Energy and Climate Change

Energy

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many applications his Department has received for (a) one-year, (b) three-year and (c) 15-year contracts relating to (i) gas and (ii) coal under the capacity market. [194282]

Michael Fallon: National Grid, as delivery body for Electrical Market Reform, will run the first capacity auction in December 2014, subject to the passage of secondary legislation and state aid approval being received. Pre-qualification for the first capacity auction is expected to open on 4 August 2014 and the first round of the auction is expected to take place on 9 December 2014. Consequently, National Grid has not yet received any applications for agreements under the capacity market.

A detailed timetable for the implementation of the capacity market is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268629/Capacity_Market_Implementation_Plan_FINAL.pdf

Energy: Competition

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has plans to extend the life of generating capacity currently scheduled to be closed in the event that delays in new investment arise as a result of uncertainty about the outcome of the competition investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority. [194312]

Michael Fallon: The Government's plans for the capacity market and interim arrangements being put in place by National Grid ahead of this will offer an opportunity to extend the life of existing capacity where it is economically efficient to do so. Subject to state aid approval, the first capacity market auction will take place in late 2014 for delivery in winter 2018. This will ensure sufficient capacity into the coming decades by offering regular payments to existing and new generation capacity that is successful at auction.

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In advance of this, National Grid has developed supplemental balancing reserve, a new balancing service through which it will be able to procure further capacity should it be needed, including capacity that is or otherwise intends to mothball or close. National Grid will only seek to competitively procure the amount of capacity that its forecast determines necessary and expects to run an initial tender process this spring for capacity for the winter of 2014-15 and 2015-16, with the possibility of extending this period if necessary.

Energy: Prices

Dr Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimates he has made of the effect of his plans to establish a capacity market on (a) domestic and (b) industrial energy bills between (i) 2015 to 2020 and (ii) 2021 to 2025. [194140]

Michael Fallon: The impact of the capacity market on bills was estimated for the Electricity Market Reform Impact Assessment, which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/288463/final_delivery_plan_ia.pdf

The results represent the net impact of capacity payments (beginning in 2018-19) and wholesale price impacts relative to a no capacity market scenario and are presented as follows in £, percentage and £/MWh terms.

However, as set out in the EMR Impact Assessment, we believe that our current modelling may over-estimate the net bill impact of the capacity market. Additional investment in generating capacity, paid for through the capacity market, should reduce volatility in the wholesale electricity price, since it ensures we avoid scarcity situations where prices spike and costly blackouts occur. As there is limited evidence on the behaviour of wholesale prices under conditions of low capacity margins, there is considerable uncertainty about what the overall bill impact of the capacity market might be, especially when compared to a world without a capacity market to address security of supply issues.

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Fossil Fuels: Safety

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many old oil and gas wells there are in the UK for which no firm or company is responsible; and how such wells are monitored for leaks. [193643]

Michael Fallon: A recently published paper by the ReFINE research consortium estimates that there are between 50 and 100 historical wells in the UK for which no responsible person can be identified.

Oil and gas wells in the UK which have no further usefulness are treated to ensure the retention of any fluids within the well. The bore is sealed with concrete plugs, while the well head it cut off below ground level and a steel cap welded to the top. The abandonment operations are subject to scrutiny by the HSE and the independent well examiner, and must comply with relevant industry standards. The site will then be restored to the appropriate standard prescribed by planning conditions.

Wells are not monitored after the completion of the abandonment and site restoration operations. The ReFINE paper confirms that there are no pollution issues associated with historical oil and gas wells in the UK.

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to prevent leaks and improve monitoring at existing (a) in use and (b) extinct or abandoned onshore oil and gas sites. [193663]

Michael Fallon: The construction and use of oil and gas wells in the UK is subject to stringent regulation by the HSE to ensure the integrity of the well in all phases of its life. Recognised industry design and construction processes must be followed, and the operator’s work and plans are subject to scrutiny by an independent well examiner as well as the HSE. Monitoring and inspections are carried out by the Environment Agency, the HSE and the independent well examiner as appropriate. Oil and gas wells which have no further usefulness are plugged and capped to ensure the retention of any fluids in the well.

We seek to improve this robust regulatory system further wherever practicable. Further consideration is being given to the control and monitoring of methane emissions in the light of the recommendations of the report by Prof David Mackay and Dr Tim Stone on potential greenhouse gas emissions associated with shale gas production and use, published in September 2013.

