Wind Power: Planning Permission
Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in which parliamentary constituency each onshore wind planning application which he has received for determination during this Parliament is located. [197001]
Kris Hopkins: I can confirm that during this Parliament (since May 2010) 50 onshore wind farm planning appeals have been recovered by Ministers.
The information is held by local planning authority, rather than parliamentary constituency and a table has been placed in the Library of the House.
Written Questions: Government Responses
Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what the reasons are for the time taken to answer question 191956 tabled for answer on 8 April 2014; [197366]
(2) when he plans to answer question 194894, tabled for answer on 8 April 2014. [197367]
Stephen Williams: I refer the right hon. Member to my answer of 1 May 2014, Official Report, column 803W.
Justice
Legal Aid
7. Mr Rob Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on ensuring that legal aid is targeted at people with a strong connection to the UK. [903845]
Chris Grayling: The Government believe that individuals should have a strong connection to the UK in order to benefit from the civil legal aid scheme and that the residence test we propose is a fair and appropriate way to demonstrate that connection.
Freedom of Information Act
20. Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to bring forward proposals to expand the boundaries of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [903862]
Simon Hughes: The Government have already legislated to extend the Freedom of Information Act and brought more than 100 additional organisations within scope. We are currently considering ways in which the Act can be extended further to enhance transparency.
Prisoners: Females
Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2014, Official Report, column 548W, on female prisoners, which domestic violence programmes and interventions will be delivered in which prisons in 2014-15. [197011]
Simon Hughes: The table shows the recorded domestic violence programmes and interventions due to be delivered across the women’s prison estate during 2014-15.
Programme | Establishment |
6 May 2014 : Column 33W
Reducing Re-offending Intervention Fairs (All Pathways covered) supporting women who have been affected by violence |
Probation
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what rules his Department has in place on the (a) proven and (b) alleged criminal actions of potential bidders for the Transforming Rehabilitaiton programme. [196384]
Jeremy Wright: Final bids to run the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) are expected in June 2014, and will be rigorously assessed against robust quality, legal, commercial and financial criteria. In the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire, bidders were required to declare that they had no convictions in relation to criminal offences such as conspiracy, corruption, bribery, fraud or criminal offences relating to the conduct of their business or profession and acts of grave misconduct. The MOJ also undertook extensive due diligence of bidders on a range of matters, including integrity and legal compliance issues. As a consequence we have a robust and diverse market and are confident that the bidders who passed the first stage of the competition-the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ)-are credible organisations.
Energy and Climate Change
Climate Change: Northern Ireland
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions on climate change he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive. [197015]
Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) has not had any recent discussions with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on climate change.
Electricity
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, column 991, on energy
6 May 2014 : Column 34W
supply, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the amount of electricity traded on the day ahead market has increased from five % to more than 50 per cent. [197233]
Michael Fallon: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 13 March 2014, Official Report, column 304W.
Energy Companies Obligation
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, column 993, on energy efficiency, how many households in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area have received energy efficiency improvements under the Energy Company Obligation. [197232]
Gregory Barker: The Department breaks down the provisional number of energy company obligation (ECO) measures installed by local authority area and parliamentary constituency in its quarterly Official Statistics series:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-deal-energy-company-obligation-eco-and-insulation-levels-in-great-britain-quarterly-report-to-december-2013
I will be placing copies of the tables showing the number of households in each local authority area (Table 1) and parliamentary constituency (Table 1a) that had ECO measures installed up to the end of December 2013 in the Libraries of the House.
Energy: Housing
Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 3 April 2014, Official Report, column 994, on energy efficiency, how many of the 600,000 households that have received energy-efficiency improvements received assistance under the (a) Energy Company Obligation and (b) Green Deal. [197231]
Gregory Barker: The number of households benefiting from energy-efficiency measures installed through ECO and Green Deal are published in Table 1a of my Department’s monthly Official Statistics release on Green Deal and ECO statistics. The latest published figures show that, up to the end of February 2014, 569,234 households had measures installed under ECO and 883 had measures installed using the option of Green Deal finance. Some households may have had measures installed through more than one delivery mechanism and there is therefore a small level of double counting. Further installations that have been funded through the cashback scheme are also reported in Table 1a.
The monthly release can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-april-2014
Energy: Prices
Caroline Flint:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to his oral contribution of 2 April 2014, Official Report, column 906, on energy price freeze, what the evidential basis is
6 May 2014 : Column 35W
for the statement that energy bills rose by
(a)
11% a year in the last parliament and
(b)
8% a year in the current Parliament. [197228]
Michael Fallon: The following table shows the level of the domestic fuels component of the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) at the start of the last Parliament, the start of the current Parliament, and for the latest available data point.
Date | Domestic fuels component of CPI |
The following table shows the annual compound growth rate in the domestic fuels component of the CPI in each parliament.
Interval | Average annual increase in domestic fuels component of CPI (percentage) |
The domestic fuels component of the CPI is a weighted combination of gas, electricity, heating oil and solid fuel prices. It is compiled by the Office for National Statistics and tracks how domestic energy prices change over time.
The compound growth rate shows the average year on year percentage change over the period and is used in relation to energy price increases as they are defined in proportional terms.
These data are made available in table 2.1.3 of the DECC publication Quarterly Energy Prices, which can be found online at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/monthly-domestic-energy-price-stastics
Fracking
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether hydraulic fracturing will be permitted to take place under property where the owner's consent has not been given. [196737]
Michael Fallon: Shale gas and oil operations involve hydraulic fracturing in wells drilled over a mile below the surface. At that depth it is highly unlikely that there will be any negative impact closer to the surface.
Like most other industrial activities, oil and gas operations require permission from landowners to access their land in order to reach mineral deposits.
Operators prefer where possible to agree this through negotiation with the landowner, but there is an existing legal route by which they can apply for access where this cannot be negotiated. In this respect, it is already possible for an operator to gain access to land for the extraction of oil or gas without a landowner’s permission through the courts.
The Government are considering whether these existing procedures used to obtain access are fit for purpose in relation to underground land. We have not yet made a decision on what actions we may take.
6 May 2014 : Column 36W
Trade Unions
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system. [196764]
Gregory Barker: The Secretary of State reviewed the situation on 23 January 2014 and was content for no action to be taken on this matter.
Culture, Media and Sport
Children: Day Care
Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, columns 307-08W, on children: day care, what the breakdown is for the £500 grants available to set up new nurseries, childminders for disabled children and after schools clubs; how many of the 4,417 applicants continue to have a child care business; and what plans he has for the funding of the scheme. [197189]
Mrs Grant: The Childcare Business Grants scheme was launched in April 2013 to help those wishing to start a new child care business with start-up costs. To date, 4,501 applications have been received, of which, 425 have been for £500 grants. Information is not available on the number of applicants that continue to have a child care business.
A breakdown of the £500 grants approved is shown in the following table.
Type of grant application | Number of applications |
1 Other (child care on domestic premises)—this category represents childminders working from domestic premises with three or more employees. Source: Liberata, management information. |
We recently announced that the scheme will be available for new applicants up to the end of 2014 or until the £2 million fund is exhausted.
Civil Partnerships
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many responses were received to his Department's consultation on extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples; [197111]
(2) when he plans to publish the responses to the consultation on extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples. [197112]
Mrs Grant: There have been almost 11,500 responses to the consultation on the future of civil partnership in England and Wales. We are now considering them and will publish a summary in due course.
6 May 2014 : Column 37W
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend civil partnerships to opposite sex couples. [197113]
Mrs Grant: The Government are currently considering the views expressed by consultation respondents on the future of civil partnership in England and Wales. The Government have not itself proposed any changes to civil partnership.
