Nature Conservation

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the European Commission, (b) his European counterparts and (c) UK members of the European Parliament on European-wide counter-measures against invasive non-native species. [188928]

George Eustice: DEFRA officials have been closely involved in all stages of the negotiations on the draft EU regulation on invasive non-native species. They have attended all working party meetings in the Council of the European Union, held bilaterals with other member states and officials in the European Commission, as well as meeting key MEPs in the European Parliament, including the lead rapporteur.

The Secretary of State also discussed this matter with the European Commission and his counterparts at the Environment Council in December 2013.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by his Department and (b) operated by a third party on his Department's property there were at (A) 5 May 2010 and (B) 5 February 2014; and how many such nurseries are expected to cease operating in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16. [189102]

Dan Rogerson: The Department does not directly operate workplace nurseries and currently has three workplace nurseries that are operated at three sites by third parties. They are as follows:

DEFRA—York;

Food and Environment Research Agency—Sand Hutton; and

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency/Veterinary Medicines Directorate—Weybridge.

All three nurseries were in operation in 5 May 2010 and 5 February 2014. The nurseries are expected to be in operation in 2014-15 and 2015-2016.

Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the highest proportion of discretion in the Environment Agency's budget that can be spent on routine maintenance of rivers. [189616]

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Dan Rogerson: The proportion of discretionary revenue spend on routine maintenance of rivers and flood and coastal erosion assets by the Environment Agency in 2011-12 was 72%, in 2012-13 was 76% and in 2013-14 was 74%. The Environment Agency spends the rest of its Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management revenue budget on activities such as flood incident management, flood forecasting and the mapping and modelling of flood risk, as well as development control.

Squirrels: Diseases

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has commissioned into squirrel pox; and if he will make a statement. [189446]

George Eustice [holding answer 28 February 2014]: DEFRA has not commissioned any research into squirrel pox. However, we have recently agreed to support the Moredun Research Institute, which is undertaking research on the development of a vaccine for squirrel pox virus.

Justice

Allowances: Appeals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the total cost incurred by his Department was in appeals against benefit sanctions imposed by the Department for Work and Pensions on claimants of employment and support allowance in each year since 2010; [189431]

(2) what the average cost incurred by his Department is over an appeal against a decision in the Department for Work and Pensions to sanction a claimant's jobseeker's allowance; and what the total cost of dealing with all such appeals has been in each year since 2010. [189433]

Mr Vara: The First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), administered by HM Courts & Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits, including employment and support allowance (ESA) and jobseekers allowance (JSA).

HMCTS does not record data specifically relating to appeals against sanctions imposed by DWP on ESA or JSA and does not therefore hold the information requested.

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189147]

Mr Vara: The recently published Ministry of Justice Diversity Data Report, 2012-13, included data on promotions for the first time, with comparative data in relation to a number of protected characteristics in annexed tables.

These data cover MoJ HQ, National Offender Management Service (NOMS), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

The Ministry of Justice does not however hold this information for 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2010-11 centrally as it is not available from the MoJ's legacy HR database.

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The proportions of male and female staff promoted in 2011-12 and 2012-13 are shown in the following table.

The calculation is the number of staff promoted in the protected characteristic as a proportion of all staff promoted in the period.

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies are committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity is a normal part of everyday business, and that its policies are fair and accessible to all.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) white British and (b) from any other ethnic minority group. [189167]

Mr Vara: The recently published Ministry of Justice Diversity Data Report, 2012-13, included data on promotions for the first time, with comparative data in relation to a number of protected characteristics in annexed tables.

These data cover MOJ HQ, National Offender Management Service (NOMS), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) and the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

The Ministry of Justice does not however hold this information for 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2010-11 centrally as it is not available from the MOJ's legacy HR database.

The comparative data in the report combine all the white sub-categories (white British, white other, white Irish, white English, white Welsh, white Scottish) and the following table, which shows the proportion of staff promoted who have declared their ethnicity as white or non white, reflects this. The proportion of staff who have not declared their ethnicity status is also included.

The calculation is the number of declared non-white staff promoted as a proportion of all staff promoted in the period.

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies are committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity and diversity is a normal part of everyday business, and that its policies are fair and accessible to all.

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Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled. [189187]

Mr Vara: The recently published Ministry of Justice Diversity Data Report, 2012-13, included data on promotions for the first time, with comparative data in relation to a number of protected characteristics in annexed tables.

These data cover MOJ HQ, NOMS, HMCTS and OPG. The Ministry of Justice does not however hold this information for 2008-09, 2009-10 or 2010-11 centrally, as it is not available from the MOJ's legacy HR database.

The proportions of staff promoted who have declared themselves as “disabled” and “non disabled” are shown in the following table. Also included is the proportion of staff whose disability status is “undeclared”.

The calculation is the number of declared disabled staff promoted as a proportion of all staff promoted in the period.

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies are committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity and diversity is a normal part of everyday business, and that its policies are fair and accessible to all.

Civil Proceedings: Wales

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many litigants in person in private law cases have appeared in (a) Gwent civil and family and tribunals sub-clusters and (b) Wales civil and family tribunals cluster since April 2013; [184376]

(2) how many litigants in person in private law cases appeared in (a) Gwent civil and family and tribunals sub-cluster and (b) Wales civil and family tribunals cluster between April 2012 and April 2013. [184378]

Mr Vara: Family cases showing self representing applicants and respondents are published quarterly. Self-representation is determined by the field “legal representation” in the Ministry of Justice administrative database being left blank. Therefore, this is only a proxy measure and parties without a recorded representative are not necessarily self-representing litigants in person.

Information for parties representation is available for family courts at a national level in table 2.4 of Court Statistics Quarterly and it is available at this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/court-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2013

Breaking down the parties representation figures for Wales nationally and for Gwent locally, private law disposals in Family Proceedings Courts and County Courts are as follows:

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Litigants in person are not a new phenomenon in our courts. Judges are used to helping persons with no legal representation, including explaining procedures and what is expected of them. We have taken steps to help people who either want or have to represent themselves in court, including publishing a revised guide for separating parents and increased training for judges. The link to the guide is:

http://hmctsformfinder.justice.gov.uk/HMCTS/GetLeaflet.do?court_leaflets_id=2756

Coroners

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total amount allocated to the provision of legal aid at inquest proceedings was in each of the last five years; and what the total number of such cases was in each of the last five years. [189648]

Mr Vara: As not all of the information requested is readily available, I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

Crimes: Convictions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many people were convicted of arson in each of the last seven years; and of those how many were convicted of arson with intent; [184055]

(2) how many people were convicted of malicious wounding offences in each of the last seven years; and of those how many were convicted of malicious wounding with intent; [184056]

(3) how many people were convicted of grievous bodily harm offences in each of the last seven years; and of those how many were convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent. [184057]

Jeremy Wright: The law on criminal damage is set out in the Criminal Damage Act 1971 which makes it an offence under section 1(1) for a person intentionally or recklessly to destroy or damage property belonging to another without lawful excuse. Under section 1(2) there is an aggravated version of the offence, where the damage is intended to endanger the life of another person or the defendant is reckless as to whether the life of another would be endangered. Where the property is destroyed or damaged by fire, these offences are charged as arson (section 1(3)).

