William Hill

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will publish a list of all paper and electronic correspondence between (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department and Andrew Lyman, head of Public Affairs at William Hill plc, in the last three years. [183924]

Brandon Lewis [holding answer 22 January 2014]: In November 2011, the Department received a letter requesting a meeting on betting shops. The Department replied politely declining a meeting. In September 2012, the Department received a submission to the formal consultation on change of use planning; information about that consultation and the Government's formal response can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reusing-existing-buildings-permitted-development-rights

Work Experience

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people aged (a) 16 and under and (b) over 16 years

28 Jan 2014 : Column 490W

old undertook work experience in his Department in each of the last three years. [183653]

Brandon Lewis: In the last three years a total of 42 people aged 15 to 24 have undertaken work experience in the Department. This total is made up of 25 work experience and 17 unpaid internships.

The Government are committed to improving opportunities for young people to obtain sustained employment as part of the Get Britain Working agenda. This will improve their career prospects and encourage social mobility and economic growth.

Opportunities to undertake unpaid work experience are provided by individual Government Departments as a means of providing an introduction to the civil service, and a way of helping individuals to make longer term career decisions. Work experience is offered as an opportunity to undertake work which will provide meaningful and developmental experience, and will give the individual an insight into the work of a particular Department or unit.

Health

Accident and Emergency Departments: East of England

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) permanent and (b) bank staff are employed in each accident and emergency department in each NHS hospital in the East of England. [184529]

Dr Poulter: Information is not available in the format requested. Data are not collected by hospital department, and information is not collected on the number of non-medical staff (such as nurses and support staff) or bank staff who work in an accident and emergency setting. The following table provides data for national health service acute trusts that have permanent hospital and community health service (HCHS) doctors recorded in the accident and emergency specialty.

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28 Jan 2014 : Column 492W

Botulinum Toxin

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of current regulation of the use of botulinum toxin; and whether he plans to introduce a minimum age limit for the use of botox treatment for cosmetic purposes. [184334]

Norman Lamb: Botulinum toxin products for injection have been licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for specific medicinal uses. As injectables, they are classed as prescription only medicines. The MHRA does not regulate cosmetics and has not licensed these products for general cosmetic procedures.

Under medicines legislation the general rule is that prescription only medicines can only be prescribed by appropriate practitioners. An “appropriate practitioner” includes a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist independent prescriber. Prescribing medicines for use outside a product's licensed indications is not covered by medicines legislation and is done under the prescriber's personal responsibility.

The law requires that if not self-administered, injectable medicines must be administered by an appropriate practitioner or a person acting in accordance with the directions of an appropriate practitioner.

A response to a review of the regulation of cosmetics by Professor Sir Bruce Keogh is due to be laid before the House shortly. Introduction of a minimum age limit for the use of botulinum toxins (including Botox) for cosmetic purposes was not one of the recommendations of the Keogh Review and there are no plans at this time to pursue such a policy.

Breast Cancer

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the efficacy and quality of care of patients with breast cancer in (a) Peterborough constituency and (b) England; and if he will make a statement. [184343]

Jane Ellison: On 30 August 2013, NHS England published the national report of the 2013 Cancer Patient Experience Survey. The survey provides an invaluable insight into cancer patients' experience of care, treatment and support. The survey report includes the responses of over 68,000 patients, 13,916 of whom had breast cancer. Nationally, patients with breast cancer reported the most positive experience of care.

Trust levels survey reports show that Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust is 67th out of 155 trusts providing cancer care in England (with 1 being the best). Specifically on breast cancer, Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust performs rather better than the national scores for patients with breast cancer. The trust scores particularly well on questions relating to cancer research; information about support groups; information on free prescriptions; and giving information on outcomes of operations.

Trust level reports are helping to drive improvement locally, enabling commissioners to directly challenge and incentivise. improvements and providers to benchmark their performance against one another. NHS England is also working with high performing trusts in the survey to identify best practice that can be shared and developed into toolkits and will then work with trusts with poorer scores to review how they use insights gained from the survey to develop service improvement plans.

Both national and trust level reports are available on the website of the survey provider, Quality Health, at the following links:

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National Report:

www.quality-health.co.uk/resources/surveys/national-cancer-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-exerience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-reports/301-2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-programme-national-report/file

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Trust report:

www.quality-health.co.uk/resources/surveys/national-cancer-experience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-exerience-survey/2013-national-cancer-patient-experience-survey-reports/2013-east-of-england-strategic-health-authority/20-peterborough-and-stamford-hospitals-nhs-foundation-trust/file

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East of England: Hospitals

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) permanent and (b) bank staff are employed in each NHS hospital in the East of England. [184528]

Dr Poulter: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows figures for all permanent national health service hospital and community health service (HCHS) staff (medical and non-medical) in NHS acute trusts in the health education East of England region. Information about the number of bank staff is not collected.

Electronic Cigarettes

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in helping people to stop smoking. [184333]

Jane Ellison: The consistent evidence from a variety of sources is that most electronic cigarettes users use them to stop smoking or as partial replacement to reduce the harm associated with smoking. There is some evidence from surveys that electronic cigarettes users are having success in achieving their goals, with many current electronic cigarette users being ex-smokers.

Very few trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes. Those that have been conducted conclude that electronic cigarettess can alleviate desire to smoke and withdrawal symptoms. The limited evidence suggests electronic cigarettes may aid smoking cessation and that these products are about as effective as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as gums and patches, in supporting quit attempts.

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Electronic cigarettes are being used in approximately 20% of quit attempts, which is similar to the use of NRT.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published an assessment of the available data on the efficacy of Nicotine Containing Products in helping people cut down and quit. It is on the MHRA website at:

www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/comms-ic/documents/websiteresources/con286839.pdf

Smoking is the greatest single cause of avoidable ill-health and death, accounting for 80,000 deaths each year in England alone. Reducing the public health impact of smoking remains a priority for the Department.

Influenza: Vaccination

Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on making a proportion of winter pressures funding to urgent care and other settings within trusts dependent on 75% of NHS staff voluntarily signing up for influenza vaccinations in the 2013-14 winter season; and what the evidential basis is for linking the withdrawal of funding for patients' care to the rate of staff receiving voluntarily vaccinations. [184315]

Jane Ellison: A total of £400 million additional funding was allocated to alleviate winter pressures for 2013-14. In September 2013, the Government announced that £250 million would be provided to the 53 trusts that were considered most at risk of poor performance over winter. An additional £150 million, from within the national health service existing budget, was provided to the remaining health economies to ease winter pressures on their accident and emergency (A and E) departments. No funding for patient care was withdrawn for this year on the basis of health care worker vaccination rates. Performance against this target will be reviewed at the end of winter 2013-14.

