Health
Abortion
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which private sector clinics and hospitals provide abortions; how many beds there are in each facility; whether each facility is approved for (a) surgical day care abortions with or without general anaesthetic and (b) late abortions; and what the name is of the proprietor of each such facility. [193183]
Jane Ellison: The information is in the table. The Department no longer collects information on the number of beds in each clinic or hospital.
| Name of clinic | Proprietor | Undertakes surgical day care abortions | Performs terminations up to 24 weeks gestation |
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Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions there were at (a) 26 weeks and (b) each week after the 26th in each category of grounds for termination in 2012. [193184]
Jane Ellison: Information is in the following table:
| Abortions by gestation 26 weeks and over, residents of England and Wales, 2012 | |
| Gestation week | Number |
All 99 abortions were performed under Ground E, there is substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (section l(l)(d)).
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Breast Cancer
Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with NHS England on ensuring that future iterations of the Cancer Patient Experience Survey include questions targeted at those with secondary breast cancer. [193014]
Jane Ellison: There have been no ministerial discussions with NHS England on ensuring that future iterations of the Cancer Patient Experience Survey include questions targeted at those with secondary breast cancer.
The questions in the Cancer Patient Experience Survey are designed to capture the experience of patients with all types of cancer at different stages of their care and are therefore deliberately not ‘cancer type specific’.
Cancer: Drugs
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to collect information on the number of (a) approved and (b) rejected applications to the Cancer Drugs Fund. [193075]
Norman Lamb: From April 2013 NHS England has had oversight of the Cancer Drugs Fund and the collection of information on the Fund is matter for NHS England.
NHS England publishes quarterly information on the number of applications automatically approved under the Cancer Drugs Fund cohort policies list. It also publishes information on the number of individual Cancer Drugs Fund applications, including those refused by the Cancer Drugs Fund panel. This information is available at:
www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/pe/cdf/
Direct Payments
Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an assessment of the potential effects of the provisions of the Consumer Rights Bill on the provision of social care services to users commissioning such services through direct payments. [193157]
Norman Lamb: Where health and social care is contractually provided to a consumer by a business it is within the scope of chapter 4 part 1 and part 2 of the Consumer Rights Bill.
Chapter 4 of part 1 of the Consumer Rights Bill sets out that services within scope must be provided by traders with reasonable care and skill and that they must be in line with certain information given to the consumer by the trader. Where there are other enactments that define or restrict rights, duties or liabilities, the provisions of those enactments take precedence over the provisions in chapter 4, part 1 (see clause 53). Part 2 sets out when and what basis terms in applicable consumer contracts can be assessed for fairness.
Adult social care personal budgets, in the form of direct payments, are local authority funding that allows a person to purchase adult care and support directly, making their own choice about the services they buy and the organisations they buy from. In this case, the agreement is between the consumer and the ultimate provider. That is, a contract for services covered by the Consumer Rights Bill.
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However, even where a person purchases care using a direct payment, the local authority still retains a duty to ensure the person's needs are met. In cases where the contractual arrangement breaks down, the local authority must ensure care and support needs continue to be met.
Female Genital Mutilation
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women and girls received NHS treatment in each foundation trust area after having undergone a female genital mutilation procedure in each of the last three years. [193323]
Jane Ellison: Information on female genital mutilation (FGM) is not currently collected centrally in the Department.
However, from April, all (foundation and non-foundation) national health service acute hospitals will report to the Department on the prevalence of female genital mutilation within their patient population, including the total number of patients who have undergone FGM or been treated for FGM (for example, de-infibulation).
This information will be returned to the Department every month with compliance on this required by September.
Foetal Death
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on disposal of foetal remains through incineration to heat hospitals. [193326]
Dr Poulter: The Department considers incineration (including ‘waste to energy’ incineration) an unacceptable means of disposing of foetal remains.
To help provide clarity on this, the national medical director, NHS England has written to all national health service trusts and foundation trusts to make clear his view that this practice is inappropriate.
Also, following correspondence from the chief medical officer, the Human Tissue Authority has confirmed that it will revise its codes and guidance to make clear that incineration of foetal tissue is not acceptable. It will also examine disposal policies when inspecting licensed establishments and ensure that the policy is enforced.
