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Written Answers to Questions

Tuesday 17 June 2014

Northern Ireland

Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parliamentary questions tabled to her Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled. [200595]

Mrs Villiers: None.

Scotland

Companies

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he holds on the proportion of companies in (a) Glasgow North West, (b) Glasgow and (c) Scotland are ultimately owned by companies based in (i) Scotland, (ii) other parts of the UK, (iii) other countries in the EU and (iv) outside the EU. [200202]

David Mundell: According to Glasgow city council figures (November 2013), there are approximately 18,000 businesses in Glasgow. The Scotland Office holds no information on the ownership nationality of companies located in neither Glasgow North West nor Glasgow.

However, across the UK as a whole, over 99% of private sector businesses will be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and ownership for these is therefore highly likely to be based locally.

In 2013, registered private sector enterprises with ultimate ownership outside Scotland accounted for 3.1% of firms. These are disproportionately larger firms and so account for over 35% of employment. This suggests that 96.9% of businesses in Scotland have Scottish ownership, accounting for 64.8% of employment.

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the revenue generated in Scotland by companies that have their headquarters (a) in Scotland and (b) outside of Scotland. [200203]

David Mundell: There are no estimates of the number of companies headquartered in Scotland, of the 343,105 enterprises operating in Scotland, as at March 2013. Registered private sector enterprises with ultimate ownership outside Scotland accounted for 3.1% of firms, and 58.1% of turnover. This means that 41.9% of business turnover in Scotland is generated by enterprises with ownership in Scotland. These figures come from the Scottish Government publication “Businesses in Scotland 2013”.

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Church Commissioners

Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, how many parliamentary questions tabled to the Church Commissioners in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled. [200440]

Sir Tony Baldry: All written questions tabled to the Church Commissioners received a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation

Prime Minister

China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what his objectives are for discussions on human rights with the Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang during his visit to the UK this month; [200462]

(2) if he will discuss climate change with his Chinese counterpart during his visit to the UK; [200468]

(3) what discussions he has had on the Government's Action Plan on Business and Human Rights in advance of the visit by his Chinese counterpart to the UK. [200469]

The Prime Minister: I plan to hold wide-ranging discussions with Premier Li. We have a foreign policy that is based on our values, and we consistently raise them with the Chinese Government, including during high level dialogues.

I am very supportive of the business and human rights agenda, and action against climate change is a priority for the Government.

Deputy Prime Minister

Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Office in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled. [200444]

The Deputy Prime Minister: Sixteen parliamentary questions, all of which were tabled to my Office one day before prorogation in the last parliamentary session, did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 prorogation.

Cabinet Office

Average Earnings: Peterborough

Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average weekly gross earnings of (a) men, (b) women and (c) people in full-time employment in Peterborough was (i) in cash terms and (ii) at constant prices in each year since 2006-07. [200316]

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

Letter from Glen Watson dated June 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average weekly gross earnings of (a) men, (b) women and (c) people in full time employment in Peterborough was (i) in cash terms and (ii) at constant prices in each year since 2006-07 (200316).

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The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Weekly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. Figures relate to employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed.

I attach a table showing median gross weekly earnings for men, women and full-time employees in Peterborough between April 2006 and April 2013, in current and constant (2013) prices.

Charities: Directors

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many directors of national charities were in receipt of annual salaries, pensions and other payments in excess of £150,000 in 2012-13. [200118]

Mr Hurd: Charity accounting rules require disclosure of charity employees in each £10,000 income band over £60,000. Copies of registered charities' accounts are available for inspection on the Charity Commission's website.

Civil Servants: Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to publish a new diversity strategy for the civil service. [199873]

Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 434W.

Nigeria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether Ministers or officials of his Department have (a) met the Attorney-General of Nigeria since January 2012 and (b) had any conversations about the sale of the OPL 245 oil concession in Nigeria involving Shell and ENI with (i) the Attorney-General of Nigeria and (ii) any other senior official of the Nigerian Government. [200208]

Mr Maude: Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at gov.uk.

Information on meetings by other officials is not held centrally.

Official Visits

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what visits (a) each of the Ministers in his Department, (b) the Prime Minister and (c) the Deputy Prime Minister have made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was. [200498]

Mr Maude: Details of Ministers’ visits overseas are published quarterly and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministers-transparency-publications

Social Security Benefits

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the effect of the exclusion of universal credit claimants on the overall claimant count for data published in (a) February, (b) March, (c) April and (d) May 2014. [199848]

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

Letter from Caron Walker, dated June 2014:

On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of the exclusion of universal credit claimants on the overall claimant count published in (a) February, (b) March, (c) April and (d) May 2014. (199848)

In the months from February to May 2014, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published provisional Claimant Count levels and changes for the periods January to April 2014. The figures for each month relate to a count date on the second Thursday of the month, e.g. the January figure relates to 9 January and the April figure 10 April. The published Claimant Count figures do not include claimants of Universal Credit.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) publish experimental official statistics for Universal Credit relating to the last day of each month. The latest release, published on 16 June, includes statistics up to 31 March 2014.