Flu is one of the factors known to contribute to winter pressures and vaccination of health care workers has been shown to significantly reduce rates of flu-like illness, hospitalisation and mortality in older people in health care settings. Therefore those trusts most at risk were encouraged to reach 75% health care worker flu vaccination rates in 2013-14, consistent with existing target flu vaccination rates in at-risk groups.

Institute of Grocery Distribution

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the (a) dates, (b) agendas and (c) minutes of any meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with representatives of the Institute for Grocery Distribution since May 2010. [184958]

Jane Ellison: Records show six official level meetings specifically with the Institute for Grocery Distribution (IGD) since May 2010. These were held on:

18 July 2012

15 February 2012

20 March 2012

19 December 2011

15 December 2011

13 December 2011

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These meetings were either introductory meetings or to seek information and research held by the IGD to aid the Department in its work on diet and nutrition. These were informal meetings and no notes were taken.

Medical Records: Data Protection

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protections he plans to put in place to ensure that the information from patients' records gathered and used by the Health and Social Care Information Centre remains anonymised and that patients' identities are protected and kept secure. [184902]

Dr Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) is committed and legally bound to the very highest standards of privacy, security and confidentiality to ensure that confidential information is protected at all times. There are very strict rules about what information the Health and Social Care Information Centre can release to the national health service and outside organisations.

The HSCIC makes data available in three formats: personal confidential data, pseudonymous data, and anonymous data. Each format is protected by a different suite of privacy safeguards as described in the Information Commissioner's ‘Code of Practice on Anonymisation’. No personal confidential data are ever disclosed without a legal basis for doing so, such as the patient's explicit consent.

Mesothelioma: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive on promoting a UK-wide strategy for tackling mesothelioma. [184330]

Jane Ellison: Ministers have had no discussions with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on promoting a United Kingdom-wide strategy for tackling mesothelioma.

NHS

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) effect of primary care charging and (b) proposed new integrated system of NHS registration on (i) the devolved NHS systems and (ii) residents from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland visiting or living in England. [184265]

Jane Ellison: If charges for some primary care services in England are introduced to visitors to the United Kingdom, those services will continue to be free of charge to people who are ordinarily resident in the UK. Therefore, residents of the devolved Administrations will continue to be treated on the same basis as an English resident if they access primary care services in England.

However, introducing charging for visitors may influence behaviour (near the borders if visitors from overseas in England choose to travel to the other countries to access primary care services that they would have to pay for in England.

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A new-system of registering with the national health service in England is unlikely to affect the health care systems in the devolved Administrations but it may mean that residents from the devolved Administrations who access NHS care in England are asked more often to demonstrate that they are ordinarily resident in the UK, or otherwise (entitled to free NHS care in England.

NHS: Crime Prevention

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has designated NHS Protect or any individual in that organisation to grant authorisation for the carrying out of directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [184944]

Dr Poulter: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers (Directed Surveillance and Covert Human Intelligence Sources) Order 2010 (SI 2010/521) empowers NHS Protect to authorise directed surveillance under s.28(3)(b) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. The prescribed office for the authorisation of such surveillance is a senior manager (not below the grade of Agenda for Change pay band 8b).

Obesity

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce obesity levels; and if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Education and representatives of the food manufacturing industry the development of a joint strategy to achieve that end. [184331]

Jane Ellison: We have a well-developed and wide-ranging programme of actions. These include working with a wide range of partners including Public Health England, NHS England, other Government Departments including the Department for Education and Department for Transport, and industry through the Public Health Responsibility Deal. Key initiatives include Change4Life, the National Child Measurement Programme, NHS Health Checks, Change4Life Sports Clubs and School Sports Funding.

I met with the Under-Secretary of State for Education, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss), and the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Camborne and Redruth (George Eustice), on 8 January to discuss school food and local sourcing rules. I continue to have discussions with the food manufacturing industry about action to help reduce obesity levels through the Public Health Responsibility Deal.

Prisoners: Palliative Care

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what his policy is on end-of-life care for older prisoners; [184947]

(2) what measures are in place to ensure a consistent approach to end-of-life care in prisons. [184948]

Norman Lamb: Prisoners are entitled to receive decent and humane treatment with access to health services

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appropriate to their need at all times, including the end of life. As with people in the community, prisoners must be able to make choices about how they are cared for and where they wish to die.

Successfully managing end of life care in prison requires officers, governors, health care staff, voluntary organisations and prisoners' families to work together to achieve the best outcomes for the individual. In 2011, the Department and the National Health Service National End of Life Care Programme published ‘The route to success in end of life care—achieving quality in prisons and for prisoners’, to help support prison and health and social care professionals deliver a consistent approach to end of life care in prisons. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Rehabilitation Centres

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what licences are required to run a drug rehabilitation centre; [184262]

(2) what powers and responsibilities local authorities have in managing the number and standard of drug rehab centres. [184311]

Jane Ellison: The commissioning of services to treat dependence on drugs and alcohol is the responsibility of local authorities who ensure that services are appropriate to local need.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates, inspects and reviews all residential treatment facilities in England. All such services have to be registered with the CQC and under the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act (2008). Providers must show that they are meeting essential standards of quality and safety in all of the regulated activities that they provide. If a provider is not registered with the CQC, they cannot legally provide the service.

New residential treatment facilities will generally require planning permission from the local authority (exceptions are changes from existing residential facilities). In determining the appropriateness of the development, local authorities will take into account all material considerations, which would include the impact of proposals on the local amenity.

Treatment centres are often housed in houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs are large houses converted into multiple-roomed accommodation, shared by five or more people and specially designed hostels). Typically, these 'halfway houses' do not offer drug treatment on site (though clients would be able to access community or private treatment off site). This means that HMOs fall out with the remit of local treatment commissioners, but are subject to local authority planning and other regulations.

Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers and responsibilities local authorities have in managing the number and standard of half-way houses. [184310]

Jane Ellison: This is a matter for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

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Tobacco: Scotland

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned on the effect to date of legislation in Scotland outlawing proxy purchasing of tobacco products. [184957]

Jane Ellison: We are aware that the Scottish Government introduced a new offence of the proxy purchase of tobacco in April 2011 as part of a wider package of tobacco control measures contained within the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010. A study of the effectiveness of this package of measures, including the proxy purchase offence, is currently being conducted by the University of Stirling. This long-term study is due for completion in 2017.

Ministers in England want to ensure that children are protected from the dangers of smoking—we know 41% of current smokers aged 15 say that a usual source of cigarettes is to buy them from ‘other people’. That is why this Government are bringing forward an amendment to the Children and Families Bill to create a new offence of the proxy purchase of tobacco products. This corrects my previous answer of 27 January 2014, Official Report, columns 441-42W.

