Local Government: Political Impartiality

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that state-funded publications and literature by local authorities are politically impartial when communicating the scale of government funding reductions and budgeting. [186053]

Brandon Lewis [holding answer 4 February 2014]:The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity, which local authorities are required to have regard to when producing any publicity, provides that

'local authorities should ensure that publicity relating to policies and proposals from central government is balanced and factually accurate'.

The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 provides the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with the power to issue a local authority with a direction requiring compliance with some or all of the code. Parliament has provided the Secretary of State with this power and he will use it whenever he believes this is appropriate.

New Towns

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 20 January 2014, Official Report, columns 18-19, what expressions of interest his Department has received from local authorities wishing to be considered as sites for the development of a new town or garden city. [184435]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 27 January 2014]: As explained in response to the right hon. Member's oral question, and as laid out in detail in my written answer of 17 January 2014, Official Report, column 694W and by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in his written statement of 24 January 2014, Official Report, columns 15-16WS, this Government are supporting locally-led, large scale development, in contrast to the last Administration's failed, top-down eco-town programme which built nothing but resentment.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 262W

Our support includes capital and capacity funding, brokerage and planning assistance. In our Local Infrastructure Funding prospectus, we defined a large site as a single site of 1,500+ housing units which is locally supported.

In that context, to date, we have assisted the following local schemes:

Cranbrook New Community—Devon

Wokingham

Sherford New Community

West Carclaze, St Austell

North Ely

Charnwood

Monkton Heathfield

Corby, Priors Hall Park

Fairfield, Milton Keynes

Ebbsfleet Valley—Kent Thameside

Bromham Road, Bedford

Bicester

Didcot

Wichelstowe

Louisburg

Fareham

The autumn statement 5 December 2013, Official Report, columns 1101-1113, committed an additional £1 billion for our Local Infrastructure Fund to unlock locally-led housing schemes capable of delivering up to a further 250,000 new homes. A further prospectus inviting bids to this fund will be issued this spring.

Private Rented Housing

Mike Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the discussion paper for the review into housing conditions in privately rented homes will be published. [186178]

Kris Hopkins: We are planning to publish the discussion document on the review of housing conditions in the private rented sector shortly.

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what use he has made of the powers granted to him by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 with respect to property management agent redress schemes; and if he will make a statement. [186197]

Kris Hopkins: The Government are making excellent progress in using the powers under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 to implement the requirement that all lettings and property management agents in England are members of an approved redress scheme. The power for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to approve schemes came into force in December 2013 and potential redress schemes have until the end of February to come forward for approval.

As soon as we announce the approved schemes (expected to be April 2014) we will encourage agents to start joining the schemes ensuring that landlords and tenants have access to redress ahead of the requirement becoming mandatory. We are currently expecting the requirement

5 Feb 2014 : Column 263W

to take effect later this year, but this is subject to sufficient schemes of the necessary quality coming forward for approval so that all agents can join a scheme.

Energy and Climate Change

Carbon Emissions

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 22 January 2014, Official Report, column 217W, on carbon emissions, how carbon emissions from his Department's energy use and travel is calculated. [185825]

Gregory Barker: We collect kWh for our energy usage (electricity, gas and Whitehall District Heating) from meter readings and the building management system. Distance travelled for flight and train travel is sourced from our travel providers and road travel from claims made to our finance department. We then use the most recent iteration of the DEFRA greenhouse gas conversion factors to convert these figures into carbon dioxide equivalent.

Energy: Prices

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of energy bills were made up of green levies in 2004. [185439]

Michael Fallon: The cost of Government schemes is estimated to have accounted for around 2% of the household energy (gas plus electricity) bill in 2004.

Fracking

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how the community to be recipient of a single £100,000 down payment on the granting of permission to drill a well to frack for gas will be defined. [185885]

Michael Fallon: The Industry body UKOOG, which has drawn up these arrangements which the Government has welcomed, set out on 13 January details of how they will operate.

At exploration stage the operator will provide £100,000 per hydraulically fractured well site. To ensure these community benefit funds are managed and distributed independently of the operators themselves the UK Onshore Operators Group will be partnering with UK Community Foundations (UKCF), which works for communities through a UK-wide network of community foundations. UKCF and its appropriate local community foundation will manage a consultation process to engage the local community in defining local priorities and needs, including the appointment of a community panel to decide how the money will be spent once the consultation is complete.