The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for “arson” offences in England and Wales from 2006 to 2012 (latest available) can be viewed in table 1.

Between 2010 and 2012, the proportion of offenders given custody and the average custodial sentence length (months) increased for both arson offences.

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Section 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 contains the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm. A racially or religiously aggravated version of this offence can be found in section 29 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

Section 18 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 contains the offence of wounding or causing grievous bodily harm with the intent to do grievous bodily harm or with the intent to resist arrest.

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The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for grievous bodily harm and malicious wounding offences in England and Wales from 2006 to 2012 (latest available) can be viewed in table 2.

Between 2010 and 2012, the proportion of offenders given custody and the average custodial sentence length (months) increased for both offences.

Dartmoor Prison

Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether he has given the Duchy of Cornwall notice of the decision to close Dartmoor prison; [189297]

(2) what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of compliance with the notice period required by the Duchy of Cornwall for the closure of Dartmoor prison; [189305]

(3) what period of notice he is required to give the Duchy of Cornwall of the decision to close HMP Dartmoor. [189355]

Jeremy Wright: The physical limitations of the prison and its geographical location mean that both strategically and economically it does not have a long-term future as part of a modern prison estate. The lease for HMP Dartmoor is subject to a 10-year notice period and notice to terminate the lease was served to the Duchy of Cornwall in November 2013. However, no decision has been made on when the prison will close and therefore no estimate has been made of the cost to the Department for compliance with the notice period.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of appeals against the refusal of employment and support allowance held on Saturdays in the last year. [189745]

Mr Vara: The First-tier Tribunal—Social Security and Child Support (SSCS), administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS), hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) decisions on a range of benefits, including employment and support allowance (ESA).

Claimants can appeal to the Tribunal against elements of an ESA award, such as a decision on the rate of entitlement, as well as a decision to refuse ESA. HMCTS does not record data specifically relating to appeals against the refusal of ESA and does not therefore hold the information requested.

Equality

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many publications his Department has produced for the purposes of monitoring or promoting staff equality and

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diversity in each of the last five years; and what the cost of producing such publication was in each such year. [188885]

Mr Vara: Over each of the last five years MOJ and our NOMS agency have published information on diversity and equality in respect of our staff and delivery of our business, and in compliance with equality legislation.

These have comprised of annual staff diversity data reports for MOJ and NOMS, equal pay reports, an annual review of MOJ equality schemes further to earlier legislation, and MOJ equality objectives. There were 12 publications during this period, and the most recent of these can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministry-of-justice-equality-information-and-objectives

and

http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/corporate-reports/noms/equality

The publications are produced in-house by MOJ staff at no additional cost to the taxpayer.

The Ministry of Justice and its agencies are committed to ensuring that equality of opportunity and diversity is a normal part of everyday business, that our policies are fair and accessible to all, and the services delivered are in compliance with the aims of the public sector equality duty of the Equality Act 2010.

Freedom of Information

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Delyn, of 6 February 2014, Official Report, column 325W, on freedom of information, (1) if he will (a) compile, (b) publish and (c) maintain in the public domain a comprehensive list of companies wholly owned by more than one public authority which are covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000; [188855]

(2) how members of the public can find out whether a company is wholly owned by more than one public authority and covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [188856]

Simon Hughes: More than 100,000 public authorities are subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Whether a particular company is within the scope of the Act depends on its ownership which can change over time. To keep track of the ownership of all companies owned by public authorities in a single list would be disproportionately expensive. This information is already publicly available: members of the public can find out whether a company is wholly owned by public authorities covered by the Act by asking the company or the relevant public authorities directly, or by checking the ownership of the company with Companies House. We therefore have no current plans to compile and maintain a list of companies wholly owned by public authorities and who are thereby covered by section 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Glen Parva Young Offender Institution

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on the construction of young offender institute Glen Parva before the project was cancelled in 2010. [189215]

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Jeremy Wright: The previous Government spent £5.6 million on developing the plans for a new young offenders institution at Glen Parva up to 2010. The Pathfinder Secure College will be fundamentally different from a young offender's institution, and will make use of the previous work where relevant.

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make an assessment of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal system; and if he will make a statement. [189203]

Mr Vara: In July 2011 responsibility for the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) transferred from the Department for Communities and Local Government to Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS).

In July 2013 the LVT's functions in England were transferred to the Residential Property jurisdiction of the Property Chamber.

HMCTS monitors performance across all jurisdictions in the Unified Tribunals System and publishes statistics on a quarterly basis, which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/265857/tribunal-statistics-tables-jul-sept-2013.xls#'l.l'!Al

Statistics relating to the Residential Property Tribunals include leasehold valuation appeals.

The Residential Property Tribunal Wales retains responsibility for the Leasehold Valuation Tribunals in Wales but presently does not publish performance data for these Tribunals on their website, although their decisions can be found here:

http://rpt.wales.gov.uk/decisions-index/leasehold-valuation-tribunal/leasehold-valuation-tribunals-apr12-mar13/?lang=en

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of civil servants in his Department who had been on maternity leave were still employed in the Civil Service (a) six and (b) 12 months after their return to work in each of the last five years. [189127]

Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice is unable to provide the data requested without incurring disproportionate costs.

Maternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in his Department. [189087]

Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice maternity leave policy is compliant with employment legislation in providing up to 52 weeks maternity leave, regardless of the length of service and subject to providing the required notice. This applies to all permanent and fixed-term employees in the Ministry of Justice.

Ordinary maternity leave (OML) is provided for 26 weeks. Additional maternity leave (AML) must, if taken, follow on from ordinary maternity leave and is an additional 26 weeks maternity leave.

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The Ministry of Justice will pay occupational maternity pay to eligible employees for up to 39 weeks. The first 26 weeks will be paid at full contractual pay. The following 13 weeks will be paid at the lesser of either the standard weekly rate of statutory maternity pay or 90% of the employee's average weekly earnings.

