Judiciary

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice of all applications in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 to date for vacancies for (i) the Supreme Court, (ii) judge advocates, (iii) deputy judge advocates, (iv) Lord Justices of Appeal, (v) High Court judges, (vi) heads of division, (vii) deputy district judges (magistrates' courts), (ix) masters, registrars, cost judges and district judges (Principal Registry of the Family Division), (x) deputy masters, (xi) deputy registrars, (xii) deputy costs judges and deputy district judges (Principal Registry of the Family Division), (xiii) circuit judges, (xiv) recorders, (xv) district judges (county courts), (xvi) deputy district judges (county courts), (xvii) district judges (magistrates' courts), (xviii) deputy district judges (magistrates' courts) and (xix) magistrates (A) were female, (B) had a disability or (C) were Black, Asian or minority ethnic. [179320]

Mr Vara: A more diverse judiciary is important in retaining the public’s confidence and trust in justice, and better reflecting the society it serves. The Government have made a number of changes through the Crime and Courts Act 2013 that we believe will promote judicial diversity. We have introduced part-time working in the senior courts, including the Supreme Court; we have enabled the equal merit provision for judicial appointments to allow protected characteristics to be taken into account where two applicants are of equal merit, and a statutory duty for the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice to encourage judicial diversity.

In order to protect the confidentiality of applicants, the diversity of applicants is not presented in recruitment exercises with fewer than 10 recommendations. This is consistent with the arrangements for official statistics published about judicial selection. As a result, results for Supreme Court, Heads of Division, masters, registrars, cost judges and district judges (Principal Registry of the Family Division), deputy masters, deputy registrars, deputy costs judges and deputy district judges (Principal Registry of the Family Division), will not be presented. In addition, there were no recruitment exercises for judge advocates or deputy judge advocates in the time period covered.

There is no central record of this information for magistrates and to provide it would be at a disproportionate cost. It would require 47 local JP advisory committees to check the individual records of at least 6,000 applicants at an estimated cost of £12,500. The departmental threshold for refusal of a request for information on the

3 Dec 2013 : Column 617W

grounds of disproportionate costs is £800. I am, therefore, unable to provide the requested information regarding applicants to magistrate posts.

Results in 2013 to date will be published on 5 December at:

http://jac.judiciary.gov.uk/about-jac/823.htm

and will not be included in this PQ.

For the other posts, the following tables show the number of women applicants, applicants from a BAME background, applicants with a disability and the total number of applicants for recruitment exercises with 10 or more recommendations which were completed between financial years 2010-11 and 2012-13. Please note the definition of the completion of an exercise changed in June 2012 from the date of the closedown report to the date the recommendations were sent to the Lord Chancellor’s report, in order to make the results more timely.

Please note for Court of Appeal, the exercise in 2012-13 was the first to ask for diversity information. Please also note that information regarding disability was not asked for in some exercises.

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Ministers' Private Offices

Mr Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he (a) has appointed or (b) intends to appoint an enlarged ministerial office. [177520]

Mr Vara: I refer the hon. Member to the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), answer of 28 November 2013, Official Report column 398W.

Parole

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times people have opted-in to the probation victim contact scheme in each year since its establishment. [179459]

Jeremy Wright: The probation victim contact scheme (VCS), which was established in 2001, provides valuable support to victims of offenders who receive a sentence of imprisonment of 12 months or more or a hospital order for a violent or sexual offence. The VCS enables victims to be informed of key stages of an offender's sentence, such as if they are transferred to open conditions or released. Victims also have the statutory right to make representations about the licence conditions to which the offender should be subject on release, to reassure and protect them.

In cases where the offender's case is reviewed by the Parole Board, victims have a right to submit a victim personal statement to the Parole Board, setting out the impact of the offence against them, and what the impact of release will be. If the Parole Board holds an oral hearing, victims can apply to read their statement to the Parole Board panel. While the final decision will be for the chair of the Parole Board panel, the presumption is that victims will be permitted to attend. The new Victims' Code, which was published on 20 October 2013, enshrines the entitlement for victims to make a VPS to the Parole Board.

Eligible victims will be referred to probation trusts after sentence by the joint Police and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) witness care units, unless the victim elects not to receive the VCS. Victims who do not wish to opt in immediately are made aware they can do so at any time during the offender's sentence. The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has worked with the CPS to update guidance to staff reminding them of the need to offer and explain the VCS to eligible victims.

