Self-employed: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many (a) men and (b) women were registered as self-employed in (i) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and (ii) Scotland in each of the last four years for which figures are available; [200631]

(2) how many people registered as self employed in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and (b) Scotland reported net income of (i) zero and (ii) below the threshold for national insurance in each of the last four years for which figures are available; [200630]

(3) what the (a) mean and (b) median age of people registered as self-employed was in (i) Scotland and (ii) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency in (A) 2010, (B) 2011, (C) 2012 and (D) 2013; [200632]

(4) how many people were registered as self-employed in (a) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last four years for which figures are available. [200633]

Mr Gauke: Estimates of the numbers of individuals with self-employment sources are published in HMRC’s National Statistics table 3.10 which is available at the following internet address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/income-of-individuals-with-self-employment-sources-2010-to-2011

The numbers of individuals making zero profits and at other income levels is also shown in these tables.

Tables for 2009-10 and earlier years are available from the National Archives internet site at the following address:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20121102223513/http:/hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/menu-by-year.htm

Overall, these show a long term trend of growth in the numbers of self-employed people.

Speeches

Mr Jenkin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the speech delivered by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in New York on 25 June 2014 represents the policy of the Government. [202346]

Danny Alexander: I recently visited the USA in my capacity as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, where I delivered speeches to audiences in New York and Washington on 23 and 25 June respectively.

Transcripts are available on the Treasury website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chief-secretary-on-investing-in-the-uk

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and

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/chief-secretarys-speech-to-the-centre-for-transatlantic-relations

Tax Evasion

Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to use powers under Part I, Chapter II of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 to prevent and detect tax evasion. [201769]

Mr Gauke: In 2013-14 a total of 348 HMRC investigations across Enforcement and Compliance were supported by the acquisition of CD for the purposes of preventing and detecting crime and assessing or collecting taxes and duties. A total of 11,103 requests were made, (the majority requesting subscriber information). In 2013-14 communications data underpinned investigations that prevented revenue loss in excess of £1 billion.

Tourism: VAT

Mark Durkan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effect of cutting the rate of tourism VAT on the tourism balance of payments. [202041]

Mr Gauke: No such assessment has been made. There is no single rate of tourism VAT. The VAT rate paid on goods and services bought by tourists in the UK is exactly the same as that which applies to UK residents. This means for example, that tourists can benefit from the UK’s zero rates of VAT on certain foods, children’s clothing and certain transport. But it also means they are charged VAT on things like catering services (the supply of meals, alcohol, snacks and drinks) sold by restaurants, pubs, cafes and canteens.

Welfare State: Northern Ireland

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the current value is of all financial penalties imposed on the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of that body not implementing the Government's welfare reform policy. [201864]

Danny Alexander: I wrote to the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel on 31 March to set out that that the Northern Ireland Executive’s funding allocations would be reduced by £13 million, £87 million and £114 million for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Armed Conflict: Children

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has raised the issues of child soldiering and progress on tackling it with his counterparts in other countries in the last two years. [202201]

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Mark Simmonds: Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) is an important personal priority. I am leading a campaign to prevent the recruitment of child soldiers and to protect children from becoming victims of sexual violence in five priority countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Somalia, South Sudan, Chad and Burma. Over the last two years, I have raised this issue with counterparts in Chad, Sierra Leone and DRC, as well as most recently with the Somali President and the Minister of the Interior in South Sudan during visits in April this year. The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), also discussed the issue during a visit to Burma in January.

During the recent End Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit, I hosted a ministerial roundtable on CAAC attended by UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for CAAC. Ministers from Sierra Leone, DRC and Somalia underlined their commitment to ending the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.

Colombia

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart to support the requests for an investigation into the death of Yonni Steven Caicedo, a television cameraman in Colombia shot dead on 19 February 2014; [202086]

(2) if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart supporting the requests for an investigation into the murders of four FENSUAGRO trades union members shot dead on 17 May 2014 in Alto Amarradero; [202087]

(3) if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart that Colombia should guarantee the safety of Nubia Acosta, Nevis Niño Rodríguez and the families of El Tamarindo; [202088]

(4) if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart supporting the requests for an investigation into the death of Thomas Rodriguez Cantillo, a SINTRAINAGRO trades union member killed on 9 May 2014; [202090]

(5) if he will make representations to his Colombian counterpart concerning the withdrawal on 26 May 2014, of precautionary safety measures recommended by the Inter American Court for Human Rights to protect the human rights activist Juan David Diaz. [202091]

Mr Swire: I met representatives from six human rights organisations, including Oxfam and Christian Aid as well as Colombian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) during my visit to Bogotá last week. I also met two Deputy Ministers for Foreign Affairs, heads of the Colombian Government’s major human rights agencies and representatives of the Attorney-General’s office. I set out HM Government concern about the reported rise in attacks against human rights defenders and a lack of sentences for those responsible.

