Carer’s Allowance

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of carers that do not claim carer’s allowance in (a) Glasgow North West constituency, (b) Glasgow City, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK. [189700]

Mike Penning: The information requested is not available.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 681W

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to (a) increase awareness of carer’s allowance and (b) improve information on how to claim carer’s allowance. [189701]

Mike Penning: The Department is constantly improving the way it communicates information about carer's allowance to the general public.

Information and advice about entitlement to carer's allowance is available from an increasing range of outlets including Jobcentre Plus offices, DWP and other help lines, the Government website

www.gov.uk

other internet sites, local authorities, Citizens Advice and welfare benefit offices, voluntary organisations such as Carers UK, public libraries, health clinics, doctors' surgeries and health visitors. In addition, officials from the Department's carer's allowance unit discuss carer's allowance issues at outreach events across the country.

Children: Maintenance

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) when he will commence section 34 of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008; [189767]

(2) with reference to the recommendation made by the independent advisory panel on arrears of child maintenance, in its 2011 report, what work his Department has done to carry out a renewed soft market sounding or sampling exercise to test the sale potential of Secretary of State and arrears only cases. [189771]

Steve Webb: The Department's January 2013 publication, "Preparing for the future, tackling the past? Child Maintenance—Arrears and Compliance Strategy 2012 to 2017” explains within paragraph 12 of Section 3.2 “Child Support Agency: Collecting outstanding arrears”, that due to the extremely low amount which would be offered by debt companies to parents with care who were owed the arrears (around 4% of the total owed), it does not seem sensible to pursue this option at this stage. In the case of arrears owed to the Secretary of State, we are still exploring whether an economically viable way of selling this debt can be devised.

The child maintenance—arrears and compliance strategy 2012 to 2017 is available on the gov.uk website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-future-tackling-the-past-child-maintenance-arrears-and-compliance-strategy-2012-to-2017

Employment and Support Allowance

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that anyone with a prognosis of being unlikely to return to work in the longer term because of a progressive illness is placed into the support group rather than allocated to the work-related activity group. [189621]

Mike Penning: Claimants for employment and support allowance, including those claimants with progressive illnesses, will be placed in the support group if they meet the necessary criteria.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 682W

Employment Schemes: Disability

Dame Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of each benefit type were referred to Work Choice in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [189694]

Esther McVey: The requested figures are published within table 5 on page 16 of the latest Work Choice Official Statistics publication at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277235/work-choice-statistics-feb-2014.pdf

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of people in England to whom the under-occupancy penalty was incorrectly charged; and what his policy is on the payment of compensation to such people. [188653]

Esther McVey: The information for England is not available.

The Department does not hold all the detailed information needed to make a precise estimate of the numbers affected. On the basis of the information available to us in the housing benefit administrative data collected from local authorities, we estimate the numbers affected are likely to be fewer than 5,000 nationally, but there is considerable uncertainty around this estimate.

Local authorities administer housing benefit. Any compensation request must therefore be considered by local authorities who will decide whether additional money can be paid on top of the housing benefit arrears because of late payment.

Jobcentre Plus: Telephone Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future provision of freephones at jobcentres. [188981]

Esther McVey: All jobcentres have free telephony services for those claimants who require it in support of their benefit claim or job search.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average administrative cost to his Department was of imposing a sanction on a claimant of jobseeker's allowance in the most recent period for which data are available; and what the total cost of imposing all such sanctions was in each year since 2010. [189567]

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

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants with refugee status in (a) Hull and (b) the UK have been sanctioned since 22 October 2012. [189748]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 683W

Esther McVey: The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many new claims for (a) income-based jobseeker's allowance, (b) contributions-based jobseeker's allowance and (c) both income-based and contributions-based jobseeker's allowance were made in each of the last 10 years; [189755]

(2) what proportion of all claims for (a) income-based jobseeker's allowance, (b) contributions-based jobseeker's allowance and (c) both income-based and contributions-based jobseeker's allowance over the last 10 years have lasted for (i) less than three months, (ii) between three and six months, (iii) between six and 12 months, (iv) between one and two years and (v) more than two years. [189757]

Esther McVey: The volume of claims made for jobseeker's allowance over the last six years by type of claim, for Great Britain, are:

Information about the on-flows in the four previous years requested will be placed in the Library.

Information about the proportion of the jobseeker's allowance claims lasting for various lengths of time by claim type will be placed in the Library.

Information regarding Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Office.

