Armed Forces: Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many administrative actions under AGAI 67 have been considered to have been illegal punishments in each year since 2008 in each branch of the armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [193111]

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Anna Soubry: It is assumed that the hon. Member is referring to cases where administrative action was taken, under AGAI Chapter 67 or the equivalent regulations in the Naval Service and RAF, against service personnel who had been in receipt of a simple police caution, after the amendment to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 made by section 49 the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 which came into force on 19 December 2008.

The range of administrative sanctions which could have been applied in such circumstances is extremely wide, ranging from a formal warning to termination of service. A full analysis by year would require the examination of individual records and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Assets

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to apply in all circumstances the Defence Infrastructure Organisation's principles that local councils should have first refusal when assets are being disposed of. [198170]

Mr Francois: There is no such principle. In accordance with Treasury guidelines the Department is required to achieve best value for money in the sale of each site.

In the case of Kirton in Lindsey, following the aborted sale to the Homes and Communities Agency, the MOD decided to proceed straight to the open market. The Department will be happy to receive a tender from North Lincolnshire district council to be considered along with all other bids in fair and open competition.

Brighton

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals to relocate (a) staff and (b) offices of his Department to Brighton; and if he will make a statement. [197444]

Mr Francois: There are no current plans for the Department to relocate staff or offices to Brighton.

Cluster Munitions

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how levels of human control are defined in use of the ballistic sensor fused munition and other similar systems which can operate in automatic mode. [197477]

Mr Dunne: For existing automated systems, human control requires an authorised operator to set the pre-programmed parameters for the weapon system’s operation. Authority to activate such systems is given only in full accordance with the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations, targeting policy and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

The decision to deploy a particular weapon system in any given theatre of operations depends upon the context of that operation. It would be unreasonable to deny our armed forces the option of using the most appropriate weapons (including systems that can be operated in automatic mode) to engage legitimate military targets.

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Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards are deployed to prevent a sensor fused munition operating in automatic mode from confusing a military target with a civilian target. [197479]

Mr Dunne: The targeting process, not the weapon, takes discrimination, proportionality and precautions in attack into account. The decision whether to use lethal force against a legitimate military target is made through a rigorous targeting process, the targeting directive for a specific theatre of operations and rules of engagement which ensure adherence to international humanitarian law.

Since 1999, when the requirement to do so under the Geneva conventions additional protocol I article 36 came into effect for the UK, all new weapons, means and methods of warfare entering service have been subjected to a review in order to ensure they are capable of being used lawfully in armed conflict. The UK is committed to upholding the Geneva conventions and encourages others to do the same.

Defence

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the objectives are of Britain's defence and security strategy. [190480]

Mr Philip Hammond: The National Security Strategy defines two strategic objectives. These are, first, to ensure a secure and resilient UK—protecting our people, economy, infrastructure, territory and way of life from all major risks that can affect us directly—and, secondly, to shape a stable world—acting to reduce the likelihood of risks affecting the UK or our interests overseas. Taken together, the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review define the ends, ways and means through which Government seek to strengthen our security and build our prosperity.

Defence: Procurement

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the contract for the (a) Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank and (b) BR90 Capability Sustainment Life Extension Programme will be awarded; what estimate he has made of the cost of this contract to the public purse; and what the work will comprise; [198407]

(2) when the contract for the Armoured Battlegroup Support Vehicle will be awarded; what estimate he has made of the cost of this contract; and what the work will comprise. [198408]

Mr Dunne: The Challenger 2 Life Extension Project, the BR90 Capability Sustainment Life Extension Programme and the Armoured Battlegroup Support Vehicle project, are all at their respective concept phases and no investment decisions have yet been made. It is too soon to say when contracts will be awarded, what the costs will be or what work will be provided.

Fuels: Gosport

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the replacement of the fuel tanks at the oil fuel depot in Gosport is scheduled to take place. [198028]

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Mr Dunne: Work is ongoing to establish the preferred options and costs of replacement, which will confirm the programme timescales.

Helicopters

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many journeys in the UK using (a) domestic helicopter services and (b) military helicopters were made by (i) the Chief of Defence Materiel and (ii) Ministers in his Department in each of the last four years; and what the annual cost has been of such journeys. [197324]

Mr Dunne: The following table reflects the number of journeys in the UK using (a) domestic helicopter services and (b) military helicopters which were made by (i) the Chief of Defence Materiel and (ii) Ministers in the Ministry of Defence in each of the last four years. No costs are included as there is no charge internally for the use of military helicopters and the domestic flights were provided at no charge.