Business, Innovation and Skills

Aerospace Industry

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he will take to safeguard British jobs and investment in the UK by working towards fair conditions in the global aerospace market. [184426]

Michael Fallon: We continue to work with the European Commission and the World Trade Organisation to ensure that financing from national Governments to their aerospace industries does not create illegal subsidies and that the UK aerospace sector can continue to grow and compete in market conditions that are fair.

Apprentices

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprentices his Department employed in each of the last three years. [184597]

Jenny Willott: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills currently employs 54 apprentices. The apprentices were recruited as follows:

2011: 0

2012: 24

2013: 30.

Boeing

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his US counterpart about the $8.7 billion subsidy awarded to Boeing by Washington State in November 2013. [184427]

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Michael Fallon: These measures, announced by Washington State in November 2013, were not within the scope of the original claim on financing for civil aircraft programmes currently being pursued within the WTO. This case led in 2012 to a WTO panel, which was formed after the EU made a complaint, finding that the US Government (Federal and State) had provided unlawful subsidies to Boeing. The US responded confirming they had amended their measures which the EU appealed. The WTO compliance panel is now reviewing whether the US Government have adequately amended or stopped their financial support to Boeing and complied with their findings.

With regards to the measures that the hon. Member refers to in this question, Boeing has advised that it will not be the sole beneficiary of the incentive package. Its understanding is that $8.7 billion is the estimated value, over a 16 year period, in the reduction of taxes that would be paid by the commercial aerospace industry which is located in the State of Washington.

It is Boeing's understanding that the State has structured its incentive package to fully comply with the WTO ruling. The European Commission will need to consider whether it believes this to be the case or attempt to ensure the WTO compliance panel expressly recognises this support as an extension to the subsidies that were found illegal and whether they can be addressed within the scope of the current proceedings. The European Commission is aware and is considering how to proceed.

Meanwhile, the EU awaits the conclusion from the WTO in a parallel case against them (UK, France, Germany and Spain member states) in the complaint raised by the US, regarding financial support provided to Airbus. Both cases have been going on for 10 years and are likely to continue for some time yet.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with his European counterparts about the implications for employment and job creation of the $8.7 billion subsidy awarded to Boeing by Washington State in November 2013. [184428]

Michael Fallon: These measures, announced by Washington State in November 2013, were not within the scope of the original claim on financing for civil aircraft programmes currently being pursued within the WTO. This case led in 2012 to a WTO panel, which was formed after the EU made a complaint, finding that the US Government (Federal and State) had provided unlawful subsidies to Boeing. The US responded confirming they had amended their measures which the EU appealed. The WTO compliance panel is now reviewing whether the US Government have adequately amended or stopped their financial support to Boeing and complied with its findings.

With regards to the measures that Mark Tami MP refers to Boeing has advised that it will not be the sole beneficiary of the incentive package. Its understanding is that $8.7 billion is the estimated value, over a 16 year period, in the reduction of taxes that would be paid by the commercial aerospace industry which is located in the State of Washington.

It is Boeing's understanding that the State has structured its incentive package to fully comply with the WTO ruling. The European Commission will need to consider

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whether it believes this to be the case or attempt to ensure the WTO compliance panel expressly recognises this support as an extension to the subsidies that were found illegal and whether they can be addressed within the scope of the current proceedings. The European Commission is aware and is considering how to proceed.

Meanwhile, the EU awaits the conclusion from the WTO in a parallel case against them (UK, France, Germany and Spain member states) in the complaint raised by the US, regarding financial support provided to Airbus. Both cases have been going on for ten years and are likely to continue for some time yet.

Business: West Midlands

Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to assist the development of small and medium-sized businesses in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands. [184820]

Matthew Hancock: Small businesses are vital to the economy and this Government are supporting them in many ways.

Of course, economic stability, lower taxes, deregulation, and a culture of enterprise are vital to business growth.

www.gov.uk is the home for Government services and information online. One of the tools available is the ‘Finance Finder’, a searchable database of publicly backed sources of finance.

The BIS guide ‘SME access to finance schemes: measures to support small and medium-sized enterprise growth’ is available on the same website by searching for the title and provides details on the main forms of public support available to businesses. The website:

www.greatbusiness.gov.uk

also provides support and advice for businesses trying to grow as well as for entrepreneurs starting out.

In addition to online support, the Business Support Helpline is available to provide a quick response on queries about starting a business, or a personalised and in-depth advice service for more complex needs.

For businesses ready to go further there is ‘GrowthAccelerator’—a £200 million programme for up to 26,000 high growth potential small and medium-sized enterprises, providing them with expertise and networks to achieve sustainable growth.

Finally, on 7 December 2013 the Government published ‘Small Business: GREAT Ambition’ which sets out the Government's commitment to supporting small businesses It responds to feedback from small businesses about how Government can help at different points in their growth journey by making it easier to:

Finance business growth by creating the right banking and investment environment and the most supportive tax regime in the world;

Hire people by making employment processes more straightforward and promoting a more skilled work force;

Develop new ideas and products by helping businesses get access to the expertise, equipment and funding they need to turn great ideas into reality;

Expand into new markets by removing barriers to certain sectors and providing advice and support for businesses trying to export;

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Get the right support at the right time by making support schemes easier to find and more relevant; and

Get on with doing business by making sure regulation and the way it is enforced is proportionate and pro-growth.

Companies: Registration

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what information will appear on the proposed public register of company ownership; [184609]

(2) what steps he is taking to ensure transparency in identifying beneficial owners as part of the proposed public register of company ownership. [184611]

Jenny Willott: Our Transparency and Trust discussion paper sought views on a range of questions relating to implementation of the central registry of company beneficial ownership information, including how beneficial owners would be identified and what information will be available on the register. We are carefully considering the responses received and will publish a formal Government response shortly. It remains our intention to legislate as soon as parliamentary time permits.

Company Accounts

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to page 10 of the coalition agreement, what recent progress he has made on the commitment to (a) reinstate an Operating and Financial Review to ensure that directors' social and environmental duties have to be covered in company reporting and (b) investigate further ways of improving corporate accountability and transparency; and if he will make it his policy to support the inclusion of large, non-listed companies in the EU's proposal to amend the accounting directives with regard to disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by large companies. [184348]

Jenny Willott: In October 2013 Parliament adopted new regulations requiring companies to report on environmental, employee, social, community and human rights issues, where relevant to an understanding of the business. This fulfils the commitment made in the coalition agreement.

In addition, we have introduced reforms to executive pay. We are also working to increase transparency and trust in UK companies, notably through the introduction of a public register of companies' beneficial ownership.

With respect to the EU proposal to amend the accounting directives with regard to disclosure of non-financial and diversity information by large companies, I am unwilling to support the inclusion of larger non-listed companies at this time. This is in line with the UK narrative reporting framework, which primarily applies to listed and not private companies.

