NHS: Innovation

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what evaluation was made of NHS innovation hubs by the Innovation, Health and Wealth sunset review; [200097]

(2) when the Innovation, Health and Wealth Sunset Review will be published. [200106]

Dr Poulter: The sunset review of all National Health Service/Department of Health funded innovation and improvement bodies, which formed part of the implementation plan for Innovation, Health and Wealth, has been completed. Together with NHS England, we will be considering the approach to publication in due course.

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what metrics have been used to monitor NHS England's compliance with its duty to promote innovation across all three stages of innovation; [200100]

(2) who is responsible for monitoring NHS England compliance with its duty to promote innovation across all three stages of innovation; [200099]

(3) who is responsible for auditing the compliance of clinical commissioning groups with their duty since the introduction of self-certification to provide innovation across all three stages of innovation; [200102]

(4) what steps he is taking to monitor the implementation of clinical commissioning groups' legal duty to promote innovation, adoption and diffusion of new techniques. [200105]

Dr Poulter: The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), is under a legal obligation to keep NHS England's performance in achieving its objectives, as set out in the mandate, under review. As part of this, he considers NHS England's compliance with its legal duties.

NHS England has a statutory duty to promote innovation and clinical commissioning groups have a duty to promote innovation in the provision of health services in the exercise of their functions.

The national health service's obligation to promote innovation is principally delivered through NHS England's Innovation, Health and Wealth programme.

NHS England has advised that monthly reports on the Innovation, Health and Wealth programme are made to the Department, the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit and the Innovation, Health and Wealth board.

NHS: Intellectual Property

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) who is responsible for the intellectual property policy of the NHS; [200098]

(2) what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation initiative on the commercialisation of intellectual property by NHS providers; and what metrics are used to monitor the commercialisation of such intellectual property; [200094]

(3) what Commissioning for Quality and Innovation payments have been made as a result of NHS providers complying with the commercialisation of intellectual property pre-qualification to date; [200095]

(4) how many commercial agreements were completed for the exploitation of NHS intellectual property by NHS organisations in each year from 2004 to 2010; and what total revenues to each such organisation was in each year from 2004 to 2010; [200096]

(5) how many commercial deals were completed to exploit NHS intellectual property in each NHS organisation in each year from 2010 to date; and what revenue accrued to each NHS organisation from such deals in each year from 2010; [200104]

(6) how many innovations of each type have been identified and recorded in each year following the implementation of the Cquin pre-qualification of the commercialisation of intellectual property. [200107]

Dr Poulter: NHS England is responsible for the intellectual property strategy for the national health service.

NHS England has advised that, as part of the Innovation, Health and Wealth work programme, it has undertaken a review of the existing NHS intellectual property strategy and is revisiting this as part of its refresh of Innovation, Health and Wealth that is currently being undertaken.

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Pneumonia: Vaccination

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Statement of Financial Entitlements for the pneumococcal vaccination Directed Enhanced Service for aged 65 years and over and for at-risk groups does not include a national payment scheme. [199985]

Jane Ellison: The Directed Enhanced Service requires NHS England to establish a programme of pneumococcal vaccination for persons aged 65 years and over and to enter into arrangements with any primary medical services provider. It is for NHS England to determine the payments for this service. NHS England has agreed a national payment of £7.64 per dose for general medical services and personal medical services providers for delivering the programme. The national specification is currently being finalised and will be published in due course.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability of pneumococcal vaccine to (a) children, (b) adults under the age of 65 in at-risk groups and (c) adults over the age of 65; and if he will make a statement. [199986]

Jane Ellison: The objective of the immunisation programme against pneumococcal infection is to protect individuals for whom such infection is likely to be more common and/or serious. The following groups are eligible for vaccination under the national immunisation programme:

infants as part of the routine childhood immunisation programme;

those aged 65 years or over; and

children and adults in the clinical risk groups.

We are not aware of any supply problems with pneumococcal vaccines.

The levels of uptake of pneumococcal vaccines are high. Latest uptake figures show that 94.4% of children in England had completed a primary immunisation course of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at 12 months of age in 2012-13. This compares with 94.2% in 2011-12. The corresponding figure in adults aged 65 years or over for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine was 69.1% in 2012-13 compared with 68.3% in 2011-12.

Prostate Cancer

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to prevent NHS England from implementing restrictions on the use of new drugs for advanced prostate cancer, enzalutamide and abiraterone. [200514]

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published technology appraisal guidance in June 2012 which recommends abiraterone (Zytiga) in its licensed indication for the treatment of castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer previously treated with a docetaxel-containing regimen, subject to a patient access scheme agreed between the Department and the drug’s manufacturer.

NICE is currently appraising (i) abiraterone for the treatment of metastatic hormone relapsed prostate cancer not previously treated with chemotherapy and (ii)

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enzalutamide for metastatic hormone-relapsed prostate cancer in adults whose disease has progressed during or after docetaxel-containing chemotherapy.

National health service commissioners are legally required to fund those treatments recommended by NICE in its technology appraisal guidance.

In the absence of NICE technology appraisal guidance it is for the relevant NHS commissioner to make funding decisions based on an assessment of the available evidence. The NHS constitution states that patients have the right to expect local decisions on the funding of drugs and treatments ‘to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence'.

We understand that abiraterone as a first-line treatment is available through the Cancer Drugs Fund to NHS patients in England who could benefit from it, and that enzalutamide is also available through the Cancer Drugs Fund to patients who meet specified clinical criteria.

Skin Cancer

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of advances in the treatment of melanoma. [200066]

Jane Ellison: NHS England has published a service specification for adult skin cancer services which sets out what the national health service must have in place to offer high quality skin cancer treatment, care and support. Embedded in this is the best practice guidance on skin cancer published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

‘Improving Outcomes for People with Skin Tumours, including Melanoma’, published by NICE in 2006 and updated in 2010, sets out best practice for clinicians in the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of patients with skin cancer, including melanoma.

NICE is also planning to develop a skin cancer quality standard. Quality standards are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers what a high quality service should look like and they play a key role in helping to drive up standards of care.

