type of ISA to the other. [179327]

Mr Gauke: At present, individuals are permitted to save their full annual ISA allowance of £11,520, in a stocks and shares ISA, with the option to save half of this amount in a cash ISA,

It is also already possible for ISA investors to transfer funds invested in a cash ISA to a stocks and shares ISA outside the annual subscription limits.

The Government have no plans to allow an individual to save their full ISA allowance in a cash ISA or to convert a stocks and shares ISA into a cash ISA, although all areas of tax policy are kept under review.

Lord King of Lothbury

Mr Nuttall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what money from the public purse was spent on retirement parties and retirement gifts for Baron King of Lothbury on his retirement as Governor of the Bank of England. [177553]

Sajid Javid: The Treasury purchased one autograph book, which was signed and presented to the previous Governor of the Bank of England by the G20 finance Ministers in July. The value of this gift was below the transparency return threshold of £140.

Any funding committed by the Bank of England for such purposes is a matter for the Bank.

2 Dec 2013 : Column 566W

Ministers' Private Offices

Mr Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he (a) has appointed or (b) intends to appoint an enlarged ministerial office. [177522]

Nicky Morgan: I refer my hon. Friend to the Minister for the Cabinet Office's answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report, column 398W.

National Insurance Contributions

Mr Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider replacing the separate primary and secondary national insurance thresholds with a single threshold; and if he will make a statement. [179241]

Mr Gauke: The autumn statement on 5 December will set out the levels of primary and secondary thresholds for 2014-15. All tax and NICs policy is kept under review, and any changes for years beyond 2014-15 will be announced by the Chancellor at future fiscal events.

Overseas Companies

Mr Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total (a) cash and (b) accumulated profits held currently by UK companies overseas. [179097]

Mr Gauke: Neither the Treasury nor HMRC have made such estimates.

Revenue and Customs: Newry

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases were processed by the HM Revenue and Customs office in Newry in each of the last five years. [177634]

Mr Gauke [holding answer 28 November 2013]: HMRC does not record processing figures by case but uses system-generated work items.

The following numbers of system-generated work items have been processed by Customs House, Newry over the last five tax years. These figures may include a number of inquiries made by an individual customer in respect of their account and so do not represent case numbers.

Taxation: Self-assessment

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional people completed a self-assessment tax return as a result of the high-income child benefit tax charge in the most recent period for which figures are available. [177669]

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Mr Gauke: This information is not currently available. Self-assessment returns for the 2012-13 tax year-the first year for which the high-income child benefit charge is payable-do not have to be filed with HM Revenue and Customs until 31 January 2014.

Welfare Tax Credits: EU Nationals

Mr Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of paying tax credits to citizens of other EU member states who are employed in the UK in the most recent year for which data are available. [179242]

Nicky Morgan: The information is available only at disproportionate cost.

Mr Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to bring forward changes to the eligibility criteria for citizens of other EU countries employed in the UK who apply for tax credits. [179243]

Nicky Morgan: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is working closely with other Government Departments to ensure that the rules for tax credits align, where appropriate, with the measures recently announced by the Prime Minister.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Central African Republic

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the UN, the African Union and his French counterpart on steps that can be taken to tackle current problems in the Central African Republic and prevent a situation of genocide developing. [179328]

Mark Simmonds: We are working with our partners in the UN and EU to support the work of the Economic Community of Central African States and the African Union as they seek a lasting solution to the Central African Republic's instability.

We welcome the proposed African-led security mission and are working with fellow members of the UN Security Council to agree a resolution on how the international community should support this.

China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the Government's action plan on business and human rights ahead of the Prime Minister's visit to China. [177753]

Mr Swire: The Prime Minister is very supportive of the business and human rights agenda.

The UK published the world's first cross-Government national action plan in September, providing clear messaging to UK businesses on the importance of responsible behaviour which respects the rights of those employed by, or affected by operations, including through local supply changes.

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We engage with companies operating in China and their local suppliers through chambers of commerce and our diplomatic posts. Much of our project work supports delivery of the business and human rights agenda, for example labour rights and dispute resolution.

