Bovine Tuberculosis

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to ask the Independent Expert Panel which recently reported on the first year of the pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire to report on the second year of such culls. [195731]

George Eustice: I have no plans to ask the Independent Expert Panel to report on the second year of the pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) for what reasons cage trapping and shooting of badgers was implemented during the pilot badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire in 2013 when the culls were testing for effectiveness, humaneness and safety of free shooting; [195747]

(2) when he was informed that cage trapping and shooting of badgers had been implemented alongside the free shooting of badgers within three days of the beginning of the pilot badger cull in Gloucestershire in 2013; [195748]

(3) when he was informed that cage trapping and shooting of badgers had been implemented alongside the free shooting of badgers within two days of the beginning of the pilot badger cull in Somerset in 2013. [195749]

George Eustice: Both controlled shooting and cage trapping and shooting methods were always available to the cull companies. There was no compulsion on the contractors to use a defined proportion of cage trapping and controlled shooting. How they used these two methods was a decision for them to make. As the pilot culls progressed, cull companies decided to use more cage trapping, as this technique was found to work well under certain circumstances. Ministers were kept informed of progress during the pilot culls from an early stage.

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how soon the cage trapping and shooting of badgers was implemented alongside the freeshooting of badgers after the commencement of the pilot badger cull in Gloucestershire in 2013; and what authorisation from the Department was required; [196192]

(2) on what date cage trapping and shooting of badgers was implemented alongside the free shooting of badgers in the pilot badger cull in Somerset in 2013; and on what date free shooting had started in that cull. [196191]

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George Eustice: Cage trapping was used from the outset in each of the pilot areas. Under the licence issued to each area, cage trapping and shooting and controlled shooting are both permitted control methods. No further authorisation from the Department was required.

The Guidance issued to Natural England on issuing licenses to kill or take badgers for the purpose of preventing the spread of bovine TB under section 10(2)(a) of the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and the Government’s policy document on Bovine TB and badger control in England, both state

“in order to ensure humaneness, only two culling methods will be permitted (which can be used in combination, or as single control methods): i. cage-trapping followed by shooting; and ii. controlled shooting.”

Both of these documents were published on 14 December 2011.

Consultants

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by his Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid. [195574]

Dan Rogerson: This table sets out the information requested in respect of 2012-13, the last financial year for which audited information is available. Information relating to 2013-14 will be available in July 2014, once the Department’s accounts for the year have been audited and published. The figures relate to the core Department.

Dogs

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of dogs owned by people who have previously been banned from owning dogs. [195407]

George Eustice: No estimate has been made of the number of people owning dogs who have previously been banned. However, the table shows the number of people convicted of breaching disqualification orders, in respect of keeping any animal, made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

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Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of prong collars on the welfare of dogs. [196297]

George Eustice: The Government have made no specific assessment on the use of prong collars on dogs. However, it would be an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause any unnecessary suffering to a dog by using a prong collar. Such an offence would be punishable by a fine of up to £20,000 and/or six months’ imprisonment.

Employment Agencies

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for his Department in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them. [195552]

Dan Rogerson: The following table sets out the information requested for core DEFRA in respect of 2012-13, the last financial year for which audited information is available. Audited information for 2013-14 will be available in July 2014.

Food: Standards

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of consumer confidence in the authenticity of British food. [195908]

George Eustice: DEFRA has not recently carried out its own assessment of consumer confidence in the authenticity of British food. However, in 2013 consumer research carried out by both IGD and Mintel showed an increase in consumer trust in British food.

The IGD ShopperVista survey carried out in March 2013 found that shoppers are now nearly one and a half times more likely to buy British food than they were six years ago, with younger shoppers and families driving this growth. The Mintel report on Consumer Trust in Food, published in June 2013, found that the factor most encouraging consumer trust in food was the use of British ingredients (48%), with product origin on packaging also seen as a key factor (43%).

The Government are committed to clear and consistent labelling to help consumers make informed decisions about the food that they buy. On 13 December 2013, the European Commission adopted an Implementing

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Regulation setting out the detailed rules for mandatory country of origin labelling for fresh and frozen, unprocessed, pre-packed pork, poultry, sheep and goat meat. The rules come into force on 1 April 2015. DEFRA is reviewing with the UK food industry the current industry principles for meat labelled as ‘British’, with a view to re-launching and reinforcing them alongside the new European mandatory labelling requirement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the desirability of separating responsibility for food safety policy and responsibility for food standards policy in England between the Food Standards Agency and his Department. [195910]

George Eustice: The Food Standards Agency is responsible for food safety and food hygiene across the UK, and for food law enforcement. Its strategic objective is safer food for the nation in order to protect the consumer.

DEFRA is responsible for non-safety related food compositional standards and labelling policy in England. Most of these standards are set under EU legislation considered by the EU Agriculture Council and there are synergies with the equivalent standards set through the Common Agricultural Policy. The underlying reason for regulating in these areas is to set internationally recognised standards to facilitate trade and ensure a level playing field for food businesses, while protecting consumers against product misdescription. Food composition and standards policy is not generally related to food safety.

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the food industry about its compliance with food-related legislation. [195911]

George Eustice: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and I regularly meet food industry trade associations and individual food businesses to discuss a wide range of current policy issues. This often includes proposals for changes in food-related legislation and food industry practices, to ensure legislation is fit for purpose and regulation is risk-based. Compliance with existing food-related legislation is something the Government expect from all food businesses. Primary responsibility for enforcing compliance with food-related legislation rests with local authority environmental health and trading standards departments, overseen by the Food Standards Agency.

