Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what (a) land and (b) buildings of what value belonging to the Coastguard Service have been sold since May 2010. [208130]

Mr Hayes: The proceeds from the sale of land and buildings previously used by Her Majesty’s Coastguard sold since May 2010 are as follows:

 Value (£)

Land at

 

Cley

8,200

Mundesley

£3,500

8 Sep 2014 : Column 439W

Daedalus

1,520,000

Eday

2,500

  

Buildings at

 

Hartlepool

18,200

Cley

40,000

Mundesley

41,700

Eday

5,001

Porlock

25,286

Parking

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that private parking enforcement companies adhere to regulations pertaining to parking regulation and debt recovery. [207675]

Mr Goodwill: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) may release vehicle keeper details to parking enforcement companies if they can demonstrate reasonable cause to receive it. To help ensure motorists are treated fairly when any parking charge is pursued, vehicle keeper information is disclosed only to companies that are members of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA). The ATA carries out stringent checks on companies before allowing them to join and monitors compliance of their code of practice that includes an independent appeals process. If a company fails to comply it can be suspended or expelled, during which time no data will be provided to it by the DVLA.

Beyond that, parking on private land is essentially a private contractual arrangement between the car park owner and the motorist. Any ongoing disputes over unpaid parking charges would be pursued as civil matters through the relevant courts. The Government would not be involved.

However, the Government have amended the consumer protection regulations to make it simpler and clearer for consumers to bring their own actions to seek compensation when they have been the victims of misleading or aggressive debt collection practices. The new rights come into force on 1 October 2014 and apply to all types of debt collection including parking on private land.

Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) direct employees, (b) outsourced workers and (c) agency workers in executive agencies which report to his Department are paid less than the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. [208013]

Claire Perry: The Department for Transport does not pay any direct employees or agency workers in its executive agencies less than the Living Wage. We do not hold information on the earnings of outsourced workers.

Public Transport: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers using Transport for

8 Sep 2014 : Column 440W

London-operated transport have been taken ill as a result of excessive heat since January 2013. [207700]

Mr Goodwill: According to Transport for London (TfL), there have been 59 instances since January 2013 on the London Underground where the records specify heat as the reason for, or a contributing factor towards, customer illness. The actual number may be different as, for various reasons, it is not always possible to provide an accurate picture of why passengers are taken ill. Transport for London do not have any records of passengers being taken ill since January 2013 as a result of excessive heat on trams, London Overground or the Docklands Light Railway. In respect of buses, Transport for London are unable to provide the information requested. This is because TfL only have a log of passengers taken ill if a bus driver has called them for assistance, and the cause of illness is not generally recorded.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many penalty fares Transport for London has issued since 2010. [207701]

Mr Goodwill: Across all forms of transport excluding Tramlink, Transport for London have issued 497,744 Penalty Fares since January 2010. These include notices that were subsequently cancelled. A breakdown of Penalty Fares issued across the different modes of transport is as follows.

London Bus network

2010 to date-205,093

London Overground

2010-4,860

2011-9,666

2012-12,954

2013-13,938

2014 to date-14,555

Subtotal-55,973

London Underground

2010-20,570

2011-14,961

2012-19,906

2013-19,118

2014 to date-14,833

Subtotal-89,388

DLR

2010-29,025

2011-45,186

2012-35,706

2013-25,850

2014 to date-11,523

Subtotal-147, 290

Penalty Fare figures for Tramlink are recorded per financial year, not calendar year. In the financial years since 2010-11, 58,050 Penalty Fares have been issued. A breakdown can be found as follows.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 441W

Tramlink

2010/11-13,128

2011/12-12,490

2012/13-12,398

2013/14-14,188

2014 to date-5,846

Railways: Air Conditioning

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department gives to train operators on standards of air conditioning in their carriages. [207698]

Claire Perry: The Government issue no guidance with regard to air conditioning. All rolling stock is owned by the rolling stock companies (ROSCOs), and leased by the train operating companies (TOCs). If the ROSCOs wish to modify their assets while on lease to a TOC then they are able to do so by agreement and will make that investment based on their own assessment of value for money.

Railways: North of England

Mr Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish in full the public responses to the consultation on the future franchise proposals covering routes currently served by Northern and Transpennine Express trains; and if he will publish, either in summary or full, the responses to that consultation before any decision on the award of the new franchises. [208135]

Claire Perry: The Department for Transport will publish a Stakeholder Briefing Document alongside the Invitations to Tender for the Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, which are expected to be published in December this year. This document will provide a summary of responses to the consultation and how they have been taken account of in the specifications. There are no plans to publish all of the responses to the consultation in full.

