Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the (a) number of switches and (b) number of switches according to different indicators of vulnerability in each collective switching scheme supported by the Cheaper Energy Together fund. [187037]
Michael Fallon: Table A shows the number of switches for each collective switching scheme supported by the Cheaper Energy Together fund.
Table B shows the number of switches according to different indicators of vulnerability in each collective switching scheme supported by the Cheaper Energy Together fund, which schemes were asked to collect. Most schemes asked questions during sign-up although some sent consumers a follow-on survey. These questions were optional for households to answer since they contain personal data so the figures may be underestimates. Schemes did not include all suggested questions due to concerns that they would put off households from registering.
Further data are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/253862/Helping_Customers_Switch_Collective _Switching_and_Beyond_final__2_.pdf
Table A: Number of switches | |
Number of consumers having switched/ accepted the offer | |
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11 Feb 2014 : Column 594W
Table B: Number of switches according to different indicators of vulnerability6 | |||||||
Benefits7 | Elderly8 | Long term sick/disabled9 | Children10 | Household income11 | Never switched before | No internet | |
1 Nottingham provided an instant switching service and a collective switching service. These results are for both. 2 These data cover an auction in January and April 3 These data cover an auction in April and June. 4 These data cover an auction in January and April. 5 These data cover an auction in April and June. 6 ‘—’ means data are unavailable. 7 Pension credit (guaranteed credit or savings credit), income support or income-based jobseeker's allowance, income-related employment support allowance (ESAIR) that includes a work related activity or support component, child tax credit and has an income of £15,860 or less, working tax credit and has an income of £15,860 or less, undisclosed benefit. 8 Household contains someone aged 60 or over. 9 Household contains someone with a long-term illness or disability that limits their activities 10 A child under the age of five ordinarily resides in the household. 11 Household income below £13,380. 12 These data are only for April auction. 13 These data are only for April auction. 14 These data are only for April auction 15 These data are only for April auction. |
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the average level of savings made by customers in each socio-economic group from each collective switching scheme supported by the Cheaper Energy Together fund. [187039]
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Michael Fallon: We do not hold information on the level of savings made by customers in each socio-economic group from schemes supported by Cheaper Energy Together. We have published data on a variety of other indicators from collective switching schemes supported by Cheaper Energy Together, which is available at this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/253862/Helping_Customers_ Switch_Collective_Switching_and_Beyond_final__2_.pdf
Energy: Prices
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the written answer of 29 January 2014, Official Report, column 575W, on energy: prices, if he will make it his policy to require suppliers to pass on the savings from changes to green levies to customers on fixed-price deals. [186719]
Michael Fallon: The Government see no reason why suppliers should not be able to apply the same savings to fixed and variable customers, and continue to make this clear to the companies concerned.
Flood Control
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what research has been undertaken (a) by his Department or (b) on behalf of his Department on the adequacy of sea defences to protect the (i) Sellafield nuclear site and (ii) low-level waste repository at Drigg. [186354]
Michael Fallon: DECC has not undertaken any research on the adequacy of sea defences to protect the Sellafield nuclear site or the low-level waste repository at Drigg.
DECC is advised by the Office for Nuclear Regulation, which regulates nuclear safety and security, that the licensed site operators commissioned such research to inform their judgments on the adequacy of flood defences, and that the regulator is satisfied with those judgments that adequate safety measures are in place to protect nuclear facilities at the sites against flooding risk, including in worst-case scenarios.
In addition, the Environment Agency shoreline management plans (SMP) provide a large-scale assessment of the risks associated with erosion and flooding at the coast. They present policies to help manage those risks and sit at the top of a hierarchy of local authority and Environment Agency plans for coastal risk management. The plans cover a 100-year period and take climate change and sea-level rise into account.
Fracking
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what quantities of liquid and solid wastes were produced at drill sites operated by Cuadrilla Resources at (a) Preese Hall, (b) Balcombe and (c) Becconsall; what the composition of those wastes were; how and where those wastes were treated and disposed of; and what permits were issued for their storage, transport and disposal, for each year of activity on each site. [186169]
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Dan Rogerson: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
No permits were issued for the Preese Hall and Becconsall sites as activities were carried out before changes to environmental legislation. Details for each site of the quantities removed are held by Cuadrilla and are available for inspection by the Environment Agency if required. Specific details of disposal for each site cannot be revealed at this time because they remain commercially confidential.