We encourage all countries to join us in developing a national action plan as the first step towards implementing the UN guiding principles on business and human rights.

European Azerbaijan Society

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the European Azerbaijan Society in each of the last three years. [177791]

Mr Lidington: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have had no official meetings with representatives of the European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) in the last three years. It is possible that Ministers have met representatives of (TEAS) at events, at which they were both present.

Iran

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Iranian Government on stopping the use of capital punishment. [177847]

Hugh Robertson: The Government remain deeply concerned at the extensive use of capital punishment by Iran: at least 270 people were officially executed in 2013. A high number of death sentences are applied for charges that do not amount to the most serious crimes under international law, such as drug trafficking. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised Iran's poor human rights record with Foreign Minister Zarif in the margins of UNGA in September 2013.

Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the existence of secret nuclear testing facilities in Iran. [179122]

Hugh Robertson: I am aware of recent press reports about the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI's) allegations that a complex of tunnels near Mobarekeh in Iran is a secret nuclear site, including allegations that it was a ‘nuclear bomb test site’. The location of the named site, in a functioning military establishment, and its proximity to a major city, means that we assess it is unlikely that it is used for nuclear weapon testing. It is not clear whether the named facility is used for other nuclear-related purposes.

Iran and France

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the (a) Iranian and (b) French delegation during the most recent P5+1 meeting with Iran in Geneva about the joint Iranian-French involvement in the uranium enrichment consortium Sofidif. [177840]

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Hugh Robertson: Neither Sofidif nor Eurodif were discussed with either the French or Iranian delegations at the recent nuclear negotiations in Geneva. Discussions focussed solely on securing a first-stage agreement between the E3+3 and Iran which addresses our most important concerns about the Iranian nuclear programme.

Iraq

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK has blocked at the United Nations Security Council any proposals by the World Health Organisation to undertake research funded through the Oil for Food programme into rates of health problems in Iraq. [177775]

Hugh Robertson: Our initial inquiries have not provided any evidence of the UK having blocked the use of Oil For Food funds for World Health Organisation (WHO) research at the UN Security Council. However, Foreign and Commonwealth Office records covering the period of the Oil for Food programme are not held centrally, and accessing our archives would incur disproportionate costs. We are aware that the WHO has carried out research in Iraq using its own funds.

Nuclear Disarmament

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the work of the open-ended working group on nuclear disarmament. [177690]

Hugh Robertson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Warsi, in the other place on 15 July 2013, Official Report, column WA93.

Nuclear Weapons

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the statement on the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons at the UN General Assembly First Committee. [177688]

Hugh Robertson: A number of member states, including the UK, delivered statements on the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons at the UN General Assembly First Committee.

We share the concern over the humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, expressed by nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) states parties at the 2010 review conference. The UK continues to attach the greatest importance to avoiding the use of nuclear weapons, and supports and participates in a range of efforts to increase international resilience to the threat of nuclear terrorism.

We are concerned that some efforts under the humanitarian initiative appear increasingly aimed at negotiating a nuclear weapons convention prohibiting the possession of nuclear weapons, outside existing processes. The UK believes that any attempts to establish a new conference or body to discuss such approaches risk undermining the full implementation of all three pillars of the NPT, which must remain our priority.

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Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the UK will be represented at the second international meeting on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, to be convened on 13 and 14 February 2014 in Nayarit, Mexico. [177689]

Hugh Robertson: We received an invitation from the Mexican Government on 26 November, and have not yet made a decision on whether the UK will attend.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's civil servants have been seconded to (a) the private sector and (b) trade unions in each year since 2010. [177715]

Hugh Robertson: From 1 January 2010 to the present, the breakdown of Foreign and Commonwealth Office employees who have been seconded to private sector organisations in the UK is as follows:

At present there are currently 13 FCO employees on secondment to private sector organisations.

Over this period no employees have been seconded to a trade union.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many secondees from (a) trade unions and (b) the voluntary sector have worked in his Department since 2010. [177738]

Hugh Robertson: No secondees from either a trade union or the voluntary sector have worked in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2010.