Employee Benefit Trusts

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the number of firms currently using employee shareholder status. [184520]

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Jenny Willott: The employee shareholder employment status came into force on 1 September 2013.

Companies are not required to register or apply to Government to use it and no assessment of levels of take up can be made yet.

However, since 1 September 2013, the online detailed guidance was viewed nearly 15,000 times, with people spending, on average, over seven minutes on the pages. This clearly shows a level of interest in the scheme.

Employment Agencies Act 1973

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) how many full-time equivalent staff are employed by his Department and its agencies whose duties include the (a) investigation and (b) enforcement of criminal penalties of the Employment Agencies Act 1973; [184610]

(2) how many full-time equivalent staff are currently working in the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate; and at which premises those staff are based. [184524]

Mr Willetts: The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) enforce the Employment Agencies Act 1973 and the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (both as amended). Two full-time inspectors currently work in the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS) and are based at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills premises at 1 Victoria street, London. They are supported by one administrative officer.

In cases where there is prolonged and wilful non-compliance with the recruitment sector legislation, EAS can consider prosecution in the magistrates court or the Crown court. In such cases EAS inspectors are supported by the Department's legal team. The level of support provided is dependent on the complexity of the case.

EAS can also work with the Department's legal team and the Treasury Solicitor's Department to take action to prohibit an individual from running an employment agency for up to 10 years. Again the resource given to support EAS is dependent on the case.

Employment agencies must also comply with national minimum wage (NMW) legislation which is enforced by HM Revenue and Customs. On 4 November 2013 nine inspectors moved from the EAS to HM Revenue and Customs' NMW team to focus mainly on enforcing non-payment of NMW in the recruitment sector.

There are also health and safety protections in place for all workers, which are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.

Labour Turnover

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to reduce staff turnover in his Department. [184562]

Jenny Willott: Staff turnover lies within the levels expected in the Department's work force plan. It is at the level needed to ensure the Department can recruit the skills it needs to deliver.

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Lasers

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to restrict the availability of class 3a and 3b laser pens. [184720]

Jenny Willott: I have no plans to further restrict the availability of class 3a and 3b laser pens.

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what checks are in place for people purchasing class 3a and 3b laser pens. [184721]

Jenny Willott: Laser pens are covered by the safety standard “BS EN 60825-1:1994 Safety of Laser Products”, which specifies those laser pointers to be used by professionals or consumers. Any market surveillance on the availability of class 3a and 3b laser pens being purchased by consumers is the responsibility of Local Authority Trading Standards Services.

Minerals: Imports

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Government have taken to reduce the UK's dependence on foreign extracted minerals. [184208]

Michael Fallon: In March 2012, BIS and DEFRA jointly published the Government's Resource Security Action Plan. This document was developed in response to business concerns about the continued availability of, and access to, critical raw materials including extracted minerals.

A key action point was the creation of the Circular Economy Task Force led by the Green Alliance to help inform Government thinking on resource security. Their first year report, Resource resilient UK, shows how to address constraints in supply of critical materials and secure resource supplies for the UK.

The action plan and report may be seen at these links:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resource-security-action-plan-making-the-most-of-valuable-materials

http://www.green-alliance.org.uk/grea1.aspx?id=6571

Parental Leave

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) maternal employment and (b) the gender pay gap of the introduction of the new shared parental leave plans. [184885]

Jenny Willott: Data from the Maternity and Paternity Rights and Women Returners Survey 2009/10 show that 77% of mothers who had worked before the birth returned to work when the child was aged 12 to 18 months (76% in 2006).

86% of those who returned to work returned to the same job with the same employer. Of those who returned to a different job, the most commonly cited reasons for changing jobs after maternity leave were wanting to

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work hours that suited their needs (51% in 2006 and 43% in 2008) and wanting to work part-time (33% in 2006 and 39% in 2008).

The aims of the shared parental leave policy are to:

Give working parents more choice in the way that they share child care responsibility during the first year of a child's life by increasing the share of leave fathers can take, thus enabling both parents to retain a strong link with the labour market;

Encourage more fathers to play a greater caring role pre-birth and in the first year; and

Increase flexibility for employers and employees to reach agreement on how best to balance work and domestic needs.

Parents choosing to share leave more equitably will have an indirect impact on maternal employment and the gender pay gap but there has been no assessment of the exact effect that the new shared parental leave plans will have on maternal employment and the gender pay gap.

We intend to introduce shared parental leave and pay for parents of babies due on or after the 5 April 2015. The Government have committed to review the effectiveness of these changes and the take-up of leave by fathers as soon as survey evidence becomes available.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. [184437]

Jenny Willott: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) supports the living wage and encourages businesses to pay it when it is affordable and not at the expense of jobs.

Our primary policy for supporting the low paid is the national minimum wage which is carefully set at a level that maximises wages without damaging employment prospects. In addition, in order to raise living standards we are focused on increasing employment and cutting taxes by raising the personal allowance to £10,000 from April 2014 and will have taken 2.7 million people out of income tax altogether by 2014-15.

There are no direct BIS employees paid less than the living wage, either nationally or in London.

The Total Facilities Management (TFM) contract is with EC Harris which sub-contracts operational delivery to Balfour Beatty Workplace (BBW). This operational delivery of FM services utilises a dedicated team of nearly 400 employees. As of November 2013 there were 103 employees working for less than the London living wage within London and the South East and 239 employees working for less than the national living wage across the national estate. BaxterStorey, which manages BIS catering, does not pay the London living wage (LLW) to those working within the BIS estate.

On the basis of fairness and current affordability, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has instructed the Department to raise the wages of the lowest paid contracted staff working at BIS premises across the UK. We hope to report progress

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with implementing this by spring 2014. This is part of BIS' overall policy to try to increase living standards for its lowest paid staff.

I have approached the chief executives of the Department's executive agencies (Insolvency Service, Companies House, National Measurement Office, Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency) and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.

Letter from John Alty, dated 23 January 2014:

I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on the 22 January 2014, to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Intellectual Property Office is an executive agency and Trading Fund of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. It does not have any employees or contracted workers being paid less than the living wage.

Letter from Sarah Glasspool, dated 23 January 2014:

I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (NMO), an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 January 2014, asking the BIS Secretary of State (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Except for one Apprentice, representing 1.2% of staff employed, NMO does not have any direct employees or contractors paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from Tim Moss, dated 23 January 2014:

I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 22 January 2014, UIN 184437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

None of Companies House's staff is paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from David Parker, dated 23 January 2014:

Thank you for your question addressed to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

The UK Space Agency was formed on 1st April 2011. There are (a) no staff, and (b) no proportion of staff employed by (ii) the UK Space Agency or (iii) contractors of the UK Space Agency who are paid less that the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Letter from Vanessa Lawrence, dated 23 January 2014:

As Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey, I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, “(a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage”.