At Preese Hall the majority of the return water produced was removed and treated at United Utilities industrial effluent treatment facility at its Davyhulme water treatment works in Greater Manchester. From October 2011 around 120 cubic meters of flow back that remained on site was stored safely until the summer of 2012. It was then used in a series of trials at further industrial treatment sites.
Waste drilling muds and drill cutting were also produced as the well bore was being drilled during 2010-12. These were disposed at sites licensed to accept waste under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010.
For activities at Balcombe, Cuadrilla was issued a Mining Waste Facility permit and a Radioactive Substances Activity permit by the Environment Agency. Waste drilling muds and drill cuttings were produced during the drilling activity. The disposal sites being used were appropriately permitted.
At Becconsall waste drilling muds and drill cuttings were produced as the well bore was being drilled during 2011-12. These were disposed of at sites licensed to accept waste under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010, as issued by the Environment Agency.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if the Government will ensure that any benefits that come from fracking will be experienced by the whole country and economy. [186919]
Michael Fallon [holding answer 10 February 2014]: The Government are determined that the UK economy will benefit from any shale gas development that might take place through benefits such as increased tax revenues, greater energy security, growth and jobs.
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of revenues from fracking he expects will accrue to (a) the Exchequer, (b) local communities and (c) private companies. [186920]
Michael Fallon [holding answer 10 February 2014]: While there is potential for shale gas to provide substantial revenue to the Exchequer in the future, until more work is done to determine the extent of gas that can be technically and commercially recovered, we will not be able to forecast the proportion of revenue that might accrue to the Exchequer or to private companies.
The Government are committed to ensuring that communities hosting shale developments benefit from development in their local area. That is why on 13 January the Government announced 100% local retention of business rates for shale production projects. In addition,
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the industry has brought forward a community benefits package which the Government have welcomed. At exploration stage, the industry will provide £100,000 per hydraulically fractured well site. The industry is also committed to providing 1% of revenue at production stage.
Staff
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of staff of (a) his Department and (b) agencies and public bodies accountable to him work outside London; and in which local authorities such staff are located. [187266]
Gregory Barker: The proportion of staff who work for and those accountable to the Department of Energy and Climate Change who work outside of London and the local authorities in which they are based are shown in the following table.
Wind Power
Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he has made in instituting safeguards to prevent the selling and operation of turbines which have been de-rated to allow them to benefit from higher tariffs; and what recent assessment he has made of trends in the number of de-rated turbines. [186916]
Michael Fallon [holding answer 10 February 2014]:Up to the end of September 2013, 110 turbines had been installed under the feed-in tariff scheme (FITs) in the 100-500 kW band, representing just 2.2% of wind sites. Of these 110, only eight, with a total installed capacity between 490-500 kW, had been de-rated.
Although the practice is therefore not widespread, we continue to take it seriously. We have discussed the issue with RenewablesUK and turbine manufacturers but
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have not so far been able to identify a workable technical solution. However, we will keep open discussions with the industry on this issue, and are committed to take action, if necessary.
Wales
Wrexham-Bidston Railway Line
Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which organisations are participating in the group of stakeholders created on 22 August 2013 to discuss the business case for electrification of the Wrexham to Bidston line; what the names are of the individuals representing those organisations; and on what date that group has been asked to report back with its recommendations. [187105]
Mr David Jones: On 22 August 2013, I met with a number of key stakeholders, interested businesses and local authority members to discuss the importance of the electrification of the Wrexham to Bidston line to the region.
Represented at that meeting were:
Chester and Cheshire West council;
Comtek Network Systems (UK) Limited;
Deeside Industrial Park Business Forum;
Denbighshire county council;
Flintshire county council;
Liverpool City Region LEP;
Mersey Dee Alliance;
Merseytravel;
North Wales Economic Ambition Board;
Peel Holdings;
TAITH;
West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
Wirral council;
Wirral Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and
Wrexham county borough council.
The hon. Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) was also present.
At the meeting Merseytravel committed to commissioning a demand study for the Wrexham to Bidston line. Subsequently, the Welsh Government have agreed to co-fund this study with Merseytravel and I understand the conclusions from that study will be available later this year.
