Buildings
Mr Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on refurbishing (a) gymnasium and leisure facilities, (b) cafeteria and (c) interior decoration in (i) his Department and (ii) buildings owned by his Department in (A) 2013 and (B) 2014 to date. [205353]
Kris Hopkins: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not spent any money on refurbishing gymnasium and leisure facilities, cafeterias and interior decoration during 2013 and 2014.
This is in contrast to the record of the last Labour Government, who, for example, spent £134,503 in 2009-10 on luxury sofas by the Parisian designers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and a further £83,506 on a ‘serene green’ tranquillity room.
Correspondence
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has any plans to increase the number of replies within his Department's working day standard; and if he will make a statement. [206475]
3 Sep 2014 : Column 266W
Kris Hopkins: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, my right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr Maude), on 2 September 2014, Official Report, column 230W.
DCLG aims to respond to all correspondence within 10 working days.
Non-domestic Rates
Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what proportion of premises on the rating list have a rateable value of less than £50,000; [207516]
(2) what estimate he has made of how much of the Government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by businesses with a rateable value lower than £18,000; [207517]
(3) what estimate he has made of how much of the Government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by food and drink businesses with a rateable value lower than £50,000; [207518]
(4) what estimate he has made of how much of the Government receipt from business rates forecast for 2014-15 will be contributed by businesses with a rateable value lower than £50,000. [207519]
Kris Hopkins: We have introduced a £1 billion business rate support package for 2014-15 including:
a 2% cap in the Retail Price Index increase;
a discount of £1,000 for around 300,000 shops, pubs and restaurants with rateable values below £50,000;
doubling small business rate relief extended for another year, benefiting over half a million businesses;
a 50% discount for new occupants of long-term vacant shops; and
allowing ratepayers to pay bills over 12 instalments.
This package will benefit all businesses but particularly those with a lower rateable value. Local authority forecasts of business rates are not available split by rateable value threshold or business sector.
As at 31 March 2013, 89% of hereditaments had a rateable value of £50,000 or lower. As at 31 March 2013, large properties (those with a rateable value equal to or greater than £50,000) account for 72% of rateable value. These data are taken from the Valuation Office Agency’s disclosure log, available at the following link:
http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/About/Policy/disclosureLogResponses2013.html
Performance Appraisal
Mrs Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end-of-year performance assessment for 2013-14. [202050]
Kris Hopkins: The following table provides a summary of the performance results for non-Senior Civil Service staff for whom the DCLG process applied, where disability has been declared, and whose performance markings have been entered into the HR database:
3 Sep 2014 : Column 267W
| Number of staff | Exceptional | Good | Development Needed |
Due to changes in methodology in the manner in which such assessments are undertaken, these figures are not comparable with those given to the hon. Member in the answer to her of 4 November 2013, Official Report, column 22W.
The small sample sizes may mean the results are not statistically significant. We will be undertaking further analysis of the wider performance outcomes across both performance years and all protected characteristics. We will consider whether action is required to address any clear findings.
The Department provides a reasonable adjustments service, which has recently been subject to a review, to allow staff to ensure that a person with a disability is not put at a substantial disadvantage compared with non-disabled persons generally, who work under the same conditions. The Department’s Disability Champion also continues to work closely with the Disability Staff Network in raising awareness of disability issues to the wider Department.
Vacancies: Greater London
Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate the Department has made of the number of private sector vacancies in London. [205068]
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to bring empty (a) residential and (b) commercial properties back into use. [200781]
Stephen Williams: Reflecting commitments made in the coalition agreement, getting empty and redundant buildings back into use is a key priority for this Government. Under the coalition Government, the number of empty homes in England has so far fallen to a 10-year low:
The number of long-term empty homes has fallen by a third from 316,251 in October 2009 to 216,050 in October 2013.
The overall number of empty homes (all types) has fallen by a fifth from 770,496 in October 2009 to 635,127 in October 2013.
In London, the number of empty homes has fallen by a third, from 85,062 in October 2009 to 59,313 in October 2013.
A breakdown by local authority, including public sector tenure, can be found in Live Table 615.
www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
But there is more to do. The coalition Government have a comprehensive package of policies to help get empty homes and buildings back into use. They include:
Funding a £235 million empty homes programme to help local communities in restoring empty properties, both residential and commercial, and helping provide new homes.