Education

GCE A-level: Cheshire

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students sat A-levels in (a) mathematics, (b) further mathematics, (c) physics, (d) chemistry and (e) biology in (i) City of Chester constituency and (ii) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (A) 2009 and (B) 2013. [194068]

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Mr Laws: The requested information is provided in the following table:

GCSE: Cheshire

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students obtained eight GCSE B grades or above in (a) City of Chester constituency and (b) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2013. [194070]

Mr Laws: The following table gives the number and proportion of pupils who achieved at least eight full GCSEs (GCSE and equivalents) at B grade or above in (a) City of Chester constituency and (b) Cheshire West and Chester council area in (i) 2009 and (ii) 2013. A national figure has been included as an appropriate comparator.

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Literacy

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the functional literacy rates were in each (a) local authority area and (b) region in each of the last 10 years. [193804]

Mr Laws: Tables showing the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or above in reading and writing at the end of key stage 2¹ at local authority level for the past four years are published in the ‘National curriculum assessments at key stage two' statistical first release (SFR). A copy of the data has been placed in the House Library.

Information on the percentage of pupils achieving A* to C and A* to G grades in English GCSE² nationally for the last 10 years are published in the ‘GCSE and equivalent results' SFR. A copy is placed in the House Library.

Key stage 2 reading and writing figures for earlier years and English GCSE figures at local authority level could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

¹ These figures are published in the “National curriculum assessments at key stage 2” statistical first releases for each year.

² These figures are published in the "GCSE and equivalent results" statistical first releases for each year.

Schools: Musical Instruments

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary school children in England learning to play a musical instrument in school (a) paid a charge and (b) received their tuition free of charge in school years (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2012-13 and (v) 2013-14. [194313]

Elizabeth Truss: I refer the right hon. and learned Lady to the answer I gave on 1 April 2014, Official Report, column 631W, on Schools: Musical Instruments.

Home Department

Airwave Service

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assurances she has received from operators of commercially available mobile networks that the emergency services will be able to over-ride commercial or public traffic during emergencies. [194000]

Damian Green: The Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme has worked with the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) since February 2013, running a series of supplier workshops and market engagement sessions throughout 2013 and the first quarter of 2014 ahead of procurement launch. The MNOs have run a series of capability demonstrations, organised by the programme, to showcase development of this technical solution. The programme has confidence that this capability is deliverable. The MNOs met the Minister for the Cabinet Office during February 2014, where they confirmed their ability and willingness to deliver the technology required to enable the emergency services to operate effectively over a commercially available mobile network, including provision of prioritisation of emergency service traffic.

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Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken to ensure the Emergency Services Mobile Communications programme delivers a cost-effective network that meets the standards of security and resilience essential for mission-critical communications. [194001]

Damian Green: The programme has undertaken an extensive market engagement exercise to help determine the technical and commercial feasibility of the proposed Emergency Services Network (ESN). The results of these industry soundings indicate that it should be possible to move to Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) solution-based technologies that will be more cost-effective and will allow the emergency services communications to evolve in line with developments in the consumer market. The outline business case, approved in March 2014, included costs for the security and resilience enhancements required to provide the appropriate service levels for ESN users.

Asylum: Syria

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what (a) accommodation provision, (b) employment programmes and (c) other resettlement provision has been made for Syrian refugees who come to the UK as part of the resettlement deal; [192649]

(2) how long the UK plans to host Syrian refugees who come as part of the resettlement deal; and whether such refugees will be issued with a visa for a specified time period. [192656]

James Brokenshire: The first beneficiaries of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme arrived in the UK on 25 March. This is the result of excellent co-operation with UNHCR, the International Organisation for Migration and local authority services, which has allowed us to identify vulnerable individuals in need of evacuation and ensure that the support they need is in place in the UK. These support packages are tailored on a case-by-case basis to ensure that specific requirements for those relocated under the scheme are met and include health, education and integration support.

Those admitted under the VPR scheme will be granted five years' Humanitarian Protection, with all the rights and benefits that go with that status. This includes access to public funds, access to the labour market and the possibility of family reunion. If the situation in Syria stabilises, they may choose to return home. However, at the end of the five years, if they have not been able to return to Syria, they may be eligible to apply for settlement in the UK.

Borders: Personal Records

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers travelled to the UK on routes connected to the Semaphore system in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013. [191338]

James Brokenshire: The total number of passengers who travelled to the UK on routes connected to the Semaphore system were approximately as follows:

(a) 66.5 million in 2011

(b) 64.5 million in 2012

(c) 78.8 million in 2013

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Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the decision to cancel the e-Borders programme was taken; [192028]

(2) what commercial tenders have been received for a new system to introduce exit checks and replace the e-Borders programme; [192029]

(3) how many full-time equivalent officials in her Department of each grade have worked on the e-borders programme in each year since 2010; [192030]

(4) what estimate she has made of the cost of merging the e-Borders programme into the border system programme. [192031]

James Brokenshire: The activities of the e-Borders programme have been absorbed into the Border Systems Programme. The estimated cost to close the e-Borders programme and define the Border Systems Programme was £340,000. These costs are attributable to civil servants already in post and there has been no additional expenditure or procurement in order to move the work from e-Borders to Border Systems.