Pensions

Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what effect changes in pension contributions have had on the take-home pay of officials of his Department at (a) AA, (b) AO and LO2, (c) EO and LO1, (d) HEO, (e) SEO, (f) 7 and (g) SCS grades and equivalents since May 2010. [186034]

5 Feb 2014 : Column 264W

Gregory Barker: The noble Lord Hutton outlined in his report the strong case for changing public sector pensions, saying in his report “these costs have generally fallen to the taxpayer”. The Commission reached the conclusion that:

“If the Government wishes to make savings in the short-term it will be more effective to increase member contributions rather than alter the benefit structure”.

Contributions were increased in April 2012, April 2013 and will be increased again in April 2014. The increases were tiered by salary, so that higher earners pay a larger percentage point increase than lower earners. A number of protections were introduced alongside the contribution increases, including:

Those earning less than £15,000 (full-time equivalent rate) will pay nothing extra;

Those earning up to £21,000 (full-time equivalent) will pay no more than 1.5% of pay extra in total by 2014-15;

Higher earners will pay extra, but no more than 5.35% of pay extra in total by 2014-15.

The following table illustrates the gross percentage increase in the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS) employee contributions:

Percentage
Annual pensionable earnings range (full-time equivalent basis)Civil Service grades included in the annual pensionable earnings rangeClassic schemePremium, Classic Plus and Nuvos schemes
  2010201320102013

£15,001 to £21,000

AA and AO

1.5

2.70

3.5

4.70

£21,001 to £30,000

AO, EO and HEO

1.5

3.88

3.5

5.88

£30,001 to £50,000

HEO, SEO and Grade 7

1.5

4.67

3.5

6.67

£50,001 to £60,000

Grade 7, Grade 6 and SCS

1.5

5.46

3.5

7.46

Over £60,000

Grade 6 and SCS

1.5

6.25

3.5

8.25

All increases in the pension contributions are subject to the normal tax relief and therefore the net increase to the individual is reduced by the value of either the basic rate of income tax (20%), or higher rate of income tax (40%), whichever is applicable to the individual.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister for Charities, Social Enterprise and Volunteering, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), on 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 214-5W, which provides information about how the take home pay of those with different levels of salaries is affected by the pension contribution increases.

Plutonium

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 286W, on plutonium, and with reference to the answer by the Paymaster-General of 24 June 1958, Official Report, columns 246-8, on atomic power stations (plutonium production), for what reasons the notifications made to

5 Feb 2014 : Column 265W

the design of Hinkley Point and the next two stations did not result in withdrawals of plutonium of a type and quantity suitable for weapons use. [185949]

Mr Dunne: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

No plutonium from Hinkley Point and the next two stations was withdrawn for weapons use, because the need did not arise.

Work and Pensions

Carer’s Allowance: Uprating

Mr Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will uprate the income threshold for carers allowance in line with increases in the minimum wage. [185757]

Mike Penning: The Government keep the earnings limit under review and will consider whether an increase is warranted and affordable.

The earnings rule in carer's allowance allows carers to maintain links with the workplace by allowing recipients to work and earn up to £100 per week, net of allowable expenses. This means that some carers can earn in excess of the limit and still be entitled to carer's allowance.

The increase in the national minimum wage will only affect those carers who claim carer's allowance, work 16 hours a week and do not have allowable expenses to take them below the earnings limit. In these circumstances a carer who is also receiving working tax credit will have any loss of carer's allowance offset by an increase in working tax credit.

Disability

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make an assessment of the effect of recent public debate on welfare benefits for the disabled on the incidence of hate crime towards the disabled. [185887]

Mike Penning: Disability hate crime is something the Government takes very seriously. The Government's progress report to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) inquiry into disability-related harassment highlighted work being undertaken to tackle this issue. The EHRC baseline statistical analysis for their inquiry into disability-related harassment ‘Crime and Disabled People’1 last year, found that there has been no significant rise in disability hate crime in 2010 to 2012 compared to 2007 to 2010.

1 Equality and Human Rights Commission Research report 90: Crime and disabled people: Baseline statistical analysis of measures from the formal legal inquiry into disability-related harassment.

Nick Coleman, Wendy Sykes and Alison Walker

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants appealing against the removal of employment and support allowance were not able to claim jobseeker's allowance during the period of appeal in the latest year for which data are available. [185615]

5 Feb 2014 : Column 266W

Esther McVey: The information requested on how many claimants appealing against the removal of employment and support allowance (ESA) were not able to claim jobseeker's allowance (JSA) during the period of appeal is not available.

If a claimant is appealing against an ESA decision they can claim JSA; however, entitlement to JSA is dependent upon individual circumstances and subject to the normal rules and conditions of entitlement.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs in the adult entertainment industry have been supported by Youth Contract wage incentives. [186185]

Esther McVey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson) on 3 February 2014, Official Report, column 97W.