Industrial Health and Safety

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans to extend the Duty Holder concept regulations to apply to (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department. [196959]

Anna Soubry: Under the policy introduced across Defence, a Duty Holder is an official (military or civilian) who owns, manages and is accountable for risks to life of people in his or her area of responsibility. Senior Duty Holders, who head the Department's Top Level Budget areas and Trading Fund Agencies, are required by the Secretary of State's Policy Statement on Health, Safety and Environmental Protection to refer to him any risks that they consider cannot be reduced as low as reasonably practicable.

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Information Officers

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) press officers, (b) internal communications officers, (c) external communications officers, (d) communications strategy officers and (e) other personnel with a communications remit were employed by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) each other non-departmental public body sponsored by his Department on the most recent date for which figures are available. [196954]

Anna Soubry: Communicators are employed across Defence and the armed forces. They have an important task in explaining to the public, the media, our own people and other audiences—at the local regional, national

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and international levels—the role of Defence, Defence activities, capabilities and operations. Over the last several years, substantial savings have been made across the communications area, and further efficiencies will continue to be made.

The latest figures for the numbers involved in communications roles as at 31 March 2013 are shown in the following table, and include all posts for which over 50% of the post’s core duties are communications. These figures include both military and civilian posts worldwide. In the 2013 exercise communications staff in non-departmental public bodies were not surveyed. As such, these data were requested separately.

Also shown are the figures for 31 March 2010, demonstrating a reduction of 21% (over 160 posts) in this time.

Military Aid: Floods

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what operational contingency plans he has made for future capability requirements in the event of further flooding. [198125]

Mr Francois: This winter’s severe weather and consequent flooding represented a significant test of the nation’s civil resilience framework and demonstrated the effectiveness of military contingency planning. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) was able to generate a 5,000-strong taskforce and engage our specialist capabilities to fill gaps without detrimental impact to operations or significant training disruption. The MOD continues to plan against a broad range of civil emergencies in support of wider Government contingency planning.

NATO

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets have been assigned to (a) Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, (b) Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, (c) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 and (d) Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 since July 2013; and for how long each such asset was so assigned. [198409]

Mr Francois: There have been no Royal Navy ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1, Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 or Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 since 2012.

Listed as follows are the Royal Navy Mine Countermeasures Vessels assigned to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 since July 2013. The period of support is between four and six months per ship and is permanently allocated.

2013

HMS Ledbury

HMS Penzance

2014

HMS Brocklesby

HMS Blyth

In addition, the Royal Navy provides regular contributions to maritime NATO exercises, supports Operation Active Endeavour in the Mediterranean using transiting surface vessels and submarines, and allows other NATO vessels in the Gulf region to refuel using the on station UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary Tanker.

Nigeria

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the role is of UK military personnel in Nigeria in connection with the mass abduction of schoolgirls. [198219]

Mr Francois: The Ministry of Defence, including military personnel, is participating in the UK Advisory Team drawn from across Whitehall, which has been sent to Nigeria to offer advice to the Nigerian authorities, including on longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future. I refer the hon. Member to the written statement released by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on 12 May 2014, Official Report, column 15WS, and the comments he made in the House on 13 May 2014, Official Report, column 579.

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Public Expenditure

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of his Department's force structure cost model. [196963]

Mr Philip Hammond: I am withholding the information requested as its disclosure would be commercially sensitive and would prejudice the economic interests of the United Kingdom as well as the capability, effectiveness and security of the armed forces.

RAF Kirton in Lindsey

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that North Lincolnshire Council has first refusal for the acquisition of the Kirton in Lindsey base. [198169]

Mr Francois: There is no such principle. In accordance with Treasury guidelines the Department is required to achieve best value for money in the sale of each site.

In the case of Kirton in Lindsey, following the aborted sale to the Homes and Communities Agency, the MOD decided to proceed straight to the open market. The department will be happy to receive a tender from North Lincolnshire district council to be considered along with all other bids in fair and open competition.

War Graves

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to transfer the maintenance of graves of military personnel who have died since 1945 from his Department to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. [195886]

Anna Soubry: It is important that maintenance of post-second world war military graves in the UK is undertaken in the most efficient and effective way.

The transfer of responsibility for some 6,139 graves from the Ministry of Defence to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), who already maintain many more such graves, is accordingly under consideration. Discussions between the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and the CWGC about the possibility of such a change are ongoing.