Thailand

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice his Department is providing to UK nationals in Thailand about safety and the anti-Government protests in Bangkok. [179329]

Mr Swire: There are continuing protests in Bangkok and elsewhere in Thailand, particularly around Government buildings. All sides state they are not seeking confrontation and want to avoid violence. At present, there is no direct threat to UK businesses, tourists or commercial interests in Thailand, but we continue to monitor the situation closely.

We have added factual updates to our travel advice throughout this period of protests and continue to keep it under review. Our current advice to British nationals is to avoid all protests, political gatherings and demonstrations.

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As I made clear in my public statement of 25 November, the UK urges all sides to adhere to their commitment to the values of democracy and rule of law in the interests of Thailand's peace and stability. Our ambassador to Thailand is in regular contact with both Thai Government and Opposition leaders, and officials in London are also in contact with the Thai embassy.

Trident Submarines

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions were held by his Department on the replacement of the Trident submarines at the recent high level meeting on nuclear disarmament at the UN; [177686]

(2) what discussions were held by his Department on the replacement of the Trident submarines at the recent UN General Assembly First Committee. [177687]

Hugh Robertson: No discussions were held by my Department at the UN General Assembly First Committee or at the UN high level meeting on nuclear disarmament on the subject of the UK's planned replacement of its Vanguard class submarines. Maintaining the UK's nuclear deterrent beyond the life of the current system is fully consistent with our obligations as a recognised nuclear weapon state under the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

Justice

Community Orders: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department's contract with Serco for the delivery of community payback in London includes any break clauses. [177645]

Jeremy Wright: The contract with Serco for London community payback does not contain a break clause. The contract does contain a standard clause allowing the authority to terminate the contract should the need arise.

Domestic Violence

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates have received training in dealing with domestic violence cases in each year since 2010. [179313]

Mr Vara: The Judicial College provides comprehensive training materials that are available to all members of the judiciary. The domestic violence training takes the form of a core pack which can be delivered either as a full day's training or in modular form and is supplemented by two DVDs.

Details of those magistrates who have received training are not collated centrally. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost by contacting each of the 26 local regions of Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunal Service to isolate the information from individual training records for more than 23,000 magistrates.

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Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; [173068]

(2) who the provider was for (a) gas and (b) electricity for his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12; [173140]

(3) what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of gas and electricity provision for his Department. [173143]

Mr Vara: The information is as follows:

173068

In the financial years 2010-12 the Department spent:

173140

Since 2010, the energy suppliers have been the same:

NHH Electricity—British Gas

HH Electricity—EDF Energy

Gas—Corona Energy.

173143

The MOJ is mandated by Cabinet Office to use the Government procurement service (GPS) national frameworks for utilities and energy management. GPS works on behalf of the public sector as an Executive agency of the Cabinet Office and is the largest buying organisation in the UK with a remit to work across the whole public sector. The aggregated volume provides GPS with access to wholesale energy markets, increases its ability to manage risk via a range of flexible and locked purchasing options, and provides leverage for securing improved pricing and supplier offerings, developing new and innovative energy efficiency solutions for the public sector and maximising the use of new and existing energy assets. Savings are generated through the GPS energy framework agreements and are supported by agreed benefits methodologies, which are formally audited by the Cabinet Office.

MOJ is also committed to reducing consumption across its estate. It works closely with its facilities manager providers to ensure buildings are run as efficiently as possible and has introduced a behavioural change campaign which it is starting to roll out across its court estate. The Ministry also has a programme of works to reduce consumption which includes low-energy lighting, voltage optimisation and boiler replacements to improve site efficiency.

In an effort to reduce/maintain future costs the Ministry of Justice is also supporting the newly introduced power purchasing agreements launched by the Minister for the Cabinet Office in December 2012. This initiative will provide an element of fixed costs energy for 25 years.

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Flexible Working

Mr Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department make use of compressed hours arrangements as part of the civil service's flexible working hours scheme (a) above and (b) below director level. [177400]

Mr Vara: A compressed hours working week, or ‘long days', involves working fewer days each week, eg three or four, but for longer hours. This allows employees to work their full-time net hours—like other full-time staff—but with additional non-working days off. Such arrangements will not be for everyone and may not be suitable for all roles.