Making significant progress in ensuring people have access to the right treatment when they need it, including drugs and treatments recommended by NICE, is an objective for NHS England with regard to cancer under the mandate.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the drug pembrolizumab will be available on the NHS for treatment of skin cancer. [200067]

Norman Lamb: The manufacturer of pembrolizumab, Merck, has not yet filed an application for a marketing authorisation for use in the European Union.

Hospital doctors can arrange for the supply of any drug or other substance, even one not normally available on national health service prescription, provided the patient’s commissioner agrees to supply it at NHS expense. The doctor would, in those circumstances, have to retain clinical responsibility for the patient while prescribing the drug in question.

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Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Royal Colleges on the cancer drug known as anti-PDL1; and when he expects that drug to be available for use in the NHS. [200080]

Norman Lamb: There have been no discussions with the Royal Colleges on the use of anti-PDL1 to treat cancer. In order for a medicine to be placed on the United Kingdom and European Union markets, the manufacturer must first apply to obtain a marketing authorisation from either the European Medicines Agency or the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. This medicine appears to be in early stage development and no estimation can be made of when it will be placed on the market.

Vaccination

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the uptake rate was of each (a) childhood vaccination, (b) vaccination for people aged 65 and over and (c) vaccination for people who fall into risk groups recommended by his Department as a proportion of the total eligible population for the vaccination, in each of the last 10 years. [199984]

Jane Ellison: Much of the information requested is contained in “NHS Immunisation Statistics, England 2012-13” published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) on 26 September 2013. This provides vaccine uptake rates for routine childhood vaccinations. It also contains more limited information on the uptake of adult influenza immunisations. The report provides uptake information covering the period from 2002-03 to 2012-13. Tables 1 to 3 on pages 54 to 55 are particularly pertinent to the question. A copy of the HSCIC report has been placed in the Library.

Additional information on vaccine uptake which is not contained in the HSCIC report is set out as follows.

(a) Childhood vaccination. Immunisation is offered to girls aged 12-13 to protect against the human papillomavirus (HPV) virus which can cause cervical cancer. Uptake of HPV vaccination from 2008-09, when it was introduced, is set out in Table 1. Figures for 2013-14 are not yet available.

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Immunisation against influenza is offered to children with certain clinical conditions which put them at greater risk of the effects of influenza. Vaccine uptake is set out in Table 2.

In September 2013 vaccination of healthy two and three-year-old children against influenza was introduced. From September 2013 to January 2014, 42.6% of two-year-old children, and 39.5% of three-year-old children were vaccinated.

(b) People aged 65 and over. Influenza vaccination is offered to this group. Vaccine uptake is set out in Table 3.

Immunisation is also offered against pneumococcal disease. The figures in Table 4 show the percentage of the population who have ever received a pneumococcal disease vaccine (PPV) since the age of 65. Figures for 2013-14 are not yet available.

(c) People in risk groups. Influenza vaccination has been offered to all pregnant women since the 2010/11 flu season. Vaccine uptake is set out in Table 5.

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Influenza vaccination is also offered to people with certain clinical conditions which put them at greater risk of the effects of influenza. Vaccine uptake is set out in Table 6.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment (a) he and (b) NHS England have made of the consistency of NHS England's commissioning of immunisation services in different areas of the country; what plans NHS England has to conduct such an assessment in the future; and if he will make a statement. [199987]

Jane Ellison: NHS England and Public Health England completed a joint stocktake review of the screening and immunisation services commissioned by NHS England earlier this year. The Department will discuss the findings of the review with NHS England in relation to the NHS public health functions agreement, including steps to bring services consistently into line with their national specifications.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish detailed expenditure by NHS England on vaccination and immunisation services in 2013-14. [199988]

Jane Ellison: We will publish later this year available information about expenditure on the national health service public health programmes commissioned by NHS England, including national immunisation programmes. The NHS public health functions agreement with NHS England describes the required breakdown of expenditure which does not include detailed expenditure for immunisation programmes.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans (a) NHS England and (b) Public Health England have to fund awareness campaigns to increase vaccination uptake rates. [199989]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) is responsible for awareness campaigns for immunisation and keeps these matters under close review.

Immunisation is one of the key behaviours under Start4Life—PHE’s programme to help parents give their children the best start in life, from pregnancy up to five

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years of age. Immunisation is promoted on the Start4Life website and within the Start4Life information for parents e-mails and text messages.

NHS England has no plans to fund national awareness campaigns for immunisation programmes.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS England plans to commission immunisation services through the any qualified provider procurement model. [199990]

Jane Ellison: NHS England's area teams are already free to commission provision of immunisation services as they see fit in accordance with relevant legislation, to ensure that immunisation services are safe, effective, and of high quality. For example, NHS England commissions community pharmacies as supplementary providers of seasonal influenza immunisation.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps NHS England is taking to reduce inequalities in access to immunisation programmes. [199993]

Jane Ellison: Reduction of health inequalities is a service delivery requirement in the national service specifications for immunisation services under the national health service public health functions agreement between the Secretary of State and NHS England and is monitored by area teams in contract reviews with providers.

NHS England's area teams seek to reduce inequalities in access to immunisation programmes at local level and improve engagement with groups that do not readily access health services, working in partnership with key stakeholders through health needs assessments and the joint strategic needs assessments used by the health and wellbeing boards.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment NHS England has made of the effectiveness of the delivery of vaccines to recommend at-risk groups of people under 65 in need of (a) influenza, (b) pneumococcal and (c) pertussis vaccines. [199994]

Jane Ellison: NHS England uses vaccine uptake data to assess the effectiveness of immunisation programmes at local, regional and national levels, which it commissions under the NHS public health functions agreement made with the Secretary of State. This agreement includes key deliverables for vaccine coverage which are set out in the agreement.

Influenza vaccination coverage for at-risk individuals from six months to under 65 years of age (excluding pregnant women) is included as a key deliverable in the agreements for 2013-14 and 2014-15, as is pertussis vaccine uptake for pregnant women in the agreement for 2014-15. There are baseline uptake levels for both these programmes.

In 2013-14, influenza vaccination coverage for at-risk individuals from six months to under 65 years of age, excluding pregnant women was 51.3% compared with the baseline of 50.0%. The baseline for 2014-15 is 51.3%. For pertussis vaccine uptake for pregnant women, the baseline in 2014-15 is 50.0%.