The new Victims Code, to which I referred above, also includes information about the VCS, including how to opt in, and what information victims will receive about an offender's sentence.

NOMS and the Probation Service are committed to ensuring that victims who are eligible to receive the services of the VCS are provided with all the information to help them make an informed choice about whether to opt in to the VCS. Some victims, however, and understandably, do not wish to be provided with information about the offender.

Figures about the number of victims who are eligible to receive contact under the VCS or have opted into it are held locally by individual probation trusts and to collect them would incur disproportionate costs.

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Prisons: Doncaster

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many staff from (a) the Prison Service or (b) his Department were involved in work related to the Doncaster cluster prison competition; [179273]

(2) how many staff of (a) the Prison Service or (b) his Department have been involved to date in work related to the Doncaster cluster prison competition. [179497]

Jeremy Wright: The prison competition programme did not recruit or employ staff solely to oversee the South Yorkshire prisons element of the competition (covering HMPs Hatfield, Moorland and Lindholme). The work regarding South Yorkshire was undertaken by the programme team running the wider prison competition.

Prisons: Greater London

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times the National Tactical Response Group was called out to each prison in London in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 to date. [179575]

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 staff have been called to attend incidents at less than half of the total number of establishments in the past year. The number of callouts has been fairly consistent over the years in question, though there has been a slight rise in the number of callouts over recent months. This is mainly due to minor incidents such as prisoners protesting by climbing on to the netting between landings. NTRG staff have the specialist skills required to deal with such incidents which accounted for 69% of all callouts in the past year, and they are frequently called to attend as a precautionary measure. Not all callouts result in engagement by NTRG staff, with a number of situations being resolved locally. Of the all the incidents NTRG attended up to 31 October 2013, 76% were resolved by surrender. There has been no rise in the number of serious incidents being attended.

The following table sets out the occasions on which National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) has been called to attend each prison in the Greater London area in each of the years requested. The figures do not include aborted callouts:

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Prisons: Security

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by the National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and how many staff will have been employed by the NTRG in 2013-14. [179582]

Jeremy Wright: The following table provides the average number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by the National Tactical Response Group for each of the following years: 2009-10; 2010-11; 2011-12; 2012-13; 2013-2014 (up to 31 October 2013).

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.

Victim Support

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what assessment he has made of the potential effects on each region of changing the funding formula of victim support; [172280]

(2) how much funding will be allocated to each region within the new funding structure for Victim Support. [172281]

Damian Green: More money than ever before will be available for services to support victims of crime, with a potential budget of up to £100 million. Changes to the Victim Surcharge will provide up to £50 million more per year for victims' services. This has the potential to double the Ministry of Justice's current spending of around £50 million on support provision.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are best placed to understand the needs of victims in their communities which is why they will be responsible for commissioning local victims' services from October 2014 and will make decisions on which services will be commissioned in their area, based on the needs of the local community. Some services will be nationally commissioned by the Ministry of Justice such as services for victims of human trafficking and the homicide service.

PCCs will be provided with a budget from the Ministry of Justice to commission victims' services, and they were notified of the percentage allocation of the victims' services budget they will receive on 9 September 2013. The table is as follows. PCCs will be receiving their indicative budgets shortly.

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Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding for victims' services was given to each police force area in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) 2012-13; and what the funding will be for each such area from April 2014. [176774]

Damian Green: Under the current model by which the Ministry of Justice provides funding for victims’ services, funding is not directly or specifically given to, or allocated by police force area.

The majority of Ministry of Justice funding for provision of victims and witness services since 2009-10 has been provided via a grant to Victim Support (£38.25 million in 2013-14). Under this model, support for victims in local areas is provided based on numbers of police and self referrals received, and the number and types of positive needs identified with victims on an individual basis. This grant also funds provision of the national Homicide Service, and the court-based witness service.

In addition, MOJ provides funding for a number of other organisations which support victims across different localities. This funding has been allocated to organisations based on identified needs rather than allocations by police force area.

From 2014-15 onwards more money than ever before will be available for victims’ services, with a potential future total budget of up to £100 million per year.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 622W

We are yet to finalise our 2014-15 allocations, however our current forecast shows at least £75 million of funding, of which £45,750 is to be spent on nationally commissioned support provision and £29,250 is to be allocated between PCCs. In 2014-15 PCCs will commission victim-led restorative justice, and starting from 1 October 2014 they will also commission the majority of services for victims and witnesses. Our indicative budgets and percentage allocation for PCCs are shown in the following table:

International Development

Armed Forces: Deployment

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she plans to visit the Military Stabilisation Support Group. [177773]

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Mr Duncan: DFID has strong links with the Military Stabilisation Support Group (MSSG) and the military more broadly. The Department works closely with MSSG given its important role in providing military support for stabilisation, peace-building and state-building activities.