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Rewarding councils for bringing empty homes back into use through the New Homes Bonus. Since April 2011, councils have received over £2.2 billion for bringing empty homes back into residential occupation.
Giving councils new powers to remove council tax subsidies to empty homes, and use the funds to keep the overall rate of council tax down. HM Treasury has also changed tax rules to discourage the use of corporate envelopes to invest in high value housing which may be left empty or under-used to avoid paying tax.
Cancelling the Labour Government’s Pathfinder programme which sought to demolish homes, instead of focusing on refurbishment and getting empty homes into use. We have taken forward the best practice guidance produced by our independent adviser, George Clarke, and embedded it in our housing programme funding schemes.
Reforming Community Infrastructure Levy rules to provide an increased incentive for brownfield development, and extending exemptions for empty buildings being brought back into use. We have also been consulting on proposals to lift Section 106 burdens on vacant buildings being returned to use.
Introducing the Right to Contest, building on our existing Community Right to Reclaim Land, which lets communities ask that under-used or unused land owned by public bodies is brought back into beneficial use. This new right applies to sites currently in use, but not vital for operations. It gives businesses and members of the public an opportunity to challenge Government on the best use of their estate.
Reforming permitted development rights in a number of ways to free up the planning system and facilitate the conversion of redundant and under-used non-residential buildings into new homes.
Leader of the House
Television
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Leader of the House how much his Office spent on the purchase of televisions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date. [207221]
Mr Hague: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is part of the Cabinet Office. Our answer is included in the response by the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
Justice
Coroners
Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions since May 2010 a rule 43 ruling has been used in coronial verdicts. [207456]
Simon Hughes: The Ministry of Justice had responsibility for reports made under rule 43 of the Coroners Rules 1984 (as amended) until 31 March 2013 when responsibility was transferred to the Chief Coroner. In coroner reform legislation implemented on 25 July 2013 rule 43 reports were superseded by reports to prevent future deaths. As set out in the following table, a total of 1,952 reports made under rule 43 of the Coroners Rules 1984 (as amended) and reports to prevent future deaths were issued by coroners between 1 April 2010 and 25 July 2014.
A summary of reports made from 17 July 2008 (when the 1984 rules were amended) to 31 March 2013 is available at:
https://www.justice.gov.uk/coroners-burial-cremation/coroners/rule-43
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A summary of reports made from 1 April to 30 September 2013 is available at:
http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/related-offices-and-bodies/office-chief-coroner/summary-of-reports-to-pfds/
which is the website where the Chief Coroner will in due course publish information on the number of reports issued since 30 September 2013.
| Reporting period | Number of reports issued |
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Drugs: Sentencing
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been sentenced to prison as a result of possession of illegal substances, by class of substance, since 2010. [206953]
Mike Penning: The number of offenders found guilty and sentenced to immediate custody at all courts for offences of possession of a controlled drug, broken down by class of drug, in England and Wales, from 2009 to 2013, can be viewed in the table.
| Offenders found guilty and sentenced at all courts for possession of a controlled drug1, by class of drug, England and Wales, 2009 to 20132,3,4 | ||||||
| Class of Drug | Outcome | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| 1 An offence under section 5(2) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. 2 The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 3 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 4 The number of offenders sentenced can differ from those found guilty as it may be the case that a defendant found guilty in a particular year, and committed for sentence at the Crown Court, may be sentenced in the following year. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice | ||||||
Nature Conservation: Crime
Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) cautioned, (c) proceeded against and (d) convicted of an offence under the provisions of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 in each year since their enactment. [204551]
Mike Penning: The number of offenders cautioned and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of offences under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (which came into force on 1 April 2010), in England and Wales, from 2010 to 2013 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
Arrest data are not held by the Ministry of Justice.
| Offenders cautioned1 and defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010, England and Wales, 2010 to 20132, 3 | ||||
| Outcome | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
3 Sep 2014 : Column 271W
| 1 From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. 2 The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for or found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 3 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Note: Regulations came into force on 1 April 2010 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. | ||||
Sentencing
Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department has spent on providing non-stipendiary magistrates with electronic copies of Sentencing Guidelines and updates thereof free of charge; and what plans his Department has to provide non-stipendiary magistrates with electronic copies of Sentencing Guidelines and updates thereof free of charge. [206323]
Mike Penning: The Government electronic versions of all sentencing guidelines and updates are currently available at no cost on the Sentencing Council's website:
www.sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk
The cost incurred in producing these electronic versions of the Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Guidelines is minimal and arises from the staff time from the Ministry of Justice design team and the staff time of the Office of the Sentencing Council.