The procurement approach to replacing the primary border security elements of the Border Systems Programme will reflect broader Government ICT and Commercial strategy, and there will be no single, large supplier. The Home Office will lead development, with services procured from a range of providers, potentially including small and medium enterprises; no tenders have been received at this time.

By March 2015 the Border Systems Programme aims to:

Complete resilience of all current business critical systems;

Develop replacement primary border security systems;

Provide the capability to support commitments on exit checks;

Establish a programme for the next generation of Radiological and Nuclear detection (Cyclamen);

Continue the implementation of second generation e-Gates across the estate;

Develop and implement new freight targeting capability for Sea Containers;

Establish contracts to purchase new detection equipment;

Continue to assure live operations of existing systems.

The breakdown of FTE civil servants engaged by the e-Borders and subsequently the Border Systems Programme in each year since 2010, is:

Deportation: Offenders

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportations of foreign national offenders there were in each year since 2010. [194087]

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James Brokenshire: The following table provides the total number of foreign national offenders removed in each year from 2010 to 2013.

Deportations are a specific subset of removals which are enforced either following a criminal conviction or when it is judged that a person's removal from the UK is conducive to the public good. The deportation order prohibits the person returning to the UK until such time as it may be revoked. Most foreign national offenders are removed via deportation or the Home Office enforces their departure to ensure they leave the UK.

The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK within Immigration Statistics. Quarterly data on removals of foreign national offenders are available in the latest release, ‘Immigration Statistics: October—December 2013’, table rv_07_q, from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-october-to-december-2013

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a record of the regions and sub-regions within the UK subject to the highest number of refusals of people seeking a visa to study in institutions in the UK. [193529]

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not hold information on the numbers of Tier 4 visas refused for study at institutions, by regions and sub-regions, within the UK in the format requested, which could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many survivors of human trafficking who have been placed in shelters funded by the Government through the Salvation Army received support from the Government victim care contract specialist support providers to develop a move-on strategy in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013; how many of these victims were (i) men and (ii) women; how many (A) men and (B) women are still receiving such support; and if she will make a statement. [191305]

Karen Bradley: Support to develop a move-on strategy is offered to all victims supported under the Government victim care contract. The number of victims who have received Government-funded support are given as follows.

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Of the above, the numbers still receiving such support, by calendar year of entry and gender:

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with how many victims of human trafficking the Government victims care contract specialist support providers are now working; and if she will make a statement. [191306]

Karen Bradley: The number of victims of human trafficking the Government victim care contract specialist support providers are currently working with is as follows:

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fines levied under the Immigration (Employment of Adults Subject to Immigration Control) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2008 of a value of (a) up to £1000, (b) between £1000 and £2000, (c) between £2000 and £5000 and (d) between £5000 and £10000 remained unpaid. [194135]

James Brokenshire: Information on how many fines levied under the Immigration (Employment of Adults Subject to Immigration Control) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2008 of a value of (a) up to £1,000, (b) between £1,000 and £2,000, (c) between £2,000 and £5,000 and (d) £5,000 and £10,000 remained unpaid is not recorded in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols. Data constraints on electronic records mean that the Home Office would have to examine in detail a large number of individual case files in order to ascertain the information required. The cost of producing the data linking civil penalties issued to our accounting system for civil penalties which remain unpaid by value would be at a disproportionate cost to the Home Office.

However, the Home Office has collected £30.6 million in fines through the life of the regime and the current total value of outstanding collectable debt is £14.6 million.

The Home Office is using the Immigration Bill to make it easier to enforce civil penalty debts in the courts and is incorporating debt recovery best practice from across Government Departments, with earlier initiation of legal proceedings for debt recovery if required.

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Immigration Controls: Northern Ireland

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the effect on Northern Ireland of recent changes to immigration rules in respect of Romania and Bulgaria. [193859]

James Brokenshire: Statistics will be published in the normal way by the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions. The first statistics covering the period after the expiry of transitional controls will be published in May 2014.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 13 February 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Momin Khan. [193033]

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 26 March 2014.

