www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-319802

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Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the word ‘poverty' has been mentioned in his Department's parliamentary answers in Session (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13. [178394]

Dr Poulter: A search of the Department's parliamentary questions database shows that the word ‘poverty’ appears in five written answers in the 2010-12 Session and two answers in the 2012-13 Session.

This information is publicly available on the Parliament website.

Pregnancy: Mental Illness

Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which NHS trusts and foundation trusts fund a specialist psychiatrist post to provide support for women experiencing perinatal mental illness; [178554]

(2) which maternity units in (a) Yorkshire and (b) England do not currently fund or employ a dedicated mental health midwife; [178564]

(3) which NHS trusts and foundation trusts fund a specialist midwife post to provide support and make appropriate referrals for women experiencing perinatal mental illness; [178565]

(4) which NHS trusts and foundation trusts have a mental health strategy covering the issues faced by women in the perinatal period. [178566]

Dr Poulter: The information requested is not held centrally.

Primary Care Trusts: Greater London

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the actual and percentage changes in funding for each London primary care trust were in each year since 2005. [178832]

Dr Poulter: The information requested is shown in the following tables.

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Recruitment

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of staff recruited to his Department since 5 May 2010 were (a) men and (b) women. [178157]

Dr Poulter: Since 5 May 2010 the Department has recruited 352 civil servants of whom 40% were men and 60% were women.

Rickets

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of rickets have been diagnosed since 2010 in (a) total and (b) each parliamentary constituency. [178700]

Norman Lamb: The following table shows a total count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of rickets in England since 2010. This is not a count of patients as the same patient may be admitted more than once in a financial year. It is not possible to identify the total number of rickets cases diagnosed as some diagnoses may have occurred in a primary care setting. As a result the figures are for diagnoses resulting in a hospital admission.

For patient confidentiality reasons it is not possible to provide these data by constituency.

School Milk

Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with (a) farmers, (b) dairies and (c) child care settings about the supply chain for providing children with milk through the nursery milk scheme. [178719]

Dr Poulter: As part of the consultation process we engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including parents, child care providers and milk producers. We also engaged specifically with representatives of the dairy industry and local government to seek their views on how they might be affected by the options proposed in the consultation.

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A decision on the future operation of the nursery milk scheme will be taken after full consideration is given to the final impact assessment, the consultation responses and other relevant information.

Scurvy

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of scurvy have been diagnosed since 2010 in (a) total and (b) each parliamentary constituency. [178697]

Norman Lamb: The following table shows a total count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of scurvy in England since 2010. This is not a count of patients as the same patient may be admitted more than once in a financial year. It is not possible to identify the total number of scurvy cases diagnosed as some diagnoses may have occurred in a primary care setting. As a result the figures are for diagnoses resulting in a hospital admission.

For patient confidentiality reasons it is not possible to provide these data by constituency.

Speech and Language Disorders

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS services and support are available for people with (a) a stammer and (b) other speech problems. [178308]

Dr Poulter: The level of provision of speech and language services, as for all health services, is decided by the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) and it will take into account the needs of the population, resources available and evidenced-based best practice.

The CCG's decisions are underpinned by the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA) and the local health and wellbeing strategy, with clinical insight and knowledge of local health care needs, which are informed by a wide range of local clinicians either directly or via clinical senates or local professional networks, As such, provision of services will vary in response to local needs.

All national health service speech and language services are provided free of charge on the basis of assessed clinical need.

Tobacco

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what analysis his Department has commissioned into non-tobacco substances found in illicit and counterfeit cigarettes; [178256]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the threat to public health of illicit and counterfeit cigarettes. [178258]

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Jane Ellison: We received a wide range of responses to the ‘Consultation on Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products’ on the potential impact on the illicit tobacco trade. The Department has not commissioned an analysis of the components of illicit and counterfeit cigarettes.

The Government will consider the wider issues raised by standardised tobacco packaging, including the implications for the illicit trade, before making a final decision on this policy.

Tobacco: Packaging

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence from Australia his Department has seen after the first 12 months of the standardised packaging experiment in that country. [178255]

Jane Ellison: The Department is aware of new research studies which include information from Australia and which have been cited in parliamentary debates and elsewhere.

Sir Cyril Chandler, whom we have commissioned to conduct an independent review of the public health impact of standardised packaging, will have access to all this evidence.

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what other Government Departments were consulted before the announcement of the change in policy on the introduction of standardised packaging for tobacco products. [178257]

Jane Ellison: As announced on 28 November, we have commissioned an independent review of the public health evidence on standardised tobacco packaging and will table an amendment to the Children and Families Bill to take enabling powers now, which would allow regulations to be made to introduce standardised tobacco packaging later, if it is decided to proceed with this policy following the review.