Housing Benefit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claim (a) £20,000, (b) £30,000, (c) £40,000, (d) £50,000, (e) £60,000, (f) £70,000 and (g) £80,000 and above in housing benefit per annum. [185835]

Steve Webb: The information requested is available at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total housing benefit bill was for England in each year since 2002-03. [186363]

Steve Webb: The total housing benefit bill for England in each year since 2002-03 can be found in the following table:

£ million
 NominalReal terms (2013-14 prices)

2002-03

10,820

14,010

2003-04

10,652

13,531

2004-05

11,410

14,104

2005-06

12,131

14,728

2006-07

12,968

15,303

2007-08

13,780

15,862

2008-09

15,000

16,792

2009-10

17,600

19,177

2010-11

18,874

20,041

2011-12

20,137

20,903

2012-13

21,120

21,542

Source: Local authority subsidy returns.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2013, Official Report, column 43W, on housing benefit: social rented housing, which are the relevant authorities referred to in the answer. [185894]

5 Feb 2014 : Column 267W

Steve Webb: The DWP DHP guidance manual is published on the Government website at:

www.Gov.uk

On publication the Department notified all 380 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales through circular A11/2013. Please see the following link for ease of reference:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hb-circular-a112013-discretionary-housing-payments

Jobseeker’s Allowance: Disqualification

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants have been sanctioned in each of the last three years for refusing to accept work in the adult entertainment industry. [186186]

Esther McVey: The information requested is not available. If a claimant has reasonable objections to working in a particular industry and makes these objections known to us, these will be a good reason for failing to accept work in that sector and no sanction will apply.

Motability

Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of (a) the reassessment of people in receipt of the higher rate of disability living allowance and (b) the personal independent payment appeals process on people currently participating in the Motability scheme. [185619]

Mike Penning: No such assessment has been made. The controlled approach to the reassessment of disability living allowance recipients only began on 28 October 2013. There is not enough information yet to assess the effect this phase will have on people currently participating in the Motability scheme. In addition, the vast majority of reassessments will not start until October 2015.

As an independent charity, Motability is wholly responsible for the administration of the Motability scheme. Questions relating to the recovery of vehicles in situations where the claimant decides to appeal their disallowance decision should be sent to:

Declan O'Mahony

Director

Motability

Warwick House

Roydon Road

Harlow

Essex

CM19 5PX.

Pensions

Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect changes in pension contributions have had on the take-home pay of officials of his Department at (a) AA, (b) AO and LO2, (c) EO and LO1, (d) HEO, (e) SEO, (f) 7 and (g) SCS grades and equivalents since May 2010. [186041]

5 Feb 2014 : Column 268W

Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by the Minister for Civil Society, my hon. Friend the Member for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner (Mr Hurd), on 4 February 2014, Official Report, columns 214-5W.

Personal Independence Payment

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many personal independence payment claims have exceeded the three-month qualifying period; and what the (a) average and (b) longest time it has taken for a claimant to receive a decision from when the claim was first made in (i) the UK, (ii) Wales and (iii) Aberconwy constituency. [185765]

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the average length of time that an individual who requires a home visit waits between his Department receiving their form, How your condition affects you, and receiving an personal independence payment assessment; [185965]

(2) what the average length of time is an individual waits between his Department receiving their form, How your condition affects you, and receiving an personal independence payment assessment; [185966]

(3) what the average length of time taken is between an individual making an initial personal independence payment claim and receiving a form, How your condition affects you. [185967]

Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 21 January 2014, Official Report, column 164W, to the hon. Member for Dudley North (Ian Austin).

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total amount of benefit withheld as a result of benefit sanctions was in each of the last five years. [186198]

Esther McVey: The information is not available in the format requested.

Trends in sanctions are better understood by looking at the number and type of sanction decisions—which are routinely published (the last publication, covering sanctions to end June 2013, was published in November 2013 at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/jobseekers-allowance-sanctions

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of households in each local authority area in London whose weekly income has been reduced by (a) less than £20, (b) between £20 and £39.99, (c) between £40 and £59.99, (d) between £60 and £79.99, (e) between £80 and £99.99 and (f) over £100 through the introduction of the benefit cap. [186200]

Esther McVey: The above information is currently not available.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 269W

A breakdown of the number of households estimated as likely to be affected by the cap showing the reduction in benefit paid by bandwidth at local authority level has been published. This has been placed in the Library and can be found here:

http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2013-0676/Local_Authority_breakdown_of_those_affected_by_the_benefit_cap_final.doc

These estimates were made prior to implementation of the policy and at that stage around 40,000 households were modelled as likely to be affected.