Fracking

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many staff at the Environment Agency are working on the regulation of fracking in England and Wales; and what reductions in the budget of the Environment Agency have affected people working on that regulation. [194988]

Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency has set up a team of 10 national officers working full time to develop the regulatory regime for oil and gas activities. This work covers conventional and unconventional oil and gas activities.

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This team is supported by additional technical resource from elsewhere in the organisation. The workload fluctuates and these specialists are not solely dedicated to regulating and permitting unconventional activities. It is therefore not possible to give an exact answer, but the agency estimates that approximately 40 further members of staff are currently involved in this work across England.

UK Government policy is to ensure the shale industry is able to develop in a safe, sustainable and environmentally responsible way within a well-regulated environment. Regulating the industry will remain a priority for the Environment Agency. Funding for setting up the regulatory regime comes from the DEFRA grant in aid. Work to regulate individual sites is financed through the charges the Environment Agency raises for environmental permits and licences, supported where necessary by the grant in aid.

Horn of Africa

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on implementing a regional wildlife enforcement strategy in the Horn of Africa and addressing the illegal trade in shark fins. [196129]

George Eustice: Countries and stakeholders in the Horn of Africa held a wildlife trafficking workshop in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 3 to 4 October 2012 to discuss the formation of a regional enforcement network to address the illegal wildlife trade. Participants concluded that a Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network (HAWEN) should be set up. Ethiopia, on behalf of Horn of Africa countries that attended the workshop, submitted a progress report to the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP16) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which took place in Bangkok from 3 to 14 March 2013.

The work of Wildlife Enforcement Networks was welcomed at the recent London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, chaired by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague). Action XVI in the Declaration adopted at the Conference commits participating Governments to strengthening cross-border and regional co-operation, through better co-ordination and full support for regional wildlife law enforcement networks. Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, all of which are members of HAWEN, attended the London Conference.

The UK Government are wholly opposed to the wasteful and unsustainable practice of shark finning, and the illegal trade in fins. We continue to lead the way in pressing for the adoption of appropriate fisheries and trade controls within bodies such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) and CITES, in order to ensure any trade in shark products is rooted in sustainable fishing practices. At CoP16 the UK played a critical role in securing increased protection under CITES for five shark species, all of which form an important component of the shark fin trade. This now means that these species will be protected from unmanaged and unsustainable trade in their fins. UK officials continue to work closely with other likeminded countries and non-governmental organisations to help build capacity and ensure that the CITES rules are fully implemented.

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Hunting Act 2004

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 62W, on Hunting Act 2014, how many civil servants in his Department of what grade spent some or all of their time working on the Hunting Act 2004 or matters relating to it in each year since 2010. [195782]

George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 62W.

Livestock: Transport

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that veterinarians are present at all live animal exports from the UK to provide an export certificate and ensure relevant standards of animal care are being adhered to. [194783]

George Eustice: The Government have no plans to propose changes to the legislative basis for pre-export inspections beyond those measures which are currently in place. These measures were reviewed and, where necessary, modified in 2012. Details of these operational changes were set out in the written ministerial statement made by the then Minister of State for DEFRA, the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath), on 4 March 2013, Official Report, column 53WS.

National Parks

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to deter inappropriate development in national parks in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [195595]

George Eustice: Policy on national parks and planning are devolved matters. For Wales, they are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government. National parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty are given the strongest protection from damaging development through the National Planning Policy Framework.

DEFRA works closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government to ensure planning policies take account of the special character of England’s protected landscapes. For example, as made clear on 6 March 2014, Official Report, column 50WS, by the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham and Stamford (Nick Boles), the extended permitted development rights for conversion of agricultural buildings to a dwelling house will not apply in national parks or areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Plastic Bags

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government response to the Environmental Audit Committee's Eleventh Report, on Plastic Bags, HC 861 will be completed and sent to the Committee. [195730]

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Dan Rogerson: The Government are considering the Committee’s recommendations and will respond as soon as details have been finalised.

Poultry

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of beak trimming of laying hens; and if he will make a statement. [195374]

George Eustice: We are funding research to assess the effectiveness of management strategies in reducing injurious pecking in 20 commercial flocks of non-beak trimmed laying hens. We will review all the available evidence, including that provided by interested parties and the outcome of our ongoing research, in 2015.

Rabbits

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to promote the health of (a) domestic and (b) wild rabbits; and if he will make a statement. [196010]

George Eustice: No specific initiatives are currently under way to promote the health of domestic or wild rabbits.

Stationery

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables. [196205]

Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA does not hold this information because some stocks are held locally and some are ordered centrally.

Venison

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the value to the economy of venison production and sales in each of the last three years; and what steps he is taking to increase production and sale of venison. [195898]

George Eustice: The available data on the UK deer farming industry in each of the last three years are shown in the table below:

DEFRA co-funded a research project in partnership with industry to determine the effects of packaging and slaughter conditions on venison meat quality, and gain

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an improved understanding of consumer perceptions of venison to help focus future venison marketing campaigns. More information can be found at:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu& Module=More&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=13973

Waste Disposal: Crime

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the additional £5 million for tackling waste crime announced in the Budget statement will reduce in the planned work force and associated workload in the enforcement and legal department of the Environment Agency. [195783]

Dan Rogerson: DEFRA and the Environment Agency have been working together to ensure that the additional funding is targeted effectively to tackle waste crime. A decision on how the additional £5 million will be spent is subject to DEFRA ministerial approval.

Depending on how the £5 million is to be spent, the Environment Agency will review its planning assumptions to determine the impact on its work force and associated workload.

Wildlife: Africa

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of which countries in Africa (a) have the highest incidence of illegal killing of wildlife and (b) have the largest illegal trade in wildlife with China. [193756]

George Eustice: As a Party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the UK supports work to monitor the illegal killing of wildlife. My Department has provided £270,000 since 2009 to support the CITES Secretariat to undertake such work, including the MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) project and ETIS (Elephant Trade Information System).