Developing Countries: Childbirth

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of changes in maternal and newborn survival rates in those countries where her Department works; and if she will make a statement. [177795]

Lynne Featherstone: The 2012 'Countdown to 2015: Maternal, Neonatal and Child Survival' report shows that maternal and child survival is improving in a number of countries where DFID works. Global child mortality rates have nearly halved since 1990, and recent data show that Liberia has halved child mortality in just over 10 years, and has achieved the child mortality millennium development goal. However, progress has been variable across countries and more is needed.

Israel

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian needs of displaced Bedouin from the Neqab; what assessment she has made of the reasons for their displacement; and whether she has raised that matter with the Israeli Government. [179561]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not operate in Israel and has therefore made no assessment of the humanitarian needs of the Negev/al-Naqab Bedouin. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has raised concerns about forced relocation of Bedouin communities with the Israeli authorities, with a view to agreeing a lasting and satisfactory solution to this complex issue.

Philippines

Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how funding by the Ministry of Defence as part of the UK response to Typhoon Haiyan is (a) accredited towards the UK international aid target and (b) will be reimbursed to the Ministry of Defence by her Department. [179513]

Mr Duncan: In accordance with official development assistance guidelines set by the OECD, DFID will reimburse the MOD its marginal operating costs for any assets used to support the UK Government's humanitarian work.

Business, Innovation and Skills

Aluminium: EU Action

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the effects of EU policy relating to aluminium of the global competitiveness of the EU aluminium industry. [R] [179422]

3 Dec 2013 : Column 624W

Michael Fallon: The Government have been engaging with the European Commission on the state aid aspects of our plans to compensate energy intensive industries (EIIs), including aluminium, for the indirect costs of the carbon price floor. This sector is already being compensated for the indirect cost of the EU emissions trading scheme to address concerns of carbon leakage.

We have also been engaging with a range of EU member states, including Germany and France, on issues of competitiveness for EIIs impacted by climate change and energy policies.

Aluminium: Industry

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to support the aluminium industry. [179109]

Michael Fallon: UK aluminium companies can access help and advice to grow their business through ‘GREAT’

www.greatbusiness.gov.uk

or

www.gov.uk

Eligible businesses can gain support in areas such as running, funding, staffing and expanding a business. The Government-funded manufacturing advisory service provides practical support on all aspects of manufacturing, including direct access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record

www.mymas.org/services

There is also support available from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) for those companies wishing to grow through international trade.

Investment support is available through the regional growth fund. Round 5 is now open until 9 December for bids of £1 million but smaller bids are also supported by the fund through existing programmes.

In terms of energy costs and climate change policy, we recognise the unique circumstances of energy intensive industries such as the aluminium sector which are both large consumers of energy and exposed to international competition.

Therefore, the Government have put in place a £420 million compensation package for energy intensive industries, including the aluminium industry, and we have already started compensating aluminium companies for the indirect costs of the EU emissions trading system. From 2014 the UK is also exempting mineralogical and metallurgical processes from the climate change levy as allowed for under the energy taxation directive.

In addition we have consulted on our proposal to exempt energy intensive industries from the costs of Contracts for Difference as part of electricity market reform. We are analysing results of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.

Education: Prisons

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how Milton Keynes college has performed against its contracted performance targets in the delivery of education services in HMP Oakwood since that prison opened; [179578]

(2) on what occasions providers of prison education services in England and Wales have not met their contracted performance targets in each of the last five years; and what financial penalties were incurred in each such case. [179583]

3 Dec 2013 : Column 625W

Matthew Hancock: I am replying as Minister responsible for prison education in England.

I have asked the interim Chief Executive of the Skills Funding Agency to write to the right hon. Member with details of education contract performance at HMP Oakwood and across England more generally. I will place a copy of that letter in the Libraries of the House.

In Wales, education in public sector prisons is delivered through funding from the Welsh Government.

EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2013, Official Report, columns 663-4W, when the names of companies receiving compensation will be published. [179584]

Michael Fallon: We will publish names of companies receiving compensation for the indirect costs of the EU emissions trading system by the end of the financial year.