As part of our monthly statistical releases we release cumulative figures for the total number of cases capped in each local authority. This information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-cap-number-of-households-capped-to-november-2013

It is anticipated that statistics showing additional data including information on levels of reductions will be included in future releases. Further details will be given on the publication strategy landing page found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-cap-statistics

Telephone Services

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what recent assessment he has made of the efficiency of the personal independence payment helpline; and if he will make a statement; [185763]

(2) what assessment he has made of the financial effect that charging a premium rate for the (a) personal independence payment helpline and (b) Capita helpline is having on the household income of claimants; and if he will make a statement. [185764]

Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 January 2014, Official Report, column 164W, to the hon. Member for Dudley North (Ian Austin).

All new claims to personal independence payment (PIP) are made by telephoning an 0800 number—including

5 Feb 2014 : Column 270W

text phone—and these calls are free from all major landline providers. The Department has also secured agreements from the largest mobile phone companies to provide free mobile calls to these claim lines.

As with other parts of the Department, inquiry calls for PIP are made using a 0845 number. These numbers are readily recognised and understood by our customers and relate to calls that typically take less time to resolve. Customers using this number can request a call back if necessary.

The Capita PIP claimant helpline telephone number is a freephone number for landline users.

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for East Lothian of 14 October 2013, Official Report, column 429W, on Departmental Programmes (performance), to which budget he was referring in his statement that universal credit would be on budget; and to which years that budget related. [186190]

Esther McVey: Reference was to the budgets currently allocated to universal credit for SR10 (period covering 2011-12 through to end 2014-15) and SR13 (2015-16) spending rounds.

Health

Accident and Emergency Departments: East of England

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was in each accident and emergency department in the East of England in each year since 2009-10. [185771]

Jane Ellison: The following tables show the average waiting times to assessment, treatment and departure for providers in the East of England 2009-10 to 2012-13:

The mean and median duration (in minutes) to treatment in Accident and Emergency departments for 2009-10 to 2012-13 for providers in the East of England SHA
 2009-102010-11
ProviderMean duration to treatmentMedian duration to treatmentDuration to treatment denominatorMean duration to treatmentMedian duration to treatmentDuration to treatment denominator

Suffolk PCT

12.9

5

5,207

Suffolk Community Healthcare HQ

Fryatt Hospital

Clacton Hospital

Cheshunt Minor Injuries Unit

The Riverside Clinic

20.9

15

12,797

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

63.7

53

75,376

79.1

66

72,642

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

1.3

1

62,285

1.5

1

57,969

Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

194.0

88

60,726

212.2

99

63,860

5 Feb 2014 : Column 271W

5 Feb 2014 : Column 272W

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

55.2

42

59,584

63.7

54

51,834

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

110.0

85

83,300

99.8

90

84,395

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

67.9

59

65,618

71.4

63

66,197

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

66.5

55

64,523

73.6

61

67,350

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

52.2

38

63,419

45.0

31

65,088

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

10.8

0

55,445

67.8

57

60,860

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

77.9

68

39,584

69.6

59

33,413

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

61.7

50

75,712

72.9

62

77,389

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

70.7

64

92,201

74.7

69

95,839

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

102.1

95

57,484

104.5

98

59,960

Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

68.0

46

34,404

75.5

38

27,580

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

86.1

73

69,401

89.9

74

69,921

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

86.8

64

65,258

100.7

76

82,958

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

2.5

2

52

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

 2011-122012-13
ProviderMean duration to treatmentMedian duration to treatmentDuration to treatment denominatorMean duration to treatmentMedian duration to treatmentDuration to treatment denominator