Road Signs and Markings

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the confidence of drivers in the information conveyed by dot matrix information signs on motorways and trunk roads. [208046]

Mr Hayes: The Highways Agency carries out a continuous survey with road users, tracking satisfaction and expectations with the services provided by the agency including variable message signs (dot matrix information signs). In respect of surveys carried out during 2013-14, 9% of respondents said that the messages on these signs were unhelpful, while 72% of respondents found that the signage was mostly or completely accurate in the same period.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 442W

Nevertheless, I have asked my officials to examine once again the effectiveness of various approaches to messaging with a view to developing a coherent policy.

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that motorway information signs convey information that is up-to-date and accurate. [208055]

Mr Hayes: In response to a Department for Transport performance measure, the Highways Agency has prepared an Information Plan for 2014-15. The plan sets out a series of actions to look at quality and accuracy of information it provides through its traffic information services, including motorway information signs.

By improving data flow and processing, the Highways Agency will improve the quality and timeliness of all information services. A new system to be used in the Highways Agency’s National Traffic Operations Centre is currently being tested. This system has been specifically designed to assist operational staff in more accurately locating incidents and responding to the effects of an incident. The improvements, which will be delivered in early 2015, will ensure more timely and accurate information on variable message signs as well as other information services such as smartphones and websites.

Additionally, information relating to estimated travel times between strategic junctions will be improved. Interfaces to other systems are also being enhanced to provide more timely information such as weather information which may cause disruption to drivers.

Alongside technology changes, the Information Plan is making use of improved customer knowledge. Using their recently established customer panel, the Highways Agency gathers views about how people want to receive information and how they interpret the messages the Highways Agency displays. This knowledge will inform future developments of our information services.

Road Traffic Control

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many roadside enforcement checks were completed by the Vehicle Operators Services Agency or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on (a) cars and (b) heavy goods vehicles in each year for which figures are available. [207571]

Claire Perry: The information requested is in the table below. It is important that the HGV figures are not added together. On any given check it is often the case that the same vehicle is checked by a Vehicle Examiner and a Traffic Examiner and will be counted against both disciplines. Some vehicles/operators are targeted by only one discipline, for example, an older vehicle might be targeted for its condition but not to check on the driver.

Roadside checks by VOSA and DVSA
  HGV
 Cars RoadworthinessRoadworthiness inc. TrailersTraffic examiners—Vehicle tax, operator licences

2007-08

9,958

83,032

76,931

8 Sep 2014 : Column 443W

8 Sep 2014 : Column 444W

2008-09

8,991

125,856

99,554

2009-10

10,502

186,909

139,872

2010-11

7,415

161,096

122,073

2011-12

3,077

135,745

100,962

2012-13

2,588

115,709

80,796

2013-14

2,922

115,208

77,978

Health

Abortion

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed in each of the last two years; and how many took place in each week of gestation. [207741]

Jane Ellison: The information is available in Table 5 of the Annual Abortion Statistics for the years 2012 and 2013. Copies of these publications have already been placed in the Library.

Air Pollution

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures Public Health England is considering in developing a programme to reduce the deaths attributable to air pollution. [207767]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) has begun developing a programme in support of national and local government to reduce the estimated 25,000 deaths each year in England attributable to air pollution. Long-term exposure to air pollution is understood to be a contributory factor to deaths from respiratory and, particularly, cardiovascular disease, i.e. unlikely to be the sole cause of deaths of individuals. This means that it is likely that air pollution contributes a smaller amount to the deaths of a larger number of exposed individuals rather than being solely responsible for a number of deaths equivalent to the calculated figure of ‘attributable deaths'.

Recognising the role of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and measures already taken, PHE will work with national and local stakeholders and public health partners to develop advice and further actions which can be taken to reduce the health burden caused by particulate air pollution at the local authority level.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities in England and Wales have (a) assessed air pollution in their latest Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and (b) prioritised action on air pollution in their latest health and wellbeing strategy. [207768]

Jane Ellison: The Department does not hold this information. Public Health England publishes estimates of the fraction of mortality in English local authority areas and regions attributable to long-term exposure to particulate air pollution arising from human activities. This information is published as one of the indicators in the Department’s Public Health Outcomes Framework. These estimates will inform local health and wellbeing boards’ development of their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and health and wellbeing strategies.

Anorexia

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that psychological tests able to screen for anorexia are available through the NHS. [207709]

Norman Lamb: Treatment for eating disorders is provided through child and adolescent mental health services and through adult mental health services. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on the treatment of anorexia which includes tools that can be used to diagnose eating disorders.

Cancer: Drugs

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates since 1 July 2014 NHS England has discussed with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reforming the way in which NICE assesses the cost-effectiveness of cancer drugs; what the content of those discussions was; and if he will make a statement. [207578]

George Freeman: I understand that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and NHS England met on 28 July, 4 August and 26 August to discuss arrangements for the Cancer Drugs Fund, including its interaction with the NICE appraisal process.