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Floods: Insurance

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of property level protection measures on flood insurance premiums. [198264]

Dan Rogerson: The levels of insurance premiums are commercial decisions taken by individual insurance companies. These will take into account a range of factors and we cannot guarantee that installing property level protection will reduce premiums. However, installing property level protection will reduce the level of damage, distress and disruption associated with flooding for the householder.

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The Government is working with the insurance industry to ensure that affordable cover continues to be available.

Insects

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the Government will publish the National Pollinator Strategy: for bees and other pollinators in England. [198238]

George Eustice: After engaging with interested parties over recent months, including holding a public consultation between 6 March and 2 May, we plan to publish the final National Pollinator Strategy this summer.

Landfill

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much organic waste went into landfill in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013. [198355]

Dan Rogerson: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will review the policy of allowing organic waste to go to landfill. [198356]

Dan Rogerson: There are currently no plans to review the policy on organic waste entering landfill.

A combination of measures, such as the Waste and Resources Action Programme’s “Love Food Hate Waste” campaign and the Government’s Anaerobic Digestion Strategy, are in place to reduce the amount of organic material going to landfill and drive the waste that is produced into energy recovery or recycling. Considerable progress is being made on this, with the UK on course to meet the targets set out in the EU Landfill Directive for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste entering landfill to 35% of 1995 levels by 2020.

Current evidence suggests that introducing bans or restrictions on sending organic waste to landfill would have an impact on businesses and local authorities in terms of compliance and monitoring, risking additional cost burdens on businesses.

The EU is reviewing a selection of waste policy legislation and further details about this will be known later in the year.

London Zoo

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will discuss with London Zoo the (a) size of the lion enclosure and (b) general animal welfare standards at that zoo. [198064]

George Eustice: London Zoo has plans to improve its lion enclosure. It is the responsibility of the relevant local authority to ensure that high standards are maintained in zoos, that the animals have suitable accommodation and that their welfare needs are being met.

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Mangoes: India

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if his Department has undertaken any assessment into the European Commission's ban on the import of Indian mangoes and the economic impact on UK businesses. [198234]

Dan Rogerson: Protecting the UK’s plants from incursions of pests and diseases is a high priority for the Government. There would be a major long-term impact and costs from introducing more plant pests and diseases into the country. The pests intercepted on imports from India could cause significant damage to UK glasshouse crops worth £321 million a year. Such pests were found in 207 consignments of fruits and vegetables from India imported into the EU in 2013, of which 179 were intercepted by the UK.

While a detailed assessment of the economic impact on UK businesses of the ban on the import of Indian mangoes has not been undertaken, the Government recognise the implications this will have and officials have met the National Asian Business Association to discuss the issue.

We very much hope that imports of this highly-valued product will be able to resume as quickly as possible and will work with the European Commission and other member states to facilitate this, subject to India’s exporters and Government showing that the necessary standards are being achieved.

Melissococcus Plutonius

Simon Reevell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what evidence there is of contamination of the bacterial pathogen Melissoccocus plutonius from countries within the EU. [198102]

Dan Rogerson: Melissococcus plutonius is the causative agent of European foulbrood. In 2012 the Dutch reported the results of a survey that used sensitive detection methodologies to suggest a 35% apiary prevalence of Melissococcus plutonius across the Netherlands.

But a 2012-13 pan-European epidemiological study on honey bee colony losses found a low prevalence of European foulbrood across 15 member states:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/live_animals/bees/docs/bee-report_en.pdf

Water

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Environment Agency classifies as a watercourse; if he will ensure that insurance companies can differentiate between major watercourses and watercourses of no consequence; and if he will make a statement. [197871]

Dan Rogerson: The Environment Agency defines a “watercourse” according to section 72(1) of the Land Drainage Act 1991. It includes all rivers and streams and all ditches, drains, cuts, culverts, dikes, sluices, sewers (other than public sewers within the meaning of the Water Industry Act 1991) and passages, through which water flows.

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Insurance companies take into account a range of factors in setting policy premiums and excesses, and different insurers take different approaches to assessing flood risk. Certain insurance companies would use proximity to a watercourse to assess the risk of flooding to a property, while other companies may use postcodes to assess flood risk or their own flood risk models.