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what steps he took to publicise the consultation on extending civil partnerships to opposite sex partners; [197114]
(2) which hon. Members he consulted about the consultation on extension of civil partnerships to opposite sex couples. [197115]
Mrs Grant: On 23 January 2014, when the consultation document was published, I made a written ministerial statement to bring it to the attention of hon. Members. This statement was repeated in the House of Lords, by my colleague, Baroness Northover. The publication of the consultation was also announced on the Culture, Media and Sport website. DCMS officials directly contacted around 50 organisations with an interest in the issues and asked other Departments to do the same. Officials also offered meetings to the principal stakeholders, several of which took up the offer, and emailed more than 1,300 organisations and individuals who had registered an interest in receiving updates on equal marriage or related issues and highlighted the consultation in the February edition of the Women’s Engagement Newsletter, which is circulated to more than 2,000 organisations and individuals.
Emergency Calls: West Lothian
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of emergency telephone coverage in West Lothian local authority area. [196723]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not made any specific assessment of the adequacy of emergency telephone coverage in the West Lothian local authority area. However, the Department and the independent national telecommunications regulator (Ofcom) work closely with all the Scottish emergency services and communications providers on matters such as this through the Government’s 999/112 Liaison Committee. All the Scottish emergency services have been key contributors both in discussions on next generation access to 999 and in reviewing the code of practice that defines how emergency services and telecommunications providers work together.
English Heritage
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association and local authorities about the proposed remodelling of English Heritage. [195647]
6 May 2014 : Column 38W
Mr Vaizey: Neither the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid), nor I have had any such discussions. However, I understand that English Heritage have met the Local Government Association to discuss the proposals, and the Local Government Association and a number of local authorities have responded to the recent consultation.
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contingency plans his Department has in place should the proposed English Heritage charity annual revenues be affected by (a) poor weather, (b) a fire at a heritage site or (c) other unforseen circumstances. [195648]
Mr Vaizey: English Heritage have developed contingency plans for the new charity addressing the possibility of variances from budget and giving examples of the actions which would be taken in such circumstances. These are based upon the performance of the English Heritage property business over the last 10 years, which has shown consistent growth. They anticipate the effect of weather and changes to patterns of visitation. In addition, once the charity becomes self-financing, it will build up contingencies to protect it from factors such as poor weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
Museums and Galleries
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if his Department will take steps to ensure that publicly-funded museums do not breach new rules regarding the commercial exploitation of designs whose owners have had their rights revived following the repeal of section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. [197349]
Mr Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has an arm’s length relationship with its sponsored bodies such as museums and galleries and does not intervene in day-to-day operational matters. It would be for these museums and galleries to act in compliance with the law, including intellectual property law.
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if his Department will take steps to ensure that revenue created by shops in publicly-funded museums and galleries will be safeguarded following the repeal of section 52 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. [197351]
Mr Vaizey: The Government are keen to support the revenue-generating activities of publicly-funded museums and galleries wherever possible. For most artistic works, copyright owners already need to provide permission before publicly-funded museums and galleries are able to make copies. The change in law will mean that permission from copyright holders will need to be sought for all artistic works.
Radio Frequencies
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the (a) 30-300MHz, (b) 300-3000MHz and (c) 3-30GHz bands of the radio spectrum is in the operation of the private sector. [196838]
6 May 2014 : Column 39W
Mr Vaizey: Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5MHz (as frequencies above this are considered to be the most important and usable), but have provided information for bands from 87.5MHz to 30GHz.
The table provides an overview of the proportion of total weighted spectrum accessed for market uses by band.
Lower frequency | Upper frequency | Spectrum authorised for market uses as a % of total weighted spectrum |
The Public Sector Spectrum Release Programme aims to release 500MHz of sub-5GHz spectrum from public sector use by 2020. The most recent Programme update can be found on the gov.uk website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spectrum-strategy
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of the radio spectrum is earmarked for (a) military purposes, (b) radar purposes and (c) public service broadcasting. [196840]
Mr Vaizey: Officials have consulted Ofcom who hold such information. Ofcom advise that they do not hold such information for bands below 87.5 MHz, but have provided information for bands from 87.5 MHz to 30 GHz.
Ofcom has identified the proportion of spectrum accessed for public sector uses (not limited to the military), defined as all spectrum bands used by the public sector with Crown immunity (i.e. without need for authorisation by Ofcom). For the purpose of this analysis, this category includes all aeronautical uses of spectrum.
Crown use of spectrum as a percentage of total weighted spectrum (%) | |
26% of the total weighted spectrum in the 87.5 MHz to 30 GHz is allocated for radiolocation services/radar.
Ofcom cannot provide specific information with regards to spectrum in use for public service broadcasting as the national allocation of frequencies does not distinguish between public service broadcasting and non-public service broadcasting. The table below provides information with regards to the proportion of total weighted spectrum in use for terrestrial broadcasting, split into TV and radio.
% | |||
Terrestrial broadcasting spectrum as a percentage of total weighted spectrum | TV | Radio | |
6 May 2014 : Column 40W
Trade Unions
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system. [196761]
Mrs Grant: Check-off is a matter delegated to Departments and it is for them to determine the appropriateness of continuing with the current arrangements. DCMS is in the process of reviewing its current arrangements for provision of check-off.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Alcoholic Drinks: Counterfeit Manufacturing
Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 112W, on alcoholic drinks: counterfeit manufacturing, if he will carry out an assessment of the (a) scale of and (b) effect on public health of counterfeit alcohol in the UK. [196515]
Jane Ellison: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department of Health.
There are slightly different issues concerning illicit, i.e. untaxed, smuggled and diverted alcohol, or counterfeit alcohol, i.e. attempting to copy existing well-known brands.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) works in partnership with all United Kingdom local authorities to tackle the production, distribution and sale of illicit alcohol. HM Revenue and Customs also works collaboratively with other UK enforcement agencies to tackle this threat. The Department of Health is concerned with any implications of these issues for alcohol policy.
The feasibility and costs of making any reliable estimates of the illicit and counterfeit alcohol markets would need to be considered. Government have no plans to make such estimates, other than the estimates published by HM Revenue and Customs for the illicit spirits market at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/measuring-tax-gaps
We will jointly keep these issues under review.
Dogs: Animal Welfare
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the effects of puppy trafficking on the welfare of the UK dog population. [196899]
George Eustice: A comprehensive risk assessment carried out in 2011 prior to the UK’s harmonisation with the EU Pet Travel Scheme concluded that the risk of an animal with rabies coming into the UK is very low and the risk of rabies being passed from a pet to a person is lower still. The details of this assessment are available at:
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/rabies/
6 May 2014 : Column 41W
This risk assessment considered how the risk of rabies introduction from all countries would change based on (a) where the rules are followed with 100% compliance and (b) where the rules are followed with varying degrees of less than 100% compliance. The risk assessment also incorporated both intra-EU and third country movements and its conclusions are valid for animals moving under both the EU Pet Travel Scheme and commercial movements as the risk mitigation measures are the same for both categories.
Drinking Water
Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Drinking Water Inspectorate has conducted any research into the level of psychotropic drugs in UK drinking water. [196584]
Dan Rogerson: The Drinking Water Inspectorate has published the results of a study looking at the risk of pharmaceuticals and health care products in drinking water. This included consideration of commonly used compounds that might be considered to be "psychotropic".
These include carbamezapine (an antiepileptic and mood stabilising medicine) and fluoxetine (antidepressant). Additionally, the study considered the illegal drug cocaine and its metabolite benzoylecgonine (sold as a topical analgaesic). Cocaine and fluoxetine were not detected in any samples. Only minute traces of benzoylecgonine and carbamezapine at levels several orders of magnitude below therapeutic doses were found in a few samples. This study has informed water supply monitoring and risk management by water companies.