The DWP experimental official statistics relating to Universal Credit currently include all claimants of that benefit. Although claimants can currently only enter Universal Credit as a jobseeker, they would remain in Universal Credit when their circumstances change, such as when they move into work. Consequently the total number of claimants of Universal Credit is an overestimate of the effect of the exclusion of universal credit on the overall claimant count. DWP are not yet able to publish statistics isolating the number of jobseekers within the overall Universal Credit caseload.

The table shows the Claimant Count for January to April 2014 alongside the total number of claimants of Universal Credit for December 2013 to March 2014, the closest matching periods. Although this table gives an indication of the upper limit of possible impact of Universal Credit claimants not being included in the Claimant Count at a national level, the nature of the rollout being introduced at individual Jobcentre Plus Offices would mean that this impact is currently focused in a limited number of geographic areas.

As announced in the Labour Market Statistics Bulletin, June 2014, a new table will be introduced to the release next month which will present the available Universal Credit statistics alongside the Claimant Count figures. This table will help users to understand the extent of the impact on the Claimant Count from Universal Credit claimants not being included.

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

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

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Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many parliamentary questions tabled to his Department in the last parliamentary Session did not receive a substantive answer by the time of the 2014 Prorogation; and when each such question was first tabled. [200439]

Mr Maude: One parliamentary question, which was tabled the day before Prorogation, did not receive a substantive answer.

Culture, Media and Sport

Arts: Charitable Donations

Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent estimate he has made of the amount of philanthropic giving to arts and heritage organisations in each region and constituent part of the UK; and if he will make a statement. [200471]

Mr Vaizey: In 2011-12, according to Arts & Business, overall philanthropic giving to the cultural sector grew by 7.6% on the previous year to £660.5 million. The breakdown of this total shows £536 million of private investment in culture in London and £125 million in the non-London English regions. Although London is always likely to attract a greater proportion of philanthropic giving, there are many examples of arts organisations successfully encouraging philanthropy and private investment across the country. DCMS has been working closely with Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the cultural sector, through the £100 million Catalyst scheme, to help improve fundraising capacity and ensure organisations have the skills required to cultivate philanthropy.

Broadband: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Welsh Assembly Government on the broadband rollout programme in Wales. [200020]

Mr Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has not discussed broadband rollout with his counterpart in the Welsh Assembly Government, since being appointed on 9 April 2014.

However, DCMS officials have weekly discussions with Welsh Assembly officials on this subject.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199879]

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Mrs Grant: The table shows the proportion of staff, within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings

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in each of the last five financial years and who have declared themselves as white British.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199900]

Mrs Grant: The following table shows the proportion of staff within the Department for Culture, media and Sport who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years and declared themselves as white British.

The figures as they relate to the period from September 2012 include the Government Equalities Office, which joined the Department in that month as part of a machinery of government move. Before September 2012, the Government Equalities Office was part of the Home Office and the information requested for this period is not available.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199922]

Mrs Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which includes the Government Equalities Office, has no specific targets for increasing employee diversity. DCMS publishes its employee diversity information on data.gov.uk annually. The most recent diversity information can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237397/DCMS_Equality_Workforce_Data_2012-2013.csv/preview

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199943]

Mrs Grant: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Local Broadcasting: South East

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many local digital service licences have been awarded in Kent and Medway. [200386]

Mr Vaizey: The independent regulator Ofcom, is responsible for allocating commercial TV and radio licences. Ofcom has received two applications to operate a local TV service in the Maidstone area on the digital terrestrial television (DTT) platform and anticipates making a decision about the award of this licence in the summer.

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The licence to operate the DAB radio multiplex covering Kent was awarded in 2003. The Kent DAB multiplex currently carries the following stations:

BBC Radio Kent;

Capital;

Heart Kent;

Kmfm;

Smooth Kent;

Xfm; and

Pop Up radio.

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government are taking to encourage local media and regional broadcasting in Kent and Medway. [200387]

Mr Vaizey: Government recognise the important role local media play in communities, and have created the foundations for new local TV services to establish themselves and enrich UK television with quality local news and programming. Ofcom has received applications for a

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local TV licence in Maidstone, and we expect an award to be made soon. More widely, 25 local TV services have been licensed to date, and further launches will take place over the summer and autumn.

Women and Equalities

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities what proportion of staff within the Government Equalities Office who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199886]

Mrs Grant: The following table shows the proportion of staff, within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years and who have declared themselves as white British.

The figures as they relate to the period from September 2012 include the Government Equalities Office, which joined the Department in that month as part of a machinery of Government move. Before September 2012, the Government Equalities Office was part of the Home Office and the information requested for this period is not available.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities what proportion of staff within the Government Equalities Office who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199907]

Mrs Grant: The following table shows the proportion of staff within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years and declared themselves as white British.