General Practitioners: Rural Areas
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will establish a strategic small surgeries fund to help small rural GPs affected by the new funding formulae. [193503]
Dr Poulter: The Department recognises that the withdrawal of the Minimum Practice Income Guarantee (MPIG) for general practices has raised concerns about the viability of some small practices. That is why we have made the decision to take the next seven years to implement the change to MPIG funding fully. Phasing the changes over this period will allow the minority of practices that lose funding to adjust gradually to the reduction in payments.
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NHS England area teams are working with the small number of practices that are particularly affected to consider if different arrangements need to be in place to ensure there are appropriate primary medical services for local populations in place.
Health Protection Agency
Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff at each grade were employed in each of the private offices of the directors of the Health Protection Agency in the 12 months prior to April 2013. [193497]
Jane Ellison: The only Health Protection Agency (HPA) director who had a private office was Justin McCracken, its chief executive. It comprised two full-time staff employed on national health service terms and conditions: a personal assistant (Agenda for Change band 6) and a private office administrator (Agenda for Change band 4). The HPA chairman's personal assistant (Agenda for Change band 6) provided some ad-hoc support to the chief executive's private office in addition to their normal duties.
In Vitro Fertilisation
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate, of 8 January 2014, Official Report, columns 267-8W, on in vitro fertilisation, (1) whether Klaus Reinhardt, Damian Dowling, or Edward Morrow were invited to contribute evidence pursuant to their paper in response to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's recent call for scientific evidence from experts in any relevant field on the safety or efficacy of pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer techniques; whether Paul Knoepfler was invited to contribute evidence to this inquiry; which other individual scientists, research groups or learned societies were notified about this new call for evidence; and how much advance notice each such person was given of the deadline for written submissions; [193180]
(2) in which scientific periodicals were notices placed to advertise the recent call from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for scientific evidence from experts in any relevant field on the safety or efficacy of pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer techniques; where else the call for evidence was publicly advertised; and when the report to be published on the HFEA website will be available to members of the public. [193201]
Jane Ellison: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it published its call for evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of pro-nuclear transfer and maternal spindle transfer techniques on its website on 7 March. It informed a range of scientific bodies and institutions, as well as researchers in the field about the call for evidence. The individuals mentioned were either approached as corresponding authors or have already submitted evidence to the review. The call for evidence remained open until 21 March 2014.
Following the process used for the two previous reviews, the call for evidence was not published in any scientific periodicals, but was advertised on the HFEA website. The report will be published in late May.
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Medical Records: Databases
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish all representations made to him by NHS England on the care.data scheme. [193450]
Dr Poulter: There have been no representations made by NHS England on the care.data scheme.
Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with NHS England on the time taken to roll-out the care.data scheme. [193498]
Dr Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) holds regular meetings with NHS England including the technology priorities and care.data features in those discussions from time to time.
Mental Health Services
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, columns 725-6W, on mental health services, what critical steps were set out at the third Choice in the Mental Health Workshop on 12 March 2014; and if he will publish the minutes of that workshop and the programme that emerged from it. [193411]
Norman Lamb: The legal right to choice of provider is extended to mental health services from 1 April 2014.
Officials from the Department and NHS England co-chaired a series of workshops with key partners from across the mental health system during February and March to prioritise the development of guidance for commissioners, providers and general practitioners (GPs). This will help patients and professionals understand the new right, and utilise the existing systems, pricing and payment arrangements, and processes to implement it. The workshops were not minuted. Officials have also updated the Choice Framework, which provides information to patients on their rights to choice.
Further workshops are planned with mental health providers to help them make information about their services available to patients and GPs to support informed choice. Officials will continue to work with NHS England and key partners to embed patients' rights to choice in mental health by 2015, as set out in the NHS Mandate. The guidance and Choice Framework will be published shortly.
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to ensure that patients' views and feedback are taken into account in the delivery of mental health services. [193449]
Norman Lamb: The Department is clear that the most important measure of quality is what people who use mental health services think. There are a range of national surveys which both collect feedback from patients and ensure that it is used in the design, development and delivery of services.
Responsibility for the national surveys previously carried out by the Department passed to NHS England on 1 April 2013.
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The NHS England intelligence programme is promoting the use of Patient Reported Outcome Measures and Patient Reported Experience Measures to inform service planning.
