Energy and Climate Change

Cuadrilla Resources

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will publish all correspondence between his Department and Cuadrilla over the last 12 months. [182278]

Michael Fallon: Matters about which the Department and companies correspond are commercially confidential and publication of such correspondence would not be appropriate.

There has been a recent request under freedom of information legislation for correspondence between the Office of Unconventional Gas and Oil and Cuadrilla and we have released relevant material in response to it. This can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/correspondence-and-meetings-between-cuadrilla-and-the-office-of-unconventional-gas-and-oil

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Electricity

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to increase the safety margin of electricity supply above peak demand. [182133]

Michael Fallon: The Government, National Grid and Ofgem are taking co-ordinated short and medium-term actions to ensure that, as capacity margins are likely to tighten in the middle of the decade, any risks to security of supply are minimised.

National Grid already has capacity available through the Short-Term Operating Reserve to keep the system in balance. This capacity is there as back-up in the case of unexpected events.

In addition, on 19 December 2013, Ofgem approved a request from National Grid to extend the existing system balancing tools to manage any short-term risks in the middle of the decade.

In the medium-term, the Government are legislating for a Capacity Market, which will deliver capacity from 2018-19, subject to state aid clearance. This will help drive the new investments we need to ensure sufficient capacity is available.

Electricity Generation

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the average cost of generating 1 MWH of electricity by (a) offshore wind, (b) onshore wind, (c) gas, (d) oil, (e) coal and (f) nuclear power. [182479]

Michael Fallon: DECC has published levelised costs estimates of various generation technologies on the DECC website since 2010. The levelised cost of a particular generation technology is the ratio of the total costs (including construction and operating costs) of a generic plant to the total amount of electricity expected to be generated over the plant's lifetime (per megawatt hour). They do not include revenues or support payments. These are available on the following website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/energy-generation-cost-projections

DECC's most recently published figures for current and future levelised costs are available in the following report Electricity Generation Costs (December 2013):

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269888/131217_Electricity _Generation_costs_report_December_2013_Final.pdf

Table 1 as follows is taken from this report, and shows a range of levelised cost estimates for projects starting pre-development in 2013 and 2019 for selected technologies, using a 10% discount rate. Please see the report for more information, including cost estimates for new coal equipped with carbon capture and storage. Please note that we have not published levelised cost estimates for oil plants.

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Levelised cost estimates for different types of electricity generation are highly sensitive to the assumptions used for capital costs, fuel and EU ETS allowance prices, operating costs, load factor, discount rate and other drivers and this means that there is significant uncertainty around these estimates.

Fuel Poverty

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of fuel poor households in England are pre-payment customers. [182288]

Gregory Barker: The number and proportion of fuel poor households in England under the low income high costs (LIHC) definition, who use pre-payment for gas or electricity for the latest year of available data, 2011, are shown in the following table:

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (a) how many and (b) what proportion of fuel poor households in England were pre-payment customers in each year since 2007. [182302]

Gregory Barker: The number and proportion of fuel poor households in England under the low income high costs (LIHC) definition, who use pre-payment for gas or electricity is shown in the following table for each year of available data since 2007:

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Green Deal Scheme: North East

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Green Deal assessments have been carried out in (a) the North East and (b) Northumberland in the last 12 months. [182384]

Gregory Barker: The Department publishes geographical breakdowns of Green Deal assessments as Official Statistics every quarter. The latest release was published on 19 December and covers the period up to the end of September 2013. Table 1.6a presents the number of Green Deal assessments that took place in each local authority and region:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-deal-energy-company-obligation-eco-and-insulation-levels-in-great-britain-quarterly-report-to-september-2013

There have been 2,594 Green Deal assessments lodged for properties in the north-east up to 30th September 2013, of which 316 were in Northumberland.

Nuclear Power Stations: Emergencies

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the adequacy and effectiveness of emergency evacuation plans following the release of significant levels of radiation from nuclear power plants sited in areas prone to flooding. [181681]

Michael Fallon: The protection of nuclear sites from flood risks is a well-established aspect of nuclear safety within the UK. Nuclear site operators are responsible for undertaking flood risk assessments and providing and maintaining control measures to ensure their sites remain safe from faults and damage arising from flooding.

Licensed nuclear site operators also develop and maintain emergency plans in accordance with their site license conditions and Regulation 7 of the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations 2001 (REPPIR). Similarly, detailed off-site radiation emergency plans are developed by local authorities hosting nuclear sites in accordance with Regulation 9 of REPPIR. Such plans include the application of a range of counter-measures, one of which is evacuation. The local authority must ensure that the off-site emergency plans are resilient to a range of weather conditions.

The emergency response plans are reviewed and tested on a regular basis, to assess their accuracy and effectiveness, and are continually updated and improved. The Office for Nuclear Regulation is responsible for ensuring that such reviews and tests take place in line with REPPIR. Further information about REPPIR is available on the Health and Safety Executive's website:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/ionising/reppir.htm

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) also continually assess the UK's overall preparedness in terms of planning for, and being able to respond to, nuclear emergencies.