The figures as they relate to the period from September 2012 include the Government Equalities Office, which joined the Department in that month as part of a machinery of Government move. Before September 2012, the Government Equalities Office was part of the Home Office and the information requested for this period is not available.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities what targets the Government Equalities Office has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199929]

Mrs Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which includes the Government Equalities Office, has no specific targets for increasing employee diversity. DCMS publishes its employee diversity information on data.gov.uk annually. The most recent diversity information can be found at the following link:

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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/237397/DCMS_Equality_Workforce_ Data_2012-2013.csv/preview

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities what consideration the Government Equalities Office gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199950]

Mrs Grant: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude).

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Birds

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assistance his Department gives to farmers and landowners in controlling the number of jays which predate smaller song birds. [200077]

George Eustice: All wild birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. However, licences allow for the control of birds in some circumstances. In England, general licences are issued by Natural England permitting users to kill or take jays for several purposes. These include conserving wild birds and preventing serious damage to crops. They may be relied on by landowners and other authorised persons as long as they are satisfied they have met the conditions of the licence.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199884]

Dan Rogerson: The data in the following table relate to staff in core DEFRA only.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199905]

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Dan Rogerson: The data in the following table relate to staff in core DEFRA only.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199927]

Dan Rogerson: The civil service has a long-standing commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and ensuring that the civil service is representative of the society it serves. Central to this is the principle of appointment on merit which is the foundation of civil service recruitment and enshrined in law.

Core DEFRA does not have numerical targets for increasing our workforce diversity. However, DEFRA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2013-15 contains a clear goal for DEFRA to become a diverse and inclusive Department

‘that can attract and retain talented people from the widest range of backgrounds and offer all our employees equality of opportunity to progress and achieve their potential on merit.’

DEFRA is also committed to reviewing our Equality Objectives and monitoring our performance against them and further information is provided in our Workforce Monitoring Report here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs/about/equality-and-diversity

DEFRA’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is underpinned by an action plan, with good progress made in the first year, including:

Mandating unconscious bias training for managers of people and those involved in recruitment and interviewing.

Introducing senior leader Diversity Champions for specific groups.

Participating fully in Positive Action Pathways, Diversity Schemes and Programmes.

Ongoing participation in the award winning ‘Summer Diversity Internship Programme’, specifically aimed at underrepresented students.

Floods

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the Farming Recovery Fund to cover the cost of restoration of agricultural land following the recent floods has been received by farmers and businesses to date. [198651]

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Dan Rogerson: As of 10 June 2014, a total of 131 applications have been received with a total grant request of £1,173,310.

Of these, 62 applications have been approved with a total grant request of £403,617.

In view of the continued level of interest in the Farming Recovery Fund, we are exploring with officials the possibility of extending the closing date beyond 27 June 2014.

You will also wish to be aware that the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS), which supports investments targeting farming competitiveness, closed on 4 April, having received more than 2,700 applications and a national grant request of over £27 million.

Floods: South East

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of how many properties at risk of flooding in (a) Windsor constituency and (b) the Thames Valley that will not be covered by the new Flood Re scheme. [200307]

Dan Rogerson: The assessment of the impact the scope of the Flood Re Scheme will have was done at a UK level. There was no specific assessment for individual constituencies or regions.

Food: Production

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's sanitary and phytosanitary rules in food production are not affected by the agreement of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. [200372]

George Eustice: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership could be worth £10 billion a year to the UK economy, with potential to deliver significant opportunities for the UK agriculture, food and drink sectors. Sanitary and phytosanitary issues are likely to be critical to a successful agreement. I am pursuing these in consultation with industry and other interested parties to ensure progress is made, based on sound science and consistent with our biosecurity and food safety standards.

Food: Public Opinion

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of public trust in the authenticity of food purchased at food outlets in each (a) region and (b) local authority area since January 2013. [200060]

George Eustice: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) conducts a Biannual Public Attitudes Tracker survey on a nationwide basis. While this does not ask specific questions on the authenticity of food, authenticity-related issues are raised by some consumers in spontaneous responses and when prompted.

http://multimedia.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/science-research/biannual-attitudes-tracker-nov-2013.pdf

In July 2013, consumers reported mislabelling as a concern leading them to have a lack of trust in the

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supply chain

. Similar evidence has been reported by other consumer attitude research by non-government organisations such as Which?

, IGD

, Mintel

and the Ipsos MORI survey for The Grocer

.

Consumers have a right to expect that the food they buy is what it says it is. Government have taken significant steps to ensure the continued authenticity of our food, including increasing support to local authorities for delivery of the national co-ordinated sampling programme from £1.6 million to £2.2 million in 2013-14. Continued investment in the Government’s food authenticity research programme ensures that the UK is at the cutting edge of science in developing novel technologies to detect ever more sophisticated food fraud and protect UK consumers.

In June 2013, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for North Shropshire (Mr Paterson), and the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), asked Professor Elliot to conduct a review into the integrity and assurance of food supply networks. The interim report was published on 12 December 2013 and the professor’s final report will be published shortly.