The Francis Report highlighted the Friends and Family Test (FFT) as one of the most important mechanisms for identifying poor quality services early. The FFT asks patients and staff how likely they are to recommend a health or care provider's services to their friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment.
The FFT is already being used in a number of mental health care settings. From the end of December 2014, it will be used routinely in all mental health care settings. But we are encouraging providers to start using it sooner.
A range of services, including Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, monitor quality and outcomes through patient experience questionnaires as part of
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quality assurance processes. We would expect services to act on this information to improve services.
The Care Quality Commission Community Mental Health Survey provides annual information at both national and trust level. This allows trusts to act on the feedback at a local level and make improvements in the delivery of services.
Mental Illness
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of mental illness has been in (a) Harlow constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England in each year since 1997. [193021]
Norman Lamb: Information on the levels of mental illness in Harlow constituency, Essex and England is not held in the format requested. However, we are advised by the Health and Social Care Information Centre of the following:
Obesity: Children
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of children in (a) Harlow constituency, (b) Essex and (c) England were classed as overweight each year since 1997. [193023]
Jane Ellison: The proportion of children overweight in Harlow, Essex and England as measured by the National Child Measurement Programme 2006-07 to 2012-13 is shown in the following table.
| Prevalence of overweight1 among children aged 4-5 (Reception) and 10-11 (Year 6) years | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| England | Essex county council | Harlow district council | ||||
| Reception | Year 6 | Reception | Year 6 | Reception | Year 6 | |
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| 1 Including obese. | ||||||
Opiates
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate his Department has made of the costs to the NHS of krokodil; [193430]
(2) what assessment his Department has made of the health risks associated with krokodil. [193451]
Jane Ellison: Krokodil is a street name for “backstreet” made desomorphine, which is an opioid, sharing the same health risks as other opioids. Depending on how much has been taken, the health risks of opioids range from constipation, itching, nausea and retching, lethargy, dizziness or fainting, to suppression of normal breathing, respiratory arrest and death. It is reported that due to the nature of krokodil's production, it can be contaminated with the chemicals used during its manufacture, which can have additional harmful effects, such as:
possible brain damage with loss of motor skills;
rapid local damage to blood vessels, muscles and bones near to injection sites resulting in abscesses, thrombophlebitis and gangrene;
possible typical skin lesions around the injection site (reportedly green grey colour with a scaly appearance), which may lead to developing gangrene, which can result in the loss of a limb, and can be fatal; and
other organ damage.
Krokodil is usually injected so carries the health risks associated with injecting opioids, such as damage to veins and arteries, which can lead to gangrene and infections. If needles, syringes and other equipment involved in injecting are shared there is the possibility of catching a serious infection like hepatitis B, hepatitis C and/or HIV/AIDS. Mixing any opioid with alcohol, or with other sedatives such as benzodiazepines, makes an overdose more likely, which can lead to a coma or respiratory failure and death.
There have been no confirmed cases of krokodil use in the United Kingdom. Therefore, there has been no assessment of the cost to the national health service.
Ovarian Cancer
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer should be tested for the BRCA 1/2 gene on diagnosis. [193339]
Jane Ellison: This is a matter for NHS England, which advises that the issue of testing for the BRCA1/2 gene in women diagnosed with ovarian cancer has recently been put to its specialised gynaecology Clinical Reference Group (CRG). The national clinical director for cancer has asked the specialised gynaecology CRG to scope out what the issues are in order to inform NHS England.
Current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines recommend offering genetic testing to people with a 10% likelihood of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation.
Pregnancy
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the potential benefits of pre-term at-risk profiling to (a) identify women at risk of stillbirth, (b) ensure those at risk receive increased monitoring and preventative measures and (c) reduce potentially damaging stress on those who are in an at-risk group but are not themselves at risk. [193138]
Dr Poulter: At their booking appointment, women will be assessed for risk factors for stillbirth. These range from social and lifestyle factors to clinical ones such as previous history of stillbirth. Such risk profiling helps to determine the appropriate care a woman will receive. Once a woman is identified at risk due to fetal growth restriction or other risk, increased surveillance can be instigated, including a plan for delivery. In conjunction with SANDS, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, the Department is currently considering a public awareness campaign to highlight risk factors for stillbirth. NHS England has taken part in these discussions.