Following the events at Fukushima in Japan in 2011, ONR carried out a detailed assessment of the implications of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami for the UK (the Weightman Report), which included analysis and recommendations, concerning preparedness for severe

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and prolonged emergencies. The 2011 report and the assessment of progress against the report can be found on the Health and Safety Executive's website:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/fukushima/

Plutonium

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps his Department is taking to assess the credibility and value for money of technologies available for re-use of plutonium in the UK. [182497]

Michael Fallon: The Government's position on plutonium management, as set out in our December 2011 consultation response, is that converting the plutonium into MOX is the most credible and technologically mature option for reuse, but that we remain open to any alternative proposals that offer better value to the taxpayer.

As part of the work to consider alternative proposals, the NDA has been working closely with both GE Hitachi on their Prism reactor and with Candu on their EC6 reactors. NDA has prepared advice on these alternatives as well as advice on the reuse as MOX option for DECC to consider as part of our policy development process for taking this work forward.

The NDA's advice will help us to understand the technical and commercial risks associated with all the options and form part of our considerations about how we should progress this work. In due course the NDA will publish its planned public version of that advice.

As we noted in our 2011 consultation response, there will be many steps to go through before we reach the point of taking a final decision, while this is expected to include a competitive tendering and procurement process to help secure best value to the taxpayer, only when the Government are confident that our preferred option could be implemented safely and securely, that it is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will we be in a position to proceed.

Power Failures

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with energy companies on ensuring that electricity supplies are not disrupted to the extent that they were over the Christmas period in the event of further adverse weather events. [182478]

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Verma, and I met the Distribution Network Operators, Energy Networks Association, Ofgem and Energy Emergencies Executive Committee on 8 January to discuss the recent disruptions to electricity supply as a result of severe weather. At that meeting the Secretary of State commissioned a review of the response. The review will focus on communications with household energy customers, necessary resources to be able to cope with widespread disruption, and the compensation process. There was also agreement to investigate as quickly as possible the setting up of an emergency telephone number which

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households can call if they experience a power cut. This review will report back to the Secretary of State within two months.

Power Failures: Disclosure of Information

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will require companies generating electricity to provide details of their customers to power distribution companies to assist in emergency re-connections following disruptions by natural events such as the recent storms. [181659]

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under secretary of State and I met the Distribution Network Operators, Energy Networks Association, Ofgem and Energy Emergencies Executive Committee on Wednesday 8 January to discuss the recent disruptions to electricity supply as a result of severe weather. At that meeting the Secretary of State commissioned a review of the response. The review will focus on communications with household energy customers, necessary resources to be able to cope with widespread disruption, and the compensation process: that will include the issue of sharing customer data. There was also agreement to investigate as quickly as possible the setting up of an emergency telephone number which households can call if they experience a power cut. This review will report back to the Secretary of State within two months.

Procurement

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what weighting his Department's procurement procedures give to (a) the location of a company and its workforce, (b) the extent to which a company has a strong environmental record, (c) whether the company is a social enterprise and (d) other company history prior performance. [182637]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change, when evaluating contracts, places weightings for environmental factors and social factors on a case-by-case basis depending on the requirements listed in the specification of that procurement.

(a) The location of a company and its workforce is not taken into account, provided the distance does not impact on the results of the contract, usually this can be accommodated by a supplier having an outlet or office within the UK.

(b) The criteria applied in connection with environmental factors will depend on the circumstances and specific procurement requirements. The Department requires contractors to have regard for the environmental impact of delivering goods and services. There is also a general requirement for suppliers to provide information related to the environmental impact and evidence of their compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

(c) The Department is making it easier for all types of organisations to bid for work including social enterprises through early market engagement, the use of Lean Standard Operating procedures and increasingly the use of the Open procedure. For work with a value under the European Threshold, Contract Finder is used to advertise work which also enables Social Enterprises to apply.

(d) The Department does require references when advertising a contract opportunity, which will take into account past performance. The purpose of this is to ensure the company is capable of completing the work proposed in the specification.

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Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what value of contracts procured by his Department in the last five years was carried out below EU thresholds. [182654]

Gregory Barker: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Contracts of the Department are published on the Cabinet Office Website which can be found at:

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

The Department would be able to provide further contract information by narrowing the scope, if specific procurement projects were identified.

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of his Department's contracts have been let to companies with (a) one to five, (b) six to 49, (c) 50 to 250 and (d) more than 250 staff. [182671]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is committed to increasing its direct and indirect spend with SMEs. However, we do not hold contract or company expenditure data in the format requested. DECC is working with the Cabinet Office spend analysis team to improve the breakdown of expenditure data. This information may be available in future but currently is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

DECC does collect combined SME expenditure and as a proportion of total procurement the expenditure was 13.02% in the financial year 2012-13 and 10.02% in the current financial year to September 2013.

Contracts of the Department are published on the Cabinet Office website, which can be found at:

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion and value of his Department's contracts have been let (a) under the restricted procedure, (b) by the open procedure, (c) via framework agreements and (d) via a tendering process involving the use of a pre-qualification questionnaire in each of the last three years. [182688]

Gregory Barker: The information requested is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change abides by Cabinet Office policy sourcing goods and services via Crown Commercial Service framework agreements wherever possible. DECC uses the open procedure to maximise opportunities for SMEs unless there is a strong justification for an alternative procurement route. Pre-qualification questionnaires are not used for procurements with a value lower than £100,000.