Sources:

Office for National Statistics Claimant Count Series: Great Britain Non-Seasonally Adjusted On-flows.

Department for Work and Pensions 100% administrative data.

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work; [189073]

(2) what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in his Department; [189093]

(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. [189133]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 684W

Mike Penning: The following table shows the proportion of civil servants who took maternity leave in the year that have returned to work in the Department. The Department has only collected this information since 2010.

All DWP employees are entitled to unpaid departmental maternity leave of 52 weeks.

Employees who have completed 26 weeks but less than one year of continuous service, by the 15^th week before the expected week of childbirth, are entitled to 39 weeks statutory maternity pay, which is six weeks at 90% of pay, followed by 33 weeks at statutory maternity pay level.

Employees who have completed more than one year's paid service (including temporary service) when their maternity leave starts may be eligible for 26 weeks’ departmental maternity pay (DMP) paid at their normal rate of pay, followed by 13 weeks’ statutory maternity pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid maternity leave.

The following table shows the proportion of civil servants who returned from maternity leave in the year and were still employed in the civil service (a) six and (b) 12 months after their return to work. These data are available for the last three years, as the Department has collected this information only since 2010.

Mesothelioma

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether successors in title to insurers who maintained employer's liability insurance schemes will be liable to contribute to the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme. [188933]

Mike Penning: The insurers liable to pay the levy, and therefore contribute towards the cost of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme, are “active insurers” as defined by section 13(7) of the Mesothelioma Act 2014. These insurers are those who were authorised by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to carry out contracts of employers' liability insurance in a particular period. That period is “the reference period” which will be set out in regulations.

It follows that if an active insurer has succeeded to the liabilities of another insurer they will be liable to contribute to the levy.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 685W

National Insurance

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking against unofficial websites offering services relating to the application for national insurance numbers. [189011]

Esther McVey: DWP is currently working alongside other Government Departments to examine whether action can be taken against unofficial/misleading websites.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [189113]

Mike Penning: There were seven workplace nurseries operated by third parties on DWP premises on 5 May 2010, all of which were still in operation on 5 February 2014. DWP does not directly operate any workplace nurseries.

Pensions Regulator

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 11W, on Pensions Regulator, (1) how many companies have been investigated by the Pensions Regulator and had no subsequent action taken against them in the last five years; [189732]

(2) what the companies involved in the three cases were. [189733]

Steve Webb: In the last five years, the Pensions Regulator has considered the use of anti-avoidance powers, but took no action in three cases. These cases concerned 26 employers based outside the United Kingdom.

The three cases in which the regulator successfully took action (to which my earlier answer referred) concerned two employers, Sea Containers Ltd, and Bonas UK Ltd. Further information on these cases is available on the Pension Regulator's website at:

www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/press/PN08-02.aspx

and

www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/press/pn11-11.aspx

Personal Independence Payment

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of personal independence payments claims which were not made under the special rules for terminally ill people, were withdrawn by claimants resident in (a) Washington and Sunderland West constituency, (b) the North East and (c) England in each month for which records are available. [188923]

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many people who have indicated that they have a neurological condition have

3 Mar 2014 : Column 686W

(a)

applied for personal independence payment and

(b)

received a decision on their claim between April and December 2013; [189520]

(2) how many people who indicated they have Parkinson's (a) applied for personal independence payment and (b) received a decision about their claim between April and December 2013. [189550]

Mike Penning: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) started from April 2013 and although limited data have started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high-quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on PIP from spring 2014 in line with our publication strategy:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284330/pip_stats_release_strategy_feb14.pdf

An ad hoc release of PIP information was published on Tuesday 11 February 2014.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) in what proportion of personal independence payment cases assessment providers are seeking additional evidence; [189630]

(2) in what proportion of personal independence payment cases evidence is returned in time to be used to (a) determine the nature and suitability of their assessment and (b) inform the assessor's picture of how a person's disability affects them. [189631]

Mike Penning: I am currently unable to provide data on the proportion of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) cases where assessment providers are seeking additional evidence. PIP started from April 2013 and although limited data have started to feed through, we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high-quality standards at the earliest opportunity. Management information on cases where evidence is sought is reported to the Department by assessment providers based on information recorded on their own IT systems and has not been subject to validation by the Department.