Table 1 shows the number of officials within the Ministry of Justice (including NOMS) with a compressed hours working arrangement, as at 31 October 2013.

Human Trafficking: Children

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice of the 40 suspected victims of trafficking who were over 18 years of age referred to the National Referral Mechanism by the Salvation Army between April to June 2013, how many were under 18 years of age at the time they were first trafficked and exploited in the UK. [177626]

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) records referral data for adults and minors who are victims of trafficking separately and records the age at the time of referral.

Adults referred to the NRM following trafficking that occurred when they were a minor are recorded in the published statistics for minors but as over 18 at the point of referral. In the period April to June 2013 the Salvation Army made six such referrals.

The 40 cases identified in the question are of adults referred to the NRM as adult potential victims of trafficking and hence are listed in the statistics for adult referrals.

ICT

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people are employed within centralised IT departments or teams in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [179172]

Mr Vara: Information on the number of people employed by the Ministry of Justice including MOJ HQ, HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and Legal Aid Agency (LAA) who work within centralised IT departments as at 31 October was 505.

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Lasers: Prosecutions

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been prosecuted for offences involving use of a laser pen in the last five years. [179239]

Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice court proceedings database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not all the specific circumstances of each case. This centrally held information does not allow us to separately identify whether a defendant was proceeded against for the misuse of a laser pen. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to the size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MOJ. As such, the information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make it his policy to collect data on waiting times for individual offender behaviour programmes in English prisons. [175213]

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service is currently developing a consistent and co-ordinated dataset for referrals for the sex offender treatment programmes (SOTP). This will assist in the prioritisation of cases across NOMS for places on these programmes. Once a workable dataset has been developed that can be collated nationally to provide data, we will consider the benefits of using a similar approach for other programmes.

Pay Television

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether offices of (a) his Department and (b) its Executive agencies have access to Sky Sports or an equivalent premium sports television service; and what the cost to the public purse is in each case. [176435]

Mr Vara: The MOJ does not subscribe to Sky Sports; however, a small number of offices have access to the parliamentary annunciator service. The annunciator service gives information about parliamentary proceedings, including live feeds from the Commons and Lords Chambers and Westminster Hall, on screens throughout the parliamentary estate. The feed received by MOJ includes the same channels, including Sky Sports, as are provided in the Palace of Westminster. There is no extra cost to the MOJ.

Prisoners

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average (a) cost per place and (b) cost per prisoner in (i) publicly run prisons and (ii) privately run prisons was in (A) 2010, (B) 2011 and (C) 2012. [179319]

Jeremy Wright: As part of the Government's transparency agenda, the Department routinely publishes full details of average costs per prisoner and place, based on actual net resource expenditure for each private

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and public sector prison and in summary form for the whole of the prison estate in England and Wales after the end of the financial year. The information for financial years 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13, is published as an addendum to the NOMS annual report and accounts and available on the Department's website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-2011-12

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics-201213

The links include restated figures for 2010-11. Also included are restated figures for 2011-12 to enable a truer comparison with 2012-13. The figures for 2010-11 are not directly comparable with those for 2011-12 and 2012-13 due to changes in accounting treatment and scope.

Copies of these are also placed in the House Library.

The Government are committed to delivering reform in our public services. The prison competition phase one programme will deliver efficiency savings, in line with other public sector prisons, over the next four years.

Care must be taken in considering the comparison between private and public sector costs for the following reasons:

1. The public and private groups of prisons are not homogenous groups in terms of prison category, size, or age and these factors may have a greater impact on average costs than whether the prisons are public or private sector.

2. The private sector contracts may have different responsibilities for provision of health or education services than public sector prisons. This will affect their relative costs.

3. The different financing methods of PFI prisons mean that in an individual year the resource costs of private and public sector prisons are not directly comparable.

4. The costs are based on resource expenditure recorded in NOMS annual accounts. The PFI prisons are on balance sheet, which means that the element of the private contractors’ charges related to the capital cost is not included in the unit costs, whilst depreciation of buildings is included. Following government accounting rules, the charge against the resource budget is not calculated in the same way.