In response to assessments made of illegal killing, the CITES Secretariat has identified the following African counties as primary source countries for ivory: Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Uganda, the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the United Republic of Tanzania. Assessments have also shown that illegal killing poses a significant threat to rhinoceros populations, particularly in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

These countries are taking action under CITES, such as producing National Ivory Action Plans, but many are going beyond this. For example, Botswana, Chad, Ethiopia, Gabon and Tanzania announced the Elephant Protection Initiative at the London Conference in February. This initiative aims to secure new funding from private and public sources for the implementation of the African Elephant Action Plan. Other recent developments include Gabon announcing plans to impose new penalties for poachers and traffickers, and Ethiopia committing to destroying its ivory stockpiles.

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Further knowledge is needed about the trafficking of the products of poaching of wildlife from source countries to consumer countries, particularly in Asia. The Declaration adopted at the recent London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade took an important step forward in relation to this, with over 40 countries agreeing to undertake further assessment, initially over the next 12 months, of the markets and dynamics of the illegal wildlife trade, and the progress made in combating it.

Women and Equalities

Consultants

Chris Leslie: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by the Government Equalities Office in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid. [195576]

Mrs Grant: The Government Equalities Office did not use the services of any consultancy firms in 2013-14.

Chris Leslie: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by her Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid. [195577]

Mrs Grant: The Government Equalities Office did not use the services of any consultancy firms in 2013-14.

Employment Agencies

Chris Leslie: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for the Government Equalities Office in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them. [195554]

Mrs Grant: In 2013-14 the Government Equalities Office used Brook Street Ltd for the provision of temporary workers. We do not hold the details of specific agency fees paid as this information is not separated out from the total charges that we pay to the agency for an individual.

Communities and Local Government

Affordable Housing: Morecambe and Lunesdale

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support his Department has provided to Lancaster City Council to ensure affordable homes are built in rural areas in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. [194541]

Kris Hopkins: There will be 228 affordable homes delivered in the Lancaster area as a result of £6.9 million of Government funding through the 2011 to 2015 Affordable Homes Programme of which 27 homes are in rural areas (defined as settlements with populations of less than 3,000 people).

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In 2011-12, half of the affordable homes built outside London were in rural local authorities and we have delivered over 5,000 affordable homes in the smallest rural communities (under 3,000 people) in the first two years of the current programme.

The Homes and Communities Agency’s funding prospectus for the 2015 to 20 Affordable Homes Programme sets out how the agency will continue to pay particular attention to the importance of delivery in rural areas in providing funding. The work of the agency is also supported by a network of rural champions. The National Planning Policy Framework and Rural Exception Sites also help to address the housing needs of rural communities.

Betting Shops

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications made by betting shops have been rejected by local authorities and subsequently overturned by the Planning Inspectorate in (a) Newham and (b) the UK in each year since 2008. [195254]

Nick Boles: We hold information for England; information for other parts of the UK is a matter for the devolved Administrations.

The following table sets out the number of planning appeals on betting shops decided by the Planning Inspectorate in England in each year since 2008.

There is no clear trend, other than fewer appeals being allowed in the last two years, and I would note that the numbers involved are small. Any planning application or appeal needs to be considered on its individual merits in light of the prevailing local circumstances and planning policies.

During this period, three appeals relating to the London borough of Newham in 2011 were allowed involving changes to A2 use.

The detailed reasoning for the approvals were outlined in the three decision letters, but it may assist the hon. Member to note that (a) one case involved an application which had been rejected on grounds that it was a move to a non-retail use, yet the inspector noted that the premises had been operating as a non-retail use for over 40 years, (b) another had been rejected on similar grounds, yet there was already an extant planning permission for the premises to change to a non-retail use, and (c) the other was allowed because the premises was changing from an amusement arcade and was already in use for a form of gambling.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a broader review of gambling policy.

This Government are taking action to support healthy and vibrant local high streets. This is part of a wider set of measures designed to get empty and redundant

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buildings back into productive use and make it easier for valued town centre businesses such as shops, banks and cafés to open new premises, while giving councils greater powers to tackle the harm to local amenity caused by a concentration of particular uses.

Business Improvement Districts: Birmingham

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 February 2014, Official Report, column 800W, on Business Improvement Districts: Birmingham, when he expects to publish the report on the Business Improvement District for Sparkbrook and Springfield, or to reach a decision on that matter. [196137]

Brandon Lewis: A decision will be taken on the appeal against the establishment of the Sparkbrook and Springfield Business Improvement District in due course and all interested parties will be informed.

Community Relations

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2014, Official Report, column 694W, on polling stations, what assessment he has made of the effect of foreign language translation by local authorities on integration of non-English speakers into their communities. [190554]

Brandon Lewis: In March 2013, my Department published new guidance for local authorities outlining how councils should stop making translations into foreign languages. As outlined in the written ministerial statement of 12 March 2013, Official Report, column 5WS, such translation weakens integration; discourages communities from learning English; undermines rather than strengthens equality goals; harms community relations; and is an expensive waste of taxpayers’ money at a time when councils need to be making sensible savings. It is disappointing that councils like Tower Hamlets have disregarded that guidance, which reflects broader issues with the dysfunctional governance and divisive practices of the council.

I would add that in the light of previous instances of electoral fraud, including impersonation in polling stations, postal voting irregularities and allegations of improper influence, Ministers in this Department have concerns about the practice of allowing foreign language translators/interpreters inside polling stations. The privacy of the ballot must be protected and voters inside a polling station should not be subject to any pressure or influence to vote in a particular way. In that context, the integrity of the ballot box and of the local democratic process requires independent and transparent scrutiny in polling stations by polling agents, council staff, the police and, indeed, passing members of the public who are also voting. This is undermined by polling room administration being conducted in foreign languages.