Work and Pensions

Atos Healthcare

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether Atos staff have been offered any additional retention or performance-related payments since the decision to terminate the contract to carry out work capability assessments was announced. [198014]

Mike Penning: The detail of any remuneration of their own staff is an issue for Atos Healthcare and not the Department.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome and their healthcare professionals are (a) helped to access appropriate support and (b) given the correct out of work support; [198105]

(2) what support is in place to help people with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome who are well enough to consider a return to work. [198031]

Mike Penning: We do not target our employment programmes exclusively at individuals with particular conditions such as ME Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The Department’s programmes, including its specialist disability employment programmes, aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including those with ME Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual’s needs. Access to Work does not replace the duty an employer has under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments.

Work Choice is a specialist disability employment programme that provides tailored support to help disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment find and stay in work and ultimately to help them progress into unsupported employment, where it is appropriate for the individual.

Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisers can provide support and advice for disabled people who need help finding and retaining employment. They can refer individuals to specialist programmes, including Work Choice, and can use the professional expertise of Work Psychologists, who specialise in working with disabled people. Disability Employment Advisers can advocate with employers on the individual’s behalf and help employers to explore job solutions such as the restructuring of a job’s tasks/environment, or the provision/change of equipment.

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The Government published ‘The disability and health employment strategy: the discussion so far’ on 17 December 2013. This paper sets out a range of proposals to further improve our employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions.

The Government recognise that getting the right support at the right time is particularly important for disabled people and those with a health condition so as part of our vision for future employment support we are developing a new Employment Gateway. This will be a light-touch process based on an individual's strengths and needs and will direct people to the most appropriate support.

In order to support individuals to stay in work where possible we are putting in place a new Health and Work Service (HWS). The HWS will provide occupational health advice and support for employees, employers and GPs to help individuals with a health condition to stay in or return to work.

The intention is to introduce the service by the end of 2014.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that specialist training on (a) ME or chronic fatigue syndrome and (b) other fluctuating conditions is given to healthcare professionals assessing claimants for the personal independence payment. [198106]

Mike Penning: The Department requires the health professionals carrying out personal independence payment assessments to have a broad and thorough training in disability analysis, as well as training in specific conditions, including fluctuating conditions. Both organisations providing the assessment have to conform to a rigorous set of quality and recruitment standards which are closely monitored by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Enterprise Allowance Scheme

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) targets have been set and (b) rates have been achieved for take-up of the enterprise allowance in each Jobcentre district and individual job centre. [198339]

Esther McVey: We set an ambitious target for the new enterprise allowance: to support 40,000 people to set up their own businesses by the end of 2013. Official statistics to the end of December 2013 revealed that this was surpassed. There are no sub-national targets for numbers of allowance starts. The volumes are broken down by Jobcentre district in the following publication, Pre-Work Programme support: New Enterprise Allowance, March 2014 which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pre-work-programme-support-new-enterprise-allowance-march-2014

A breakdown by Jobcentre Plus office is provided in the document “New Enterprise Allowance: Weekly Allowance starts by Jobcentre Plus office - April 2011 - December 2013”; this can be found in tables which will be placed in the Library.

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Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Mr Nicholas Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the under-occupancy penalty on households where children have been removed by children's services on a temporary basis under child protection regulations. [197642]

Esther McVey: Children who have been temporarily taken into care under child protection regulations are not assessed as part of the household with regards to the size criteria in both the social and private rented sectors.

This means a bedroom will not be allocated for any children taken into protective care. However, a child can be treated as a member of the claimant's household if they spend part of a benefit week in a claimant's house and the local authority considers it reasonable to include them as part of that household.

Where people are temporarily under-occupying, they can apply for additional help through the discretionary housing payment (DHP) scheme, for which we have provided funding of £345 million over the last two years. Guidance to local authorities on awarding a DHP covers circumstances where a child is temporarily away from home. Where appropriate, claimants could therefore apply for a DHP in child protection cases.

Jobcentre Plus

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedures his Department has put in place to ensure that mail received by recorded delivery at job centres is logged and dealt with immediately; and what assessment he has made of whether such procedures are carried out across all job centres. [198187]

Mike Penning: All DWP mail, whether recorded delivery or otherwise, is opened and distributed to the appropriate office for action from one of the two mail opening units. The only exceptions being items identified “Official—Sensitive”, “Secret”, or “Top Secret” and providing a named individual is included.