Proceeds of Crime

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will review the current requirements for seizing property or cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to bring those requirements into line with the new powers of HM Revenue and Customs to seize money from an individual's bank account without a warrant. [194067]

Karen Bradley: The Government's Serious and Organised Crime Strategy clearly sets out our plans to attack criminal finances by making it harder to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime. These include measures to enable assets to be frozen more quickly and earlier in investigations, reduce the time that courts give offenders to pay confiscation orders, and make it easier for magistrates to confiscate cash held in bank accounts.

Trade Unions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision. [194042]

Karen Bradley: The Home Office has already undertaken a review of its check-off union subscription provision.

Culture, Media and Sport

Arts: Finance

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 25 March 2014, Official Report, columns 165-6W, on art: finance, what proportion of the total funding given by her Department’s public bodies was used to support creative industries in (a) London and (b) Greater Manchester in each of the last three years. [193877]

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Mr Vaizey: We do not hold this information centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

Betting Shops

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many betting shops have had their licences revoked in each year since 2005; and what the reasons were in each such case. [193830]

Mrs Grant: The law governing betting shop licensing changed with effect from 1 September 2007. Operating licences are issued and revoked by the Gambling Commission and the table shows revocations of operating licences since the law changed in 2007. Licensed betting offices also require a premises licence; these are issued and revoked by local licensing authorities. However, central figures on the number of premises licence revocations each year are not collated. This is therefore an incomplete picture of total revocations.

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if she will define primary gambling activity criteria to identify the extent to which betting shops rely on non-betting activities; [193882]

(2) what action the Gambling Commission takes with licensed operators where provision of betting facilities appears non-compliant with primary gambling activity measures; [193884]

(3) how long betting shops are given by the Gambling Commission to comply with the requirements surrounding their primary gambling activity. [193829]

Mrs Grant: The Gambling Commission has produced detailed advice regarding primary gambling activity in its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and related advice and works with local authorities to ensure these requirements are complied with. This work includes direct interaction with licensed operators in cases where the provision of betting facilities has appeared to be non-compliant. The approach taken varies based on the circumstances of each case and there is no standard timetable; however, a formal operating licence review has formed part of this approach on 18 occasions.

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Boxing: Northern Ireland

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with representatives of boxing in Northern Ireland on the choice of which country they represent at international competitions level. [193858]

Mrs Grant: I meet with representatives of national governing bodies on a regular basis. Eligibility and selection for international competition remains a matter for the relevant sports authorities.

Broadband

Sir Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Ofcom voluntary code of practice on broadband speeds; and if she will make a statement. [193662]

Mr Vaizey: Ofcom is the independent national regulatory authority for communications and the voluntary code of practice on broadband speeds falls within its remit. The code of practice was introduced in 2008 to ensure that consumers receive accurate information on broadband speeds at the point of sale to allow them to make informed purchasing decisions. The code, which was subsequently updated in 2010, requires internet service providers to provide consumers with information on the maximum speed they can achieve, including an estimated speed range to help ensure that consumers choose the package that is the most appropriate for them in light of their individual circumstances and needs. All the largest internet service providers representing 98% of the broadband consumer market are signed up to the code and have agreed to abide by its principles and spirit.

Ofcom has undertaken successive mystery shopping exercises to check compliance with the code. Results have shown that the level of compliance has continued to improve. The latest results published in May 2013 found that, overall, 96% of mystery shopping callers were provided with a speed estimate (93% in 2011-12). There was also an improvement overall in the provision of speeds information provided to mystery shoppers via the web. All signatories to the code, with the exception of two small providers, offered a speed checker which provide estimated access line speeds. The percentage of assessments where any speed estimate was given via the website rose from 87% in 2011-12 to 92% in 2013.

Ofcom is currently discussing with industry and consumer groups its proposals to revise the code to reflect significant changes in the broadband market since the code's introduction, with the increased take-up of superfast packages. The proposals include improving the information on speeds for consumers buying superfast packages to equal that received by consumers buying current generation services.

Consumer Rights Bill

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings officials in her Department have had with officials from the Department for Business,

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Innovations and Skills on the implications of the Consumer Rights Bill for

(a)

licence fee payers and

(b)

the BBC; and what the Civil Service grades of officials present were. [193794]

Mr Vaizey: There has been regular contact with BIS and DCMS officials regarding the impact of the Consumer Rights Bill, as is the norm for the development of primary legislation. There were no meetings between DCMS and BIS officials to specifically discuss the impact on licence fee payers or on the BBC licence fee.

BIS consulted widely on consumer law reform in 2008 and 2012, and published a draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny in 2013. BIS has also completed full impact assessments for the provisions in the Bill.