Egypt

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to encourage more tourists to visit Egypt. [202269]

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Hugh Robertson: The decision on whether to travel to Egypt, or any other country, is for each individual to make. The purpose of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel Advice is to help individuals make an informed decision. We advise anyone considering visiting Egypt to read the FCO Travel Advice before travelling.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that British expertise will be used in the building of the nuclear power station in Egypt. [202271]

Hugh Robertson: UKTI officials in Egypt are closely monitoring progress towards the building of new nuclear power stations in Egypt and will work to promote appropriate opportunities for British companies.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Egyptian Government on the Muslim Brotherhood. [202275]

Hugh Robertson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the Muslim Brotherhood with former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on 14 May.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he had held with his Egyptian counterpart on the new parliamentary elections law in that country. [202336]

Hugh Robertson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has yet to meet his new counterpart, Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri who was sworn in on 17 June. He did raise the issue of parliamentary elections and the need for political inclusiveness with former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy on 14 May before the new law was passed.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the details of the new parliamentary elections law in Egypt. [202337]

Hugh Robertson: The new parliamentary elections law, enacted by the decree of former interim President Adly Mansour on 5 June, increases the number of parliamentary seats to 567, with 420 seats to be elected by single member constituencies and 120 through party lists. On 3 June, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs issued a statement urging Egypt’s leaders to ensure that the transition leads towards accountable and democratic governance, underpinned by strong and accountable institutions.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the committee of legislative reform in Egypt on the proposed new parliamentary elections law in that country. [202439]

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Hugh Robertson: The new parliamentary elections law was enacted by decree of the former interim President Adly Mansour on 5 June. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not have direct discussions with the committee of legislative reform in Egypt.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he plans to make to his Egyptian counterparts on the seven year jail terms handed down to three Al-Jazeera journalists; and if he will make a statement. [202537]

Hugh Robertson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made a statement on 23 June expressing his concerns and urging the Egyptian Government to demonstrate their commitment to freedom of expression by reviewing this case as a matter of urgency.

The Egyptian ambassador Ashraf el-Kholy was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 23 June. FCO Political Director, Simon Gass told the Egyptian ambassador that the British Government was deeply concerned by the verdicts, and with the procedural shortcomings of the trials. The British ambassador to Egypt also raised this issue in Cairo with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June. We will continue to raise this case with the Egyptian authorities.

Egypt: Libya

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with his counterparts in Egypt and Libya lessening the threat along the borders of those countries caused by terrorist networks in Libya. [202272]

Hugh Robertson: The National Security Adviser visited Egypt on 10-11 June and Libya on 16 June, and discussed the situation on the Libyan-Egyptian border with the then Egyptian Foreign Minister Fahmy and Libyan PM Al Thinni. We will continue to discuss means to lessen the threat along Libya’s borders with the Government of Libya and those of neighbouring states.

The UK is providing direct support to strengthen Libya’s borders. We have a Border Security Adviser embedded with the Libyan Border Security HQ, and provide four UK experts to the EU Border Assistance Mission in Libya (EUBAM), including the Deputy Head of Mission. The UK’s Defence Advisory Training Team provides advice and training to the Libyan Ministry of Defence and institutions, including the Border Security Force.

India

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed violence against women and girls with representatives of the Indian Government; and if he will make a statement. [202405]

Mr Swire: We are committed to working with the Indian Government and international partners to address the problems of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation and regularly discuss these issues with the Indian authorities. Our high commissioner Sir James Bevan recently met India’s Minister for Women

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and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi, on 17 June to discuss a range of issues, including gender-based violence and the UK’s plans to host the 2014 Girls Summit aimed at tackling female genital mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriage. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has also discussed the Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and its efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, with India’s new Foreign Minister, Sushma Swaraj.

Through the Department for International Development (DFID) 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.