¹ http://food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/horsemeat-attitudesb.pdf

² http://www.which.co.uk/news/2013/03/horsemeat-scandal-dents -trust-in-food-industry-313016/

³ http://shoppervista.igd.com/Hub.aspx?id=4&tid=4

⁴ http://store.mintel.com/consumer-trust-in-food-uk-june-2013 ?cookie_test=true#

⁵http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/topics/food-safety/horse-meat/horsegate-scandal-hasnt-changed-shopping-habits-of-majority/353432.article

Forests

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 394W, on forests, for what reasons the Government did not announce in the Queen's Speech legislative proposals to protect the public forest estate. [200611]

Dan Rogerson: There were many proposals competing for the limited space within the Fourth Session programme and the proposed forestry measures could not be accommodated.

The Government stand by their commitment to establish a new public body to hold the Public Forest Estate in trust for the nation, as set out in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January 2013, as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Hedgehogs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of hedgehogs in the UK in each of the last three years. [200083]

George Eustice: No estimates of hedgehog populations have been made by DEFRA in the last three years. However, a report “The State of Britain's Hedgehogs” was published in 2011 by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People's Trust for Endangered Species. It estimates that hedgehog numbers were approximately 1.5 million in 1995. The report is available online at:

www.ptes.org/files/1428_sobh2011lowres.pdf

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Helium Balloons

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps he has taken to reduce risks to the environment posed by the release of helium balloons. [200367]

Dan Rogerson: We recognise there are concerns about the potential risks posed by helium balloons. In 2013, jointly with the Welsh Government, we commissioned an independent study to identify and assess the impacts and risks to livestock and the environment associated with sky lanterns and helium balloons.

Evidence from the report concluded that risk to the environment from helium balloons is small or highly localised.

The report is available at:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module= More&Location=None&Completed=2&ProjectID=18402

Any future action Government may take will need to be proportionate to the problem and backed by reliable evidence.

Livestock: Antibiotics

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of antibiotics used in the UK are given to farm animals. [199824]

George Eustice: Data on antibiotic use in the medical and veterinary sectors are currently collated in different formats, which prevents direct comparison; it is therefore not possible to accurately ascertain what proportion of total antibiotics used in the UK are given to farm animals.

In 2012, sales of antibiotic active ingredient authorised for veterinary use (farm and companion animals) totalled 409 tonnes.

Marginal Land: Fires

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what support his Department gives to landowners to enable regeneration of land through the burning of heather and moorland. [200070]

George Eustice: The Department does not support landowners in England regenerating land through the burning of heather and moorland. However, various agri-environment schemes provide financial support for the positive environmental management of the uplands, including moorland.

Nature Conservation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government are taking to improve the habitat and increase the number of (a) hedgehogs and (b) owls. [200082]

George Eustice: Agri-environment schemes, such as Environmental Stewardship, are the principal means of improving habitats and the wider environment on farmland in England. Farmers receive funding to manage the

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cropped environment and provide additional habitats on their farms for birds and other wildlife. Under work to develop the implementation plan for Biodiversity 2020 (the Government’s strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services) Natural England has commissioned work to review all Section 41 species. This is to identify priorities for action and to determine what those actions should be. The hedgehog is being considered within this context by the Mammal Taxon Group, which comprises specialist organisations, led by Natural England.

Activities of benefit to owls, currently funded by Environmental Stewardship, include the establishment of grassy margins and buffer strips, and the management of field corners. These can provide additional habitat for prey species such as small mammals. The restoration of traditional farm buildings can also provide both shelter and nesting sites along with the provision of nest boxes.

Business, Innovation and Skills

Apprentices

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of those (a) starting and (b) completing an apprenticeship in England since May 2010 were (i) female, (ii) registered disabled and (iii) from an ethnic minority background. [199999]

Matthew Hancock: Information on apprenticeship starts and achievements by gender, ethnicity and learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD) is published by academic year in supplementary tables to a Statistical First Release (SFR).

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fe-data-library-apprenticeships--2

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/298401/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296345/apprenticeship-achievements-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xlsm

Apprentices: Pay

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will increase the minimum rate of pay for apprentices from £2.68 per hour to £2.96 per hour. [200564]

Jenny Willott: This Government are fully committed to the National Minimum Wage set by the independent Low Pay Commission at a level that maximises the wages of the low paid without damaging their employment prospects by setting it too high.

We ask the Low Pay Commission to consider the evidence and recommend the National Minimum Wage rates, to achieve this.

This Government have accepted an above inflation increase in the NMW, including an increase in the apprentice rate from £2.68 to £2.73. The increase will

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come into effect on 1 October 2014 and provide low paid workers with the biggest cash increase in their pay packets since 2008.

The Low Pay Commission has judged that a higher increase in the minimum wage would risk damaging employment prospects for the lowest paid.