To be eligible for occupational maternity pay, employees must have at least one year's continuous Government service at the expected week of childbirth (EWC) and must notify their line manager of the pregnancy no later than the 15th week before the EWC or as soon as reasonably practical.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by his Department and (b) operated by a third party on his Department's property there were at (A) 5 May 2010 and (B) 5 February 2014; and how many such nurseries are expected to cease operating in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16. [189107]

Mr Vara: The Ministry of Justice does not provide child care facilities for staff either directly or through a third party supplier at any location on the estate. In 2010 a maximum of 22 child care places were available at Askham Grange prison nursery. This facility was closed to the children of prison staff in March 2012. MOJ recognises that employees need flexible pre-school and out-of-school child care of a type and in a location most convenient to them. MOJ operates a salary sacrifice scheme for child care vouchers which enables employees to choose their own child care provider (subject to meeting eligibility requirements) and have their child care costs reduced by taking part of their salary in the form of childcare vouchers (called salary sacrifice) up to prescribed limits. Child care vouchers are free from tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) so employees who use the scheme will make a saving on their child care costs. In addition MOJ at present offers a limited number of subsidised holiday play scheme places in Westminster holiday play scheme.

Personal Injury: Compensation

Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what meetings he of Ministers in his Department have had with (a) solicitors and (b) other parties representing claimants in personal injury cases since January 2013. [188594]

Mr Vara: All meetings with external organisations up until October 2013 are published by the Cabinet Office on the gov.uk website:

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

Details of meetings from October 2013 onwards will be published shortly.

Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what recent progress the independent medical panels in whiplash cases have made; and what steps he is taking to ensure that interested parties not invited to participate in the working group can input into its work and be kept informed of its progress; [188595]

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(2) what the purpose and composition of any sub-group of the working group on independent medical panels on whiplash cases will be; [188596]

(3) if he will publish the remit and objectives of the working group on independent medical panels in whiplash cases; [188597]

(4) who he has appointed to the working group on independent medical panels in whiplash cases; [188598]

(5) if he the minutes of any meetings Ministers in his Department have had to discuss independent medical panels in whiplash cases. [188599]

Mr Vara: The Government published their programme of measures to reduce the number and cost of whiplash claims on 23 October 2013 at:

https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/reducing-number-cost-whiplash

Following consultation with industry experts, a core group has now been established to take this work forward. The group is chaired by the Ministry of Justice currently comprises members from the following organisations:

The Association of British Insurers

The Association of Medical Reporting Organisations

The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers

The British Medical Association

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

The Forum of Insurance Lawyers

The Motor Accident Solicitors Society.

This core group will maintain an overview of the project and provide strategic direction to two sub-groups—one focusing on issues relating to medical evidence and reporting (including the establishment of a medical accreditation scheme) and the other on the associated programme of legal and behavioural reform.

The membership of the sub-groups is not yet finalised but they will consist of expert stakeholders. The sub-groups will be expected to call on the expertise of a wide range of specialist stakeholders, as appropriate.

Further details about the programme are published on the MOJ website at:

http://www.justice.gov.uk/civil-justice-reforms/personal-injury-claims

In January 2014, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), and I hosted a series of preliminary roundtable meetings with a wide range of stakeholders to discuss how this work could be taken forward. Those meetings, which were not formally minuted, led to the establishment of the groups mentioned above. It is intended that further engagement with the wider stakeholder community will continue in due course.

Prisoners

Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what review he intends to carry out on the use of (a) open prisons and (b) the system of release on temporary licence and escorted absences from prisons. [189510]

Jeremy Wright: I plan to announce shortly the outcome of an internal review Ministry of Justice officials have conducted into the policy under which prisoners can be temporarily released from prison for resettlement purposes. The chief inspector of prisons conducted a review into

3 Mar 2014 : Column 637W

the cases of the three prisoners who were temporarily released last summer, he will publish his findings in due course.

Prisoners: Foreign Nationals

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many foreign nationals of each nationality were held in custody in each prison in England and Wales on 1 February (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013. [189512]

Jeremy Wright: Annual data broken down by prison are included in the following table. Figures have been taken from 30 June in each year in accordance with standard practice for annual reporting.

The overall number of FNOs in custody (including those held on remand and under immigration powers) is as follows:

The number of FNOs serving prison sentences has reduced by around 1,000 since April 2010.

All foreign national offenders sentenced to custody are referred to the Home Office for them to consider deportation at the earliest possible opportunity.

Reducing the FNO population is a top priority for this Government. We are working hard to reduce the flow of FNOs into our prison system and increase the number of FNOs removed from the UK through prisoner transfer agreements (PTAs); the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) and Tariff Expired Removal Scheme (TERS).

The number of FNOs deported under the Early Removal Scheme (ERS) has increased under this Government. In 2013, we removed nearly 2,000 FNOs under ERS and under the Tariff Expired Removal Scheme (TERS), which we introduced in May 2012, we have removed 231 FNOs to date.

Whereas this Government have begun to reduce the foreign national population in prison since 2010, between 1997 and 2010, the number of foreign nationals in our prisons more than doubled.

Prisoners: Property

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure a mandatory increase in sentence for prisoners who are found with contraband items in their cells. [189279]

Jeremy Wright: It is already a criminal offence to possess items such as controlled drugs within or outside of prison and offences can attract significant sentences. The Ministry of Justice is working with the Crown Prosecution Service and ACPO to ensure that serious crimes of this nature by prisoners are effectively prosecuted.

There are specific criminal offences covering many other items such as mobile phones and alcohol if they are conveyed into a prison. These offences attract sentences of up to two years imprisonment. The Government

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extended these powers in 2012 to make possession of mobile phones within prison a criminal offence and introduced powers in 2013 to allow any unauthorised item to be seized and destroyed. Possession of any unauthorised item within prison is a specific disciplinary offence and can attract up to 42 additional days served in prison for each offence.

While there are already wide-ranging powers to deal with contraband found within prisons, we continue to keep the position under review and will take further legislative action if it is felt necessary to do so.

Prisons: Civil Disorder

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on which occasions Tornado-trained staff have been used to deal with disturbances in each prison since 2010. [182866]

Jeremy Wright: Operation Tornado is terminology used by the National Offender Management Service to describe mutual aid arrangements across the prison estate in England and Wales. These arrangements are in place to assist establishments responding to serious incidents, such as acts of concerted indiscipline by providing specially trained resources above and beyond those already available at an establishment.