Suffolk PCT

8.4

4

6,744

6.7

3

3,549

Suffolk Community Healthcare HQ

8.8

5

2,812

Fryatt Hospital

20.0

12

5,581

19.9

11

5,473

Clacton Hospital

19.8

13

21,804

20.2

12

22,387

Cheshunt Minor Injuries Unit

28.7

19

14,324

The Riverside Clinic

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

78.2

64

72,426

75.4

61

76,659

5 Feb 2014 : Column 273W

5 Feb 2014 : Column 274W

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

79.7

60

55,534

70.8

54

58,404

Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

103.1

73

67,822

73.4

60

74,306

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

61.8

52

53,652

63.4

53

54,978

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

103.7

94

87,448

94.7

82

90,335

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

55.0

46

71,410

62.4

53

73,348

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

80.2

71

82,280

74.4

62

85,142

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

50.2

35

66,526

56.2

42

67,305

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

71.1

60

62,505

84.7

75

73,647

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

56.8

46

53,183

62.5

46

58,688

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

74.9

65

86,210

73.8

62

90,064

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

74.2

62

99,448

81.5

75

101,252

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

89.3

80

63,782

81.4

70

66,224

Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

80.5

54

26,745

142.7

126

36,348

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

55.8

36

72,670

60.8

48

83,303

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

99.8

72

102,918

99.7

71

101,853

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

74.0

60

72,542

78.4

62

96,386

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

27.6

20

7,606

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre
The mean and median duration (in minutes) to departure in Accident and Emergency departments for 2009-10 to 2012-13 for providers in the East of England SHA
 2009-102010-11
ProviderMean duration to departureMedian duration to departureDuration to departure denominatorMean duration to departureMedian duration to departureDuration to departure denominator

Suffolk PCT

31.8

26

5,207

Suffolk Community Healthcare HQ

5 Feb 2014 : Column 275W

5 Feb 2014 : Column 276W

Fryatt Hospital

Clacton Hospital

Cheshunt Minor Injuries Unit

The Riverside Clinic

44.0

38

12,797

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

124.1

115

89,494

142.4

137

88,527

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

129.1

120

62,285

139.7

134

63,541

Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

151.6

147

60,726

152.1

154

63,860

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

122.1

115

59,584

145.4

139

51,834

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

164.1

153

89,933

188.7

177

88,072

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

142.1

135

71,453

147.9

144

72,135

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

129.6

122

68,540

149.4

138

71,771

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

126.9

115

64,140

130.7

114

65,665

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

146.2

144

55,445

144.2

139

60,857

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

134.5

126

48,123

129.7

120

51,942

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

156.1

157

90,356

159.7

161

93,537

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

131.6

125

92,264

134.9

130

95,862

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

148.0

149

73,808

161.5

158

74,969

Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

128.6

116

35,256

122.9

114

36,682

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

142.2

145

79,893

147.6

150

81,207

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

122.9

110

107,208

139.0

122

117,932

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

125.7

118

142,944

133.7

125

141,279

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

5 Feb 2014 : Column 277W

5 Feb 2014 : Column 278W

 2011-122012-13
ProviderMean duration to departureMedian duration to departureDuration to departure denominatorMean duration to departureMedian duration to departureDuration to departure denominator

Suffolk PCT

30.2

25

6,744

29.1

25

3,549

Suffolk Community Healthcare HQ

34.3

30

2,812

Fryatt Hospital

39.3

31

5,581

41.7

31

5,475

Clacton Hospital

44.9

37

21,814

46.0

37

22,407

Cheshunt Minor Injuries Unit

57.8

50

14,333

The Riverside Clinic

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

140.6

137

88,193

142.2

131

89,334

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust

143.1

136

65,561

143.5

131

65,778

Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

161.7

162

71,677

139.6

143

78,318

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, NHS Foundation Trust

147.5

140

53,659

152.1

141

54,998

Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

192.8

187

89,520

195.6

187

93,123

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

141.4

132

72,192

149.8

144

74,812

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

156.7

158

86,150

157.0

156

89,645

James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

140.4

124

67,130

142.0

135

67,305

Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

146.9

142

62,499

155.9

153

73,639

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

125.3

115

55,676

147.7

142

59,209

Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

163.4

166

97,452

164.8

169

98,720

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

142.6

136

99,450

148.2

145

101,258

Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

157.0

151

77,138

154.8

145

79,992

Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

135.7

127

37,411

150.8

151

37,559

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

166.1

161

78,331

150.1

143

86,169

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

130.4

119

119,890

136.5

122

122,485

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

146.8

137

134,162

152.5

146

124,092

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

58.4

51

7,619

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

42.8

36

32,231

47.6

40

32,003

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Ambulance Services: North West

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by North West Ambulance Service on private ambulances in 2013; which providers were used and on how many occasions; and what amount was paid to each such provider. [185755]

Jane Ellison: Information on the use of private ambulances is not collected centrally. This is a matter for the local national health service. As such, the hon. Member may wish to approach the chief executive of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which might hold some relevant information.