Consultants

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which 10 consultancy firms were paid the most by his Department in the last financial year; and how much each of those firms was paid. [195569]

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Brandon Lewis: The table sets out the 10 consultancy firms that were paid the most by my Department in the last financial year.

The data comply with definitions on consultancy laid down by the Cabinet Office which excludes agency staff and interim (contingent) labour.

My Department has cut spending on consultancy from £36.6 million in 2009-10 to £0.5 million in 2013-14. This represents a saving of £36.1 million a year (2013-14 compared with 2009-10) and has been achieved through contract renegotiations, terminations and adherence to Cabinet Office controls on consultancy spending.

To put this in context, based on current estimates (which reflect accounting consequences from machinery of government changes) the DCLG Group is reducing its annual running costs by around 40% in real terms between 2010-11 and 2014-15. This equates to net savings of at least £532 million over this spending review period and includes savings of around £420 million from the closure of the Government offices for the regions.

Employment Agencies

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which five companies were used most often to provide temporary workers for his Department in the last financial year; and how much in agency fees was paid to each of them. [195547]

Brandon Lewis: In answering this question, we have used the Cabinet Office definition for contingent labour (temporary staff) which includes admin and clerical agency staff, interim managers and specialist contractors; use of such staff for short-term or specialist work can be better value for money than hiring staff on permanent contracts.

Details of the five companies that my Department has used most often in the last financial year for the provision of contingent labour are set out as follows:

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To put this in context, my Department has cut spending on contingent labour from £14.4 million in 2009-10 to £3.3 million in 2013-14 as a result of the tightening of its internal management controls, institutionalising these in its systems and adhering to Treasury and Cabinet Office spending rules. This represents a saving of £11.1 million a year (2013-14 compared with 2009-10).

In addition to the savings on temporary workers, our departmental audited annual accounts for the core Department show that staff costs fell from £216 million in 2009-10 to £99 million in 2012-13, a reduction of 54% in cash terms, or a further saving of £117 million a year.

These savings also reflect the coalition Government's agenda of decentralisation, ending the micromanagement of local government, the abolition of regional government, and the broader need to tackle the deficit left by the last Administration.

Empty Property: Lancashire

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty homes there are in (a) Rossendale and (b) Darwen. [194838]

Stephen Williams: Data on vacant dwellings by tenure and district, including Rossendale and Blackburn with Darwen, can be found in live table 615 which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants

This table brings together figures on vacant dwellings in England drawn from several separately published sources.

Families: Disadvantaged

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funds his Department has allocated (a) for identifying troubled families and (b) in performance payments for turning those families around to each local authority participating in the Troubled Families Programme to date. [196481]

Kris Hopkins: The funding for the troubled families programme does not operate on an “allocation” basis; the programme operates as set out in the financial framework:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/11469/2117840.pdf

Up to £448 million has been allocated in total as a budget for this programme with up to £4,000 available for each family turned around. The latest performance information broken down by local authority area can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/troubled-families-programme-progress-by-31-december-2013

and more recent information covering the period up until February 2014 is due to be published shortly.

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Fire Services

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many UK firefighters left the service in each of the last five years. [195804]

Brandon Lewis: The following figures refer to England only; any further figures would be a matter for the relevant devolved Administration.

The total numbers of firefighters leaving fire and rescue authorities in England over the last five years are shown in the table.

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many UK firefighters (a) died on duty and (b) sustained accidents leading to medical retirement in each of the last five years. [195818]

Brandon Lewis: The following figures refer to England only; any further figures would be a matter for the relevant devolved Administration.

The number of firefighter deaths on duty are shown in the table.

The Department does not collect data on specific accidents leading to medical retirement. It does collect the number of medical discharges each year. To assist the hon. Member these have been provided in the table.

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Housing: Construction

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the amount of housing proposed on what had been designated green belt land in 2010 in adopted and emerging local plans. [196045]

Nick Boles: It is for local authorities in conjunction with their communities to assess development needs and plan to meet them in a way which is consistent with national policy. Our planning reforms have strengthened the role of local plans and abolished the previous administration’s undemocratic regional strategies which imposed housing targets and green belt reviews. This returns power to local authorities and communities to determine whether it is appropriate to develop on green belt land, taking into account the strong protections in the National Planning Policy Framework.

This Government attach great importance to green belt as a way to prevent sprawl and encroachment on open countryside, and as a vital ‘green lung' for many communities. The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that openness and permanence are essential characteristics of green belt, and that green belt boundaries can only be revised in exceptional circumstances through the local plan process. Planning guidance published on 6 March reaffirmed green belt protection.

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been self-built in each of the last eight years. [196286]

Kris Hopkins: The Department does not hold official statistics.

To assist the preparation and implementation of policy to support self-builders, the Department is examining how best the take-up of self-build can be quantified.

Housing: Harrow

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding was allocated from the Homes and Communities Agency to (a) develop new affordable housing and (b) bring empty homes back into use in Harrow in each of the last five years. [174351]

Kris Hopkins [holding answer 7 November 2013]: The figures for affordable housing are as follows for the London borough of Harrow area:

Since April 2012, allocations from the Affordable Housing Programme have been overseen by the Greater London Authority rather than the Homes and Communities Agency. There have been no specific allocations on empty homes over this period.

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As outlined to the hon. Member in the answer of 7 January 2013, Official Report, column 121W, I would note that the new Affordable Rent model now allows for more affordable housing to be delivered with lower levels of taxpayer capital subsidy and lever in more private investment.