In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines:
http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG62/Guidance/pdf/English
risk profiling allows for increased surveillance of at risk women and this, coupled with better scanning and detection of growth-restricted babies, allows women in at risk groups to be clearer about their own personal level of risk.
Prescriptions
John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions were issued in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013 for medical conditions that (i) qualified for and (ii) did not qualify for prescription charge exemptions. [193127]
Norman Lamb: In the calendar year 2012, 73.5 million of dispensed prescription items, which accounted for 7.3% of the total of 1,000.5 million prescription items dispensed in 2012, were exempt from a charge as a result of medical exemption.
Information on the number of charge-exempt prescriptions in 2013 will be available in July this year.
No reliable information is held centrally on the number of prescription items which were exempt from charges in 2011 or previous years.
This information was provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). It should be noted that HSCIC records only one exemption category per prescription item, so that prescriptions for a patient who is, for example, exempt from prescription charges
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on the grounds of age as well as due to a medical condition would be recorded under one or the other, but not both, of these categories. The information does not record if more than one exemption category applies.
Public Health England
Debbie Abrahams:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the (a) name, (b) job title, (c)
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salary level and
(d)
professional qualifications of each director who has worked at Public Health England since that body's formation; and if he will state whether each such position was advertised publicly. [193389]
Jane Ellison: The information requested is shown in the following table:
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of what grades there are in each of the private offices of the directors of Public Health England. [193410]
Jane Ellison: The only Public Health England Director with a private office is Duncan Selbie, the Chief Executive. It comprises three full time staff: one Grade 6 Private Secretary, one Higher Executive Officer Personal Assistant and one Executive Officer Diary Manager. All have been appointed through open competition.
Skin Cancer
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had on (a) the number of treatment options available as a first line to patients with advanced melanoma and (b) the clinical effectiveness of the treatment options available as a first line to patients with advanced melanoma; and if he will make a statement. [193114]
Jane Ellison: We have had no recent discussions on these issues but drug options for the first-line treatment of advanced melanoma were raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Derbyshire (Pauline Latham) during oral questions on 25 February 2014, Official Report, column 159 and during a debate in Westminster Hall on Cancer Treatment and Prevention on 11 March 2014, Official Report, column 38WH.
Soft Drinks: Schools
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to reduce the availability of energy drinks at schools. [193196]
Jane Ellison: Legislation on school food standards does not allow energy drinks to be provided by schools. Additionally, a school could decide to specifically ban energy drinks from being brought onto, or consumed on, school premises.
The Department for Education is currently consulting on a clearer set of school food standards. These revised standards will be available to schools and others, accompanied by practical guidance, from September 2014, becoming statutory from January 2015.
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The Food Standards Agency advises that children and other people who are sensitive to caffeine should consume caffeine only in moderation. In the United Kingdom, many high caffeine drinks already voluntarily include advice about their unsuitability for children. In December 2014 similar labelling will become mandatory.
Tobacco: Packaging
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to (a) receive and (b) publish his response to Sir Cyril Chantler's independent review of the public health impact of standardised tobacco packaging. [193409]
Jane Ellison: Health Ministers expect to receive Sir Cyril Chantler's report very shortly, after which it will be published.
Visual Impairment: Children
Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the proportion of children aged four and five years who have received screening for visual defects since 1 April 2013; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure such screening is provided universally across England in line with the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee. [193330]
Dr Poulter: Data on the number of children aged four to five years who have received screening for visual defects since 1 April 2013 are not held centrally.
On 21 November 2013 the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommended that all children between four to five years of age should continue to be screened for vision defects by an orthoptist-led service. Vision defects include amblyopia, refractive error and strabismus. The UK NSC agreed that more work was needed to improve the consistency and quality of current services. The Programme Director for the UK NSC is working with the Department to consider how to inform and guide best practice across England.