By spring 2015, as part of the digitisation of the criminal justice system, magistrates will be able to access sentencing guidelines via a link from a hand-held device to the Sentencing Council’s website. This will ensure that magistrates will always have access to the most up to date version of the guidelines.
International Development
Gaza
8. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what help she plans to give to children in Gaza who require support to deal with trauma related to bombing. [905131]
Mr Swayne: More than half of DFID’s £3 million Rapid Response Facility is supporting the provision of health and psycho-social care for women and children. DFID also supports the UN Relief and Works Agency, which is deploying counsellors to all Gaza shelters to mitigate the impact of psychological trauma sustained by civilians.
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Bost Agricultural Business Park
9. Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reasons she decided to end her Department's role in the Bost Agricultural Business Park project in Afghanistan in 2012. [905132]
Justine Greening: The Bost Agricultural Business Park was approved in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project would not be completed within the original time frame and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers' money I decided that further UK funding should be cancelled.
Afghanistan
Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 414W, on Afghanistan and with reference to the answer of 5 September 2013, Official Report, column 461W, on Afghanistan, for what reasons she considers the publication of official agreements signed by her Department to be covered by her Department's policy on the publication of internal discussions; [206959]
(2) what Memorandum of Understanding was reached between USAID and her Department on the transfer of the Bost Agri Park and Bost Airfield from USAID control to her Department's control in 2009. [206962]
Justine Greening: The Bost industrial business park proposal was originally approved by officials in 2009 at a time when Ministers did not approve spend under £40 million. In 2012 it became clear that the project could no longer be completed within the original time frame and in good order. To avoid wasting taxpayers’ money I decided that UK funding for the project should be cancelled. The completed park designs have been handed over to the Afghan authorities to enable them to pursue the project over a revised time frame. DFID’s work on Bost Airfield was completed in November 2013.
There was no Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2009.
Buildings
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will review her departmental estate in order to reduce costs; and if she will make a statement. [206691]
Mr Swayne: DFID has reviewed its UK estate which resulted in a move from 1 Palace Street, Victoria to 22 Whitehall. The move was completed on time and more than £1 million under budget.
The relocation will save HMG £62.5 million in rent and rates by 2020. The move also heralded a new, more business-like approach from the Department, with more efficient use of office space and flexible working practices saving even more money in the longer term.
3 Sep 2014 : Column 273W
EU Law
Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many times the UK has lost EU infraction proceedings since May 2010 which relate to matters that fall within her Department's responsibility. [206660]
Lynne Featherstone: There have been no EU infraction proceedings against the UK in matters that fall within my Department’s responsibility.
Malawi
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make UK aid to Malawi conditional on the repeal of laws which discriminate against LGBT people; and if she will make a statement. [206668]
Lynne Featherstone: The UK is not currently providing any aid to the Government of Malawi. At the end of 2013, the UK suspended all funding going through Malawi Government systems following revelations of widespread fraud and corruption involving public finances.
St Helena
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the new airport terminal on St Helena will be equipped with (a) a biosecurity scanner and (b) a secure biosecurity facility. [206525]
Mr Swayne: The Department for International Development is currently considering proposals from the St Helena Government on biosecurity management at the new airport terminal building, including the use of a biosecurity scanner and any associated facilities.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are being taken to protect the mole spider population at Bradley’s in the airport development area of St Helena. [206526]
Mr Swayne: No construction work is planned within the mole spider habitat at Bradley’s and the area is protected from any construction-related activity. Environmental officers carry out checks to ensure compliance.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what change there has been in energy prices on St Helena in each of the last four years; and what estimate she has made of changes in such prices in each of the next three years. [206527]
Mr Swayne: From April 2010 to April 2014 the unit price of electricity per kilowatt hour in St Helena increased by 2.5p, 1.75p, 1.9p and 0.8p in each respective financial year: increasing the unit price for median consumption rates over this period from 15p to 22p per kilowatt hour.
Future energy prices on St Helena will be decided by the island’s private utility company and regulator.