Ordnance Survey has no employees, either staff members or contractors, who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

Should you have any further questions, please let me know.

I hope this information is helpful.

Letter from John Hirst, dated 24 January 2014:

I am replying on behalf of the Met Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 January 2014, UIN 184437 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

There are currently 3 employees at the Met Office on temporary placements who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage, which represents 0.15% of the

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work force. Paid placement opportunities at the Met Office are generally offered to interns who have just completed the first year of A' levels, current undergraduates or those who have completed their studies.

I hope this helps.

Letter from Barbara Spicer, dated 23 January 2014:

Thank you for your question asking the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. (184437)

Please be advised that based on our January 2014 data the Skills Funding Agency has 1,290 employees in the organisation and 32 of these are apprentices.

No direct employees and contracted workers of the Skills Funding Agency are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation.

Our 32 apprentices which equates to 2.5% of our work force are all paid above the national minimum wage, albeit below the level set by the Living Wage Foundation.

I hope this satisfactorily addresses your question. If you have any follow up queries, please let me know.

Letter from Ed Lester, dated 24 January 2014:

I write on behalf of Land Registry in response to Parliamentary Question 184437 tabled on 22 January 2014 which asked the following:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

I can confirm that no staff or contractors employed by Land Registry are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

I hope that you find this information useful.

Letter from Richard Judge, dated 27 January 2014:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. My response relates to the Insolvency Service, an executive agency of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Insolvency Service currently has no employees who earn less than the living wage. There are presently 25 agency workers who earn less than the living wage. This represents 15% of the total number of agency workers and contractors currently assigned to the Insolvency Service. In accordance with the Agency Workers' Regulations, if these 25 agency workers' assignments with the Insolvency Service reach 12 weeks' duration, they will be paid a rate greater than the living wage.

Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of expenditure on his Department's procurement contracts was placed with small and medium-sized enterprises based in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland, (e) the North East, (f) the North West, (g) Yorkshire and the Humber, (h) the East Midlands, (i) the West Midlands, (j) the East of England, (k) London, (l) the South East and (m) the South West in the last three years for which figures are available. [184279]

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Jenny Willott: This information is not held centrally within the Department and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Annual Report and Accounts 2012/13 show that the use of small and medium-sized enterprises across the BIS family exceeded the Government's 25% target.

In addition, since January 2011 central Government Departments have been required to publish information on the contracts they award on Contracts Finder:

www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/

Resignations

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department compiles statistics on the destination of staff leaving to work in the private sector. [184590]

Jenny Willott: BIS does not centrally compile statistics on the destination of staff leaving to work in the private sector and this information could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. For two years after their last day of service, former civil servants are required to comply with the business appointment rules when taking up employment or an outside appointment.

Royal Mail

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future of the remaining shareholding the Government holds in Royal Mail; and if he will make a statement. [184824]

Michael Fallon: No decisions have been taken on the future of the Government's remaining shareholding in Royal Mail.

Student Opportunity Fund

Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects to announce the allocation for the Student Opportunity Fund for 2014-15. [184303]

Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is currently going through the process of allocating budgets for 2014-15 and 2015-16 and will set out plans in the usual way in due course.

Student Opportunity Fund: Herefordshire

Jesse Norman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the value of the Student Opportunity Fund to learners in Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency. [184329]

Mr Willetts: This information is not held at constituency level. The Student Opportunity Fund is part of the overall teaching grant allocated to higher education institutions by the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Funding is not allocated directly to individual learners. The allocations are designed to target funding towards those institutions that do more to widen participation or that recruit students who are likely to need more support.

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Wool: Competition

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will request the Groceries Code Adjudicator to investigate the gap between the price wool farmers receive for fleece and the shelf price of that fleece. [184203]

Jenny Willott: The Groceries Supply Code of Practice does not cover price setting or relationships between indirect suppliers and the supermarkets. It is for the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), Christine Tacon, to decide whether to launch an investigation into a potential breach of the Groceries Code. The Adjudicator will only act where there is corroborated evidence of a potential breach of the Code, which must relate to the direct supply of groceries to one of the 10 large retailers covered by the Code. Further information on the GCA can be found at:

www.gov.uk/gca

Education

Pupil Exclusions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what training is received by members of independent review panels which consider school exclusion decisions. [184939]

Elizabeth Truss: Section 51A of the Education Act 2002 and regulations made under this section require the arranging authority to ensure that all independent review panel members have received training within the two years prior to the date of the review. That training must have covered:

1. the requirements of the primary legislation, regulations and statutory guidance governing exclusions (which includes an understanding of how the principles applicable in an application for judicial review relate to the panel's decision making);

2. the need for the panel to observe procedural fairness and the rules of natural justice;

3. the role of the chair of a review panel;

4. the role of the clerk to a review panel;

5. the duties of head teachers, governing bodies and the panel under the Equality Act 2010; and

6. the effect of section 6 of the Human Rights Acts 1998 and the need to act in a manner compatible with human rights protected by that Act.

Deputy Prime Minister

Electoral Register

Wayne David: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what support his Department is giving the Bite the Ballot campaign in advance of National Voter Registration Day; [182726]

(2) what work his Department is undertaking to raise awareness of National Voter Registration Day. [182727]

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what support his Department has given to the National Voter Registration Day run by Bite the Ballot; [183567]

(2) what steps he has taken in advance of National Registration Day; and if he will create a National Registration (a) Week and (b) Month. [183756]

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Greg Clark: The Government welcome initiatives that promote democratic engagement, such as Bite the Ballot's National Voter Registration Day and the British Youth Council's Make Your Mark campaign.

Cabinet Office works with national organisations that encourage people to register to vote, as during the recent Parliament Week programme. Ministers met recently with Bite the Ballot and support its aims to increase voter registration.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of voter registration drives run by Bite the Ballot and of whether there are any lessons for his Department's policy in such drives. [183568]

Greg Clark: The Government are supportive of events that promote democratic engagement such as Bite the Ballot's National Voter Registration Day and welcome lessons from their experiences.

Cabinet Office works with national organisations that encourage people to register to vote, as during the recent Parliament Week programme. Ministers met recently with Bite the Ballot and support its aims to increase voter registration.

Electoral Register: Young People

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps his Department has taken to engage with young people to increase voter registration. [183453]

Greg Clark: The Government are making available up to £4.2 million this year to maximise the rate of voter registration ahead of the transition to Individual Electoral Registration (IER) in 2014.

To improve registration levels for young people, Cabinet Office has made the Rock Enrol! learning resource available, which promotes democratic engagement and encourages young people to register to vote.

Cabinet Office also manages a student forum that brings together key people within the Higher/Further Education sector, the National Union of Students and local authorities with the highest student populations. The forum shares best practice to reinforce the maximum registration of students and increases IER awareness across the Higher/Further Education sector.