Contracts of the Department are published on the Cabinet Office website, which can be found at:

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

The Department would be able to provide further contract information by narrowing the scope, if specific procurement projects were identified.

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Work and Pensions

Annuities

Mr Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training on annuities and alternatives to annuities is provided to staff at the Pensions Advisory Service. [182555]

Steve Webb: This is a matter for the CEO at the Pensions Advisory Service and she will write to the hon. Member accordingly.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 25 November 2013, Official Report, column 120W, on employment and support allowance (ESA), from what date reinstated ESA claims will be backdated. [182064]

Esther McVey: Where an employment support allowance award terminates because someone does not have limited capability for work following a work capability assessment, it will be reinstated only after there has been either (i) a successful application for mandatory reconsideration or (ii) the mandatory reconsideration is unsuccessful and the claimant has lodged an appeal with Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). For the former reinstatement will be from the date of the termination decision; for the latter, once the Department has been advised by HMCTS that an appeal has been made, ESA can be reinstated, in which case it would be backdated to the date of the termination decision. In either situation, if any other benefit has been received in the meantime, for example jobseeker’s allowance, this will be offset against the employment and support allowance due.

Employment: Young People

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to create more employment opportunities for young people in (a) Essex and (b) Chelmsford constituency. [182608]

Esther McVey: Our Youth Contract, worth nearly £1 billion, builds on the substantial support already available to help unemployed young people enter work. The contract includes more intensive support for all 18 to 24-year-olds, work experience and sector-based work academy places, and a new wage incentive scheme delivered through the Work programme.

In Essex in the year to November 2013 we have seen a reduction in the youth unemployment claimant count of 1,710, a 23% fall and in Chelmsford for the same period we have seen a reduction in the youth unemployment claimant count of 180, a 24% fall.

Funeral Payments

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of low-cost funeral payments in the transfer of the social fund budgeting and crisis loans arrangements to local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [182574]

Steve Webb: Social fund budgeting loans have not been transferred to local authorities; they remain the responsibility of the Department and continue to be

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available to eligible claimants in receipt of an appropriate qualifying benefit and can be used to help with the cost of a funeral. Similarly, national social fund funeral payments also continue to be available from the Department to eligible claimants in receipt of an appropriate qualifying benefit. Crisis loans, which were never available for funeral arrangements, have been abolished and funding transferred to local authorities for new, better targeted local provision.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the publication of Housing Benefit bulletin U1/2014: removal of the spare room subsidy on 9 January 2014, what assessment he has made of the number of people who have wrongfully had their housing benefit reduced. [182731]

Esther McVey: The Department does not hold all the detailed information needed to make a precise estimate of the numbers affected. On the information currently available, we estimate the numbers affected are likely to be fewer than 5,000, but there is considerable uncertainty around this estimate.

It is for local authorities to administer housing benefit. In due course they may have a clearer picture as to the numbers affected.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the publication of Housing Benefit bulletin U1/2014: removal of the spare room subsidy on 9 January 2014, what steps he will take to ensure those who have been charged in error are reimbursed. [182732]

Esther McVey: Local authorities are responsible for administering housing benefit. The guidance issued by the Department sets out the action local authorities should take and advises that affected cases should be reimbursed.

Jobcentre Plus: Chelmsford

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) adults and (b) young people have been helped to find employment by Chelmsford Jobcentre Plus in each of the last three years. [182609]

Esther McVey: Every claimant is supported by their local jobcentre to find work. In the last three years the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance in Chelmsford has fallen by over 600, or 19%. A breakdown of the figures is shown in the table.

Claimants are not required to tell us their reason for leaving JSA so it is not possible to say exactly how many move into employment each year. The 2011 Destinations Survey showed that, nationally, 68% move into work.

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Personal Independence Payment: Essex

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Chelmsford constituency and (b) Essex have received personal independence payment since April 2013. [182610]

Mike Penning: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas), on 9 January 2014, Official Report, column 284W.

Personal Independence Payment: Staffordshire

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal independence payment applications from terminally ill people in north Staffordshire (a) are currently being processed, (b) have been processed and (c) are outstanding; and what the time scale is for processing such applications under special rules procedures. [182349]

Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) on 9 January 2014, Official Report, column 284W.

Although personal independence payment (PIP) is a new benefit, and the Department does not have a target for completion of claims while processes are bedding in, we do deal urgently with special rules claims for terminally ill claimants. We continue to work with Macmillan Cancer Support to improve our service for terminally ill claimants as I said at the Work and Pensions Select Committee recently.

Social Security Benefits

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance has been issued by his Department to decision makers on the awarding of short-term benefit advances. [182550]

Esther McVey: Decision makers are provided with a range of written guidance products and support, including training and desk aids, to help them decide whether a short-term benefit advance is appropriate.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2014, Official Report, column 240W, on jobseeker's allowance, how many short-term benefit advances were issued in each month from April to December 2013. [182563]

Esther McVey: We previously advised in the period April to December 2013 our Decision Makers awarded 60,749 short-term benefit advances to eligible benefit claimants. The following table gives a breakdown of the awards made each month.