Home Department
Computer Misuse Act 1990
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2014, Official Report, column 268W, on Computer Misuse Act 1990, and with reference to action 7 under objective 1 on page 36 of the UK Cyber Security Strategy, when the Government plan to publish their review of the Computer Misuse Act 1990. [193210]
Karen Bradley: The Home Office, with its partners, has kept the Computer Misuse Act 1990 (CMA) under constant review to ensure the UK has a robust legal framework that enables law enforcement agencies to tackle cybercrime. We set out in the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy (October 2013) that we will bring forward proposals to amend the CMA, including to update existing offences to cover importing tools for cyber crime. We will legislate as soon as the parliamentary timetable allows.
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Driving: Licensing
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2014, Official Report, column 238W, on driving: licensing, how many new drivers who received driving convictions undertook speed awareness courses in each year since 2010. [193256]
Damian Green [holding answer 26 March 2014]: The number of drivers that opted for a speed awareness course rather than accept penalty points on their driving licence is:
| Number | |
The offer of a speed awareness course is at the discretion of the police. To be deemed eligible there must be no excessive speed or other offences committed at the same time. Information on previous motoring convictions is not taken into account.
Motorway Service Areas: Alcoholic Drinks
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking on the decision to allow the sale and consumption of alcohol in a motorway service area. [193334]
Norman Baker: The Licensing Act 2003 bans the sale of alcohol at certain motorway service areas but this ban does not extend to all of them. At motorway service areas which are not covered by the Act, the grant of premise licences for the sale of alcohol in any particular case is at present a matter for the local licensing authority.
The Government included motorway service areas as part of the public consultation on the Alcohol Strategy in 2012-13. The Government's response to this consultation was published in July 2013 and stated that this issue would be considered further, and it is under active consideration.
Passports: Databases
Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has paid for the use of Interpol's SLTD database in each year since 2010. [193398]
Karen Bradley: The Home Office accounting system does not identify separate expenditure on the Interpol's SLTD database. The information cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to answer questions tabled by the hon. Member for Birkenhead on 28 February 2014 for answer on 6 March 2014 on the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration project. [191307]
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James Brokenshire: I answered questions 190276 and 190398 on 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 18W and column 19W respectively. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Attorney-General
Domestic Violence: Prosecutions
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 13 February 2014, Official Report, columns 705-06W, on domestic violence: prosecutions, if he will estimate the number of victimless prosecutions for domestic violence-related offences in 2013. [193325]
The Solicitor-General: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 13 February 2014, Official Report, column 706W.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Environment Agency: Prosecutions
Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the Environment Agency in pursuing prosecutions. [903341]
Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency has a published Enforcement and Sanctions Statement. It uses a wide range of enforcement responses where it encounters unlawful activity. This includes advice and guidance, through to civil sanctions and prosecution. Prosecutions are taken across a wide range of regulated activities, from navigation and fisheries, to complex industrial processes, waste regulation, and water resources management.
The Environment Agency has a 97% success rate in prosecutions and has good cost recovery rates.
Fisheries
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make an assessment of the sustainability of the use of wreck netting by trawlers. [193077]
George Eustice: Wreck netting is not conducted by trawlers. The Marine Management Organisation is however aware of localised potential conflict between rod and line fisheries and those fishing by means of wreck netting. Through regular meetings with local fishermen it aims to set catch limits that recognise the needs of both groups.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to support the rod and line fishing industry. [193078]
George Eustice: DEFRA has taken a number of measures that support the inshore fishing fleet in recent years, including realigning fishing quotas that were unutilised by producer organisations and giving them to the inshore fleet. Work is ongoing in order to determine other ways in which we can assist the inshore fleet.
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There are no current national plans to differentiate between gear types for the inshore fishing fleet, although it is possible that some inshore fisheries conservation associations (IFCAs) may consider introducing restrictions to address local needs in the future.
Nature Conservation: British Overseas Territories
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the directives of the Lionfish response strategy implemented in the Overseas Territories are. [193141]
George Eustice: Since 2011, we have looked for opportunities to work with Caribbean Overseas Territories to get a better understanding of the scale and nature of the lionfish problem, including economic and ecological impacts.
Since then, DEFRA, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) have provided funding totalling £80,000 to help Caribbean Overseas Territories tackle this increasingly serious threat. This includes two seminars in 2013 (organised by the JNCC) to enable the UK Overseas Territories to address sustainable control of lionfish in the longer term. Work is also being funded in the Cayman Islands to assess the economic impact of the lionfish invasion.