This announcement was subject to the cross-Government clearance process.

The Government will consider the wider issues raised by standardised tobacco packaging before making a final decision on this policy.

Transplant Surgery: Bone Marrow Disorders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the overall cost of treatment and care for patients who have received a bone marrow transplant in each of the last five years. [178063]

Dr Poulter: The Department has not carried out an assessment of the overall cost in each of the last five years of the treatment and care for patients who have received a bone marrow transplant.

This is because there is currently no national tariff for bone marrow transplant and so a range of local arrangements and prices are in place to fund this activity. However, going forward, the single operating model for specialised services means that, as well as ensuring there are single specifications setting out the quality of services, NHS England will be working to bring together the way

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it pays for and records this activity. It will be advised by the Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Reference Group.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the development and adoption of national guidelines for the delivery of late effects services for patients who have received a bone marrow transplant. [178065]

Dr Poulter: NHS England has signalled the importance of access to late effects services through their inclusion in the service specifications in place to ensure equitable and consistent commissioning of specialised care.

The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Reference Group is continuing to review the service specification and any significant changes will be consulted upon further.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcomes were of any recent discussions he has had on whether NHS England should take responsibility for direct commissioning of late effects services for patients recovering from bone marrow transplant. [178272]

Dr Poulter: No recent discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), and NHS England on whether NHS England should take responsibility for direct commissioning of late effects services for patients recovering from bone marrow transplant.

NHS England has advised that for bone marrow transplant parts of the pathway of care include services commissioned by others. NHS England is committed to working with all commissioners on a pathway of care for the benefit of patients. It has signalled the importance of access to late effects services through their inclusion in the service specifications in place to ensure equitable and consistent commissioning of specialised care.

The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Reference Group, which advises NHS England, is continuing to review the service specifications and any significant changes will be consulted upon.

Tuberculosis

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of tuberculosis in the UK; and when he intends to publish a strategy for better tackling this disease. [178422]

Dr Poulter: Public Health England (PHE) is leading a national oversight group which brings together partners from the Department, NHS England, local government, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, British Thoracic Society and TB Alert to develop the PHE strategy to decrease tuberculosis (TB) rates in England over the next 10 years. This aims to bring together best practice in clinical care, social support and public health to strengthen TB control, leading to a year on year decrease in incidence and a reduction in health inequalities associated with TB. The PHE strategy is expected to be published in March 2014.

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In the meantime, there are a number of new or ongoing activities to reduce the incidence of TB in the United Kingdom. These include work to develop collaborative commissioning arrangements for TB in high incidence areas, the increasing adoption of TB cohort review, the funding of a mobile X-ray unit in London, and rolling out pre-entry screening for migrants from high incidence countries.

Vitamins: Deficiency Diseases

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of vitamin deficiency have been diagnosed since 2010 in (a) total and (b) each parliamentary constituency. [178698]

Norman Lamb: The following table shows a total count of finished admission episodes with a primary diagnosis of vitamin deficiency in England since 2010. This is not a count of patients as the same patient may be admitted more than once in a financial year. It is not possible to identify the total number of vitamin deficiency cases diagnosed as some diagnoses may have occurred in a primary care setting. As a result the figures are for diagnoses resulting in a hospital admission.

For patient confidentiality reasons it is not possible to provide this data by constituency.

The total number of hospital admissions covers the following vitamin deficiencies:

Vitamin A deficiency with conjunctival xerosis

Vitamin A deficiency with Bitot's spot and conjunctival xerosis

Vitamin A deficiency with corneal xerosis

Vitamin A deficiency with corneal ulceration and xerosis

Vitamin A deficiency with keratomalacia

Vitamin A deficiency with night blindness

Vitamin A deficiency with xerophthalmic scars of cornea

Other ocular manifestations of vitamin A deficiency

Other manifestations of vitamin A deficiency

Vitamin A deficiency, unspecified

Beriberi

Thiamine deficiency, unspecified

Niacin deficiency (pellagra)

Riboflavin deficiency

Pyridoxine deficiency

Deficiency of other specified B group vitamins

Vitamin B deficiency, unspecified

Ascorbic acid deficiency

Rickets, active

Vitamin D deficiency, unspecified

Deficiency of vitamin E

Deficiency of vitamin K

Deficiency of other vitamins

Vitamin deficiency, unspecified

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Deputy Prime Minister

Internet

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether access to any websites or domains is blocked from computers in his Office; and if he will publish a list of all such websites and domains to which access is prohibited. [178500]

Mr Hurd: The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

The Cabinet Office takes measures to prevent staff from accessing certain categories of websites and domains.