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Tanzania
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which companies in Tanzania have received how much in funding from her Department since 2010. [207440]
Lynne Featherstone: Information on DFID’s projects in Tanzania is available on the Development Tracker website:
http://devtracker.dfid.gov.uk/
A more detailed breakdown cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs.
Uganda
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make UK development aid to Uganda conditional on the repeal of laws in that country which discriminate against LGBT people; and if she will make a statement. [206639]
Lynne Featherstone: The UK suspended all budget support to the Government of Uganda in 2013. After the Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed we assessed our programme to ensure that UK aid was not being provided to organisations that proactively and publically promoted the legislation.
The UK welcomes the decision of the Ugandan Constitutional Court to annul the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Women and Equalities
Procurement
Sadiq Khan: To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities how much and what proportion of the Government Equalities Office's budget was spent on activities which were contracted out in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12, (d) 2012-13 and (e) 2013-14; and how much and what proportion of the Government Equalities Office's budget they expect to be contracted out in 2014-15. [205216]
Jo Swinson: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 2 September 2014, Official Report, column 201W, by the Minister for Sport and Tourism, the hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Mrs Grant). The figures for 2013-14 and 2014-15 for DCMS included figures for the Government Equalities Office (GEO). Within those totals, the figures for the GEO are:
| Financial year | Contracted-out expenditure (£000) | Proportion of contracted-out expenditure to Budget (percentage) |
| * The percentage value is calculated against a proportion of the GEO budget which excludes grant payments and internal payment transfers between Departments. Note: For prior years the Department does not hold this information, as the GEO used the expertise of the Home Office and Government Procurement Service. | ||
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Work and Pensions
Employment and Support Allowance
Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was between (a) an employment and support allowance applicant submitting an ESA 50 questionnaire and undergoing a work capability assessment, (b) an employment and support allowance applicant undergoing a work capability assessment and advice being submitted to a decision-maker and (c) advice being submitted to a decision-maker and a decision being issued to an employment and support allowance applicant in each year since 2008. [207460]
Mr Harper: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many mandatory reconsideration periods for employment and support allowance his Department has conducted to date; what the outcomes were of each such case; and what the (a) shortest, (b) average and (c) longest periods were. [207486]
Mr Harper: The Department is collecting information to understand how the introduction of mandatory reconsideration is operating, including completion time scales. However, this data is not sufficiently robust and reliable to make available.
The Department has committed to publishing the statistics when the departmental statisticians judge that the data meet the standards set out in the UK Statistics Authority’s Codes of Practice.
Independent Living Fund
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will undertake a separate impact assessment of the closure of the Independent Living Fund on demand for (a) NHS and (b) social care services. [207484]
Mr Harper: The Equality Analysis setting out the implications of closing the Independent Living Fund was published on 6 March 2014.
Jobcentre Plus
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many computers have been installed for use in Jobcentre Plus offices in the UK in 2014-15; and what estimate he has made of the number of computers so installed by the end of the current financial year. [207488]
Esther McVey: The Digital Jobcentres project is modernising the Jobcentre digital infrastructure by delivering wi-fi and web access devices (WADs) across the Jobcentre network. From now until the end of October, we will be installing wi-fi and new web access devices (WADs) across the Jobcentre network. By the end of October, around 6,000 WADs will have been installed in Jobcentres across the UK.
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Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what average length of time his Department takes to process applications for hardship payments; and what targets he has set for the processing of such claims. [207487]
Esther McVey: The information requested is not available. Our expectation is that claimants who are vulnerable will receive a hardship payment, if appropriate, within three days of their requesting hardship. We have no targets for the processing of hardship applications.
Personal Independence Payment
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mean length of time between a personal independence payment claim being registered and a decision being made was on (a) claims not made under special rules for terminally ill people and (b) claims made under special rules for terminally ill people where the decision was taken between April 2013 and March 2014. [207331]
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what estimate he has made of the average waiting time for personal independence payment assessments in each of the last 12 months; [207356]
(2) what estimate he has made of the number of applicants for personal independence payment who have waited longer than 26 weeks for an assessment in each of the last 12 months. [207357]
Mr Harper: Statistics on the time taken to clear cases are intended for future publication and the Department's analysts are currently considering what information will be included in the release.
Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people with Parkinson's disease (a) have applied for personal independence payment (PIP), (b) are receiving PIP and (c) have been refused PIP. [207496]
Mr Harper: Available data do not provide the number of people with Parkinson's disease who have (a) applied for personal independence payment (b) are receiving personal independence payment (c) have been refused personal independence payment. However, published statistics show that at February 2014 there were 2,831 people entitled to PIP for Neurological Conditions, which would include those who have Parkinson's disease.
Social Security Benefits
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress has been made on making statistics on mandatory reconsiderations for jobseeker's allowance and employment and support allowance publicly available. [207337]
Mr Harper:
DWP statisticians are currently working to collate and quality assure data on Mandatory Reconsideration for Employment and Support Allowance as a matter of urgency. The Department has committed
3 Sep 2014 : Column 277W
to publishing the statistics when the Departmental statisticians judge that the data meet the standards set out in the UK Statistics Authority’s Codes of Practice.
Social Security Benefits: Disability
Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether people with mental health conditions may be refused disability benefits on the grounds that their condition does not require the use of aides. [207471]
Mr Harper: Eligibility for the two main working age disability benefits—personal independence payment (PIP) and employment and support allowance (ESA)—is assessed through two separate assessments. However, common to both is that they look at disabled people as individuals, and do not label them by their health condition, impairment or disability.
The PIP assessment considers the impact of an individual’s condition on their ability to carry out some key everyday activities. Similarly ESA looks to determine not what condition an individual has but rather how that condition impacts on the individual’s functional capacity to work.
Both assessments include descriptors which take account of physical, sensory, mental, intellectual and cognitive impairments. Claimants for either benefit—whether with a mental health condition, physical condition or both—will not be refused benefit simply because they do not require an aide, advocate or appointee.
Telephone Services
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under what timetable his Department plans to phase out use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system. [207288]
Esther McVey: The DWP has committed to introduce 0345 numbers and this started on major helplines in March 2014. The Department does not operate any prefixes that begin with 0844 or 0843.
For its inquiry helplines, the Department will begin adding the choice of 0345 numbers to their 0845 helplines where its customers call for other reasons, and these are calls that typically take less time to resolve.
Ofcom proposals for implementing change to 08 numbers are due to be implemented in June 2015. The changes result in improved charge transparency for some non-geographic numbers including 0845. DWP will monitor the impact these changes have on 08 charges.
Work Programme
Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 8 April 2014, Official Report, column 220W, on the Work programme, what the cost is of paying a second attachment fee for persons transferred from Newcastle College to new providers; and what other additional costs his Department incurs as a result of that transfer. [207491]
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Esther McVey: It is not possible to release financial data below the national level within the duration of the Work programme, as this could put at risk some of the commercial, in-confidence elements of the contracts.
Culture, Media and Sport
Global Radio
Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will investigate the time taken by Ofcom to come to a decision on complaints submitted in 2013 about unapproved format changes to the Choice FM radio station now operated by Global Radio; and what information he holds on when Ofcom plans to respond to those complaints. [206764]
Mr Vaizey: This is an operational matter for Ofcom, the independent communications regulator. DCMS officials have spoken to Ofcom and have been informed that Ofcom has been investigating complaints about the current output of Choice FM and, in doing so, has had to consider a significant amount of material. Ofcom is currently finalising its decision and will publish this very shortly.
Lotteries
Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what occasions Ministers from his Department have met (a) representatives of society lotteries and (b) representatives of Camelot or the National Lottery since December 2012. [206678]
Mrs Grant: Details of ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the gov.uk website and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications?keywords=& publication_filter_option=transparency-data&topics%5B%5D =all&departments%5B%5D=department-for-culture-media-sport&official_document_status=all&world_locations%5B%5D =all&from_date=&to_date
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Agriculture: Subsidies
Rory Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Cumbria which received payments under the (a) Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance, (b) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (c) Hill Farm Allowance and (d) Uplands Entry Level Stewardship Scheme in each of the last 30 years; and what aggregate local payments were made under each scheme in each such year. [207462]
George Eustice: The Rural Payments Agency does not hold assured data for the time period and area requested. As the majority of these schemes ended some time ago, and a new finance system was introduced in the intervening period, extracting this historical information is not possible.
The agency does not hold this level of historical payment information for Uplands Entry Level Stewardship.