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A copy of the agreements for 2013-14 (including the variation to the agreement) and for 2014-15 have been placed in the Library.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what target vaccination rates are set for each public-funded vaccination programme; what changes have been made to those rates in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [199995]

Jane Ellison: Our objective is to achieve the highest possible uptake rates for all vaccinations in the national immunisation programme. The Department and NHS England, advised by Public Health England, have produced a series of service specifications for the commissioning of immunisation services. These generally state that local services must ensure that they maintain and improve immunisation uptake with the aspiration of 100% of relevant individuals being offered immunisation.

We also recognise and support the work of international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) on optimising vaccine uptake, and adopt its recommendations where they are based on firm scientific evidence and are appropriate to United Kingdom conditions. Since 1996, the European region of the WHO has recommended that, on a national basis, at least 95% of children are immunised against diseases preventable by immunisation and targeted for elimination or control (specifically, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), measles, mumps and rubella).

There are also vaccine uptake aspirations relating to influenza vaccination. Since 2008, the objective of the immunisation programme has been to achieve at least 75% uptake among the population aged 65 and over (before 2008 it was 70%). Since the winter of 2013-14, this 75% figure has also applied to those aged under 65 years of age with a clinical condition (previously 70% in 2012-13 and 60% in 2011-12). In 2013-14, any national health service trust that was eligible for a share of £250 million accident and emergency funding for 2014-15 was asked to ensure that at least 75% of its own staff were vaccinated against influenza.

Varicose Veins

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have had varicose veins surgery in each of the last five years. [200084]

Jane Ellison: This information is not available in the format requested.

In the following table, we have provided information concerning the number of finished consultant episodes (FCEs)¹ with a primary or secondary procedure² of varicose vein treatment³ for the years 2008-09 to 2012-13⁴. It should be noted that this is not a count of people as the same person may have had more than one episode of care within the same time period. These data also include non-surgical treatment such as radio-frequency ablation and other treatments.

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International Development

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what proportion of staff within her Department who have been subject to formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years classed themselves as white British; [199889]

(2) what proportion of staff within her Department who have been dismissed following formal disciplinary proceedings in each of the last five financial years were white British. [199911]

Mr Duncan: Declaration of ethnicity for staff at DFID is voluntary and it is therefore not possible to confirm the ethnicity of any staff who have been subject to disciplinary proceedings.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what targets her Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199932]

Mr Duncan: DFID has aligned with the civil service-wide diversity targets for levels of representation in the senior civil service (SCS). These targets are:

39% of the SCS to be women—DFID has achieved this target as 39% of our SCS are women;

34% of top management posts (director and above) to be held by women—DFID has exceeded this target as 42% of such posts are held by women;

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5% of the senior civil service to be minority ethnic staff—DFID has exceeded this target as 7% of our SCS are minority ethnic; and

5% of the senior civil service to be disabled people—DFID has exceeded this target as 6% of our SCS identify as having a disability.

In addition to this, DFID has made a commitment to improve staff engagement survey scores for people with disabilities as this is recognised as an issue across Government. DFID has improved the overall staff engagement survey score for staff with disabilities from 65% in November 2012 to 71% in November 2013.

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what consideration her Department gives to the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations when considering their bid for commercial contracts or grants. [199953]

Mr Duncan: DFID considers a number of factors including relevant diversity clauses when considering contracts and grants.

Western Sahara

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Western Sahara. [199871]

Lynne Featherstone: The UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) is currently monitoring the ceasefire and humanitarian situation in Western Sahara which is stable at present. There remain large numbers of refugees from Western Sahara in refugee camps in Algeria, and humanitarian agencies report high levels of malnutrition among the refugee population.

The UK provides protection and support to refugees in Algeria through its core contributions to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

Communities and Local Government

Community Relations: Islam

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has (a) budgeted and (b) spent on work with Muslim organisations to further integration and community cohesion in (i) the current financial year and (ii) each of the last three years. [199833]

Stephen Williams: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 385W.

Crime

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisations involved in reporting hate crime his Department has funded in each financial year since May 2010. [199823]

Stephen Williams: DCLG supports a series of organisations who tackle hatred in all its forms. Reporting forms only one part of this, complementing the work of

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organisations such as the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, Show Racism the Red Card and the Anne Frank Trust that DCLG supports to tackle hate crime.

DCLG has provided funding to the following organisations that report hate crime.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [199942]

Brandon Lewis: This Government procure on the basis of value for money. Departments and the Crown Commercial Service will ensure that social, economic and sustainability issues are considered in procurement projects and that specifications, terms and conditions and evaluation criteria are developed to ensure that the relevant issues are addressed as appropriate for the subject matter of the requirements.

As outlined in the written ministerial statement of 6 September 2013, Official Report, column 33WS, on the Government response to the public sector equality duty review, there is clear evidence of equality and diversity policies going too far in the other direction, by imposing unreasonable and expensive burdens on organisations bidding for public sector contracts. The Government have committed to reducing procurement gold-plating by the public sector.

Fire Services: Pensions

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he intends to bring forward new proposals for the Firefighters' Pension Scheme. [200517]

Brandon Lewis: On 23 May I published a consultation on draft regulations to implement the Proposed Final Agreement for the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2015. Under this scheme design a firefighter who earns £29,000 and retires after a full career aged 60 will get a £19,000 a year pension. The consultation can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-regulations-to-introduce-a-new-firefighters-pension-scheme-from-april-2015

and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Homelessness

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has (a) conducted or (b) commissioned on recent trends in homelessness among people under the age of 35 years. [200364]

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Kris Hopkins: This Government are continuing to work hard to support vulnerable homeless people get their lives back on track.