Interception Warrants

Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many interception warrants were (a) issued, (b) declined and (c) cancelled by his Department under (i) section 8(1) and (ii) section 8(4) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 in the last six months for which figures are available. [201668]

Hugh Robertson: It is the long standing policy of successive Governments not to comment on matters of intelligence. I would refer the hon. Member to Section 3 of the 2013 Annual Report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner, the right hon. Sir Anthony May, which was presented to Parliament pursuant of Section 58(6) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Iran

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the Iranian Government about the imprisonment of Pastor Behnam Irani. [202259]

Hugh Robertson: We are aware of the arrest and imprisonment of Pastor Behnam Irani. We remain deeply concerned about the detention and treatment of all prisoners of conscience in Iran and the ongoing discrimination against Christians and other minority religious groups. We have called for the Iranian government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran and end the persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. The UK’s non-resident Chargé d’Affaires raised the issue of freedom of religion with the Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran on 12 March.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iranian Govrnment on the arrest of Silas Rabbani, Karaj Farshid, Fathi Alireza, Seyydin, Mohammad Rohangir, Surush Saraie, Escander Rezale, Shahnin Lahouty and Medhei Ameruni; and if he will urge that Government to confirm that those people are healthy and safe in the location where they are and that their families be made aware of this. [202260]

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Hugh Robertson: We are aware of the arrests of Silas Rabbani, Karaj Farshid, Fathi Alireza, Seyydin, Mohammad Rohangir, Surush Saraie, Escander Rezale, Shahnin Lahouty and Medhei Ameruni. We remain deeply concerned about the detention and treatment of all prisoners of conscience in Iran and the ongoing discrimination against Christians and other minority religious groups. We have called for the Iranian Government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran and end the persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith. The UK’s non-resident Chargé d’Affaires raised the issue of freedom of religion with the Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran on 12 March.

Meriam Ibrahim

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make urgent representations to his counterpart in South Sudan on the reported re-arrest of Meriam Ibrahim in South Sudan. [202045]

Mark Simmonds: Meriam Ibrahim and her family were released on police bail on 26 June following their detention at Khartoum International airport on 24 June. We understand that she and her family are currently staying at the US embassy.

We will remain closely engaged in this case and continue to call on the Government of Sudan to abide by its international obligations to uphold an individual's right to freedom of religion or belief.

Mining: Human Rights

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, columns 367-8W, on armed conflicts: minerals, which companies have joined or have applied to join the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights initiative. [202436]

Mark Simmonds: In the last two years, UK-headquartered companies Tullow Oil and Premier Oil have joined the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. An application from another company based in the UK is currently under consideration by the Steering Committee of the Voluntary Principles Initiative.

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, columns 367-8W, on armed conflicts: minerals, which UK companies he has met to discuss the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. [202437]

Mark Simmonds: I have met the following companies to discuss the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights—Anglo American, BG Group, BP, Dana Petroleum, Dominion Energy, Ophir Energy, Perenco, Premier Oil, Rio Tinto, Shell, Soma Oil and Gas, Stellar Diamonds and Tullow Oil.

Performance Appraisal

Mrs Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his

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Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2013-14. [202056]

Hugh Robertson: The 2014 validation process for staff performance ratings is not yet complete for 2013-14.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes seriously its obligations to collect diversity data as required by the Equality Act 2010. Information about the diversity and makeup of our staff is listed in the FCO's Diversity and Equality Report.

All staff have been asked to provide personal disability data to be held anonymously. We continue to encourage increased declaration by staff as current declaration rates are below the level necessary to give meaningful statistical information. I will write to the hon. Member (and place a copy of the letter in the Library of the House) when the validation process is complete to answer her question.

Religious Freedom

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information his Department holds on which countries considers apostasy a crime and what sentence it carries. [202046]

Mr Lidington: The Government’s information on issues such as this comes from publicly available sources, such as the US State Department’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and reporting by NGOs, supplemented by information from our network of embassies and high commissions. We maintain no central list of countries that consider apostasy a crime or what penalty is imposed. We formulate our response to the situation in individual countries on a case by case basis, taking into account which course of action is most likely to have a positive effect for individuals and communities in the country concerned.

Freedom of thought, conscience or belief, including the right of the individual to change his or her religion, is a fundamental human right enshrined in international law. We call on Governments that render apostasy a crime to uphold their international obligations on freedom of religion or belief.

Western Sahara

Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 384W, on Western Sahara, if the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa will meet representatives of POLISARIO, the administering power de facto in the area east of the Berm dividing Western Sahara, to discuss security and terrorism. [202069]

Hugh Robertson: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials regularly meet POLISARIO Front representatives to discuss Western Sahara. Officials also undertake visits to the region, and to the refugee camps at Tindouf. British Ministers do not have direct contact with the POLISARIO Front.