Comet Group

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much has been paid out by his Department in statutory entitlements following the collapse of Comet; how many people have been compensated to date; and what estimate he has made of the total cost to the Exchequer of meeting all arising liabilities in this case. [200565]

Jenny Willott: The Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Services have paid out a total of £18,482,220 in statutory entitlements to 4,838 former employees of Comet Group Plc.

It is not possible at present to estimate the total cost to the Exchequer of meeting all statutory entitlements. Further payments will depend on the findings of the Employment Tribunal regarding the employees covered by the protective award judgment of 11 June 2014. Consideration of this matter is scheduled for 17 July 2014. There are also outstanding Tribunal applications, in respect of statutory payments other than protective awards, still to be determined.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British; [199896]

(2) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199875]

Jenny Willott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 433W.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199918]

Jenny Willott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 434W.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records

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of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199939]

Jenny Willott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, the right hon. Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 434W.

Exports: North East

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps UK Trade and Investment has taken to encourage exports from the north east to Brazil, Angola and Mozambique and other emerging lusophone markets. [200358]

Michael Fallon: The United Kingdom Trade and Investment (UKTI) North East trade team has developed a programme called “Access to Brazil in North East”, which is aimed at support companies in the North East to link with Brazil. It is managed for UKTI by the North East Chamber of Commerce. The programme is also supported by European Regional Development Fund funding. A key element of the programme, as part of an Olympics legacy, is about building a relationship with North East Brazil. When the UK’s North East Brazil consul (Recife) was opened, a group of North East companies were part of the launch event. A number of market visits have taken place since then. The next visit by North East companies to Brazil is planned for October 2014, with an event involving the Consul from Recife on 10 July.

UKTI North East has worked with 165 companies regarding opportunities in the Brazilian market.

For Angola and Mozambique, UKTI has identified an increasing number of opportunities in Africa for North East companies, particularly in the oil and gas sectors. UKTI North East has worked with 25 companies on opportunities in Angola and 10 companies in Mozambique.

UKTI North East is working with the lead FCO Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, on a visit to the North East in late July to promote opportunities in Africa. A programme is currently being prepared.

Green Investment Bank

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what proportion of investment by the Green Investment Bank has been given to biofuels to date. [200013]

Michael Fallon: The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has yet to finance any projects in the biofuels for transport sector. To date, GIB has committed a total of £1.3 billion to green projects including the following projects that involve use of biomass for energy generation:

£100 million to one coal-to-biomass conversion project (Drax power station);

£40.1 million to three projects (in Northern Ireland, Birmingham and Port Talbot) that involve generating energy from recovered waste wood; and

£19.7 million to a number of energy efficiency projects which involve the use of biomass boilers at enterprises such as distilleries, schools and farms.

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Health

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what use his Department has made of the National Wellbeing Index, introduced by the Office for National Statistics, in formulating policy since the introduction of that Index in 2011; and what policies his Department has introduced to improve national wellbeing as defined in that Index since 2010. [198862]

Matthew Hancock: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is measuring National Wellbeing, not as an index but through a framework of 41 indicators which capture social progress around important aspects of life for individuals, communities and the nation. The statistics are experimental and as such we should not expect to have examples of major policies that have been heavily influenced by the wellbeing data at this stage.

Evidence provided to the Environmental Audit Committee for its Inquiry into Wellbeing can be found at:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/well-being/

The evidence submitted by the Department is outlined in Annex A, and demonstrates the impact of our policies and programmes—including our labour market reforms and support for higher and further education—on wellbeing. Since submitting that evidence, we have also commissioned research to develop a comprehensive evidence base on the link between employees’ wellbeing and business performance. The findings will feed into future policy development on wellbeing at work, as well as the development of an on-line guide providing suggestions on methods for improving wellbeing in the workplace. The findings from this research, the first of its kind in the UK, are due for publication in late summer 2014.

Minimum Wage: Ethnic Groups

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the ethnic breakdown of workers earning between the national minimum wage and the living wage. [199996]

Jenny Willott: The Government support a living wage and encourage businesses to pay it when it is affordable, and not at the expense of jobs. However, decisions on what wages to set, above the national minimum wage, are for employers and workers.

The Government have not estimated the breakdown of workers earning between the national minimum wage and the living wage by ethnicity.

The Government’s main policy lever in addressing low pay is the national minimum wage (NMW). Using the labour force survey, in 2013, 8.3% of the ‘ethnic minority’ group¹ were in jobs that paid at or below the NMW while overall 7.8% of the jobs in the economy paid at or below the NMW. This is as set out in the Low Pay Commission’s 2014 Report, Figure 2.6.

We are absolutely clear that anyone from whatever background who is entitled to be paid the minimum wage should receive it. HMRC investigates every complaint

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made through the free and confidential pay and work rights helpline. Since 1 October 2013, employers who fail to pay the national minimum wage (NMW) will be publicly named and shamed, under revamped criteria announced in August 2013, to make it easier to clamp down on rogue businesses. This is on top of financial penalties which employers already face if they fail to pay NMW.