New Towns

Hilary Benn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many officials in his Office are currently working on matters relating to new towns and garden cities; [184822]

The Deputy Prime Minister: Policy responsibility for housing and planning, including new towns and garden cities, sits with the Department for Communities and Local Government. The Deputy Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office work with Departments on all areas of Government policy.

Defence

Armed Forces: Vehicles

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicles, by type, his Department purchased as an urgent operational requirement for use in Afghanistan will be a part of the core equipment programme; and how many such vehicles will be disposed of. [184198]

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Mr Dunne: For information relating to the number of urgent operational requirement (UOR) vehicles, by type, that will be part of the core equipment programme, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 December 2013, Official Report, column 465, to the hon. Member for Poole (Mr Syms).

The planned disposal of vehicles procured through the UOR process is under consideration, and decisions will be made at the appropriate time.

Military Aircraft

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which body is responsible for initiating prosecutions for carrying out laser pen attacks on military aircraft. [184704]

Mr Francois: The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for initiating prosecutions based on evidence supplied by the civil police.

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military pilots have been relieved from duty after a laser pen attack in the last three years. [184717]

Mr Francois: Data on aircrew being removed from flying duties following laser illumination are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 4 November 2013, Official Report, column 202W, on military aircraft, how many laser pen incidents were reported to the police; and how many such reports resulted in a conviction. [184753]

Mr Francois [holding answer 27 January 2014]: The information requested is not held by the Ministry of Defence.

The use of lasers against an aircraft is contrary to Civil Aviation Authority regulations. Under Civil Aviation Publication 493, air traffic control units are required to contact the civil police when a laser incident is reported to them.

Laser pen offences are dealt with by the police and prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Nigeria

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on providing support to the Federal Government of Nigeria in tackling oil theft in the Niger delta. [184204]

Mr Francois: Together with international allies the UK is working in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its member states to build regional maritime capability and enhance capacity to tackle maritime crime. The overall objective is to deliver a coherent regional approach to maritime security issues, including oil theft, in order to support regional stability.

As part of this wider effort we are supporting Nigerian efforts to develop a professional military capable of contributing to the delivery of regional security and

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stability. We support Nigerian efforts to develop its capability to operate joint task forces in the Delta region and in 2010 helped to establish the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre in Lagos. We expect to continue delivering professional naval training and will continue where we can to assist the Nigerian Government in their efforts to improve security in the maritime environment.

Publications

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's new risk framework; [184235]

(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's new control framework. [184236]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence's top-level governance framework, including its approach to internal controls and risk management, is set out in the document “How Defence Works”, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. As part of our work to implement Lord Levene's ‘Defence Reform' recommendations and reach full operating capability for the Department's new delegated operating model in the spring, we are currently considering potential improvements to the Department's internal control, risk management, and assurance frameworks. The outcome of this work will be incorporated in the next edition of ‘How Defence Works', which is expected to be published in the spring, and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

RAF Northolt

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the arrangements in respect of RAF Northolt which allow commercial operators to attract additional traffic by offering prices at levels below which civilian airports can compete; and if he will make a statement. [184339]

Mr Dunne: RAF Northolt charges for landing fees and ramp services for commercial aircraft using the airfield. These charges are market tested on an annual basis to ensure charging is in line with local markets and that those charges are equal to or greater than those charged by local markets.

Under the wider markets initiative, RAF Northolt, through a Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) licence, rents an airside lounge to a commercial company. Northolt Jet Centre Premier Passenger Service is managed by London City Airport Jet Centre Ltd and charges customers for passenger handling at RAF Northolt in accordance with the terms of the DIO licence. London City Jet Centre sets its own charges to the customer directly. While the Ministry of Defence receives a passenger throughput concession payment the Department has no involvement in what London City Jet Centre charges.

Trident

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the replacement value is of a single UK Trident warhead. [182981]

Mr Dunne: The UK is not producing replacement Trident warheads and costing for a future warhead is subject to consideration in the next Parliament.

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International Development

Curzon Institute

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent contact her Department has had with (a) Curzon Education and (b) the Curzon Institute; what contracts her Department holds with those bodies; and what the value of those contracts is. [185002]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not have any contracts with Curzon Education or Curzon Institute.

South Sudan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the efficacy of humanitarian assistance in South Sudan. [184512]

Mr Duncan: On 23 January the UN reported an estimated 575,500 people displaced in South Sudan, with less than half reached by humanitarian assistance. Challenges to the provision of assistance include the remoteness of some locations, rapid changes to the security environment and a high incidence of cases of looting of humanitarian assets. There are increasing concerns about interference in humanitarian activities by military or political actors. We have called upon all parties to the conflict to ensure safe and secure access for humanitarian agencies, to respect their neutrality, and to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law to avoid civilian casualties or direct attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The UK has already allocated £12.5 million in response to the crisis, and a further £19 million previously programmed is being used now to support the response. This includes funding for the UN's Humanitarian Air Service, which airlifts aid workers and life-saving supplies into difficult to reach areas.

World Bank

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will take steps to ensure that the future strategy of the World Bank gives priority to promoting gender equality. [184773]

Mr Duncan: Improving the lives of girls and women is a key priority. In her role as UK Governor to the Bank and member of the World Bank's Advisory Council on Gender, the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), consistently raises this issue at the Bank's spring and autumn meetings. She will continue to press the bank to promote gender equality across its policies and improve the implementation of these policies in its programmes on the ground. The UK recently has secured important reforms to the way the World Bank promotes gender equality, including making it a key theme in the recent replenishment of the International Development Association.

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Cabinet Office

Curzon Institute

Andy McDonald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) when representatives of the Curzon Institute met with (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department in the last three years; [184858]

(2) on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have met Afzal Anim. [184940]

Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the published information on ministerial meetings at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

Information on permanent secretaries' meetings with external organisations is at

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-permanent-secretaries-meetings-with-external-organisations

Information requested in respect of other officials' meetings is not held centrally.

Deregulation Bill

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will revise the impact statement of the Deregulation Bill to reflect the amendments to that Bill since July 2013. [184954]

Mr Letwin: The Deregulation Bill contains a large number of provisions relating to business, individual and public sector deregulation. The Cabinet Office has provided the Vote Office with copies of the full impact assessment for each measure for which one is required.

Land

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which sites owned by his Department are currently earmarked for disposal; what the current class use is of each site; what the expected planning use is for each site; whether each site already has planning permission for the expected planning use; what the market value of the site is; and whether the site will be sold for the full market value. [184978]

Mr Maude: Since 2010 this Government have been working to rationalise their estate and dispose of unnecessary properties. We have got out of hundreds of properties and now publish more details than ever before on how Departments are using their buildings. Our work to rationalise the Government's property estate resulted in the disposal of 401 buildings in 2012-13, saving the taxpayer £620 million last year alone. Government space planned for disposal is already published online on:

www.gov.uk

and there are further details listed online for each site.