NICE recently consulted on options for better assessing the value of new drugs and is currently considering the responses to that exercise.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) with reference to the statement by Peter Clark of NHS England that cancer drugs on the list of treatments which are approved for funding must be re-evaluated, reported in The Guardian's article of 28 August 2014 entitled ‘Cancer Drugs Fund gets £160 million more for innovative treatments' through what process cancer drugs will be re-evaluated; and whether cancer drugs will be subject to assessments of their cost-effectiveness; [207582]

(2) what cost-per-quality-adjusted life-year thresholds NHS England will attach to its assessments of the cost-effectiveness of cancer drugs for the purposes of assessing whether they should be funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund; and if he will make a statement. [207644]

8 Sep 2014 : Column 445W

George Freeman: NHS England has oversight of the Cancer Drugs Fund.

NHS England has advised that work is currently underway to determine the process for reviewing drugs on its national list of cohort policies and on how best to assess costs in relation to clinical benefit delivered.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the forecast level of expenditure on the Cancer Drugs Fund will be in the 2014-15 financial year. [207589]

George Freeman: NHS England has oversight of the Cancer Drugs Fund.

We are advised that NHS England has not published a forecast for expenditure through the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2014-15.

On 28 August 2014, we announced that the size of the fund would be increased to £280 million in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Robert Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what outturn expenditure on the Cancer Drugs Fund was in the 2013-14 financial year, for each treatment funded. [207590]

George Freeman: NHS England has published figures which show that in 2013-14, overall expenditure through the Cancer Drugs Fund was £230,539,005. I understand that NHS England has no plans to publish a further breakdown. Further information can be found at:

www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/cdf-summ-fin-pos-13-14.pdf

Community Nurses

Mr Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district nurses were employed in each local authority area in England in each of the last five years for which information is available. [207619]

Dr Poulter: The national health service annual workforce census, published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, shows the number of district nurses working for the NHS in England as at 30 September each year.

Data for the NHS workforce cannot be mapped to local authority area, therefore census data have been provided by Health Education England region for 2010-13. As data for Health Education England regions can only be mapped back to 2010, the data for 2009 are presented by strategic health authority area.

The number of full-time equivalent district nurses working in NHS Hospital and Community Health Services from 2009 to 2013 has been placed in the Library. The latest available statistics are as at 30 September 2013 and were published on 25 March 2014.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 446W

Cosmetics

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of regulation of the cosmetic industry; and whether he plans to propose further regulations relating to that industry. [207808]

Dr Poulter: On 24 April 2013, the independent ‘Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions’, chaired by Sir Bruce Keogh, was published. A copy has already been placed in the Library.

The review highlighted how the rapid growth of the cosmetic interventions sector is exposing people who undergo these procedures to a concerning lack of safeguards. It made recommendations to improve the quality of care, to inform and empower the public and to ensure resolution and redress when things go wrong.

We fully accept the principles of the Keogh review and the overwhelming majority of the recommendations. The ‘Government Response to the Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions’, was published on 13 February. The response looks to strengthen standards through better training and robust qualifications, and explores how far supervision from regulated professionals might support self-regulation of the sector. A copy of the response has already been placed in the Library.

We want to protect the public and ensure proper training and oversight of both non-surgical and surgical cosmetic interventions and we are looking at ways to legislate where required to achieve this. Officials are working with key delivery partners such as the Royal College of Surgeons who have set up an inter-specialty committee to ensure standards for cosmetic surgery and they are working with the General Medical Council on a code of ethical conduct. Health Education England (HEE) is leading on a review of training for providers of non-surgical interventions, such as botulinum toxin (commonly known as ‘Botox') and dermal filler injections. HEE will be publishing their findings on the training framework soon. Work is also under way on a breast implant registry to reassure women that if problems arise they can be contacted, kept informed and called in for treatment if necessary.

There are examples of high quality surgical and non-surgical cosmetic interventions provided by trained staff to high standards of care and satisfaction. It is these high standards that must be universal.

Doctors' List of Patients

Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average GP list size was in (a) England, (b) Greater London and (c) Enfield in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [207685]

Dr Poulter: The requested information is shown in the following table.

Average GP practice list size by selected areas in England, 2009-13
 20092010201120122013

England

6,637

6,610

6,651

6,891

7,034

London area team1

5,706

5,774

5,789

6,113

6,213

8 Sep 2014 : Column 447W

8 Sep 2014 : Column 448W

Enfield clinical commissioning group1

4,775

4,667

4,904

5,617

5,798

1 Work force data is available by national health service organisation only, not geographical regions such as Greater London. Greater London is captured by London area team and Enfield by Enfield clinical commissioning group. Prior to 2013, the area of London was serviced by London strategic health authority and Enfield was serviced by Enfield primary care trust. There is no break in the data as the old and new London organisations are coterminous and therefore the data is still comparable over the years provided. As per the latest GP contract, patients register with a GP practice and are attributed to the practice, not a specific GP. Data quality: The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data, but responsibility for data accuracy resides with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed, but unless it is significant at national level, figures are not updated. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre General and Personal Medical Statistics. Patient registration information taken from National Health Application and Infrastructure Services Exeter GP payments system.