As the National Audit Office has observed:

“The Department selected the best delivery model open to it for the funds it had available”

and

“The Department has so far achieved its policy objective to maximise the number of homes delivered within the available grant funding.”

(National Audit Office, “Financial viability of the social housing sector: introducing the Affordable Homes Programme”, 4 July 2012, HC465, pp. 6-7).

I also note that the Mayor's proposed Housing Strategy states:

“£1.8 billion of public funding has been secured by the Mayor which will unlock an estimated additional £3.7 billion of other investment for London to enable 55,000 affordable homes to be delivered between 2011-15”.

(Mayor of London, “The Revised London Housing Strategy”, December 2011, p. 35).

Across England, 170,000 affordable homes have been delivered so far since April 2010, and a total of £19.5 billion of public and private investment is being spent on affordable housing over the current spending review period.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funds have been allocated to each local enterprise partnership area from (a) the Growing Places fund and (b) other central Government funding since March 2012. [195307]

Kris Hopkins: Central Government funding allocated to local enterprise partnership programmes since March 2012 is set out in a table which has been deposited in the Library. This includes capacity funding for each local enterprise partnership, regional growth fund for programmes sponsored by local enterprise partnerships and funding for enterprise zones which are sponsored by local enterprise partnerships. No further Growing Places fund has been allocated since March 2012.

All funding to local enterprise partnerships goes through their accountable body (a nominated local authority) and so no funds are paid directly to local enterprise partnerships.

I would observe that the north of England has received proportionately the most funding (per capita), followed by the midlands, and then the south of England, reflecting the fact that we are supporting economic growth in all parts of the country, north and south, rural and urban, shire and city, but particularly those which were left behind under the last Administration.

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Mobile Phones: Rural Areas

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to improve mobile signal coverage in rural areas by permitting use of their land for mobile network base stations. [195916]

Nick Boles: Local authorities have an active role to play in mobile network deployment by assisting operators to find suitable land and structures. This is set out in the “Code of Best Practice on Mobile Network Development in England”, facilitated by Government, signed by operators, local authorities and other interested parties which was issued in July 2013. It is available at:

http://www.mobilemastinfo.com/images/stories/2013_Code_of_best_practice/Code_of_Best_Practice_ on_Mobile_Network_Development_-_Published_24-07-2013.pdf

New Towns: Ebbsfleet

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to establish garden city principles in Ebbsfleet. [193458]

Nick Boles [holding answer 31 March 2014]: We expect the new Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation, once established, to develop the vision for Ebbsfleet Garden City in co-operation with local partners.

We would expect the corporation, working with local partners and other experts, to consider how accepted garden cities principles, such as high quality, imaginative design, the provision of generous green space, mixed tenure homes and a strong local jobs offer, could be delivered in a way appropriate to local needs and circumstances.

The Government want Ebbsfleet to set high standards in terms of design quality. The Built for Life principles are industry developed standards for good design. We would look to those coming forward with development proposals at Ebbsfleet to adopt them, and encourage them to be ambitious by aiming for a “green” rating.

Planning

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to paragraph 025 of the section entitled Viability in his Department's online National Planning Practice Guidance, what the different funding mechanisms available are. [193998]

Nick Boles: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, columns 780-82W.

Private Rented Housing: Evictions

Mike Thornton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent research his Department has undertaken on retaliatory evictions in the private rented sector. [196063]

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Kris Hopkins: There is no hard evidence that retaliatory eviction is a widespread problem in the private rented sector and the English Housing Survey shows that only 9% of tenancies are ended by the landlord. However, we are aware that this is an issue for some people. We recently published a discussion document on property conditions which invited views on whether restrictions should be placed on issue of possession notices where a tenant has requested a repair. The closing date for replies was 28 March and we are now considering the responses.

Private Rented Housing: Peterborough

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will include Peterborough in the areas involved in his Department's proposals for dealing with rogue private rented sector landlords; and if he will make a statement. [195997]

Kris Hopkins: The overwhelming majority of private sector landlords are reputable and provide decent well- maintained homes. This is demonstrated by high levels of satisfaction with over 83% of tenants happy with their accommodation. However, a small proportion of landlords neglect their properties and exploit their tenants forcing them to live in unsafe and overcrowded accommodation. We are cracking down on these rogue landlords and have provided £6.7 million to support local authorities with acute and complex problems, of which Peterborough received £70,000 to help them tackle problems associated with sheds and outhouses being used illegally as accommodation. The work on driving rogue landlords out of the sector is ongoing and will be supported by the publication of updated guidance on the prosecution of rogue landlords later this year.

Schools: Planning Permission

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the planning system gives priority to creating additional school places. [196238]

Nick Boles: The Government recognise the importance of building new schools. The National Planning Policy Framework therefore makes clear the importance of planning for new school development in order to ensure that a sufficient choice of school places is available. The Government have also introduced additional permitted development rights to allow the change of use from some existing buildings to a state funded school.

Sustainable Communities Act 2007

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many proposals have been made by local authorities under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 in each year since that Act has been in force; and how many such proposals his Department has adopted. [193399]

Stephen Williams [holding answer 27 March 2014]: In July 2009, 100 local authorities submitted proposals

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to the Selector, the Local Government Association. In December 2009, the Selector presented a short-list of 199 proposals, containing over 300 separate requests to the Government. Details of these proposals, the 39 actions this Government said they would take in response and an update on these actions that was published in July last year can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sustainable-communities-act-2007-decisions-on-local-councils-proposals-to-improve-local-areas

Five local authorities submitted proposals in 2011. We carefully considered all the proposals and took forward two firm proposals. One local authority has submitted a proposal this year. It is under consideration.