¹ The definition of ‘ethnic-minority’ group is as defined in the labour force survey (LFS).

Also please note that the LFS overstates the number of minimum wage jobs and workers when compared to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) dataset.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make representations to RBS and all its subsidiaries on making their services available at post offices. [199826]

Jenny Willott: Since September 2011, the customers of RBS, Ulster Bank and NatWest have been able to withdraw cash free of charge at all post office branches across the UK. With around 11,700 branches—more branches than all the high street banks and building societies combined—the Post Office is the largest retail network in the UK. It is also the only retail network that meets the Government’s strict access criteria that see, for example, 99% of the national population live within three miles of an outlet. With 95% of all UK debit card holders able to access cash at post office counters, the Post Office is in many communities the only source of free to access cash.

The Post Office is also a major provider of personal financial services. In partnership with its banking partner, the Post Office provides a wide range of financial services including mortgages, credit cards, and savings products. The Post Office is currently trialling its own current account products.

Teachers: Ethnic Groups

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to increase the number of black and minority ethnic professors teaching in public universities. [199998]

Mr Willetts: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are independent, autonomous bodies and are entirely responsible for the recruitment, promotion and retention of their staff. Universities, like other employers, are subject to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and must ensure they do not discriminate in their recruitment practices. Universities are also required to meet the public sector equality duty and take a proactive approach to advancing equality of opportunity.

I understand that employer and employee representative organisations are taking action to address issues of equality in the higher education sector work force. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), through the Equality Challenge Unit and in other ways, works with the higher education (HE) sector to support activities to address issues of representation both in the HE work force and student population.

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Universal Service Obligation

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with Royal Mail Group, Ofcom or officials or Ministers in other Departments about invoking section 44(9) and section 44(10) of the Postal Services Act 2011 to ask Ofcom to report on the sustainability of the Universal Service Obligation. [200467]

Jenny Willott: None.

Under the Postal Services Act 2011, Parliament gave Ofcom the primary duty to secure the ongoing provision of the universal service and to this end Ofcom must also have regard for the provision of a universal service to be financially sustainable.

Ofcom monitors market developments, including any impacts on Royal Mail's performance and operational efficiency, and has the regulatory powers and tools to intervene if the sustainability of the universal service is ever at risk.

As part of its monitoring regime, Ofcom publishes a report every year on Royal Mail's performance and the postal market, and this includes an update on the financial sustainability of the universal service. More information about Ofcom's regulatory regime can be found on its website:

www.ofcom.org.uk

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Repatriation of Powers: EU

22. Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which powers he is seeking to repatriate from the EU. [904264]

Mr Lidington: As the Prime Minister said in May, Brussels has got too big, too bossy, too interfering. It should be nation states wherever possible, Europe only where necessary.

Our reform priorities are to make the EU more democratically accountable, more competitive and more flexible.

Muslim Brotherhood

23. Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role his Department is playing in the Government’s review of the Muslim Brotherhood announced in April 2014. [904265]

Mr Hague: The Government have appointed a senior member of the diplomatic service, Sir John Jenkins, to lead the review. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is contributing information and analysis through our network of embassies across the Middle East and more widely, including by consulting academic experts. The FCO is also providing an oversight role as part of the review’s steering group.

African Great Lakes

24. Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote peace and reconciliation in the African Great Lakes region. [904266]

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Mark Simmonds: Last week, I met with Ministers from the DRC and Rwanda, and with representatives of the UN, and urged all to seize the current opportunity to stabilise eastern DRC.

When I met President Kabila in February in Kinshasa, I discussed the importance of his Government taking clear steps on stability and governance.

Middle East

Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential effects on the middle east peace process of the new unity Palestinian Government. [904258]

Mr Hague: I welcome the formation of the new interim technocratic Government for the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Reuniting Gaza and the West Bank under a Government committed to the Quartet Principles is a necessary condition for resolving the Israel-Palestinian conflict. We now look to this Government to demonstrate commitment through their actions as well as words.

Afghanistan

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to improve support and protection for women human rights defenders in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement. [200430]

Hugh Robertson: The UK takes this issue very seriously. Our primary approach to supporting human rights defenders is to work with and through multilateral institutions such as the EU and the UN to support national efforts. These bodies have the expertise and resources to fulfil this important role in country. The UK played a significant part in the EU's recent decision to increase support to human rights defenders in Afghanistan, including plans to refresh the 2010 EU Strategy on Human Rights Defenders. The UK will work with the EU and other member states to ensure that the refreshed strategy recognises the specific challenges that women human rights defenders face. We are also working to ensure that human rights, including the protection of human rights defenders, are a top priority for the EU's proposed post-2014 country strategy for Afghanistan.

British Indian Ocean Territory

Mr Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the extension of the lease for Diego Garcia Airbase. [200200]

Mark Simmonds: We welcome the US presence on Diego Garcia, and we have said we want to see it continue. The current agreement does not conclude until December 2016, and we have not yet held substantive discussions with the US about this subject. I expect my officials to begin doing so later this year.