Public Expenditure

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the projected spending is by her Department in 2015-16 by functional flows to (a) museums and galleries, (b) communications, (c) libraries, (d) tourism, (e) the Royal Parks, (f) equalities, (g) BBC Public Sector broadcasting, (h) S4C, (i) arts, (j) sports, (k) gambling and National Lottery, (l) architecture and the historic environment and (m) the creative industries, disaggregating (i) grant-in-aid and Lottery and (ii) capital and current expenditure. [194280]

Mrs Grant: The information is as follows.

Trade Unions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision. [194035]

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Mrs Grant: The DCMS is undertaking a review of the check-off union subscription provision in line with Cabinet Office guidance issued in December 2013.

Working Hours

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of employees in her Department of each (a) civil service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time. [193959]

Mrs Grant: The Department has a flexible working guide and working from home policy which allows employees to work from home, compressed hours, job share and during term-time only. Remote working facilities are available to all staff, enabling them to work from home or other locations as if they are in the office. Staff at all grades can work from home by agreement.

The proportion of employees in the Department (a) civil service pay grade and (b) gender are shown in the tables:

We do not keep central records of employees who work flexi time. Staff can work flexi-time by agreement. Staff at all grades can work from home on an ad-hoc basis with agreement from their line managers. Staff listed as working from home on the tables above reflect those who are fully home based.

Cabinet Office

Airwave Service

Keith Vaz: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many Government contracts have been given to Airwave; and what the (a) value and (b) duration is of each such contract. [194011]

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Mr Hurd: Since January 2011, as part of the Government's transparency programme, details of contracts above the value of £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder at:

https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

Emergency Services: Telecommunications

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what scrutiny the Major Projects Authority has given to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme; [194002]

(2) what Red, Amber, Green ratings the Major Projects Authority has given to the Emergency Services Communications Programme. [194003]

Mr Maude: The Major Projects Authority (MPA) has been applying MPA assurance processes to the Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme (ESMCP), including a Project Assessment Review and Gateway Reviews. Further information on the ESMCP Programme is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-emergency-services-mobile-communications-programme

Delivery Confidence Assessment ratings are supplied according to the MPA's Transparency Policy, which is on the Cabinet Office website. The policy allows for non-disclosure of information which should properly remain confidential, for example where it is market sensitive or necessary to safeguard national security.

This will be in line with the principles of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/major-projects-transparency-policy-and-exemptions-guidance

The DCA for ESMCP was not revealed in MPA's first annual report last year in line with the above policy. The next annual report of the MPA is due to be published in May.

Procurement

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the (a) 20 highest and (b) 20 lowest value contracts awarded by his Department were in each financial year since 2009-10. [194214]

Mr Maude: Under this Government's transparency programme, contracts are published on Contracts Finder, which is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

Trade Unions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether his Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision. [194033]

Mr Maude: Arrangements of this sort are kept under review.

Working Hours

Lucy Powell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender

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work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time; [193957]

(2) what proportion of employees in No. 10 Downing Street of what (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time. [193971]

Mr Maude: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office.

Some of the information requested is not held centrally. However, all of these options are available to employees subject to business needs.

Fewer than five employees are currently recorded as working (iii) from home in a formal arrangement.

The proportion of employees by pay grade who work part-time hours as at 28 February 2014 is shown in the following table.

The proportion of employees by gender who work part-time hours as at 28 February 2014 is shown in the following table.

Work and Pensions

Conditions of Employment

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been referred to jobs on zero-hours contracts through Jobcentre Plus in each month since May 2010. [194204]

Esther McVey: Jobseekers are not required to apply for zero-hours contract vacancies, and they will not be sanctioned as a result of not applying.

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have moved off jobseeker's allowance to jobs on zero-hours contracts in each month since May 2010. [194205]

Esther McVey: These data are not available.

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance is issued to Jobcentre Plus on recommending jobs on zero-hours contracts. [194206]

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Esther McVey: Jobcentre Plus guidance stipulates that claimants should not be mandated to apply for a job offering a zero-hours contract. It also states that no sanction action will be taken if claimants refuse or fail to apply. A person leaving a zero-hours contract job will not be sanctioned if they leave that job voluntarily or lose it through their misconduct.

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion and number of job outcomes from the work programme were in zero-hours contracts roles in each month since the programme began. [194207]

Esther McVey: The information requested is not held by the Department.

Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion and number of jobs currently advertised through Jobcentre Plus are on zero-hours contracts. [194208]

Esther McVey: We do not advertise in jobcentres. All vacancies are now advertised on Universal Jobmatch. JSA claimants are not required to apply for zero-hours contract jobs and are not penalised if they leave such a job.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Rhondda of 27 March 2014, Official Report, column 347W, on housing benefit: social rented sector, if he will commission a one-year evaluation of the effects of the under-occupancy penalty. [194295]

Esther McVey: We have already commissioned a two- year evaluation of the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy across Great Britain. The evaluation commenced in April 2013 and is being led by Ipsos-MORI and includes the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research. The final report will be published in late 2015.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many social housing tenants who were liable to pay the under-occupancy penalty have moved house since 1 April 2013. [194296]

Esther McVey: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics.

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons his Department has not published data on the effects of the under-occupancy penalty on the number of social housing tenants who have moved home or fallen into rent arrears. [194297]

Esther McVey: It is still too early in the policy's lifetime to draw any firm conclusions as to its effect, including the number of tenants who have moved home. Rent arrears can have multiple causes and levels tend to fluctuate over time. A longer time frame than one year is required in order to see whether, and if so to what extent, the removal of the spare room subsidy has impacted on rent arrears levels.

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A consortium led by Ipsos-MORI, and which includes the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research, has been commissioned to carry out a two-year monitoring of the effects of the removal of the spare room subsidy measure across Great Britain.

The Homes and Communities Agency reported in February that the median level of arrears among the larger housing associations had fallen from 4.1% in the second quarter of 2013-14 to 3.9% in the third quarter of 2013-14.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate has been made of how much his Department is likely to save annually as a result of the removal of warm phones from Jobcentre Plus offices. [194317]

Esther McVey: We estimate ongoing yearly total savings of £1.92 million from 2014-15.

Savings will be reinvested in providing extra digital equipment to support the delivery of an assisted service for vulnerable claimants.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department records the number of referrals made to local third-sector advice providers (a) to use the telephone, (b) for help filling in forms and (c) providing other support. [194318]

Esther McVey: It is not our policy to refer people to third-sector providers to use the telephone or get help in filling in our forms. As such we do not collect this information. Where third-party providers are the most suitable people to provide support or advice, we would signpost claimants to them.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Scotland

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of sanctions imposed on jobseeker's allowance claimants in Scotland resulted from the recommendations of Work Programme providers between March 2013 and March 2014. [193864]

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

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of jobseeker's allowance claimants in Scotland were referred to the benefit sanctions regime introduced in October 2012 in each month from March 2013 to March 2014. [193866]

Esther McVey: The information requested on referral rates is not available.

Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance benefit claimants who have been sanctioned in Scotland, by sanction level, from March 2013 up to September 2013, which are the latest data available, are published and can be found at:

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

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Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many fixed-length sanctions of (a) high, (b) medium and (c) low level were imposed on jobseeker's allowance claimants in Scotland in each month from March 2013 to March 2014. [193867]

Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of jobseeker's allowance benefit claimants who have been sanctioned in Scotland, by sanction level, from March 2013 up to September 2013, which are the latest data available, are published and can be found at:

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

Guidance for users is available at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm

Occupational Pensions

Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people enrolled in hybrid workplace pension schemes. [194179]

Steve Webb: The Pensions Regulator provides automatic enrolment data. The most recent information is available at the following location:

http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/docs/automatic-enrolment-commentary-analysis-2013.pdf

This will be updated in July 2014.

Pensions

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned changes to pensions on retirement incomes from private and workplace pensions. [193939]

Steve Webb: The Government believe people should be trusted to make their own choices about how to use their savings to fund their retirement. These measures fundamentally change the way that people can access their retirement savings, and therefore people are free to vary the mix of income and capital they hold in retirement.

Alongside these changes, the Government are taking measures to ensure everyone approaching retirement is aware of the choices they have. Pension providers and schemes will be required, by April 2015, to offer all individuals retiring with a defined contribution pension pot free and impartial face-to-face guidance on their retirement choices.

Remploy

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what funding his Department has agreed to provide in future years for former Remploy Employment Services; and until what year such funding will continue. [193869]

Esther McVey: The Department agrees Remploy funding and performance targets, including Work Choice job outcome targets on an annual basis. Remploy's performance targets for 2013-14 were published on 31 October 2013, Official Report, column 60WS, by written ministerial statement confirming publication of Remploy annual

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report and accounts 2013. Remploy performance targets and funding for 2014-15 will be published alongside the 2014 accounts later this year.