5. The PFI prisons costs include a charge for interest on capital costs. There is no equivalent charge in the public sector costs.

Prisoners’ Release

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to end early release for paedophiles and terrorists. [175926]

Jeremy Wright: On 4 October the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), announced proposals that criminals convicted of rape or attempted rape of a child under 13, and serious terrorism offences, should no longer be automatically released at the halfway point of their sentence. Under these proposals these offenders will only be released before the end of their custodial term under strict conditions at the discretion of the independent Parole

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Board. Before the Parole Board releases any criminal they must be convinced they no longer need to be detained to protect the public. These changes will require primary legislation which will be brought forward when parliamentary time allows.

Prisoners: Death

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have died in (a) prisons and (b) young offender institutions during each of the last five years. [177907]

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service publishes the number of deaths in prison custody as part of the National Statistics "Safety in Custody" bulletin.

The latest publication can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many attacks on prison staff by prisoners there have been in each establishment in each month since May 2010; [176286]

(2) how many attacks on prison staff by prisoners there have been in each prison establishment in each month since May 2010. [177036]

Jeremy Wright: In the 12 months to June 2013 the rate of recorded assaults on staff was among the lowest since 2000, at 35 incidents per 1,000 prisoners.

The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) and the Prison Officers Association (POA) are jointly committed to a zero tolerance approach to assaults on staff, visitors and prisoners.

NOMS takes the issue of assaults on prison staff very seriously. It currently has systems in place to deal with perpetrators quickly and robustly, with serious incidents referred to the police for prosecution. It is working with the police and Crown Prosecution Service to ensure that prisoners who assault staff are charged and punished appropriately.

NOMS is committed to exploring options to continue to improve how violence is tackled in prisons to keep both staff and prisoners safe. It is currently looking at the policy and practice of the management of violence.

There are many factors that can drive changes in the number of assaults on staff at individual establishments from one month to the next, including changes in admissions rates and composition of the prison population. A long-term view over several months should be taken when considering changes in trend.

Figures for the number of recorded assault on staff incidents and the rate per 1,000 prisoners are provided in Table 1.

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Figures for the number of reported incidents of assaults on staff in each establishment and in each month between May 2010 and December 2012—the latest period for which statistics are available at establishment level—have been placed in the Library.

Prisons: Overcrowding

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) under what circumstances his Department would trigger Operation Safeguard; [176763]

(2) what changes have been made to Operation Safeguard since May 2010. [176765]

Jeremy Wright: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer my predecessor gave in March 2011. Operation Safeguard is required when the size or distribution of the prison population is such that it can no longer be managed within the available capacity.

Prison population levels fluctuate throughout the year and we have sufficient accommodation for the current and expected population. There will be more adult male prison capacity in May 2015 than there was at the start of this Parliament

There are no plans to re-activate Operation Safeguard. Police cells, under Operation Safeguard, have not been used since 22 September 2008 and no police cells under Operation Safeguard have been on stand by since the end of October 2008

There have been no changes to Operation Safeguard arrangements since 2010.

Prisons: Security

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many incidents of prisons in full lockdown there have been in each of the last six months; [176208]

(2) how many incidents of prisons in full lockdown there have been in each month since May 2010. [177031]

Jeremy Wright: Prisons have the ability to “lockdown” all or part of a prison, wing or landing as an immediate operational response to an incident of disorder or to a security threat. The decision to undertake a full lockdown is taken following a dynamic risk assessment and involves a general confinement of prisoners to their cells.

The following table provides details of the number of full prison lock downs undertaken since May 2010 for purposes of searching the prison. These are reported centrally. Details of other incidents of lockdown are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost by undertaking a search of manual records at each establishment.

Procurement

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much and what proportion of his Department's budget was spent on activities which were contracted out in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and how much and what proportion of his Department's budget he expects to be contracted out in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15. [177490]

Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice is committed to providing services in the most efficient way possible to provide the best value for taxpayers.