National Insurance

Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many temporary national insurance numbers were issued in (a) Bury St Edmunds constituency, (b) Suffolk (c) the East of England and (d) England and Wales by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last five years; and what proportion of such numbers were issued for tax credit purposes. [198329]

Esther McVey: The Government do not issue temporary national insurance numbers. DWP on behalf of HMRC follows a secure and validated allocation process which results in an individual receiving a permanent national insurance number.

Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracted staff there are carrying out functions for his Department who are paid less than the Living Wage by (a) occupation, (b) location and (c) contractor; [197971]

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Mike Penning: DWP has discussed with contractors the payment of the London living wage. Telereal Trillium has worked with us so that from April 2014 all of their London-based staff were paid at least the level of the living wage. Discussions are continuing with our other major contractor, Cofely.

We intend to have the same negotiations regarding staff based across the regions where the situation is currently:

It is not possible to provide further breakdown of these figures as this information is commercially sensitive.

Personal Independence Payment

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made towards achieving his Department's aim of processing 97% of assessments for personal independence payments within 30 days. [198107]

Mike Penning: We are working closely with the providers to ensure that they are taking all necessary steps to improve performance, speed up the process and ensure claimants receive a satisfactory experience.

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many applications for personal independence payments remained outstanding in each month since April 2013 in (a) Leicester West constituency and (b) total; [198345]

(2) how many applications for personal independence payments have been made in each month since April 2013 in (a) Leicester West constituency and (b) the UK; [198346]

(3) how many decisions on applications for personal independence payments have been made in each month since April 2013 in (a) Leicester West constituency and (b) the UK. [198347]

Mike Penning: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Members for Liverpool, West Derby (Stephen Twigg) and for Airdrie and Shotts (Pamela Nash), on 5 March 2014, Official Report, column 850W.

Social Security Benefits

Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of (a) incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance, (b) disability living allowance and (c) severe disablement allowance claiming for each type of disability there

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were in (i) Bury St Edmunds constituency, (ii) Suffolk, (iii) the East of England and (iv) England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how much was spent in each such category in each such year. [198338]

Mike Penning: Due to changes in medical condition definitions, breakdown data are only available from 2011-12 for disability living allowance—“Expenditure and Caseloads” by medical condition. They can be found in tables which will be placed in the Library.

Breakdowns prior to 2010-11 are not available for employment and support allowance.

Work Capability Assessment

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many work capability assessment reassessments were undertaken by Atos in each of the last 12 months; [198016]

(2) how many work capability assessments for new claims were undertaken by Atos in each of the last 12 months. [198020]

Mike Penning: This information for completed functional assessments can be found in tables at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/statistics

Kate Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has issued guidance to Atos on how to prioritise work capability assessments between reassessments and new claimants for employment and support allowance. [198027]

Mike Penning: The Department does not issue guidance to Atos Healthcare on how to prioritise work capability assessments.

Home Department

Arrest Warrants

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate how many fugitives each year would not be returned to the UK if the UK does not opt into the European Arrest Warrant. [196677]

James Brokenshire: I refer my hon. Friend to page 27 of the Government response to the European Scrutiny Committee Report of 7 November 2013.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmeuleg/978/978.pdf

The report includes numerous examples of people surrendered to the UK under an EAW who would not have been extradited under the predecessor process. This is the 1957 European Convention on Extradition (ECE), a much older and more restrictive regime, which allows states to refuse the extradition of their nationals, however grave the crimes for which they are requested; permits the refusal to extradite for offences which are time-barred under the law of the requested state; and has a bar on extradition for some tax offences.

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Bangladesh

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the immigration status is of Tarique Rahman, Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. [198034]

James Brokenshire: For reasons of confidentiality, the Home Office does not routinely comment on individual cases.

Borders: Personal Records

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exit checks were performed on passengers leaving the UK in each year since 2010. [192033]

James Brokenshire: The number of outbound passengers checked on Home Office systems for each of the last four years is as follows:

The figure for 2013 is more than the combined total of exit checks performed between 2005 and 2009 inclusive (74,297,809) and more than twice the 2009 figure (35,283,019).

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will introduce exit checks to apply to non-scheduled international travel by air, sea and rail services. [197253]

James Brokenshire: Exit checks were abolished by the Labour Government in 1998. The Coalition Agreement committed this Government to reinstate them. By April 2015, comprehensive exit checks will apply on scheduled, commercial air, sea and rail routes.