Types of websites and domains to which access is prohibited include: gambling, adult content, games, phishing, hacking and malicious sources. We have no plan to publish a list of such websites.

Transport

Aviation: Security

Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from which countries passengers flying into the UK are permitted to carry more than 100ml of liquid through security in their hand luggage. [178366]

Mr Goodwill: Liquids over 100ml may be carried in hand luggage through UK passenger screening points if:

the items have been purchased airside at an EU airport; or

if the items have been purchased on an EU registered airline; or

the items have been purchased at an airport in a third country which has been verified by the European Commission as having appropriate security arrangements in place—currently all international airports in Canada and the USA, Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia and Changi airport in Singapore.

The liquids and the receipt must be presented inside the sealed security bag provided at the time of purchase.

From 31 January 2014 passengers will be permitted to carry duty free liquids over 100ml in sealed security bags from any airport or airline in the world.

The items will be screened using dedicated liquid explosive detection systems.

Cycling: Accidents

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured whilst wearing headphones in each of the last three years. [178480]

Mr Goodwill: The information requested is not held centrally.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured whilst not wearing a helmet in each of the last three years. [178536]

Mr Goodwill: The Department recently started to collect information on whether reported pedal cyclist casualties were wearing a helmet at the time of accident.

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In 2012, the Department only received this information for 8% of killed or seriously injured (KSI) pedal cyclists. The remaining 92% of cases were unknown.

Of the 8% of KSI casualties where this information is available, 52% were not wearing a helmet.

Board Membership

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his Department's (a) executive and (b) non-executive board members are (i) men and (ii) women. [178123]

Stephen Hammond: The gender split of executive board members is four men and two women. For non-executive board members it is five men and two women.

In his most recent annual report (2012-13) the Government's lead non-executive, Lord Browne, noted that whereas

“FTSE100 companies only have 12.5 per cent of board members who are women, more than 36 per cent of government non-executives are women.”

The Department is committed to ensuring that it reflects the diversity of the public which we serve at all levels.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his Department's (a) executive and (b) non-executive board members are identified as (i) white British and (ii) of black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups. [178143]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not monitor the composition of boards separately from its general monitoring of the representation of different ethnic groups, and so while executive board members are captured in wider departmental monitoring, non-executive members are not. Racial or ethnic identity is not self-evident and is sensitive personal data. Given the small numbers involved we could not disclose the results of our monitoring of executive board members without infringing the rights of the individuals concerned.

In his most recent annual report (2012-13) the Government's lead non-executive, Lord Browne, accepted that

“the numbers of non-executives with minority ethnic backgrounds remains disappointingly low”

but reiterated his commitment to improving their representation on departmental boards. This is a commitment I share.

The Department is committed to ensuring that it reflects the diversity of the public which we serve at all levels.

Eurostar

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what payments were made to HM Treasury by Eurostar in each of the last 10 years; [178654]

(2) what information his Department holds on the proportion of Eurostar's income that was re-invested in the business in each of the last 10 years; [178655]

(3) what funding from the public purse Eurostar has received in each of the last 10 years; [178656]

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(4) what level of profits have been made by Eurostar in each of the last 10 years; [178657]

(5) whether the sale of the Government's share in Eurostar will require the consent of Parliament. [178658]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold this information before 2010. Relevant figures before 2010 cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. The relevant figures between 2010 and 2012 are as follows.

The payments received in the last 10 years are dividends of £2.5 million in 2012 and £6.4 million in 2013.

Since September 2010, the Department for Transport owns 100% shareholding in LCR, and LCR owns a 40% stake in Eurostar International Limited (EUKL). The proportion of Eurostar's income which was re-invested in the business during 2010-12 is as follows:

Eurostar has received the following contributions from the public purse in the last 10 years:

Following Eurostar's incorporation in September 2010, SNCF owns 55%, LCR owns 40% and SNCB 5%. According to Eurostar's filed accounts, net profit/loss in were:

January to December 2012: £91 million (net profit);

Jan to December 2011: £20.8 million (net profit);

September to December 2010: £189.4 (net profit)—September to December 2010, four months following incorporation.

Parliamentary consent would not be required.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to his Department's Estimate of Expense of High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) dated 15 November 2013, if he will update that document to adjust the figures to December 2013 prices. [178665]

Mr Goodwill: The Estimate of Expense is presented in 2011 prices. This price base has been used in presenting all cost information on the project to date to enable a clear comparison of cost as the project progresses. I do not therefore intend to update the Estimate of Expense to adjust the figures to December 2013 prices.