Exports

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will estimate the value of exports from each English region in the most recent year in (a) total, (b) total by sector and (c) total per head of population. [177816]

Michael Fallon: The value of goods exports by region is published by HMRC; no reliable estimate of the value of services exports by region is available. The following table shows the value of goods exports by English region and the value per head of population for 2012. Data for 2012 are provisional.

Regional data on exports by industry sector is not available. HMRC produces data on value of goods exported by the type of commodity; these data are shown in the following table by English region.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 626W

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of each local enterprise partnership; what steps his Department is taking to encourage all local enterprise partnerships to adopt best practices; and if he will make a statement. [179451]

Michael Fallon: The Government do not carry out formal assessments of the effectiveness of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) as they are voluntary local partnerships and not agencies of Government. They are first and foremost accountable to their local community and local businesses. In terms of encouraging best practices, BIS local teams have successfully built strong relationships with LEPs and local government to help them build their capability and capacity, and to help them understand and link with national priorities.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 627W

NHS: Innovation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many meetings his Department has had with the Department of Health on introducing an uptake rule for National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved diagnostic technologies to support the objective of the Government's Strategy for UK Life Sciences to promote innovation in the NHS. [179439]

Mr Willetts: The Ministerial Medical Technology Strategy Group (MMTSG) meeting held on 6 November 2013 considered proposals from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) regarding the assessment of medical technologies in general. The meeting was attended by representatives of NICE and industry, as well as Department of Health (DH) and Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Ministers. DH and BIS ministers have also discussed the wider topic of assessment of medical technologies at a subsequent meeting on 12 November 2013.

In addition, BIS and DH officials are in regular contact regarding the implementation of the Government's Strategy for UK Life Sciences, and the promotion of innovation in the national health service.

Students: Loans

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of how much will be repaid on fee loans by graduates starting their degree course in 2013 by each decile of average lifetime earnings. [179267]

Mr Willetts: We currently estimate that students who started their study in 2013 will not repay around 35-40% of the value of their student loans, reflecting the progressive nature of the system.

Our student loan repayment forecasts do not consider average lifetime earnings, as student loan repayments are capped at the level of the debt. Once the debt is paid off the borrower exits the repayment system, and there is no reason to track a person's income over their whole lifetime. Similarly, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not forecast earnings beyond the estimated point of repayment or write-off of a loan. Consequently, estimates by decile of average lifetime earnings are not available from the Department.

However, the Institute for Fiscal Studies have carried out research which may be of interest at the following URLs.

The distributional impact of the 2012-13 higher education funding reforms in England:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1475-5890.2012.00159.x/pdf

IFS Briefing Note 113:

http://www.ifs.org.uk/bns/bn113.pdf

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library an updated version of the ready reckoner on students loans and debt repayment published in 2010 reflecting his most recent estimate on future earnings, fees and RAB charges. [179560]

3 Dec 2013 : Column 628W

Mr Willetts: An updated version of the ready reckoner, now called the simplified loan repayment model, was published in summer 2012 on the

www.gov.uk

website. I will arrange to have another updated version published in the near future which will reflect the latest available figures for ONS outturn and OBR forecasts, concerning RPI and earnings.

UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 November 2013, Official Report, column 263W, on UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, in which countries UKTI Defence and Security Organisation is supporting commercial campaigns in 2013-14. [179111]

Michael Fallon: UKTI DSO is currently supporting defence and security commercial campaigns and prospects in the following countries:

Algeria

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Belgium

Brazil

Brunei

Canada

Chile

China

Colombia

Denmark

Estonia

France

Germany

Ghana

Hong Kong

India

Indonesia

Iraq

Italy

Japan

Kazakhstan

Kuwait

Libya

Malaysia

Mexico

Mongolia

New Zealand

Nigeria

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Qatar

3 Dec 2013 : Column 629W

Romania

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Africa

South Korea

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey

UAE

USA

Vietnam.

The list is not exhaustive as UKTI may offer assistance in further markets, in accordance with its aim to help UK companies to export.

Communities and Local Government

Caravan Sites

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the adequacy of regulation governing the protection of caravan owners in holiday parks. [179510]

Kris Hopkins: All caravan holiday parks are required to be licensed by local authorities under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. Pitch agreements between holiday caravan owners and site owners are subject to the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, which protects consumers from enforceability of unfair terms in contracts.

