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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Transport

Cycling: Safety

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2013, Official Report, column 746W, on cycle safety, if he will publish a breakdown of spending on cycling in each of the last five years. [187149]

Mr Goodwill: The breakdown of funding on cycling over this Administration from 2010 to present is as follows:

In addition, 94 out of 96 local sustainable transport fund projects include cycling as an element in their delivery programmes; these 94 projects receive a total of £535 million of DFT funding.

The previous Administration provided Cycling England with £140 million from 2008 to 2011.

Driving: Licensing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential benefits of requiring new drivers to display a probationary plate on the vehicle they are driving for three years after qualification. [186526]

Mr Goodwill: None. There is no probationary period for new drivers and no requirement to display a 'P' plate. However, the Transport Research Laboratory report on “Novice Drivers: Evidence review and Evaluation Pre-Driver Training, Graduated Driver Licensing” made a number of recommendations on novice driver safety. One recommendation was that on successful completion of the driving test a driver would be permitted to progress to a probationary licence from age 18. During the 12-month (minimum) probationary licence the driver would be required to display a green 'P' plate to identify their licence status and aid enforcement of other recommended restrictions.

Government Departments: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 655W, on unmanned air vehicles, which Government departments have used unmanned systems to collect data; which unmanned systems are used; and which policies are so supported. [R] [186609]

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Mr Goodwill: The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Home Department have given presentations to the Government working group on the use they made of remotely piloted aircraft systems. For details in respect of the systems they have used and the policies supported, I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson).

Motorcycles: Safety

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to launch road safety educational programmes to prevent death and injury for motorcyclists in the next year. [186503]

Mr Goodwill: The Department is exploring how best to develop a THINK! campaign that reminds drivers to look longer for all vehicles, including motorcyclists, at junctions.

We know that motorcyclists losing control is a leading cause in fatalities. Hence our emphasis on working in partnership with motorcycling retailers and stakeholders, as highlighted through our 'Stay in control' campaign. We will continue to engage with motorcyclists through our digital and social channels. For example, we have developed a THINK! Biker Facebook group, which engages a large community of bikers to communicate road safety messages.

Parking

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals containing provisions similar to those in the Responsible Parking Bill (Scotland) and applying to the rest of the UK. [187215]

Mr Goodwill: We have no plans to introduce similar legislation. Local authorities in England already have powers to permit or prohibit pavement parking, parking at dropped kerbs and double parking, and to enforce restrictions with penalty charges. They also have powers to remove vehicles that are causing an obstruction.

Ports: EU Action

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the EU port services regulation on UK ports; and if he will make a statement. [186732]

Stephen Hammond: My assessment of the potential effects of this proposed regulation was set out in the relevant explanatory memorandum (EM 10154/13) and in my subsequent letters of 12 November last to the Chairmen of the Scrutiny Committees, particularly in the impact checklist attached thereto. The Government's view is that encouraging fair competition between ports is the best way to secure efficiency within them, and that regulation of ports that already operate in a fully competitive environment, and that are already subject (as are other commercial businesses) to national and European competition law, should be kept to the necessary minimum.

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Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the UK's representation to the EU's negotiating mandate is regarding the proposed EU port services regulation. [186733]

Stephen Hammond: The Government's approach to this proposed regulation is founded on the understanding that the UK ports sector continues to operate efficiently, and to invest vigorously in a competitive environment with minimal call upon the taxpayer. We aim to ensure that, should this proposal become law in some form, it does so in a manner which will not impose unwarranted regulatory burdens on ports that are fully competitive, but will promote financial transparency in those that are not.

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the European Council will next discuss the proposed EU port services regulation. [186734]

Stephen Hammond: The Greek presidency has provisionally scheduled Council working group discussions on 18 and 25 February and has included the proposal on its provisional agenda for the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council on 5-6 June.

Railways: Dawlish

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost of repairing the damage to the railway line at Dawlish. [187147]

Stephen Hammond: This is an ongoing operational matter for Network Rail.

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of repairing the damage to the railway line at Dawlish was after the 2012 floods. [187148]

Stephen Hammond: This is an operational matter for Network Rail.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Government's commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when making new policy and legislation, if he will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from his Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186591]

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport is committed to considering the impact of all new policies and legislation, including where they impact specifically on children and young people. While the Department has not taken specific steps to assess the compatibility of its policies with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, in line with article 12 of the UNCRC we have consulted young people and their representatives, such as the British Youth Council and the Youth Transport Select Committee, on a range of

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issues, including the availability of public transport in rural areas and the accessibility of transport for disabled children and young people, to ensure that the best interests of children and young people are represented within our work.

Many of the rights conferred by the UNCRC overlap with rights contained in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). To demonstrate compatibility with individuals' convention rights, the Department also completed ECHR memoranda when introducing the following legislation during 2013: the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill, the High Speed Rail (London to West Midlands) Bill, the HGV Road User Levy Bill, and the Marine Navigation (No. 2) Bill.

More widely, the coalition Government are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments, including the work that the Department for Transport has undertaken. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Attorney-General

Child: Abuse

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General how many local authorities have signed up to the information-sharing protocol for cases of child abuse launched in November 2013 by the Director of Public Prosecutions. [902537]

The Solicitor-General: I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Delyn (Mr Hanson) and the hon. Member for North Tyneside (Mrs Glindon) today.

Harassment: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were commenced by the Crown Prosecution Service for harassment in each of the last six years; and of these how many were domestic-violence flagged. [186631]

The Solicitor-General: The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 defines the offence of harassment under s.2 and putting people in fear of violence under s.4. The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted or the outcome of proceedings.

The following table shows the number of offences under the Protection from Harassment Act in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing, and it also gives the numbers that were flagged as domestic violence. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

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In addition to offences under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, the harassment of another or others could be prosecuted under a range of offences such as those under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

Procurement

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General how many staff of each grade in the Law Officers' Departments have the authority to make a purchase; what proportion of those staff have professional procurement qualifications; and what the key indicators used to assess procurement officers' performance are. [183473]

The Solicitor-General: Purchasing within the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) falls into two discrete areas. Contracts exceeding £5,000 are agreed and managed centrally by the Procurement and Commercial Services Team. The central team also establishes national frameworks for the supply of common goods and services. Purchases below £5,000 which fall outside of national frameworks are usually managed locally.

The Procurement and Commercial Services Team is formed of seven staff (one x Grade 7, two x SEO, three x HEO and one x EO). The Grade 7 is MCIPS qualified and one of the SEO's is FCIPS qualified. Of the remaining five staff, three are currently studying for CIPS qualifications. In addition the team has two apprentices who are both employed on one year fixed-term contracts. Any contracts that exceed the financial delegated authority of the team members are referred to senior managers for approval.