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Food Supply Networks Review
Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to Lord Rooker of 11 August 2014, HL1378, on the food supply networks review, for what reasons Professor Elliott's final report on horsemeat fraud and the food supply networks review has not yet been published; and if she will make a statement. [207528]
George Eustice: The Government believe that the report is important, which is why the Secretary of State wanted to review it thoroughly and meet Professor Elliott before its publication. The Government also wanted to publish the report when Parliament was sitting. Professor Elliott's report is due to be published soon.
Slaughterhouses
Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will commission a study to assess the extent of mis-stunning at the point of animal slaughter in the UK. [207157]
George Eustice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Mike Freer) on 1 April 2014, Official Report, column 600W.
Telephone Services
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under what timetable her Department plans to phase out use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system. [207453]
Dan Rogerson: Core DEFRA operates three telephone lines under a dual numbering system with the prefix 0345 as the primary number. In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, the 0845 prefix numbers have been retained for these lines to allow callers a choice based on their call package arrangements. There are no plans to phase out either the 0845 or 0345 prefixed numbers.
Television
Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much her Department spent on the purchase of televisions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date. [207214]
Dan Rogerson: The Core Department has spent the following amounts on televisions in the periods specified:
(a) £1,559
(b) £376.
Defence
Armed Forces: Absence Without Leave
Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers were recorded as AWOL in each of the last five years; and how many such soldiers were aged (a) 18, (b) 19 and (c) 21 years at the time of going absent. [207407]
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Anna Soubry: Absent Without Leave (AWOL) information is recorded by the Royal Military Police on their REDCAP system. The number of soldiers recorded as AWOL in each of the last five completed calendar years is:
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | |
Each incidence of AWOL is recorded as a separate entry. As such if an individual has been AWOL three times during a year this will be recorded as three separate instances of AWOL.
To provide the age of each individual would require a manual check of every AWOL record and as such could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Telephone Services
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what timetable his Department plans to phase out use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system. [207451]
Anna Soubry: The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) customer service lines cover a number of areas in three main categories:
(1) Services for Veterans are provided through a well-publicised free helpline (0808 1914 2 18);
(2) Services for existing military staff are available on the MOD network. However, on those occasions where staff or their families need to call from outside the MOD, there are free (eg Army Welfare and Service Family Accommodation), national rate or business rate lines; and
(3) Potential recruits have a choice of ways to communicate with our careers staff, with increasing emphasis on digital tools such as Live Chat and Social Media. Careers lines for the Army are now 03, and for the RAF both 0845 and 03. Royal Navy Careers are currently business rate (0845), but 03 numbers will be imminently available.
The MOD does of course have many other numbers, which are geographic or business rate (including the number for low flying complaints).
The MOD does not use any premium (09) numbers.
Education
Pupils: Disadvantaged
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much pupil premium funding has been allocated to each borough in Lancashire in each year since that scheme's introduction. [207529]
Mr Laws: The Department for Education does not hold pupil premium allocations broken down by borough. Pupil premium allocations are published each year at top tier local authority, constituency and school level. The allocations for each year are available online at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-illustrative-allocation-tables
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http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocation-tables
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/a00200697/pupil-premium-2012-13
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2012pupilpremium/a0075963/pupil-premium-2011-12
The pupil premium allocations for Lancashire for each year going back to its introduction in 2011-12 are: £45.9 million in 2014-15 (provisional based on illustrative pupil numbers), £37.1 million in 2013-14, £21.7 million in 2012-13, and £12.4 million in 2011-12.
Transport
Dangerous Driving
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to introduce a charge of killing or injuring someone through a hit and run. [207099]
Mr Goodwill: We do not believe it is necessary to create a specific offence of killing or injuring someone during a hit and run incident. This is because a range of offences and penalties already exist to deal with offences committed on the roads and this can include manslaughter in appropriate cases. The offence of causing death by dangerous driving carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment. In 2012 the Government also introduced a new offence of causing serious injury through dangerous driving which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many recorded hit and run incidents involving (a) injury and (b) death there have been in each of the last five years. [207107]
Mr Goodwill: The numbers of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one hit and run driver by accident severity for the years 2009 to 2013 are shown in the table.