Minister Without Portfolio

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many staff were employed in the Office of the Minister without Portfolio, the right hon. Member for West Dorset in January 2012; and what the salary of each such member of staff is; [184367]

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(2) how many staff have been employed in the Office of the Minister without Portfolio, the right hon. Member for Rushcliffe since January 2012; and what the salary of each such member of staff is; [184368]

(3) how many staff were employed in the Office of the Minister without Portfolio, the right hon. Member for South Holland and the Deepings, since January 2012; and what the salary of each such member of staff is. [184369]

Mr Maude: The Minister for Government Policy, my right hon. Friend the Member for West Dorset (Mr Letwin), has been Minister for Government Policy since May 2010 and has not occupied a post as Minister without Portfolio.

The Minister without Portfolio, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), became Minister without Portfolio in September 2012.

The Minister without Portfolio, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr Hayes), became the Minister without Portfolio in April 2013.

Five or fewer staff have been employed at any one time in either of these offices of these Ministers without Portfolio with salaries ranging between £19,000 and £45,000 per annum.

Pay

Chris Bryant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (a) how many and (b) what proportion of staff employed by (i) his Department, (ii) agencies of his Department and (iii) contractors of his Department are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage. [184439]

Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John McDonnell) on 18 November 2013, Official Report, column 970W.

Public Appointments

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what his policy is towards second term appointments for the boards of public bodies. [184953]

Mr Maude: Reappointments should be considered carefully, on a case by case basis, with no presumption of an entitlement to be reappointed. A satisfactory performance assessment is also essential for reappointment, as set out clearly in the Commissioner for Public Appointment's Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments at:

http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Code-of-Practice-20121.pdf

New Towns

Hilary Benn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many officials in his Department are currently working on matters relating to new towns and garden cities. [184825]

The Deputy Prime Minister: Policy responsibility for housing and planning, including new towns and garden cities, sits with the Department for Communities and

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Local Government. The Deputy Prime Minister's Office and the Cabinet Office work with Departments on all areas of Government policy.

Energy and Climate Change

Community Energy Saving Programme

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the total amount of fines levied on companies who failed their Community Energy Saving Programme obligations is; how much of the total has been collected; and how the money collected is being used by his Department. [184876]

Gregory Barker: Whether or not to impose a fine on energy companies who failed to achieve their Community Energy Saving Programme obligation is a matter for the regulator, Ofgem. Ofgem is undertaking formal enforcement investigations into all of the parties who failed to achieve their CESP obligation and will consider whether or not a penalty is appropriate as part of these investigations.

Any fines imposed following Ofgem's enforcement investigations would pass to HM Treasury. Where appropriate, Ofgem is also able to conclude investigations by way of a settlement whereby monies may be distributed to consumers or to other groups.

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many companies failed to meet their Community Energy Saving Programme obligations in the last year for which figures are available. [184877]

Gregory Barker: The final Ofgem Community Energy Saving Programme report to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), showed that three energy suppliers and three energy generators did not meet their obligations:

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/58763/cesp-final-report-2013final-300413.pdf

Curzon Institute

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent contact his Department has had with (a) Curzon Education and (b) the Curzon Institute; what contracts his Department holds with those bodies; and what the value of those contracts is. [184997]

Gregory Barker: The financial records of the Department of Energy and Climate Change show that no payments have been made to either to Curzon Education or the Curzon Institute.

The information requested of contacts with these organisations, or contracts, 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:

www.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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Eggborough Power Station

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons Eggborough power station has been marked for closure. [184227]

Michael Fallon: Decisions on the closure of power stations are a matter for their owners. There are a number of factors likely to affect those decisions, including age, condition of a station and its ability to supply electricity competitively.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what assessment he has made of the socio-economic effect of the closure of Eggborough power plant in 2015; [184228]

(2) what economic impact assessment his Department has made of the closure of Eggborough power plant in 2015. [184231]

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the closure of the Eggborough power plant on the UK supply chain; [184317]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the closure of the Eggborough power plant on the supply chain in the local economy. [184316]

Michael Fallon: The Department has made no such assessment. In circumstances where there is an imminent risk of a business closure that has potential implications for direct and in-direct employment and the local and wider UK supply chain, central and local government works together with those affected to ensure the impact on jobs, businesses and communities is mitigated as far as possible.

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reasons Eggborough is no longer listed as an energy plant for biomass energy generation. [184232]

Michael Fallon: The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES¹) published by the Department and the Renewables Obligation Register² published by Ofgem classify Eggborough power station as both a coal and an accredited biomass fuelled plant respectively.

In addition, under the Final Investment Decision (FID) Enabling for Renewables³ process, Eggborough Power Ltd biomass conversion applications were listed under the 16 projects which met the Phase 2 minimum threshold evaluation criteria (published on 4 December). Although Eggborough is not on the list of the 10 projects that have been assessed as provisionally affordable (published on 19 December), its applications remain in the process. The final selection of projects and affordability assessment will be carried out following the receipt of binding applications in March, with the potential for project rankings to change if project circumstances change, or if some projects do not submit binding applications. Given the commercial nature of this process it is not appropriate to comment on the specifics of Eggborough's application.

¹ DUKES Chapter 5.11 Power stations in the United Kingdom

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electricity-chapter-5-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

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² Ofgem Renewables Register

https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk

³ Further details of the FID Enabling for Renewables process can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/increasing-certainty-for-investors-in-renewable-electricity-final-investment-decision-enabling-for-renewables

Electricity: North East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much electricity was used by industrial users in the North East in each year since 1997. [185138]

Gregory Barker: Data for sub-national electricity use are available from 2005 to 2012 and are split by sector (domestic and non-domestic) only. Data prior to 2005 are not available.

Data for non-domestic electricity consumption in the North East are shown as follows. The published data are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sub-national-electricity-consumption-data

Estimates have been produced based on information from the Gemserv database on the location of electricity meters, which are used to produce the Department’s sub-national electricity consumption statistics.

Energy Companies Obligation

Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what monitoring his Department undertakes of the development of local energy efficiency projects for which Energy Companies Obligation support (a) has been agreed or (b) is envisaged. [184460]

Gregory Barker: The Department has ongoing dialogue with all obligated parties on a regular basis to understand how delivery is taking place on the ground across Great Britain as a whole. However, how individual energy suppliers meet their obligation is ultimately a commercial decision for them to take.

While DECC does not formally monitor the progress of individual projects, the Department does monitor the delivery of ECO measures installed at a local authority (LA) level. Information showing ECO delivery by LA is available in the latest quarterly Statistical Release:

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

(see Map 1.2 and Table 1.10a).