Electronic Cigarettes

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate potential savings to the NHS from more widespread use of e-cigarettes. [208086]

Jane Ellison: There is not yet enough evidence on the impact of e-cigarettes on tobacco smoking to make an estimate of their impact on national health service costs. Some research suggests they have the potential to reduce the harms of smoking by supporting attempts to quit, and while e-cigarettes are not risk free, they carry a lower risk to health than tobacco smoking.

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has assessed or commissioned on whether e-cigarette vapour carries health risks to bystanders. [208087]

Jane Ellison: The Department has not to date directly commissioned any research on this topic but is keeping the research that has been done under review.

The studies that have been conducted to date indicate that the risk of passive exposure to electronic cigarette vapour is small relative to tobacco cigarettes.

EU External Trade: USA

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will veto the inclusion of NHS services in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement. [206912]

Jane Ellison: The Government do not believe that the United Kingdom’s interests would be served by seeking to exclude health from the scope of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. This would prevent our world-class pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors from benefiting from improved access to the United States’ market, increasing growth and employment in the UK.

The Government consider trade in both goods and services to be good for the UK and we already have many bilateral and multilateral trade agreements in place. For example, through the general agreement on trade in services (GATS) 1995, we have long-standing agreements on trade, including in health services. The UK’s aim in relation to health services in Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including TTIP, is to maintain commitments that are broadly in line with our existing obligations under GATS.

We have no intention of allowing the TTIP to dictate the opening up of national health service services to further competition; and it will not do so. The NHS will always be free at the point of use for everyone who needs it.

We have made clear our commitment that the NHS will always be there for everyone who needs it, funded from general taxation, free at the point of use. The TTIP could not change this.

TTIP will also not affect the position that it is for local NHS commissioners to take decisions on which providers should deliver services in the best interests of their patients.

EU Law

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new EU directives and regulations have been transposed into UK law by his Department since May 2010. [207261]

Jane Ellison: Details of all European Union legislation, including full details of all EU Directives and Regulations that have come into force since May 2010, can be found on the Commission’s website:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html

The Department has transposed seven EU Directives and implemented four Regulations since May 2010.

Headaches

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in each age were diagnosed as suffering from migraine in each of the last three years; [207705]

(2) what NHS support and treatment is available for people diagnosed as suffering from migraine. [207706]

Norman Lamb: Information concerning the number of people diagnosed each year as suffering from migraine is not collected.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline, ‘Headaches: Diagnosis and management of headaches in young people and adults’, published in 2012, sets out best practice for healthcare professionals in the care, treatment and support of people who suffer from headaches. The guideline includes specific information on the management of migraines, such as the prescribing of appropriate pain-relief medication.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 449W

Health Services: Private Sector

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health services have been privatised in Mid Yorkshire in the last 12 months; and what the cost was of tendering those services. [206939]

Jane Ellison: The Department collects information on expenditure with private sector providers, but not to which providers local contracts have been awarded.

In 2013-14, commissioners’ spending on health care from private sector providers equated to approximately 6% of total national health service expenditure.

Whether services are provided by the public, voluntary or private sector, they remain publicly funded and free at the point of delivery with access based on clinical need.

It is for local commissioners to decide how best to secure local services and take decisions on which is the most capable provider to deliver those services in the best interests of their patients. There is no requirement for commissioners to put all services to competitive tender.

Hearing Aids: Staffordshire

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has made to North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group about its proposal to end the provision of NHS hearing aids; [207645]

(2) what representations his Department has received about the proposal from North Staffordshire Clinical Commissioning Group to end the provision of NHS hearing aids. [207646]

Norman Lamb: A search of the Department’s ministerial correspondence database identified 66 written representations received between 27 June 2014 and 2 September 2014 about North Staffordshire clinical commissioning group’s (CCG) proposals to decommission the funding of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate age-related hearing loss.

The provision of hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss is a matter for local commissioners and is based on the needs of the local population.

As such the Department has made no representations to North Staffordshire CCG about this matter.

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which providers are commissioned to deliver the human papillomavirus vaccine; whether each such provider is a GP practice, an NHS organisation or an independent sector organisation; in which area of the UK each such provider operates; and if he will make a statement. [207584]

Jane Ellison: The human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) vaccination programme is primarily delivered through the school health childhood vaccination programme and therefore by the providers commissioned by NHS

8 Sep 2014 : Column 450W

England Area Teams. Provider information and contractual information is not held centrally but determined locally.