The results of the study can be found on the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s website.
Fisheries
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of trends in the level of fish stocks in the English Channel over the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [193079]
George Eustice: At the annual EU fishing quota negotiations in December I secured a deal on quotas for 2014 which was positive both for the sustainability of UK fish stocks and our fishing industry. My position on quotas was based on three clear principles: following the available scientific advice; achieving sustainable levels of fishing (known as Maximum Sustainable Yield) by 2015 where possible and by 2020 at the latest; and reducing discards.
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to preserve and increase fish stocks in UK waters. [193080]
George Eustice: The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) makes an annual assessment of the status and trends in fish stocks. This includes assessments for the main commercial stocks in the English Channel. These are available on the ICES website.
6 May 2014 : Column 42W
Flood Control
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency is taking to reduce the time taken to update its flooding maps after the completion of flood defence projects. [197043]
Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency produces and publishes maps showing areas at risk of flooding from rivers and sea, surface water and reservoirs in England. It reviews and updates these maps on a quarterly basis to ensure they are based on the most recent local mapping and modelling information.
To ensure new flood risk management schemes are included in the map updates as soon as possible, the Environment Agency has put in place changes to speed up the update process, together with a new key performance indicator (introduced in October 2013) specifying that maps showing the risk of flooding from rivers and sea should be updated within six months of completion of a scheme.
Initial performance has been affected by the development and publication of new maps in December 2013 and by the winter floods, but significant efforts are being made to ensure that new defences will be taken into account more quickly in future.
Floods
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his policy is on the continued exclusion of borough councils for areas where there is no unitary authority from the definition of risk management authorities in section 6(13) of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. [196929]
Dan Rogerson: All local authorities are risk management authorities under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. No local authorities are excluded from the definition of a risk management authority in the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
A ‘borough council’ will either be a unitary authority or a district council. As a unitary authority, it will be a ‘lead local flood authority’, which in turn makes it a ‘risk management authority’ in its own right (the same applies to county councils). Where it is not a unitary authority, it is a district council, whether known as borough council or city council, and so is also a risk management authority.
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to make borough councils for areas where there is no unitary authority eligible to apply for flood and coastal erosion risk management grant inaid. [196931]
Dan Rogerson: Borough councils are already able to bring forward proposals working with the Environment Agency and/or the lead local flood authorities, should they wish to seek flood and coastal erosion risk management grant in aid.
6 May 2014 : Column 43W
Floods: River Thames
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on the Lower Thames Scheme. [196841]
Dan Rogerson: Further to my answer to the hon. Member for Windsor on 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 83W, the Environment Agency is continuing to work with partners to develop the River Thames Scheme (Datchet to Teddington). This includes flood channel capacity improvements, property level protection measures and the construction of three new channels.
Preparatory work, which is under way, includes establishing appropriate consents and approval needed with planning authorities, undertaking surveys needed to gain consents, and the development of a funding package with other risk management authorities. The Environment Agency is planning to submit its Strategic Outline Case for this project to DEFRA as part of the HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office’s Major Projects Authority approvals process.
The Environment Agency aims to start the work on improving weir capacity in 2016.
Full appraisal and outline design of the flood channel and capacity improvements will commence this summer. It is expected that this will take three to four years to enable the proposal for the new flood channels to be submitted for planning consents and authorisations. It is estimated that the construction of the flood channel will commence in 2020 and will take five to six years to complete.
Floods: South West
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department has spent on flood defences in each county in the south west of England since 2010. [197036]
Dan Rogerson: Flood defences spend is recorded on the basis for Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) areas, rather than counties. The south west is covered by the Devon and Cornwall RFCC and the Wessex RFCC. RFCC and county boundaries do not align exactly. Wessex includes parts, or all, of Bournemouth borough council, Dorset county council, Hampshire county council, Poole borough council, Somerset county council, Wiltshire council, Gloucestershire county council, Bath & North East Somerset council, Bristol city council, North Somerset council and South Gloucestershire council.
The total DEFRA flood and coastal erosion risk management grant in aid spent in each of the areas since 2010 is as follows:
£000 | |||||
Actual spend | Budget | ||||
2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |
These figures include Environment Agency revenue funding and capital grants for Environment Agency, local authority and internal drainage board flood and coastal erosion risk management projects.
6 May 2014 : Column 44W
Environment Agency spend on national support costs are not included in the above figures.
Floods: Tonbridge
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will name the lead local flood authority or authorities for the area of the Tonbridge and Malling constituency. [196930]
Dan Rogerson: The lead local flood authority is Kent county council. This is defined under section 6(7) of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Forests
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what amount of new forest has been planted in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement. [196500]
Dan Rogerson: Up to date figures for woodland creation are expected to be available in June this year. In the meantime I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 100W, to the hon. Member for Strangford (Jim Shannon).
John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Rural Development Programme for Forestry will announce its amount of funding and how it is to be used. [196503]
George Eustice: We announced on 19 December 2013 that we will be investing over £3.5 billion in rural development schemes up to 2020, of which over £3 billion will be spent on improving the environment.
Our responses to the consultation on implementing the new Common Agricultural Policy in England published on 19 December 2013 and 26 February 2014 provide further information on how rural development funding will be used. These are available at:
www.gov.uk/government/consultations/common-agricultural-policy-reform-implementation-in-england
We also announced on 9 January 2014 that as part of the new Rural Development Programme we intend to offer tree planting grants in 2015 in advance of new environmental land management agreements coming into effect in January 2016.
The new Rural Development Programme that we will submit to the European Commission shortly will confirm the amount of spending on forestry measures.
Greyhounds
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of compliance with the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010; and what assessment he has made of changes in the level of the welfare of greyhounds used for racing since the coming into force of those Regulations. [196608]
George Eustice:
The Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010 is due to be reviewed next year and this will provide us with an opportunity to see how well
6 May 2014 : Column 45W
it has been working. DEFRA is working with key players in the industry and the welfare sectors to begin the review process.
Insects
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will provide funding as part of the National Pollinator Strategy to create a national insect monitoring scheme. [196530]
George Eustice: DEFRA is currently commissioning a two-year research project that will develop and test a new national pollinator monitoring scheme. The project will develop the methods, sampling framework and delivery mechanisms for a cost-effective national monitoring scheme, which will assess changes in pollinator populations and their pollination services. Commissioning of this research is at an advanced stage and the project could start as early as this month. Once contracts are in place we will provide details on our science webpages:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/
Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on the issuing of planning guidance as part of the proposed National Pollinator Strategy to ensure that future development is beneficial to bees and other pollinators. [196531]
George Eustice: DEFRA officials discussed the National Pollinator Strategy in relation to planning guidance with officials at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in autumn 2013. DCLG published the National Planning Practice Guidance in March 2014, which is clear about biodiversity aims.
Mobile Phones
Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has assessed the comparative sustainability of sourced materials and manufacture of smart phones from (a) Apple, (b) Fairphone, (c) Huawei, (d) Lenovo, (e) LG Electornics, (f) Nokia and (g) Samsung in its role in promoting sustainable procurement policies across Government. [196790]
Dan Rogerson: DEFRA has not undertaken a comparative assessment of mobile phones from these manufacturers, and does not provide procurement standards across Government or guidance specific to mobile phones.