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Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Derby North of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 976 on energy efficiency, what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of measures installed under the Energy Companies Obligation that were in off-grid households. [184581]

Gregory Barker: A table showing the provisional number of Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) measures by main fuel type of property and ECO obligation, up to 30 September 2013, is available in the latest quarterly Statistical Release:

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

(Table 1.11). While Table 1.11 does not confirm how many are off the gas grid, it does demonstrate how many properties have a main fuel type that is not gas. Government will be consulting on options that could secure greater levels of ECO support for off grid homes as part of the forthcoming consultation on the future of ECO.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 992, on the Energy Companies Obligation scheme (ECO), what the evidential basis is for the statement that the number of people who will receive assistance under the ECO scheme has increased as a result of the changes to green levies. [184589]

Gregory Barker: The proposed changes to the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO), announced by Government on 2 December 2013, include extending the scheme from 2015 to 2017. The proposed extension to the scheme will therefore provide two further years of assistance for households in need of insulation and heating measures, allowing more people to benefit from ECO.

Energy: Competition

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 990, on wholesale energy market, what assessment his Department has made of the effects of the introduction of a ring-fence between the generation and retail arms of vertically integrated energy companies on levels of competition in the wholesale energy market. [184572]

Michael Fallon: Ofgem, the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition and Markets Authority are currently undertaking the first annual competition assessment for the gas and electricity markets. Their report will be published in March 2014 and as part of the assessment the authorities will be looking at the impact of vertical integration on competition. The regulators will set out the next steps, which may include recommendations to Government.

Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column

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983, what recent discussions he has had with energy suppliers on an energy price freeze. [184548]

Michael Fallon: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), has had a number of discussions with energy suppliers about a range of market issues.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Derby North of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 976, on energy efficiency, what the evidential basis is for the statement that an energy price freeze would damage the interests of consumers. [184557]

Michael Fallon: An energy price freeze could reduce competition in the market, as small suppliers would find it more difficult to manage unpredictable hikes in wholesale prices or increases to network and distribution charges if they are unable to increase their prices. An independent study published by Cornwall Energy, “The Detrimental Impact of a Price Freeze on Energy Supply Competition,” on 22 January 2014 concluded:

“that a blanket price freeze would turn “friendly fire” on the smaller players whose competitiveness is doing ever more to keep bills down and improve service to customers.”

Competition is key to delivering better value for consumers and businesses. It is also likely that suppliers will raise their prices before a price freeze comes into force in order to compensate for the loss of flexibility during the price freeze period.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Derby North of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 976, on energy efficiency, what the evidential basis is for the statement that an energy price freeze would harm investment. [184579]

Michael Fallon: A stable and predictable energy regulatory framework is needed to facilitate investment and sustainable economic growth. An energy price freeze could increase the risk of investing in the GB energy market. This has been raised by many industry analysts and commentators, including the OECD.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Ham of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 977 on energy efficiency, by what criteria his Department assesses whether a consumer is on the cheapest tariff for their needs. [184582]

Michael Fallon: A consumer would be assessed to be on a supplier's cheapest tariff for their needs when they are on the tariff offered by their supplier which is in line with their preferences (the payment method they have chosen and whether they have opted for standard variable rate tariff or a fixed term, fixed price tariff) and which has the lowest expected cost to the consumer based on their energy use over the previous year.

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 990, on wholesale energy market, what the evidential basis is

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for the statement that the introduction of a ring-fence between the generation and retail arms of vertically integrated energy companies could push up prices. [184588]

Michael Fallon: The vertically integrated business model can allow companies to achieve lower costs of capital. Measures that increase these rates will increase costs for the end consumer. Ofgem, the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition and Markets Authority will be reporting on the role of vertical integration as part of their competition assessment to be delivered in March 2014. This will provide further clarity on the relative costs and benefits of the business model on competition and consumer bills.

Fracking

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what additional funding the Environment Agency will receive in order to meet the needs of the shale gas industry. [183998]

Dan Rogerson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The issue of environmental licences and permits at individual shale gas sites is financed through the Environment Agency's charges. The Environment Agency will ensure that it allocates sufficient resources within its overall budget to regulate a safe and sustainable shale gas industry.

Green Deal Scheme: Wales

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many Green Deal (a) expressions of interest and (b) approvals there have been in Wales since the start of the scheme. [184422]

Gregory Barker: Up to 30 September 2013 there were 4,202 Green Deal assessments in Wales.

The number of Green Deal assessments lodged by administrative area up to 30 September 2013 is available in Table 1.6 of the latest Green Deal and ECO quarterly Official Statistics release:

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

DECC is considering releasing more detailed breakdowns of Green Deal plans as the programme becomes more established and when there are sufficient numbers of plans to offer meaningful analysis at administrative and regional level.

Land

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which sites owned by his Department are currently earmarked for disposal; what the current class use is of each site; what the expected planning use is for each site; whether each site already has planning permission for the expected planning use; what the market value of the site is; and whether the site will be sold for the full market value. [184981]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not own any sites.

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Natural Gas: Storage

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to provide a regulatory framework that encourages the construction of greater gas storage capacity. [184290]

Michael Fallon: The GB regulatory framework is already encouraging the construction of greater gas storage capacity: two fast-cycling storage facilities have recently been completed, and two more are currently under construction. These facilities will increase current capacity by 20% and almost double daily deliverability rates from GB storage. There are a further 10 gas storage projects with planning consents in place that would provide more than double existing capacity if built.

The Planning Act 2008 established a regime for consideration of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects in England and Wales, including large-scale onshore gas storage facility projects. This regime provides greater certainty for developers on when their projects will be determined.

The Government recently reviewed the case for changes to the regulatory regime to encourage more gas storage. We announced in September of last year that the energy security benefits did not sufficiently outweigh the significant costs which could have amounted to £750 million over 10 years, and so we would not be taking forward any of the options considered in the review. Details of this review and a summary of the decision can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gas-security-policy-assessment

Supply Estimates

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 952W, on the Supply Estimates, what programmes, projects and policies are funded under the heading Energy Strategy and Future and Electricity Market Reform in the second table in 2013-14. [184552]

Michael Fallon: The programmes, projects and policies funded under the heading Energy Strategy and Future and Electricity Market Reform are detailed in the following table:

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 952W, on Supply Estimates, what programmes, projects and policies are funded under the heading Science and Innovation in the second table in 2013-14. [184553]

Michael Fallon: The programmes, projects and policies funded under the heading Science and Innovation are detailed in the following table:

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Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 952W, on Supply Estimates, what programmes, projects and policies are funded under the heading National Energy Efficiency in the first table in 2013-14. [184554]

Michael Fallon: The programmes, projects and policies funded under the heading National Energy Efficiency are detailed in the following table:

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