General practices also deliver a small number of HPV vaccinations where individuals may have missed the opportunity to be vaccinated at school.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on categorising modification to genomic DNA in mitochondria through pronuclear transfer or maternal spindle transfer as genetic modification. [207754]

George Freeman [holding answer 4 September 2014]: The Department decided that, because there is no existing universally agreed definition of genetic modification in humans, it would adopt a working definition. The definition that has been adopted is that genetic modification involves the germ-line modification of nuclear DNA (in the chromosomes) that can be passed on to future generations. We will keep this working definition under review.

The proposed mitochondrial donation techniques do not constitute genetic modification.

Influenza: Vaccination

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which providers are involved in the pilot programmes to extend the seasonal influenza vaccination to school-age children; how each provider is remunerated; in which area each operates; and if he will make a statement. [207554]

Jane Ellison: The extension of the seasonal flu vaccine programme to school-age children is in its second year of pilots. The pilots have been set up to gather learning to inform the national rollout in 2015-16 to children of primary school age, aged four to six. The national health service England area teams with pilot sites and their method for delivering the programme being tested is included in the following table:

Pilot Area TeamModel being tested

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear

Cumbria: non-school based – pharmacies Northumberland, Tyne and Wear: school-based

Greater Manchester

A mix: existing providers in some localities and a private provider in one

Lancashire

School based

North Yorkshire and Humber

School based through existing providers

South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw

School based through existing providers

West Yorkshire

School based through existing providers

Arden, Herefordshire and Worcestershire

Modified Enhanced Service via general practice and pharmacies

Birmingham, Solihull and The Black Country

School based through existing providers

East Anglia

Mainly school based

Essex

All school based but using a mix of school nursing teams and specialist immunisation teams.

Leicestershire and Lincolnshire

School based through existing providers

8 Sep 2014 : Column 451W

Shropshire and Staffordshire

School based through existing providers in 2 London boroughs and covering all Special Schools

London

School based, year 7s only in Havering; looking at covering all Special Schools

The commissioning of the school-age flu programme is the responsibility of NHS England’s area teams and information on providers and contractual information is not held centrally but determined locally.

Learning Disability

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to reduce premature deaths among people with learning disabilities; [207626]

(2) what meetings he has had with external agencies on reducing premature mortality of people with learning disabilities since April 2013; and what progress he has made on reducing such premature mortality; [207628]

(3) what steps he is taking to ensure that the examples of good practice detailed in the report Making Reasonable Adjustments to Primary Care Services -Supporting the Implementation of Annual Health Checks for people with learning disabilities, published in March 2014, are being implemented across the NHS. [207629]

Norman Lamb: In July 2013, the Government set out their response to the recommendations made in the Confidential Inquiry into premature deaths of people with learning disabilities which set out actions to reduce premature mortality among people with learning disabilities. Progress is monitored by the Learning Disability Programme Board (LDPB), which I chair. The board meets three times a year and includes membership from stakeholders and external agencies. An update report was presented to the LDPB on 17 July which will be published online shortly.

NHS England is currently looking at how it can improve the uptake of annual health checks for people with learning disabilities and it has included this as a key objective in its Learning Disability Programme. The Learning Disabilities Public Health Observatory is working with NHS England to ensure the implementation plan is as robust as possible. This work will include examples of good practice from areas where uptake for health checks is high, and how to replicate these successes throughout the National Health Service.

NHS England is also planning a workshop later this year to bring together key stakeholders, for example, Royal Colleges, Academic Health Science Networks, Primary Care, Strategic Clinical Networks and people with learning disabilities to discuss how quality of care and outcomes can be improved.

Mental Health Services

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the physical care of patients in mental health facilities is safeguarded. [207926]

8 Sep 2014 : Column 452W

Norman Lamb: This Government have legislated for equal priority for mental and physical health. Our mental health policy supports the developing of an integrated response to people with both mental and physical health problems to avoid diagnostic overshadowing and ensure the delivery of holistic care that properly addresses physical health care needs.

The physical health care of people with mental health problems is a key component of the Parity of Esteem programme. The importance of the issue has been reinforced by the introduction of the first national CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) for mental health inpatients. This requires NHS trusts to implement physical health checks for all inpatients. NHS England is working in partnership with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, amongst others, to promote the CQUIN.

Physical health checks form a key part of any care plan for mental health service users, including assurance of annual physical health checks by Care Coordinators overseen by their local general practitioner.

NHS England is also working with a range of partners and service users to look at ways of improving physical health outcomes in secure mental health settings. This includes a range of physical health outcomes such as promoting healthier lifestyles for service users as well as looking at overall wellbeing.