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Large Goods Vehicles: Safety

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the outcome of his Department's review of exemptions from safety standards in current heavy goods vehicle regulations was. [178690]

Mr Goodwill: The review is not finalised and work is ongoing to develop an impact assessment to understand fully the cost and benefits before reaching a decision on changing the current side guard exemptions.

From 29 October 2014 all new goods vehicles will have to comply with revised European rules, which permit fewer exemptions than the current domestic legislation.

Merchant Shipping (Hours of Work) Regulations 2002

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the effect of the Merchant Shipping (Hours of Work) Regulations 2002 on seafarers' employment rights. [178213]

Stephen Hammond: The Merchant Shipping (Hours of Work) Regulations 2002 are currently under review as part of the implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. The regulations include both employer duties and seafarer entitlements. In implementing the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention, we propose to take the opportunity to give seafarers access to an employment tribunal (industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland) to enforce their entitlement to paid leave, in line with the position of workers ashore, inland waterways workers and sea-fishermen, and to provide seafarers with the same protection and treatment when exercising their rights under the 2002 regulations as other workers exercising similar rights.

The proposed provisions include a prohibition on contracting out of their rights under the regulations, and an extension of statutory protections under the Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (and their Northern Ireland equivalents) to seafarers.

Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the median gross pay is of staff in his Department and its executive agencies in each pay band who are identified as (a) white British and (b) of black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups. [178181]

Stephen Hammond: The median gross pay for staff in the Department for Transport and its executive agencies, in each pay band identified as (a) white British and (b)black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups, is shown in the following table:

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Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the median gross pay of (a) men and (b) women is in each pay band in his Department. [178199]

Stephen Hammond: The median gross pay of (a) men and (b) women in each pay band in the Department for Transport and its executive agencies is shown in the following table:

Piracy: Somalia

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an assessment of the implications for his Department's policies of the findings of the Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board inquiry into the pirate attack on the Leopold in January 2011. [178711]

Stephen Hammond: The Department is aware of the Danish MAIB safety report into the pirate attack on the Danish vessel Leopard in 2011, which was published on 29 October 2013. The Department for Transport (DFT) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) officials have been considering the content of the report and whether there are any implications for our policies. However, it is worth noting that the anti-piracy measures that the report refers to are part of industry-led best management practices (BMP) for protection against Somalia based piracy, specifically to assist ships to avoid, deter or delay piracy attacks in the high risk area (latter defined in BMP). DFT officials will be referring to the Danish report at this month's meeting of the National Maritime Security Committee, which includes industry representatives, in order to seek views from industry before any formal conclusions or recommendations are made about potential implications or not for DFT policies.

Recruitment

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of staff recruited to his Department since 5 May 2010 are (a) men and (b) women. [178163]

Stephen Hammond: The response covers:

Department for Transport central

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Highways Agency

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Vehicle Certification Agency

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

Driving Standards Agency

Rescue Services: Belfast

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Belfast was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in November 2013. [178555]

Stephen Hammond: Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in November 2013 on eight occasions out of 60 shifts.

These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing’ where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Belfast MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Stornoway MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead.

Every effort is being made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards, filling 28 vacancies with a further 31 recruits in the final stages of appointment. A further recruitment campaign was launched on 6 November. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded with 79% of PCS members voting to accept the new terms and conditions, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.

Rescue Services: Liverpool

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Liverpool was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in November 2013. [178557]

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Stephen Hammond: Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in November 2013 on 11 occasions out of 60 shifts.

These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Liverpool MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Holyhead MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Milford Haven, Swansea, Belfast or Aberdeen.

Every effort is being made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards, filling 28 vacancies with a further 31 recruits in the final stages of appointment. A further recruitment campaign was launched on 6 November. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded with 79% of PCS members voting to accept the new terms and conditions, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.

Rescue Services: Stornoway

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Stornoway was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in November 2013. [178556]

Stephen Hammond: Stornoway Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) was staffed at below risk assessed levels in November 2013 on 14 occasions out of 60 shifts.

These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing' where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Stornoway MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Belfast MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland or Humber.

Every effort is being made to recruit staff. Recently the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) successfully recruited more coastguards, filling 28 vacancies with a further 31 recruits in the final stages of appointment. A further recruitment campaign was launched on 6 November. With this and now that negotiations with the trade union have concluded with 79% of PCS members voting to accept the new terms and conditions, the MCA believes that this will help stabilise the current staffing issues.

Roads: Accidents

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured whilst working on the hard shoulder in each of the last three years. [178481][Official Report, 7 January 2014, Vol. 573, c. 3MC.]