Council Housing: Hampshire

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many council houses were built in (a) Test Valley Borough Council area and (b) New Forest District Council area in the three years to August 2013; [177863]

(2) how many council houses have been built in the last three years up to August 2013 in Gosport Borough Council area; [177888]

(3) how many council houses have been built in the last three years up to August 2013 in Fareham Borough Council area; [177889]

3 Dec 2013 : Column 630W

(4) how many council houses have been built in the last three years up to August 2013 in Havant Borough Council area; [177890]

(5) how many council houses have been built in the last three years up to August 2013 in Southampton City Council area; [177891]

(6) how many council houses have been built in the last three years up to August 2013 in New Forest District Council area; [177892]

(7) how many social housing units have been built in each of the last three years in the Gosport Borough Council area; [177893]

(8) how many social housing units have been built in each of the last three years in the Fareham Borough Council area; [177894]

(9) how many social housing units have been built in each of the last three years in the Havant Borough Council area; [177895]

(10) how many social housing units have been built in each of the last three years in the Southampton City Council area. [177896]

Kris Hopkins: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 27 November 2013, Official Report, column 337W.

EU Grants and Loans

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what (a) value and (b) proportion of European Regional Development Fund moneys allocated to the UK with match funding in place has been contractually committed in (i) each English region and (ii) total to date. [176233]

Brandon Lewis: The information requested is provided in the following table for the 2007-13 European Regional Development Fund Programme. The “contractually committed” figures are up to 31 October 2013. All contractually committed funding has had match funding identified so no separate figures are shown for this. Fluctuations in the exchange rate have significantly increased the sterling allocation since the programme began in 2007.

The 2007-13 programme is on course and on track. An average of over 100% of the programme has been contractually committed or is under consideration, with match funding in place. In the south-east, we are working with partners and hope to be able to commit to 100% by the end of December. We are exactly where we would expect to be at this point in the seven-year programme.

Funds can be allocated until the end of 2013, and funds should be spent by 2015.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 631W

3 Dec 2013 : Column 632W

Troubled Families Programme

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he intends to publish the (a) first interim report by the Ecorys UK consortium on the Troubled Families programme and (b) official statistics on the Troubled Families programme. [179396]

Kris Hopkins: The independent evaluation of the Troubled Families programme is currently under way and my Department will publish initial findings in 2014.

The latest progress information, including families turned around, was published on 25 November and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/troubled-families-progress-information-at-september-2013-and-families-turned-around-at-october-2013

This information is updated quarterly and constitutes management information, rather than official statistics.

Housing: Construction

Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average time taken is for a large housing scheme to go through the planning appeals procedures. [177836]

Nick Boles: During the period from 1 November 2012 to 31 October 2013 the average time to decide appeals for all procedures concerning schemes of 10 or more houses, where the responsibility for the decision rests with the Planning Inspectorate, was 23 weeks.

The Planning Inspectorate is continually looking at ways to make the planning system work more efficiently and effectively. following a technical review of planning appeals procedures we have introduced a number of initiatives designed to streamline the planning appeals process to enable quicker decision making.

Under the new arrangements that came into effect in October this year, it is the Planning Inspectorate's objective to decide appeals involving written representations within 14 weeks, appeals that require a hearing within 14 weeks and appeals that require a public inquiry within 22 weeks.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of current new build homes are specifically designed for those aged 60 and over. [177887]

Kris Hopkins: DCLG does not collect information on the proportion of new build homes specifically designed for those aged 60 and over.

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) how many public sector land sites have been (a) identified and (b) released for the purpose of new housing developments since 2010; [179382]

(2) how many houses were built on released public sector land sites in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and how many are expected to be built on such sites in 2013. [179383]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 2 December 2013]: The Public Sector Land Programme is designed to accelerate the release of central Government land to the private sector and deliver on its an ambition to dispose of land with capacity for 100,000 homes by the end of March 2015. Since 2010, 733 surplus public sector sites have been identified and as of 30 September 2013, 385 sites had been sold, capable of delivering 62,306 homes. We do not collect data on the number of homes built on these sites.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many housing unit buildings starts there have been in each of the last five years. [179526]

Kris Hopkins: Statistics on house building starts for England are published in the Department's live table 208, which are available at the following link:

http://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-house-building

Housing: Greater London

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the future growth in London's housing stock will be. [179431]

Kris Hopkins: DCLG does not produce statistics on future housing stock.