Pet Travel Scheme
Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the changes in quarantine due to be implemented in December 2014 will help prevent commercial dealers fraudulently using the Pet Travel Scheme; and if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to improve enforcement in this area. [196898]
George Eustice:
A new EU pet travel regulation comes into effect on 29 December 2014 and introduces a number of measures which will strengthen enforcement
6 May 2014 : Column 46W
regimes, in particular. For example, pets being prepared for travel after the 29 December 2014 will be issued with a new style pet passport that will be harder to forge or tamper with. New rules governing the movement of more than five pets will be introduced together with a new requirement for all EU countries to carry out some compliance checks on pets moving between EU member states. A 12-week minimum age for rabies vaccination will also be applied across the EU which will assist compliance checking and restrict the movement of very young animals. The fundamental requirements of the scheme (including microchip, rabies vaccination, pet passport and a waiting period) will remain the same and non-compliant animals will continue to be either placed into quarantine, re-exported or, as a measure of last resort, euthanased. DEFRA will continue to work closely with its operational partners to clamp down on the illegal puppy trade and prosecute those responsible.
Plastic Bags
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make it his policy either that carrier bags containing a defined percentage of recycled plastics should be exempt from a levy on plastic bags, or that there should be no such exemptions at all. [196982]
Dan Rogerson: We do not intend to exclude plastic bags containing a defined percentage of recycled plastics from the proposed levy on plastic bags. In addition to measures to reduce usage, we will continue to encourage the recycling of plastic bags and we welcome efforts to increase their recycled content.
Plastics: Recycling
Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the number of jobs supported by the recycled plastics industry. [196983]
Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
There is no specific Government estimate for the size of the recycled plastics industry. The British Plastics Federation Recycling Group (BPFRG) estimated in 2011 that approximately 5,000 people are employed directly by reprocessors and exporters of plastic recovered in the UK. The BPFRG also estimates that around 24% of the 5 million tonnes of plastic used each year in the UK is currently recovered or recycled.
According to the Environment Agency, there were 92 businesses in the UK accredited to recycle and export recovered packaging plastics in 2013, of which 44 were UK reprocessors (National Packaging Waste Database report data accessed 30 April 2014).
According to the Office for National Statistics Annual Business Survey there were 133,000 jobs in the manufacture of plastics products in 2012.
Sewers: Greater London
Mr Raynsford:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions he has had with Thames Water plc on (a) the change in capacity of the sewerage system in London
6 May 2014 : Column 47W
required in consequence of (i) the Mayor of London's revised draft housing strategy and (ii) the projected change in the population of London by 2050 and
(b)
the role of the Thames Tideway Tunnel in meeting demand for capacity. [196703]
Dan Rogerson: The Government have not held discussions with Thames Water on the details of the Mayor’s revised draft housing strategy or any change in the capacity of London’s sewerage system required as a consequence of it. It is for Thames Water to take population changes into account as part of its business planning for the five-yearly price review process with Ofwat.
However, DEFRA is working closely with Thames Water on enabling construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. The tunnel will significantly reduce pollution in the tidal Thames caused by sewage overflowing into the River Thames from combined sewage overflows when there is significant rainfall. It will also ensure that London’s Victorian sewerage system, which is currently close to capacity at certain times of day, is able to meet the needs of the predicted increase in population in central London. This is set out in the economic and strategic case for the tunnel, which can be viewed at the gov.uk website.
Waste Disposal: Fires
Nick Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 211W, on waste disposal: fire, how many of the incidents of fire reported at local authority-operated waste management sites in 2012 and 2013 were repeated incidents at the same site. [196513]
Dan Rogerson: None of the five incidents of fire at local authority-operated waste management sites were repeated incidents at the same site.
Wildlife: Africa
Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in African countries about numbers of (a) elephants, (b) rhinoceroses and (c) lions in those countries. [193755]
George Eustice: The London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, which the Government hosted on 12-13 February, brought together 42 countries, including four Presidents of African states, to discuss the decline in numbers of elephants, rhino and other species affected by the scourge of the illegal trade in wildlife. Conference participants agreed an ambitious political declaration, containing 25 practical commitments to action that will help to eradicate the demand for wildlife products, strengthen law enforcement and support the development of sustainable livelihoods for communities affected by wildlife crime.
Prior to the Conference, my colleague Lord de Mauley represented the UK Government at the African Elephant Summit in Botswana on 2 to 4 December 2014. This was attended by numerous Government Ministers from across Africa and the status of the African elephant at a continental level was discussed. During the summit,
6 May 2014 : Column 48W
Lord de Mauley held bilateral discussions on illegal wildlife trade issues with the President of Botswana. Separately, he met with the South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Mrs Edna Molewa, to discuss the crisis facing African wildlife affected by poaching and illegal trade. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), also had discussions about the effects of the illegal wildlife trade on numbers of key species with the Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources, Professor Judy Wakhungu, during a visit to Kenya in November 2013.
Transport
Birmingham New Street Station
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the reasons are for the changes to Network Rail's planned redevelopment of the western elevation of New Street Station, set out in planning application 2014/02551/PA to Birmingham city council. [196980]
Stephen Hammond: Network Rail has proposed a change to the Navigation Street footbridge and the cladding to the existing station building which forms part of the western elevation of the Birmingham New Street redevelopment to deliver a simpler and more cost- effective design.
Detailed structural analysis has proved that the existing 1960s built structures cannot support the proposed cladding and would need significant strengthening to support the additional weight and loading. This would require extended railway closures causing delays and disruption to passengers.
The proposed new design would look very similar to the original plan from the street but would be significantly more cost-effective, straightforward to construct and avoid the need for lengthy possessions of the railway below, thereby minimising disruption to passengers. It will continue to be a great improvement over the existing 1960s built structure.
Bus Services
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the document Annual Bus Statistics: Revenue, Costs and Government Support Great Britain 2012-13 will be published. [197314]
Stephen Hammond: The statistics on bus revenue, costs and government support were updated in March 2014 and can be found on the Department’s website at
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/bus-statistics
in the statistical datasets section.
Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much in each (a) funding stream and (b) region his Department has provided in subsidy to each bus operator in each of the last four years. [197315]
Stephen Hammond: In the last four years, the Department for Transport has paid funding directly to bus operators in England through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) and the Green Bus Fund.
6 May 2014 : Column 49W
Details of BSOG funding paid to bus operators in the last three financial years is available online. It is not possible to provide this data broken down by region or for earlier years. The data are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bus-service-operators-grant-payments-to-english-operators-up-to-31-march-2013
Details of funding paid to bus operators through the Department’s Green Bus Fund, broken down by bus operator and region, for all four rounds of the Green Bus Fund (which ran from 2009 to 2013) are available online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/details-of-the-green-bus-fund
Driving: Eyesight
Mr Sutcliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the level of potential loss of trade to independent high street opticians following the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's decision to award its vision testing contract to Specsavers. [196870]
Stephen Hammond: In the past, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) dealt with many individual opticians on an ad-hoc basis. Although the individual cost per optician was relatively low, the aggregated spend on the service meant that the contract had to be tendered via the Official Journal of the European Union process. This is in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.
As part of the procurement process, the DVLA identified that 2,009 optical practices carried out vision testing services. The new contract means that independent practices are no longer required to carry out on average 20 assessments per year. This equates to around 10 hours of work.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the final cost of the capital sum to be raised to finance High Speed 2 to (a) Birmingham and (b) Leeds and Manchester. [197014]
Mr Goodwill: The current estimated cost of the project is £42.6 billion for Phase 1 and Phase 2 (including £14.4 billion of contingency) and £7.5 billion for rolling stock (including £1.7 billion of contingency). This estimate is in 2011 prices and is at the P95 level, meaning at this early stage of the project there is a 95% confidence level that the project can be delivered for this cost.
Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the Written Statement of 17 March 2014, Official Report, columns 53-4WS, on the Higgins Review, (1) what progress has been made on the review of connections from HS2 to the continent announced in that Statement; [197417]
(2) whether the review of connections from HS2 to the continent announced in that statement will assure the provision of (a) a segregated double track link and (b) any other dedicated railway link between HS1 and HS2; [197418]
6 May 2014 : Column 50W
(3) whether the review of connections from HS2 to the continent announced in that statement will take account of potential demand for domestic services between HS2 and HS1; and what assessment he has made of the likely level of such demand; [197419]
(4) who is undertaking the review of connections between HS2 and the continent announced in that Statement; and when he expects the review to be completed. [197420]
Mr Goodwill: The Secretary of State has asked HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to consider how to improve connections between the rail network and the continent, in a way that could be implemented once the initial stages of HS2 are complete. The report will explore options that will stand the test of time and will be completed before the end of next year. The remit of the work is being considered and will be finalised shortly.
Large Goods Vehicles: Speed Limits
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 February 2014, Official Report, column 237W, on large goods vehicles: speed limits, what progress has been made on the Government's further impact assessment of increasing the speed limit for hauliers from 40mph to 50mph. [197362]
Stephen Hammond: Ministers are giving careful consideration to any potential impacts of raising the speed limit for HGVs over 7.5t from 40 mph to 50 mph on single carriageway roads and a further impact assessment has been undertaken as part of that process.
I want to make sure careful consideration is given to the evidence of all of the effects of raising the speed limit on the economy, environment and road safety before a decision is made. I will consider the responses received and evidence presented before publishing a response report and impact assessment on our website.
Large Goods Vehicles: Taxation
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 107W, to question 194746, on large goods vehicles: taxation, how many HGVs 94% of UK HGVs paying the HGV user levy represents. [197146]
Mr Goodwill: We have estimated that around 259,000 UK HGVs will pay the road user levy. Of these, we estimated that around 94%, or 243,000, will pay no more than now, taking into account the reductions in Vehicle Excise Duty that happened at the same time.
Malaysia Airlines
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of assistance has been offered by UK personnel in efforts to locate the missing Malaysian airliner MH370. [197290]
Mr Goodwill:
The search for the missing Malaysian Airliner MH370 is an extremely difficult and complex operation. The UK has made a number of contributions to the investigation and search for MH370. The UK Air
6 May 2014 : Column 51W
Accidents Investigation Branch has appointed an accredited representative and an advisor to assist in the investigation, and representatives from Rolls-Royce and Inmarsat also provided initial support. Experts from the UK Ministry of Defence, the Hydrographic Office, and the Met Office, have also co-operated with Malaysia and other international partners to analyse available data to help locate the aircraft.
In addition, the UK deployed submarine HMS Tireless and survey vessel HMS Echo to support the search effort for a signal from MH370’s black box. With the Australian command assessing that there is no prospect of further acoustic detections associated with the aircraft’s black box, HMS Tireless and HMS Echo have been stood down. RAF personnel have also participated in Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force operations to search for wreckage of MH370.
The Air Accidents Investigations Branch, working as part of an international team, continues to give its full support to the investigation and to share its expertise and analysis with the Malaysian authorities and international partners.
Motor Vehicles
Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the responses to the Office of Low Emission Vehicles consultation from organisations that called for artificial sound generators to protect pedestrians. [197214]
Mr Goodwill: We received a combined response to our call for evidence co-ordinated by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, which suggested that all vehicles funded by the plug-in car grant should be required to have a minimum level of noise. As with all responses, we are considering this suggestion carefully as we develop the detailed criteria for our ultra low emission vehicle support package for the period 2015-2020. EU Regulation will require sound-level generators on new types of electric and electric hybrid vehicles from 2019.
Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties
Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign-registered vehicles were reported by the public to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for being untaxed in the last five years. [197217]
Stephen Hammond: The number of reports received specifically from the public is not captured.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency records information notified about foreign registered vehicles, including those that are unlicensed, from offence reports provided by the police, other enforcement agencies and sightings from members of the public. Between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2014, 20,349 notifications were received.
Railways
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what total private investment in rail has been in each region of the UK in each year since 2005. [197012]
6 May 2014 : Column 52W
Stephen Hammond: Between 2006-07 and 2012-13 the private investment in Great Britain’s railways amounted to £3,573 million. This includes all enhancements in relation to tracks and signalling, rolling stock and stations and other investments.
This information is not available on a regional basis.
Further details of this funding are available on ORR’s website at the following link:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/5cc4eb14-fe68-4b72-aebf-81625df90d86
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what data his Department collects on private investment in (a) rail infrastructure and (b) rolling stock in each region. [197013]
Stephen Hammond: The Department does not collect information about private investment in rail infrastructure or rolling stock on either a national or regional basis.
ORR publishes data regarding private investment broken down by expenditure type: tracks and signalling; rolling stock; stations and other investment. However, this information is only published for Great Britain as a whole.
Further details of this funding are available on ORR’s website at the following link:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/5cc4eb14-fe68-4b72-aebf-81625df90d86
River Thames: Bridges
Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 367W, on the River Thames: bridges, in what year or years the £30 million allocated to the Garden Bridge in the National Infrastructure Plan 2013 is projected to be spent. [197053]
Stephen Hammond: Should the business case demonstrate that the project represents good value for money, Government will agree the detailed terms of funding with the Garden Bridge Trust.
While the payment schedule has not yet been determined. It is likely that the funding will be released in tranches throughout the project, as it reaches agreed milestones.
Roads
Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total cost of the feasibility studies for the (a) A303, A30 and A358 corridor, (b) A1 north of Newcastle, (c) A1 Newcastle to Gateshead western bypass, (d) A27 corridor and (e) A47. [197318]
Mr Goodwill: The Department has committed to undertake six feasibility studies to identify and fund solutions to tackle some of the most notorious and long-standing road hot spots in the country.
Following a process of engagement, the Department published on 23 April 2014 finalised scope documents for each of the studies. The documents are available on the Department’s website at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-road-network-the-scope-of-6-feasibility-studies
6 May 2014 : Column 53W
At present, the total costs for undertaking the feasibility studies are estimated at around £2.5 million.
Tractors
Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2014, Official Report, column 242W, on tractors, if his Department will issue a response to the consultation on raising speed limits for low-speed tractors from 20 mph to 25 mph. [197363]
Stephen Hammond: Minsters are giving careful consideration to the results of the consultation on raising speed limit for low-speed tractors from 20 mph to 25 mph.
I will consider the responses received and evidence presented before publishing a response report on our website.
Defence
Armed Forces Covenant
David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to audit or monitor the outcomes of successful applications to the Armed Forces Covenant (LIBOR) Fund. [196776]
Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence administers the £35 million LIBOR Fund on behalf of the Cabinet Office-led Covenant Reference Group. Successful projects are funded on the basis of a standard set of terms and conditions, plus additional measures as appropriate. Those who receive funding are required to produce regular monitoring reports, and to retain financial data for audit purposes.
Armed Forces: Disciplinary Proceedings
Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 31 March 2014, Official Report, column 443W, on armed forces: disciplinary proceedings, how many cautions are recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration database; and if he will make a statement. [195822]
Anna Soubry: The total number of police cautions recorded on the Joint Personnel Administrative system, since rollout in 2006 to date, is 900 cases involving 870 personnel. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
These numbers are for police cautions issued by the civilian police and the civilian courts.
Burma
Sir Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether military training given to the Burmese Army by UK advisers advises soldiers to refuse orders that could result in human rights abuses. [196319]
Mr Francois:
This issue was covered in a panel discussion during the export version of the Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context course that was delivered in Burma, in January 2014, by a mixed civil-military team
6 May 2014 : Column 54W
from the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and one of their academic providers, Cranfield university. The discussion sat within a lecture on Rules of Engagement. An international law academic from Cranfield university, who specialises in the law of armed conflict, set out the legal position with regards to obeying illegal orders and the consequences of disobeying them.