Neuroblastoma

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to improve public awareness of neuroblastoma. [207162]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England runs a number of campaigns under the Be Clear on Cancer brand. These campaigns are aimed at the demographic groups most likely to develop cancer and to delay presentation, and focus on raising public awareness of the signs and symptoms of certain cancers. Priority has been given to those cancers with the largest number of potentially avoidable deaths—these include breast cancer (particularly targeting older women), bowel cancer, lung cancer and kidney and bladder cancers.

There are no plans at present to include neuroblastoma specifically in the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns but the existing campaigns do help to encourage earlier presentation to general practitioners with any worrying symptom. We will continue to keep these campaigns under review and work with relevant experts to see what might be done to tackle other cancers such as neuroblastoma.

NHS: ICT

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arguments his Department advanced in favour of the decision that its dispute with Fujitsu regarding the National Programme for IT was not to be heard in public. [207660]

Dr Poulter: There is a dispute resolution procedure in the Fujitsu contract which allows for disputes to be determined by alternative dispute resolution procedures,

8 Sep 2014 : Column 453W

rather than court proceedings. The Department and Fujitsu have applied this procedure, which is not unusual for complex contractual disputes like this one.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made in the dispute between his Department and Fujitsu over the National Programme for IT. [207661]

Dr Poulter: The dispute with Fujitsu is ongoing and has not been settled.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on legal costs in connection with its dispute with Fujitsu over the National Programme for IT. [207662]

Dr Poulter: The Department’s legal costs in respect of this dispute, up to the end of the financial year 2013-14, are £33.3 million.

Obesity: Young People

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what NHS funding has been provided since 2010 for sending children under the age of 18 to weight loss camps. [207699]

Jane Ellison: Neither the Department, NHS England or Public Health England hold the financial details for national health service expenditure on weight loss camps. Weight management programmes form part of local authorities’ public health responsibilities and are commissioned and delivered based on local need.

Organs: North West

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people in (a) Denton and Reddish constituency, (b) Tameside local authority, (c) Stockport local authority and (d) the North West are registered organ donors. [207770]

Jane Ellison: The information requested is shown in the following table:

Number and proportion of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) as at 2 September 2014
 Number of People on the ODRPercentage of population1 on the ODR

Denton and Reddish Constituency

26,487

30.8

Tameside Local Authority

65,156

29.6

Stockport Local Authority

98,839

34.8

North West Region

2,106,664

29.8

1 Based on Office for National Statistics 2012 population estimates. Source: NHS Blood and Transplant

Plastic Surgery

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are employed by the NHS in determining whether plastic surgery will be funded by the NHS. [207696]

Dr Poulter: Plastic surgery is a procedure used for repairing and reconstructing missing or damaged tissue and skin, usually due to surgery, illness, injury or an

8 Sep 2014 : Column 454W

abnormality present from birth. Plastic surgery for these purposes is usually carried out free of charge on the national health service and is commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups. The NHS Choices website provides advice on access to plastic surgery and states that most patients are referred to NHS plastic surgeons by their general practitioner or specialist consultant.

Pregnancy: Folic Acid

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnant women received folic acid through NHS prescription to prevent hydrocephalus in each of the last five years. [207703]

George Freeman: Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines or the medical condition being treated. However, information is available on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England. The following table provides information on folic acid for the latest available five year period:

Number of prescription items for folic acid, written in the UnitedKingdom and dispensed in the community, in England
 Items (Thousand)

2009

3,459.8

2010

3,953.8

2011

4,426.0

2012

4,930.1

2013

5,444.2

Source: Prescription Cost Analysis provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

Prescription Drugs

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Northern Ireland Executive on ensuring availability of drugs to treat cancer and MS in all parts of the UK. [207704]

George Freeman: We have had no such discussions.

As the hon. Member will be aware, health is devolved in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in the Northern Ireland Executive.

Public Health England

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress NHS England has made in undertaking the detailed stocktake of compliance with its section 7A agreement with Public Health England, as detailed in its Business Plan for 2014-15 to 2016-17, published on 31 March 2014. [207572]

Jane Ellison: During March 2014, NHS England, through its four regions and 27 area teams, began an assessment of compliance with the service specifications of public health programmes covered by the section 7A agreement. Area teams discussed service specification compliance with service providers as part of 2014-15 contract negotiations and requested that, where they had not previously undertaken a compliance self-assessment against the service specifications, these were undertaken before the end of quarter one of 2014-15. Where providers

8 Sep 2014 : Column 455W

identify that they are not fully compliant with the service specification, area teams discuss the impact with providers, agreeing a service development improvement plan to be delivered before the end of quarter four of 2014-15. These plans are supported by derogation (a licence to operate outside a national service specification for a time-limited period).

NHS England will monitor the delivery of action plans and apply contract sanctions where necessary.