We commissioned Homeless Link to undertake studies on youth homelessness in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13. All three reports are available at:

www.homeless.org.uk/youth-homelessness

Tackling youth homelessness is a priority for this Government and on 10 June I announced a package of £65 million funding from across Whitehall to tackle homelessness, with youth homelessness a central part of the programmes. The package includes:

£41.5 million which will be shared between the Homelessness Change Programme to provide tailored temporary hostel accommodation for rough sleepers to get them off the streets and transform their lives through health, training and education facilities and Platform for Life—a low-rent, shared accommodation programme for low-needs homeless young people so they have a stable platform for work and study;

£15 million for the Fair Chance Fund which aims to improve the accommodation, employment and training outcomes for vulnerable homeless 18 to 25-year-olds;

£8 million Help for Single Homeless Fund that will improve council services for single people facing the prospect of homelessness and;

over £580,000 to extend the Homelessness Gold Standard scheme which helps councils to improve frontline housing services for homeless families and single people.

This is in addition to the £470 million this Government have invested over the spending review period to tackle and prevent homelessness, and work we are already supporting to look at how local services for young people at risk of homelessness can be better joined up, to develop the skills needed to help homeless people into employment and to help single homeless people find accommodation in the private rented sector.

Radicalism

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research his Department has (a) commissioned and (b) published since May 2010 on citizenship and public attitudes towards extremism. [199828]

Stephen Williams: My Department has not commissioned any such research since 2010.

We have not published any such work other than the legacy Citizenship Survey, which was discontinued in 2011, as it represented poor value for money for its £4 million a year cost.

Instead, we have focused on front-line support for integration projects. A summary of our integration work can be found online at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/communitiesuk/sets/72157644380501531/

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department has provided directly to the public to help understand the threat from extremism and to promote integration; and whether such information has been made available in languages other than English. [199829]

Stephen Williams: We recognise that local communities know their own areas best and our approach is to enable local authorities, communities, businesses and

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voluntary bodies to lead integration in their local areas.

To kick-start this approach, we support a range of practical exemplar projects which demonstrate positive or pioneering ideas that are community-led and create the conditions for people to live successfully alongside each other. Ministers have also recently led a series of roadshows to engage directly with the public to inform them about our integration projects and cross-Government work to tackle extremism and hate crime. To accompany these roadshows DCLG has produced infographics summarising our integration work. They are available online at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/communitiesuk/sets/72157644380501531/

In our written ministerial statement of 12 March 2013, Official Report, columns 5-6WS, we made clear that translating material into other languages is expensive, and can hinder integration, encourage segregation and reduce incentives to learn English.

Rents

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what progress he has made on developing a model for rent review clauses which are index-linked to inflation; [199822]

(2) pursuant to the answer of 8 April 2014 to the hon. Member for Bradford East (Mr Ward), Official Report, columns 222-3W, on private rented housing, when he intends to publish a new model tenancy agreement. [200027]

Kris Hopkins: We are continuing to work with key partners, including the Competition and Markets Authority, to ensure that the clauses in the model residential tenancy agreement provide the right protections and an appropriate balance between the rights of landlords and tenants who choose to use the agreement. In that respect we are looking at the merits of index-linked rent review clauses. We aim to publish the model in the summer when our discussions with partners are finalised, so landlords and tenants can, with confidence, use the agreement.

I would note that the model tenancy agreement is a voluntary approach. It is in contrast to HM Opposition's plans for the re-introduction of statist rent controls, which would destroy investment in the private rented sector. The interests of tenants are best served by avoiding excessive regulation which would ultimately force up rents and reduce supply and choice.

Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 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. [200441]

Brandon Lewis: All questions due for answer before Prorogation received a substantive reply. No Prorogation answers were given.

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Justice

Community Rehabilitation Companies

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to ensure that community rehabilitation companies operated by external providers are considered public bodies for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [199825]

Jeremy Wright: Contracts with new community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) formed as part of our transforming rehabilitation market competition will be used to ensure that the Department’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) obligations are met. This is in line with recommendations from the Justice Select Committee and current Government policy that emphasis should be placed on the use of contracts to maintain transparency, rather than a formal extension of the FOIA to private providers.

A code of practice will be issued later this year to remind public authorities of their obligations under FOIA in relation to information held by contractors. This will encourage public authorities and contractors to go beyond the minimum FOIA requirements, and provide a wider range of information than that which is within scope of FOIA. We will ensure a commitment to transparency in the operations of the new providers is maintained.

Disciplinary Proceedings

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (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; [199890]

(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. [199912]

Simon Hughes: Staff within the Ministry of Justice (MoJ HQ), HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS), National Offender Management Service (NOMS), Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) and Legal Aid Agency (LAA) can, but are not compelled to, declare their ethnicity. Consequently, definitive figures for the proportion of white British staff who have been dismissed or subject to formal disciplinary proceedings over the last five financial years cannot be provided.

The MoJ Diversity report for 2012-13 provides an overview of information on staff grievances, investigations, conduct and discipline. This can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279638/moj-diversity-data-report-2012-13.pdf

This information has not been collated or published in respect of earlier financial years.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what targets his Department has for increasing diversity; and what progress has been made on meeting those targets in the last year. [199933]

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Simon Hughes: The MoJ has a longstanding commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and making sure that we are representative of the society we serve. The principle of appointment on merit is the foundation of civil service recruitment and enshrined in law.

The MoJ does not have any published targets but we annually review and publish the demographics of our workforce:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/diversity-report-2012-13

This information is used to inform policy of action in the future and set out in the MoJ equality objectives:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/209087/moj-equality-objectives.pdf#

We have made good progress in making the MoJ a more diverse place to work. For example, the MoJ's management board has an equal mix of women and men at executive (50%) and non-executive level (50%) levels, and we are led by a female permanent secretary, Ursula Brennan.

17% of MoJ staff members promoted last year were not white. This is an increase of 2% on the previous year. 10% more women were promoted in 2012-13 than in 2011-12.

Fly-tipping

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will make representations to the Sentencing Council requesting it to ensure that the strictest possible sentences are given to fly-tippers. [199820]

Jeremy Wright: The Government are concerned by the damage to the environment that fly-tipping and other unlawful deposits of waste can cause. That is why we have provided law enforcement agencies and the courts with powers to deal with such offending.

In regard to sentencing, the independent Sentencing Council conducted a consultation on environmental offences in 2013 and has issued a sentencing guideline for environmental offences which will take effect on 1 July 2014. Judges and magistrates are required to follow the guidelines unless it would not be in the interests of justice to do so.