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Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from where the Enquiry Service had planned to operate; and which properties are no longer to be used for the development of this project. [182573]

Esther McVey: At the time of its closure, the Department's Enquiry Service was delivered from DWP Contact Centres at the following locations:

Bootle; Bristol; Chorlton; Derby; Exeter; Halifax; Lincoln; Makerfield; Marton Mere; Middlesbrough; Newcastle; Newport; Norwich; Pembroke Dock; Sheffield; Stockport and Torquay.

Delivery was also planned at the following DWP Contact Centres:

Bangor; Blackburn; Coventry; Dundee; Garston; Grimsby; Paisley; Poole; Southend; Springburn; Taunton; Telford.

All staff deployed, or planned to be deployed, to the Enquiry Service have been reallocated to alternative service lines. There are no further plans for future development of this project.

Universal Credit

Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the effect on projected levels of disposable income of households with at least one adult in work who are (a) with children and (b) without children of freezing of the work allowance in universal credit in each of the next three financial years. [182332]

Esther McVey: Once fully rolled out, 3 million households, of which 1.8 million are families with children and 1.2 million are families without children, gain on average £174 per month (in 2012-13 prices) from universal credit after taking account of the work allowance freeze. Transitional protection will ensure that there will be no cash losers under universal credit, providing their circumstances remain the same.

Universal Credit: Essex

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people claiming universal credit in (a) Essex and (b) Chelmsford constituency in April 2014. [182607]

Esther McVey: The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions set out the plans for the next stage of delivery of universal credit on 5 December 2013.

Actual case load figures at any point going forward will be influenced by the detailed implementation planning currently being undertaken, set against a backdrop of overall economic conditions.

We are following guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority, and statisticians within DWP and the Office

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for National Statistics are working closely to ensure that information on universal credit claimants can be included within the claimant count as soon as possible.

Our strategy for the release of statistics is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics

Work Programme: Essex

Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Work programme in supporting those in long-term unemployment in (a) Essex and (b) Chelmsford constituency. [182606]

Esther McVey: Performance assessment has not been made for individual constituencies or counties.

The most recent official statistics on the Work programme were released on 19 December 2014 and can be found through the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/work-programme-statistics--2

Work Programme: North East

Guy Opperman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Work programme in supporting long-term unemployed people in (a) the north-east and (b) Northumberland. [182383]

Esther McVey: Performance assessment has not been made for these particular geographic areas.

The most recent official statistics on the Work programme were released on 19 December 2013 and can be found through the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/work-programme-statistics--2

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bangladesh

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the economic and industrial effect of the current instability in Bangladesh. [182490]

Hugh Robertson: Violence and instability are damaging to Bangladesh's reputation, economy, and to people's livelihoods. As the largest cumulative investor in Bangladesh, and the largest bilateral grant donor, the UK supports the people of Bangladesh in their aspirations for a more stable, democratic and prosperous future. We are therefore concerned that the IMF expects growth to fall from 6% in 2013 to 5.5% in 2014, partly due to the uncertainty and the impact of elections.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the legitimacy of the recent elections in Bangladesh. [182491]

Hugh Robertson: As the Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, noted in her statement of 6 January, the election was called in accordance with Bangladesh's constitution. But, like others in the

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international community, the UK is disappointed that voters in more than half the constituencies did not have the opportunity to express their will at the ballot box and that turnout in most other constituencies was low.

The UK believes that the true mark of a mature, functioning democracy is peaceful elections that express the genuine will of the voters. We have therefore also called on all political parties to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections, without the fear of intimidation or reprisals.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings his Department has held with the Indian Government on their assessment of the elections in Bangladesh. [182492]

Hugh Robertson: Discussion of regional issues, including Bangladesh, forms part of our regular and ongoing dialogue with the Government of India. I refer you to the statement issued by the Government of India on 5 January for their assessment of the election.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure freedom of movement of opposition leaders in Bangladesh. [182493]

Hugh Robertson: The UK has consistently called for all parties to refrain from confrontational action such as violence, disruption, disproportionate legal action and political harassment. Following his call on the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on 30 December, our high commissioner in Dhaka raised concerns about the disproportionate security presence surrounding her residence. This has since been removed. We are following the detention of opposition leaders closely and have urged the Government of Bangladesh to ensure that due process is followed.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to facilitate dialogue between opposing political parties in Bangladesh. [182494]

Hugh Robertson: Prior to the 5 January election, the UK urged all sides to resolve their differences through meaningful dialogue and to create the conditions conducive to free, fair and credible elections. Visiting Bangladesh on 12 December, the Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi, encouraged PM Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to continue the process of dialogue initiated by UN Assistant Secretary General Oscar Fernandez Taranco. We continue to urge the new Government and all parties to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections free from intimidation and reprisals.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the decision not to send UK election observers to monitor the Bangladeshi elections; and what his policy is on sending observers to future such elections. [182495]

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Hugh Robertson: Only four international observers, from India and Bhutan, observed the 5 January election. After careful consideration, the EU decided on 20 December to halt preparations for the deployment of an EU Election Observation Mission, noting that the main political forces in Bangladesh had been unable to create the necessary conditions for transparent, inclusive and credible elections. The EU also stated, however, that it nonetheless remained ready to observe elections should conditions allow.