Skin Cancer: Health Education

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will take steps to ensure that the public are made aware of the dangers that may result from excessive exposure to the sun. [207702]

Jane Ellison: SunSmart is a national skin cancer prevention campaign run by Cancer Research UK for which the Department provided £150,500 between 2012-13 and 2013-14. This included a social media campaign, Made in the Shade, which aimed to reduce sunburn by encouraging young people to protect themselves from the sun. Launched at The Wireless Festival, the campaign encouraged 16 to 24-year-olds to spend more time in the shade when the sun is strong.

In addition, between 2010-11 and 2013-14 the Department provided Cancer Research UK with £459,000 to test innovative approaches to influence young people to take action to prevent melanoma and help men from lower socio-economic groups report early stage melanoma. This included the R UV Ugly campaign, to raise awareness of the dangers of sunbeds and the benefits of skin checks in young women. The Department also funded Cancer Research UK to produce a primary care skin cancer recognition toolkit and to run a sun protection tracking survey to continue to measure awareness of skin cancer and the risks in the general public.

We know that using sunbeds significantly raises the risk of skin cancer, particularly in younger people. Laws are in place to prevent under 18s from using sunbeds in commercial premises and businesses can be fined up to £20,000 for not complying. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing this.

Public Health England ran a local “Be Clear on Cancer” pilot campaign in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset from 16 June to 27 July 2014 to raise awareness of the signs of skin cancer. The campaign was aimed at people over the age of 50 and the key message was

“A change to a mole isn’t the only sign of skin cancer. If you notice any persistent or unusual changes to your skin, tell your doctor”.

The campaign leaflet also informed people how to avoid sunburn and reduce their chances of getting skin cancer.

This pilot was tested on a small, local scale first (using local radio, press, and outdoor advertising) to ensure that campaign messages are correct for the target audience and to assess the impact on national health service services. The results of the pilot are due in the coming months and will be evaluated before a decision is taken on whether the campaign will be extended to a wider, regional test.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 456W

Vaccination

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what payments have been received in the 2014-15 financial year by GPs for the delivery of vaccines through each routine immunisation programme, broken down by (a) item-of-service payment, (b) administration fee, (c) reimbursement cost, (d) Quality and Outcomes Framework reward and (e) Directed Enhanced Service payment; and if he will make a statement. [207552]

Jane Ellison: Data for the current financial year are not yet available. Financial data on overall spend of vaccination and immunisation programmes are published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) once they have undergone routine checks and audits as set by the National Audit Office.

HSCIC will publish the data for 2013-14 on 22 September 2014.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has to update its guideline on reducing differences in the uptake of immunisation, published in September 2009; whether the guideline will be extended to include uptake in people over the age of 18 years; and if he will make a statement. [207557]

Jane Ellison: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for the review of its existing guidance.

NICE published public health guidance on “Reducing differences in the uptake of immunisations” in 2009 and reviewed the need to update the guidance in consultation with stakeholders in late 2012. NICE announced in February 2013 its conclusion that the guidance did not need to be updated at that time.

I understand that NICE intends to review again the need to update the guidance in 2015. Further information will be made available at:

www.nice.org.uk/Guidance/PH21

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress NHS England has made in establishing performance floors for the delivery of each routine immunisation programme; what performance floors are in existence, for each immunisation programme; and if he will make a statement. [207558]

Jane Ellison: There is currently variation in performance on public health functions across the country. The S7A agreement recognises that action required to reduce the range of variation will be required over a period of time. Therefore, the intention of setting performance floors is to support Area Teams to reduce this variation in 2014-15 and address poor performance with providers, while maintaining the ambition for all areas to reach the national minimum standard.

NHS England has worked with Public Health England (PHE) to set the performance floors for immunisation programmes for 2014-15 to identify all cases of unacceptable or low performance. The performance floor has been set as a minimum acceptable level of performance in 2014-15 and forms the basis of a trajectory of continuing improvement.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 457W

The development and definition of performance floors for immunisation programmes delivered by NHS England are a performance improvement tool for internal use to NHS England. They are defined as, ‘the top value of the bottom quintile of population coverage at the Area Team level’. The use of performance floors to drive improvements in immunisation coverage are at an early stage and will be continually reviewed. They are used as a contrast to the national standards (as defined by PHE) to support improvement initiatives. NHS England expects performance floors to move closer to the nationally defined standard as improvement initiatives are implemented.