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Prisons: Self-harm

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will assess the number of episodes of self-harm within the prison estate involving (a) prisoners and (b) custodial staff; and if he will make a statement. [188141]

Jeremy Wright: The number of incidents of self-harm within the prison estate involving prisoners is published quarterly in the “Safety in Custody” statistics bulletin which can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/safety-in-custody-statistics

Incidents of self-harm by staff are not recorded. It is not thought that there is a prevalence of self-harm in the prison work force significantly over and above any other occupational population. Were an issue of staff self-harm to come to the attention of management or to be found to be affecting adversely someone's ability to work or that of their colleagues, it would be treated in line with existing policies on employee occupational health and well-being.

Probation

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish the provisions for information sharing and data protection agreed with providers of offender management services. [186044]

Jeremy Wright: The contracts for the following services are available as follows:

Prisoner Escort and Custody Services (PECS)

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=189283&fs=true

Private Prisons

HMP Birmingham

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Search%20Contracts/Search%20Contracts%20Results.aspx?sc=23aada9e-9262-44b2-ba04-307741ffc17a

HMP Oakwood (previously called Featherstone II)

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=249231&fs=true

HMP & YOI Doncaster

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=242328&fs=true

HMP Northumberland

https://online.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk/Common/View%20Notice.aspx?site=1000&lang=en&noticeid=1125987&fs=true

The provisions for information sharing and data protection agreed with providers of offender management services for these services can be found in these contracts.

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In addition attached to this written response are two documents for Electronic Monitoring (EM), these extracts show the provisions for information sharing and data protection for these offender management services contracts.

Public Defender Service

Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of undertaking recruitment to fill the recently advertised positions in the Public Defender Service (PDS); and what estimate he has made of the annual (a) running costs and (b) pay bill will be of the PDS. [186130]

Mr Vara: The public would expect us to take steps to ensure the Public Defender Service can provide high quality defence advocacy where it needs to and this is what we are doing.

The appointments are all full-time and permanent positions, which means that the advocates will work exclusively for the service, and as a result will take on a series of cases each year including very high cost cases and advocates graduated fee scheme work. The PDS will continue to deal with a small minority of overall case numbers.

Salaries paid are based on an individual’s skills and experience, are comparable to those paid by the CPS for salaried prosecutors, and to what a self-employed barrister would be able to earn under legal aid. We cannot currently give the estimated figures requested while the recruitment process is still ongoing as costs will be dependent upon the outcome.

Public Expenditure

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what budget his Department allocated to (a) the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, (b) the Assessor for Compensation for Miscarriages of Justice, (c) the Civil Justice Council, (d) the Civil Procedure Rule Committee, (e) the Criminal Cases Review Commission, (f) the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, (g) the Criminal Procedure Rule Committee, (h) the Crown Court Rules Committee, (i) the Family Justice Council, (j) HM Inspectorate of Prisons, (k) HM Inspectorate of Probation, (l) the Insolvency Rules Committee, (m) the Judicial Appointments Commission, (n) the Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman, (o) the Judicial Office, (p) the Law Commission, (q) the Legal Services Board, (r) the Legal Services Commission, (s) the National Offender Management Service, (t) the Probation Service, (u) the Court Funds Office, (v) the Office of the Information Commissioner, (w) the Office for Judicial Complaints, (x) the Legal Ombudsman, (y) the Office of the Public Guardian, (z) the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee, (aa) the Parole Board, (bb) the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, (cc) the Sentencing Council, (dd) the Tribunal Procedure Committee, (ee) the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses and (ee) the Youth Justice Board in (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15. [189454]

Mr Vara: The information required to provide a full response to the question could not be collated within the time frame available. I will write to the right hon. Member in due course.

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Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981

Mr Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions have been brought against train companies for infringements under section 17 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 in each year since 2010. [189358]

Jeremy Wright: The Ministry of Justice's Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. The database of statutes under which proceedings may be brought does not include section 17 of the Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981 and hence the Ministry of Justice does not hold any data on proceedings under this section of the Act.

Reoffenders

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many offenders released on licence were returned to prison on a fixed-term recall in each year since 2008; [186603]

(2) how many offenders released on licence have been returned to prison on fixed-term recall basis on more than one occasion in each year since 2008 under (a) the same sentence and (b) a different sentence. [186605]

Jeremy Wright: Fixed-term recalls, where a recalled offender serves 28 days before being automatically re-released, were introduced in 2008 and apply only to those offenders on licence who are not assessed as presenting a high risk of harm to the public. Offenders who are assessed as presenting a high risk of harm will be given a standard recall, under which they can remain in custody, potentially, until the end of their sentence. They will only be released before the end of their sentence if the Parole Board or Secretary of State is satisfied they no longer need to be detained to protect the public.

The Government introduced the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill on 5 February which introduces new provisions, whereby offenders who are considered highly likely to commit further breaches, including reoffending, will be deemed unsuitable for a fixed-term recall. They will be released before the end of their sentence only if the Parole Board or Secretary of State is satisfied as to their future compliance with their licence.

These changes will ensure that prolific or persistently non-compliant offenders who are recalled to prison – as well as those who present a risk of harm – can be held for the remainder of their sentence where necessary. Fixed-term recalls will continue to be used in low-risk cases where a short period back in custody is sufficient to deal with the breach and the offender can then safely be re-released to continue with their rehabilitation under licensed supervision in the community.

The following table provides a breakdown of the number of fixed term recalls from 2011 to the end of September 2013, which is the most recent published data.

Data from 2008-10 are not available in the required electronic format to answer this question.

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It is not possible to establish from this recall dataset whether an offender who had more than one fixed-term recall in a year was serving the same or a different sentence in that specific year.

Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prosecutions have been brought under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to date; and how many such prosecutions have resulted in a conviction. [186966]

Jeremy Wright: Statistics on prosecutions for offences under the Scrap Metal Act 2013, or any other statute, for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014 as part of the criminal justice statistics annual publication. Similarly such data for 2014 are planned for publication in spring 2015.

Secure Colleges

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library the impact assessment for the policy of housing of young girls in secure colleges. [189338]

Jeremy Wright: An impact assessment for the Transforming Youth Custody programme, including the development of a pathfinder secure college, was published on 17 January alongside the Government response to the Transforming Youth Custody publication.

We have not ruled out having units for girls at the pathfinder secure college that will open in 2017. As we develop our plans, we will carefully consider our approach to accommodating girls to ensure that the secure youth estate continues to meet their needs.

Terrorism

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) investigations, (b) charges and (c) convictions there have been for (i) the offence of making or possession of explosive under suspicious circumstances, (ii) weapons training for terrorism and (iii) training for terrorism in each of the last 10 years. [189212]

James Brokenshire [holding answer 27 February 2014]:I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Department.