Information on whether evidence is returned in advance of assessment activity being carried out is not held by the Department.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will publish disaggregated data on new claims for personal independence payments between 8 April 2013 and 3 December 2013; [189632]

(2) how many people who indicated between April and December 2013 they had multiple sclerosis have (a) applied for personal independence payment and (b) received a decision about their claim. [189633]

Mike Penning: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) started from April 2013; we need to wait until the Department has quality assured, meaningful figures for publication. The Department is working to guidelines

3 Mar 2014 : Column 687W

set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure we are able to publish statistics that meet high-quality standards at the earliest opportunity. We intend to publish official statistics on PIP from spring 2014 in line with our publication strategy:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/284330/pip_stats_release_strategy_feb14.pdf

An ad hoc release of PIP information was published on 11 February 2014.

Social Security Benefits

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many new claims for (a) income-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance, (b) contributions-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance, (c) both income-based and contributions-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance were made in each of the last 10 years; [189756]

(2) what proportion of all claims for (a) income-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance, (b) contributions-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance and (c) both income-based and contributions-based incapacity benefit or employment and support allowance over the last 10 years have lasted for (i) less than three months, (ii) between three and six months, (iii) between six and 12 months, (iv) between one and two years and (v) more than two years. [189758]

Esther McVey: Statistics for employment and support allowance (ESA) on-flows by payment type from 2009 to August 2013 can be found using the following link:

Statistics for employment and support allowance (ESA) off-flows by payment type and duration of the claim can also be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool

Guidance for users is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-tabulation-tool-guidance

Each year has to be extracted individually and the proportions of all on-flows and off-flows can be calculated using these data.

Incapacity benefit is a contributory benefit and is paid to people who are assessed as being incapable of work and who meet certain contribution conditions. Employment and support allowance replaced incapacity benefit in October 2008.

Social Security Benefits: West Lothian

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many sanctions have been enacted by Jobcentre Plus in (a) Livingston constituency and (b) West Lothian local authority area in the last 12 months. [189197]

Esther McVey: The number of adverse sanctions in Livingston parliamentary constituency for the period October 2012 to September 2013 is 2,015 and the number of adverse sanctions in West Lothian local authority for the period October 2012 to September 2013 is 3,175.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 688W

The number of sanctions applied is the number of sanction referrals where the decision was found against the claimant for jobseekers allowance, employment and support allowance and income support. Sanctions data up to September 2013 are the latest data available.

This information on jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance is published and available at:

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

State Retirement Pensions

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what discussions he has had with his Canadian counterpart over unfreezing the annual uprating of state pensions of UK citizens living in Canada and Canadian citizens living in the UK; [188988]

(2) what plans he has to unfreeze the annual uprating of the state pension for UK citizens living in Canada. [188989]

Steve Webb: The most recent exchange of correspondence with the Canadian Government on the issue of up-rating UK state pensions for those living in Canada was between the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the right hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith) and Diane Finley on 6 June 2013. The Secretary of State confirmed that the UK Government have no plans to relax the current restrictions on up-rating UK state pensions paid overseas or to enter into fresh bilateral agreements which provide for up-ratings overseas.

Around 155,000 UK state pensions are currently paid to people living in Canada at a cost of around £280 million year. Paying these state pensions at the applicable rate in the UK would cost around an additional £160 million a year in 2014-15, rising in future years.

The eligibility criteria and operating arrangements for the Canadian Pension Plan (the equivalent of UK state pension) including the criteria of where it is paid and the level at which it is paid overseas are matters for the Canadian Government. However, UK pensions paid to Canadian citizens living in the UK are up-rated regardless of whether they are derived from UK contributions or from periods of residence in lieu of UK contributions under the terms of the UK's bilateral agreement with Canada.

Unemployment Benefits

Mr Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effects of the requirement for claimants to demonstrate availability to work on their right to a holiday from signing on; and if he will make a statement. [189248]

Esther McVey: Jobseeker’s allowance claimants can be treated as actively seeking employment for a maximum of two benefit weeks in a 12-month period if they are away from home, still in Great Britain and do not intend to look for work while they are away. However, they must be available for work, ie willing to return immediately for an interview or to start work for the period they are.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 689W

Winter Fuel Payments: British Nationals Abroad

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of senior citizens who have not been primarily resident in the UK for five years or more that are still eligible for winter fuel payments. [189739]

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.

Work Programme: West Lothian

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have found work lasting six months or longer through the Work programme in (a) Livingston constituency and (b) West Lothian local authority area in the last 12 months. [189199]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 690W

Esther McVey: The Work programme is designed to support people into sustainable work. This is assessed by recording job outcomes, which is when participants have been in work for six months (or three months for ESA).