Life Imprisonment

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the highest total number of life sentences given to any single offender is in the last 30 years. [199727]

Jeremy Wright: A life sentence is mandatory for murder and discretionary life sentences are available for other very serious offences. This Government has introduced an automatic life sentence for a second very serious violent or sexual offence.

The number of offenders who receive two or more life sentences is small. A number of life sentence prisoners commit offences in prison which result in a second life sentence, as is the case with the offender identified in response to this question. Some life sentence prisoners can also receive a second life sentence on conviction for offences committed prior to being imprisoned (e.g. a previous murder or rape).

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Of all offenders sentenced to life imprisonment between the years 2000 and 2013, the offender with the highest number of life sentences imposed on separate sentencing occasions in the 30 years prior to their most recent life sentence is an offender with four life sentences. All of the offender's life sentences were imposed for the attempted murder of fellow inmates and a guard.

The figure provided has been drawn from an extract of the Police National Computer (PNC) data held by the Department. The PNC holds details of all convictions and cautions given for recordable offences committed in England and Wales. Full criminal histories are only available for offenders convicted or cautioned for a recordable offence from the year 2000 onwards. In addition, as with any large-scale recording system the PNC is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Michael Wheatley

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) whether approval was sought from Ministers for the decision to move Michael Wheatley to an open prison; [199681]

(2) on what grounds Michael Wheatley was moved to an open prison. [199680]

Jeremy Wright: It would not be appropriate to place in the public domain information specific to the parole review and advice received by the independent Parole Board in respect of an individual prisoner.

However, an indeterminate sentence prisoner is transferred to open conditions only after a robust risk assessment and, in most cases, upon the recommendation of the independent Parole Board. In making its risk assessment, the Parole Board is provided with reports from a range of professional staff from within the National Offender Management Service, all of whom can be required to attend the Parole Board hearing and give evidence directly to the board if required to do so. In making its recommendation, the board’s overriding priority at all times is the safety of the public.

For many prisoners, open prisons provide a controlled environment, more closely akin to the outside community, in which to support resettlement and assess risk, in order to inform decision-making on potential eventual release. Open prisons provide such prisoners with an opportunity to establish stronger links with their family and to develop suitable employment and accommodation plans in time for their eventual release. Indeterminate sentence prisoners who fail to comply with the regime or whose behaviour gives cause for concern are swiftly returned to secure conditions.

Decisions as to whether to accept a Parole Board recommendation to transfer an indeterminate sentence prisoner to open conditions or to direct the transfer of such a prisoner without a Parole Board recommendation are taken by officials within the National Offender Management Service on behalf of Ministers, in accordance with the Carltona principle. Such decisions are not referred to Ministers—this is in line with 1994 and 2006 guidance.

The public have understandable concerns in the light of this case of a failure to return from temporary release from open prison, which led to a further offence. Keeping the public safe is our priority and we will not

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allow the actions of a small minority of offenders to undermine public confidence in the prison system. The number of temporary release failures remains very low— less than one failure in every 1,000 releases and about five in every 100,000 releases involving alleged offending— but we take each and every incident seriously. The Government have already ordered immediate changes to tighten up the system as a matter of urgency. With immediate effect, prisoners will no longer be transferred to open conditions if they have previously absconded from open prisons or if they have failed to return or reoffended while released on temporary licence.

Nigeria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 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. [200206]

Jeremy Wright: I have met the Nigerian Attorney-General twice, on 1 October 2013 and 9 January 2014, to discuss justice issues and was accompanied by officials on both occasions.

Prisoners' Release

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many prisoners released on temporary licence in (a) 2010, (b) 2011, (c) 2012 and (d) 2013 were serving custodial sentences for serious violent and sexual assaults; [199514]

(2) of what offences had prisoners released on temporary licence in each of the last four years been convicted. [199532]

Jeremy Wright: We commissioned a fundamental review of release on temporary licence (ROTL) policy and practice last year and, in March, announced a package of measures to ensure that the public was properly protected. We have brought forward some of those measures so that they begin to take effect immediately, particularly with more serious offenders, where the review concluded that an enhanced risk assessment approach should be taken. These offenders must have their release agreed by the governor or deputy and the board considering release must have sight of a psychologist’s case review report. Temporary licence is an important tool in preparing prisoners for release from prison but we must make sure it is done safely and that the public can feel confident in the risk assessment and monitoring arrangements.

Data in relation to the main offence types for offenders released on temporary licence are recorded in the following categories:

Violence against the person

Sexual offences

Robbery

Burglary

Theft and handling

Fraud and forgery

Drug offences

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Motoring offences

Other offences

Offence not recorded

It is therefore not possible to determine the number of offenders serving custodial sentences for serious violent and sexual assaults who were released on temporary licence without incurring disproportionate cost.

Offenders convicted of offences within each of these categories, with the exception of motor offences, were released on temporary licence in each year between 2011 and 2013. Data for 2010 cannot be provided due to a database migration.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the daily average (a) number and (b) proportion is of prisoners serving custodial sentences who are out of prison on temporary licence in each county; [199724]

(2) what the daily average (a) number and (b) proportion is of prisoners serving custodial sentences who are out of prison on temporary licence from category (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C and (iv) D prisons; [199725]

(3) what the daily average (a) number and (b) proportion is of (i) male and (ii) female prisoners serving custodial sentences who are out of prison on temporary licence. [199726]

Jeremy Wright: Temporary release can be a valuable tool in the resettlement of prisoners in the community but it must never take place at the expense of public safety. We conducted a fundamental review of the policy and practice of rerelease on temporary licence (ROTL) after serious failures last year. We are introducing a system that enhances the assessment of serious offenders and restricts access to ROTL to cases where there is a clear, legitimate reason for the release. We have already introduced some of these changes and have additionally introduced a restriction on prisoners transferring to open conditions and having ROTL if they have previously absconded from open prisons or if they have failed to return or reoffended while released on temporary licence.

It has not been possible to provide an answer in the time specified. I will write to my hon. Friend with an answer as soon as possible.

Secure Colleges: Leicestershire

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria were used to award the construction contract for the planned secure college in Leicestershire. [200035]

Jeremy Wright: Bids that were evaluated to have passed a predetermined non-price evaluation score threshold then had their price evaluated to verify that they complied with the price threshold requirements.