The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics detailing the number of counter-terrorism arrests, charges and convictions. The data on counter-terrorism arrests, charges and convictions are available in the Home Office statistical release “Operation of police powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 and subsequent legislation:

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Arrests, outcomes and stops and searches”. This statistical release can be accessed via the following link and covers the rest of the required data for the last 10 years.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-2012-to-2013/operation-of-police-powers-under-the-terrorism-act-2000-and-subsequent-legislation-arrests-outcomes-and-stop-and-searches-great-britain-2012-to-20

The data on charges and convictions are collected on a principal offence basis, which entails only the most serious offence (ie the one carrying the most severe penalty) being recorded.

Statistics for investigations into the named suspected offences are not available. The Home Office statistical release does not contain data on the number of arrests broken down by suspected offence.

Deputy Prime Minister

Electoral Register

Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the additional costs to be reimbursed to local authorities for the transition of voter registration forms from A4 size to A3. [188934]

Greg Clark: The A3 format was selected following the Electoral Commission's recommendation.

The Government are committed to meeting reasonable costs incurred by local authorities in the transition to individual electoral registration and will publish figures once they are finalised.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish the full report on the data matching pilots for individual electoral registration. [189412]

Greg Clark: A full report evaluating pilots testing data matching for the purposes of identifying new electors was published in July 2013. The report can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/223850/Data_Mining_Evaluation_FULL_Report_FINAL.pdf

Mr Blunkett: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which organisations received funding from the Innovations Fund as part of the Democratic Engagement Programme; how much each such organisation received; and what the time period is for their projects. [189479]

Greg Clark: The Government have announced that five national organisations have received funding as part of the measures to maximise registration. Details of the allocation of funding can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-for-new-ways-to-encourage-voter-registration

These organisations are expected to deliver projects by the end of July.

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2013, Official Report, column 971W, on Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, if he will give the ranking according to data matching rates of the authorities that took part in the data matching pilots for individual electoral registration. [189649]

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Greg Clark: The results and evaluation of the 2012 data matching pilots were published in April 2013, and are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simplifying-the-transition-to-individual-electoral-registration

Further to the 2012 pilots, a full-scale dry run of confirmation data matching—involving all 380 local authorities—took place in the summer of 2013. The results and evaluation were published in October 2013 and are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-confirming-electors-through-data-matching

Electoral Register: Fraud

Chris Ruane: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2012, Official Report, columns 54-5W, on electoral register, what assessment he has made of the reason for the disparity between (a) levels of proven instances of electoral fraud and (b) public perception of electoral fraud; [189405]

(2) what assessment he has made of the effect of comments by (a) Government Ministers, (b) hon. Members and (c) the media on public perception of electoral fraud. [189411]

Greg Clark: The Electoral Commission has recently completed a review of electoral fraud in the UK, for which it commissioned research on public perceptions of electoral fraud. The report can be found here

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/164609/Electoral-fraud-review-final-report.pdf

The Government will respond in due course.

Local Government: Urban Areas

Andy Sawford: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to make an announcement on the City Deal bid submitted by Milton Keynes council. [187970]

Greg Clark: Discussions with Milton Keynes council and the South East Midlands local enterprise partnership are ongoing on both a City Deal and a Local Growth Deal.

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress he has made on identifying areas not included in the first or second wave of the City Deals programme as eligible for subsequent initiatives. [189252]

Greg Clark: Building on the successes of City Deals, all 39 local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) have been invited to develop strategic economic plans to set out what needs to be done to boost growth in their area.

As part of each strategic economic plan, a Growth Deal bid is being developed for negotiation with central Government for the allocation of the local growth fund.

The local growth fund will beat least £2 billion a year from 2015-16. As a result of this, all parts of England are able to access and benefit from this initiative.

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Health

Accident and Emergency Departments: Peterborough

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the spending on locum doctors was in accident and emergency in each year since 2005 at Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; and if he will make a statement. [189541]

Jane Ellison: The information requested is not collected centrally.

We have written to Rob Hughes, chair of Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, informing him of the hon. Member's inquiry. He will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Ambulance Services

Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS service providers subcontract to a private provider for ambulance services. [189007]

Jane Ellison: This information is not held centrally.

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died in ambulances en route for emergency admission to hospital in each ambulance trust area in each of the last five years. [189563]

Jane Ellison: These data are not collected centrally.

Autism

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to further develop understanding and awareness of autism in local communities. [189328]

Norman Lamb: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Mr Sanders), on 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 172W.

Brain Cancer

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to improve diagnosis and awareness of brain cancers; and if he will make a statement. [188986]

Jane Ellison: “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, committed over £450 million over the four years up to 2014-15 to achieve earlier diagnosis of cancer, including supporting direct general practitioner (GP) access to key diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging scans to support the diagnosis of brain cancer. NHS England monitors the use of key diagnostic tests through the diagnostic imaging dataset.

The earlier diagnosis money also included some central funding for Be Clear on Cancer (BCOC) campaigns, which aim to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer and get symptomatic patients to present earlier. In partnership with the Department and NHS England (including NHS Improving Quality), Public Health England has taken on the running of the BCOC campaigns. Our

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focus so far has been on cancers with the largest number of avoidable deaths, compared with countries with the best survival rates. We will continue to keep these campaigns under review and work with relevant experts to see what might be done to tackle other cancers, including brain cancers.

To increase awareness of brain tumours among GPs, in 2012, the Department funded British Medical Journal learning to provide an e-learning module for GPs on diagnosing osteosarcoma and brain tumours in children. The module helps GPs to understand the main types of brain tumours in children and young people, and their common presentations, and to recognise when patients need urgent referral.

Finally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is in the process of updating the “Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer” (2005) to ensure that it reflects latest evidence and can continue to support GPs to identify patients with the symptoms of suspected cancer, including brain tumours, and urgently refer them as appropriate.

Earlier this year, I met representatives of the HeadSmart charity and discussed a range of issues with them, including diagnosis and awareness of brain tumours in children.

Brain: Injuries

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on how many people have suffered concussion injuries while playing sport, by category of sport, in each year for which data are available. [189260]

Jane Ellison: This information is not collected.

Brain: Tumours

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to increase the amount spent on funding brain tumour research; and if he will make a statement. [188987]

Dr Poulter: The Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) will spend an estimated £0.5 million in 2013-14 on brain cancer research through research programmes, research centres and units, and research training awards. Total NIHR spend on brain cancer research is higher than this because expenditure by the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) on brain cancer research cannot be disaggregated from total CRN expenditure.

Total spend in future years by the NIHR on brain cancer research depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity. The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including brain cancer. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and the national health service, value for money and scientific quality.

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Subject to contract, the NIHR health technology assessment programme has awarded over £1.3 million for a trial of radiation versus observation following surgical resection of atypical meningioma. The study is expected to begin later in 2014.