We will also be funding a Darwin Plus project in Bermuda over the next two years totalling £169,898 which will address lionfish control.
Nature Conservation: Crime
Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcomes were of the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade 2014. [903339]
George Eustice: The London Conference successfully focused high-level political attention on the scourge of the illegal wildlife trade. Forty-one countries, the European Union, and 10 international organisations were represented at senior level, including by the Presidents of four African states.
The conference participants agreed on an ambitious political declaration, containing 25 practical commitments to action that will help to eradicate the demand for wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement and support the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by wildlife crime.
These include significant commitments by Government to:
renounce the use of any products from species threatened with extinction;
support the CITES commercial prohibition on international trade in elephant ivory until the survival of elephants in the wild is no longer threatened by poaching;
treating poaching and trafficking as a serious organised crime in the same category as drugs, arms and people trafficking.
The Presidents of Botswana, Chad, Gabon and Tanzania, and the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia also announced the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) during the London Conference. This aims to secure funding from private and public sources for the implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan. The participating Governments will commit to an extended moratorium on the sale of
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ivory and to put all ivory stocks beyond economic use, showing that it is the elephants that hold value and not their tusks, in return for support from the fund. The UK warmly welcomes the EPI and has committed to match the initial $2 million of private sector funding to help kick start this initiative.
The Government of Botswana, with the support of the UK, also offered to host a follow-up conference to review progress in early 2015.
Water Charges
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of progress on the water pricing review led by Ofwat; and if he will make a statement. [903340]
Mr Paterson: The water price review is an independent process led by the economic regulator, Ofwat. We are firmly committed to this principle of independence and can make no assessment on the progress of the price review.
Water companies submitted their business plans for the 2015-20 period to Ofwat in December. Nearly all are proposing flat or declining bills from 2015.
Regular updates on the price review process can be found on Ofwat's website.
Wildlife: Smuggling
Mr Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK meets its obligations on tackling the illegal wildlife trade as set out in the London Declaration of 2014; and if he will make a statement. [192862]
George Eustice: The Government are committed to the UK playing its part in helping to tackle the scourge of the illegal wildlife trade and meeting the commitments set out in the London Declaration. We will do this by:
delivering on the UK-specific commitments we set out in the UK Commitment to Action published in February 2014, such as continuing to fund the National Wildlife Crime Unit until 2016;
continuing to work with our international partners in governments and key international organisations to ensure that the illegal wildlife trade has the high level political attention it deserves, in all relevant international fora,
funding activities that will help developing countries tackle the illegal wildlife trade, using the £10 million fund announced by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and the Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), on 23 December 2013, including support for the Elephant Protection Initiative;
supporting the Government of Botswana to host a follow-up conference in early 2015 to review progress internationally; and
continuing to pursue a Government-wide approach to tackling the issue, overseen by the Inter-Ministerial Group on International Animal Welfare, chaired by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague).
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Transport
Bus Services
Mr Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the number of bus services that have closed in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the effects of changes to the concessionary travel scheme on the viability of local bus services. [193214]
Stephen Hammond: There have been 3,385 existing bus registration cancellations in 2013-14 to date (with five days of the reporting period remaining). This is a reduction on the previous two years. There were also 3,303 new bus service registrations processed by the Office of the Traffic Commissioner across the same 12-month period.
Concessionary travel should have no impact on the viability of local bus services as reimbursement to bus operators is not a means to support services which are not viable on a commercial basis. Legislation requires travel concession authorities (TCAs) to ensure that bus operators are left "no better off and no worse off' as a consequence of taking part in the mandatory travel concession. In general, TCAs set their schemes each year and they have discretion to decide whether or not to offer more than the mandatory concession in their own scheme areas.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2014, Official Report, column 692W, on rural bus services, to which projects the £300 million funding for major bus projects has been allocated; and how much has been allocated to each. [193328]
Stephen Hammond: The following table sets out the schemes in the Department's Local Authority Major Scheme Programme which are entirely bus based or which include elements related to bus improvements.
| £ million | |||
| Scheme name and status | Local authority | Total cost | DFT contribution |
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High Speed 2 Railway Line
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that houses purchased by HS2 Limited under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme are not sold on at less than market value. [193438]
Mr Goodwill: The Department for Transport has asked HS2 Ltd to prepare an asset management strategy that reflects best practice in the public sector and relevant policy aims for HS2, including community cohesion and the normal function of local housing markets. To date, no properties purchased under the Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been sold, or offered for sale. Any eventual sales will be undertaken with a view to obtaining the best outcome for the taxpayer and for local communities.