Mr Goodwill: The following data have been provided by the Highways Agency who manage and operate the Strategic Road Network in England:

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These figures include both directly employed and contractor employees carrying out work for the Highways Agency and specifically refer to hard shoulder incidents only.

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involved construction vehicles in London in each of the last three years. [178482]

Mr Goodwill: The information requested is not available. The Department does not hold construction vehicles as a vehicle type category in the reported personal injury road accident database (STATS19).

Shipping

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what stage has been reached on each of the 93 regulations in the maritime theme that were proposed for improvement under the Red Tape Challenge; [178216]

(2) what his plans are for implementing the results of the maritime theme of the Red Tape Challenge; [178217]

(3) what stage has been reached on each of the 30 regulations in the maritime theme that were proposed for scrapping under the Red Tape Challenge. [178218]

Stephen Hammond: The Government announced the outcome of the maritime theme of the Red Tape Challenge in the Budget Statement on 20 March 2013, which included plans to improve 93 regulations and scrap a further 30. The Department is looking to do as much of this work as possible by 2015.

Further progress on implementation of the Government's Red Tape Challenge programme in general will be announced in early 2014.

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have attended to discuss the (i) ports and (ii) shipping strategic partnership plans; who the attendees of all such meetings to date were; and how many such meetings trades unions were invited to attend. [178219]

Stephen Hammond: Officials held discussions on the plans at two workshops, one in February and the other in July of this year. These workshops were attended by a range of interested parties from across Government Departments and the maritime industry. The RMT and Nautilus unions attended the second of these workshops focussing on shipping. Other workshop planning and follow up meetings took place between officials, Ports Association (UKMPG and BPA) and Chamber of Shipping representatives (who worked in consultation with union representatives).

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The content of these plans reflects ongoing work on a variety of maritime issues which are discussed with the industry in a range of meetings at official and ministerial level, including directly with the unions. It would entail disproportionate cost to provide lists of attendees at all these meetings.

These plans are not intended to be set pieces. They will evolve as new actions, tasks and decisions are shaped and agreed. We hope the unions will continue to play an active role in these plans as they further develop.

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to increase recruitment to and training in the maritime industry. [178759]

Stephen Hammond: Recruitment and training is in the first instance a matter for the maritime industry itself, but the Government have a strong supportive role, and are keen to see new trainees entering the industry, being trained to the highest standards and reversing the decline in seafarer numbers. The key policies which we have in place in this regard include the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme; the tonnage tax, which includes a training requirement; and maritime apprenticeships.

On 9 September 2013, the Secretary of State for Transport announced an additional £3 million of SMarT funding for the remainder of this Parliament, bringing the SMarT budget up to £15 million.

Shipping: Annual Leave

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on statutory access to (a) paid annual leave and (b) compensatory rest periods for seafarers. [178210]

Stephen Hammond: The Department's policy on statutory access to paid annual leave and compensatory rest periods for seafarers is explained in Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1767(M).

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to bring seafarers' entitlement to paid annual leave in line with such entitlements for land-based workers. [178211]

Stephen Hammond: The Department has already consulted on proposals to increase seafarers' statutory entitlement to annual leave to 2.5 days per month of employment in line with the Maritime Labour Convention 2006, and in addition to provide an entitlement to 8 days of paid leave in respect of public holidays, in line with workers ashore. The proposals also introduce a right for a seafarer to enforce their paid leave entitlement by complaint to an employment tribunal (in Northern Ireland, an industrial tribunal).

Those proposals have been extended to provide seafarers with the same protection and treatment when exercising their rights under the 2002 regulations as shore-based workers, inland waterways workers and sea-fishermen exercising similar rights, both through a prohibition on contracting out of their rights under the regulations, and through extending statutory protections under the

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Employment Rights Act 1996 and the Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (and their Northern Ireland equivalents) to seafarers.

The amending regulations are expected to be made early in 2014.

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (b) representatives of the shipping industry on seafarers’ statutory entitlement to (i) paid annual leave and (ii) compensatory rest periods. [178214]

Stephen Hammond: The information requested is as follows:

(a) Ministers have been kept informed of policy proposals regarding seafarers' statutory entitlement to paid leave and compensatory rest periods.

(b) Ministers and officials regularly meet with representatives from shipowners' and seafarers' organisations to discuss a wide variety of policy issues. Ministers have been kept informed about the policy on paid annual leave entitlement and compensatory rest periods which was agreed with industry representatives more than 12 months ago, but these issues have not been on the agenda for meetings with Ministers in the last 12 months.