We are also working with operators in the General Aviation and General Maritime sectors to strengthen border security checks on those who leave the UK on non-scheduled services.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Mr Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England have signed local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. [189645]

Damian Green: I understand that, as of 13 May 2014, 36 of the 39 territorial police forces in England—plus British Transport police—are currently signed up to local protocols for those detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The other three forces report that they are in the process of agreeing such protocols with local partner agencies.

The agreement of mental health protocols by local agencies is promoted at national level, including through

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the Mental Health Act 1983 codes of practice and the new national Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat, which states that:

“Every area should have a local protocol in place, agreed by NHS commissioners, the police force, the ambulance service and social services. This should describe the approach to be taken when a police officer uses powers under the Mental Health Act”.

The Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/281242/36353_Mental_Health_Crisis_accessible.pdf

The Department of Health, supported by the Home Office and Mind, is encouraging local areas to sign-up to the principles of the concordat, with the expectation that all areas in England will have signed local declarations by December 2014. The Department of Health will publish details of the areas that have signed such declarations.

Deportation

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what payments her Department makes to destination countries for visas allowing entry to people being deported from the UK to those countries. [198275]

James Brokenshire: We work closely with embassies from a wide range of countries to obtain travel documents, rather than visas, to assist removal. We pay a small administrative fee for these documents, which enable the removal of people who have no right to be in the UK.

Deportation: Offenders

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed removals of foreign national offenders there were in each year since 2010. [193474]

James Brokenshire: I will write to the right hon. Member.

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were issued to foreign national offenders in each year since 2010. [193808]

James Brokenshire: I will write to the right hon. Member.

Domestic Violence

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the report from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Everyone's Business: Improving the police response to domestic abuse, who the members of the National Oversight Group are; and whether the group has yet met. [196186]

Norman Baker: I will write to the hon. Member.

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to criminalise psychological abuse and coercive control in domestic violence situations. [198183]

Norman Baker: I will write to the hon. Member.

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Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a new offence whereby a prosecution can be brought on the basis of a course of conduct in which a person has acted strategically to control, isolate, intimidate and degrade their victim in domestic violence cases. [198295]

Norman Baker: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will revise guidelines for the Metropolitan Police on whether domestic violence cases should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service before prosecutions can be initiated by the police; and if she will make a statement. [198445]

Norman Baker: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Educational Testing Service

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if she will publish the proposed (a) terms of reference, (b) method and (c) timescale of her Department’s investigation into language tests organised by the Educational Testing Service; [188047]

(2) what estimate she has made of the income provided to the Educational Testing Service for English language tests by (a) individuals, (b) companies and (c) her Department in each of the last three years. [188048]

James Brokenshire: On 6 February 2014, ETS were instructed to suspend all English language testing in the UK for immigration purposes and from the same date, all immigration applications made in the UK that are supported by an ETS test certificate have been placed on hold. On 5 April, the licence ETS held to conduct English language testing for immigration purposes expired and it has not been renewed. A criminal investigation, which began before the BBC Panorama programme aired allegations with respect to ETS testing conducted in the UK, remains ongoing.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 28 April 2014, Official Report, columns 526-27, on student visas, if she will publish details of the successful pilot with one university on ensuring overseas students return home once their course is completed. [197624]

James Brokenshire: Foreign national students who had been served with an adverse immigration decision were, at times, encountering a delay in receiving their travel documents back from the Home Office. On occasion, this resulted in their immigration status changing to an overstayer.

The pilot referred to was conducted through an informal relationship between the south central immigration compliance and enforcement (ICE) team and the international student advisers embedded within two local universities. Through this link, those whose leave has been curtailed, have had an adverse decision, or

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wish to depart the UK are provided with local assistance by the immigration enforcement team. The pilot has enabled the local ICE team to facilitate the return of travel documents quickly, resulting in an earlier departure for the student. This has benefits for both the student and university as becoming an overstayer could jeopardise future applications from students to continue their studies. During 2013-14, 50 students were assisted in this way from two universities (these local data, taken from local records, have not been sourced from an official database).

The Government are looking at how this example of local good practice can be extended nationally.