The available information on job outcomes is shown in the following tables:

Attorney-General

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189135]

The Solicitor-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) white British and (b) from any other ethnic minority group. [189155]

The Solicitor-General: The proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments promoted in each of the last five years, who had declared themselves as white or from any other ethnic minority group is shown in the following table.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 691W

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers’ Departments who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled. [189175]

The Solicitor-General: The proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers’ Departments promoted in each of the last five years, who had declared themselves as disabled or non-disabled is shown in the following table.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 692W

As with the rest of the civil service, the Law Officers’ Departments are committed to giving all disabled employees the support they need to work effectively and comfortably, and to their full potential. We recruit through fair and open competition—ensuring that all disabled applicants receive a guaranteed interview if they meet the minimum criteria for any advertised post. We also consult with applicants before interview and make any reasonable adjustments for the interview/selection process. Once an applicant has successfully passed the interview and joined the civil service, we will make any further reasonable adjustments to help them in their day-to-day work.

Hunting: Prosecutions

Jim Shannon: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions for illegal taking of game there have been in the UK in each of the last three years. [189270]

The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not collect data on defendants prosecuted by specific offences, but information is available for the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced in magistrates’ courts. There is no indication of the final outcome or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalisation. It is often the case that an individual defendant is charged with more than one offence.

The following table contains data on the number of offences that reached a first hearing in magistrates courts for each of the last three years.

The CPS does not collect data which constitute official statistics as defined in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. The data have been drawn from the CPS’s administrative IT system, which (as with any large-scale recording system) is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of civil servants in the Law Officers’ Departments’ who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work. [189055]

The Solicitor-General: The information requested is contained in the following table.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 693W

Maternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in the Law Officers' Departments. [189075]

The Solicitor-General: Staff in the Treasury Solicitor's Department who have completed at least one year's paid continuous service by the beginning of the 15^th week before the expected week of childbirth or at the time their maternity leave begins, and who intend to return to work, may continue to be paid their wages or salary. The duration of contractual maternity pay is 26 weeks. The same arrangements cover staff in the Attorney-General's Office and HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate.

In the Serious Fraud Office an employee who has one year's continuous paid service at the SFO by the start of the expected week of childbirth, is entitled to full pay for the first 26 weeks of maternity leave. This is inclusive of Statutory Maternity Pay. Thereafter they receive their statutory maternity pay. Employees with less than one year's continuous service receive their statutory entitlement.

The standard duration of contractual maternity pay paid to employees on Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) terms and conditions of service is 26 weeks. Contractual maternity pay is paid at the employee's normal salary rate.

For the 13 female CPS employees who retain reserved rights to the former Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office or Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs terms and conditions of service, the duration of contractual maternity pay is 39 weeks and is payable at the employee's normal salary rate.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Attorney-General how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by the Law Officers' Departments' and (b) operated by a third party on the Law Officers' Departments' 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. [189095]

The Solicitor-General: There have been no work place nurseries directly operated by the Law Officers' Departments or by third parties on their premises since May 2010.

However, all of the Law Officers' Departments provide permanent staff with access to salary sacrifice child care voucher schemes as part of employee benefit packages.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 694W

These enable staff to choose their own child care provider and to have their child care costs reduced as a result of tax savings.

Scotland

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work. [189069]

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not recruit or employ staff directly. All staff that join the office do so on assignment, secondment or loan from other Government bodies. Information relating to civil servants on maternity leave is not held by this office but would be retained by the parent bodies.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. [189109]

David Mundell: Neither the Scotland Office nor any third party operates a workplace nursery now or since 2010.

Electoral Commission Committee

Polling Stations

Robert Neill: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what guidance the Electoral Commission has produced on the practice of allowing foreign language translators into polling stations to advise individual electors on how to cast their vote. [188935]

Mr Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that only specified people are allowed to be present in polling stations. The returning officer (RO) may employ presiding officers or poll clerks who speak community languages, or may specifically employ staff for the purpose of translating or interpreting in polling stations. These staff may only provide electors with general assistance on the process of voting in a polling station.

All polling station staff should act impartially at all times and should never advise voters which candidate or party to vote for.