The Government extended the power to submit proposals under the Act to town and parish councils in October last year. Since then five town and parish councils have submitted proposals, which are under consideration.

UK Coal

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will impose a moratorium on processing all planning applications submitted by UK Coal Production Ltd until that body has demonstrated it can meet its obligations on restoration and section 106 contributions. [196068]

Nick Boles: Coal extraction is handled through a locally led planning process and decisions on planning applications are for the relevant mineral planning authority.

Schedule 5 to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 gives mineral planning authorities the power to impose planning conditions on mineral operators to provide for site restoration and aftercare with their application for minerals extraction. In addition the National Planning Policy Framework and planning guidance allows mineral planning authorities to request financial guarantees from applicants to underpin the conditions covering the restoration and aftercare of a site in exceptional circumstances.

New section 106 agreements are negotiated between the developer and the applicant. Existing legislation allows those entering into the planning obligation to specify the date or dates when any required sum is to be paid to the planning authority. Section 106 planning obligation agreements are legally binding, and the mineral planning authority can enforce any breach of an agreement.

Cabinet Office

Children: Greater London

Ms Harman: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children were aged under five in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years. [195793]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

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Letter from Caron Walker, dated April 2014:

In the absence of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children were aged under five in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years (195793).

Table 1 shows the published estimates of usually resident population aged 0 to 4 in (a) London and (b) each London

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borough from mid-2008 to mid-2012. Mid-2012 is the latest year for which population estimates are available.

The UK population estimates for the period mid-2008 to mid-2012, from which the figures in Table 1 are taken, are available on the ONS website at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/pop-estimate/population-estimates-for-uk--england-and-wales--scotland-and-northern-ireland/index.html

Economic Growth: EU Countries

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions the Office for National Statistics has had with EU counterparts about differences in the way projected growth is estimated. [196291]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions the Office for National Statistics has had with EU counterparts about differences in the way projected growth is estimated. (196291)

The Office for National Statistics publishes the Preliminary Estimate of UK GDP approximately 25 days after the end of the quarter. The estimate is based purely on the output approach to measuring GDP and is one of the fastest in the world.

The majority of EU countries do not produce a comparable Preliminary Estimate of GDP with data usually only available for most countries 45 days after the end of the quarter. There is currently a European working group set up looking at how all EU countries could develop methods to produce an estimate 30 days after the end of the quarter. The UK is playing an active role in this working group offering our experiences of producing early estimates and advising on suitable methodology.

The Office for National Statistics does not produce any projections for GDP growth and focuses solely on estimating growth for periods that are in the past.

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Pensioners: Brighton, Kemptown

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people of pensionable age in Brighton, Kemptown constituency; and if he will make a statement. [196005]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people of pensionable age there are in Brighton, Kemptown constituency (196005).

ONS publishes annual estimates of the resident population of the UK, by age, as at 30 June each year. The latest available estimates show that there were an estimated 17,656 people of pensionable age in Brighton, Kemptown parliamentary constituency at mid-2012.

The estimate of pensionable age gives the number of women aged 61 and over, and men aged 65 and over, which is the closest available approximation to state pension age at mid-2012 that can be obtained for population estimates by parliamentary constituency.

The latest population estimates for parliamentary constituencies in England and Wales were published on 26 November 2013 and are available on the ONS website at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/sape/parliament-constituency-pop-est/mid-2012/index.html

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Throat Cancer

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many confirmed cases of oro-pharyngeal cancer there were in the last five years for which figures are available; and how many of those cases resulted in death. [195795]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Secretary of State for Health how many confirmed cases of oropharyngeal cancer there were in the last five years for which figures are available; and how many of these cases resulted in death. [195795]

The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2011. The latest available figures for deaths registrations are for the year 2012. Table 1 provides the number of (a) newly diagnosed cases of oropharyngeal cancer, for the years 2007 to 2011, and (b) deaths with an underlying cause of oropharyngeal cancer, for the years 2007 to 2012, for England. Six years of mortality data have been provided to present the most recent year available with the figures for the five years of incidence data available.

Information on the number of diagnosed cases that resulted in death is not available, as cause of death is not recorded within the ONS cancer incidence registration dataset.

The latest published figures on cancer incidence for England are available on the ONS website:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html

Tobacco: Packaging

Mr Watson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps have been taken to monitor and regulate contacts between Mr Lynton Crosby and representatives of the tobacco industry, in particular in relation to consultations on the introduction of standard packaging. [195689]

Mr Maude: Mr Lynton Crosby is not employed by the Government.

Unemployment: East Sussex

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of young people in (a) Brighton, Kemptown constituency and (b) East Sussex who have been unemployed for longer than 12 months in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [196004]

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.

Letter from Glen Watson, dated April 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office for the number of young people in (a) Brighton, Kemptown constituency and (b) East Sussex who have been unemployed for longer than 12 months in each of the last five years for which figures are available. (196004)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions. However, estimates of unemployment for the requested age band, duration and geographies are not available due to small sample sizes.

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As an alternative in table 1 we have provided the number of people aged 18 to 24 who had been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for more than 12 months in February of each year from 2010 to 2014. The counts of people claiming JSA are those who are claiming benefits for unemployment related purposes. At a UK level the total number of JSA claimants is around half of the total unemployment level.

National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

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Written Answers to Questions

Monday 28 April 2014

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his answer of 14 January 2013, Official Report, column 481W, on biofuels, is biomass feedstock origin recorded in the renewable energy planning database; and what his policy is on the use of biomass feedstock sourced from outside the UK. [196358]

Michael Fallon: Biomass feedstock origin is not recorded in the renewable energy planning database but this information is required to be submitted as part of the reporting requirements for biomass and bioliquids under the Renewables Obligation and is published annually by Ofgem.