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Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British; [199885]

(2) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British; [199906]

Hugh Robertson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 433W.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year; [199928]

(2) what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199949]

Mr Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 434W.

India

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the new Indian Government in favour of increased action to tackle caste discrimination, sexual violence and other forms of discrimination and inequality. [200377]

Mr Swire: We are committed to working with the Government of India and international partners to address the problem of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation in India. Through the Department for International Development (DFID) programme, the UK supports measures in India's 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded groups. DFID India also provides support to national and state governments in India, which includes helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls.

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), invited the Government of India to attend the End Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit and has already discussed the initiative with the new Indian Foreign Minister. The Indian high commissioner to the UK attended the summit.

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Iran

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of prospects for successful negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme. [199835]

Hugh Robertson: The current negotiations with Iran are the best opportunity in years to resolve the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme. Negotiations so far, which have built on the Geneva interim deal, have been constructive but challenging: any deal will require Iran to take significant steps to address comprehensively our proliferation concerns. However, there remains commitment on all sides of the table to reach a deal.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compliance of Iranian businesses with financial sanctions imposed by the UK. [200112]

Hugh Robertson: The UK implements EU and UN sanctions against Iran—it does not independently impose financial sanctions on Iran. The UK is firmly committed to ensuring compliance, including working with partners to freeze assets, authorising and monitoring relevant transactions, and investigating alleged sanctions breaches. EU financial measures apply within the EU and to EU nationals and entities rather than directly to Iranian businesses based outside of the EU. However, Her Majesty’s Treasury continues to ensure that the assets of designated Iranian entities, held in the UK, remain frozen.

Iraq

Dr Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of recent territorial gains of the Islamist insurgent group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; and if he will make a statement. [200413]

Hugh Robertson: The situation in Syria and Iraq is very serious and the territorial gains made by ISIL are deeply concerning. ISIL are a brutal terrorist group who want to impose rule on people using their extremist ideology, violence and extortion. Our objective is to see a prosperous and stable Iraq as part of a stable region. The recent developments clearly threaten this. In the immediate term we are very concerned about the large numbers of Iraqis being displaced from Mosul and surrounding areas. As well as a strong security response by the Iraqi forces, there needs to be a strong political solution.

Dr Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts his Department is making to support the Iraqi Government in maintaining stability in that country. [200414]

Hugh Robertson: We are continuing to play an active role, providing a range of political and humanitarian support. On 12 June 2014, we deployed a team of humanitarian experts to Northern Iraq. The Secretary of State for International Development, my right hon.

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Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening) subsequently announced a £3 million emergency aid package for civilians fleeing the violence in Mosul and surrounding areas. The package will help provide clean water and sanitation and essential medicine, as well as help the UNHCR establish camps for internally displaced people. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and are working with key partners, including the Red Cross/Red Crescent and UN agencies.

I met Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari in London on 12 June 2014 and underlined our support for the Iraqi Government and the people of Iraq in their struggle against terrorism. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) has been engaging actively with international leaders in recent days on how to respond to the current situation in Iraq, including discussions with US Secretary Kerry, the Iraqi, Turkish and Iranian Foreign Ministers, and the Israeli Minister for National Security.

We have made clear the need for an inclusive and unified approach within Iraq. The immediate need is for the Iraqi Security Forces to stabilise the situation, working with civilian and regional authorities in order to establish unity and co-operation across the country. Regional actors also can and must play a constructive role.

Israel

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Israel on the recent arrest of Mahmoud Zwahre in Al Maasara, Bethlehem. [200359]

Hugh Robertson: The British Government have not made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue.

Marine Protected Areas

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost to the public purse of litigation associated with the declaration of the Marine Protected Area on 1 April 2010 is to date. [200337]

Mark Simmonds: Though some final costs from Counsel on the recently concluded Court of Appeal hearing are yet to be received, the cost of domestic litigation to date is £325,444.42. We understand the litigant, Mr. Olivier Bancoult, has also been in receipt of legal aid. HM Government have been successful in defending all such litigation, and have therefore been awarded full costs in the Divisional Court, and half of our costs in the Court of Appeal, though these are still subject to assessment.

In respect of the recently concluded challenge by Mauritius in an arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, various costs matters are still ongoing.

Nigeria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers or officials of his Department have (a) met the Attorney General of Nigeria since January 2012 and (b) had any conversations about the sale of the OPL

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245 oil concession in Nigeria involving Shell and ENI with (i) the Attorney General of Nigeria and (ii) any other senior official of the Nigerian government. [200205]

Mark Simmonds: No FCO Ministers have met the Nigerian Attorney General since January 2012. Given the range and frequency of meetings between FCO officials with the Nigerian Attorney General, I am unable to offer a full list of them. The Metropolitan Police Proceeds of Corruption Unit is investigating complaints made about the case of oil block OPL-245 in Nigeria. Because this is an on-going investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment any further.