Cancer

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans his Department has in place to roll-out national commissioning of existing molecular pathology tests for cancer treatment; [188930]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with NHS England on including molecular diagnostic testing of cancer within specialised commissioning; and if he will make a statement. [188931]

Jane Ellison: NHS England has an expert group working on the development of a commissioning model for such tests and is close to having the relevant commissioning tools in draft form (that is a service specification for test providers and a draft national commissioning policy clarifying what tests should be routinely commissioned across England).

These will be taken through the sign off/agreement process within NHS England. This process will take a number of months and may require public consultation. Final decisions on this will be subject to affordability.

We have had no discussions with NHS England on including molecular diagnostic testing of cancer within specialised commissioning.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the cost of NHS England funding the RAS test and other companion diagnostic tests. [188932]

Norman Lamb: The Department has made no such assessment.

In August 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence issued diagnostics guidance on the use of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) mutation testing in adults with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer which is accompanied by a costing statement for the national health service.

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make an assessment of the steps (a) already taken and (b) planned to fully implement the Improving Outcomes guidance reports on cancer services; and if he will make a statement; [188963]

(2) what steps his Department has taken to implement the Improving Outcomes guidance reports on cancer services; and if he will make a statement. [188984]

Jane Ellison: Work on rolling out the Improving Outcomes in cancer guidance (IOG) began in 2004, and the programme of work has continued and widened as new sets of IOG were published in the years that followed. As a result of the work undertaken the national cancer action team's cancer peer review programme over the last 10 years, the majority of cancer services have now successfully implemented the IOGs.

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However, there remain outstanding and ongoing issues where further work is needed in some of the specialist and rarer cancers and where there are updates or reviews of guidance planned.

The new national peer review programme will be continuing to monitor the implementation of the IOG for cancer services and work with National Clinical Director for Cancer, Sean Duffy, and local and specialist commissioners to resolve any issues relating to IOG implementation.

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of (a) Gamma Knife, (b) Novalis, (c) Cyberknife and (d) XKnife treatments; and if he will make a statement. [188964]

Jane Ellison: As of 1 April 2013, radiotherapy services are planned and paid for by NHS England.

NHS England has published commissioning policy statements for stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic ablative radiotherapy, which are the type of radiotherapy treatments that the Gamma Knife, Novalis, Cyberknife and XKnife radiotherapy machines provide.

All patients meeting the clinical criteria set out in the commissioning policy statements will have access to that treatment, regardless of where they live.

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the efficacy of the steps taken by his Department to improve the quality of life of cancer patients since 2011; and if he will make a statement. [188983]

Jane Ellison: The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative (NCSI), a partnership between the Department and Macmillan Cancer Support launched in 2008, has worked with NHS Improvement to pilot transformed pathways of care for adults and for children and young people with cancer designed to improve quality of life.

Lessons learned from the pilots informed the NCSI report “Living with and beyond cancer: Taking Action to Improve Outcomes”, published in March 2013. The report sets out evidence behind a number of tested solutions which improve outcomes and help to address the cost challenges of the national health service. A copy of the report has already been placed in the Library.

Survivorship care is now the responsibility of NHS England, and the recommendations in the report will support NHS England and local NHS teams to drive improved cancer survivorship outcomes and will help deliver our ambition to enhance the quality of life for all people with long-term conditions. Going forward, NHS England will be working with Macmillan to produce commissioning advice to promote better survivorship services across the NHS.

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female; [189144]

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(2) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) white British and (b) from any other ethnic minority group; [189164]

(3) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled. [189184]

Dr Poulter: The information on the proportion of civil servants within the Department promoted by the respective groups can be found in the following three tables. The information has been extracted from the Department's business management system and is based on the voluntary diversity declaration provided by individuals.

Cholesterol

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans NHS England has to develop a patient registry and database for people diagnosed with familial hyper-cholesterolaemia; [189545]

(2) what steps his Department is taking to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment of people with familial hyper-cholesterolaemia using methods recommended in NICE guideline CG71 issued in August 2008. [189766]

Jane Ellison: NHS England advises that software to provide a database for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is available and will be increasingly used in England as FH services are established.

The responsibility for commissioning of FH services lies with local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).

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Provision of services will take into account the needs of the population overall. The CCG's decisions are underpinned by clinical insight and knowledge of local health care needs.

NHS England would expect organisations to have mechanisms in place to determine whether or not the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline CG71: “Identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia” is applicable to them. If guidance is applicable, there is an expectation that organisations would review their current practice against NICE guidance.

In addition, the Health and Social Care Act (2012) places a duty on NHS England to have regard to NICE quality standards, including when producing any commissioning guidance.

The national clinical director for heart disease at NHS England is working with the strategic clinical networks to promote cascade testing for the relatives of people who have hypercholesterolaemia.

Contraceptives: Thromboembolism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of whether there is a connection between use of the contraceptive pill and fatal blood clots. [189267]

Norman Lamb: It has been well known for many years that there is a small risk of blood clots associated with the combined contraceptive pill. A comprehensive review in Europe of the latest evidence on the association between combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) and blood clots was finalised in November 2013. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) led this review which concluded that: the risk of blood clots with CHCs remains small; products that contain levonorgestrel, norethisterone, or norgestimate have the lowest risk; the benefits of any CHC far outweigh the risk of serious side effects.

In January 2014 the MHRA sent a letter to prescribers in the United Kingdom informing them of the outcome of the review. This communication included a range of supporting materials for prescribers and women to increase awareness of the small risk of blood clots associated with CHCs, the relevant risk factors and the symptoms; and to help prescribers and women make informed choices.

Directors

Mr Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the name, job title and salary level of each director who has worked in his Department since May 2010. [189679]

Dr Poulter: The Department publishes details of all roles performed by directors, director generals, and permanent secretaries working in the Department on a bi-annual basis. The publication is available on the data.gov.uk website under the heading of Public Roles & Salaries. This information has been available since June 2010 and shows details from each publication to date. The data comprise name, job title and salary range (in £5,000 bands). A copy of the information has been placed in the Library.

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The first publication (June 2010) is shorter than subsequent publications as the transparency request agenda was still being formulated; however this process became more systematic in successive exercises.

Electronic Cigarettes

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect in the UK of the vote of the European Parliament of 26 February 2014 on regulation and marketing of e-cigarettes. [189830]

Jane Ellison: The United Kingdom Government welcomed the European Commission's decision to revise the tobacco products directive with the intention of strengthening the functioning of the internal market in tobacco products and improving public health.

The revised directive was formally agreed by the European Parliament plenary on 26 February 2014. European Union member states are expected to adopt the revised directive in March 2014.