With regards to bioliquids, the Renewable Energy Directive sets out the sustainability requirements which must be complied with in order to receive financial support. The key considerations of land use criteria and greenhouse gas balance are required to be met by both domestic and imported feedstock.

In the case of solid and gaseous biomass, the UK has established its own criteria which include a minimum of 60% greenhouse gas (GHG) lifecycle saving against the average EU fossil electricity grid intensity. Transport related carbon emissions as well as any direct land use change, whether in the UK or elsewhere, are considered as part of the GHG lifecycle assessment for biomass electricity.

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, columns 994-5, whether his Department is seeking to promote first or second generation biomass and biofuels; and whether his Department has made a sustainability assessment of both forms. [196359]

Michael Fallon: First and second generation biofuels are the responsibility of the Department for Transport.

Biomass, when sourced sustainably, can provide a cost-effective, low carbon and controllable source of renewable energy.

The sustainability standards referred to by the Secretary of State's answer of 16 January 2014, Official Report, columns 994-95, refer to the use of solid and gaseous biomass for the purposes of renewable electricity generation under the renewables obligation (RO). To ensure that Government only support sustainably produced biomass, their recently introduced requirements as part of the renewables obligation. Similar measures will be introduced

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under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHl) this autumn, and we intend to mirror the RO requirements within the Contracts for Difference.

Dounreay

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the estimated value of the contract of Dounreay Site Restoration was at the time of the award in April 2012; what the estimated savings to the public purse were; what the estimated value of the contract is to date; and what the estimated savings to the public purse are to date. [195770]

Michael Fallon: The estimated Target Cost at the time of contract award in 2012 was approximately £1.5 billion in 2012-13 money values. It covered all of the scope in the Dounreay Lifetime Plan to bring the site to its Interim End State which was capable of definition at the time of tender; it excluded scope that was not capable of definition at the bid stage. The contract contained provisions for change control for new scope and also for indexation for inflation. The Target Cost at 31 March 2014 is £1.7 billion. The estimated saving to the public purse arising from the Preferred Bidder's target costs compared to the extant Lifetime Plan was, and remains, well in excess of £1 billion.

Energy: Meters

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking to encourage the use of smart meters; and if he will make a statement. [196001]

Gregory Barker: The Government's vision is for every home and smaller businesses in Great Britain to have smart electricity and gas meters by the end of 2020. In December 2012, the Department published the smart meter Consumer Engagement Strategy which sets out the approach to how domestic and non-domestic consumers will be encouraged to use smart meters to take control of their energy—helping them to save energy and money.

Energy suppliers will have the primary consumer engagement role as they are the main interface with consumers before, during and after installation. Supplier engagement will be supported by a programme of centralised engagement undertaken by a Central Delivery Body (CDB), which the larger energy suppliers were required to set up in June 2013.

The Department also has a continuing role in consumer engagement. For example, we are working with stakeholders, such as third-sector organisations, in engaging consumers, and ensuring that accurate information on smart meters is available online.

Energy: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions and on what dates he has met National Grid to discuss the Supplemental Balancing Reserve in each month since January 2013. [195470]

Michael Fallon: Details of meetings between the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey), and external organisations are published quarterly on the departmental website at:

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https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-meeting-with-external-organisations

I met National Grid on Wednesday 9 April 2014 and Ministers do so regularly.

Fracking

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with the US Department of Energy on licensing and regulatory regimes in relation to fracking in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK. [196180]

Michael Fallon: Ministers in the Department have met their ministerial counterparts from the Department of Energy in the United States of America on a number of occasions and have had wide-ranging discussions.

All meetings between external organisations and Ministers in the Department of Energy and Climate Change are published on a quarterly basis on the Department's website and are available for download at this link:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/registers/registers.aspx

As has been the case with successive Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what assessment he has made of the commercial and procurement capability of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; and what steps have been taken to assist the authority in the development of its capability in this area of operations; [195763]

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (2) what support his Department has given to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for its commercial and procurement capability; and what assessment he has made of that capability. [195765]

Michael Fallon: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running competitions to manage its sites, and for managing the contracts with those sites; maintaining the capability to do so effectively is also the responsibility of the NDA. The Secretary of State appoints the Chairman and other non-executive members of the NDA Board and we have ensured that it has strong commercial skills to support the Executive. With regard to the NDA’s Parent Body Organisation competitions, the process is subject to governance by the NDA’s Competition Programme Board (CPB), on which the Shareholder Executive (on behalf of DECC), HM Treasury and Infrastructure UK sit. A key role of the CPB is to provide assurance that the NDA has the right commercial and procurement capability. We also monitor continuously the NDA’s performance, capability and overall effectiveness.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) highest bonus, (b) number of bonuses and (c) average bonus is that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority plans to pay to employees in 2014. [195766]

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Michael Fallon: No decisions have been taken yet on bonus payments for 2014. Bonus payments will be based on a review by the NDA's Remuneration Committee of performance against targets across the year, with input from internal and external auditors, and from the chief executive. This process will not conclude until June. The outcome will be reported in the NDA's annual report and accounts.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) highest bonus, (b) number of bonuses and (c) average bonus payments were that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority paid to employees in 2013. [195767]

Michael Fallon: As set out in the NDA's annual report and accounts for 2013:

The highest bonus paid to an employee was £83,003;

The number of bonus payments made was 295;

The average bonus payment was £10,160.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has paid in severance payments and associated pension contributions to employees since May 2010; how many such severance payments there have been; and what the average length of service in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority was of those receiving payments. [195768]

Michael Fallon: Between May 2010 and 31 March 2014 the NDA paid a total of £5.058 million in severance payments to 76 members of staff in line with the Civil Service Compensation Scheme rules. The average length of service was four years seven months. The NDA has made no associated pension contributions.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment his Department and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority made of the performance on previous and existing Nuclear Decommissioning Authority programmes when awarding ownership of shares in Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd on 31 March 2014. [195948]

Michael Fallon: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running the competition for a new parent body for Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd using the Competitive Dialogue procedure, under which the evaluation must identify the Most Economically Advantageous Tender measured against agreed evaluation criteria. Each consortium's capability and expertise was assessed during the pre-qualification process; this included but was not limited to experience on NDA programmes. It would have been contrary to UK and EU procurement regulations to have made experience on NDA programmes an evaluation criterion in the bidding process.