| Number of reported personal injury accidents involving at least one hit and run driver, by severity: GB, 2009-2013 | ||||
| Number of accidents involving at least one hit and run driver | ||||
| Fatal | Serious | Slight | Total | |
East Anglia Railway Line
Mr Simon Burns:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on how many occasions engineering works carried out by Network Rail on the London
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Liverpool Street - Chelmsford - Colchester - Ipswich railway line have overrun causing disruption to the service in each of the last five years; [207447]
(2) what sanctions have been imposed on Network Rail as a result of engineering works overrunning and causing disruption to the rail service on the London Liverpool Street - Chelmsford - Colchester - Ipswich railway line in the last five years; [207446]
(3) what sanctions are taken against Network Rail when engineering works overrun causing disruption to the rail network; [207448]
(4) what steps are being taken to minimise the overrunning of engineering works on the London Liverpool Street - Chelmsford - Colchester - Ipswich railway line. [207449]
Claire Perry: Network Rail is responsible for the day to day operation of the rail network and the delivery of enhancements. The independent regulator, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) will continue to monitor closely Network Rail’s performance delivery on the Anglia route, which will cover all the causes of delay, including the impact of overrunning engineering works.
The Track Access Contracts between Network Rail and train operators provide for Network Rail to pay compensation to an operator in the event that train services cannot operate or are delayed due to engineering works or disruption outside that operator’s control. The Department for Transport does not hold details of the timing or number of such payments, which are a commercial matter between the parties directly concerned, overseen by the ORR. The ORR publishes the annual totals of these payments at route level on its data portal:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/345da3b9-b9ac-449a-aace-8298c5b39e2b
The ORR concluded its assessment of Network Rail’s performance between 2009 and 2014 in July. Since Network Rail did not deliver its funded obligations, and to address issues which have disrupted services for passengers, the company has committed at least £25 million extra funds to improve the resilience of the network in London and the south-east, with plans to be in place by December. In the Long Distance sector, the company fell significantly short of its funded target. Under an order made by the ORR in 2012, taking account of issues beyond Network Rail's control, the company has been asked to return £53.1 million to funders for failure to deliver its agreed obligations in 2013-14. The Government are reinvesting this sum to improve on-train mobile services for passengers.
Insurance
Ms Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions he has met representatives of the insurance industry in the last 12 months; and what issues were discussed at those meetings. [207149]
Mr Goodwill: The Secretary of State has not personally met the insurance industry in the past year. However, I regularly meet insurers to discuss road safety and how we can make motor insurance more affordable to the public.
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Energy and Climate Change
Fracking
Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many fracking project licences the Government have issued. [207434]
Matthew Hancock: There is no such thing as a fracking project licence.
Green Deal Scheme
Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much has been allocated to each local authority area under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund; [207444]
(2) how much was allocated in each Lancashire borough under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. [207443]
Amber Rudd: The Department published the number of Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) active applications, vouchers issued and payments made up to the end of July 2014, in the latest monthly Official Statistics:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-august-2014
Currently, the Department has not published any geographic breakdowns on the GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics
Therefore, the Department will consider publishing geographic breakdowns relating to GDHIF in the following quarterly release planned for publication on 18 December, covering the period up to the end of September 2014.
Home Department
Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre
Mr Andrew Smith:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department
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informed Campsfield House operators Mitie of the advice of the Oxfordshire fire service that sprinklers should be fitted there. [206468]
Karen Bradley: The Chief Fire Officer of Oxfordshire wrote to the previous operator of Campsfield House, GEO, in 2007. Mitie were not made aware of this correspondence before the incident last year. Following the incident, sprinklers have now been fitted throughout the centre.
Dangerous Driving
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded hit and run incidents where the driver was (a) caught and (b) not caught there have been in each of the last five years. [207106]
Mike Penning: The Home Office does not hold data specifically on hit and run incidents, as these cannot be separately identified from other offences for which the Home Office does hold data. As a result, data cannot be provided on the number of these incidents where the driver has or has not been caught.