International Development
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 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 she will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from her Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186589]
Mr Duncan: DFID has not put forward any primary legislation since January 2013.
In our policies and programmes, the UK Government support children's rights in all the countries where we work. This includes tackling the problems that threaten
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these rights, e.g. conflict, poor governance, extreme poverty, economic development, and climate change. We also provide resources for delivering better health and education, water and sanitation, nutrition and protection. We also support efforts to engage children as active participants in their societies.
More widely, the Government are shortly due to report to the UN Committee responsible for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Department for Education is co-ordinating the response with contributions from other Government Departments, including DFID. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.
Justice
Contempt of Court
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were imprisoned in each division in each month since May 2013 for contempt of court. [186598]
Jeremy Wright: The following table sets out the number of people who were received into custody for contempt of court between May 2013 and September 2013 (the latest available figures). Contempt of court covers a wide variety of conduct which undermines or has the potential to undermine the course of justice.
Number of people received into custody for contempt of court | |
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Dangerous Driving
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport about the 38 per cent rise in fatalities caused by dangerous driving in the last 12 months; and what steps he is taking in response to that rise. [186006]
Damian Green: The UK has one of the best road safety records in the world, but every death is a tragedy for the victim and family and close friends. We are in regular contact with the Department for Transport to ensure that maximum penalties for serious road traffic offences properly reflect the culpability of offenders and to improve the skills and attitudes of drivers and riders to reduce the number of fatal collisions. The latest statistics indicate that the number of offenders proceeded against for causing death by dangerous driving has fallen since 2010, while sentence lengths have increased.
Driving under Influence: Drugs
John Woodcock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions have been brought under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, where
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being under the influence of legal highs was a contributing factor in each of the last five years. [186967]
Mr Vara: If someone is convicted of driving or attempting to drive a mechanically powered vehicle whilst unfit due to drink or drugs, they face a custodial sentence of up to six months and an obligatory driving disqualification of at least 12 months. Maximum penalties of 14 years' imprisonment are also available for those who cause death through dangerous driving or by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs - and courts impose very severe sentences for these offences.
Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not, however, contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information prosecutions brought under section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, in which the use of legal highs was a contributing factor. This detailed information may be held on the court record but due to its size and complexity is not reported centrally to the MOJ. As such, the information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Hezbollah
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any individuals in England or Wales have been found guilty of fundraising for Hezbollah's proscribed military wing to date. [186506]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
Since the proscription of the Hezbollah military wing, no individuals have been convicted of fundraising for Hezbollah's military wing.
Homicide: Children
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women have been convicted of murdering one or more of their children in each of the last five years. [186599]
Norman Baker: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The available information is given in the table and is taken from the Home Office Homicide Index. The data given cover the period 2007-08 to 2011-12. The latest homicide statistics for 2012-13 will be released on 13 February 2014 in the ‘Focus on: Violent Crime and Sexual Offences’ publication which will be available on the Office for National Statistics website.
The circumstances surrounding a homicide can be complex and it can take time for cases to pass through the criminal justice system. Due to this, there are a number of homicide cases where criminal proceedings have yet to reach a conclusion.
Suspects convicted of murdering one or more of their children1 by sex of suspect, 2007-08 to 2011-122—England and Wales | |||||
Number | |||||
Conviction | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 |
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1 As at 1 November 2012; figures are subject la revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information becomes available. 2 Includes victims of all ages. Source: Homicide Index, Home Office |
Northern Ireland
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [186636]
Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice has not sold any assets in Northern Ireland in the last five years.
Oakwood Prison
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff on each grade have (a) been recruited to work in HM Prison Oakwood and (b) left in each year since that prison opened. [183149]
Jeremy Wright: The information requested is not collected centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost. At HMP Oakwood, staff are employed by a number of providers to deliver a range of services including, for example, probation services, education and healthcare, as well as custodial services.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many and what proportion of the senior management working at HM Prison Oakwood when it took its first prisoners had previous experience of working in a prison; [184030]
(2) how many of the senior management at HM Prison Oakwood had (a) no, (b) up to six months, (c) between six and 12 months and (d) more than 12 months’ previous experience working in a prison at the time of that prison's opening. [184031]
Jeremy Wright: The information requested could not be obtained at present. I will write to the right hon. Member in due course.