The Commission's guidance for ROs includes a template briefing to assist ROs in ensuring that all polling station staff are trained in their duties and responsibilities and a comprehensive polling station handbook. These are available on the Commission's website:

3 Mar 2014 : Column 695W

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/powerpoint_doc/0009/164295/EPE-Briefing-for-polling-station-staff.ppt?SQ_DESIGN_NAME=search_clean

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/164278/EPE-LGE-Polling-station-handbook.pdf

Robert Neill: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of which local authorities allow foreign language translators into polling stations to advise individual electors on how to cast their vote. [188936]

Mr Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it does not make any assessment of which ROs use staff with particular language skills in their polling stations. Translators are only allowed to be present in polling stations if they have been employed by the returning officer for the purpose of providing electors with general assistance on the process of voting in a polling station. They are not permitted to advise electors on how to cast their vote, i.e. which candidate or party to vote for.

Robert Neill: To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what recent representations the Electoral Commission has received on the London Borough of Tower Hamlets allowing foreign language translators into polling stations to advise individual electors. [189010]

Mr Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has not received any recent representations on the use of foreign language translators in polling stations for elections in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The Commission is in regular contact with the returning officer for Tower Hamlets who does employ some presiding officers or poll clerks who speak community languages, but these staff may only provide electors with general assistance on the process of voting. The Commission's guidance makes clear that staff in polling stations are not permitted to advise electors on which candidate or party to vote for.

The Commission will continue to work with the returning officer for Tower Hamlets to ensure that polling station staff have absolute clarity about the limits of any translation assistance that they may provide and that these limits are adhered to.

Wales

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189152]

Stephen Crabb: The number of civil servants who were promoted in the Wales Office during the last five years, and the proportion who were male and female, is shown in the following table:

3 Mar 2014 : Column 696W

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [189172]

Stephen Crabb: The number of civil servants who were promoted in the Wales Office during the last five years, and the proportion who identified themselves as white British and from other ethnic minority groups, is shown in the following table:

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [189192]

Stephen Crabb: The number of civil servants who were promoted in the Wales Office during the last five years, and the proportion who identified themselves as being disabled and non-disabled, is shown in the following table:

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work; [189072]

(2) 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. [189132]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 697W

Stephen Crabb: Four staff have taken maternity leave in the last five years. One staff member returned to work in each of the following financial years: 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2012-13, and the fourth is due to return in 2014-15 after opting for an extended career break immediately after maternity leave. Of the three who had already returned, all were still employed in the civil service 12 months after returning to work.

Maternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in his Department. [189092]

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office does not have any direct employees. Staff at the Wales Office are subject to Ministry of Justice policies for pay purposes.

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

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. [189112]

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office is not an employer in its own right, and its staff are subject to Ministry of Justice (MOJ) child care policies. The MOJ policies include providing access to a salary sacrifice scheme for child care vouchers which enables employees to choose their own child care provider subject to meeting eligibility requirements.

International Development

Argentina

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what development aid was provided to the Government of Argentina in 2013. [189048]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme in Argentina. No UK aid is currently provided directly to the Government of Argentina.

British Overseas Territories

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on reviewing financial aid levels to the British Overseas Territories. [189030]

Mr Duncan: The British Government are committed to meeting the “reasonable needs” of their Overseas Territories (OTs). DFID provides financial aid to help

3 Mar 2014 : Column 698W

meet the recurrent costs of providing public services on Montserrat, St Helena and Pitcairn. It currently reviews this aid annually and agrees annual budget aid settlements. The portfolio of projects in the OTs, including their level of funding, is reviewed regularly.

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of civil servants in her Department and non-departmental public bodies who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189146]

Mr Duncan: 411 staff have been promoted in DFID in the last five years. This is broken down as follows:

Fewer than five staff have been promoted within DFID's non-departmental public bodies. Due to the small number, providing this information could lead to personal data being released and would therefore breach the legitimate expectation of an individual's right to the protection of their personal information.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of civil servants in her 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. [189166]

Mr Duncan: From the information available, the following proportions of civil servants promoted in DFID in each of the last five years were:

Information provided in ethnic minority data is provided only on a voluntary basis and information is available only on staff who have made this declaration.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of civil servants in her Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled. [189186]

Mr Duncan: Of the civil servants promoted in DFID in the last five years, 2.61% declared themselves as being disabled; 97.39% have not declared any disability. Members of staff are invited to declare their disability, but are not required to do so.

Due to the small number of individuals declaring themselves as disabled, providing the information requested for each of the last five years could lead to individuals being identified and would therefore breach

3 Mar 2014 : Column 699W

the legitimate expectation of an individual's right to protection of their personal information.