Bids that passed both thresholds had the non-price evaluation score and the price combined to create the overall price per quality point. The offer with the lowest price per quality value is considered to be the most economically advantageous and was recommended for contract award.

A total of 44 non-price evaluation tests spread across six workstreams were set for bidders as part of the

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competition for the design and build for the secure college pathfinder. The six workstream headings are listed as follows:

Workstream Headings

Design, Operation and Security Considerations

Management

Programme, Methodology and Project Management

SME Engagement and Local Interface

Completed Product Handback and Handover to Operator

Procurement and Commercial Management

Sexual Offences: Rehabilitation

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) sex offenders and (b) sex offender treatment programme places there were in each prison in each of the last four years. [199530]

Jeremy Wright: It has not been possible to answer this question within the time available. I will write to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

Stalking

Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of probation staff have received training in sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [199870]

Jeremy Wright: Sections 2A and 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which were inserted by virtue of section 111 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012,have been included in the curriculum of the Probation Qualification Framework since 2012.

The Home Office has funded the development and delivery of a training package on stalking for frontline professionals which is being delivered by Women's Aid, in collaboration with Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service. This training is currently taking place nationwide. The training material is also available for use by organisations and agencies to deliver sessions themselves.

Training details relating to probation staff are held locally, but have not been collected centrally and could not be collected without incurring disproportionate cost.

Mr Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many persons convicted under sections (a) 2A and (b) 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been given a custodial sentence of (i) less than 12, (ii) 12 to 24, (iii) 24 to 36 and (iv) more than 36 months; [199967]

(2) how many people have been convicted under (a) section 2A and (b) section 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 since November 2012; [199869]

(3) how many persons convicted under actions (a) 2A and (b) 4A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 have been given custodial sentences. [199968]

Jeremy Wright: The most recent figures showing the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody for offences under Sections 2A and 4A of the

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Protection from Harassment Act 1997, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2013 (the latest data available), can be viewed in the following table.

Victim Support Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what funding from the public purse was provided to support victims’ services in each of the last 10 years. [199717]

Damian Green: The Government are committed to ensuring victims of crime are fully supported and are making more money available than ever before for victims’ services. The table below shows the funding provided by the Ministry of Justice to organisations supporting victims of crime since the Department was formed in 2007.

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Defence

Afghanistan

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 90 UK personnel plan to provide mentoring and related support to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy he expects (a) to be female and (b) to be able to provide gender-sensitive training. [199610]

Mr Francois: The UK currently provides six female mentors to the Afghan National Army Officer Academy’s (ANAOA) female training platoon. One additional female mentor is involved in the wider training programme at the Academy.

Many of the mentor posts at the ANAOA are reserved for male service personnel, owing to the cultural sensibilities of our Afghan partners. We will continue to seek opportunities to deploy females into other mentoring posts to demonstrate to the Afghan National Army (ANA) that servicewomen are exemplars and can be employed across a wide range of roles.

In relation to gender-sensitive training, one of the ANAOA’s core training objectives is: “Comply with ANA gender integration/equality and diversity policy”. The course covers international law, human rights and women’s rights, Islamic attitudes (including towards women) and the rights of the family, focusing on the role and equality of women in contemporary Afghan society.

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 395W, on Afghanistan, whether recruits at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy in Afghanistan will receive specific training on UN Security Council resolution 1325. [199667]

Mr Francois: Officer Cadets at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) in Afghanistan receive specific training on UN Security Council resolution 1325. This supports one of the ANAOA’s core training objectives to: “Comply with Afghan National Army gender integration/equality and diversity policy”. The course covers international law, human rights and women’s rights, Islamic attitudes (including towards women) and the rights of the family, focusing on the role and equality of women in contemporary Afghan society.

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Air Force

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) outflow and (b) inflow was for RAF (i) engineer (aerosystems) officers and (ii) aircraft tradesmen in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [199376]

Anna Soubry: The outflow and inflow figures available for RAF Engineer (Aerosystems) officers and aircraft tradesmen, for each financial year, are set out in the following tables:

The inflow targets during this period were adjusted in line with the requirement to reduce the regular strength of the RAF. The reduction in inflow was partly due to the reduced requirement for engineering personnel following the removal of aircraft fleets such as Harrier and Nimrod.

The increase in outflow relates to the redundancy programme. As an organisation which recruits into the lower end of the rank structure, recruiting remains important to maintain a sustainable demographic.

Equal Opportunities

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [199944]

Mr Dunne: The Ministry of Defence will consider the diversity policies and records of businesses or other organisations where they are relevant and proportionate to the subject matter of the contract, and seeking best value for money in procurement.

HMS Illustrious

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the planned out-of-service date for HMS Illustrious has been brought forward; what the new date is; and who took the decision to change that date. [199753]

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Mr Dunne: As first announced on 15 December 2010, Official Report, column 102WS, HMS Illustrious will retire from service this year. No final decision has been made on the specific date.

HMS Ocean will shortly finish her extensive refit and take over as the Royal Navy’s landing platform helicopter ship.

ICT

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information and communications technology projects his Department has implemented (a) to the original deadline and on budget and (b) after the original deadline and over budget in the last 10 years. [200296]

Mr Dunne: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Military Medals Review

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials in his Department are working on the independent medal review by Sir John Holmes; and if he will make a statement. [200054]

Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence has three officials supporting the work of the independent medal review being conducted by Sir John Holmes.

Navy: Recruitment

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the acceptable body mass index requirement is for an applicant to the Royal Navy; [200275]

(2) whether applicants to the Royal Navy who meet an initial body mass index requirement of 28 face a different check at any other stage of the process. [200285]

Anna Soubry: The recommended Body Mass Index (BMI) guidelines for entry into service in the Royal Navy are in the table.

Further assessment is by measurement of waist circumference: males with a BMI over 28 may join if their waist circumference is less than 94 cm; females may join if their waist circumference is less than 80 cm.

The standards do not change during the application process but BMI is measured as part of the medical assessment, and results may differ from a candidates’ individual declaration and/or the outcome of the initial BMI check.