Defence Equipment
Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department defines the necessary level of human control for the operation of systems such as the Phalanx system in automatic mode. [196544]
Mr Dunne: Systems such as Phalanx are part of the multi-layered defence for our Units, which are governed by the appropriate Command decision processes employing Rules of Engagement authorised by the Ministry of Defence.
Defence Equipment and Support
Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the contracts of personnel moved from DE&S to the Navy Command from 1 April 2014 as part of the Defence Transformation Programme. [196779]
Mr Dunne: No contracts of employment were altered or amended as a result of the transfer of the Naval Base Operating Centre from Defence Equipment and Support to Navy Command on 1 April 2014 as part of the Defence Transformation Programme.
Defence: Procurement
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the future acquisition requirements for intelligence surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance systems. [197004]
Mr Dunne: The Department assesses potential future acquisition requirements for intelligence surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) systems as part of the annual Capability Audit process, which considers current and future capability gaps, and the options to fill them. On recent operations the Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) mechanism has also been used to expedite the delivery of ISTAR equipment to fill such capability gaps in the short-term (such as the REAPER Remotely-Piloted Aerial System). As the MOD reorganises itself for broader contingent operations, the annual Capability Audit process will continue to assess which of these UOR equipments have broad utility and should continue to receive funding. In parallel, separate capability investigations are under way, predominantly in support of prospective consideration during the next Defence Review. This analysis includes the ongoing Air ISTAR Optimisation Review.
Electronic Warfare
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's recruitment targets are for its Joint Cyber Reserve Unit. [197005]
6 May 2014 : Column 55W
Mr Francois: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 March 2014, Official Report, column 56W, to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue).
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with their NATO counterparts on the establishment of a NATO-wide cyber capability. [197006]
Dr Murrison: NATO-wide Cyber Defence is provided by NATO's Computer Incident Response Capability (NCIRC) which delivers centralised protection for many NATO sites. The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) has recently undertaken a major upgrade of NCIRC’s capability with enhancements delivered in monitoring of core networks on NATO sites on a 24/7 basis. NCIA will continue to manage the upgrade of NCIRC’s capability to best protect NATO owned systems from the evolving threat.
Progress enhancing the NATO Cyber Defence was most recently discussed at ministerial level, at the February NATO Defence ministerial and will be discussed again at the June Defence ministerial as the Alliance prepares for the WALES summit in September. The UK continues to pay a central role in moving this issue forward across a whole range of activities such as incentivising national cyber defence capability development to develop Alliance-wide cyber defence capability, information sharing and exchanging best practice.
Germany
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made in re-basing those elements of the armed forces based in Germany; and what recent discussions he has had with German federal and regional authorities on the practical logistics involved in such a withdrawal. [197002]
Dr Murrison: Significant progress has been made on the withdrawal of British troops from Germany. Having closed Celle Station in 2012, the closures of the Rheindahlen Military Complex and Münster Station were completed in 2013, and Hameln Station will close by December 2014. The programme remains on track to deliver, enabling us to close and release Elmpt and Herford Stations by December 2015, followed by the closure of Hohne and Fallingbostel Stations before March 2016.
We have already reduced our military numbers in Germany by 33% through the programme of preliminary moves and unit disbandments, and the first tranche of major unit moves and re-roling from Germany will occur in 2015. These moves will result in a reduction of up to 70% of troops by the end of 2015, exceeding the Strategic Defence and Security Review target of bringing back half of those personnel based in Germany by 2015. The remaining troops will relocate by 2019, as part of our intent to base the three high readiness Reaction Force Brigades on Salisbury Plain.
The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), met with the German Defence Minister, Frau Dr Ursula von der Leyen, on 13 January to discuss a number of issues, including the withdrawal of our
6 May 2014 : Column 56W
troops from Germany. More widely, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) continues to liaise with the German authorities at a number of levels: through Ministers and officials in the UK: the Defence Attaché in the British embassy in Berlin; and the General Officer Commanding British Forces Germany, other regional British Commanders and a network of in-country liaison officers. MOD officials are also liaising with their German counterparts to assist in finding alternative uses for the facilities that will be vacated by the British Forces.
Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the stealth characteristics of the joint strike fighter against all digital very high frequency active electronically steered radar arrays. [196952]
Mr Dunne: It is part of normal MOD business to continuously assess the stealth performance of the F-35 against very high frequency digital radar.
Warships
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the dimensions will be of the cargo lifts on the (a) Queen Elizabeth Class carriers and (b) Type 26 Global Combat Ships. [197132]
Mr Dunne: There are two aircraft lifts on each Queen Elizabeth Class (QEC) Carrier, which each measure around 28 metres long, 15 metres wide, and 2.5 metres deep. There are many other internal cargo lifts installed on each QEC Carrier. I am withholding details on the dimensions of these lifts as release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.
The T26 Global Combat Ship (GCS) programme is currently in its assessment phase. As is the standard practice with equipment projects, the final design, detailed technical specifications and equipment fit will not finally be set until this main investment decision has been taken later in 2014.
Education
Academies: Devon
Neil Parish: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Devon have (a) applied for and (b) received academy status since 2010. [197037]
Mr Timpson: Since 2010 the Department has received 72 applications from schools in Devon to convert to academy status; 59 have opened as academies. The details of these schools can be found at the following link, which is updated monthly:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-academies-and-academy-projects-in-development
Children in Care: Asylum
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what responsibilities local authorities have to ensure that asylum seekers who are leaving care they entered as a child receive alternative support once they reach adulthood. [194872]
6 May 2014 : Column 57W
Mr Timpson: Unaccompanied asylum seeking children must be provided with the same support as for any care leaver, as set out in Volume 3 of ‘The Children Act Guidance and Regulations: Planning Transition to Adulthood for Care Leavers’1.
Financial support for looked after unaccompanied asylum seeking children should reflect their needs as eligible care leavers and their immigration needs. As for any relevant child, once an unaccompanied asylum seeking child leaves care or reaches the age of 18, a personal advisor must be appointed to support them.
1http://resources.leavingcare.org/uploads/c4f7aeaf941cdefb8f4a18f478aa1f19.pdf
Children: Abuse
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on extending the powers provided to the National College for Teaching and Leadership for the investigation of historical incidents of abuse; and if he will make a statement. [197270]
Mr Timpson: The Secretary of State for Education for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), has received no representations on extending the powers provided to the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) for investigation of historical incidents of abuse.
The NCTL’s remit sits within a broad safeguarding framework. The investigation of incidents of abuse by the NCTL historically or current will depend on the nature of the abuse. Where incidents of abuse relate to issues of child protection these would not ordinarily be matters that the NCTL would be directly involved in.
All employers of people working with children have a statutory duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) all individuals who have been:
1. convicted or cautioned for a relevant offence;
2.engaged in conduct that has harmed a child or put them at risk of harm; or
3. deemed to have satisfied the ‘harm test’ in relation to children, i.e. there has been no relevant conduct but a risk of harm to a child still exists.
The DBS will then consider whether to bar that person from working with children. Alongside this duty, where a teacher has been dismissed or resigned in the face of dismissal for a serious conduct matter, employers have a statutory duty to consider referring that teacher to the NCTL. In circumstances where the DBS decides to bar an individual any ongoing NCTL case would be discontinued. The NCTL primarily takes to a conclusion cases which have not met the DBS threshold for barring.