The revised directive will require electronic cigarettes which are not licensed as medicines to be regulated as consumer goods with specific requirements, for example in relation to nicotine content, labelling and emissions. The directive also contains provisions on cross border advertising of electronic cigarettes.

The effect of all the provisions in the revised directive will be assessed in transposing the provisions into UK law.

Food: Allergies

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that recently-published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on diagnosing food allergy in children and young people in a primary care and community setting are read and adhered to by GPs. [189717]

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's (NICE's) clinical guidelines represent best practice. They are based on the latest available evidence and developed through wide consultation. We expect health care professionals to be aware of NICE clinical guidelines and to fully take these into account when deciding how to treat patients.

Hepatitis

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether sofosbuvir will be made available on the NHS to treat hepatitis C. [189262]

Norman Lamb: Sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) has recently been licensed for use in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in adults and may be prescribed for use on the national health service, subject to funding being made available by the relevant commissioner.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is currently developing technology appraisal guidance on the use of sofosbuvir for this condition. We understand that NICE currently expects to issue guidance in October 2014.

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In the absence of final NICE technology appraisal guidance, it is for NHS commissioners to make funding decisions on the use of the drug based on an assessment of the available evidence and the individual patient's clinical circumstances.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people diagnosed with hepatitis C have received anti-viral treatments in each of the last five years. [189546]

Jane Ellison: In 2012, the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) used national data from pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy purchasing data and pharmacy prescribing data to estimate how many individuals had been treated in England. These calculations suggested that around 27,500 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) could have been treated with pegylated interferon as part of the NICE recommended combination therapy between 2006 and 2011¹.

¹ hepatitis C in the UK: 2013 report available at:

www.hpa.org.uk/Publications/InfectiousDiseases/BloodBorneInfections/HepatitisCInTheUK/1307HepatitisCintheUK2013report/

The estimated annual numbers of HCV-positive patients receiving combination therapy based on pegylated interferon sold, purchased and dispensed covering the period 2006-11 will be published in a peer reviewed journal in the next six months.

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to increase testing of hepatitis C. [189547]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England co-developed the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) certificate in the detection, diagnosis and management of hepatitis B and C in primary care to help raise awareness in primary care and among other professionals working with groups at high risk of chronic viral hepatitis infection¹.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance for health professionals to promote and offer testing for hepatitis C².

¹ RCGP e-learning on Hepatitis B and C: Detection, Diagnosis and Management:

www.rcgp.org.uk/courses-and-events/online-learning/ole/hepatitis-b-and-c.aspx

² NICE guidance (PH43) Hepatitis B and C—ways to promote and offer testing:

http://guidance.nice.org.uk/PH43/Guidance/pdf/English

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of patients waited longer than the specified 18-week period to begin NHS consultant-led treatment on referral from their GP in the latest period for which data are available. [189023]

Jane Ellison: In December 2013, 8.5% of patients requiring admission to hospital and 3.2% of patients not requiring admission to hospital, waited longer than

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18 weeks from referral to begin national health service consultant-led treatment. Consultant-led referral to treatment waiting times are published monthly at:

www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

Information Officers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press officers were employed in his Department on 1 February 2014. [189012]

Dr Poulter: On 1 February 2014, 26 press officers were employed by the Department.

The press office responds to media inquiries 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Magnetic Resonance Imagers

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much of the Government’s £450 million for earlier cancer detection has been spent on MRI machines for brain cancer; [188965]

(2) which NHS sites received new MRI machines in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013; [188966]

(3) what criteria were used to determine which sites were provided with new MRI machines in the last five years; [188967]

(4) what estimate he has made of how much was spent on the early diagnosis of brain cancer in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c) 2012-13 and (d) 2013-14 to date; and if he will make a statement; [188968]

(5) what criteria his Department used to decide where new treatments for (a) cancer and (b) brain cancer will be placed; and if he will make a statement; [188969]

(6) how many brain MRI scans were performed on suspected brain tumour patients in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012; and if he will make a statement. [188985]

Jane Ellison: Information concerning the number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans which were performed on suspected brain tumour patients is not collected.

The Department monitors access to diagnostic tests, including MRI scans, through the diagnostic imaging dataset, which is available at:

www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/diagnostic-imaging-dataset/

These statistics contain monthly data on diagnostic imaging tests on national health service patients in England at provider level. However, they do not identify the reason for a diagnostic test taking place, such as suspected cancer.

“Improving Outcomes: Strategy for Cancer”, published in January 2011, committed over £450 million in funding to support earlier diagnosis of cancer up to 2014-15. The early diagnosis money is being used to: raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer; improve general practitioner access to key diagnostic tests, to pay for more testing and treatment in secondary care.

With the exception of centrally funded cancer awareness campaign activity, early diagnosis spend on specific cancers cannot be identified. There has been no centrally funded awareness activity on brain cancer.

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Procurement of MRI machines is a matter for local NHS trusts. Neither the Department, nor NHS England, routinely monitors the procurement of equipment locally.

Procurement of cancer equipment is also a local matter. However, where a treatment is delivered as part of the specialised commissioning arrangements, NHS England may seek to restrict the number of providers in order to ensure that a high level of clinical expertise, specialised resources, skills and staffing are maintained.

One notable exception would also be the two proton beam therapy facilities that the Department has put aside £250 million to build at the Christie hospital in Manchester and University College London hospital. In this case, the location of these centres was decided via a formal bidding process.

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work; [189064]

(2) what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in his Department; [189084]

(3) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who had been on maternity leave were still employed in the civil service (a) six and (b) 12 months after their return to work in each of the last five years. [189124]

Dr Poulter: The Department has a high retention rate of civil servants who have taken maternity leave and offers a range of flexible working benefits to support parents in their ongoing caring responsibilities.

All civil servants who went on maternity leave in the last five years returned to work. Two civil servants moved from maternity leave to career breaks but we are expecting them to return.

In each of the last five years, all of the civil servants who had been on maternity leave were still employed in the civil service at six months and one year after they returned to work. For civil servants with at least one year's service, the Department offers a contractual entitlement to 26 weeks maternity leave on full pay, and a subsequent 13 weeks paid at statutory maternity pay for the period of continuous absence before and after giving birth.

Medical Records: Databases

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the introduction of summary care records for the sharing of patients' records with community pharmacies. [188707]

Dr Poulter: NHS England is currently exploring the possibility of developing a case for allowing pharmacists to access the summary care record (SCR). This is being considered as part of the pharmacy call to action. This will need to be sequenced into the development timetable for the SCR, alongside other priorities, and it would be inappropriate to make any commitments on timing at this stage.