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Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 25 March 2013, Official Report, column 940W, on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, whether UK personnel at Creech Airforce base will remain embedded following the cessation of NATO International Security Force missions in Afghanistan. [200599]

Mr Francois: There are no longer any RAF personnel embedded with 432nd Wing of the US Air Force at Creech Airforce base.

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels: Carcinogens

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate he has made of the annual amount of carcinogens that are released by biofuels activity in the UK. [200012]

Mr Goodwill: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Department for Transport.

The Department for Transport has not made any annual estimates of carcinogens that are released by biofuels activity. These data are not required to meet the mandatory sustainability criteria under the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which is applicable to biofuels supplied in the UK under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO).

Voluntary schemes approved by the European Commission can set criteria for aspects of biofuel production aimed at minimising adverse environmental impacts associated with agricultural production, including on air quality, in addition to setting sustainability criteria. In 2012-13, 81% of biofuel supplied in the UK under the RTFO was covered by an approved voluntary scheme, the vast majority of which include additional aspects aimed at minimising the impact on air quality of the cultivation and harvesting of biofuel feedstocks.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Air Quality Expert Group has considered the potential impacts of increased biofuel use on air pollutants, such as particulate matter, and concluded that these should fall with most biofuel uptake scenarios. The Group’s Report “Road Transport Biofuels: Impact on UK Air Quality”, is published at:

ixhttp://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/110322_AQEG_Biofuels_advice_note.pdf

In respect of the biofuel supply chain, the European Commission produced a staff working document accompanying its renewable energy progress report to the European Parliament in 2013, which is published at:

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/doc/swd_2013_0102_res_en.pdf

It concluded that between 2008 and 2010, there was limited change in threats to air quality from EU biofuel demand.

Boilers: Government Assistance

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he has taken to incentivise off-gas homes to install modern condensing boilers. [200087]

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Gregory Barker: The Government fully recognise that LPG and oil, like other fossil fuels, will continue to play a part in the UK's energy mix, but we must begin to revolutionise the way we heat our homes to make the transition to a low carbon economy. To this end, DECC has introduced the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme to support renewable heating systems. The domestic RHI is targeted predominately at off- gas-grid households, by compensating for the additional costs faced when replacing an oil boiler with a renewable heating system. New incentives for oil and LPG boilers would undermine the balance struck in the design of the RHI, and potentially cause confusion for consumers.

For more vulnerable customers, support for condensing boilers will remain available through the energy company obligation. DECC has proposed changes that will strengthen the support for off-grid properties.

Energy Act 2013

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when his Department plans to publish its strategy and policy statement as set out in the Energy Act 2013. [199566]

Michael Fallon: I plan to consult on the draft strategy and policy statement this summer. Once we have considered any responses the statement will be designated following parliamentary approval as set out in the Energy Act 2013.

Fossil Fuels: Algeria

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much oil and gas was imported to the UK from Algeria in the last period for which figures are available. [199745]

Michael Fallon: In 2013, the UK imported 6,200 tonnes of crude oil from Algeria, and 4,500 GWh of gas. Total UK imports were 50,300 tonnes of crude oil and 525,000 GWh of gas. Data for 2013 are rounded to the nearest hundred and are provisional.

Fuel Oil: Rural Areas

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund on people who live in rural areas and rely on oil-fired central heating. [200086]

Gregory Barker: The Government want to encourage all householders to invest in energy efficiency, whether rural or urban. The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund is designed to incentivise householders in England and Wales to install a wide range of energy efficiency measures, such as insulation and better glazing. Many rural properties have solid walls, making them well placed to take maximum advantage of the scheme—such households could be eligible to receive up to £6,000 for installing solid wall insulation, or up to £7,000 for installing solid wall insulation and two other eligible measures.

However, DECC does consider it appropriate to exclude oil and LPG fired boilers from the GDHIF scheme. The Government fully recognise that LPG and oil, like other

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fossil fuels, will continue to play a part in the UK’s energy mix, but we must begin to revolutionise the way we heat our homes to make the transition to a low carbon economy. To this end, DECC has introduced the domestic renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme to support renewable heating systems; this support aims to compensate householders for the additional costs they face when installing a renewable heating system compared to an oil heating system. The domestic RHI is targeted at, but not limited to, homes off the gas grid. Incentivising oil and LPG boilers in this context would undermine the balance struck in the design of the RHI, and potentially cause confusion for consumers. For low income and vulnerable customers, support is available through the affordable warmth element of the energy company obligation. Through this, energy suppliers deliver heating cost reductions in eligible off-gas and on-gas-grid households through the provision of any measures which will reduce costs. We have proposed changes to ECO which will actively incentivise suppliers to deliver measures to non-gas-fuelled households.

Green Deal Scheme

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for what reason householders converting to higher efficiency natural gas condensing boilers are eligible for help under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, but householders in rural areas converting to higher efficiency oil or liquid petroleum gas condensing boilers are not eligible. [200373]

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Monmouth (David T. C. Davies) on 9 June 2014, Official Report, column 21W.

Natural Gas: Storage

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an assessment on the implications for his policy on the need for additional gas storage in the UK of the statement on 16 May 2014 of the EU Energy Commissioner that the gas security of supply directive should be amended to increase the minimum quantity of gas that member states are obliged to store. [200618]

Michael Fallon: The Energy Commissioner’s statement predates the EU Energy Security Strategy on 28 May 2014, which sets out the position on this issue and is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/security_of_supply_en.htm

The EU Energy Security Strategy does not call for additional gas storage, nor minimum quantities of gas, to be held in storage by member storage. Rather, it proposes ‘stress tests’ to security of supply shocks which could include, if necessary, increasing gas stocks in Europe among other measures.

We will engage with any stress test process and consider the implications for our approach to gas security arising from the results. It also sets out a wide range of other measures, highlighting that storage is only one aspect of gas security.

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Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy on the need for additional gas storage capacity in the UK of recent events involving Russia and Ukraine; and if he will make a statement. [200619]

Michael Fallon: We have no plans to reassess the need for additional gas storage capacity in the UK in the light of events between Russia and Ukraine. The Department commissioned from Redpoint Energy analysis on the case for Government support for additional gas storage in the UK, which was published in September 2013. This cost-benefit analysis did not support intervention to deliver additional gas storage capacity due to a combination of low risk, poor rates of return for the taxpayer, and the risk of unintended consequences within the market.