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) for what reasons the three-year wage subsidy for former Remploy disabled employees transferring to a new employer was not available for new businesses set up for the purpose of employing disabled people formerly employed by Remploy; [193870]

(2) if he will extend the Welsh model of assistance offered to former Remploy employees setting up a business and not subject to TUPE provisions to England and Scotland. [193917]

Mike Penning: The Government agreed to a transitional time-limited wage subsidy for all disabled workers that TUPE to a new employer as part of Remploy's commercial process, to support the ongoing employment of Remploy disabled workers.

For all disabled former Remploy workers made redundant as a result of factory closures, the Government agreed that the best support to help them find a job was to put in place the £8 million guaranteed People Help and Support Package (PHSP) providing help for up to 18 months. As at 21 March 2014, 1,513 disabled former Remploy workers are choosing to work with our personal case workers to find another job and 716 are in work.

The PHSP includes one-to-one support from a personal case worker to identify suitable help to find work, including access to advice and support to set up a business. This includes the Community Support Fund, which has provided financial support for former disabled Remploy workers to help them use existing skills and expertise to set up three new small businesses in Aberdeen, Stoke and Worksop. In addition, three other Community Support Fund projects are being used to set up small businesses in Birkenhead, Leeds and Newcastle.

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons the Community Support Fund for former Remploy employees was only accessible through a third party and what estimate he has made of how many eligible former Remploy employees did not make a claim because they were unable to do so themselves. [193881]

Mike Penning: The Community Support Fund (CSF) was co-produced with disabled people and ex-Remploy employees to determine exactly what type of support or project they wanted to take part in. A key driver for the CSF was to ensure ex-employees could keep in touch with former work colleagues; to help negate feelings of isolation. This social activity can be achieved only by offering opportunities for ex-employees to take part in group activities.

Access to CSF was provided through disabled people's user-led and voluntary sector organisations who have the necessary skills to support these projects, providing vital peer support, personalised local services and actively working to increase participation in local community activities.

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The Community Support Fund (CSF) projects have provided opportunities for 1,136 disabled ex-employees and 827 people have taken part in CSF activities as at March 2014.

We are unable to provide an estimate of how many eligible former Remploy employees did not make a claim for CSF funding because they were unable to do so themselves.

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons his Department paid the majority of the support package for former Remploy workers to Jobcentre Plus for a rapid response team; what that rapid response did to assist former Remploy employees; and what the outcome of that assistance was. [193887]

Mike Penning: The Rapid Response Service (RRS) was made available to all former affected Remploy employees and was funded separately to the £8 million People Help and Support Package (PHSP), which provides help for all disabled former Remploy workers made redundant as a result of factory closures.

RRS support was made available to all affected Remploy employees at the earliest opportunity following the announcement of a Remploy factory closure. Working with Remploy, a range of support was agreed, taking into account local circumstances and involving partner organisations where appropriate, for example the National Careers Service.

Typically, RRS included on-site support and advice that helped with: providing information about being made redundant; identifying transferable skills, job options and training needs; learning new skills appropriate to the local labour market; job search skills; and finding a new job; overcoming barriers to work and settling into a new job.

Together, with the PHSP, as at 21 March this support has helped 716 former Remploy workers who are now in work.

Remploy: Edinburgh

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh West of 10 February 2014, Official Report, column 515W, on Remploy: Edinburgh, how many former Remploy employees from the Edinburgh site are working (a) less than 16 hours per week in paid employment, (b) less than 30 hours per week in paid employment and (c) in voluntary and unpaid positions. [193821]

Mike Penning: Of the 28 workers made redundant as a result of the closure of Remploy in South Gyle, Edinburgh we are able to provide information on the 24 disabled former employees who have engaged with a personal case worker.

As at 21 March 2014, Jobcentre Plus records show that seven people are in paid employment over 16 hours and 17 have accessed Work Choice support. We have no records of people working (a) less than 16 hours, (b) less than 30 hours per week paid employment or (c) in voluntary and unpaid work

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Road Traffic Control

Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Health and Safety Executive has taken to enforce the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in respect of employees in the traffic management industry in the last 10 years for which information is available. [193976]

Mike Penning: This information is not held centrally to the level of detail required to distinguish the traffic management sector from others in the construction industry. It would incur disproportionate cost to find this information.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) works with the industry to help develop traffic management layouts or schemes which improve the safety of those working on high-speed roads. It also carries out investigations of incidents and complaints and takes enforcement action in line with its published enforcement policy.

Dr McCrea: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Health and Safety Executive has taken to recommend or mandate the use of automated traffic management technology to lift and lay cones on the motorway network in the last 10 years for which information is available. [193977]

Mike Penning: The Health and Safety Executive has not taken any action to mandate or recommend the use of automated traffic management equipment to lift and lay cones.