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Prison Service: Staff
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) which prisons have reported staff shortages that have required staff to be called in from other prisons in each month since May 2010; [185049]
(2) which prisons have used staff on deferred duty from other prisons in each month since May 2010. [185050]
Jeremy Wright: Information on the number of prisons both reporting staff shortages and using staff on detached duty from other prisons is not available centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many staff in the Prison Service have been on deferred duty in each month since May 2010; [185135]
(2) how much was spent on (a) travel, (b) accommodation and (c) subsistence costs for deferred duty cover for staff in the Prison Service each month since May 2010. [185161]
Jeremy Wright: We have interpreted the question to refer to detached duty, the term deferred duty is not used by the National Offender Management Service. Information on the number of staff that have been on detached duty and information on the cost incurred, broken down by travel, accommodation and subsistence costs, is not available centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
Prisoners: Foreign Nationals
Mr Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the oral answer of 15 October 2013, Official Report, columns 681-2W, on prisoners: foreign national, how many of the foreign national offenders listed in that answer (a) have been released, (b) have been deported and (c) are still detained; and if he will make a statement. [184547]
James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.
The following table shows the number of foreign national offenders listed in the answer of 15 October 2013, Official Report, columns 681-2W, on prisoners: foreign national who have been (a) released, (b) have been deported and (c) are still detained.
Number | |
Notes: 1. ‘Released’ and ‘Detained’ figures from live Criminal Casework data as of 27 January 2014. 2. ‘Deported/Removed’ figures taken from published FNO removals data—January 2010 to September 2013 and current financial year data to 25 January 2014. 3. ‘Concluded’ relates to cases that have been concluded as a result of an allowed appeal/grant of leave to remain, or no longer of interest to Criminal Casework. |
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John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign national prisoners have been given temporary release to attend interviews at immigration detention centres operated under contract to the UK Border Agency in each month of the last three years. [186540]
Jeremy Wright: Central data are not held on how many foreign national prisoners have been given release on temporary licence and for what reasons. This information could only be obtained by a manual check of the records of all instances of prisoners being released on temporary licence, which would incur disproportionate cost. It is not however, usual practice for foreign national prisoners to be given release on temporary licence for this purpose. In circumstances where the Home Office is required to interview foreign national prisoners, immigration enforcement staff will attend the relevant prison to carry out this task.
Prisoners: Self-harm
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of self-harm among women in prison. [186794]
Jeremy Wright: The Government are committed to reducing the incidence of self-harm in prisons. All prisons are required to have procedures in place to identify, manage and support people who are at risk of harm to themselves. These procedures include the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process, which is a prisoner-centred, flexible care planning system for prisoners identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm. The ACCT process is designed to ensure that all prisoners are managed in a way that is responsive to individual needs and risks, including those related to gender.
Prisons: Police
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times, and to which prisons, the police were called out in each month since May 2010. [186838]
Jeremy Wright: The police will attend prisons in respect of a range of crimes when requested to do so. The information on the number of times police attend each prison is not recorded centrally. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost by collating the relevant information from records held by each prison establishment.
Prisons: Wrexham
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) if he will publish the shortlist of contractors for the construction of the prison at Wrexham; [186762]
(2) if he will publish the specifications for the design of the proposed prison at Wrexham. [186764]
Jeremy Wright: The following companies have been shortlisted as potential prime constructors of the new prison in Wrexham:
Interserve;
Carillion;
Lend Lease; and
Kier.
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The plan for the new prison in Wrexham is that it will be constructed to category B standard comprising three four-storey house blocks with a compound surrounded by a secure fence measuring 5.2 metres.
Probation
Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the Magistrates' Association has raised any concerns in respect of the probation change programme. [186656]
Jeremy Wright: In May 2013, we published ‘Transforming Rehabilitation—a strategy for reform’, which set out our response to our earlier, wide consultation ‘Transforming Rehabilitation—a revolution in the way we manage offenders’. In producing that document we consulted widely and received nearly 600 formal responses and held 14 consultation events which were attended by over 800 stakeholders. The Magistrates' Association welcomed the Government's intention to have short-sentenced prisoners supervised after release and asked a number of questions about the reforms. Officials and Ministers have regular discussions with all stakeholders to the transforming rehabilitation programme, including the Magistrates' Association, and the views received have been invaluable in informing these reforms.