Level Crossings
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last raised level crossing safety issues in a meeting with Network Rail. [193087]
Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State for Transport meets with Network Rail regularly and a variety of issues are discussed.
Network Rail
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last attended a board meeting of Network Rail. [193082]
Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State has not attended any meetings of Network Rail's board. Network Rail is currently a private sector company limited by guarantee, which is accountable in the public interest through independent safety and economic regulation by the Office of Rail Regulation.
John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy that the remuneration of Network Rail executives should be reduced in response to the incidence of deaths on level crossings; [193324]
(2) with reference to the safety record of Network Rail, what his policy is on National Rail executives due to leave their posts receiving bonuses. [193125]
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Stephen Hammond: Network Rail is currently a private sector company limited by guarantee, and the remuneration of its executive directors is a matter for its remuneration committee and members. Under a condition of the company's network licence, it falls to the independent Office of Rail Regulation to ensure that Network Rail's bonus scheme framework is transparent, and rewards sustained and significant out-performance of the targets set for it.
With effect from 1 September 2014, Network Rail will be reclassified to the public sector. Work to decide on the best approach to governance, finance, and accounting and budgeting, including remuneration, has now begun. In advance of 1 September a Framework Agreement between the Department and Network Rail, which explains these decisions, will be published.
Pedestrian Crossings
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the benefits to children's safety of road crossing patrollers. [193298]
Mr Goodwill: The Government firmly believe in localism and providing local authorities with powers to introduce measures to deal with local needs and conditions. Local authorities will invariably have a strategy to improve road safety and will prioritise their road network based on the need to reduce casualties.
The provision of the school crossing patrol service is a matter for the local authority. Legislation gives them the power to make arrangements for the patrolling of places where children cross roads on their way to or from school, but does not impose a duty on them to do so. Funding decisions are also a matter for the local authority based on their local needs and priorities.
It is for the council to assess the crossing situation and determine a course of action as it is in this situation. In some cases, if the authority agrees that children from a particular school need help in crossing a busy road but have not recruited anyone, they have to think about finding other ways of making the crossing safer—for example, by putting in a pedestrian crossing.
Pedestrian Crossings: Essex
Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on road crossing patrollers in (a) Essex and (b) Harlow constituency in the last 10 years. [193303]
Mr Goodwill: The Department does not hold records of the amount spent on school crossing patrol services in each local authority.
Roads: Lancashire
Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much has been allocated to Lancashire county council to repair potholes in (a) Lancashire and (b) Rossendale; [193302]
(2) how much has been allocated from the £200 million fund to repair potholes to Blackburn with Darwen borough council to repair potholes in Darwen. [193304]
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Mr Goodwill: From the £200 million to help fix potholes on the local road network announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the March 2014 Budget, £168 million will be for local authorities in England. This funding will be made available through a bidding exercise and it will be for Blackburn and Darwen council to submit a bid to the Department. Guidance on how councils can apply for this funding will be made available in the coming weeks.
The Department for Transport has agreed to provide £90.1 million to Lancashire county council for road maintenance during the financial years from 2011-12 to 2014-15. This funding can be used to help repair potholes.
Rossendale falls within Lancashire county council's area of responsibility and we do not allocate any funds directly to the borough council for road maintenance.
Rolling Stock
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with train operating companies and rolling stock companies on the availability of rolling stock to train operating companies during the periods of franchise extension. [193333]
Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport regularly meets with the rolling stock companies to discuss the rolling stock market, including upcoming competitions and direct awards. In the development of each directly awarded franchise the Department has extensive discussions with the operator to discuss rolling stock issues, including maintenance, potential upgrades and the overall availability of stock during the period of the franchise, to ensure that appropriate levels of passenger service can be provided within the period.
Ministers regularly meet with train operating companies and rolling stock companies to discuss a wide range of issues, including the rolling stock market. The Department expects train operators and rolling stock companies ultimately to resolve any issues with regard to the availability of rolling stock for the period of their franchise, or any extension thereof.