Ambulance Services: South East

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust on private ambulances in 2013; which providers were used; on how many occasions; and what amount was paid to each provider. [186184]

Jane Ellison: The information requested is not collected centrally. I would encourage my right hon. Friend to contact South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust directly to obtain this information.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 279W

Autism

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to include autism in future versions of the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework. [185655]

Norman Lamb: The Department is committed to working with local government to identify the most important outcomes for people with autism. Subject to work on the data collections required to support any new measure, we are looking to include a new measure on autism in a future Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements

Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to protect members of the public who go online to obtain a European Health Insurance Card and are misled into paying a non-Government internet site for help in securing such a card despite it being available through the Government website free of charge. [185617]

Jane Ellison: Following a request from my Department the Office of Fair Trading reviewed third party websites offering to check European health insurance card (EHIC) applications for a fee. They concluded that such sites are not, in their view, illegal, provided they make clear the card can be obtained free of charge from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).

Nevertheless, the Government are working closely with the Government Digital Service, NHSBSA and other key stakeholders, such as search engine providers, in order to explore options for limiting the use of such websites and thereby help avoid unnecessary expense for people wishing to apply for the EHIC.

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints (a) his Department and (b) the National Health Service have received about websites that charge a fee to those applying for a European health insurance card in the past 12 months. [185781]

Jane Ellison: In the 12 months to 1 February 2014 the Department received 61 letters either commenting upon, or expressing concern about, websites that charge a fee for processing applications for a European health insurance card. The NHS Business Services Authority received 275 comments on this issue in the period from 19 December 2013 to 31 January 2014 as they did not start collecting such data until late last year.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigated the deceptive selling of online Government services and found that most websites they looked at did include a statement explaining the nature of the service provided and disclaiming any official status or affiliation with the Government. The OFT decided that there was insufficient evidence of breaches of consumer protection legislation to warrant formal enforcement action.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 280W

Heart Diseases

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to issue guidelines for the treatment of cardiomyopathy. [186089]

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a range of guidance on cardiovascular conditions, including a clinical guideline and quality standard on chronic heart failure and a clinical guideline on ‘chest pain of recent onset’, both of which contain guidance relating to cardiomyopathy.

NICE will also be developing quality standards and associated clinical guidelines on risk assessment of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors and acute heart failure.

NHS England now commissions clinical guidelines from NICE. We understand that NHS England has no plans to ask NICE to develop guidance specifically on cardiomyopathy.

Hospital Beds: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds in the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust have been occupied by patients affected by delays in discharge in each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [186182]

Jane Ellison: Information on delayed transfers of care is not available in the format requested.

Information is available on the total delayed days during each month for all patients delayed throughout the month and is published on the NHS England website:

http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/delayed-transfers-of-care/

The information is reproduced here for ease of reference.

Total delayed days
 PeriodNHSSocial CareBothTotal

2012-13

January

587

123

0

710

2012-13

February

325

151

0

476

2012-13

March

720

150

0

870

2013-14

April

723

160

0

883

2013-14

May

557

139

0

696

2013-14

June

504

163

0

667

2013-14

July

424

175

0

599

2013-14

August

418

300

0

718

2013-14

September

495

170

0

665

2013-14

October

505

226

0

731

2013-14

November

464

200

0

664

2013-14

December

482

182

0

664

Note: This table sets out the number of delayed days experienced in 2013, and specifies whether the delayed days were attributable to the NHS or to Social Care.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all waiting times in hospitals are correctly recorded. [185826]

5 Feb 2014 : Column 281W

Jane Ellison: It is crucial that all reporting is accurate and the Department is working with NHS England, Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority to make sure hospitals get the support they need to get reporting right.

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, columns 276-7W, on mental health services, what the key performance indicators for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme were in each year since their introduction. [185863]

Norman Lamb: The key performance indicators for the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme in each year since their introduction were, as follows:

KPI 1: The number of people who have depression and/or anxiety disorders (taken from the Psychiatric Morbidity Survey);

KPI 2: The number of people who have been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety disorders. (This item ceased collection Quarter 1 2009/10 due to identified issues of quality and utility of this data item);

KPI 3a: The number of people who have been referred for psychological therapies during the reporting quarter;

KPI 3b: The number of active referrals who have waited more than 28 days from referral to first treatment/first therapeutic session (at the end of the reporting quarter);

KPI 4: The number of people who have entered psychological therapies (i.e. had their first therapeutic session) during the reporting quarter;

KPI 5: The number of people who have completed treatment (minimum two treatment contacts) during the reporting quarter, broken down by age and sex;

KPI 6a: The number of people who are "moving to recovery" (of those who have completed treatment, those who at initial assessment achieved "caseness" and at final session did not) during the reporting quarter;

KPI 6b: The number of people who have completed treatment not at clinical caseness at initial assessment;

KPI 7: The number of people moving off sick pay or benefits during the reporting quarter;

KPI 8: The number of high intensity trainees (at the end of the reporting quarter);

KPI 9: The number of low intensity trainees (at the end of the reporting quarter);

KPI 10: The number of high intensity trained staff (at the end of the reporting quarter);

KPI 11: The number of low intensity trained staff (at the end of the reporting quarter); and

KPI 12: The number of supervisors (at the end of the reporting quarter).