Commonwealth Scholarships Programme

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) name and (b) country is of each current recipient of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. [189721]

Justine Greening: The names and countries of all Commonwealth scholars and fellows are published online, in a directory that is updated annually:

http://bit.ly/cscuk-online-directory

Developing Countries: Water

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking with developing countries on reducing water pollution and increasing the quality and quantity of clean, safe water. [189712]

Lynne Featherstone: Through our support to country, regional and global water resources management programmes we are supporting developing countries improve water quantity and quality. For instance, the South Asia Water Initiative, funded by DFID has helped the World Bank in developing the Ganga Action Plan to reduce pollution in the Ganges.

The Government have committed to provide sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene to 60 million people in developing countries. We are on track to meet this target, providing increased access to safe water to poor people in Africa and South Asia.

Eastern Europe

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid programmes the Government operate in Eastern Europe. [189049]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID no longer operates a development programme in Eastern Europe.

European Investment Bank

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer from the Department for International Development of 30 January 2014, Official Report, column 665W on European Investment Bank, when the EU funding guidelines, published on 19 July 2013, will be applied to loans to Israel from the European Investment Bank; and what recent discussions the UK representative on the European Investment Bank has had with him on this issue. [189307]

Mr Duncan: The European Union's settlement guidelines, published on 19 July 2013, apply to loans to Israel from the European Investment Bank (EIB) from January 2014 onwards. The guidelines do not apply retrospectively to loans signed prior to 2014. The UK representative keeps Ministers updated on EIB developments.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 700W

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of civil servants in her Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work. [189066]

Mr Duncan: Of the civil servants working at DFID who took maternity leave in the last five years, 97% have returned to work.

Providing a breakdown for each year would incur disproportionate costs.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of civil servants in her Department and non-departmental public bodies 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. [189126]

Mr Duncan: Of the civil servants working for DFID who have taken maternity leave in the last five years, 65% are still employed six months after their return to work and 53.4% are still employed 12 months after their return to work. These percentages do not include 17 staff still on maternity leave and a further 33 staff who have returned to work but who have not yet completed six months.

Providing a breakdown for each year would incur disproportionate costs.

No civil servants working in DFID's non-departmental public bodies have taken maternity leave in the last five years.

Maternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in her Department. [189086]

Mr Duncan: DFID offers staff the full statutory entitlement of up to 52 weeks' maternity leave. DFID gives eligible staff a top-up in addition to the statutory minimum, equivalent to their full pay for up to 26 weeks. This is followed by 13 weeks at statutory maternity pay rates with the remaining 13 weeks being unpaid.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by her Department and (b) operated by a third party on her 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. [189106]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not operate, and has not contracted a third party to operate, any workplace nurseries on DFID property.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 701W

Palestinians

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions Ministers in her Department have visited Gaza in each of the last three years. [189250]

Mr Duncan: I have visited Gaza twice in the last three years, in December 2012 and April 2013.

Philippines

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she plans to take to ensure that funding given to the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan is spent on assistance to those directly affected. [189738]

Justine Greening: All DFID programmes include monitoring arrangements to continually assess effectiveness and impact, and to ensure UK aid is getting to those most in need of assistance. Recipient organisations are closely monitored and are required to report regularly to DFID.

Northern Ireland

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of civil servants in her Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189148]

Mrs Villiers: My Department does not centrally hold figures for the period prior to 30 November 2012. For the period from 1 December 2012 to 28 February 2014, 18 members of staff were promoted of which 61% (11) were male and 39% (seven) female.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of civil servants in her 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. [189168]

Mrs Villiers: To provide these details would incur disproportionate cost as my Department does not hold this information centrally.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of civil servants in her Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were identified as (a) disabled and (b) non-disabled. [189188]

Mrs Villiers: To provide these details would incur disproportionate cost as my Department does not hold this information centrally.

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of civil servants in her Department who were on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work. [189068]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 702W

Mrs Villiers: Figures are not available centrally for the period prior to the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010.

Since 12 April 2010, my Department has had seven members of staff on maternity leave. Of these, five (71%) returned to work, one (14.5%) returned to their home Department as their secondment ended during their maternity leave and one (14.5%) took a career break.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of civil servants in her 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. [189128]

Mrs Villiers: Comparable figures for the Department as it is now configured are not available following the completion of devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010.

Since that date, seven members of my Department have been on maternity leave and all of them returned to the civil service and were still employed 12 months after their return.

Maternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the standard level and duration is of contractual maternity pay paid to civil servants in her Department. [189088]

Mrs Villiers: Staff employed by my Department come under the terms and conditions of the Ministry of Justice under which a member of staff receives their full salary for the first 26 weeks of their maternity leave. Staff on secondment from the Northern Ireland Civil Service to my Department receive 18 weeks contractual maternity pay.

Nurseries

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many workplace nurseries (a) directly operated by her Department and (b) operated by a third party on her 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. [189108]

Mrs Villiers: Staff in my Department have access to a subsidised workplace nursery which is run by a third party provider. There are no current plans to change its operation.

Church Commissioners

Church of England

Miss McIntosh: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, when he last met the Rural Affairs Group of the Church of England. [187221]

3 Mar 2014 : Column 703W

Sir Tony Baldry: I have not attended a meeting of the Rural Affairs Group of the Church of England. I am kept fully informed about the relevant issues concerning the committee when needed by the national rural officer and the Church of England’s parliamentary unit.

Energy and Climate Change

Career Development

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each of the last five years were (a) male and (b) female. [189141]

Gregory Barker: Prior to November 2010 the shared service provision for human resource in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was provided by two suppliers with data maintained in differing formats. Therefore data in a consistent format are only available from November 2010.

The proportion of civil servants, by gender, who have been promoted within DECC in each of the years for which data are available is shown in the following table:

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 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. [189161]

Gregory Barker: Prior to November 2010 the shared service provision for human resource in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was provided by two suppliers with data maintained in differing formats. Therefore data in a consistent format are only available from November 2010.

From November 2010 to January 2014, 63% of civil servants, who have been promoted within DECC, have declared a nationality and ethnicity status. The proportion of civil servants who have declared a nationality and ethnicity status and been promoted within DECC in each of the years for which data are available is shown in the following table:

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of civil servants in his Department who were promoted in each

3 Mar 2014 : Column 704W

of the last five years were identified as

(a)

disabled and

(b)

non-disabled. [189181]

Gregory Barker: Prior to November 2010 the shared service provision for human resource in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was provided by two suppliers with data maintained in differing formats. Therefore data in a consistent format are only available from November 2010.

From November 2010 to January 2014, 84% of civil servants, who have been promoted within DECC, have declared a disability status. The proportion of civil servants who have declared a disability status and been promoted within DECC in each of the years for which data are available is shown in the following table:

Energy

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information Ofgem holds on the average call handling times for the energy customers of EDF, British Gas, Eon, NPower, SSE and Scottish Power. [189493]

Michael Fallon: Ofgem does not routinely collect information on call waiting times. However, Ofgem requires all suppliers to publish its complaints handling data on an annual basis.

Ofgem does hold information on the call handling times of several suppliers. That information was obtained as a result of complaints handling investigations. As those investigations are ongoing, Ofgem is unable to share the details of that information.

Maternity Leave

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of civil servants in his Department on maternity leave in each of the last five years returned to work. [189061]

Gregory Barker: Prior to November 2010 the shared service provision for human resource in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was provided by two suppliers with data maintained in differing formats. Therefore data in a consistent format are only available from November 2010.

The proportion of civil servants who have been on maternity leave in each of the years for which data are available and have returned to work, is shown in the following table.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 705W

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 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. [189121]

Gregory Barker: Prior to November 2010 the shared service provision for human resource in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was provided by two suppliers with data maintained in differing formats. Therefore data in a consistent format are only available from November 2010.

The proportion of civil servants who have been on maternity leave in each of the years for which data are available and have returned to work and are still working in DECC after (a) six and (b)12 months, is shown in the following table. All of those who left DECC during this period were subject to loan agreements and have returned to their home Departments. DECC does not have access to staff records of other civil service Departments and is therefore unable to confirm if they are still working in the civil service.

Radioactivity

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the level of Government financial liability for radioactive incidents at UK nuclear plants. [188920]

Michael Fallon: The UK has an established and robust regulatory framework that ensures the nuclear industry effectively manages the risks associated with the operation of civil nuclear installations and facilities. As a result of this approach the probability of a large scale (i.e. beyond design basis) accident is considered to be exceedingly small, and any advance estimate of the possible costs (and any Government financial liability) would be speculation.