Shipping: Employment
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to appoint the working group to assess the impact of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 in the shipping industry; what the terms of reference will be for that group; and what the expected time frame will be within which it will report its findings to Ministers. [193494]
Stephen Hammond: Discussions have already been held with Government, association and union representatives and we have a broad understanding. A meeting of interested parties will be convened within the next two months and will focus that understanding into formulating the terms of reference and to agreeing the membership of the group. The review will be fully compliant with Section 6 of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011.
Another action of that meeting will be to set the time frame in which the group will report back. Members of the group will be asked to give consideration to their own time scales that will be necessary to deliver their
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contributions to the group. Therefore while Section 6 sets an absolute deadline of 17 July 2016 it would be expected for the working group to publish its report before then.
Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to enforce the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 in the shipping industry; and which regulatory body is responsible for such enforcement on (a) UK and (b) overseas-flagged vessels in UK ports. [193495]
Stephen Hammond: A contravention of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) Regulations 2011 can be notified either to the port state authorities or directly to the appropriate enforcement team. For example, a breach of national minimum wage regulations could be reported directly to the HMRC Enforcement Team or gender discrimination could be reported to the Equal Opportunities Commission.
Enforcement action for a contravention occurring where the regulations are applicable on UK-flagged vessels would be undertaken by the relevant enforcement team (as per above) for that infringement.
Enforcement action for a contravention on board a foreign-flagged vessel, which while more complex in its application would similarly be undertaken where the regulations are applicable to either that vessel or an individual concerned.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Cyprus
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the potential role of the UK's sovereign bases in Cyprus in reaching a comprehensive settlement in Cyrpus. [193499]
Mr Lidington: There have been no such ministerial discussions. It is for the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to agree on the terms of a solution. The British Government have maintained the offer to cede nearly half the sovereign base area territories in the event of a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential economic benefits of reaching a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus in respect of resolving the issues relating to the port of Famagusta. [193500]
Mr Lidington: A comprehensive settlement would bring significant economic benefits, through increased opportunities for trade, investment and tourism, including to the Varosha area of Famagusta. The United Kingdom will continue to support Cypriot efforts aimed at ending the division which has affected their island for too long.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their Turkish counterparts on efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus in respect of issues relating to the port of Famagusta. [193501]
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Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and myself regularly discuss Cyprus with their Turkish counterparts. In my recent visit to Turkey, I discussed Cyprus with Ambassador Sinirlioglu, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey. All ministerial discussions with the parties and EU member states are aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement, including on the issue of the Varosha area of Famagusta.
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions (a) he and (b) his ministerial colleagues have had with their EU counterparts on efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus in respect of issues relating to the port of Famagusta. [193502]
Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and myself discussed how to support a Cyprus settlement with a number of EU member states in the run up to the Joint Declaration, signed by the leaders of the two communities in February 2014. This included a Foreign Secretary meeting with Greek Foreign Minister Venizelos. All ministerial discussions with the parties and EU member states are aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement, including on the issue of the Varosha area of Famagusta.
India
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to his Indian counterpart on access to tourist visas for UK nationals with Pakistani heritage. [193335]
Mr Swire: We regularly discuss visa and migration matters with the Indian Government. I discussed migration matters with the Indian high commissioner at our most recent meeting on 18 March. The issue of visas for UK nationals of Pakistani origin was also discussed at the last UK-India Comprehensive Dialogue on Visa-related issues in July 2013. Our officials continue to raise this issue with the Indian Government ahead of the next dialogue scheduled to take place in July.
Iran
Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the arrest and interrogation of eight Christians in Iran on 5 March 2014 and the issuing of arrest warrants for Amin Khuki, Hossein Bamuzadah and Rahman Buhman; and what recent representations he has made to Iran on religious toleration. [193367]
Hugh Robertson: We are concerned by the report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide about the arrest and interrogation of eight Christians on 5 March 2014; and by the treatment of religious minorities in Iran, in particular Christian groups and the Baha'i. We have expressed these concerns to the Iranian authorities, and call on them to release anyone detained on the grounds of religious belief, and to ensure that the fundamental rights of all Iranian citizens are fully respected.