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Business, Innovation and Skills

Agriculture: Research

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on agricultural research in each financial year since 2010-11. [201944]

Mr Willetts: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills’ expenditure on agricultural research is through the UK Research Councils and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) as per the figures given below:

Apprentices

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) what quality standards will be imposed on employers when apprenticeship funding moves directly to employers; [202149]

(2) what factors he took into account in deciding not to adopt a pure provider payment model in reform of apprenticeship funding. [202150]

Matthew Hancock: The 2013 consultation on apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models—a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

We have established a ministerial advisory panel on apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

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We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

Apprentices: Greater London

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships there were in London on 31 May (a) 2010 and (b) 2014. [202354]

Matthew Hancock: Information on apprenticeship starts and participation by region are published in Supplementary Tables to a Statistical First Release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/324021/apprenticeships-starts-by-geography-learner-demographics-and-sector-subject-area.xls

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296370/Nov2013_Apprenticeships_Region_Participation.xls

Apprenticeship data are presented by academic year. Final data for the full 2013/14 academic year will be published in November 2014.

Apprentices: Horticulture

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to fund and support businesses in the horticulture sector to take on apprentices. [201713]

Matthew Hancock: Apprenticeship reforms are addressing exactly the barriers that employers have identified to taking on apprentices.

Trailblazers led by employers are designing the new apprenticeship standards for occupations in their sectors. Horticulture employers are fully engaged in the reform programme and the trailblazer for the sector has recently submitted a standard for approval.

The budget announced £170 million funding to extend the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers to help smaller businesses take on young apprentices aged 16 to 24. This will fund over 100,000 incentive payments of £1,500. Extending the grant into 2015 will ensure apprenticeship take up by small businesses, including those in the horticulture sector, continues to be supported.

Asbestos

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether any buildings owned or used by his Department contain asbestos. [201597]

Jenny Willott: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) do own and use buildings which contain asbestos.

The reports for all buildings within the BIS core estate which contain asbestos are regularly reviewed for appropriateness and action plans to manage, update and re-inspect are implemented.

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Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether all buildings owned or used by his Department have been allotted a responsible person as a duty holder in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance. [201598]

Jenny Willott: All buildings owned or used by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have a responsible person as a duty holder in line with the Health and Safety Executive guidance.

As current director of estates at UKSBS, Roger Taylor is responsible for the management of all aspects of estates management on behalf of Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for the core buildings owned and/or used by them.

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether all buildings owned or used by his Department have been inspected to identify any asbestos materials within them. [201627]

Jenny Willott: All buildings owned or used by Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which are in scope have been inspected for asbestos containing materials.

Buildings which are out of scope include those managed by the landlord and those built post 2000.

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether staff in his Department are able to access the reports reviewing the buildings owned or used by his Department on asbestos within its buildings. [201628]

Jenny Willott: All available information relating to the estate of Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is held by the maintenance provider. This information includes reports and other information relating to asbestos in buildings.

This is available on request to all maintenance provider contractors.

Other interested parties such as staff, need to be directed to the maintenance provider by Property Asset Management Directorate who work for BIS.

British Business Bank

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many staff in Sheffield are employed at the headquarters of the British Business Bank. [202119]

Matthew Hancock: A total of 86 people are currently working on British Business Bank programmes, of which 44 work in the Sheffield headquarters. They are employed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and their employment will transfer to the British Business Bank plc once EU state aid approval has been obtained for that institution, which is expected to happen later this year.

British Irish Council

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in how many meetings of the British-Irish Council he has taken part. [202300]

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Jo Swinson: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not held any meetings with the British-Irish Council within the last year

Employment Tribunals Service

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times his Department has appeared at an employment tribunal to contest protective awards in each of the last five years. [202008]

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has not appeared before an employment tribunal to contest a protective award.

Protective awards are determined by employment tribunals following applications made by former employees or their representatives.

BIS is sometimes joined as a respondent in protective award claims, because under legislation, the Secretary of State guarantees the payment of protective awards made in favour of employees whose employer is insolvent, up to a certain amount.

It is for the tribunal to establish the facts in each case, considering evidence of the actions taken by employers and their representatives, and decide whether there was adequate consultation on redundancies. BIS is not in a position to know the extent to which an employer or their representative consulted with employees and does not give evidence on that point nor take any particular position.

BIS’ responsibility is to establish what payments are due and who is entitled to receive them. We therefore make written representations to the tribunal on points of law or to seek clarification of who is covered by a protective award. We may appeal an award, but only if we consider that the tribunal has made the judgment based on an incorrect reading of the legislation.

The number of cases where BIS has made representations to an employment tribunal regarding protective award cases in the last five years is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988

Mr Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what changes his Department plans to bring forward to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. [202554]

Jo Swinson: For the past 10 months, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has been discussing with industry, enforcement authorities and the fire services, a proposal to bring forward changes to the match and cigarette tests in the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. We believe this would bring benefits to both businesses and consumers by reducing the levels of potentially harmful flame retardant chemicals generally used to meet the requirements of the match test, while also improving fire safety. Any such changes would be subject to formal public consultation.

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Green Investment Bank

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to ensure that the Green Investment Bank does not provide support to (a) the proposed Helius Bioenergy Plant at Avonmouth and (b) other biofuel projects. [R] [200184]

Michael Fallon: I have spoken to the Chief Executive of the Green Investment Bank (GIB) about the proposed plant at Avonmouth to ensure he is aware of the concerns that have been raised about it. The impacts of individual proposals for biomass power projects are subject to detailed assessment during the planning approval process and final decisions in each case are a matter for the relevant planning authority. This proposal received planning consent in March 2010. The final consent letter may be found on the DECC Energy Infrastructure webpage at

https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/projects/Avonmouth.htm

I cannot comment on the merits of that decision.

The Government’s position on the role of biomass power within the UK’s energy mix has been set out clearly in the UK Bioenergy Strategy (2012) which can be found on the Government’s website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-bioenergy-strategy

This sets out how the Government seek to ensure the benefits of bioenergy are achieved in a way that delivers genuine carbon reductions and that fuel is sourced sustainably. The extensive sustainability requirements in place for the use of biomass fuel are set out in the UK Government Response to the consultation on biomass sustainability and the Renewables Obligation (RO), published in August 2013.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/231102/RO_Biomass_Sustainability _consultation_-_Government_Response_22_August_2013.pdf

In considering whether to participate in financing a biomass power project, GIB must satisfy itself that the Government’s sustainability requirements are fully met.

Higher Education: Egypt

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will take steps to encourage universities in the UK to enter into partnerships and twinning arrangements with the British university in Egypt. [202261]

Mr Willetts: I am keen that UK universities broaden their engagement with their Egyptian counterparts in recognition of the country’s growing research strengths. The newly created UK-Egypt Newton-Mosharafa Fund presents a real opportunity to take UK-Egypt institutional engagement to another level, by investing £20 million over five years in a bilateral partnership focused on science, research, innovation and education.

The British university Egypt will be eligible to apply for calls once the fund is launched.

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Insolvency

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service has made payments of protective awards due to failures on the part of the company or administrator to conduct a proper collective consultation in each of the last five years; to which companies such awards were made; and how much was paid out in (a) statutory entitlements and (b) protective awards in each such case. [202006]

Jenny Willott: The Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payments Service (RPS) only makes protective award payments to employees if their employer is insolvent and an employment tribunal has determined that there was insufficient consultation, by the company, administrator or liquidator, regarding redundancies and makes a protective award.

In the last five financial years, the RPS has paid out the following in statutory payments for cases where a protective award was awarded:

The protective award payments made on these cases (in addition to the statutory payments) were as following:

These figures include cases in administration and those in liquidation.

A breakdown of the individual cases is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many times the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service has made payments in cases where Deloitte was appointed the administrator in each of the last five years; how many such cases also involved payments made for protective awards; and how much was paid out for (a) statutory entitlements and (b) protective awards in each such case. [202007]

Jo Swinson: In the last five years, the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Services have paid £77,233,534.54 in statutory entitlements, in 173 cases where Deloitte was appointed the administrator or liquidator.

Of these cases, 20 cases resulted in protective award judgments totalling £6,930,864.72 paid from the national insurance fund.

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Due to the number of cases, it is not possible to disclose how much was paid in each individual case so a total has been provided instead.

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many outstanding protective awards to be paid by the Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Services are owed to firms in which less than 20 people are employed on one site. [202009]

Jenny Willott: Under legislation, a protective award can be made where it is determined that there was insufficient consultation in situations involving 20 or more redundancies in one establishment.

The Redundancy Payments Service makes payments, to affected employees, where an employment tribunal has made an award and the employer is insolvent.

The Employment Appeal Tribunal, in the Woolworths case (USDAW v. WW Realisations 1 Ltd and others), decided that it should remove the European test of ‘establishment' from UK law. The Department is appealing this judgment as we do not agree with this interpretation of the law.

We think the right interpretation of the law is that employers must consult employee representatives if making 20 or more redundancies at one establishment. In a dispute, it is for the employment tribunals to decide what is an establishment on the facts of each individual case.

Until the Woolworths appeal is determined, employment tribunals are staying (not deciding) claims from employees who worked on sites with fewer than 20 proposed redundancies and the RPS is unable to make payments to such employees.

Information on the number of affected cases is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

McDonalds Restaurants

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has had discussions with McDonald's Corporation on its relationship with trades unions in the UK. [201854]

Jenny Willott: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has not had such a discussion with McDonald’s Corporation.

Money Lenders

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much he allocated to the Illegal Money Lending Unit in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last four years up to the most recent period for which figures are available. [202104]

Jenny Willott: Since 1 April 2012 the National Trading Standards Board (NTSB) has been responsible for the Illegal Money Lending Units in England and Wales, and Trading Standards Scotland (TSS) has been responsible for the Illegal Money Lending Unit in Scotland. The NTSB and TSS decide what proportion of their total grant funding (provided by BIS) should be allocated for

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delivery of these functions. Before April 2012 Government directly funded all three of the Illegal Money Lending Teams.

Following are the budgets allocated to the Illegal Money Lending teams over the last four years.

Trading Standards is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and so it is not possible to provide comparable data.

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many full-time and part-time staff were employed to work in the Illegal Money Lending Unit in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in each of the last four years up to the most recent period for which records are available. [202197]

Jenny Willott: The numbers of full-time and part-time staff that have been employed by the Illegal Money Lending Units in Scotland, England and Wales over the last four years are as follows:

Trading Standards is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and so it is not possible to provide comparable data.

Motor Vehicles: Insurance

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will request that the Office of Fair Trading investigates the level of competition in the car insurance industry. [202297]

Jo Swinson: The competition powers of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) passed to the new Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on 1 April 2014. Like the OFT, the CMA is an independent authority, and therefore has complete discretion to investigate those cases, which, according to its prioritisation principles, it considers most appropriate.

In the case of the private motor insurance industry, the CMA is already conducting a market investigation, and on 12 June set out for consultation its proposed changes to the market. These include a cap on the charges to the insurer of an at-fault driver in an accident for the cost of providing a replacement vehicle to the

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non-fault driver; better information for consumers; and a ban on price parity agreements between price comparison websites and insurers. Further details are available via this link to the CMA press release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-sets-out-changes-for-private-motor-insurance

National Vocational Qualifications

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the cost to the public purse was of NVQ qualifications for learners aged 24 and over of (a) entry level, (b) level 1 (excluding English or mathematics) and (c) level 2 for each of the last three years. [201593]

Matthew Hancock: The funding available for adult skills is outlined in the Skills Funding Statement. The statement sets out the Government’s priorities for the budget and it is for providers to decide how they use

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their adult skills funding to reflect those priorities and meet the needs of learners and employers in their local area:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-statement-2013-to-2016

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-funding-statement-2012-2015

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-investment-statement-for-2011-to-2014-new-challenges-new-chances

New Businesses: Government Assistance

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many start-up loans have been granted to businesses in (a) Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency, (b) North Yorkshire and (c) the North of England in each of the last five years. [201902]

Matthew Hancock: The start-up loans programme commenced in 2012.

The information is as follows:

NHS: Mergers

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the (a) Competition Commission and (b) Office of Fair Trading spent on assessing mergers in the NHS in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14. [202460]

Jo Swinson: The Competition Commission's (CC's) inquiry into the proposed merger between Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals Foundation Trust and Poole Hospital Foundation Trust, which was concluded in 2013/14, was the Commission's only assessment of an NHS foundation trust merger. The cost of this inquiry was £710,000, which includes the cost of the staff on the inquiry amounting to £639,000 and direct costs of £71,000 (including survey costs).

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) did not collect specific information on the resources used in considering mergers involving NHS foundation trusts. However, the average approximate cost involved in scrutiny of a merger by the OFT was £20,000; in total, the OFT considered four mergers involving NHS foundation trusts in 2012-13 and 2013-14, of which only one was referred for further scrutiny by the CC.

Overseas Students

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to tackle the decline in the number of international students coming to the UK to study; and if he will make a statement. [201621]

Mr Willetts: As highlighted in the International Education Strategy, there is no cap on the number of genuine overseas students who can come to the UK, nor do we have plans to introduce one. This has been reaffirmed by the Prime Minister.

Government and the sector are taking every opportunity to promote the warm welcome the UK extends to international students, notably using the “Britain is GREAT” campaign. For example, the high commission in Delhi began work last year (with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Trade and Investment and the British Council) to promote positive messages on UK education at outreach events, exhibitions and road shows in some of India’s biggest cities.

Early indicators for 2014 show there was an increase in the year to March 2014 in the number of visa applicants for higher education institutions (+7%). UCAS figures, to May 2014, for undergraduate applications suggest a 7% increase from non-EU countries.

Paternity Pay

Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people received statutory paternity pay in the latest year for which figures are available; what the total cost to the Exchequer of such pay was; and for what average length of time such pay was received. [201422]

Jenny Willott: The Government collect data on the total amount of ordinary statutory paternity pay and additional statutory paternity pay paid to employees by employers and uses this to estimate the numbers taking

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paternity pay, and the size of the average claim. Ordinary statutory paternity pay and additional statutory paternity pay are payable at the lesser of 90% of salary or the statutory flat rate (£135.45 in 2012/13, currently £138.18).

The latest available figures are as follows:

HMRC estimates do not include the average length of time that this pay is received.

Postal Services: Rural Areas

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to ensure that the six-days-a-week universal Royal Mail service continues in rural areas. [202198]

Jenny Willott: The one price six-days-a-week postal delivery service to all addresses in the UK is clearly set down under the Postal Services Act 2011 as part of the minimum requirements of the UK’s universal service and can only be changed by Government with the approval of both Houses of Parliament. The protection is exactly the same for rural areas as urban areas of the UK.

Parliament has given Ofcom the primary statutory duty to protect the ongoing provision of the universal service throughout the country and ensured that Ofcom has the regulatory powers and tools it needs to intervene if the universal service is ever at risk. More information about the regulatory framework for postal services can be found on Ofcom’s website:

www.ofcom.org.uk

Public Houses

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to consult family and micro-brewery pub owners on the proposed mandatory code of practice. [202039]

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Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consulted family brewers and micro-brewers as part of last year’s public consultation on proposals for a Statutory Code and independent Adjudicator for the pubs sector.

We received 34 written responses to the consultation from pub companies and breweries with fewer than 500 pubs, and from micro-breweries. In addition to this, Ministers and officials met with family and micro-brewers and their representative bodies before, during and after the consultation to discuss our proposals to establish a Statutory Code and independent Adjudicator.

For further information on stakeholders that Ministers have met, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff Central (Jenny Willott) gave to the hon. Member for Chesterfield (Toby Perkins) on 16 June 2014, Official Report, column 426W.

The Department will continue to take an even handed approach to discussions with stakeholders from all sides of the debate as legislation proceeds through Parliament. Stakeholders, including family and micro-brewers, will also be given a further opportunity to comment on the Statutory Code through a further consultation once legislation is in place.

Research Councils: Finance

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) capital and (b) revenue funding his Department has allocated to research (i) projects and (ii) facilities, excluding quality-related research funding distributed via the funding councils and awards made by the research councils, in each financial year from 2010-11; to which organisations and for what period such allocations have been made; how the outcomes of such funding will be assessed; and which organisations will undertake those assessments. [200883]

Mr Willetts: The BIS funding for research (i) projects and (ii) facilities that has been allocated in the financial years since 2010-11 is set out in the table below. There is no capital funding of research projects or resource funding of research facilities.

Research is taken to mean funding for projects at similar technology readiness levels (TRL) to those managed by research councils. As a result, this does not include the research and development funding that is provided through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) which is targeted at products, materials and techniques at the higher TRL levels. Details of this funding can be found in the TSB and BIS annual reports.

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Trade Union Recognition

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of companies registered in (a) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (b) Renfrewshire, (c) Scotland and (d) the UK that do not recognise trades unions. [201716]

Jenny Willott: This Department does not hold information on whether or not individual employers recognise a trade union or not.

You may be interested in the following figures, from the 2011 Workplace Employment Relations Study (WERS), showing percentage of workplaces with recognised unions where the workplace is located in Scotland, the other Government office regions and Great Britain as a whole. This does not include information on Northern Ireland workplaces where employment law is devolved.

More information on the WERS data is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/workplace-employment-relations-study-wers

Written Answers to Questions

Monday 30 June 2014

Health

Abortion

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether all clinical staff working at abortion clinics are trained to level 3 of the intercollegiate framework; and if he will publish the evidence upon which that assessment is based. [201626]

Jane Ellison: All clinical staff are expected to be trained to at least level 3 of the intercollegiate framework Safeguarding Children and Young People: Roles and competences for healthcare staff. The senior manager or director of the clinic should be responsible for ensuring that all clinical staff have their qualifications, knowledge and skills reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are kept up to date with current practice.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC's) inspection approach includes checks on whether abortion providers have at all times sufficient numbers of suitably trained and suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff to safeguard the safety and welfare of service users. This includes making sure that there is a named safeguarding lead and that the provider has taken account of statutory guidance as set out in the intercollegiate framework. The CQC has begun to roll out a new, stronger methodology. As part of this, the arrangements for safeguarding will always be inspected.

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Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions conducted on the grounds of disabilities which were rectifiable were performed after 24 weeks' gestation in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013; what each disability was in each case; and if he will make a statement. [201695]

Jane Ellison: Medical conditions are coded using the International Classification for Diseases 2010 codes (ICD10). This classification does not split those diseases that are rectifiable from those that are not.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed with respect to pregnancies with gestations of 24 weeks or more in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013. [201698]

Jane Ellison: The number of abortions of 24 weeks or more for the years 2011-13 are as follows:

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in each strategic authority area in England and Wales who had had (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five, (f) six, (g) seven, (h) eight, (i) nine and (j) 10 or more previous abortions had a further abortion in 2013. [201717]

Jane Ellison: The following table shows abortions by number of previous abortions and region of residence, 2013:

The use of strategic health authorities was abolished in April 2013. Information is presented by local authority region.

The number of abortions for women who have had eight or more previous abortions have been grouped to protect patient confidentiality.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in 2013; and how many and what proportion of such procedures were performed to save the life of the mother. [201718]

Jane Ellison: In 2013, 185,331 abortions were performed to residents of England and Wales. Of these, 56 abortions were performed under ground A (the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, section 1(1 )(c)) and zero under ground F (to save the life of the pregnant woman, section 1(4)).

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions there were at (a) 26 weeks and (b) each week after the 26th week in each category of grounds for termination in 2013. [201719]

Jane Ellison: The total number of abortions exceeding 26 weeks in 2013 are as follows:

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All 121 abortions were performed under ground E, there is substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (section 1(1)(d)).

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged (a) between 18 and 24 years and (b) between 25 and 30 years old in each strategic health authority area who had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four, (v) five, (vi) six, (vii) seven, (viii) eight, (ix) nine and (x) 10 or more previous abortions had a further abortion in 2013. [201721]

Jane Ellison: The following table shows abortions for age groups 18 to 24 and 25 to 29, by number of previous abortions and region of residence, 2013.

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Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in clinics and hospitals (a) owned and (b) leased by Marie Stopes International in each region and constituent part of the UK in each of the last three years; what the (i) age and (ii) nationality of each such patient was; what the length of gestation was in each case; how many complaints his Department received about Marie Stopes International in that period; and if he will make a statement. [201726]

Jane Ellison: This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged (a) 18, (b) 17, (c) 16, (d) 15, (e) 14, (f) 13 and (g) 12 years old in each strategic health authority area who had had (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four, (v) five, (vi) six, (vii) seven, (viii) eight, (ix) nine and (x) 10 or more previous abortions had a further abortion in 2013. [201727]

Jane Ellison: The following table shows abortions for ages 18 and under by number of previous abortions and region of residence, 2013.

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Strategic health authorities were abolished in April 2013. Information is presented by local authority region.

The number of abortions for women who have had two or more previous abortions have been grouped to protect patient confidentiality.

Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the cost to the NHS was of provision of abortions in (a) NHS hospitals and (b) approved independent sector places in 2013; [202021]

(2) what the cost to the NHS was of abortions performed (a) before the 12th week of pregnancy, (b) between the 12th and 18th weeks of pregnancy, (c) between the 18th and 24th weeks of pregnancy and (d) after the 24th week of pregnancy in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what the cost to the NHS was of provision of the morning-after pill in that time. [201694]

Jane Ellison: Information on the cost of emergency contraception and information about expenditure on abortions is not collected centrally.