Children: Day Care
Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 9 April 2014, Official Report, column 284W, on children: day care, how many survey packs were sent out to (a) childminders and (b) parents; and when the surveys were completed. [197215]
Elizabeth Truss:
The surveys of childminders and parents were not stand-alone surveys but part of a much wider piece of action research by IPSOS Mori and Ecorys to gather findings from childminder agency
6 May 2014 : Column 58W
trials. The surveys of childminders and parents were carried out to supplement fieldwork carried out with organisations trialling and testing elements of the agency model. The surveys were not intended to be fully representative of local populations and sample sizes were small. 1,622 survey packs were sent out to childminders and 3,426 packs were sent out to parents. The final closing date of the survey was 7 March 2014; the research is still being finalised.
Education: Qualifications
Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions he has held with Education Ministers in the devolved legislatures on proposals for English baccalaureate certificates and reforms of A-levels. [196846]
Elizabeth Truss: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), met the Minister for Education for Northern Ireland and the Minister of Education and Skills for Wales on 13 May 2013, along with Ofqual’s chief regulator Glenys Stacey, to discuss proposed reforms of GCSEs and A-levels.
In line with the concordats between the Department for Education and the Northern Ireland Government, we give the Ministers of the devolved Governments advance notice of our intentions wherever possible. Department for Education and Ofqual officials meet regularly with their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss matters of common interest and share information. This includes GCSE and A-level reforms in their respective Administrations.
Free School Meals: Bournemouth
Mr Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what financial provision he is making available to schools in Bournemouth for expansion of kitchens to provide free school meals for under sevens. [197129]
Mr Laws: The Department for Education is providing £150 million capital funding in the 2014-15 financial year to enhance school kitchen and dining facilities across England. From this, Bournemouth borough council was allocated £307,007 capital funding for its maintained and voluntary aided schools, and academies in Bournemouth were able to bid to the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund. In addition, Bournemouth borough council has been allocated £1.6 million in general schools capital maintenance funding, and is free to draw on that to improve kitchen facilities if that is a priority locally.
GCSE: Science
Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the written statement of 9 April 2014, Official Report, column 1417WS, on qualifications reform, and the answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 42W, on in vitro fertilisation, whether the study of the human genome as part of the revised content for GCSEs in science will involve pupils learning that genomic DNA is only found in the cell nucleus and that mitochondrial DNA is not part of the genome. [197055]
6 May 2014 : Column 59W
Elizabeth Truss: The requirement that students study the genome and gene expression in the revised GCSE combined science and GCSE biology criteria covers all organisms, and is not specific to the human genome. It is therefore given at a level of generality that applies to all living things. The only specific reference in this section of the criteria to the human genome is in the context of the statement that requires students to be able to discuss the potential importance for medicine of our increasing understanding of the human genome.
In developing their specifications which meet these criteria, awarding organisations may choose to include micro-organisms, humans or any other organism when they cover the genome and gene expression.
IES Breckland School
Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what reports his Department has published on IES Breckland Free School. [196832]
Mr Timpson: The Department for Education has published two reports on IES Breckland Free School:
1. Impact assessment 2012, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/251383/IES_Breckland-_Impact_Assessment_2012.pdf
2. Ofsted pre-registration advice note 2012, which is available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191634/ies_breckland.pdf
In addition to the reports published by the Department, Ofsted published an inspection report on 13 March 2014, which is available at:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/ELS/138250
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he intends to reply to the letter to him dated 24 March 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr M. Barnes. [197512]
Elizabeth Truss: The Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), replied to the right hon. Gentleman’s letter on 25 April 2014.
Private Education: Offences Against Children
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) by what methods the National College for Teaching Leadership gathers information on the risk of sexual abuse at independent schools; [197117]
(2) what role the National College for Teaching Leadership plays with regard to investigations for allegations of historic, sexual abuse at independent schools for which they are now responsible; [197118]
(3) what steps are open to the National College of Teaching Leadership on receipt of information of an allegation of child abuse at an independent school. [197119]
6 May 2014 : Column 60W
Mr Timpson: The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) receives and acts upon referrals from employers (including independent schools), the police, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and the public.
The Teachers’ Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012 provide NCTL with the power to regulate teachers including those in independent schools. These regulations provide for any referral to be investigated regardless of the date of the alleged incident.
Upon receipt of a referral NCTL make an initial assessment of the allegations to establish whether, if proven, they have the prospect to meet the prohibition threshold using the Secretary of State’s advice ‘Teacher misconduct: the prohibition of teachers’. Where the case is assessed as serious enough to potentially meet the threshold the allegations are investigated seeking representations from the teacher involved and collecting other evidence deemed to be appropriate on a case-by-case basis. On conclusion of the investigation a further determination is made and where the allegations are still serious enough to potentially warrant a prohibition order, the matter is progressed to a panel hearing. The hearing is held in public and the panel comprises three panellists appointed through a public appointments process. The teacher can be present with his/her representative, witnesses may be called by either side, a presenting officer presents the case on behalf of NCTL and a legal adviser is present. At least one panellist must be a teacher panellist and at least one must be a lay panellist. The panel make a finding as to facts. Where the facts are found they go on to determine whether those facts amount to unacceptable professional conduct, conduct that may bring the profession into disrepute and/or conviction, at any time, of a relevant offence. Where the panel determine one or more of the above, they then go on to make a recommendation as to whether a prohibition order would be an appropriate sanction. The recommendation is considered by a senior official of NCTL on behalf of the Secretary of State and is either confirmed or amended.
The work of NCTL sits within a broader safeguarding framework. Independent schools, like all employers of people working with children, have a statutory duty to refer to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) all individuals who have been:
1. convicted or cautioned for a relevant offence;
2. engaged in conduct that has harmed a child or put them at risk of harm; or
3. deemed to have satisfied the Harm Test in relation to children i.e. there has been no relevant conduct but a risk of harm to a child still exists.
The DBS will then consider whether to bar that person from working with children. In addition to this, where a teacher has been dismissed or resigned in the face of dismissal for a serious conduct matter, employers also have a statutory duty to consider referring that teacher to the NCTL. In the most serious cases, the DBS decides to bar an individual, at which point any ongoing NCTL case would be discontinued. The NCTL primarily takes to their conclusion cases which have not met the DBS threshold for barring.
Under arrangements established by the previous Government, teacher regulation was the responsibility of the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) and all registered teachers fell within their jurisdiction.
6 May 2014 : Column 61W
However, there was no requirement for teachers in independent schools to be registered, so many teachers in independent schools fell outside professional regulation. We have strengthened regulations so that the NCTL now has the power to regulate all teachers in independent schools.
Separate to the NCTL process for regulating teachers, the Department’s Independent Education and Boarding Team (IEBT) administers the wider regulatory system for independent schools. This team can receive information about allegations of abuse from a variety of sources, including Ofsted, local authorities, parents and the police.
In the first instance, the Department will ensure that the actual allegations are being investigated by relevant authorities—the local authority and, where appropriate, the police. It is then the Department’s role to ensure that the school in question is meeting the Independent School Standards. This will normally be done by commissioning an inspection and, where a school is found not to be meeting the standards, taking action to ensure it does so as soon as possible or, if necessary, is closed.
Pupils: Safety
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of the emails sent by his Department to schools on 3 April 2014 setting out guidance on keeping children safe have not been opened by the recipient to date. [197110]
Mr Timpson: On 3 April, the Department for Education published updated statutory guidance on safeguarding, “Keeping Children Safe in Education”. On the same day, we e-mailed all head teachers a letter from the Secretary of State drawing their attention to the guidance. We will be publishing this on the website in due course.
The letter was e-mailed to 31,660 addressees in 25,035 schools. As of 30 April, 13,285 (43.1%) recipients had opened the e-mail, and 9,402 (30.5%) recipients had clicked through to the guidance on safeguarding.