Victim Support Schemes
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has to regionalise victims services currently run by Probation Trusts in England and Wales. [186842]
Jeremy Wright: The Probation Victim Contact Scheme (VCS), which was established in 2001, provides valuable support to victims of offenders who receive a sentence of imprisonment of 12 months or more or a hospital order for a violent or sexual offence. The VCS enables victims to be informed of key stages of an offender's sentence, such as if they are transferred to open conditions or released. Victims also have the statutory right to make representations about the licence conditions to which the offender should be subject on release, to re-assure and protect them.
In cases where the offender's case is reviewed by the Parole Board, victims have a right to submit a victim personal statement to the Parole Board, setting out the impact of the offence against them, and what the impact of release will be. If the Parole Board holds an oral hearing, victims can apply to read their statement to the Parole Board panel, with the presumption that this will be agreed. The new Victims' Code, which was published in October 2013, enshrines the entitlement for victims to make a VPS to the Parole Board.
Currently, each Probation Trust has responsibility for the operation of the Victim Contact Scheme. Under the Transforming Rehabilitation Programme, the Victim Contact Scheme will be delivered by the new National Probation Service (NPS). The NPS will be divided into six regions and one nation (Wales), and each region will have responsibility for the operation of the Victim Contact Scheme.
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Culture, Media and Sport
Betting Shops
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) when the regulations governing the staffing of betting shops were last reviewed; and if she will make a statement; [186525]
(2) what assessment her Department has made of the arrangements to ensure the safety of staff single-working in betting shops; and if she will make a statement; [186670]
(3) what recent representations her Department has received on the safety of staff working on their own in betting shops. [186669]
Mrs Grant: Like any workplace, betting premises must operate within the requirements of the Hearth and Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. In addition, the Gambling Act 2005 provides powers to local authorities to attach conditions to a betting shop's premises licence to ensure that it meets its obligations in upholding the licensing objectives of the Act; the Government regularly review and assess the effectiveness of these measures.
There is evidence that some local authorities are using these powers to good effect to impose licence conditions on betting shops including a requirement to have a minimum of two members of staff on duty throughout the whole day. I receive representations on a range of matters in relation to betting shops.
Buildings
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the office space owned or leased by her Department is not in regular use; what the total (a) rental and (b) retail value is of all such unused office space; and if she will place in the Library a copy of her most recent departmental real estate valuation. [186861]
Mrs Grant: The Department only occupies leased office accommodation, through operating leases. All of the office space leased by the Department is in regular use.
Local Broadcasting
Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with Ofcom on the position of local television stations in Wales and Scotland on the electronic programme guide. [187004]
Mr Vaizey: As set out in Connectivity, Content, Consumers: Britain's Digital Platform for Growth, we want to maintain the prominence of our Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs), and we intend to launch a consultation shortly on how best to do so. In that context, my officials have had a number of discussions with Ofcom about the prominence of PSB channels, including local TV services, in light of the specific concerns of local TV stations in Scotland and Wales.
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Northern Ireland
Dr Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assets her Department has sold in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the value of each such sale was. [186568]
Mrs Grant: The Department sold no assets in Northern Ireland in the last five years.
Tourism: Northern Ireland
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Northern Ireland Executive on promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination. [186782]
Mrs Grant: I have not held any discussions with the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Northern Ireland Executive on promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination since tourism is a devolved matter. The cross-Government GREAT campaign does promote tourism to the United Kingdom as a whole.
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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 she will place in the Library all assessments of how new policy and legislation from her Department since January 2013 has given due consideration to the UNCRC. [186580]
Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library all assessments of new policy and legislation undertaken by her Department since January 2013 which give due consideration to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [185806]
Mrs Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is committed to considering the impact of all new policies and legislation, including where they impact specifically on children. The Department consults with a range of expert groups, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to ensure the best interests of a child are represented within our work.
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 Culture, Media and Sport has undertaken. Once the Government have submitted their response to the UN Committee, a copy will be placed in the House Library.