Human Trafficking

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the foreword to the draft Modern Slavery Bill, when she plans to start the review of the operation and effectiveness of the National Referral Mechanism; how long that review will take; who will undertake it; and when it will be published. [197466]

Karen Bradley: The review of the operation and effectiveness of the National Referral Mechanism was announced on 9 April 2014. I have placed a copy of the Terms of Reference in the Libraries of both Houses.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to the answers of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W and of 14 January 2014, Official Report, column 481W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, for what reason the gender and location of each individual is not included in the information for February 2014; and if she will provide this information for future questions on the subject; [198075]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, on human trafficking: victim support schemes, how many of those referred were (a) men and (b) women; what steps are taken to ensure that after victims leave the shelter into which they have been placed by the Salvation Army they are not re-trafficked and do not contact their former traffickers; and if she will make a statement. [198100]

Karen Bradley: The requested information on the gender of potential victims and the regions in which they were found (answer of 30 April 2014, Official Report, column 717W, refers) was not withheld and is provided in the following table.

The victim care contract does not require support providers to maintain any form of formal contact with victims after the recovery and reflection period. All support providers work with victims throughout their support period to help them move on from the service. Through the National Referral Mechanism review and the re-tender of the adult victims care contract, we are looking at what more we can do to help victims recover and reintegrate effectively.

The table contains the requested details of the 126 referrals in February 2014.

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Immigration Controls: Commonwealth Games 2014

Mr McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she has made an assessment of the UK Border Force's ability to process passengers at Glasgow Airport for the forthcoming Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games; and if she will make a statement. [197873]

James Brokenshire: Border Force planning for the Commonwealth Games has been under way since December 2012. Border Force is currently working with Glasgow Airport to refurbish the arrivals control, providing an increased number of arrivals desks and utilising the latest technology in the form of electronic passport gates. This will enhance the arrivals experience at Glasgow and the increased capacity will ensure that passengers pass through the arrivals area as quickly as possible while, at the same time, maintaining border security.

Immigration Controls: ICT

Mr Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which sites were affected by the failure of UK Border Agency computers at passport control on 30 April 2014; what steps she is taking to investigate and rectify the problem; and what assessment she has made of the reasons for the computer failure. [197486]

James Brokenshire: This was a national issue and all ports were affected. The issue was rectified as soon as possible, with national security our first priority at all times. An urgent investigation is being conducted to examine the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Immigration: Appeals

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many immigration appeal hearings lost by the Government her Department failed to send a presenting officer in each of the last four years. [197652]

James Brokenshire: I will write to the right hon. Member.

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to how many immigration appeal hearings the Home Office failed to send a presenting officer in each of the last four years. [197653]

James Brokenshire: I will write to the right hon. Member.

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Marriage of Convenience

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many incidents of immigration marriage fraud through bigamy have been reported to her Department in each year since 2004; [198262]

(2) if she will bring forward legislative proposals to include (a) marriage fraud and (b) marriage achieved through a material misrepresentation in the criteria for the annulment of a marriage; [198278]

(3) what steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) immigration marriage fraud and (b) immigration marriage fraud through bigamy; [198279]

(4) how many people convicted of immigration marriage fraud through bigamy have been deported in each year since 2004; [198280]

(5) how many successful prosecutions for immigration marriage fraud through bigamy there have been in each year since 2004; [198281]

(6) what steps she is taking to ensure that all those convicted of marriage fraud through bigamy are deported; [198282]

(7) what joint actions her Department is taking with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to tackle immigration marriage fraud through bigamy; [198283]

(8) what steps her Department takes to assist the victims of immigration marriage fraud through bigamy. [198284]

James Brokenshire: We do not separately record the number of allegations of immigration marriage fraud through bigamy.

We have no plans to change the law on the annulment of marriages. The Immigration Bill will introduce new measures to prevent sham marriages gaining an immigration advantage. Immigration Enforcement is strengthening its response to all cases of suspected immigration marriage fraud, by piloting operational hubs designed to react quickly to reports of suspicious marriages from registrars or members of the public.

We do not separately record the number of people deported following a conviction for immigration marriage fraud through bigamy. Nor do we separately record the number of successful prosecutions for immigration marriage fraud through bigamy.

UK Visas and Immigration and Immigration Enforcement, including the Risk and Liaison Overseas Network, work with Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff overseas to investigate suspected immigration marriage fraud. This includes accessing local records to ascertain whether someone is married already and providing that information to staff making immigration decisions.

The Home Office will normally pursue the deportation of foreign nationals where they have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to a period of imprisonment of at least 12 months. Where a foreign national has been convicted but has received a shorter sentence, consideration will be given to deporting them. If deportation is not appropriate, administrative removal may be pursued, for example, if the person has no leave to enter or remain in the UK or if their leave is curtailed.