Domestic observer groups, including some members of the Election Working Group (an independent grouping of NGOs), did undertake some monitoring activities. The UK is one of a number of countries supporting The Asia Foundation to build the Election Working Group's capacity to observe and report on election conduct and preparations.

Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings the British high commissioner in Bangladesh has had with the Bangladeshi Government to encourage the stability of that country. [182496]

Hugh Robertson: Our high commissioner in Bangladesh has engaged extensively with representatives of the Government and with all political parties in Bangladesh. Since the 5 January election, this has included Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and members of her new Cabinet and the Chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Begum Zia. He has urged all parties to act in line with the interests of the people of Bangladesh; to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority; and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections free from intimidation and reprisals.

Gibraltar

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on the effect that Gibraltar border delays have had on tourism and visitor numbers to Gibraltar over the last four months. [182171]

Mr Lidington: Immigration and related issues are within the constitutional competence of HM Government of Gibraltar. The UK Government therefore do not hold detailed information on the effects of delays at the Gibraltar border on tourism and visitor numbers to Gibraltar. HM Government of Gibraltar will hold information on these subjects and we remain in close contact with them. We are issuing formal protests to the Spanish Government regarding all disproportionate delays reported at the Gibraltar-Spain border. We are continuing to press the Spanish authorities to act without delay on the European Commission's recommendations. If implemented, we believe these recommendations would reduce the delays. The Prime Minister raised the disproportionate border delays with the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, on 20 December.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on plans by the Government of Gibraltar to establish a state-owned bank in that territory. [182172]

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Mr Lidington: Banking and associated legislation in Gibraltar are within the constitutional competence of HM Government of Gibraltar. The UK Government therefore have no policy on plans by HM Government of Gibraltar to establish a state-owned bank.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the local economy of the proposed 15 per cent duty on bookmakers' online winnings in Gibraltar. [182173]

Mr Lidington: We are aware of the important role that remote gambling plays in Gibraltar's economy and we continue to engage with HM Government of Gibraltar and Gibraltar-based operators in order to ensure that the potential impact of the reforms to remote gambling on Gibraltar's economy are fully understood. In his new year message, Chief Minister Picardo noted the positive dialogue with HM Treasury and the Department of Culture Media and Sport on this issue.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Government have made on incorporating Gibraltar into EU aviation legislation. [182175]

Mr Lidington: We continue to press for the inclusion of Gibraltar airport in EU aviation legislation as it comes up for negotiation. Gibraltar airport has been included in all new and revised aviation legislation enacted since the 2006 Cordoba Agreement. We are clear that Gibraltar must continue to be included. We cannot accept a return to the pre-2006 practice of suspending Gibraltar airport from EU aviation measures.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect that gathering of information on the Gibraltar border situation by the Government, in collaboration with the Gibraltar Government, and the forwarding of that information to the European Commission has had on reducing border delays. [182178]

Mr Lidington: The UK Government, in collaboration with HM Government of Gibraltar, submitted information to the European Commission on the delays at the Gibraltar-Spain border. The Commission subsequently followed up with a technical visit on 25 September, which resulted in recommendations to the Spanish Government on ways to improve the functioning of the border. HM Government of Gibraltar have taken action to implement their recommendations from the Commission and we fully expect Spain to do the same.

Greece

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his Greek counterpart. [181664]

Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), met Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Evangelos Venizelos, for a working lunch on 28 November 2013.

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It was a productive meeting during which the two Ministers discussed a wide range of priorities, including: Greek plans for their EU presidency; migration; EU reform; Cyprus; and EU enlargement.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also underlined the British Government’s commitment to working closely with the Greek Government during their presidency of the EU in 2014.

I delivered the same message when I visited Athens and met Mr Venizelos, on 5 November 2013. We had a constructive meeting at which we discussed: Greece’s presidency of the EU; EU enlargement, particularly in the Western Balkans; and steps towards a Cyprus settlement.

Gulf States

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British policy in the Gulf is; and if he will make a statement. [182085]

Hugh Robertson: The UK has a deep and strong relationship with its Gulf Co-operation Council partners. The Gulf Initiative, launched in 2010, has sought to co-ordinate and develop the relationship further. In its recent report, the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee broadly endorsed Government policy towards the region.

We continue to look at ways to strengthen our relationship with the Gulf states.

Hezbollah

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the acquisition of Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles from the Government of Syria by Hezbollah. [182094]

Hugh Robertson: The UK is aware of media reports that the Syrian Government ordered the coastal defence version of the Yakhont system from Russia in 2007 and received the first batteries in early 2011. Russia has continued to supply weaponry to a regime that has shown itself to be incapable of using its weapons systems proportionately or discriminately. Since 15 December, the regime has continued to use SCUD missiles and barrel bombs on Aleppo, leaving more than 700 dead, many of whom were children.

Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Russian counterpart on the supply by Syria of Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles to Hezbollah; and what assessment he has made of whether such a supply would place Russia or Syria in breach of Article 11 of the arms trade treaty. [182095]

Hugh Robertson: The UK regularly raises with the Russian Government the issue of their continued supply of weapons to the Syrian Government. Russia has continued to supply weaponry to a regime that has shown itself to be incapable of using its weapons systems proportionately or discriminately, as is demonstrated by

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the regime's continued use of SCUD missiles and barrel bombs on Aleppo, leaving more than 700 dead, many of them children.

Unfortunately neither Russia nor Syria has signed the arms trade treaty. Syria was one of only three states that sought to block the adoption of the treaty, despite an overwhelming global majority agreeing that the treaty was an important development for the international arms trade.

Iran

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart on the proposed agreement with Iran on nuclear energy. [182508]

Hugh Robertson: UK officials regularly meet their Canadian counterparts to discuss Iran policy. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), also has regular discussions with the Canadian Foreign Minister. Their most recent meeting was at the Manama dialogue in December 2013.

Iraq

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures taken by the international community to improve confidence in the Iraqi justice system and enhance the rule of law in that country. [182382]

Hugh Robertson: The Government's significant concerns about the Iraqi justice system were noted in the FCO Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report

http://www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk/human-rights-in-countries-of-concern/iraq/

Problems include a continued overreliance on confession-based evidence, regular reports of individuals being arbitrarily detained and detained without access to legal counsel, and Iraq's increased use of the death penalty.

The UK will continue to work with the UN and other international partners to support reform of the Iraqi justice system. Details of UK work can be found in the human rights report.

Israel

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Israeli authorities over the arrest and detention of Sireen Khudiri. [182108]

Hugh Robertson: Officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv have not made representations on this specific case. We understand that Ms Sireen Khudiri was released from Israeli detention on 8 January.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he raised the issues of (a) the Israeli Government’s approval of

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new housing units at the illegal settlements of Ofra and Karnei Shomron and

(b)

the commitment made by the UK and other EU member states at the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 December 2013 to monitor settlement expansion and its broader implications, and act accordingly with the Israeli Foreign Minister on 7 January 2014. [182519]

Hugh Robertson: On 10 January I issued a press statement expressing deep concern over Israel’s decision to announce further settlement building in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The UK reiterates our opposition to Israeli settlements to the Israeli Government at every opportunity.

On 16 December, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), along with 27 Foreign Ministers of the member states of the EU, unanimously warned against actions that undermine the current negotiations and deplored Israel’s continuous expansion of settlements.

Palestinians

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support an application for Palestinian membership of the International Olive Council. [182272]

Hugh Robertson: The Government have been clear that we believe the Palestinian focus should be on the US-led final status negotiations with Israel rather than upgrading their status in UN bodies or international organisations. The Palestinians are not pursuing an application for membership of the International Olive Council at the present time.

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Israel to end the blockade on Gaza; if he will work with other EU countries to press the Government of Israel to allow essential equipment and parts to be brought into Gaza for the building and operation of desalinisation and power plants; and if he will make a statement. [182286]

Hugh Robertson: We continue to make regular representations to the Israeli authorities to ease restrictions on Gaza, including on movement of people and goods to and from Gaza. We stress the damage that the Israeli restrictions are doing to the living standards of ordinary Palestinians in Gaza and that supporting legal trade for Gazans is firmly in Israel's long-term interests.

We have welcomed some recent positive developments, including the Israeli authorities' decision to again allow construction materials to be imported into Gaza for humanitarian projects from 10 December and reports on 18 December that six truckloads of electrical and mechanical equipment required for expansion of the desalination plant entered Gaza through Kerem Shalom.

We are encouraging the Palestinian Authority, Israel and other interested parties to find both an immediate and long-term solution to Gaza's energy crisis. On 15 December, following a Qatari donation to the Palestinian Authority to fund the purchase of fuel for Gaza, Israel

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allowed 450,000 litres of industrial diesel to enter via the Kerem Shalom Crossing, which enabled the Gaza power plant to restart partial operations for the first time since 1 November.

Syria

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role played by Russia in attempts to find a non-violent solution to the conflict in Syria. [182097]

Hugh Robertson: The UK and Russia both attended the Geneva I conference on 30 June 2012. The Communiqué from that meeting called for a process to establish a mutually agreed political settlement in Syria, forming a Transitional Governing Body with full executive powers. The UN Security Council subsequently endorsed this approach through UN Security Council Resolution 2118 with UK and Russian support.

The Geneva II process to implement the Geneva I Communiqué will start on 22 January 2014. We will encourage the Russian Government to use their influence over Assad's regime to deliver the conditions for success, including allowing full humanitarian access and stopping the regime's indiscriminate air attacks in civilian areas.