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Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential for improved levels of patient safety by allowing pharmacists access to the electronic patient record. [188713]

Dr Poulter: NHS England will consider this as part of the pharmacy call to action, in conjunction with the integrated digital care record (IDCR) strategy group. This group forms part of the National Informatics Board, which has overall responsibility for the development of the IDCR strategy.

Mental Health Services

Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve mental health provision in England. [189006]

Norman Lamb: Improving mental health and well-being is a priority for this Government. Our overarching goal is to ensure mental health has equal priority with physical health, and that everyone who needs it has timely access to the best available mental health provision. We are investing more than £400 million to give thousands of people, in all areas of the country, access to approved psychological therapies. We are also investing £54 million over four years (2011-15) in the children and young people's improving access to psychological therapies programme —giving children and young people improved and timely access to the best mental health care. The Department has a total budget of £22 million to support veterans' physical and mental health from 2010 to 2015. This includes investing £1.8 million each year until 2015 in support and care for veterans with mental health problems (£7.2 million in total).

By improved co-ordination between emergency and mental health services, we are working to deliver a fast, effective and safe response to people experiencing mental health crisis through delivery of the action plan set out in our new mental health crisis care concordat and via our street triage schemes.

Our mental health action plan, Closing the Gap, shows how changes in local service planning and delivery will make a difference, in the next couple of years, to the lives of people with mental health problems: setting out 25 priority areas where people can expect to experience the fastest changes.

Midwives

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives from overseas have registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in each of the last five years. [189549]

Dr Poulter: The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is an independent body and responsible for matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties, including registration of nurses and midwives who meet the required standards of education and practice. Statistical information about NMC registrations is not collected by the Department. However, the NMC advises that during calendar years 2009 to 2013, one midwife trained in a country outside of the European economic area joined the NMC register in 2011.

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NHS Property Services

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a project assessment review into NHS Property Services has taken place since August 2012. [189540]

Dr Poulter: The National Audit Office is currently undertaking a review of the process to establish NHS Property Services Ltd and its findings will be published next month. Its findings will be used to decide whether further formal reviews are necessary.

NHS: Crimes of Violence

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he collects on assaults on NHS staff; and if he will publish statistics on (a) the gender of people so assaulted and (b) where such assaults took place in the last five years. [189673]

Dr Poulter: NHS Protect collates figures annually on reported physical assaults on national health service staff. Information on the number of reported physical assaults in the last five years is contained in the documents ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2008-09, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’, ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2009-10, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’, ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2010/11, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’ and ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2011-12, broken down by NHS trust/PCT’ which have already been placed in the Library and in the document ‘Tables showing the number of reported physical assaults on NHS staff in 2012-13, broken down by health body’ which has been placed in the Library.

The tables provide information on employing NHS bodies but not the specific locations where assaults took place or the gender of staff assaulted. NHS bodies are able to report further detail on assaults to NHS Protect via a security incident report system. Reports made via this system are not published.

NHS: Staff

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will collect and publish statistics on the gender and ethnic background of (a) managers and (b) the work force of the NHS. [189620]

Dr Poulter: The Health and Social Care Information Centre annual national health service workforce census shows data on ethnicity and gender of NHS staff in England as at 30 September each year. These are made up of three statistical bulletins which cover non-medical, medical and general practice staff. The latest available statistics are as at 30 September 2012. The information requested has been placed in the Library. For general practitioners, country of primary medical qualification is shown rather than ethnicity.

The next annual NHS workforce census showing data as at 30 September 2013 will be published on 25 March 2014.

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Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by his Department and (b) operated by a third party on his Department's property there were at (a) 5 May 2010 and (b) 5 February 2014; and how many such nurseries are expected to cease operating in (i) 2014-15 and (ii) 2015-16. [189104]

Dr Poulter: The Department of Health does not directly operate any workplace nurseries on its premises.

The Department's employees, based in Quarry House in Leeds, have access to a subsidised workplace nursery which is run by a third party provider on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Obesity: Children

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children entering secondary schools were classed as obese by the National Child Measurement Programme in each year since 2010. [189548]

Jane Ellison: Obesity prevalence for children in year 6 (the final year of primary school) as recorded through the National Child Measurement Programme since 2010 is as shown in the following table:

The data for the 2013-14 school year will be published in December 2014.

Radiotherapy

Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will publish the names and professional qualifications of those who conducted NHS England's stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy intercranial needs assessment and service review of January 2014; [188465]

(2) with reference to section 68, page 18 of NHS England's stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy intercranial needs assessment and service review of January 2014, how many intercranial patients Plymouth hospital has treated stereotactically in each of the last two years; whether Plymouth hospital has a device dedicated solely to providing intercranial stereotactic radiotherapy; and for what reason Plymouth hospital was chosen to make the assessment assumptions; [188466]

(3) with reference to table 39 on page 36 of NHS England's stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy intercranial needs assessment and service review of January 2014, how many of the hospitals listed have devices dedicated solely to providing intercranial stereotactic radiotherapy; [188467]

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(4) what assessment has been made of potential savings from the implementation of the recommendation of NHS England's stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy intercranial needs assessment and service review, published in January 2014. [188475]

Jane Ellison: The names and professional qualifications of those who participated in the stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) intercranial needs assessment and service review and the development of the final report will be published along with the final report.

NHS England has been undertaking a review of provision to ascertain the right future model to deliver the best outcomes for patients. The final report following this review has not yet been finalised or published. As the document remains draft and is still subject to ongoing engagement and development, NHS England is unable to comment on whether Plymouth hospital has a device dedicated solely to providing intercranial SRT; the reason that Plymouth hospital was chosen to make the assessment assumptions; or how many of the listed hospitals have devices dedicated solely to providing intercranial SRT.

In the following table, we have provided information concerning finished consultant episodes (FCE) with a main or secondary operative procedure of SRS on the tissue of the brain by Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust for the years 2011-12 and 2012-13:

The purpose of the draft document is to share emerging findings of the review with clinical reference groups (CRGs) to seek their views. Once the views of stakeholders have been gathered, this will then go to specialised commissioning oversight group (SCOG) to agree a preferred option. Once the SCOG has a preferred option, NHS England will consult with the public, patients and professionals, taking account of those views when making a final decision. If it is concluded there are to be significant changes in the provision of services, there will be full public consultation before any changes are made.

As the review is ongoing, NHS England is still developing the report with CRGs, and internally within NHS England. As part of the development of the final draft, there are a number of ongoing pieces of work that NHS England is in the process of completing. This includes an impact assessment which would consider the effect of each option, including any economic impacts. NHS England will be writing to providers to update them on the status of this report and to inform them how and when they will be engaged in this work going forward.