Disputes between Russia and Ukraine affecting gas supply to Europe do not change this stance. Previous analysis has demonstrated that the UK gas market is resilient to all but the most unlikely combination of high-demand conditions and supply disruption. The UK has a diverse range of gas suppliers and routes to market and receives less than 1% of its gas from Russia.

Nuclear Reactors

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to support the development of a small module reactor in the UK. [199743]

Michael Fallon: The Government's continuing priorities are to ensure that the 16GW of new nuclear capacity so far proposed by industry for deployment by 2030 remains on track and to create the right conditions for a long-term programme of nuclear power as part of the UK's cost-effective low carbon energy mix.

In addition to making further progress on the conventional new nuclear programme, the Government are also assessing the possible contribution that SMRs could make to the UK energy mix and potential high- value commercial opportunities for UK firms. The Government have therefore commissioned a feasibility study to investigate and identify the scale of the opportunity presented by SMRs. The study is being conducted by an industry consortium led by the National Nuclear Laboratory and will propose recommendations to the Government for taking this forward in summer 2014, reporting in the first instance to the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board. These recommendations will inform the evidence base for the Government's policy decisions on their approach to SMRs.

Wind Power: Wales

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of a potential link between wind farms and tidal patterns in north Wales; and if he will make a statement. [200019]

Gregory Barker: The Department has not carried out a specific assessment on the potential link between offshore wind farms and tidal patterns in north Wales.

The Department does undertake a programme of Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) for offshore energy technologies which identifies and addresses relevant

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environmental issues at a strategic level. At a project level, developers are required to undertake environmental impact assessments through the planning system, and development consent will not be granted if significant effects on the environment cannot be mitigated.

Home Department

Domestic Violence

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will revise her Department's guidelines to 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. [200521]

Norman Baker: The coalition Government takes the issue of domestic violence and abuse extremely seriously. That is why in 2013, the Home Secretary commissioned HMIC (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary) to undertake a comprehensive review on how the police deal with domestic violence and abuse and is chairing a National Oversight Group, on which I also sit, to oversee the delivery of HMIC’s recommendations. Following the publication of HMIC’s report, the College of Policing is updating its authorised professional practice for officers on domestic abuse.

The Metropolitan Police Service uses national CPS guidelines when referring cases for prosecution. The Director of Public Prosecution’s Guidance on Charging clearly advises both police officers and prosecutors that the CPS will charge all domestic violence cases where the appropriate evidential standard has been met. The CPS is also currently revising its domestic violence policy—a revised policy was published for consultation on 14 May 2014. The CPS is also working closely with the police to assess how the criminal justice response can be improved together with the police consideration of the HMIC review.

Immigration Controls

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the average waiting times at the UK border for the last three years at (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick, (c) Stansted, (d) Manchester, (e) Birmingham and (f) Luton airports. [199026]

Karen Bradley: The yearly average queue times for passengers arriving at the primary checkpoint to be admitted into the UK are set out in the following table. All meet service level agreement targets, which are below 25 minutes for European Economic Area (EEA) passengers and below 45 Minutes for non-EEA passengers.

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Members: Correspondence

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the meaning is of the phrase ‘responder hub’ as used in a communication from her Department to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman); and if she will instruct her staff to use clearer and more comprehensible English in their communications with hon. Members and the public. [200201]

Karen Bradley: The UK Visas and Immigration teams which lead on responding to correspondence from Members of Parliament are geographically grouped into eight offices at the following sites; Croydon, Westminster, Cardiff, Solihull, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield and Glasgow. Each office is described as a ‘responder hub' because it may deal with correspondence from outside the immediate geographical area.

Officials are reviewing how teams are described externally in response to feedback from customers.

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 2 May 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) with regard to Mrs Amila Dar. [200503]

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman on 16 June 2014.

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 2 May 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) with regard to Mr RO Estemogbo. [200504]

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman on 16 June 2014.

Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to reply to the letter to her dated 6 May 2014 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Sir Gerald Kaufman) with regard to Mrs Bernioe Cssai Ogunribido. [200505]

James Brokenshire: I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman on 12 June 2014.

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Verne Prison

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse has been of the conversion of HM Prison The Verne into an immigration removal centre. [199511]

Karen Bradley: £5.4 million has been spent to date on the conversion of HM Prison The Verne into an Immigration Removal Centre.

Written Questions

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [200593]

Karen Bradley: Seven questions did not receive a substantive reply by the time of prorogation 2014.

The tabling dates for these questions are as follows:

9 April 2014

8 May 2014

26 March 2014

24 March 2014

2 May 2014

2 May 2014

9 May 2014

Treasury

Air Passenger Duty: Scotland

Mr MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to devolve air passenger duty to Scotland. [200267]

Nicky Morgan: Beyond the powers in the Scotland Act 2012, the Government have no plans for further devolution of tax powers to Scotland until the referendum on Scottish independence has been settled.

Budget 2014 announced the reform of air passenger duty with the abolition of bands C and D from 1 April 2015. This will eliminate the two highest rates of air passenger duty charged on flights to countries over 4,000 miles from Britain, cutting tax for millions of passengers travelling to China, India, Brazil and many other emerging markets. This will mean that flights to South Asia and the Caribbean will pay tax at the lower band B rate.

Business: Loans

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on extending the FCA’s powers to include regulatory powers over tailored business loans; [200088]

(2) what guidance his Department has given to the Financial Conduct Authority on its remit in relation to tailored business loans. [200092]

Andrea Leadsom: Treasury Ministers and officials meet a wide range of organisations as part of the usual policy making process.

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The Treasury publishes a list of ministerial meetings with external organisations. This is available online at:

http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

It is important to recognise that business lending is not, and never has been, within the scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) conduct rules.

I understand that Clydesdale and Yorkshire banks have agreed to review the sale of those tailored business loans with features comparable to stand-alone structured collars, simple collars and caps, notwithstanding the fact that they are strictly outside the scope of the FCA’s review into the mis-selling of interest rate hedging products.