KPIs 8-12 were discontinued because of the quality of reporting. A decision was made to collect the information direct from strategic health authorities who were commissioning the information.

Further to my written answer on 23 January 2014, Official Report, columns 276-7W, on mental health services, the new IAPT Dataset Reports, which have been in operation since April 2013, do contain information broken down by age and gender. The data are presented in the following tables:

5 Feb 2014 : Column 282W

Numbers of people being referred for treatment under 18 years of age in 2012-13
 People Referred

2012-13: Quarter 1 (January to March)

3,390

2012-13: Quarter 2 (April to May)

3,505

Numbers of men being referred for treatment
 People Referred

2012-13: Quarter 1 (January to March)

86,110

2012-13: Quarter 2 (April to May)

93,239

Numbers of women being referred for treatment
 People Referred

2012-13: Quarter 1 (January to March)

151,500

2012-13: Quarter 2 (April to May)

162,462

Source: HSIC IAPT Data Set reports

Transplant Surgery: Bone Marrow Disorders

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will create a seamless national care pathway for patients recovering from a bone marrow transplant; [185744]

(2) what plans he has to adopt national guidelines on care and its provision for people recovering from a bone marrow transplant; [185748]

(3) what steps he is taking to help patients return to an active life after a bone marrow transplant; and if he will class this as a key health outcome; [185749]

(4) what steps he is taking to provide support for (a) patients receiving a bone marrow transplant and (b) their families. [185750]

Jane Ellison: NHS England has service specifications to support its work around transplantation and to ensure the equitable and consistent commissioning of specialised care. NHS England is committed to working with other commissioners involved in the pathway of care for bone marrow transplantation patients.

NHS England has signalled the importance of access to late effects services, for people recovering from bone marrow transplants, through their inclusion in the service specifications in place to ensure equitable and consistent commissioning of specialised care. The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Reference Group (BMT CRG) are continuing to review the service specification and any significant changes will be consulted upon further.

Helping people to recover from episodes of ill-health or following injury is one of the NHS Outcomes Domains relevant to bone marrow transplantation. The CRG will consider this and other outcome measures as part of the next review of the service specification. Through its direct commissioning function, NHS England aims to deliver improvements for populations and individuals as set out in the Outcomes Framework. While the priority of BMT is to prevent people from dying prematurely, enhancing the quality of life of patient's post-transplant is also very important.

NHS England recognises that BMT is a complex treatment for a range of complex conditions which affect not only the patient, but their families too. The BMT CRG includes the voices of carers to ensure

5 Feb 2014 : Column 283W

policy that is developed reflects these issues. NHS England will work with other commissioners, through the CRG and other partnerships, to continue to support the availability of appropriate family support services.

Education

Further Education: Finance

Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many 18 year olds in further education are affected by reductions in funding; and what proportion of these students are pursuing vocational studies. [186138]

Matthew Hancock: These data are contained in the impact assessment published here:

http://bit.ly/JUPOFa

Further Education: Yorkshire and the Humber

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in (a) Barnsley Central constituency and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber will be affected by the reduction in funding for 18 year olds announced by the Education Funding Agency. [186008]

Matthew Hancock: There are 100 students aged 18 who are affected by the reduction in funding who live in Barnsley Central.

There are 6,990 18-year-old students who are affected by the reduction in funding who live in Yorkshire and Humber.

Data are based on the 2012/13 R14 Individualised Learner Record, the latest available full year of data. Data refers to 18-year-old non-high needs students on full time (540+ hours) programmes in a further education institution (GFE Colleges, sixth form colleges and commercial and charitable providers). This will not include any students on apprenticeship provision. Students who live in Barnsley Central constituency and the Yorkshire and Humber region do not necessarily study there.

Kings Science Academy

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2014, Official Report, column 97W, on Kings Science Academy, on which grounds the decision was taken not to request and then publish a copy of the report made to Action Fraud on 25 April 2013. [186158]

Mr Timpson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 29 November 2013, Official Report, column 476W, to the hon. Member for Cardiff West (Kevin Brennan), in which the Security Minister explained that these reports are confidential.