Staff performance in the central procurement team is monitored via a number of indicators. Each agrees personal objectives as part of the department's appraisal process, these include indicators linked to value for money, supplier management and timely completion of procurement projects. Team members are assessed against the Cabinet Office's Procurement Profession Skills and Competency Framework and personnel development plans are tailored in accordance with the assessment. In addition to monitoring individual performance, the department's procurement function has been independently certified by CIPS.

There are also 1,811 staff in the Crown Prosecution Service with delegated authority to make a purchase. The following table shows the numbers of such staff by grade.

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The Department does not hold central records of the professional procurement qualifications of all members of staff. To provide this information would involve checking with all staff across the CPS and would incur disproportionate costs.

The CPS Procurement and Commercial Services Team Professional also provides support on purchasing for the Treasury Solicitor's Department (TSol), Attorney-General's Office (AGO) and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate under a shared service agreement. There is a signed Partnership Agreement agreed each year, and agreed planned activities and key performance measures are monitored on a monthly basis. Procurement officer performance is assessed by the CPS.

TSol does not maintain a central record of the number of staff by grade who have the authority to make a purchase and could only provide this information at a disproportionate cost. The majority of TSol purchases relate to litigation cases handled on behalf of clients. Case holders, primarily grade 6 or grade 7 lawyers, have the authority to instruct counsel and procure services to progress these cases. TSol currently employs approximately 500 case holders and they generally do not hold professional procurement qualifications. Other purchases of legal services are primarily authorised at the senior civil service level and except for low-value items, non-framework purchases relating to corporate services require the involvement of the procurement and commercial services team in CPS.

The Serious Fraud Office has 92 staff that are approved to submit requisitions for goods or services. These requisitions must be approved by a member of the delegated panel which consists of 35 staff. The number of staff at each grade who have the authority to approve requisitions are provided in the following table.

SFO's procurement policy requires staff with delegated authority to involve the procurement team in any purchase over £10,000. There are currently two staff in the procurement team, at HEO and G7, and the senior member is qualified to MCIPS level. The procurement team are set objectives in their annual forward job plans which are in line with central Government targets. Performance against these objectives are monitored and evaluated through the SFO's staff annual appraisal system. The SFO does not hold a central record of any procurement qualifications that may be held by staff outside of the procurement team.

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Stalking: Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were commenced by the Crown Prosecution Service in 2012-13 for (a) stalking and (b) stalking involving fear of serious violence or alarm or distress. [186630]

The Solicitor-General: The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 created two new offences of stalking by inserting new sections 2A and 4A into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The new offences came into force on 25 November 2012, are not retrospective, and provide further options for prosecutors to consider when selecting charges. The records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), replicated in the following table, identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted or the outcome of proceedings. A single defendant may be prosecuted for multiple offences.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Burstow: To ask the Attorney-General with reference to the Government's commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when making new policy and legislation, if he will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from the Law Officers' Departments since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186577]

The Solicitor-General: The Law Officers' Departments are fully committed to considering the impact on children of all new policies and legislation. The Law Officers' Departments are primarily operational and do not routinely make policy and legislation. Therefore, the Attorney-General's Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and the Serious Fraud Office have made no new legislation or policy since January 2013.

During 2013, the Crown Prosecution Service published new policies on prosecuting cases involving communications sent via social media and prosecuting child sexual abuse. There was no explicit assessment of their compatibility

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of the UNCRC. However, the policies were carefully developed to ensure compatibility with human rights, including the rights of children. The policies were consulted on, including consultation with groups representing victims of child sexual abuse. The policy on prosecution of child sexual abuse was designed to ensure that child victims and witnesses are given as much support as possible during the criminal justice process.

More widely, the coalition Government are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

British Nationals Abroad: Capital Punishment

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the number of UK nationals on death rows internationally; and what legal support his Department has provided to each such national. [186801]

Mark Simmonds: Globally, there are currently 13 British nationals under sentence of death. We are aware of more than 60 facing trial for offences which could attract the death penalty. The British Government oppose the death penalty in all circumstances. To this end, we lobby globally for its abolition and we make representations to Governments who retain the death penalty and conduct executions.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides consular assistance to British nationals sentenced to death. Each case demands a different approach, tailored to the individual circumstances. We make representations and raise cases at the appropriate level, including at Prime ministerial level. We can offer basic information about the local legal system, including on the availability of legal aid. We also refer British nationals to UK based specialist non-governmental organisations who are able to provide legal support to them. We cannot provide funding for legal assistance in any cases, including death penalty cases.

Buildings

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the office space owned or leased by his Department is not in regular use; what the total (a) rental and (b) retail value is of all such unused office space; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his most recent departmental real estate valuation. [186866]

Mr Lidington: The majority of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO's) UK office space is always in regular use. Work is currently under way to consolidate our London headquarters into one building in King Charles Street by the beginning of November 2015. This will save around £5 million a year in running costs

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for the FCO and free up the Old Admiralty Building for use by another Government Department. Staff will be moved between King Charles Street and the Old Admiralty Building while refurbishments take place and there will be no spare office space in either of these buildings. Once the project is completed, the King Charles Street offices are expected to be fully occupied.

Overseas, the FCO runs an estate comprising more than 5,000 properties in 250 locations worldwide. Our portfolio is regularly reviewed to ensure we are getting value for money and maintaining a fit-for-purpose estate.

Council of Europe

Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on bloc voting by EU member states on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe when the EU accedes to the ECHR; whether the Government have taken any steps to prevent bloc voting (a) generally and (b) in respect of future matters to which the European Union is itself a party; and if he will make a statement. [186595]

Mr Lidington: The Government are well aware that there is a delicately balanced dynamic in the Committee of Ministers which could be upset if the EU, representing the majority of member states, were routinely to vote as a bloc. The detail of the EU's voting rights in the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has not yet been agreed. The details of how accession will operate will be set out in the EU internal rules. The Commission is yet to bring forward a proposal in respect of the internal rules.

Following the EU's accession to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), the EU will co-ordinate in the Committee of Ministers where EU law requires and no further. This will be provided for in the Accession Agreement between the EU and the Council of Europe. Article 7(4) of the draft Accession Agreement sets out the circumstances in which the EU and its member states will vote in a co-ordinated manner in the Committee of Ministers, and how the effective exercise of the Committee of Ministers' supervisory functions will be maintained.

The UK's final position on the EU's accession to the European convention on human rights will only be formed on the basis of the whole package of necessary measures, including the internal rules and the Accession Agreement between the EU and the Council of Europe. Accession is subject to unanimity in the Council of the European Union.