Housing: Overcrowding

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support his Department gives to a large family in overcrowded housing who cannot access the recommended size of property owing to a lack of supply. [177825]

Kris Hopkins: The social housing reforms in the Localism Act have given local authorities and social landlords the tools they need to tackle overcrowding, while retaining the ‘reasonable preference’ provisions in the allocation legislation which ensure that overcrowded families continue to get priority for social housing. HomeSwap Direct is there to make it easier for overcrowded social tenants to swap with those who want to downsize.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 633W

The removal of the spare room subsidy also encourages the more effective use of social housing, by addressing the under-occupation of family homes.

Our Affordable Homes programme is on track to deliver 170,000 new affordable homes between 2011 and 2015, with £19.5 billion of public and private funding—half way through 98,700 homes have already been delivered. A further £23 billion will help ensure another 165,000 new affordable homes are started between 2015 and 2018. This will be the fastest annual rate of building for at least 20 years.

ICT

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people are employed within centralised IT departments or teams in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [179162]

Brandon Lewis: 28 people are employed in the central IT team. Many of the Department's IT support services are outsourced. However, we retain an in-house function covering areas including: IT project management, systems architecture, service and account management and support for our critical business application systems.

Leasehold

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to make it easier for leaseholders to manage their properties. [179338]

Kris Hopkins: Private sector leaseholders already have a range of rights in relation to the management of their property, including the statutory "Right to Manage." The Government have no current plans to bring forward additional legislation.

Vacant Land

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the use of greenfield sites. [177859]

Nick Boles: The National Planning Policy Framework, issued in March 2012, maintains strong protections for green belt, national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and sites of special scientific interest. The framework also requires local authorities to recognise the character and beauty of the countryside, to encourage re-use of brownfield land if not of high environmental value, to support biodiversity, and to take into account the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land.

The framework also allows councils to introduce a new Local Green Space designation, to provide additional planning protection for green areas which are demonstrably special to a local community and hold particular local significance.

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his Department has had with bioliquids producers on the inclusion of support for used cooking oil-derived bioliquids in electricity market reform. [179392]

3 Dec 2013 : Column 634W

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 November 2013, Official Report, column 1031W, to the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Tom Greatrex).

Charitable Donations

Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to encourage its employees to make tax-free donations direct from their salaries. [179639]

Gregory Barker: The Department enables employees to make tax-free donations direct from their salaries, to charities of their choice, through payroll.

The Department supports employees to make such contributions through a number of workplace giving schemes, such as 'Charities Aid Foundation', 'Give as You Earn Scheme' or the Charity for Civil Servants, with guidance on the departmental intranet and through hosting workplace giving visits.

Energy: Northern Ireland

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on energy pricing and investment in green technology. [179588]

Michael Fallon: Energy policy is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. DECC Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive about a range of energy issues.

Energy: Prices

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with groups representing older people on providing support for older people who are having difficulty paying their energy bills. [179152]

Michael Fallon: The Department works closely with a range of groups representing the elderly and vulnerable.

The coalition Government are strongly committed to supporting older and vulnerable people keep warm. We have a wide range of policies that provide assistance to those in need. These include the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Home Discount.

Each year under ECO we will provide targeted assistance to some 230,000 low income and vulnerable households, including pensioner households. Under the Warm Home Discount, 2 million households receive help when they need it most. This year, well over 1 million of the poorest pensioners will receive an automatic discount of £135 on their electricity bill. Most of these discounts have already been credited to accounts.

We also providing extra help and advice to vulnerable consumers, including those who are elderly, through the Big Energy Saving Network. This will help consumers to engage with the energy market and to give them the confidence to take decisions that will reduce their bills.

The Department of Health's cold weather plan, supported by the Keep Warm Keep Well campaign, sets out a series of clear actions to minimise the health impact of severe winter weather on the elderly and vulnerable was published in early November.

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We also continue to provide winter fuel payments and cold weather payments. Last winter, £2.15 billion of winter fuel payments were made to 12.5 million pensioners. And nearly £150 million worth of cold weather payments were made, including to the elderly and vulnerable during periods of very cold weather.

ICT

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people are employed within centralised IT departments or teams in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [179166]

Gregory Barker: There are 19 IT staff working in the Department of Energy and Climate Change. This is made up of 11 staff working in the central IT department, and a further eight embedded within local teams supporting specific business applications. The central IT department supports 1,765 users.