Syria

Dr Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the threat ISIS and other Islamist groups in Syria pose to (a) the wider middle east and (b) other areas. [200415]

Hugh Robertson: The UK is deeply concerned by the growth of terrorism in Syria and Iraq. ISIL are a brutal terrorist group who want to impose rule on people using their extremist ideology, violence and extortion.

ISIL's advance in Iraq shows that they are a serious threat. It shows clearly the importance of taking a strong stand against extremists, and that is why we are giving our full backing to the moderate groups in Syria who are fighting them. It is not yet clear what the recent developments in Iraq mean in the longer term, but clearly ISIL's ability to operate in both Syria and Iraq is a cause of concern for the international community.

Western Sahara

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on human rights abuses in Western Sahara. [199872]

Hugh Robertson: We regularly receive reports on the human rights situation in Western Sahara from a number of sources, including the Moroccan National Human Rights Council, UN Special Rapporteurs, international human rights organisations and civil society groups.

Transport

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British; [199915]

(2) what proportion of staff within his Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British. [199893]

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Stephen Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 433W.

East Coast Railway Line

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of delays to East Coast Main Line rail services in 2013-14 were due to (a) overhead wire failures, (b) signalling failures, (c) other infrastructure failures, (d) flooding or other weather events, (e) vehicles, persons, or animals on the line, (f) train failures, (g) unavailability of staff and (h) other causes. [200030]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold the information in the form requested. This would be a matter for Network Rail.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year; [199936]

(2) what consideration his Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199957]

Stephen Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 434W.

Govia

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what protection of existing (a) staffing levels and (b) tickets revenue sharing arrangements with other train operating companies were secured in negotiations with Govia over the extension from the London passenger rail franchise; and if he will seek such protections in future negotiations over the planned direct award of the franchise to Govia. [200123]

Stephen Hammond: Staffing levels are a matter for the train operator, as long as they continue to deliver services that meet the requirements of the Franchise Agreement. The 7-period extension announced on 9 June was a priced option in the current Franchise Agreement.

Any existing ticket revenue sharing arrangements continue through the extension. Although preliminary negotiations have taken place with regard to a Direct Award to run services from April 2016, no timetable for formal negotiations is yet in place, and formal negotiations are yet to take place.

London Midland

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects negotiations to begin with Govia over the direct award extension from September 2015 to June 2017 of the London Midland passenger rail franchise. [200124]

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Stephen Hammond: On 9 June we signed the 7-period extension to the London Midland contract as permitted in the franchise agreement. This extends the current franchise until April 2016. Although preliminary negotiations have taken place with regard to a Direct Award to run services from April 2016, no timetable for formal negotiations is yet in place. As announced by the Secretary of State, the new franchising programme will provide a more sustainable schedule for rail franchising and the planned competition for the West Midland franchise should see the successful operator providing services from June 2017.

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of revenue support Govia will be entitled to in each accounting period of the direct award of the London Midland rail passenger franchise agreement to June. [200125]

Stephen Hammond: Although preliminary negotiations have taken place with regard to a Direct Award to run services from April 2016, formal negotiations are yet to take place.

However, we do not anticipate that the operator will be entitled to any revenue support throughout the period of the Direct Award.

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to devolve decisions on London Midland passenger rail services to a local level; and what proposals on such lines he has made to the current franchisee. [200126]

Stephen Hammond: The Government are committed to the principle of devolving responsibility for a range of their activities to the most appropriate level of local government, where it is sensible to do so.

A proposition is being drafted by West Midlands Rail body (WMR), which is expected to be received by the end of July. WMR is meeting with the Secretary of State early in July to discuss devolution.

Following receipt of the proposition, the Secretary of State will decide whether to agree to the proposition in principle. If this is the case, detailed negotiations on the financial and contractual elements will then follow.

M54: M6

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to create a link between the M54, the M6 northbound and the M6 toll road. [200024]

Mr Goodwill: The Treasury’s Command Paper ‘Investing in Britain’s future’ set out that the Government will invest over £28 billion in enhancements and maintenance of national and local roads. It also confirmed that Government would provide funding to build a number of Highways Agency major road projects, including the M54 to M6 Toll Link Road scheme subject to the finalisation of options and agreement being reached on developer contributions.

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Official Cars

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Dudley North of 22 June 2010, Official Report, column 113W, on the Government Car and Dispatch Agency, what the (a) make, (b) model and (c) place of manufacture was of each car (i) purchased and (ii) leased by the Government Car Service since 6

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May 2010; and how much each such car cost to purchase or lease. [199983]

Stephen Hammond: The make, model, place of manufacture and cost of purchase or lease for cars, procured formerly by the Government Car and Despatch Agency and latterly by the Government Car Service since the 6 May 2010, are set out in the following table. The current Government Car Service fleet is comprised of 85 cars, reduced from 227 cars as at 31March 2010.

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