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote the protection and enhancement of civil society organisations in Syria. [182098]

Hugh Robertson: The UK has provided over £20 million of non-humanitarian assistance to moderate opposition groups in Syria, including civil society. Our support is helping to build the capacity of civil society actors, including journalists and local councils, to address issues such as human rights, peace-building, transitional justice and good governance. Through our assistance, more than 300 Syrian journalists and activists have received training in order to help develop an independent Syrian media. Our assistance has also supported work with local councils and civil society groups within Syria to increase community engagement in addressing local conflicts.

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of aid to rebel factions in Syria; and if he will make a statement. [182128]

Hugh Robertson: Delivery of UK non-lethal equipment to the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army (SMC) in Syria has been put on hold. However the UK continues to provide very significant support to the moderate Syrian opposition.

This financial year we have provided more than £20 million of non-lethal, non-humanitarian assistance to support the moderate opposition, including the National Coalition, who we recognise as the sole legitimate representatives of the Syrian people.

This support is designed to enable the moderate Syrian opposition to help save lives and provides services to the Syrian population. It includes the provision of search and rescue equipment, generators, communications equipment, and technical and capacity-building support to the National Coalition and local councils.

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Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals for UK and allied military intervention in Syria in 2013 on relations between the UK and Saudi Arabia. [182268]

Hugh Robertson: The UK and Saudi Arabia enjoy a strong bilateral relationship. We share concerns about the situation in Syria and are working closely together as part of wider international efforts to address the crisis.

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the causes of radicalisation and sectarianisation in Syria. [182470]

Hugh Robertson: We are deeply concerned by the increasingly sectarian nature of the conflict, and the growing threat from terrorism and extremism. President Assad's actions include a deliberate attempt to stir up tensions in his efforts to hold on to power, and these actions are endangering the lives of all Syrians, irrespective of ethnic or religious background. We remain concerned by the growing influence of extremist groups operating in Syria, who have been able to gain a foothold as a result of the ongoing conflict. The UK has put its full support behind the National Coalition, who are committed to a pluralistic society and have condemned all forms of extremist ideology.

United Nations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the British agenda is for reform of the UN; and if he will make a statement. [182084]

Mr Lidington: The UK has been and will continue to be a strong advocate of reforming the UN system, including UN specialised agencies. We believe the UN should do more to prioritise its activity and work to achieve the greatest possible results with its limited resources. We support the UN Secretary-General’s work to modernise the UN, which includes ensuring: that UN staff are employed as far as possible on front-line activity; performance management systems fully reflect international best practice; and the UN harnesses modern IT to drive efficiencies, including via more streamlined budgeting. The UK also continues to push for reforms to ensure the costs of UN activity are apportioned fairly among member states.

The UK remains committed to reforming the UN Security Council so it is more reflective of the modern world—although we must ensure any reform does not reduce the Council’s ability to respond to threats to global peace and security. We support new permanent seats for Brazil, India, Germany and Japan, and permanent African representation.

World War I: Anniversaries

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his European and other international counterparts on the commemoration of the centenary of the first world war. [182378]

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Mark Simmonds: There have been numerous discussions with European and international counterparts about the commemoration of the centenary of the first world war by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), his ministerial team and officials. We expect these discussions to continue and intensify as the start of the centenary approaches.

Deputy Prime Minister

Electoral Register

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what budget has been provided for a national advertising campaign to alert the public to the new system of individual electoral registration. [182189]

Greg Clark: The national advertising campaign to raise public awareness of the new system of individual electoral registration will be provided by the Electoral Commission.

The Commission currently forecasts that it will spend £9.13 million between 2013 and 2016 on an awareness campaign. This has been agreed by the Speaker's Committee.

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has for introducing online electoral registration. [182191]

Greg Clark: Online registration will be enabled for the first time under the system of individual electoral registration. It will be possible for citizens to register online through the gov.uk website from June 2014 in England and Wales and September in Scotland.

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what provision has been made for local authorities to register people through local databases. [182192]

Greg Clark: Electoral registration officers are able to use data held by their local authority in order to identify potential electors. With the transition to individual electoral registration in June 2014, all existing electors will be matched against records held by the DWP, and if successfully matched, ‘confirmed' on the register. Local authorities can also ‘confirm' their electors using local data.

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what training electoral registration officers have received in preparation for the implementation of individual electoral registration. [182193]

Greg Clark: Training for electoral registration officers and their staff on new individual electoral registration (IER) processes commenced on 14 November 2013 in preparation for implementation on 10 June in England and Wales, and 19 September in Scotland. Lead trainers from over 180 local authorities have already been fully trained on IER processes and equipped with skills to help pass on this knowledge within their local authorities. Lead trainers from all authorities will have received training by the end of March. Electoral services staff will also receive training on the new electoral management software functionality by the end of March in England and Wales, and during June in Scotland.

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Health

Health/Social Care Integration

15. Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the integration of health services with social care services. [901959]

Norman Lamb: In June we announced the £3.8 billion Better Care Fund, the biggest ever financial incentive for councils and the national health service to work together to deliver health and care. Our integration pioneers programme is supporting this by driving innovation and breaking down the barriers, sharing lessons across the country.