Driving Offences: Mobile Phones
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices were issued in each region and constituent part of the UK for use of hand-held mobile telephones while driving in each of the last five years. [207100]
Mike Penning: Available data on the total number of fixed penalty notices issued in each region and in England and Wales for the use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving offence for the years 2008 to 2012 are published within the fixed penalty notices tables within the police powers and procedures, England and Wales, 2012-13 statistical release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tables-for-police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales-2012-to-2013
For easy reference, data are also provided in the table. Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not collected by the Home Office.
| Total fixed penalty notices issued in each region and England and Wales for the use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving offence for the years 2008 to 20121, 2, 3 | |||||||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2011p | 2012p | ||
| 1 Data for 2011 and 2012 extracted from PentiP (denoted by ‘Pentip' or ‘p' after the year in question) are not directly comparable with data from the previous system and are separated by a blank column. 2 Use of a hand-held mobile phone while driving was introduced as a specific offence from December 2003. 3 Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership. These figures include all camera-detected FPNs dealt with in the Dyfed-Powys, Gwent and South Wales police force areas. They cannot currently be separated on the PentiP system. | |||||||
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Police: Road Traffic Control
Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic police officers were employed in each police force area in each of the last five years. [207101]
Mike Penning: The requested data have been published for each year for 2012 to 2014 as part of the July Police Workforce publication, but for ease of reference, the data for the last five years have been drawn together into a single table.
The table provided shows the number of full-time equivalent police officers within the traffic function for each police force area in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2010 to 31 March 2014. Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function.
| Number of full-time equivalent1 police officers within the traffic function2, 3 in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2010 to 31 March 20144 | |||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | |
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| 1 This table contains full-time equivalent figures that have been presented to the nearest whole number. 2 Traffic function includes staff who are predominantly employed on motor-cycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway-related duties. This includes officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties; staff who are predominantly employed to support the traffic function of the force including radar, accident investigation, vehicle examination and traffic administration; those officers working with hazardous chemicals, and those administrative staff predominantly serving the internal needs of the traffic function of the force and those officers in supporting roles. 3 Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. This may explain some variability between years. 4 Figures have been confirmed by all police forces after collection and before publication each year. 5 The variation in Essex Police’s figures between 2013 and 2014 is due to a review of the functionality of roles within the force as part of their Change Programme. | |||||
Security Guards: Licensing
Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if she will take steps to tackle the problem of companies offering bogus or limited alternatives to the Security Industry Authority licence; [207500]
(2) whether her Department provides support to people with (a) disability and (b) other special needs in meeting the cost of acquiring a Security Industry Authority licence; [207499]
(3) if she will make an assessment of whether the cost of acquiring the Security Industry Authority licence acts as a barrier to people entering the private investigation trade. [207498]
Karen Bradley: The fee for an individual Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence to conduct private investigations has not yet been confirmed. However, the SIA remains committed to minimising its costs and, in turn, the fees it charges, to ensure they are proportionate to the services provided. Indeed, the cost of an SIA three-year individual licence for designated private security industry sectors was reduced from £245 to £220 in January 2012 to reflect the reduced unit costs of processing applications.
Any changes made to the SIA’s licensing regime are subject to the principles of Managing Public Money and Her Majesty's Treasury and Home Office Ministers’ approval. As a public sector body the SIA has a duty to meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including ensuring it does not discriminate against any applicants with protected characteristics, including those with disabilities.
Under the provisions of the Private Security Industry Act 2001, the SIA is responsible for licensing individuals who operate in designated sectors of the private security industry. If the SIA is made aware of companies deploying individuals without appropriate individual licences it
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would pursue the company under its enforcement strategy and prosecute any responsible individuals under the provisions of the Act.
Telephone Services
Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what timetable her Department plans to phase out the use of telephone lines with the prefix (a) 0845, 0844 and 0843 in accordance with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines published in December 2013 and (b) 03 and 08, where 03 is the primary number under a dual numbering system. [207454]
Karen Bradley:
The use of telephone lines with the prefix 0843, 0844 and 0845 will be phased out in accordance
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with the Cabinet Office guidance on customer service lines both where these have been the primary number or have been temporarily retained as secondary number behind a new 03 number.
The Home Office and Her Majesty's Passport Office operates no 0843/0844 numbers.
The Home Office's 0845 Nationality Contact / European Enquiry Line and Asylum support line has been migrated to 0300 prefix in March 2014. The original 0845 number will be fully decommissioned by 31 December 2014.
Her Majesty's Passport Office’s 0845 number for Customer letters migrated to 0300 prefix on 1 September 2014. The original 0845 number will be fully decommissioned by 31 December 2014.