Bigamy is a criminal offence. Where the Home Office receives information about suspected bigamy, this is passed to the relevant police force to investigate. It will

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also be noted on Home Office systems to inform the consideration of any immigration application seeking to rely on the marriage.

Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 17 March 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Asif Rafiq. [197506]

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 8 May 2014.

National Security

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which body has been provided with copies of the section 94 directions issued by her in order to provide oversight since May 2010. [198387]

James Brokenshire: Section 94 of the Telecommunications Act 1984 states that the Secretary of State may issue directions in the interests of national security. When disclosure of these directions would be contrary to interests of national security or relations with the Government of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom or the commercial interests of any person, these are not laid before the House. Consistent with the practice of successive Governments, we do not comment on national security matters.

Police: Translation Services

Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost of translation and interpreter services used by each police force in England and Wales has been in each of the last five years. [198313]

Damian Green: This information is not held centrally.

Proceeds of Crime

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 April 2014, Official Report, columns 615-16W, on proceeds of crime, what UK law enforcement agencies do with money frozen at the request of jurisdiction overseas; and how much has been frozen since 2008-09. [195841]

The Solicitor-General: I have been asked to reply.

Incoming requests for mutual legal assistance to freeze assets must be sent to the UK Central Authority (UKCA) based in the Home Office. If the request is accepted by the Home Office, the UKCA will refer the request to the CPS, or the SFO, for action.

When the UKCA forwards the request to either organisation, specialist prosecutors work with financial investigators to prepare a restraint application for the Crown court. If the Crown court grants the application for restraint, the suspect, defendant and any third parties will be ordered not to dissipate the assets covered by the restraint order. Breaches of the order are dealt with as a contempt of court. In some cases a management receiver may be appointed to take control of identified assets.

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When the requesting state has a final confiscation order, which is not subject to an appeal, the CPS or SFO may be requested to enforce the order.

In respect of the amount of money frozen at the request of overseas jurisdictions I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 6 May 2014, Official Report, column 8W.

Sequestration of Assets

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place a copy of the Beloff review on UK asset recovery in the Library. [198036]

Karen Bradley: Internal Government advice is not published and therefore we do not intend to place a copy of the opinion of Mr Beloff, QC in the Library. The Government’s Serious and Organised Crime Strategy sets out how we will amend our legal powers to make it harder for criminals to move, hide and use the proceeds of crime. This has been informed by legal opinion on, and lessons learned from, the work of the Arab Spring Asset Recovery Task Force.

Torture

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 17 September 2012, Official Report, column 512W, on torture, what the result of the audit was; if she will publish the audit; what training requirements were identified by the audit; whether that training has been delivered; if she will publish the training materials; and if she will make a statement. [198158]

James Brokenshire: An audit of casework relating to reports made under rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 began in April this year and will be completed in June. The findings of the audit will be made available later in the summer and will be used to identify good practice and areas for improvement.

Education

Academies

Chris Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average annual revenue budget was for an (a) primary school academy and (b) secondary school academy in England and Wales in financial year 2012-13. [197773]

Mr Laws: Annual revenue budgets for primary and secondary academies for the academic year September 2012 to August 2013 are available on the gov.uk website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academy-pre-16-allocation-data-2012-to-2013-academic-year

Education in Wales is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government.

Children: Day Care

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the number of registered child care places was in (a) London and (b) each London borough in each of the last five years. [195745]

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Elizabeth Truss: I have asked Ofsted to respond using the data it holds on registered child care places. HM chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, has written to the right hon. and learned Lady, and a copy of his response has been placed in the Houses’ Libraries. Some providers, such as schools with nursery provision for children aged three or over, are exempt from registration. The number of places therefore may not include the full range of early years provision available in the area.

In addition, the Department for Education’s Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey collects data on all

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registered child care places, including those in maintained schools and nurseries. These figures are therefore more comprehensive than the Ofsted figures; however, data are only available at a national and regional level.

The table below provides data for 2009, 2010 and 2011. This shows that in 2011 there were 141,800 early years places in schools in London. Data are not available for 2012. Data from the 2013 survey will be published in September 2014.

Letter from Michael Wilshaw, dated 28 April 2014:

Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, for reply.

The information you have requested is presented in the table below. The figures show the number of places offered by childcare providers on Ofsted’s Early Years Register in each London local authority. This information is presented for each of the last five years as of 30 September. These figures correspond to those in Ofsted’s published official statistics releases.

A copy of this reply has been sent to Elizabeth Truss MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

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