Other records show that the guidance has been seen by a greater number of people. Between 3 and 29 April, the web page hosting the guidance received 65,729 page views. The Department also published five tweets in support of the publication. These achieved a total reach of 639,315, and the embedded links were clicked 755 times.
The guidance will also be highlighted in the summer term 2014 schools’ e-mail and Need to Know timelines that will be sent to all schools in May. Schools can also access relevant information through social media, and messages from the Education Funding Agency and the National College for Teaching and Leadership. The Department also sends regular e-mails to all local authorities.
Officials have also promoted the guidance through various stakeholder groups that work with the Department, including the Headteacher Reference Groups and the Education Forum—members of the latter include chairs of local safeguarding children boards—and they have written to head and teacher unions who met Ministers in January to discuss female genital mutilation and broader safeguarding issues.
6 May 2014 : Column 62W
School Meals
Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department plans to take to monitor how many primary schools offer a hot meal option to all pupils in reception, year one and year two from September 2014. [196829]
Mr Laws: We have made it clear that, as schools implement the universal infant free school meals policy, they should ensure that pupils are routinely offered the option of a hot meal.
We will monitor the take-up of school meals through the Schools Census for children in reception, year one and year two beginning in the autumn term of the 2014/15 academic year.
Andy Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average cost was of a primary school meal in each local authority in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013. [196878]
Mr Laws: The Department for Education does not hold the information requested.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much he has allocated to each local authority with responsibility for education to expand kitchens in order to provide free school meals for children under seven. [197258]
Mr Laws: Capital allocations to local authorities to support the introduction of universal infant free school meals were announced on 18 December 2013. A table showing the allocation to each local authority is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/capital-allocations-for-basic-need-and-infant-free-school-meals
Schools: Enfield
Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) managerial, (b) teaching and (c) clerical staff in schools in Enfield were paid more than (i) £42,000, (ii) £69,000 and (iii) £100,000 in the last year for which figures are available. [197130]
Mr Laws: The following table provides the full and part-time numbers of qualified leadership and classroom teachers in publicly-funded schools in Enfield local authority area who are paid salaries of more than £42,000, £69,000 and £100,000.
Over £42,000 | Over £69,000 | Over £100,000 | |
The information provided is from the November 2012 School Workforce Census. Local authority area figures from the November 2013 School Workforce Census will be published in summer 2014.
Data are not available for managerial and clerical staff.
6 May 2014 : Column 63W
Schools: Land
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on who is an appropriate person to hold title deeds for schools which are funded by the UK taxpayer; and whether those deeds can be sold or otherwise transferred. [196804]
Mr Timpson: The Department for Education does not hold a policy on who an appropriate person is to hold title deeds for schools funded by the UK taxpayer, as the law strictly controls the disposal of publicly-funded school land.
When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust. In some circumstances, the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), may allow publicly-funded school land to be transferred to a person concerned in the running of an academy. Where this occurs, the transfer will be to an academy trust, which will have satisfied the Secretary of State as to its ability to operate a state-funded school.
Sixth Form Education
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of sixth form colleges on the effect of recent changes to sixth-form funding for students who have severe or complex disabilities. [196731]
Matthew Hancock: Last year’s funding changes for students with severe and complex needs were introduced following extensive consultation with local authorities and all types of institutions, including sixth-form colleges.
Special Educational Needs
Gavin Williamson:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much special educational needs funding
6 May 2014 : Column 64W
per head his Department allocated to pupils in
(a)
Staffordshire,
(b)
Birmingham,
(c)
Wolverhampton and
(d)
the UK in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15. [196894]
Mr Laws: Funding for special educational needs (SEN) in England is not allocated as a separate amount per pupil. SEN funding is part of the overall Dedicated Schools Grant allocated to each local authority to fund their schools budget. It is for local authorities, in consultation with their schools forums, to determine the individual allocation to schools.
Sure Start Programme
Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many properties that were purchased or built with Sure Start Local Programme funding are now owned by NHS Properties; [196548]
(2) how many properties purchased or built with Sure Start Local Programme funding have been transferred into the ownership of local authorities. [196565]
Elizabeth Truss: Data on the ownership of assets funded by the Sure Start Local Programme are held by local authorities.
Teachers
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of teachers who have qualified in the last 10 years have left the teaching profession within (a) two, (b) five and (c) 10 years; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater teacher retention. [196509]
Mr Laws: The following table provides the proportion of full and part-time teachers that qualified in the stated year, entered service in the publicly funded sector in England the year after and were no longer in such service two, five and 10 years later. It is not known whether the teachers who are recorded as out of service have left service permanently or are teaching in another country or sector of education.
Year qualified1 | Newly qualified entrants entering service2 | Year entered service3 | Out of service 2 years later (Percentage) | Out of service 5 years later (Percentage) | Out of service 10 years later4(Percentage) |
1 Calendar year in which the teachers qualified. 2 Teachers in part-time service are under-recorded on the DTR by between 10% and 20% and therefore these figures may be underestimated. 3 Financial year during which the teachers entered service. 4 The length of service may not have been continuous; for example not all of those shown as teaching 10 years after entering service in 1997-98 may have taught continuously for 10 years, some may have taken periods of time outside of the maintained sector. Source: Database of Teacher Records (DTR) |
The Government are committed to making teaching a profession which can attract and retain the very best people. We are taking every possible step to reduce the amount of central prescription and bureaucracy placed on teachers, freeing them up to act as autonomous professionals. And we are giving headteachers more flexibility to recruit, train and retain the best teachers, including through new school-based training programmes and greater pay flexibility which will allow heads to ensure that high-performing teachers are rewarded appropriately.
Teacher vacancy rates continue to remain low and have been around 1% or below (of all teaching posts)
6 May 2014 : Column 65W
since 2000. In November 2013 there were 750 vacancies for full-time permanent teachers in state-funded schools—a rate of 0.2%.
Teachers: Qualifications
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department issues on what criteria schools should use when deciding whether to employ an individual who does not possess a formal teaching qualification as a teacher. [197035]
Mr Laws: The Department for Education does not issue guidance prescribing the criteria that schools should use when employing teaching staff.
The latest school workforce statistics (November 2013) show that the overwhelming majority (96%) of teachers in state-funded schools hold qualified teacher status.
Headteachers are best-placed to make decisions about the qualifications, skills and experience they need in their teaching staff. They are held to account for those decisions through inspection and the publication of school performance data.
Teachers: Training
Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people were training for teaching qualifications in each year since 2003. [196510]
Mr Laws: The initial teacher training (ITT) census provides provisional figures on the number of new entrants who have started, or expect to start, an ITT programme in England in that academic year; for previous years the final figures are included.
Figures from 2003 to present are publicly available.
Statistics from May 2010 onwards are available on gov.uk:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-teacher-training#census-data
Archived statistics are available on the National Archives:
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151655/http:/www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/statistics
Trade Unions
Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has any plans to end the employee trade union membership dues check-off system. [196763]
Elizabeth Truss: I refer the hon. Member to the response published on 1 April 2014, Official Report, column 632W.
Unemployment: Young People
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of local authorities have higher than average not known rates for young people not in employment, education or training; and what steps he is taking to address such gaps in data. [197255]
Matthew Hancock: It is local authorities who are responsible for collecting data about the activity of young people in their area.
6 May 2014 : Column 66W
The Department for Education regularly publishes locally collected data on young people’s activities, including the proportion of young people whose activity is not known. The latest quarterly figures covering young people of academic age 16 and 17 as at the end of December 2013 are available online at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/participation-in-education-and-training-by-local-authority
These include both the average for England and the figures for each local authority.
The Department published statutory guidance in March 2013 setting out the requirement of local authorities to track young people’s participation so that those who are not in education or training can be identified. The guidance is available online at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/participation-of-young-people-education-employment-and-training