Secondment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 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. [177713]

Gregory Barker: The number of civil servants who have been seconded to an organisation in the private sector from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is shown in the following table.

No civil servants have been seconded from DECC to any trade union.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many secondees from (a) trades unions and (b) the voluntary sector have worked in his Department since 2010. [177736]

Gregory Barker: No people have been seconded to the Department of Energy and Climate Change from either (a) trade unions or (b) the voluntary sector since 2010.

Wind Power: Seas and Oceans

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision by RWE not to proceed with the Atlantic Array offshore wind project on (a) UK industrial capability in the offshore wind industry, (b) the supply chain within the industry and (c) the UK's competitiveness in the offshore wind industry. [179187]

Michael Fallon: No assessment of the UK's offshore wind industrial capability or supply chain has been made as a result of RWE's decision on Atlantic Array. The UK remains the world leader in offshore wind deployment with almost 4 GW in operation, and almost 50 GW in leased sites.

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Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to determine whether the Atlantic Array offshore wind project could go ahead with another company; and if he will make a statement. [179189]

Michael Fallon: Any decision on rights to the Bristol Channel Zone, which includes the Atlantic Array wind farm area, is a matter for the Crown Estate.

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with RWE on its decision not to proceed with the Atlantic Array offshore wind project; and whether he has received reports that the announcement by the Prime Minister to review green levies played a part in the decision by the company not to proceed. [179200]

Michael Fallon: RWE has stated that the decision not to proceed with the Atlantic Array offshore wind project was made due to technical challenges within the Bristol Channel Zone.

Defence

Arms Trade

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which export promotion teams including Ministry of Defence or military personnel have been established for (a) the Eurofighter Typhoon, (b) combat ships, (c) submarines and (d) complex weapons; and when each such team was set up. [179247]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence does not currently have any export promotion teams for defence equipment. The task of promotion of defence equipment is undertaken by UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation. This includes the Export Support Team staffed by military personnel and is supported by the Ministry of Defence in this undertaking.

Military Aircraft

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 25 March 2013, Official Report, column 1937W, on RAF Lyneham, when a decision was made about the aircraft's future; what public announcement was made following this decision; what his policy is on protecting the nation's aviation history and heritage; and if he will make a statement. [177882]

Mr Francois: Comet aircraft C2 XK699, the gate guardian at the former RAF Lyneham, was sold by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to the Boscombe Down Aviation Collection (a registered charity) on 4 November 2013. The MOD did not announce the sale of this airframe but it was reported in the local media which welcomed the sale.

The RAF Heritage Strategy is, where possible, to preserve one of each aircraft type in the National Collection. The RAF Museum has a Comet aircraft on display at its Cosford site.

Furthermore the MOD sponsors the National Museum of the Royal Navy (that includes the Fleet Air Arm Museum), the National Army Museum, the Royal Air Force Museum and the Army Air Corp Museum.

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Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which military aircraft the traffic collision avoidance system have installed. [179562]

Mr Dunne: The following military aircraft are fitted with an aircraft collision avoidance system (ACAS):

C-17

C-130

A400M

Tristar

Hawk TMk2

King Air

Grob Tutor

E-3D Sentry

Bae 146

Bae 125

Shadow

Sentinel

Airseeker

Voyager

Avenger T Mk1

Defender

Islander¹

Tucano

Squirrel

Griffin HT Mk1.

¹ Depending on Mk, some still to be fitted

In addition, contracts have been placed for the following aircraft to be fitted with an ACAS:

Griffin HAR Mk2

Wildcat HMAMk2

Dauphin N2

Lynx 9a

Wildcat AH Mk1

Dauphin N3.

A Tornado traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) has been developed which is expected to achieve initial operating capability by the end of next year.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the standard operating procedure is for activating the traffic collision avoidance system for RAF aircraft in (a) combat and (b) training missions. [179566]

Mr Dunne: The standard operating procedure for all RAF aircraft fitted with an Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS) is for it to be switched on prior to take-off and not switched off until after landing. There is no variation from these procedures while on operations.

The only exceptions are during Air-to-Air Refuelling and close formation flying involving ACAS equipped aircraft, where the operating procedures require the leader of the formation to retain normal operation of the ACAS while the remaining formation elements switch ACAS to standby. This also allows the combination of aircraft to be considered as a single unit.