West Yorkshire Police must be allowed to complete their investigation into matters at Kings Science Academy and make their judgments about referrals to the Crown Prosecution Service without information that might be relevant to their case being put into the public domain.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 284W

Private Education: Offences against Children

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many reports of child abuse in independent schools have been raised by hon. Members with his Department in the last 12 months. [185920]

Mr Timpson: No initial reports of child abuse in independent schools have come to the Department for Education from hon. Members. We have had correspondence from four hon. Members about allegations of abuse in the last 12 months, but in each instance the Department had already been notified by another source and was taking action.

Schools: Finance

Mr Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the level of Government spending on schools in England was in current prices in each year since 1984. [184420]

Mr Laws: Revenue per pupil funding for schools in England from financial years 1984-85 to 2012-13 is shown in tables 1 to 3, and total capital funding for schools is shown in table 4.

Per pupil figures are shown in real terms in 2012-13 prices, using December 2013 GDP deflators, and also in cash terms.

Table 1 shows revenue funding for financial years 1984-85 to 1993-94. Comparable funding per pupil figures for this period against more recent years are not available so expenditure in schools is shown instead.

Table 1
£
Financial yearReal terms-per pupil expenditure in schools-England average1Cash terms-per pupil expenditure in schools-England average

1984-85

2,145

922

1985-86

2,184

989

1986-87

2,385

1,110

1987-88

2,531

1,242

1988-89

2,603

1,360

1989-90

2,661

1,485

1990-91

2,710

1,620

1991-92

2,757

1,749

1992-93

2,871

1,857

1993-94

2,830

1,866

1 The figures cover net institutional (or school-based) expenditure including teachers and other staff pay, premises and equipment etc. but exclude other items including local authority administration and other central services such as home to school transport.

Table 2 shows per pupil funding to local authorities for financial years 1994-95 to 2005-06, based on standard spending assessment (SSA)/education formula share (EFS) allocations for pupils aged 3 to 15.1

1 The SSA is the name of the funding system prior to 2003, when it became the EFS.

5 Feb 2014 : Column 285W

Table 2
£
 Per pupil funding to local authorities-England average
Financial yearReal termsCash terms

1994-95

3,367

2,247

1995-96

3,183

2,178

1996-97

3,097

2,178

1997-98

3,285

2,352

1998-99

3,406

2,485

1999-2000

3,593

2,673

2000-01

3,922

2,938

2001-02

4,137

3,184

2002-03

4,276

3,367

2003-04

4,499

3,612

2004-05

4,671

3,853

2005-06

4,919

4,132

Table 3 shows per pupil funding to local authorities for financial years 2006-07 to 2012-13. This includes Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) allocations, the pupil premium and other schools related grants, eg school standards grant, school standards grant (personalisation) and standards fund, for pupils aged 3 to 15. Most of the additional grants were mainstreamed into the DSG in 2011-12.

Because of changes to the funding mechanism following the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07, per pupil funding figures are not comparable with previous years. To provide a baseline comparison for 2006-07 DSG, we have isolated the equivalent funding from EFS allocations in 2005-06 and included this in the table.

The figures for 2011-12 and 2012-13 are consistent with the 2010 spending review which said that:

'Underlying per pupil funding [in the 5 to 16s school budget] will be maintained in cash terms'.

Table 3
£
 Per pupil funding to local authorities-England average
Financial yearReal termsCash terms

2005-06 (baseline)

4,708

3,955

2006-07

4,861

4,200

2007-08

5,065

4,487

2008-09

5,146

4,687

2009-10

5,222

4,887

2010-11

5,356

5,143

2011-12

5,260

5,169

2012-13

5,245

5,245

Table 4 shows the Department for Education's total schools capital allocations since financial year 1984-85. The figures are shown in real terms in 2012-13 prices, using December 2013 GDP deflators, and also in cash terms. They exclude PFI credit allocations.

Table 4
£ million
 Total capital allocations
Financial yearReal termsCash terms

1984-85

754

324

1985-86

724

328

5 Feb 2014 : Column 286W

1986-87

705

328

1987-88

695

341

1988-89

861

450

1989-90

803

448

1990-91

939

561

1991-92

958

608

1992-93

1,065

689

1993-94

919

606

1994-95

918

613

1995-96

913

625

1996-97

971

683

1997-98

1,024

733

1998-99

1,398

1,020

1999-2000

1,479

1,100

2000-01

2,336

1,750

2001-02

2,471

1,902

2002-03

3,073

2,420

2003-04

4,127

3,313

2004-05

4,640

3,828

2005-06

5,137

4,315

2006-07

5,357

4,629

2007-08

5,797

5,135

2008-09

5,872

5,349

2009-10

6,095

5,704

2010-11

7,201

6,915

2011-12

5,147

5,058

2012-13

4,502

4,502