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Cabinet Office
Criminal Investigation
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 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. [186704]
Mr Hurd: The Department for Communities and Local Government provides internal audit services through shared services for the Cabinet Office, including the investigation of reported frauds.
The choice of type and means of investigation will be based on the circumstances of the case and be proportionate to the seriousness of the suspected offence.
No organisation or individual has been granted authorisation to carry out directed surveillance under section 28 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.
Public Appointments
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) which paid public appointment contracts he has (a) renewed and (b) not renewed since May 2010; and how many posts were held by (i) women and (ii) men; [187011]
(2) what the titles are of the individual public appointments that have been made by his Department since May 2010; and which of those appointees were women; [187072]
(3) which paid public appointment contracts No. 10 Downing Street has (a) renewed and (b) not renewed since May 2010; and how many posts were held by (i) women and (ii) men. [187026]
Mr Maude: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
I refer my hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 February 2014, Official Report, column 301W.
Figures in relation to diversity for public appointments within the jurisdiction of the Commission for Public Appointments for 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 can be found on the website at:
http://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/
Copies are also available in the Library of the House.
Re-employment
Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2014, Official Report, column 216W, on re-employment, what the total cost was of those redundancies. [187208]
Mr Hurd: In line with the practice of previous Administrations exact numbers and costs are not usually disclosed to protect individual privacy when numbers are five or fewer.
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Health
Abortion
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 3 February 2014, Official Report, columns 65-66W, on abortion, if his Department will review data collection protocols in order to record how many doctors have been challenged to defend their decision to refer for an abortion and how many such challenges have been overturned. [186549]
Jane Ellison: The Abortion Regulations 1991 require that registered medical practitioners notify the chief medical officer on form HSA4 of every abortion they have performed. The information required to be completed on the HSA4 form is set out in the regulations. There are no plans to amend the regulations or the HSA4 form to collect information on whether one or both of the certifying doctors have been challenged about their decision that there are grounds for an abortion.
Accident and Emergency Departments: Dental Services
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost to the NHS is of patients who require emergency dental treatment presenting at accident and emergency departments; [187154]
(2) how many patients presented at (a) GP surgeries and (b) accident and emergency departments with dental problems in each of the last three years. [187361]
Dr Poulter: Information is not collected centrally on the cost to the national health service of patients presenting at accident and emergency (A and E) departments who require emergency dental treatment or on how many patients presented at general practitioner surgeries with dental problems.
Information is available on the number of A and E attendances where the patient's first' treatment was dental treatment. For the years 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 this is set out in the following table.
Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | |
First A and E treatment | Number of A and E attendances |
Notes: 1. HES figures are available from 2007-08 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage and changes in NHS practice. 2. Specifically in 2010-11 there were over four million records with invalid or no data in the treatment field; in 2011-12 this reduced to over one million records. Comparisons between, treatment data in those years are therefore unlikely to be meaningful. 3. HES is not the official source of total A and E activity, this is the NHS England situation reports collection: www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ 4. However, HES permits further analysis of A and E activity as there are a range of data items by which HES can be analysed. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Health and Social Care Information Centre |
Dental Services
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of people are not registered with either an NHS dentist or a private dentist in each region. [187358]
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Dr Poulter: 1.3 million more people have seen an NHS dentist since May 2010 with nearly 30 million people seeing a dentist in a two year period in the NHS.
Information is not available on numbers of patients registered with an NHS dentist. The NHS remuneration system has not. included registration since the contractual changes of 2006. Patients do not register with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to ‘registration’ is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services (‘patients seen’) over a 24 month period. However, this is not directly comparable to registration data.
The following table provides the numbers of patients seen by an NHS dentist and the percentage of population in the 24-month period ending 30 September 2013 in England, broken down by Region.
Patients seen | Patients seen as a percentage of the population1 | |
1 The patients seen measure shows the number of patients who received NHS dental care in the previous 24 months, where their last Course of Treatment (CoT) started within the past 24 months. An equivalent measure covering the 12 month period is not available. Note: Percentage of the population figures use Office for National Statistics mid-year population estimate for 2011 as these were the latest available at the time of publication. These figures will be subject to revision in future reports once newer population figures are available. |
General Practitioners: Telephone Services
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of calls made on (a) higher rate and (b) 0845 telephone numbers to GP surgeries in England in each year since 2007. [187362]
Dr Poulter: The requested information is not collected centrally.