Criminal Investigation

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which organisation his Department and its subsidiary bodies use to tackle internal instances of crime, including corruption and fraud; and whether he has designated this organisation or any individual within it to grant authorisation for carrying out directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [186711]

Mr Lidington: When allegations of crime on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Estate are received, the FCO has internal mechanisms to carry out

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initial investigation. The FCO Counter Fraud Team deals with allegations of financial crime. The Estates and Security Directorate deals with all other allegations. If there is evidence of a crime, the matter would be referred to police or the National Crime Agency to investigate further. In the case of local staff directly employed by missions overseas, the initial investigation would be considered by senior management at post, and if there is evidence of crime could be referred to local police.

The FCO does not currently conduct or see the need to conduct directed surveillance operations where a section 28 authorisation would be necessary.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the treatment in Democratic Republic of Congo of failed asylum seekers returned by the Government. [186803]

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

The Home Office expects to publish a country policy bulletin for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the Home Office website in February 2014.

This bulletin confirms the UK's position on returns to the DRC and contains information from other EU states, Canada and Australia. Both the High Courts of England and Wales and the High Court in Ireland concluded in 2013 that failed asylum seekers per se are not at risk of ill treatment on return to the DRC.

Egypt

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what talks his Department has had with the current Egyptian Government on restoring democratic elections in Egypt. [187320]

Hugh Robertson: As a friend, the UK is committed to seeing Egypt succeed. I discussed Egypt's political transition with the Deputy Foreign Minister when I visited Cairo in December. When the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to Foreign Minister Fahmy about these issues on 7 January he noted the importance of the referendum, allowing millions of Egyptians to express their views through the ballot box, but raised his concerns about the closure of political space. Simon Fraser, Permanent Under-Secretary, raised the importance of a real democratic transition with Foreign Minister Fahmy during his visit to Egypt on 26-27 January.

Equal Pay

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of the gender pay gap at senior grades in his Department. [186524]

Hugh Robertson: The FCO is committed to ensure equal pay regardless of gender. We continually assess equal pay including for staff working at senior civil

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service levels. Where diversity data highlight discrepancies between groups, we take appropriate action to understand and address any issues.

Hezbollah

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will proscribe the whole of Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation. [186497]

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

The UK proscribed Hezbollah's external security organisation in 2001. In 2008 the proscription was extended to include the whole of Hezbollah's military apparatus, namely the Jihad Council and all the units reporting to it. It is Government policy not to comment on whether, or not, a group is under consideration for proscription.

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment his Department has made of the threat of Hezbollah to the UK's national interests; [186505]

(2) what assessment his Department has made of Hezbollah fundraising activities in the (a) UK, (b) EU and (c) rest of the world. [186507]

James Brokenshire: I have been asked tor reply on behalf of the Home Department.

It is long-standing Government practice not to comment on intelligence assessments.

Housing

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his ministerial colleagues the potential effect of the Government's response to the report on UK housing by the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing on the UK's relations with the Human Rights Council. [187068]

Mr Lidington: The Government's response to the report of the UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing is in two parts. Preliminary comments were posted on the website of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), indicating our view that the report contained inaccuracies. A fuller formal response from DCLG and the Department for Work and Pensions will be published in due course.

Where the Government disagree with the findings of a UN Special Rapporteur they are of course entitled to say so. This does not affect the UK's support for special procedures. The Government have a standing invitation to all UN Special Rapporteurs to visit the UK and work cooperatively with them.

Israel

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the regional effect of the Government's approach to trade with Israel. [187173]

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Hugh Robertson: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not made any assessment of the regional effect of the Government's approach to trade with Israel.

Libya

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current financial aid commitments the UK has in Libya. [187319]

Hugh Robertson: The UK has committed more than £23 million on work to support stability and reform in Libya. We expect our commitment next financial year (FY 2014-15) to rise to almost £30 million. This work is delivered through three strategically linked initiatives.

The Arab Partnership Participation Fund supports local and international non-governmental organisations which promote political participation, public voice and freedom of expression, and good governance. We are delivering £1.9 million of political reform support this financial year.

The Middle East and North Africa Conflict Pool is focused on initiatives to support security and stability. This financial year we are delivering conflict projects in Libya worth almost £17.5 million and expect this to rise next year to £25 million. This includes our long-term commitment through the security, justice and defence programme to support the Libyan Government to strengthen the capability, accountability and responsiveness of their security, justice and defence sectors.

In addition, the Arab Partnership Economic Facility, managed by the Department for International Development, encourages the development of the private sector, supports economic participation by women and young people, and is helping to develop stronger public financial management. We are providing £3.9 million of economic reform support in Libya this financial year.

Montenegro

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the Government of Montenegro settle all outstanding compensation or restitution claims for illegally seized property in that country as part of the pre-qualifying criteria for admission into the EU. [186218]

Mr Lidington: The criteria for EU accession for Montenegro and other candidate countries include a requirement to implement measures to ensure that the rule of law is firmly embedded within the judicial and political system.

The European Commission's annual progress reports on Montenegro have included specific concerns around restitution claims in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The UK considers that the process of EU accession negotiations provides the best vehicle to drive forward further progress in this area.

Robust action plans on rule of law issues have been adopted by Montenegro to address the challenges it faces in this area, and the EU and its member states will continuously monitor its progress. Montenegro will only be able to close negotiation chapters once it meets the

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relevant benchmarks, and will therefore become an EU member only when all EU member states are satisfied that it is ready.

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to view the restitution of, or compensation for, property seized in Montenegro and in which UK citizens have an interest as one of the benchmarks in determining his support for Montenegro's application to join the EU. [186495]

Mr Lidington: The criteria for EU accession for Montenegro and other candidate countries include a requirement to implement measures to ensure that the rule of law is firmly embedded within the judicial and political system.

The European Commission's annual progress reports on Montenegro have included specific concerns around restitution claims in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The UK considers that the process of EU accession negotiations provides the best vehicle to drive forward further progress in this area.

Robust action plans on rule of law issues have been adopted by Montenegro to address the challenges it faces in this area, and the EU and its member states will continuously monitor its progress. Montenegro will only be able to close negotiation chapters once it meets the relevant benchmarks, and will therefore become an EU member only when all EU member states are satisfied that it is ready.

Northern Ireland

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assets his Department has sold in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the value of each such sale was. [186572]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not bought or sold any assets in Northern Ireland in the last five years.

Philippines

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on human rights during his recent visit to the Philippines; and what representations he made to his interlocutors in support of the UN Convention Against Torture and the rule of law in that country. [187146]

Mr Swire: During his visit to the Philippines in January, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), had wide-ranging discussions with the President, Vice President and Secretary for Foreign Affairs, in which he covered human rights in Philippines, including progress on the Mindanao peace talks. He did not raise the UN Convention Against Torture.

In his meeting with the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Secretary also raised the hope that the UK and the Philippines would work together on global human rights issues such as those arising from the

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situation in Syria. In addition, the Foreign Secretary delivered a speech focussing on the importance of values, including respect for human rights, in facilitating Asia's growth in the 21st century.

Politics and Government: Females

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which programmes and funds are currently provided by his Department to promote women's political and public participation; and if he will make a statement. [186911]

Mr Lidington: The Human Rights and Democracy Programme (HRDP) is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s dedicated fund supporting human rights and democracy work overseas. The programme aims to make a difference to people's lives, helping to build the capacity of Governments and civil society to promote and protect human rights. During 2013-14, we supported more than 80 projects worldwide, including projects which promote women's political and public participation.

We have been supporting democratic and economic reform in the middle east through political advocacy, by working with multilateral organisations, and by supporting reform programmes, including through our £110 million Arab Partnership Fund. The UK will lead a series of initiatives in the transition countries aimed at promoting investment, encouraging the development of a vibrant private sector (especially small and medium-sized enterprises) and supporting economic participation by women and young people.

Through bilateral and multilateral engagement, the FCO will continue to support legislative programmes in other countries to promote gender equality and women's empowerment and to tackle violence against women, and will work to raise the profile of these issues internationally.

In addition, our overseas posts have the bilateral programme fund which aims to fund small, targeted projects that support issues of strategic importance to the UK, which seeks to create real, measurable outcomes in support of the UK's foreign policy goals, including political and economic participation by women.

South Sudan

Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to help resolve the ongoing conflict in South Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [902086]

Mark Simmonds: With our Troika partners, we have been supporting the regional organisation, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), in the establishment of a monitoring verification mechanism to oversee the implementation of the cessation of hostilities agreement. We have provided an expert to the advance party of the ceasefire oversight committee (“Joint Technical Committee”) which arrived in Juba on 2 February.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has spoken with the Ugandan and South Sudanese Presidents to encourage a peaceful resolution. In my meetings with the South Sudanese, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Sudanese and Ugandan Foreign

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Ministers at the African Union Summit, I made clear that the cessation of hostilities must lead to a genuinely inclusive national reconciliation process that strengthens the unity of South Sudan. Our envoy to the South Sudan talks is in Ethiopia this week to support the IGAD-led talks, which were due to resume on 11 February.

Syria

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent steps he has taken to protect Christians in Syria. [187123]

Hugh Robertson: We are extremely concerned about the situation of the Christian community in Syria. Ultimately their position can only be truly secured by finding a political solution to the crisis. The UK has been central to efforts to support the Geneva II process as it looks to bring about a political transition through the implementation of the Geneva communiqué. The opposition National Coalition, whose negotiation efforts we support, is committed to the communiqué and its guarantees of the rights, interests and participation of all components of Syrian society. We are continuing to encourage the National Coalition to build on its appeal and effectiveness over the extremists. We are also funding the training of religious and community leaders from Christian and other religious and ethnic communities in active citizenship and dialogue skills in order to help reduce community tensions.

Ukraine

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his counterpart in Ukraine on political unrest in that country. [186798]

Mr Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 690W.

We remain concerned about the situation in Ukraine. We are monitoring developments closely and continue to co-ordinate our response, with our international partners. Our immediate priority is restoring stability and helping Ukraine onto a path of political reform.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Government's commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when making new policy and legislation, if he will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from his Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186586]

Mr Lidington: The Government are committed to making further progress on implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), by ensuring that due consideration is given to the UNCRC articles when developing new policies and legislation.

The coalition Government are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions

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from other Government Departments, including the work that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has undertaken. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library all assessments of new policy and legislation from his Department since January 2013 which give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [187317]

Mr Lidington: The Government are committed to making further progress on implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), by ensuring that due consideration is given to the UNCRC articles when developing new policies and legislation.

We are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments, including the work that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has undertaken. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Education

Al-Madinah School

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to his response of 29 January 2014 to the hon. Member for Cardiff West, Official Report, column 934, if he will release the qualifications of the teachers at the Al-Madinah free school in Derby at the beginning of the September 2013 school term. [187153]

Mr Timpson: The following table is based on unvalidated, anonymised information provided by the former chair of the Al-Madinah education trust.

11 Feb 2014 : Column 541W

Child Protection

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department on multi-agency safeguarding hubs. [186959]

Mr Timpson: The Department for Education and the Home Office are in ongoing contact on local multi-agency information sharing models, including multi-agency safeguarding hubs and related issues at a range of levels.

Custody

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to increase fathers' access to their children following a divorce; and if he will make a statement. [187356]

Mr Timpson: The Government recognise that a father's role in his child's life is a very important one. We are taking forward legislation in the Children and Families Bill which reflects the importance of children having a continuing relationship with both of their parents following family separation, so long as it is safe to do so and in the child's best interests.

Families: Disadvantaged

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer from the Minister for Housing of 22 January 2014, Official Report, column 212W, on families: disadvantaged, what criteria his Department uses to assess the success and value for money of its contribution to that programme. [187100]

Mr Timpson: The success and value for money of the Troubled Families programme is currently being assessed via an independent national evaluation. Further information is available online¹.

This work is ongoing and initial findings will be available later this year.

¹Available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/study-to-assess-impact-of-troubled-families-work

Foster Care

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2013, Official Report, column 213W, on foster care, what activities local authorities are undertaking to support recruitment and retention of foster carers. [187067]

Mr Timpson: Three Government-funded consortia partnerships of local authorities and independent fostering agencies are developing a range of innovative solutions to broaden the range of people who foster. The programme is enabling local authorities to find new ways of working collaboratively with the independent sector to meet the challenge of recruiting and retaining foster carers.

11 Feb 2014 : Column 542W

In addition, the Fostering Network is being funded to undertake surveys, benchmarking local authorities on key indices of recruitment and retention of foster carers; and determining foster carers values using a methodology called values mode. They are now using the results of these surveys to support 14 local authorities to improve their strategies for recruiting and retaining foster carers. Another 11 local authorities will be supported in 2014-15.

ICT: Education

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many staff will be employed on the Year of Code Campaign; how many such staff were appointments from outside his Department; and where such jobs were advertised; [187156]

(2) when the head of the Year of Code Campaign was appointed; where this vacancy was advertised prior to appointment; how the successful candidate was chosen; and what their salary is; [187160]

(3) how many teachers he expects to receive training under the Year of Code campaign. [187206]

Elizabeth Truss: The Year of Code campaign launched on 4 February 2014 is an independent campaign and not a Government initiative. The Government were not involved in the appointments of the head of the campaign or any members of staff. The campaign website is:

http://www.yearofcode.org/

The Government are doing a great deal to get teachers ready to teach the new computing curriculum. We have been working with the British Computer Society since last year and have established the Network of Teaching Excellence for computer science teachers. This programme is forging links between schools, universities and employers. The aim is to build a network of around 400 ‘master teachers' over the next two years, who will be available for schools to commission to provide training for their teachers.

In December 2013 we announced funding of £1.1 million for the BCS (the British Computer Society—the Chartered Institute for IT) to develop a computing readiness programme aimed specifically at primary school teachers with no prior experience of computer science. The project will provide online resources, in-school workshops, outreach activities and create local support groups within the Network of Teaching Excellence in Computer Science—reaching at least 20,000 teachers.

We have also announced a £500,000 matched fund to support projects that will improve the teaching of the new computing curriculum. The Government will match funding from industry and business, allowing new and existing teachers to be trained by the experts.

Military Bases

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire of 11 November 2013, Official Report, column 412W, if he will have meetings with the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the re-basing of troops to the local authorities in which (a) Dalton Barracks, Abingdon, (b) Kendrews Barracks, Cottesmore and (c) Imjin Barracks, Gloucester are situated. [186927]

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Elizabeth Truss: Ministers at the Department for Education regularly meet colleagues from both the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Defence to discuss a range of matters, including provision for the families of armed forces personnel.

Supporting local authorities in creating additional school places where they are needed is one of the Department's top priorities.

Northern Ireland

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assets his Department has sold in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the value of each such sale was. [186569]

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education does not hold any assets in Northern Ireland and has no record of having sold any such assets in the last five years.

Pupils: Tagging

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on child protection issues. [186931]

Mr Timpson: The Department for Education and the Department of Health are in ongoing contact on child protection and related issues at a range of levels. This includes joined-up working between the two chief social workers.

Schools: Discipline

Mary Macleod: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department issues to schools on how to identify and address the root causes of poor behaviour and absenteeism. [186926]

Elizabeth Truss: The Department for Education has issued advice on behaviour and discipline for schools. This advice is clear that schools should assess the needs of pupils who persistently misbehave and consider whether the continuing disruptive behaviour is a result of unmet educational or other needs. At this point, the school should consider whether a multi-agency assessment is necessary.

The Department has published advice on school attendance and statutory guidance on parental responsibility measures for school attendance and behaviour. These have been produced to help schools and local authorities maintain high levels of school attendance and provide information about the interventions available to address pupils' poor attendance and behaviour at school.

Levels of persistent absenteeism have fallen from 6.1% in 2010-11 to 5.2% in 2011-12.

Staff

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of staff of (a) his Department and (b) agencies and public bodies accountable to him work outside of London; and in which local authorities such staff are located. [187265]

11 Feb 2014 : Column 544W

Elizabeth Truss: The proportion of staff working outside London in the Department for Education and its agencies is set out in the following table:

The Department has offices based in the following local authority areas: Bristol City, Coventry City, Darlington Borough, Guildford Borough, Cambridgeshire County, Westminster City, Manchester City, Nottingham City, Halton Borough and Sheffield City.

Students: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will consider reversing the reductions in funding for full-time education places for 18 year olds announced by his Department in January 2014. [187366]

Matthew Hancock: We have to make the funding reduction for 18-year-olds in order to live within the Department for Education's funding settlement at the spending round 2013, which was reduced at the autumn statement of December 2013.

The published impact assessment of the reduction in funding for 18-year-olds sets out why it was the least detrimental of the options for savings that we considered. We will consider whether we can afford to introduce measures to mitigate its impact on individual colleges.

Teachers: Training

Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funds were provided for bursaries for trainee religious education teachers in each of the last five years. [187098]

Mr Laws: The training bursary budget is set for each academic year to cover all subjects that attract a training bursary. There is no specific budget allocated per subject. In each academic year there is an assumed budget, and from 2012/13 an estimated degree classification split, for training bursaries payable based on the total number of places allocated.

Decisions on bursaries are taken by Ministers each year and are informed by recruitment performance.

11 Feb 2014 : Column 545W

Business, Innovation and Skills

Criminal Investigation

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisation his Department and its subsidiary bodies use to tackle internal instances of crime, including corruption and fraud; and whether he has designated this organisation or any individual within it to grant authorisation for carrying out directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [186703]

Jenny Willott: If an employee of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was suspected of criminal conduct this would be investigated initially under the BIS Conduct Rules/Discipline Policy.

Depending on the nature of the suspected criminal conduct, investigations may be carried out by BIS employees eg a BIS manager, a member of the BIS Security/Fraud Team, the Internal Audit team. On occasion, an investigation may need to be pursued by an independent external investigator or, in the case of issues raised about one of our Partner Organisations this may be investigated by, for example, the official auditor for that Organisation. In an instance of criminal conduct the matter would be reported to the police.

The Department has responsibility for investigating criminal allegations referred to it, principally from the Insolvency Service, in relation to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), oversight of the Company and Insolvency regimes.

BIS is authorised to deploy powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) including the ability to undertake Directed Surveillance. However, the legislation, which is overseen by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner, demands that very clear criteria, including those of necessity and proportionality, be demonstrated.

Within BIS, the RIPA regime is overseen by the Investigation Officers Branch of Legal A. As a policy, the Department does not confirm or deny the use of surveillance for criminal complaints. However, as stated, where an internal investigation involves criminal conduct, the matter would be reported to the police who would have primacy of the investigation including the use of any necessary and proportionate covert tactics.

Degrees

Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the regulatory tests are for (a) public and (b) private institutions seeking to acquire degree awarding powers. [187200]

Mr Willetts: Section 76 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 empowers the Privy Council to grant powers to institutions in England and Wales enabling them to award their own degrees. All institutions seeking to apply for such powers are subject to the same criteria.

The criteria for institutions seeking taught and research degree awarding powers are set out in the following BIS guidance:

11 Feb 2014 : Column 546W

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32388/11-781-applications-for-degree-awarding-powers-guidance.pdf

The criteria for institutions seeking foundation degree awarding powers are set out in the following BIS guidance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/32389/11-782-applications-for-foundation-degree-awarding-powers-guidance.pdf

Equal Pay

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking in response to the European Parliament resolution to reduce the gender pay gap by five per cent each year and eliminate the gender pay gap by 2020. [186596]

Jenny Willott: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Government Equalities Office.

The Government are already taking strong action to reduce the gender pay gap. There are record numbers of women in work, women's salaries are rising, and we are transforming the workplace, for example by extending the right to request flexible working to all employees from this year, and introducing a system of shared parental leave from 2015.

Over 160 companies are now supporting our “Think, Act, Report” initiative, collectively employing more than 2 million people. It provides a simple framework for companies to think about gender equality in their workforces and identify barriers to women's progression, including pay policy. From October 2014, employment tribunals will be required to order an equal pay audit when an employer has been found to have breached equal pay laws.

Northern Ireland

Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assets his Department has sold in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the value of each such sale was. [186567]

Jenny Willott: The Department has not sold any assets in Northern Ireland during the last five years.

Nuclear Engineering

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what criteria local authorities will have to meet when bidding for the proposed nuclear engineering college to be located within their area. [186633]

Matthew Hancock: We are still at an early stage of developing our detailed plans for establishing the new elite college, and will be considering all aspects of this with the nuclear industry. The immediate focus will be on further defining the scope and scale of the college and developing an approach for identifying a location.

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the timetable for the proposed nuclear engineering college will be. [186634]

11 Feb 2014 : Column 547W

Mr Willetts: We are still at an early stage of developing our plans for establishing the new elite college. We will be considering all aspects of the project with the nuclear industry, and a detailed timetable will be developed as part of this work.

Post Offices

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the majority of Government services are still available throughout the sub-post office network. [187042]

Jenny Willott: The Government continue to support the Post Office's ambition to become a front office for Government services, and significant progress has been made towards this in recent years in highly competitive and challenging commercial environments.

Both the Post Office and this Department are working hard to identify and secure further opportunities, including making use of the framework Front Office Counter Services (FOCS) contract that allows Government Departments and agencies to use the Post Office network to deliver a range of counter services.

However, it is important to note that the Government cannot simply give work to the Post Office, or any other company. Contracts must ensure fairness, innovation, and value-for-money for the taxpayer. By winning and retaining key contracts, such as the FOCS contract, the Post Office is demonstrating it can compete on these criteria.

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings he has had with representatives of Post Office Limited to discuss investment in the sub-post office network to allow sub-postmasters to grow their businesses. [187043]

Jenny Willott: Ministers hold regular meetings with senior representatives from Post Office Ltd to discuss a wide range of matters. In addition, officials from the Department's shareholder executive team maintain a close and continuous dialogue with the company.

Since 2010, the Government have committed £1,975 billion to maintain, modernise and protect the Post Office network. This very significant public investment is helping entrepreneurial sub-postmasters develop and grow their businesses.

Science

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how his Department plans to consult the science community and industry on the content of the science and innovation strategy. [186551]

Mr Willetts: Ministers and officials have frequent engagement with the science and research community and with industry on a wide range of topics, and plan to gather input to the science and innovation strategy as part of those discussions and consultations. For example, I have committed to leading a consultation with the science community on making the most of the long-term capital settlement for science and research agreed in last

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year's spending review. The results of that consultation will form an important part of the work on the science and innovation strategy.

Students: Finance

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) whether he plans to reduce the student opportunity allocation in higher education in 2014-15; [186614]

(2) how many students in higher education used funding from the student opportunity allocation in 2012-13 and 2013-14; [186615]

(3) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of reduction in the student opportunity allocation on the ability of socially disadvantaged students to access higher education. [186616]

Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has set out our plans in the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) grant letter, published on 10 February 2014.

The Student Opportunity Fund is part of the overall teaching grant allocated to higher education institutions by the HEFCE. 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.

Students: Loans

Mr Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the RAB charge on loans made to students at alternative providers. [187207]

Mr Willetts: We do not estimate a specific RAB charge for students at alternative providers. Our current estimate of the RAB charge across all full-time undergraduates is around 40%.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the Government's commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when making new policy and legislation, if he will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from his Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186576]

Jenny Willott: In a written ministerial statement to Parliament in December 2010, the Government confirmed their commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) articles when making new policy and legislation.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills BIS is fully committed to considering the impact of all new policies and legislation, where they impact specifically on children. We have embedded equality analysis into the processes we use to develop, deliver and evaluate our policies, practices and services.

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BIS leads on two Bills currently before Parliament—‘Intellectual Property Bill [Lords]’ and ‘Consumer Rights Bill’. Both Bill teams have confirmed that the UNCRC was assessed before introduction of the Bills. As no significant effects were identified, a formal analysis was not published in either case.

The data requested for secondary legislation and new policies made are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, although prior to the introduction of new secondary legislation detailed consideration is undertaken to ensure that the statutory instrument is compatible with individual's European convention on human rights, which overlaps with the rights set out in the UNCRC.

More widely, the coalition Government are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments, including the work that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has undertaken. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Defence

Apache Helicopters

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken to install a buoyancy aid for embarked Apache attack helicopters. [187338]

Dr Murrison: The contract for the design, development and procurement of flotation role equipment for the UK Apache was placed with AgustaWestland Ltd on 24 October 2013. All UK Apache helicopters will be modified to enable them to be equipped with the flotation equipment.

Armed Forces: Housing

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel in (a) Plymouth and (b) total have been housed in hotel accommodation in each of the last 12 months; and what the cost of such accommodation has been. [186498]

Dr Murrison: Service personnel are not housed in hotel accommodation but exceptionally may be placed in hotels as a temporary measure.

Armed Forces: Location

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2014, Official Report, column 85W, on helicopter capabilities, where within the UK the 6,000 personnel have been relocated to. [186718]

Dr Murrison: Further to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr Dunne), on 3 February 2014, Official Report, column 85W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Henley (John Howell), we have no plans to relocate 6,000 personnel within the UK as part of the investments we have made in the armed forces’ helicopter capabilities.

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Cybercrime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to improve cyber security at Ministry of Defence sites. [187307]

Mr Francois: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Leicestershire (Mr Robathan), gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne Central (Chi Onwurah) on 14 March 2013, Official Report, column 351W.

Defence

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when an updated version of new operating model: “How Defence Works” will be published. [186499]

Dr Murrison: The next version of ‘How Defence Works’ will be published in April 2014. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Equipment and Support

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many safety critical posts exist in Defence Equipment and Support; and how many such posts are currently vacant. [187339]

Mr Francois: As at the end of December 2013, Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) had 1,362 posts designated as ‘safety-critical’, 98 of which were vacant. An external engineering recruitment campaign is currently under way which we expect to have a significant impact on addressing the staffing requirement. DE&S is also taking action to fill safety-critical posts from within Defence.

Defence: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which external consultants are used by his Department regarding the formulation of its policy on reforming defence procurement; and what the cost to the public purse has been for each such consultant. [179989]

Dr Murrison [holding answer 16 December 2013]: The Ministry of Defence has used six external consultancy companies during the Concept and Assessment Phases of the Materiel Strategy and Customer Design Programmes. The Concept Phase ran from May 2011 to April 2013; the Assessment Phase ran from April 2013 to December 2013. The consultancy costs for the Concept Phase, which analysed a number of potential operating models for the future of DE&S, were £11.2 million. The consultancy costs for the Assessment Phase, which developed the GOCO option, the internal DE&S Plus option, and the Customer Capability within Head Office were some £17.7 million. Of this £17.7 million, the consultancy costs specifically relating to the GOCO competition were £7.4 million.

Consultancy support provides vital specialist expertise, knowledge and skills that are not available within the Department. The breakdown against the six companies involved is as follows:

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As the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced on 10 December 2013, Official Report, columns 146-48, we will build on the DE&S Plus proposition to transform DE&S within the public sector, setting it up as a bespoke central Government trading entity from April 2014.

Pay

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of (a) permanent, (b) temporary and (c) contract staff in his Department are paid the living wage or above. [186672]

Dr Murrison: The following table shows the proportion of civilian staff currently employed by the Ministry of Defence and its trading funds that are paid at the rate of the living wage or above as defined by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF).

We do not have sufficient visibility to provide the information requested in respect of contracted workers’ rates of pay, where paid by their parent company or recruitment agency.

The Government support businesses that choose to pay the living wage. However, our prime policy is the national minimum wage for the low paid. This is independently set by the Low Pay Commission at a level that maximises their wages without reducing employment prospects. It is for workers and employers to decide the level of wages above the minimum wage based on relevant circumstances. This includes the Government as a procurer and an employer. Around 20 million employees, over 95% of the total, earn above the minimum wage, and the majority of public sector workers currently earn above the living wage.

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Redundancy

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2014, Official Report, column 413W, on redundancy, what the cost to the public purse was of redundancies for officials who have subsequently been rehired by his Department. [187005]

Dr Murrison: This Government have ensured significant savings to the public purse by reforming redundancy payments for civil servants. More generally, we have saved taxpayers some £2.2 billion from a 15% reduction in the civil service which is now at its smallest since the second world war.

Since 2011, around 10,000 civilian staff have left the Department under the terms of the voluntary early release scheme (VERS); of these, 44 have subsequently been re-employed by the Department. The lump sum payments made to these 44 individuals under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) arrangements amounts to around £1.6 million in total.

Under the rules of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS) an individual who leaves on redundancy terms is entitled to apply for another job in the civil service. However, anyone who rejoins the civil service within 28 days of leaving would have their compensation cancelled and would have to repay any compensation they had already received. Depending on the level of compensation received, individuals who rejoin the service outside the 28-day period but within six months of their departure will have to repay their compensation on a pro-rata basis. These re-joiners will have been required to compete in fair and open competition for their new posts. Only five of the 44 individuals who were re-employed by the Department rejoined within six months, and only one of these five on a permanent basis. The individual who was re-employed on a permanent basis within six months will have been required to repay their compensation in accordance with the CSCS rules.

Treasury

Criminal Investigation

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which organisation his Department and its subsidiary bodies use to tackle internal instances of crime, including corruption and fraud; and whether he has designated this organisation or any individual within it to grant authorisation for carrying out directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. [186716]

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury, and its subsidiary bodies, will investigate allegations of internal crime including fraud and corruption in line with its own internal anti-fraud policies. However the Treasury does not have and does not need its own criminal investigation powers or capacity for these purposes. If the internal investigation indicated that a crime had taken place, the Treasury would refer the matter to the police. No Treasury Group official is able to grant authorisation for carrying out directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

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Fracking

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what consideration he has given to the possibility of creating a sovereign wealth fund from the revenue proceeding from fracking; [186917]

(2) if he will make an assessment of the experience of Norway in creating a sovereign wealth fund from the revenue accrued from the country's natural resources and the potential use of a spending cap. [186918]

Nicky Morgan: Shale gas represents a huge economic opportunity for the UK. It could create thousands of jobs, generate significant business investment and provide substantial revenue for the Exchequer in the future. The Government will not be able to forecast the scale or timing of this revenue, however, until more work is done to determine the extent of gas that can be technically and commercially recovered. It would therefore be inappropriate to indicate now how potential future revenue would be used.

In addition, it should be noted that diverting revenues from the Government's finances to a specific shale fund, or one created by revenue from other natural resources, would come at a cost. The money cannot be spent twice. The Government would likely need to either raise additional tax revenue elsewhere or cut spending, to maintain the fiscal balance. The Government have no plans to assess the possibility, of creating a sovereign wealth fund from this revenue.

Free Schools

Mr Ward: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance his Department has issued about the freehold and leasehold of school sites for potential free schools. [186765]

Danny Alexander: HM Treasury has issued no guidance on the freehold and leasehold of school sites for potential free schools.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Barnett consequentials arise from the Government's proposals for High Speed Rail 2. [187205]

Danny Alexander: Barnett consequentials for High Speed 2 for years beyond 2015-16 will be determined at the next spending review.

Minimum Wage

Andy Sawford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time equivalent employees there are at (a) his Department and (b) HM Revenue and Customs whose work is dedicated to enforcing the minimum wage. [186607]

Mr Gauke: HMRC enforces the national minimum wage on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and in that respect, on behalf as Government as a whole.

HM Treasury has a strong interest in national minimum wage policy and its enforcement, and works closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and

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Skills, as the lead Department responsible for national minimum wage policy, on ensuring the right policies are in place.

The Government take the enforcement of NMW very seriously and are committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. In addition to reviewing every complaint that is referred to them by the Pay and Work Rights Helpline, HMRC carries out targeted enforcement where it identifies a high risk of non-payment of NMW.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow North East (Mr Bain) on 16 January 2014, Official Report, column 628W, in respect of how many members of staff in HM Revenue and Customs were involved in enforcement of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and its associated delegated legislation in each of the last four years.

Non-domestic Rates: Arts

Mr Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on business rate discounts for (a) cinemas and (b) DVD rental shops. [186883]

Mr Gauke: As set out in the guidance published on 29 January the retail relief announced at the autumn statement will apply to

“occupied hereditaments with a rateable value of £50,000 or less, that are wholly or mainly being used as shops, restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments.”

DVD rental shops will be eligible for this relief.

There are no specific business rates reliefs targeted on cinemas but both cinemas and DVD rental shops will benefit from the 2% cap to business rates inflationary increases that was announced at the autumn statement.

Pay

Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are on each pay grade in (a) his Department and (b) agencies and public bodies accountable to him. [187253]

Nicky Morgan: The number of civil servants in each pay grade in HM Treasury, agencies and public bodies is listed in the Workforce Management Information published on data.gov.

http://data.gov.uk/dataset/hm-treasury-workforce-management-information/resource/0f83ffee-4fc3-44bf-83fc-0bb9c6848d46

Pay Television

Diana Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether offices of (a) his Department and (b) its Executive agencies have access to Sky Sports or an equivalent premium sports television service; and what the cost to the public purse is in each case. [176439]

Nicky Morgan: The Department does not subscribe to Sky Sports, premium sports TV services or any other premium rate satellite TV services.

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Some subscription channels are provided to ministerial and private offices in the Department through the Parliamentary TV service but at no additional cost to the public purse.

The Debt Management Office, an executive agency of HM Treasury, has a standard commercial subscription with Sky for access to news and business channels.

Productivity

Steve Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of UK labour productivity; and if he will make a statement. [187305]

Nicky Morgan: Productivity in the UK has been rising for the three quarters to 2013 Q3 and is currently 2.3% above its recession low, on an output-per-worker basis.

The OBR expects productivity growth to strengthen in 2014 and 2015 and to rise throughout the forecast period.

Revenue and Customs

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many technical specialists worked in HM Revenue and Customs Residency, the centre for non-residents, in each of the last six tax years. [184892]

Mr Gauke: Before 2010, it is unclear how many technical specialists were working on residence as they were spread across different teams. The directorate responsible for residency issues in HMRC is Personal Tax International. Since its inception, the number of full-time equivalent technical advisers employed in this directorate as of April each year is;

It has not been possible to provide the equivalent figures for the two years prior to 2010. This is due to the effects of an internal reorganisation following a review in 2009.

Tax Allowances: Married People

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the financial effect of the introduction of universal credit on couples in receipt of the transferable tax allowance. [186745]

Mr Gauke: The transferable tax allowance for married couples is a progressive tax measure, with two thirds of the benefits going to families in the lower half of the income distribution.

Universal credit (UC) claimants may see their UC award reduced as a result of the reduction in their tax, but will still be better off overall. No one will lose out from the interactions of the transferable tax allowance for married couples and UC.

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Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will happen to the transferable tax allowance of individuals when (a) their spouse or civil partner dies, (b) they divorce and (c) they separate; and after what period of time the change would take place. [186759]

Mr Gauke: The draft clauses for transferable tax allowances for married couples and civil partners were published together with the explanatory note on 10 December 2013

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/finance-bill-2014-draft-legislation-overview-documents

Where the person receiving the transferable allowance dies, the transfer will remain in place in that tax year for the purposes of the recipient. The personal allowance of the person giving the allowance will be topped-up to their pre-transfer allowance.

Where the person giving the transferable allowance dies, the transfer will remain in place in that tax year for both parties.

Paragraph 10 of the explanatory note explains the options available to people where their marriage or civil partnership comes to a legal end.

HM Revenue and Customs will make any changes necessary due to death or the legal end of a relationship as quickly as possible. The precise timing will always depend on the facts of the individual case.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) married couples and civil partnerships and (b) families with children he expects to be eligible for the transferable tax allowance in 2015-16. [186760]

Mr Gauke: An estimated 4.1 million couples are set to benefit from the married couples tax allowance in 2015-16; one-third of all married couples and civil partnerships.

Some 1.4 million families with children are set to benefit from the married couples tax allowance in 2015-16. This is roughly one-sixth of the total number of families with children currently in the UK.

Estimates are derived from the 2011-12 Family Resources Survey projected forward to 2015-16 using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's December 2013 economic and fiscal outlook.

This policy is about signalling the value that the Government place upon marriage as an institution regardless of couples' choices to have children.

Taxation: Environment Protection

Mr Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the carbon floor price; and if he will make a statement. [186608]

Nicky Morgan: Effective carbon pricing, including the carbon price floor (CPF), is an important part of the Government's energy policy.

The Government keep all tax policy under review.

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Taxation: Self-assessment

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of (a) the number of people who will be fined for failing to register for self-assessment to continue to receive child benefit and (b) the total amount charged in fines for failing to register for self-assessment to continue to receive child benefit. [186622]

Mr Gauke: No penalties have yet been issued for a failure to register for self-assessment as a result of the introduction of the high-income child benefit charge. HM Revenue and Customs will write to those individuals who its records show have failed to register, to remind them to do so and pay the tax they owe.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Government's commitment to give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) when making new policy and legislation, if he will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from his Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186592]

Nicky Morgan: HM Treasury considers the impacts of its legislative and wider policy work, including impacts specifically on children. In the course of this work it consults with a number of expert groups and, in particular, works closely with Government Departments with lead responsibilities on policies important for the welfare of children.

HM Treasury has been responsible for a number of decisions that will further the aims of the convention in the UK. For example, Budget 2013 announced the introduction of tax-free child care, benefitting children by providing families with support for high child-care costs.

All Bills introduced by Treasury Ministers are published with a memorandum confirming that the Bill is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the provisions of which overlap with those of the UNCRC to a considerable extent.

More widely, the coalition Government are due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child shortly. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.

Welfare Tax Credits

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the current level of tax credits overpayment debt is; and what estimate he has made of such figures at the end of 2014-15. [186469]

Nicky Morgan: The information requested is available in the HMRC annual report and accounts for the year ending 31 March 2013 at paragraph 4.27:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13--3

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Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs expects to write off in tax credits debt in 2012-13. [186470]

Nicky Morgan: The information requested is available in the HM Revenue and Customs annual report and accounts for the year ending 31 March 2013—page 141, table 26.1 ‘Losses Statement’:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-report-and-accounts-2012-13--3

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the level of savings HM Revenue and Customs expects to make on reducing tax credits error and fraud between 2010-11 and 2014-15. [186483]

Nicky Morgan: HM Revenue and Customs publishes—as official statistics—estimates of the level of error and fraud in the tax credits system on an annual basis. The most recent figures relate to the tax year 2011-12 and these, along with the estimates for earlier years are available at:

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/statistics/fin-error-stats.htm#1

The 2011-12 estimate of the level of error and fraud is 7.3% of finalised entitlement, down from 8.1% in 2010-11, and is the lowest level of error and fraud since the current personal tax credit scheme was introduced in 2003-04.

The Government remain determined to crack down on and tackle error and fraud in the tax credits system. HM Revenue and Customs aims to reduce error and fraud in the tax credit system towards 5.5% of finalised entitlement by 2014-15, down from 8.1% in 2010-11.