The highway maintenance industry has trialled cone laying machines and the decision to use such machines rests with them on a commercial operational basis.

Social Security Benefits

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the benefit cap. [193667]

Esther McVey: We expect a full evaluation of the policy to be published in autumn 2014.

Latest figures show that 4,250 households that were previously subject to the benefit cap found jobs since the limit was introduced in April 2013.

In total, more than 38,600 households had their benefits capped by January 2014.

Social Security Benefits: Scotland

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Scotland applied for a hardship payment after being subject to benefit sanctions in each month from March 2013 to March 2014. [193865]

Esther McVey: The Department only records total number of applications made for hardship payments.

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Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people returning to Jobcentre Plus after two years on the Work programme are aged under 25 years. [194315]

Esther McVey: Statistics on the number of claimants who have returned to Jobcentre Plus after 104 weeks on the Work programme by age group can 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

Defence

Aircraft Carrier Alliance

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to designate the Aircraft Carrier Alliance as a public body for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [194566]

Mr Dunne: For the manufacture phase of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier project the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) was formed from BAE Systems Naval Ships (formerly BAE Systems Surface Ships), Babcock, Thales UK and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). The MOD is fully compliant with the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Private companies do not fall under the remit of the Freedom of Information Act. It is not appropriate for the Secretary of State for Defence to designate the ACA a public body.

Armed Forces: Museums and Galleries

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2014 to the hon. Member for Crawley, Official Report, column 219W, on War Memorials: World War II, what the reasons are for the disparities between the income per visitor from grant-in-aid and LIBOR fines allocated to the (a) Royal Navy Museum, (b) National Army Museum, (c) Royal Air Force Museum and (d) National Memorial Arboretum; if he will take steps to reduce such disparities in future; and if he will make a statement. [193763]

Mr Dunne: The service museums and the National Memorial Arboretum play an important role in the heritage of the three services and the nation, and it would be inappropriate for visitor numbers to determine the provision of funding.

Armed Forces: Pensions

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce an online pension calculator for use by those who have left the armed forces. [193844]

Anna Soubry: The Armed Forces Benefits, Pension, Scheme Pays and Redundancy Calculators are available for serving armed forces personnel, but will not provide an accurate forecast for ex-service personnel. They are able to request pension forecasts directly from the Service

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Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA), which will be re-named Defence Business Services—Veterans UK with effect from 1 April 2014.

Electronic Warfare

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many NATO or EU cyber exercises are planned in 2014; and what the UK's involvement will be in each such exercise. [192083]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any EU cyber exercises planned for this year. With regards to NATO exercises, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for International Security Strategy, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison), on 5 March 2014, Official Report, column 846W, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Nicholas Soames). There are seven NATO-wide cyber exercises planned for 2014. While the UK is planning to participate in a NATO cyber exercise during November 2014, the exact nature of the participation is still being finalised.

Military Law

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to section 42 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 which corresponds to an offence contrary to any provision specified in the table in paragraph 3 of the Schedule to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009 in each of the last four years; [193734]

(2) how many people have been convicted of an offence contrary to section 42 of the Armed Forces Act 2006 which (a) corresponds to an offence contrary to any provision specified in part 1 of the table in paragraph 1 of the Schedule to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Prescribed Criteria and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2009 and was committed in circumstances specified in the entry in the second column of that part of that table which corresponds to the relevant entry in the first column of that part of that table or (b) corresponds to an offence contrary to a provision specified in part 2 of that table in each of the last four years. [194029]

Anna Soubry: The information will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

Trade Unions

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is (a) undertaking or (b) plans to undertake a review of the check-off union subscription provision. [194036]

Mr Dunne: A review is currently under way.

Wales

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which small and medium-sized companies in Wales his Department has contracted in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement. [193776]

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Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has contracted with over 600 small and medium-sized enterprises in Wales since 1 April 2010, spending around £51 million on these contracts. A list of the companies, broken down by financial year, has been placed in the Library of the House.

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer of 17 March 2014, Official Report, column 534, what the date and location is of his planned small and medium-sized enterprise meeting in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [193802]

Mr Dunne: I look forward to visiting Wales to meet small and medium-sized enterprises which support defence,

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as part of my routine engagements with defence suppliers. I plan to visit in coming months.

Working Hours

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of employees in his Department of each (a) Civil Service pay grade and (b) gender work (i) reduced hours, (ii) flexi-time, (iii) from home, (iv) a compressed working week, (v) job share, (vi) term-time only and (vii) part-time. [193960]

Mr Dunne: This information is not available in the format requested as flexible working patterns are agreed at a local level.