Reserve Forces

Mr Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many annual reservist deployments his Department anticipates following the implementation of Army 2020 and Future Reserves 2020. [174011]

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Mr Francois: The future manning structure of the UK armed forces is informed by assumptions made within the current Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). We have been clear that they will be expected to deploy in a range of roles covering the tasks and commitments set out in the SDSR. Given the difficulty of predicting the precise regularity, duration or tempo of potential future operations, it is equally difficult to predict the regularity of reservist deployments.

However, if the Ministry of Defence is engaged on major operations, our estimate—as set out in the Defence Reform Bill's impact assessment— suggests that there could be up to 3,000 individual reservist deployments a year, a figure 20% over the current norm. This estimate reflects the increased role reservists will have in the future.

As the White Paper ‘Reserves in the Future Force 2020: Valued and Valuable’, (Cm 8655) published in July 2013, made clear, in respect of mobilisations, under the future Army Reserves Structure, Reserve units will move through a training and readiness cycle. The structure is designed to provide a sustainable cycle of up to one six month deployment in any five year period. The full 30,000 would only be deployed in the event of a full-scale national emergency.

Shipbuilding

Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 18 November 2013, Official Report, column 704W, on shipbuilding, what uses his Department will make of buildings no longer used for shipbuilding that are to be returned to his Department. [179123]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) current planning assumption is that the facilities leased by BAE Systems for warship building in Portsmouth will be returned to the Department when this activity ceases in the second half of 2014.

The MOD is looking at options regarding their future use. Some will continue to be used to service the support requirements of the warships based in Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth and others will be optimised to deliver the greater volume of engineering work arising when the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers arrive in the base.

Once this options analysis work is complete, the MOD will seek to establish the extent to which there may be scope to make wider commercial use of any surplus facilities.

Tornado Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the installation of the traffic collision avoidance system was first recommended for the Tornado fast jet fleet; by whom it was recommended; and how much work has been undertaken to install it to date; [179563]

(2) what the estimate was of the cost of installing the Traffic Collision Avoidance System on the Tornado fast jet fleet when it was first recommended; and what his latest estimate is on the cost of that installation. [179564]

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Mr Dunne: A commercial off the shelf traffic collision avoidance system was identified as a potential solution to the Department's requirement for a collision warning system on the Tornado GR4 fast jet fleet by the Deep Target Attack Capability Sponsor as part of the Department's 2008 annual planning process. Development and manufacture costs of the system were estimated at £59.15 million.

In January 2012 the Investment Approvals Committee considered a submission on a collision warning system for Tornado GR4 and directed the project to proceed to Main Gate. Approval for the installation of a traffic collision avoidance system on the Tornado GR4 fast jet at a cost of £53.46 million was given in October 2012. The current forecast for this activity remains at £53.46 million.

Following contract award with BAE Systems in December 2012, detailed design on the installation of the traffic collision avoidance system on the Tornado GR4 began. Two aircraft were delivered to BAE Systems, Warton in August 2013 for the trial installation of the modification. The first of these aircraft will commence ground trials in February 2014 and flight trials during March/April 2014. The programme remains on track to meet its in service date by the end of December 2014.

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Board of Inquiry's findings into the collision of two Tornado jets on 3 July 2012 over the Moray Firth. [179565]

Mr Francois: The service inquiry into this accident is now complete and a copy of the report has been provided to the Procurator Fiscal, who determines whether a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) will be held and sets the date. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House following either the completion of a FAI or the Procurator Fiscal's decision not to hold one.

Trident Submarines

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the contracts currently placed by his Department to develop a replacement for the Trident nuclear submarine which is covered by commercial confidentiality restrictions on disclosure of contract details [175095]

Mr Dunne: There is a standard Defence Condition (DEFCON 521) on the disclosure of information that is mandated for all Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts. This condition places duties of confidentiality on both parties to the contract, but makes clear that the MOD is required to comply with its statutory duties. When requests are received for contract details, decisions on their disclosure are made on a case by case basis, taking account of the commercial sensitivity, as well as other applicable exemptions and exceptions.

The list of contracts to develop the replacement for the Trident nuclear submarine will take time to prepare. I will write, to the extent possible, while not breaching commercial confidentiality or national security considerations, to the hon. Member with this information.

3 Dec 2013 : Column 640W

Substantive answer from Philip Dunne to Paul Flynn:

In my written answer to your Parliamentary Question on 20^th November 2013, (Official Report, column 918W), I promised to write to you with a list of contracts relating to the replacement for the Vanguard Class submarines. I am now in a position to supply you with the following list of contracts: