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Buildings

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on refurbishing (a) gym and leisure facilities, (b) cafeteria and (c) interior decoration (i) in his Department and (ii) buildings owned by his Department in (A) 2013 and (B) 2014 to date. [205076]

Mr Maude: There were no costs associated with refurbishing any leisure or cafeteria facilities in 2013 and 2014.

Costs relating to modernisation of 70 Whitehall relate to a programme that began (or begun) in 2009 and WAS agreed by a previous Government.

Business: Regulation

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of savings to businesses in (a) the UK, (b) the Thames Valley and (c) Windsor constituency as a result of the Red Tape Challenge. [204115]

Mr Hurd: The Prime Minister announced in January 2014 that this would be the first government in modern history to reduce overall domestic regulation for business while in office. As part of this, he announced that the Red Tape Challenge programme had identified over 3,000 regulations to scrap or improve, delivering estimated savings to UK businesses of over £850 million per year by the end of the Parliament. Analysis of the impact of the deregulatory reforms on a geographical basis has not been developed.

Cancer

Derek Twigg: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many early deaths from cancer have occurred among (a) men and (b) women in each local authority area in each year since 2001; and what proportion of those diagnosed with cancer such deaths represented. [204962]

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

Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many early deaths from cancer have occurred among (a) men and (b) women in each local authority area in each year since 2001; and what proportion of those diagnosed with cancer such deaths represented. [204962]

The latest available figures for deaths registrations are for the year 2012. There is no standard definition of ‘early’ death in this context, and different cancers can vary greatly in the age group they commonly affect. Tables 1 to 3 provide the number of deaths registered for the age groups 0-49, 50-64 and 65 and over respectively, where the underlying cause was cancer, among (a) men and (b) women in each local authority in England and Wales in each year from 2001 to 2012.

ONS publishes statistics on the number of registrations (new diagnoses) of cancer in England, and these are available at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html

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However, it is not meaningful to calculate cancer deaths as a proportion of cancer diagnoses in any given year, since many of those dying in each year will have been diagnosed in previous years, while an individual diagnosed in that year may survive for many years subsequently.

ONS also publishes outputs relating to cancer survival in England:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/all-releases.html?definition=tcm%3A77-21521

A copy of the tables will be placed in the Library of the House.

Employment: Yorkshire and the Humber

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed in Yorkshire and the Humber in (a) part-time, (b) full-time and (c) temporary jobs. [205106]

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

Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed in Yorkshire and The Humber in (a) part-time, (b) full-time and (c) temporary jobs. (205106).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles labour market statistics for areas smaller than the UK from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.

The table shows the number of people resident in Yorkshire and The Humber who were employed on a part-time, full-time or temporary basis, according to survey responses from the APS for the 12 month period April 2013 to March 2014, the latest available period.

As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a certain level of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates of the levels is included on the table.

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

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Government Departments: Expenditure

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how much each Government department spent on (a) focus groups and (b) polling in (i) 2012 and (ii) 2013; [204901]

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(2) how much each Government Department spent on tickets to the World Cup 2014; and for what purposes those tickets were acquired; [204899]

(3) how much each Government department and its agencies spent on external legal advice and representation in each year since 2010; and for what purpose; [204900]

(4) how much each Government Department spent on participation in employment tribunals in (a) 2012 and (b) 2013; [204902]

(5) what the number and value was of Instant Rewards awarded to civil servants in the last year. [204903]

Mr Maude: Expenditure incurred by other Government Departments is not held by the Cabinet Office.

Spend incurred by my Department on the items requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department has not spent money on World Cup tickets.

This Government reduced the percentage of the Cabinet Office annual pay bill spent on in year rewards from 0.55%, prior to May 2010, to 0.25% now.

Jobseeker's Allowance: Young People

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of young people who left and subsequently returned to claiming jobseeker's allowance within six months in each year since 2010. [204631]

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

Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the proportion of young people who have left and have subsequently returned to claiming jobseeker's allowance within six months in each year since 2010. (204631)

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles statistics on people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance from the JobcentrePlus administrative system.

Unfortunately, the information requested is not routinely produced and could only be at a disproportionate cost.

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

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Low Pay: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who are paid at a rate below the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. [204636]

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

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Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated July 2014:

On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of people in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who are paid at a rate below the living wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. (204636)

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Hourly levels of earnings are estimated from ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose earnings for the survey pay period were not affected by absence. It is not possible to estimate the number of people with earnings below specified thresholds, though it is possible to estimate the corresponding proportion of employee jobs. Figures relate to employee jobs, which are defined as those held by employees and not the self-employed.

In April 2013, the latest period for which results are available, the Living Wage rate suggested by the Living Wage Foundation was £7.45 for employees who did not work in London. The proportion of employee jobs below this rate in Kilmarnock and Loudon constituency in April 2013 was 21.2% .**

Guide to quality:

The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV. For example, for an estimate of 50% with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 45% to 55%. This is given by 50% +/- ({2*.05}*50).

Key:

** CV > 10% and <= 20%

Morecambe

David Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate how much money his Department has spent in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since May 2010. [204770]

Mr Maude: As was the situation under previous Administrations, the Cabinet Office accounts do not break down expenditure by constituency.

Self-Employed

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which sectors and occupations will be excluded from the general duties of self-employed persons for the purposes of the Deregulation Bill. [204972]

Mr Letwin: The prescribed list will cover undertakings rather than specific sectors or occupations. An undertaking will be prescribed if one of the following four criteria is met:

1. There are high numbers of self-employed in a particular industry, and high rates of injuries and/or fatalities (eg agriculture);

2. There is a significant risk to members of the public (eg fairgrounds);

3. There is the potential for mass fatalities (eg explosives); or

4. There is a European obligation to retain the general duty on self-employed persons (eg construction-Council Directive 92/57/EEC imposes duties on the self-employed for safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites).

A consultation on the regulations can be found at:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd273.htm

The definition of construction activities, to which the self employed will continue to have duties, can be found in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

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Stafford Hospital

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many babies were born at Stafford Hospital in each year since 2009-10. [204579]

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

Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated July 2014:

On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on how many babies were born at Stafford Hospital in each year since 2009-10. (204579)

Figures for live births by hospital have been compiled from birth registration data. Information on place of birth is provided by the informant at registration rather than by the hospitals themselves. Information for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 is provided below:

Unemployment: North West

Tim Farron: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what changes there have been in the unemployment rate in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (b) South Lakeland, (c) Cumbria and (d) the North West (i) since 2010 and (ii) between 2005 and 2010; [204788]

(2) what change in employment levels there has been in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, (b)

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South Lakeland,

(c)

Cumbria and

(d)

the North West (i) since 2010 and (ii) between 2005 and 2010. [204866]

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

Letter from Glen Watson:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what change in employment levels there has been in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, (b) South Lakeland, (c) Cumbria and (d) the North West (i) since 2010 and (ii) between 2005 and 2010 (204866) and; what changes there have been in the unemployment rate in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale, (b) South Lakeland, (c) Cumbria and (d) the North West (i) since 2010 and (ii) between 2005 and 2010. (204788)

The ONS compiles Labour Market Statistics for areas below the UK following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions using the Annual Population Survey (APS).

Table 1 shows the number and net change in the number of people in employment resident in the requested geographies. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the periods January 2005 to December 2005, January 2010 to December 2010 and April 2013 to March 2014, the latest available period.

Table 2 shows the unemployment rate and change in the rate of people resident in the requested geographies. These estimates are compiled from APS interviews held during the periods January 2005 to December 2005, January 2010 to December 2010 and April 2013 to March 2014, the latest available period. The estimates for South Lakeland are calculated from a statistical model covering the same period.

As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.

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

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

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Unemployment: Young People

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the number of people aged between 16 and 24 who are not in employment or training and are not claiming jobseeker's allowance. [204630]

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

Letter from Glen Watson:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for the number of people aged between 16 to 24 who are not in employment or training and are not claiming jobseeker's allowance. (JSA) (204630)

Estimates of employment and participation in education and training are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a survey of people resident in households in the UK. The LFS asks respondents questions about the benefits they are claiming; however this information is not of a sufficient quality from this source. As an alternative, the LFS can identify those who are unemployed, based upon the International Labour Organization (ILO) definition, which relate to the respondent's job seeking activities in the week prior to interview.

For the period January to March 2014, it was estimated that there were 468,000 people aged 16 to 24 not classified as either employed or unemployed (known as “economically inactive”) and reporting that they are not in any form of education or training.

The ONS publishes this estimate quarterly in the Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) statistical bulletin, found via the following link:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/young-people-not-in-education--employment-or-training--neets-/may-2014/statistical-bulletin.html

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many unemployed young people have been out of work for more than (a) four, (b) six, (c) 12 and (d) 24 months. [204860]

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

Letter form Glen Watson, dated July 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many young people who are currently unemployed have been out of work for more than (a) four, (b) six, (c) 12 and (d) 24 months. (204860)

Quarterly estimates of the Labour Market are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The most recent LFS period available is the February to April quarter. Due to the way the data are collected it is not possible to provide an estimate of young persons unemployed for more than 4 months, however, I have provided an estimate of young people unemployed for more than 3 months. In order to answer your question I have applied the LFS definition of ‘Young People’, which is persons aged 16 to 24.

The table provided contains estimates for the total number of persons aged 16 to 24 currently unemployed by duration of unemployment for the period February to April 2014. As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. It is estimated that the true value for the total number of persons aged 16 to 24 unemployed, is likely to be within 3 per cent of the estimate given.

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to publish the findings of Sir Jeremy Heywood's inquiry on youth unemployment. [204987]

Mr Maude: The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister commissioned work last summer to look at provision for 16 to 24-year-olds to see if more could be done to help young people into work. This has informed internal policy advice that has been provided to Ministers on an ongoing basis. A number of initial findings led to announcements by the Chancellor in the autumn statement, and by the Deputy Prime Minister in February 2014. Further findings will be announced over time.

Warrington Hospital

Helen Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many babies have been born at Warrington Hospital in each year since 2008. [204786]

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

Letter from Peter Fullerton, dated July 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking the Secretary of State for Health on how many babies have been born at Warrington Hospital in each year since 2008

Figures for live births by hospital have been compiled from birth registration data. Information on place of birth is provided by the informant at registration rather than by the hospitals themselves.

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Youth Services

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment his Department has made of the quality and consistency of youth services outsourced by local authorities. [204632]

Mr Hurd: Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide services to improve young people's well-being. As was the case under previous administrations it is at the discretion of local authorities to decide how to deliver these services and whether the particular services they fund are delivered directly or through third parties. Government does not require local authorities to report this information.

We know that many local authorities are embracing new, innovative ways of delivering high quality services that respond to local need and remain focused on the well-being of young people.

Treasury

Low Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of employees hired under the employment allowance scheme are paid below the living wage as set by the Living Wage Foundation. [204666]

Mr Gauke: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 1 May 2014, Official Report, column 796W.

The information requested is not available.

The employment allowance is available to businesses and charities and is worth up to £2,000 off their total employer class 1 national insurance contributions (NICs) bill.

Employers are likely to use the NICs savings from the allowance in a variety of ways. Research by the Federation of Small Businesses suggests that employers may use these savings to increase wages, employ more staff or invest in their business.

Mapeley

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the next revised, non-binding Estates Strategies issued by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will take account of a proposed boundary change at Priory Court, Dover, in respect of the number of available business square metres required by HMRC at the facility under 10.14 (a) of the Private Finance Initiative contract between HMRC and Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited. [204575]

Mr Gauke: HMRC has indicated to Mapeley who own the land, that we will consider any reasonable proposals in relation to the land at Priory Court Dover. We have no future plans for this property.

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Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the issue of a proposed boundary change at Priory Court, Dover, in respect of the number of available business square metres required by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) at the facility under 10.14 (a) of the Private Finance Initiative contract between HMRC and Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited was discussed during the six month consultation before the previous revised, non-binding Estates Strategies issued by HMRC. [204580]

Mr Gauke: HMRC has indicated to Mapeley who own the land, that we will consider any reasonable proposals in relation to the land at Priory Court Dover. We have no future plans for this property.

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Revenue and Customs will next issue revised, non-binding Estates Strategies to Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited under 10.14 of the Private Finance Initiative contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited. [204700]

Mr Gauke: The timing of when HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) next issues Estates Strategies to Mapeley is subject to continuous review. The date when this information is next shared with Mapeley has not yet been determined.

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the previous revised, non-binding Estates Strategies issued by HM Revenue and Customs took account of a proposed boundary change at Priory Court, Dover, in respect to the number of available business square metres required by HM Revenue and Customs at the facility under section 10.14 (a) of the Private Finance Initiative contract between HM Revenue and Customs and Mapeley STEPS Contractor Limited. [204728]

Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has indicated to Mapeley, who own the land, that we will consider any reasonable proposals in relation to the land at Priory Court, Dover.

Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that HM Revenue and Customs staff based in Northern Ireland are currently working on personal taxation matters who are scheduled to be offered voluntary redundancy terms will be given the opportunity of being redeployed to benefits and credits employment. [204850]

Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has not offered any voluntary redundancies in Northern Ireland in the current financial year. However, this cannot be ruled out in the future if redeployment options cannot be found for staff in need of new roles. HMRC will work to redeploy these people to other business areas within the Department and across the wider civil service.

Personal tax (PT) staff in Londonderry and Enniskillen entered HMRC’s redeployment pool in early June. People in the redeployment pool have priority status when

14 July 2014 : Column 551W

applying for roles on level transfer across HMRC and the wider civil service, maximising their opportunity for a new job at their current grade.

Additionally, people working in inquiry centres in PT across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, who have not secured a role in the new service have also entered the redeployment pool.

Custom House, Newry, is primarily a PT site. None of HMRC’s lines of business intend to retain a presence there, and HMRC is in consultation on a proposed closure date for the office in 2015. Staff at Newry have been given the opportunity to enter the redeployment pool in advance of the outcome of the consultation due to be announced in September. While these people are in the pool, HMRC will do all it can to redeploy them within the Department or to help them find jobs elsewhere in the civil service.

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that HM Revenue and Customs staff based in Northern Ireland who are scheduled to face voluntary redundancy in the current financial year will be considered for redeployment to work in the Passport Office. [204851]

Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has not offered any voluntary redundancies in Northern Ireland in the current financial year. However, this cannot be ruled out in the future if redeployment options cannot be found for staff in need of new roles. Civil service departments will work together to do all they can to redeploy staff who have formally been declared surplus.

Personal tax staff in Londonderry and Enniskillen entered HMRC’s redeployment pool in early June. People in the redeployment pool have priority status when applying for roles on level transfer across HMRC and the wider civil service, maximising their opportunity for a new job at their current grade.

Additionally, people working in inquiry centres across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, who have not secured a role in the new service have also entered the redeployment pool.

None of HMRC’s lines of business intend to remain in Custom House, Newry, and HMRC is in consultation on a proposed closure date for the office in 2015. Staff at Newry have been given the opportunity to enter the redeployment pool in advance of the outcome of the consultation due to be announced in September. While these people are in the pool, HMRC will do all it can to redeploy them within the Department or to help them find jobs elsewhere in the civil service.

Tax Avoidance

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total cost to the UK of the implementation of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act in (a) the current financial year and (b) the following two financial years. [204849]

Mr Gauke: The estimate of the cost of the implementation of the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) is set out in the Tax Information and Impact Note that accompanied the regulations to implement the UK-USA Intergovernmental Agreement.

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The Tax Impact Note estimates that the costs to United Kingdom financial institutions to implement the domestic law to allow the UK to be FATCA compliant will involve an initial investment of £0.9 billion to £1.6 billion, with an ongoing cost of £50 million to £90 million a year.

This is a reduction to the estimated costs of an initial investment of £2 billion to £3 billion, with ongoing costs of £100 million to £170 million a year that United Kingdom business would have faced if they had to report to the United States directly in accordance with United States Treasury Regulations.

The initial investment costs have not been allocated to any financial year, but the ongoing costs are expected to apply for both the current, and the following two financial years.

Tonnage Tax: Isle of Wight

Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the economy of the Isle of Wight of the decision not to allow tonnage tax to apply to the Isle of Wight's ferry services. [204482]

Mr Gauke: No such assessment has been made. HM Revenue and Customs must apply the law as it stands according to the best of its judgment, with the benefit of legal advice where appropriate.

Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on (a) cadet training and (b) marine employment of the decision not to allow tonnage tax to apply to the Isle of Wight's ferry services. [204483]

Mr Gauke: No such assessment has been made. HM Revenue and Customs must apply the law as it stands according to the best of its judgment, with the benefit of legal advice where appropriate.

Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the reasons are for HM Revenue and Customs change of policy with regards to the imposition of tonnage tax on Isle of Wight ferries; and if he will make a statement. [204499]

Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs must apply the law as it stands according to the best of its judgment, with the benefit of legal advice where appropriate.

There have been no changes in the application of the policy. The legislation affecting in particular ferry services was last amended in the Finance Act 2005, in response to amendments to the EU Commission’s guidelines on the application of state aids to maritime transport. Tonnage tax must conform to these guidelines.

Video Games: Tax Allowances

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of companies in Scotland which would benefit from video games tax relief. [204759]

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Mr Gauke: As published in the Tax Information and Impact note, it is estimated that there are approximately 300 video games companies in the UK that may benefit from Video Games Tax Relief. No estimate is available for Scotland separately.

International Development

Air Travel

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what occasions each Minister within her Department has taken domestic flights on official business since May 2010. [204298]

Mr Duncan: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of all ministerial overseas travel are published on a quarterly basis. Any such flight would normally be to Glasgow where DFID has an office in East Kilbride.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that displaced Rohingya Muslims have access to basic medicine and healthcare provision. [204170]

Mr Duncan: DFID, along with other aid agencies on the ground in Rakhine, is working to ensure a co-ordinated response. Our bilateral humanitarian support in Rakhine includes assistance for water, sanitation, and nutrition. Support is provided to both communities. We have not provided bilateral support for medicine and healthcare provision, but ECHO and UN agencies to whom we provide core funding, are. In addition to the delivery of aid, DFID and the FCO continue to advocate at all levels of Government for establishment of conditions which allow for unhindered humanitarian access.

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department is providing additional funding to The Border Consortium to help reverse recent ration cuts for refugees from Burma in camps in Thailand which they supply. [204439]

Mr Duncan: DFID is funding The Border Consortium though a three year programme which started in November 2012. The UK is one of the largest donors to The Border Consortium.

Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which companies and organisations are subcontracted or given grants by the World Bank to carry out projects in Burma funded by British aid. [204440]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not track all companies and organisations subcontracted or given grants by multilateral partners, such as the World Bank. DFID’s Development Tracker, on the gov.uk website, and the World Bank’s website contain many details about procurement and the flow of funds for individual projects. We also publish, on the gov.uk website, our Statement of Priorities and Expectations for Suppliers which sets expectations for the use of subcontracted organisations.

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Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support for the Backpack Health Worker Team programme in Burma her Department will provide in the next two years. [204484]

Mr Duncan: DFID has not made plans to fund the Backpack Health Worker Team through our bilateral programme in Burma after our current funding commitments with them conclude. DFID continues to support the 3MDG Trust Fund in Burma which supports many local NGOs across Burma in health activities.

Commonwealth Scholarships Programme: Northern Ireland

Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what work the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission does to promote the availability of its scholarships to students resident in Northern Ireland. [204178]

Lynne Featherstone: The scholarships offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK are for citizens of other Commonwealth countries to study in the United Kingdom, or for UK qualifications. UK citizens resident in the United Kingdom are not eligible for these awards.

Developing Countries: Abortion

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2014, Official Report, column 1W, on abortion, if she will withdraw her Department's policy position paper entitled Safe and Unsafe Abortion pending a free vote in the House on the use of UK aid to (a) campaign for more liberal abortion laws in other countries and (b) provide abortion services in other countries. [204591]

Lynne Featherstone: The policy paper sets out how UK aid can be used to save the lives of women at risk from unsafe abortion, in accordance with the responsibilities that Parliament has given the Secretary of State.

Developing Countries: Christianity

Mr Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the processes governing the allocation of UK development assistance gives cognisance to the escalation of persecution against Christians. [204613]

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government are at the forefront of work to promote human rights around the world, and regularly criticise Governments which violate those rights. This includes working to end religious intolerance and persecution and we strongly condemn any alleged persecution and will continue to uphold the rights of citizens, regardless of faith, ethnicity or belief.

We only provide aid directly to Governments where we are satisfied that they share our commitments to reduce poverty and respect human rights. Where we cannot provide aid directly to Governments, we will find other ways to help poor people in those countries.

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Developing Countries: Forests

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of which countries are most at risk from deforestation. [204959]

Lynne Featherstone: The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that globally around 13 million hectares of forests were cleared each year between 2000 and 2010. Countries where major rainforest clearance took place from 2005-10 include Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what rainforest projects her Department is supporting. [204961]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID supports the following projects that target the drivers of deforestation in rainforests: the Forest Investment Programme; the Congo Basin Forest Fund; the Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme; the Improving Governance of Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry Programme in Indonesia; and the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of her Department's projects involve indigenous communities in (a) all and (b) Commonwealth rainforests. [204970]

Lynne Featherstone: All of DFID's bilateral forestry programmes, and the multilateral forestry programmes DFID supports, include the participation of forest-dependent communities who are often indigenous people.

These programmes cover the following 6 Commonwealth rainforest countries: Belize, Cameroon, Ghana, Guyana, Papua New Guinea, and Uganda.

Developing Countries: Malaria

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding has been committed to tackling malaria in each year since 2009-10. [204594]

Lynne Featherstone: The methodology for monitoring the Government's spending on malaria is provided in Annex A of the UK’s Framework for Results for malaria in the developing world.

Figures for estimated total malaria spend using the methodology set out in the Framework for Results are reproduced as follows:

Figures for 2013-14 are not yet publicly available.

Development Aid

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department provided to each country in receipt of UK development aid (a) directly and (b) indirectly per head of population in each of the last 10 years. [204898]

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Justine Greening: The direct and indirect funding by the Department for International Development to each country in receipt of UK development aid is set out in the last two columns of Tables 14.1 to 14.5 in the following link for years 2004-05 until 2008-09.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67720/final-printed-sid-2009.pdf

The last two columns of Tables 9.1 to 9.5 in the following link will provide details of direct and indirect spend respectively in each country for years 2008-09 until 2012-13.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistics-on-international-development-201213-gpex-tables

The following link is to the website of the United Nations population Fund (UNFPA) which publishes statistics on country populates.

http://www.unfpa.org/public/

Ethiopia

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if officials in her Department will meet displaced people from the Gambella region of Ethiopia to discuss forcible removal and abuse in the Ethiopian Government's villagisation programme. [204545]

Justine Greening: Since February 2011, DFID has undertaken several visits to Gambella and to Gambellan refugees residing in Kenya and South Sudan. These visits have included discussions about allegations of abuse and forced movement in relation to the Commune Development Programme.

DFID, together with partners from the Development Assistance Group in Ethiopia (the ‘DAG’), is planning a further visit to Gambella later this year.

Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last discussed the villagisation programme with the Government of Ethiopia. [204549]

Justine Greening: Ministers and officials regularly discuss all aspects of the bilateral programme with the Government of Ethiopia.

Freedom of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department spent on legal fees in cases relating to the release of information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each of the last five years. [204280]

Mr Duncan: It is not possible to disaggregate these data into the form requested.

Middle East

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 18 June 2014, Official Report, column 644W, on infrastructure projects: Jordan Valley, what positive benefits for Palestinians living in Area C have resulted so far from her Department's engagement with Israel. [204640]

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Mr Duncan: Two Palestinian-led masterplans covering three areas have been approved following engagement with the Israeli authorities. As a result, these communities are able to plan for and build the homes and infrastructure they need without fear of demolition. We continue to advocate for the approval of more masterplans.

Oxfam

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much public funding her Department gave directly or indirectly to Oxfam in the last period for which figures are available. [204126]

Lynne Featherstone: In financial year 2013-14 DFID provided £34.6 million to Oxfam GB for their international humanitarian response programmes and long-term development work. DFID provides no support to Oxfam's UK programmes.

Palestinians

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to questions 167-8 of the oral evidence given by the Minister of State at her Department to the International Development Committee on 8 May 2014, if she will review her policy of paying money to the Palestinian Authority which may be used to pay salaries to the families of convicted terrorists. [204895]

Mr Duncan: No UK money is used for payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails or their families. UK direct financial assistance is used to pay the salaries of civil servants from an approved list.

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to questions 167-8 of the oral evidence given by the Minister of State at her Department to the International Development Committee on 8 May 2014, how much funding her Department gave to the Palestinian Authority in each of the last 10 years which was used (a) directly and (b) indirectly to pay salaries to the families of convicted terrorists. [204896]

Mr Duncan: Since 2013, UK aid to the Palestinian Authority has been used to pay civil servant salaries only. Our funding has previously contributed to the PA overall budget, which funded three types of payments linked to political prisoners in Israeli jails who had been convicted, were pending trial or were in administrative detention. The first was a minimal allowance to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails intended to cover the cost of food and clothes at the request of the Israeli Authorities. The second was a welfare payment for family members where the primary provider is incarcerated. The third was support to help former prisoners reintegrate into society and find employment.

Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding her Department provided (a) directly and (b) indirectly to the Palestinian Authority in each of the last 10 years. [204897]

Mr Duncan: UK direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority over the past 10 financial years is as follows:

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Information about indirect UK support for the Palestinian Authority through the EU can be found at:

http://eeas.europa.eu/palestine/ec_assistance/index_en.htm

The UK contribution to the EU development budget is approximately 15%.

Papua New Guinea

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what programmes her Department funds and operates in Papua New Guinea. [204950]

Mr Duncan: DFID does not have a bilateral programme with Papua New Guinea. The UK does however provide assistance through our attributable contributions to multilateral development organisations and global programmes that benefit a number of countries. Information on the amount of UK aid provided to Papua New Guinea for each of the last five years can be found in table 16.5 of Statistics on International Development (SID):

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/268301/Table_16.5.xls

Procurement

Mr Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2014, Official Report, column 592W, on developing countries, which organisations based (a) in the UK and (b) overseas, with which her Department has contracts, restrict employment in certain posts because they require a particular understanding of the faith-based values and beliefs of that organisation; and what proportion of such posts are so restricted in each such organisation. [204971]

Lynne Featherstone: DFID works to ensure that organisations delivering contracts on its behalf do not discriminate. DFID is not aware of contracting any organisation that restricts employment to members of particular faiths.

Senior Civil Servants

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many senior civil servants appointed to positions in her Department since 2010 were previously (a) political appointees within that Department and (b) employed by a political party. [204328]

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Mr Duncan: We have no central report readily available detailing the senior civil servants who have been appointed since 2010 and who were previously (a) political appointees within DFID and (b) employed by a political party. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Training

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what professional development courses are made available to staff of her Department; and what the cost to the public purse is of each such course. [204347]

Mr Duncan: DFID has decentralised responsibility for training and professional development to line managers and heads of profession. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Transport

Air Travel

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what occasions each Minister within his Department has taken domestic flights on official business since May 2010. [204302]

Stephen Hammond: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of all ministerial overseas travel is published on a quarterly basis at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?departments %5B%5D=department-for-transport&publication_type= transparency-data

Bus Services: Disability

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the results of the bus driver disability training review. [204356]

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport has recently reviewed the use of a derogation applied under EU Regulation 181/2011 (concerning bus/coach passenger rights) exempting bus and coach drivers from undertaking mandatory disability awareness training.

To inform the review, on 24 February 2014 the Minister of State for Transport, my noble Friend Baroness Kramer, wrote to bus industry representatives, disability stakeholders and charities seeking their input, to determine whether drivers are receiving adequate disability awareness training under the current voluntary arrangement.

Having received and considered many comprehensive responses, Baroness Kramer will share her findings with ministerial colleagues shortly and discuss how to best to proceed.

In the meantime, a summary of responses received in relation to the review will be made available on the Government’s website in due course.

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Bus Services: Visual Impairment

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Fifth Report of the Transport Committee of Session 2013-14, on Access to Transport for Disabled People, HC 116, what assessment he has made of the progress of bus operators in installing audio-visual announcement systems for people with sight loss as recommended in paragraph 29 of that report. [204357]

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport recognises that many people find audio and visual announcements useful for travelling. Given the obvious benefits of these systems to blind and partially sighted passengers, we are keen to encourage operators and local authorities to invest in this technology for their buses, where possible.

However, we also understand that the installation of this technology comes at a considerable cost.

My noble colleague, Baroness Kramer, wrote to bus operators on 4 February 2014 to encourage the development of more affordable audio-visual systems. In addition, on 2 July 2014 Baroness Kramer outlined plans for a further research initiative, run by the Department for Transport and the Transport Systems catapult, involving small businesses and academic institutions to encourage further innovation in this area.

Buses: Safety

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions traffic commissioners have (a) revoked a bus or coach operator's licence and (b) curtailed the number of vehicles which an operator is allowed to run under its licence for failing to meet safety standards since 2000. [204706]

Stephen Hammond: The data that is currently recorded for action taken against bus and coach operators does not identify specifically where the action has been as a result of failing to meet safety standards. The following data shows the number of licences where the operator had their licence revoked or had the authorisation reduced. This data is therefore where operators have failed to meet “licence” standards, such as financial standing, repute, undertakings as well as those relating to vehicle and driver safety standards.

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The traffic commissioners recognise that additional data would be useful for completing the compliance picture and are already working with the Department and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency through the Compliance Forum to deliver against that aim.

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions traffic commissioners have sanctioned (a) bus operators and (b) coach operators for failing to meet safety standards since 2000. [204707]

Stephen Hammond: The data that is currently recorded for action taken against bus and coach operators does not identify specifically where the action has been as a result of failing to meet safety standards. The following data shows the number of public inquiries that were heard in relation to bus and coach operators where regulatory action was taken. This data is therefore where operators have failed to meet “licence” standards, such as financial standing, repute, undertakings as well as those relating to vehicle and driver safety standards.

The traffic commissioners recognise that additional data would be useful for completing the compliance picture and are already working with the Department and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency through the Compliance Forum to deliver against that aim.

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the traffic commissioners to discuss safety standard adherence by bus or coach companies. [204709]

Stephen Hammond: The Secretary of State and his ministerial colleagues have periodic meetings with the Senior Traffic Commissioner to discuss a range of issues. The Secretary of State last met with the Senior Traffic Commissioner on 8 July this year.

Carnforth Station

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the relevant local authority is to fund or reinstate Carnforth Station rail platforms on the west coast main line following their removal in error in the 1970s; [204868]

(2) which governmental body will make funds available to fund a feasibility study into the reinstatement of platforms at Carnforth Station on the west coast main line. [204810]

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Stephen Hammond: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 196W.

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his policy is on upgrading Carnforth Railway Station for additional future services. [204869]

Stephen Hammond: The winning bidder of the TransPennine Express franchise will be expected to deliver improved service quality to customers at all TransPennine Express stations, including Carnforth.

The provision of additional infrastructure at Carnforth is a matter for Network Rail.

Driver and Vehicle Agency: Northern Ireland

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for the Home Department the possibility of redeploying staff at the Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Northern Ireland who are currently facing redundancy to carry out urgent work on processing passport applications across the UK. [204852]

Stephen Hammond: The Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) is an agency of the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment. Its employees are part of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, falling within the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

Department for Transport officials are continuing to work with those in Northern Ireland to ensure appropriate support is given to DVA staff affected by the changes to vehicle services in Northern Ireland.

Driving: Licensing

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of driving licences were withdrawn from people ordinarily resident in Scotland on the basis of alcohol abuse (a) following road accidents and (b) at the request of medical practitioners in each of the last five years. [204722]

Stephen Hammond: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not hold information on the number of driving licences withdrawn on the basis of alcohol abuse following a road traffic accident.

The most recent information obtained on 2 July confirms that no driving licences have been withdrawn on the basis of alcohol abuse at the request of a general practitioner or a medical practitioner in the last five years.

First Transpennine Express and Northern Rail

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the local transport authorities which form Rail North and are jointly responsible for the (a) TransPennine Express and (b) Northern Rail franchises will have the freedom to specify (i) staffing levels, (ii) ticket office hours and (iii) driver-only specification of new rolling stock in the new franchise bids for each line. [204185]

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Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport is currently conducting a joint public consultation with Rail North which will inform the specifications for both the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises; no decisions have yet been taken. While the Secretary of State will make the final decisions on the franchise specifications, Rail North authorities are very involved in this process, including having representatives working within the Department for Transport teams. We expect, however, that for both franchises: (i) staffing levels will be left for bidders to propose; (ii) under the current policy bidders are free to propose changes to ticket office hours, but any change could only take place following further public consultation; and (iii) Specification of Driver Only Operation is being considered for the Northern franchise but we expect to leave this free for bidders to propose on the TransPennine Express franchise.

Freedom of Information

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on legal fees in cases relating to the release of information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each of the last five years. [204284]

Stephen Hammond: The amount spent by this Department and its Executive Agencies on external legal fees relating to requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, namely payments to the Treasury Solicitor’s Department and counsel, in each of the last five financial years, is as shown in the table.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Sir Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of extending the potential economic benefits of extending High Speed 2 to Colchester. [204240]

Mr Goodwill: HS2 will help to promote economic growth and drive regional regeneration by bringing our major cities closer together, supporting job creation across the country and deliver around £2 of benefits for every £1 spent.

The Department has not assessed the potential economic benefits of extending HS2 to Colchester.

Only last Monday (7 July) Government announced the first instalment of plans to invest at least £12 billion in local economies across England in a series of Growth Deals, between 2015-16 and 2020-21.

As part of their Growth Deal the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (which includes Essex as well as Thurrock, Southend, Kent, Medway and East Sussex)

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has secured some £442 million to support economic growth in the area-with £64 million of new funding confirmed for 2015-16.

As part of this allocation there is £2 million for a programme of sustainable transport measures in Colchester, alongside a further £10 million for integrated transport packages in the town centre. This is on top of a provisional allocation in the region of £3 million towards transport improvements in the A133 Colchester to Clacton corridor.

London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Line

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate his Department has made of the costs of planned investment in (a) Wi-Fi access on trains, (b) provision of customer information and (c) SMART ticketing technology during the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for passenger services on the Essex Thameside line; what proportion of each category of funding will fall to (i) the franchisee, (ii) Network Rail and (iii) the public sector. [204530]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total annual public sector payment will be in each year to 2029 under the new franchise agreement for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line. [204531]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the planned investment in stations on the Essex Thameside line during the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd will be funded by the (a) franchisee, (b) Network Rail and (c) the public sector in each case. [204532]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rolling stock maintenance arrangements will be for the franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line. [204533]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information

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at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed. Rolling stock maintenance will be a matter for the franchisee.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the (a) funding and (b) ownership arrangements are for the 17 new trains to be introduced on the Essex Thameside line under the terms of the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd; and what the deadline is for the introduction into service of the new fleet. [204534]

Stephen Hammond: The procurement of new trains, comprising 68 new vehicles, is being carried out by NXET Trains Ltd under European Union Procurement Regulations and has not yet begun. Decisions about this procurement are a commercial matter for the operator.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the new trains due to be introduced during the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line will be equipped with accommodation for a train guard. [204583]

Stephen Hammond: The procurement of new trains is being carried out by NXET Trains Ltd under European Union Procurement Regulations and has not yet begun. Decisions about this procurement are a commercial matter for the operator.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with NXET Trains Ltd about minimum levels of (a) on-train, (b) station and (c) ticket office staffing levels in each year of the new franchise agreement for rail passenger services on the Essex Thameside line; and what current staffing levels are in each such category on the line. [204584]

Stephen Hammond: Staffing is a matter for the operator; as such no discussions have been held between the Secretary of State for Transport and NXET Trains Ltd and minimum levels of staffing have not been specified.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with NXET Trains Ltd over plans to make staff more visible at stations on the Essex Thameside line during the term of the new franchise agreement for rail passenger services. [204585]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed.

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safeguards there are in the new franchise agreement on the Essex Thameside line with NXET Trains Ltd against unsafe reductions in staff over the life of the agreement. [204586]

Stephen Hammond: Staffing on the franchise is a matter for the operator. The operator must act within the regulatory environment of the railway, which includes safety obligations under their license to operate (granted by the Office of Rail Regulation).

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Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new (a) automatic ticket gates and (b) ticket vending machines will be introduced at stations on the Essex Thameside route under the terms of the new franchise agreement with NXET Trains Ltd for rail passenger services. [204587]

Stephen Hammond: The standstill period for the Essex Thameside franchise competition has not yet concluded, as such the Department has not signed the new franchise agreement and we are not able to confirm this information at this time. An announcement will be made shortly once the agreement has been signed. There is already a gate at every station on the franchise and all stations have ticket vending machines (with the exception of West Ham, which is managed by Transport for London). Additional ticket validation will be provided at Dagenham Dock to support step free access at that station.

Northern Rail

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Northern Rail has pledged to invest in station upgrades under the franchise extension announced on 27 March 2014. [204862]

Stephen Hammond: The level of investment Northern Rail is committed to for station upgrade works is designated commercially sensitive. This figure has been redacted from the publicly available interim franchise agreement, which is accessible online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/northern

Railway Stations: Disability

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure disabled rail users can access all platforms at rural stations. [204417]

Stephen Hammond: By 2015 the Access for All programme will have spent over £400 million providing accessible routes at more than 150 stations since its launch in 2006. An additional £100 million, to fund a further 42 projects up to 2019, was allocated in April 2014. More than 1,100 stations have also benefited from smaller scale access improvements under the programme. Many of these projects have been at rural stations and are over and above accessibility improvements delivered as part of other station infrastructure works.

Railways: Scotland

Mr McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to improve rail connections from northern England to Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [204599]

Stephen Hammond: A key element of the Government's strategy for the railways is improving connectivity to support economic growth—facilitating business, commuting and leisure journeys.

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Projects and programmes that are set to improve connectivity between the north of England and Scotland by increasing capacity, reducing journey times, and/or improving performance or train frequencies include:

(a) Electrification in the North West of England—10 brand new four-coach electric trains commenced operation on the route between Manchester airport and Edinburgh/Glasgow in May this year;

(b) The refranchising programme—including a recent Direct Award to Virgin West Coast Trains and award of the next Intercity East Coast franchise later this year and the next TransPennine Express franchise in 2015;

(c) HS2—as announced in November last year, the Department is undertaking a study in collaboration with the Scottish Government to identify the broad options available to make further capacity and journey time improvements between northern England and Scotland.

Regional Airports

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the importance of regional airports in meeting the UK’s aviation needs. [202377]

Mr Goodwill: The Government’s Aviation Policy Framework affirms that the Government wants to see the best use of the UK’s existing airport capacity. It recognises that airports across the UK play an important role in local economies, and in securing connectivity for local populations—as well as having an important role in helping to accommodate wider forecast growth in demand for aviation in the UK.

Road Traffic

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps he has taken to reduce congestion (a) in Windsor constituency and (b) around Heathrow Airport. [204116]

Mr Goodwill: Transport investment is central to the Government’s long term economic plan. On 7 July we announced £3 billion of funding for new local transport schemes within the Local Growth Fund. This included £96.9 million for the Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (which includes Windsor). Of this, £94.6 million will support transport schemes that have been bid for by the LEP and will make a real difference to transport accessibility in the whole of the Thames Valley. These include provisional funding from 2016-17 onwards of £4.75 million for a sustainable transport package across the Thames Valley LEP area.

Local transport in the Windsor and Maidenhead area has, since 2010, also benefited from investment that will reduce congestion in the area. This includes just over £2 million of Local Pinch Point Funding, £16.1 million investment in improving the state of the

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roads and on small scale transport schemes and around £2 million from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund to ease congestion by promoting travel behaviour change through a package of sustainable travel measures aimed at residents, schools and businesses.

In addition to investment in the local network the Government continue to progress the M4 smart motorway. A further formal public consultation on the scheme will be held in the autumn and subject to development consent and the final business case, construction could start in late Summer 2016. As well as this the Highways Agency is taking forward a £2.5 million scheme to improve the links between the M4 and A329(M), to provide increased capacity at the junction and improve traffic flows. The scheme will be delivered by the end of March 2015.

The Government are also investing around £500 million in Western Rail Access to Heathrow subject to a satisfactory business case and agreement of acceptable terms with the Heathrow aviation industry. This will facilitate direct rail services between destinations in the Thames Valley and Heathrow airport.

Roads: North West

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has allocated for road repairs in (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency, (b) South Lakeland, (c) Cumbria and (d) the North West (i) since 2010 and (ii) between 2005 and 2010. [204867]

Mr Goodwill: The north-west includes two Highways Agency maintenance areas (10 and 13). It covers the operation of the motorway and trunk road network from the Scottish border in the north, to the Welsh border in the west and as far south as the midlands. The Highways Agency has spent the following amounts on road maintenance in the north-west since 2007-08. The Highways Agency only has financial data from 2007-08, as prior to that, the data is not split into specific areas.

The Department for Transport provides capital funding to local highway authorities from the local highways maintenance capital block grant. Both the Westmoreland and Lonsdale constituency and South Lakeland fall within Cumbria county council’s area of responsibility and therefore we do not allocate any funds directly to them for road maintenance.

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The Department has also provided additional funding to local highway authorities to help repair roads damaged due to severe weather events. These payments are as follows:

Senior Civil Servants

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many senior civil servants appointed to positions in his Department since 2010 were previously (a) political appointees within that Department and (b) employed by a political party. [204332]

Stephen Hammond: The Department does not hold data relating to political activity prior to appointment of its senior civil servants. However, all senior civil servants within our Department must adhere to section 14 of the civil service code relating to political impartiality which can be found at:

http://resources.civilservice.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/civil-service-code-2010.pdf

Training

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what professional development courses are made available to staff of his Department; and what the cost to the public purse is of each such course. [204351]

Stephen Hammond: The Department makes available to its staff any and all professional development courses from the training market which enable it to ensure that staff have the most relevant knowledge, skills and expertise to do their jobs effectively and so meet the Department's objectives.

It is therefore not possible to provide a complete list of all professional development courses available to staff.

The cost of training is closely monitored to ensure that expenditure is kept within budgetary provisions.

The Department also complies with the appropriate procurement route in order to ensure that professional development training is fit for purpose and offers good value for money.

Tyres

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of part-worn tyres sold in the UK in each of the last five years. [204878]

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Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport does not routinely collect information on the number of part-worn tyres sold in the UK.

Education

16-19 Bursary Fund

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people (a) applied and (b) were approved under the 16 to 19 bursary scheme for higher education in each year since 2011. [204854]

Matthew Hancock: The 16 to 19 bursary scheme provides extra financial help for students who need support in order to stay in further education.

Academies

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will publish any names his Department holds of (a) current and (b) former senior public employees and Ministers (i) promoting, (ii) taking up board positions on and (iii) involved in the running of academies and free schools; and if he will make a statement; [204190]

(2) if he will make it his policy to regularly publish any (a) private equity, (b) private school business and (c) other business connections and interests of (i) current and (ii) former (A) senior public sector employees, (B) Ministers and politicians and (C) board members of his Department (1) promoting, (2) taking up board positions on and (3) involved in the running of academies and free schools; and if he will make a statement. [204189]

Mr Timpson: Departmental policy is to maintain a register of interests for executive and non-executive board members. This information is available for inspection on request at any of the departmental offices, as stated in our annual report and accounts.

Details of directorships and other significant interests held by Ministers are set out in the Register of Members’ Interests for MPs and the Register of Lords’ Interests. Both registers can be found on the UK Parliament website at:

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-interests/

The Department also discloses Related Party transactions-summarised totals of transactions between the departmental group and entities in which departmental board members and Ministers hold a controlling position or significant business interest – in its Consolidated Annual Report and Accounts.

The most recent disclosures are held within Note 26 of this report:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/275186/DFE_Group_Consolidated_12-13_ARA.pdf

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what requirement there is to consult where an existing single academy trust wishes to become a multi-academy trust; what steps are taken when those requirements to consult are not met; and if he will make a statement. [204191]

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Mr Timpson: The Department for Education has published non-statutory guidance for academies wanting to change from a single academy trust to a multi academy trust. The Education Funding Agency (EFA), on behalf of the Secretary of State, requires confirmation from the academy trust that a consultation has been held before a decision on making the change is granted. The guidance also refers to the EFA's need to be satisfied that the local authority has also been consulted. The EFA will consider any reasonable objections to the proposed change before making its decision.

If the requirements to consult as set out in the guidance are not met, the EFA considers whether the academy trust should be asked to comply with the consultation requirements before a decision on the change could be made, or whether there is good reason not to do so.

Mr Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications were received from academies to expand to meet parental demand as part of Round 1 of the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund 2014-15; and how many such applications were approved. [204264]

Mr Timpson: A full list of academies that were awarded an allocation through the latest round is published at:

https://www.gov.uk/academies-capital-maintenance-fund