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The following table shows the estimated spend in billions and the percentage this represents of the Ministry of Justice's budget for the financial years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. The figures are not held in the same format for the 2009-10 financial year and so have not been included for comparison purposes. It is not possible to say at this time what the outturn figure will be for the current financial year, but at the end of September 2013 around 39% of spend was on contracted out activities. Data are not yet available for 2014-15.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many private secondees worked in his Department in the year up to September (a) 2012 and (b) 2011; [177542]

(2) how many of his Department's civil servants have been seconded to (a) the private sector and (b) trade unions in each year since 2010; [177720]

(3) how many secondees from (a) trade unions and (b) the voluntary sector have worked in his Department since 2010. [177743]

Mr Vara: Information held on the Ministry of Justice's central systems on the number of inward and outward secondees from and into the specified sectors and organisations in the relevant years is set out in the following tables:

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A secondment takes place when an individual from a non-public sector external organisation in the UK voluntarily moves into the UK civil service for an agreed period but remains an employee of their external organisation.

An outward secondment takes place when an individual from the UK civil service voluntarily moves to a non-public sector external organisation for an agreed period but remains a UK civil service employee.

Sentencing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many and in what proportion of occasions cases in magistrates' courts have received a (a) six-month custodial sentence for one offence and (b) 12-month custodial sentence for two offences in each of the last three years. [175850]

Mr Vara: Magistrates deal with summary offences, which are the less serious cases, such as motoring offences and minor assaults and also either-way offences, which can be dealt with either by magistrates or before a judge and jury at the Crown Court.

Parliament sets the maximum penalty for an offence to deal with the worst possible case. Imprisonable, summary only offences have a maximum penalty of six months and very few cases will, rightly, receive the maximum penalty.

Magistrates’ courts have powers to impose a custodial sentence of up to six months for a single offence or up to 12 months if two or more custodial terms are imposed in respect of one or more triable either-way offences.

Where an offence has a maximum penalty of more than six months the magistrates’ court can send the case to the Crown Court for sentencing if it considers its powers are insufficient to deal with the particular case.

The information provided in the following table shows the number of offenders convicted at magistrates’ courts for one offence and received a six-month custodial sentence, which is the maximum sentence available to magistrates, and those convicted and sentenced of two offences and received a six-months sentence for each offence. From centrally held information it is not possible to ascertain whether or not the sentences are to be served consecutively or concurrently. Information is also provided for young offenders who were given a custodial sentence of 12 months by magistrates operating in their capacity as a youth court.

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2 Dec 2013 : Column 582W

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will discuss with the Sentencing Council ways of improving the consistency with which sentencing guidelines are taken account of. [179376]

Jeremy Wright: The Sentencing Council has a statutory duty under the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 to promote consistency in sentencing and to monitor the operation and effect of its guidelines on sentencing practice. These are matters for the council which is independent of Government. Courts are required by law to follow the guidelines produced by the council when sentencing (although they can depart from them in exceptional circumstances if it is in the interests of justice to do so).

Sexual Offences: Children

Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children received indeterminate sentences for sexual offences in each of the last 10 years. [176276]

Jeremy Wright: Our laws in these areas are robust and clear. The Government take very seriously all matters relating to the sexual abuse of children and also any material which may appear to be derived from or to encourage such activity.

The youth and immaturity of an offender must always be potential mitigating factors for the courts to take into account when passing sentence. However, where the facts of the case are particularly serious, the youth of the offender will not necessarily mitigate the appropriate sentence.

The number of juveniles given an indeterminate custodial sentence, ie imprisonment for public protection (IPP) under section 226 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, for sexual offences, in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2012, in England and Wales, in 2012 (the latest available) can be viewed in following table. Section 226 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 only came into force in 2005.

Court proceedings for the calendar year 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.

Sexual Offences: Dorset

Mr Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many successful prosecutions for rape and sexual violence there were in (a) Poole constituency and (b) Dorset in each of the last three years. [176083]

Jeremy Wright: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and offenders found guilty at all courts for rape and for all sexual offences, in the Dorset police force area, from 2010 to 2012 (the latest figures available) can be viewed in the table.

Information available centrally does not allow a breakdown of cases by parliamentary constituency.