Renewable Energy

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what steps he has taken to ensure that an inter-governmental agreement is signed in time for projects to export wind energy from Ireland to the UK to start by 2020; [188972]

(2) what recent discussions he has had with his Irish counterpart on the inter-governmental agreement on renewable energy trading; [188973]

(3) when the inter-governmental agreement between the UK and Ireland is likely to be signed. [188974]

Michael Fallon: DECC Ministers and officials meet their Irish counterparts regularly on a number of issues relating to EU energy policy, including renewable energy trading. The United Kingdom and Ireland signed a

3 Mar 2014 : Column 706W

memorandum of understanding (MOU) on co-operation in the energy sector in January 2013. Since then, British and Irish officials have been working closely together to understand how Irish renewable energy resources might be developed to the mutual benefit of both countries. This is the first time that projects of this kind—bringing forward cross-border EU trade in renewable energy—are being considered. They are both innovative and complex, bringing risks and benefits that need to be weighed. Working with project developers and delivery partners, the energy Departments of both countries have undertaken a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis and assessed regulatory, licensing and planning implications for both countries. Good progress has been made and, as stated in the MOU, we continue to work towards an inter-governmental agreement.

Communities and Local Government

Social Rented Homes

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress his Department has made on the target for provision for social rented homes in the recently published Homes and Communities Agency prospectus. [902769]

Stephen Williams: In January, we invited bids for funding to deliver 165,000 affordable homes over three years from 2015. This will be the fastest rate of building affordable homes for at least 20 years. This is on top of the 170,000 homes we are on target to deliver by 2015.

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that residents' objections and previous planning refusals are seriously considered on applications for nationally significant infrastructure projects. [902770]

Nick Boles: The planning process for nationally significant infrastructure projects allows residents a minimum of one month to register their interest and outline initial objections. There is a further opportunity during the six-month examination period for residents to make detailed representations and present their views at an open hearing.

Council Tax

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding his Department is providing to help freeze council tax. [902754]

Mr Pickles: More than £800 million of funding is available for a council tax freeze in the next two years—the total amount of funding throughout this Parliament is up to £5.2 billion. This is worth up to £1,100 on a Band D home for the average household.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 707W

Housing: Rural Areas

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how his Department monitors the use of rural exception site policy. [187597]

Nick Boles: We have been absolutely clear in the national planning policy framework that we support the use of rural exception sites. It is for local communities and councils to work together and bring forward this type of development where needed.

In the local authority housing statistics return, we collect and publish information about all new build additional affordable housing delivered on rural exception sites.

The most recent dataset can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2012-to-2013

Public Houses

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many public houses were built in (a) the UK, (b) Lancashire and (c) Preston in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012 and (vi) 2013; and how many are projected to be built in 2014. [189490]

Brandon Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

3 Mar 2014 : Column 708W

Transport

Buses: Tyres

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what recent representations his Department has made to the EU for reforms to tyre requirements required during MOTs on (a) buses and (b) coaches; [189669]

(2) what his policy is on introducing a maximum age on tyres for use on (a) buses and (b) coaches; [189670]

(3) how many passenger service (a) coaches and (b) buses have failed an MOT as a result of tyre failures in each of the last 10 years. [189672]

Stephen Hammond: The Department has not made any representations to the EU for reforms to annual test requirements for tyres fitted to buses or coaches.

The replacement age of vehicle tyres is not legislated for in the United Kingdom or European Union and there is little evidence available on the effects of tyre ageing to support the introduction of a maximum age limit. Appropriate research may help inform decisions on the introduction of a limit and officials are considering whether future studies might be needed.

As an interim measure the Department has published guidance to the bus and coach industry recommending that tyres over 10 years old are not fitted to the front axle of these vehicles.

The Department does not have separate figures of annual test failures for passenger service coaches and buses. However, the following table shows the combined figures for all passenger service vehicles based upon the criteria used by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency which undertakes the inspections.

The size and type column refers to the suitability of the tyre for use on the vehicle being inspected. The tyre condition column relates to a detailed inspection of the tyre for specific defects. Further details of the inspection criteria can be found in sections 7 and 8 of the public service vehicle inspection manual which is published online:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270358/public-service-vehicle-psv-inspection-manual-2014.pdf

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many spot checks VOSA has undertaken on passenger service (a) buses and (b) coaches in each of the last 10 years; how many such checks have been undertaken in (i) Liverpool, (ii) Merseyside and (iii) the North West; and how many such checks have identified the presence of illegal tyres. [189671]

Stephen Hammond: The information requested is in the following table:

3 Mar 2014 : Column 709W

3 Mar 2014 : Column 710W