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the underlying calculations were for the statement by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority that £1 billion would be saved from awarding ownership of shares in Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd on 31 March 2014. [195950]

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Michael Fallon: Bidders were required to submit target cost proposals for delivery of the first seven years of scope within the contract. All four bids received showed savings compared to the extant programme in excess of £1 billion.

Nuclear Installations

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what oversight mechanisms his Department had in place of bid evaluations of the contract to award ownership of shares in Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd on 31 March 2014; and if he will make a statement. [195949]

Michael Fallon: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is responsible for running the competition to secure a new Parent Body Organisation for Magnox Ltd and Research Sites Restoration Ltd. Bid evaluations were made by the NDA's competition team in strict accordance with UK and EU procurement regulations. DECC was not involved in the bid evaluations. Oversight and governance of the wider competition process is provided by the NDA's Competition Programme Board (CPB), on which DECC is represented by the Shareholder Executive. Formal Government approval will be required before the contract can be awarded in September.

Gas Storage Facility: Lancashire

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Administration Court decision in the case CO/6036/2013, Halite Energy Group Limited v The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. [195951]

Michael Fallon: Following the decision of the High Court, Halite Energy Group Ltd v. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the Secretary of State will now re-determine the application by Halite Energy Group Ltd for development consent for the proposed underground gas storage facility including associated development in Preesall, Lancashire. He is currently seeking further information in writing from interested parties in accordance with the Infrastructure Planning (Examination Procedure) Rules 2010 to enable him to do that.

The Secretary of State is considering any potential wider implications of the decision, in consultation with the Planning Inspectorate.

Nuclear Power Stations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether the costs associated with supporting new nuclear power stations in England and Wales will be levied on energy consumers in Northern Ireland. [196414]

Michael Fallon: The supplier obligation will raise funds to cover all liabilities under all Contracts for Difference (CfDs), including nuclear ones. All licensed suppliers in Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be obliged to pay the supplier obligation in due course.

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Policy

Mr O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change in what circumstances he uses a calculation of the (a) value of preventing a fatality, (b) willingness to pay and (c) cost-per-quality adjusted life year approach to quantify the value of a policy intervention; what other tools he uses to quantify the benefit of a policy intervention; and if he will make a statement. [196462]

Gregory Barker: All new policies, programmes and projects in the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are subject to comprehensive but proportionate assessment of costs and benefits following Her Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) Green Book guidance. The guidance provides advice on valuing costs and benefits including where there is no market value:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/220541/green_book_complete.pdf

In cases where non-market costs or benefits have a significant impact on the outcome, DECC adopts different valuation techniques to elicit values as far as possible. For example, willingness to pay and willingness to accept techniques have been used to elicit the value that users attribute to security of electricity supply (value of lost load):

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/224028/value_lost_load_electricty_gb.pdf

Quality-adjusted life year (QALY)-based methods have also been used by the Department to illustrate the potential health impacts of improving the energy efficiency of fuel poor homes in the ‘Fuel Poverty—a framework for future action’. Work is planned to understand how estimates of QALYs may be incorporated into cost-benefit analysis in the future:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-poverty-a-framework-for-future-action

On other tools to quantify non-market costs and benefits, DECC has produced supplementary guidance to the Green Book which applies the Green Book techniques and principles in the specific context of valuing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/254083/2013_main_appraisal_guidance.pdf

Power Failures

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the incidence of power cuts by (a) county and (b) parliamentary constituency. [196271]

Michael Fallon: Statistics on the number of power cuts are held by Ofgem. Ofgem measures the number and duration of power cuts based on the number of customer interruptions (interruptions per 100 connected customers) and customer minutes lost (minutes of supply lost per connected customer). The statistics, broken down by Distribution Network Operator, can be found in tables A10.1 and A10.2 of Ofgem's Assessment of the RIIO-ED1 business plans document, pages 86 and 88:

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https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/84945/assessmentoftheriio-ed1businessplans.pdf

Ofgem do not collect a more detailed regional breakdown than what is presented in both of these tables.

Solar Power

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 81W, on solar power, whether he plans to make changes to the 250-5MW FiT band for the purpose of encouraging greater deployment of mid-size rooftop solar PV. [195700]

Gregory Barker: We are working to clear the way for the widespread use of mid-scale solar on top of factories, supermarkets, warehouses, car parks and other commercial and industrial buildings. We are currently considering a range of options to achieve this as set out in the solar strategy.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/302049/uk_solar_pv_strategy_part_2.pdf

Stationery

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what levels of stock his Department holds of (a) stationery, (b) printer cartridges, (c) treasury tags and other fasteners and (d) other office consumables. [196204]

Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and Climate Change does not keep a central record of stock levels for stationery, treasury tags or any other office consumables. This is because individual teams within the Department are responsible for their own particular needs (with weekly deliveries when required), negating the need for an overall 'Departmental' store.

However, printer cartridges are procured and stored by the departmental IT team. The stock is regularly checked with an aim to ensure there are always approximately 80 cartridges on site (of varying types and colours) to cover four central London buildings/offices.