Dementia

18. Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle dementia. [901962]

Mr Jeremy Hunt: In March 2012, the Prime Minister launched his Challenge on Dementia, which will deliver improved diagnosis rates, create one million Dementia Friends and more than double spending on research by 2015. The recent G8 summit demonstrated the global leadership the UK is providing on dementia.

Demographic Changes

19. Mr Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of demographic changes on the NHS. [901963]

Norman Lamb: Demographic changes are only one of many pressures faced by the national health service. The Department formally assesses the impact of all pressures, including demographic pressures, and offsetting efficiencies as part of spending review negotiations with HM Treasury. The most recent assessment in 2013 informed the settlement for 2015-16, where again NHS funding will be protected.

Out-of-Hospital Care: Elderly People

21. Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made in improving out-of-hospital care for frail elderly people. [901965]

Mr Jeremy Hunt: Our changes to the general practitioner (GP) contract for 2014-15 will mean that all over-75s will have a named GP responsible for their care.

The Government will shortly be setting out plans to improve care for vulnerable older people, including how to better integrate out-of-hospital care.

In addition, we have established a £3.8 billion Better Care Fund which gives local areas the platform to transform the way they deliver out-of-hospital care and provide effective collaboration between services so that patients receive seamless care.

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Tuberculosis

22. Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the incidence of tuberculosis in the UK. [901966]

Jane Ellison: In 2012 in the United Kingdom a total of 8,751 cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported. After two decades of rising TB rates in the UK, the incidence has stabilised over the past seven years. TB treatment completion rates have steadily improved to 83% for patients completing treatment in 2012. Certain sub-groups, such as new migrants, ethnic minority groups and those with social risk factors have particularly high rates.

Public Health England is leading a national oversight group for TB, which brings together partners from the Department, NHS England, local government, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, clinicians, British Thoracic Society, academia and TB Alert to develop its strategy for TB to be published in March 2014.

Care Costs: Older People

23. John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase public awareness of measures to protect older people from the cost of care. [901967]

Norman Lamb: We have continued to develop and increase national information and advice on care and support on NHS Choices. This provides practical information on the costs of care and support and how people can plan to meet current and future costs. We have firmly committed to raising awareness of the care and support reforms within the Care Bill. To be successful, an awareness campaign needs to be delivered in partnership—national and local government working alongside the wider care sector. We are already working with partners to develop the right approach.

Arthritis: Young People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of prescribing (a) tocilizumab and (b) other drugs for treatment of juvenile arthritis in each of the next three years. [182252]

Norman Lamb: The Department has made no such estimate.

Cancer: Bolton

Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by the NHS on drugs for cancer treatment in Bolton North East constituency in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [182100]

Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 January 2014, Official Report, columns 197-8W.

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Deloitte

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2014, Official Report, column 138W, on Deloitte, (1) whether the correspondence from Peter Coates to Mike Turley of 19 January 2010 was filed; [182520]

(2) whether the correspondence from Peter Coates to Mike Turley of 19 January 2010 was used in internal investigations into his Department's relationship with Deloitte; [182521]

(3) if he will investigate why the correspondence from Peter Coates to Mike Turley of 19 January 2010 was not retained; [182522]

(4) if he will request from Deloitte a copy of the correspondence from Peter Coates to Mike Turley of 19 January 2010; [182523]

(5) whether his Department's policy is to retain all correspondence with officials in his Department. [182524]

Dr Poulter: We are informed that no record of the correspondence between the Commercial Director (Peter Coates) and Mike Turley of Deloitte dated 19 January 2010 can be found in the Department's filing systems. The letter from Mike Turley of 5 February refers to the item as being a "note" which implies that it was not "correspondence" in the normal sense of the word.

The correspondence from Mike Turley pre-dates the investigation referred to in the Health Select Committee hearing of 17 December 2013, and was seen by the official conducting the review referred to by Richard Douglas at the Committee hearing. The Department's policy on the retention of non-record papers is three years from the date they were last modified. Even if they were filed at the time, there would be no requirement for them to have been retained now.

The Department will not be conducting further investigations into this matter, and does not propose to seek to recover a copy of the note from Deloitte.

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Dental Services: Bolton

Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of people in Bolton who have access to an NHS dentist; and what steps he is taking to ensure that sufficient dentists are recruited to meet demand for NHS dental services in Bolton. [182299]

Dr Poulter: I refer the hon. Member to the written answers I gave him on 7 January 2014, Official Report, columns 198-99W.

Eyes: Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had on the potential use of proton beam therapy for treatment of eye cancer in the NHS. [182249]

Jane Ellison: Ministers have had no discussions on the use of proton beam therapy for treatment of eye cancer.

Proton beam therapy for the treatment of patients with eye tumours has been available in the United Kingdom for a number of years at the Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology. NHS England's service specification for Ocular Oncology set out how patients may be referred to the service if appropriate.

General Practitioners: Hampshire

Mr Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the per capita expenditure and size of each general practice in Hampshire was in each of the last four years. [182557]

Dr Poulter: Information is not collected centrally on per capita spend. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the relevant clinical commissioning groups directly for this information. Information on the list size of each general practice (GP) in the former Hampshire primary care trust area is in the following table.

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