Regulations introduced in 2010 prevented general practitioner practices from entering into, renewing or extending a contract for telephone services unless it was satisfied that, looking at the arrangements as a whole, patients would not pay more to make calls to the practice than they would to make calls to a geographical number.
Public Health
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what visits Dame Carol Black has made since her appointment to promote the Public Health Responsibility Deal partners to (a) small and medium size enterprises, (b) other private companies, (c) public sector bodies and (d) third-sector organisations. [187357]
Jane Ellison: As part of her role helping the Government to promote the Public Health Responsibility Deal, Dame Carol Black visits many organisations and undertakes a large number of speaking and other engagements. This includes the work she does as Principal of Newnham College. She is not a Department of Health employee and the Department does not keep a record of her engagements.
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Health Services: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many healthcare assistants there were in each NHS trust in London in the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [187065]
Dr Poulter: Information on the numbers of clinical support staff employed by each national health service organisation in London for each year during the period 2008 to 2012 has been placed in the Library.
Heart Diseases: Sugar
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has commissioned on the effect of sugar consumption on heart disease. [186475]
Dr Poulter: The Department has not commissioned any research specifically on the effect of sugar consumption on heart disease.
The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has awarded nearly £10 million over five years to the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre in nutrition. The centre's research in nutrition addresses health impacts across the entire lifecourse, particularly in tackling later life development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
Hospital Beds
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals have been recorded as having general and acute bed occupancy in excess of 95 per cent on any one day in each of the last 12 months. [187355]
Jane Ellison: Information on the number of available and occupied beds open overnight is not collected for every day of the year. A daily collection occurs during winter months to help the national health service manage winter pressures. The most recent information for the period between 4 November 2013 and 5 February 2014 shows that 142 NHS hospital trusts were recorded as having general and acute bed occupancy in excess of 95% on any one day in that period.
Information on general and acute bed occupancy for a whole 12 month period is only collected every quarter. For the four quarters from October 2012 to September 2013 this shows average general and acute bed occupancy of 88.1%, with 55 NHS hospital trusts having average general and acute bed occupancy in excess of 95% in any one quarter.
Hospitals: Greater London
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished admissions episodes there were in the last five years for which figures are available in each NHS trust in London; what the (a) mean and (b) median time waited was in days for (i) hip replacement, (ii) hysterectomy and (iii) cataract removal procedures in each such area; and if he will make a statement. [187062]
Jane Ellison: The information has been placed in the Library.
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Mr Thomas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished admissions episodes there were at (a) North West London Hospitals NHS Trust and (b) all other London hospitals in the last five years for which figures are available; what the (i) mean and (ii)
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median time waited was in days for cholecystectomy procedures in each such area; and if he will make a statement. [187063]
Jane Ellison: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
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2011-12 | 2012-13 | |||||
Provider/area | FAEs | Mean | Median | FAEs | Mean | Median |
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust. | ||||||
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1 Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2Time waited (days) Time waited (days) statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are not the same as published Referral to Treatment (RTT) time waited statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients between decision to admit and admission to hospital within a given period. Published RTT waiting statistics measure the time waited between referral and start of treatment. 3Main procedure The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, (e.g. time waited), but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. Notes: 1. Total admissions with eligible time waited information The total number of eligible admissions from which the mean and median time waited are derived. This includes waiting list and booked admissions, but not planned admissions. A waiting list admission is one in which a patient has been admitted electively into hospital from a waiting list, having been given no date of admission at the time a decision to admit was made. Booked admissions are those in which the patient was admitted electively having been given a date at the time it was decided to admit. Planned admissions are excluded as they are usually part of a planned sequence of clinical care determined mainly on clinical criteria, which, for example, could require a series of events, perhaps taking place every three months, six months or annually. Because of this the number of episodes used to generate the mean and median time waited is likely to be lower than the number of FAEs reported in the table. It is the case that some providers do not supply the data required to calculate a time waited on eligible episodes. 2. To protect patient confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced with "*" (an asterisk). Where it was possible to identify numbers from the total due to a single suppressed number in a row or column, an additional number (generally the next smallest) has also been suppressed. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre. |