NHS England will ensure it maintains and improves delivery and performance across all Area Teams for immunisation programmes within its commissioning responsibility as per the Public Health S7a agreement via the Public Health Oversight Group and Specific Immunisation Assurance Group.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what immunisation programmes were offered by the NHS in the (a) 2013-14, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2011-12 financial year; to whom each vaccine was offered; what the size was of the eligible patient population for each immunisation; and what the uptake rate was (i) in England and (ii) in each NHS England area team; [207559]

(2) what routine immunisation programmes are (a) delivered through the National Immunisation Programme and (b) not delivered through the National Immunisation Programme; what age groups are covered by each immunisation programme; and in what year each immunisation programme was initiated; [207579]

(3) what proportion of the doses delivered in each routine immunisation programme are delivered by (a) GP practices and (b) other providers of care; [207583]

(4) what the eligible patient population was for each routine immunisation programme in the latest year for which figures are available; how many and what proportion of the eligible patient population was immunised in each case; and if he will make a statement. [207643]

Jane Ellison: Information relating to national health service immunisation programmes offered is not available by financial year. However, the immunisation programmes offered by the NHS since September 2012 can be found in the following documents, copies of which have been placed in the Library:

“The complete routine immunisation schedule from summer 2014”

“The complete routine immunisation schedule 2013/14”

“The routine childhood immunisation schedule (September 2012)”

Detailed information about the routine immunisation schedule and other recommended vaccines, which are not offered routinely, is contained in the document “Immunisation against Infectious Diseases”. This is a live scientific document which is constantly updated and available at:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/immunisation-against-infectious-disease-the-green-book

8 Sep 2014 : Column 458W

The Health and Social Care Information Centre publishes an annual report entitled “NHS Immunisation Statistics” which provides data on uptake of routine childhood immunisations, targeted routine childhood immunisations and seasonal influenza immunisation for those aged 65 years or over. Copies of the reports for 2011-12 and 2012-13 have been placed in the Library. The report for 2013-14 will be published later this month.

Public Health England and the Health Protection Agency have published data on the uptake of immunisation against seasonal influenza and human papillomavirus disease. Copies of available reports for 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-2014 have been placed in the Library.

The timeline for the introduction of vaccination programmes in this country is available in the publication “Historical vaccine development and introduction of vaccines in the UK”, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Detailed information on which provider administers a vaccine is not collected nationally. The vast majority of immunisation programmes are delivered in general practice. The teenage HPV immunisation programme is largely delivered by school health services and childhood flu immunisation of school aged children will largely take place in schools.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the outcomes were of each routine immunisation programme over the last 10 years; what steps he is taking to encourage greater levels of coverage over the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [207575]

(2) on what occasions over the last 10 years steps have needed to be taken to increase levels of coverage of vaccinations because coverage has fallen to significantly low levels; what outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease there have been in the UK in the last 10 years; what his definition of an outbreak is for this purpose; and if he will make a statement. [207576]

Jane Ellison: The Department and NHS England, advised by Public Health England, have produced a series of service specifications for the commissioning of immunisation services. These generally state that local services must ensure that they maintain and improve immunisation uptake with the aspiration of 100% of relevant individuals being offered immunisation.

The local Directors’ of Public Health have responsibility for providing appropriate challenge to local immunisation arrangements and advocacy with key stakeholders to ensure access to vaccinations improved uptake by eligible populations.

Coverage for most routine universal childhood immunisation programmes has improved over the last decade and is now approaching or above 95% in most English regions and continues to increase at a national level. Vaccine uptake in the UK is among the highest in the world. Annual immunisation coverage statistics are published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre and a copy of the most recent report for 2012-13 has been placed in the Library.

Public Health England monitors vaccine coverage levels and works jointly with the NHS to encourage increased vaccination uptake, including through promoting vaccination to parents and carers through advertising and media campaigns.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 459W

Public Health England defines outbreaks according to the World Health Organisation’s definition, which is that:

‘A disease outbreak is the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area or season’.

Cases of vaccine preventable disease are at historically low levels and in the last 10 years, national outbreaks have only been observed for three vaccine preventable diseases—mumps, pertussis and measles.

During the early years of the century, for example, vaccine coverage of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) fell following the unfounded concerns about vaccine safety. In 2008, the Chief Medical Officer announced a national catch-up campaign to offer MMR to any individuals under 18 years of age to ensure they were fully protected. In April 2013, a national MMR catch up campaign in those aged 10 to 16 years was launched in England.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what roles (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England, (d) immunisation providers, (e) clinical commissioning groups and (f) local authorities have in the delivery of immunisation services. [207577]

Jane Ellison: Public Health England and NHS England have published the “Immunisation & Screening National Delivery Framework & Local Operating Model”. This document sets out the immunisation roles and responsibilities of respective agencies involved, and how national, regional, and local operational and governance arrangements for national immunisation programmes in England are co-ordinated. A copy has been placed in the Library.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which routine immunisation programmes are in operation where the vaccines delivered through the programme are (a) centrally procured and (b) not centrally procured; what the reasons are for the different approaches; and if he will make a statement. [207580]

Jane Ellison: Vaccines are centrally procured for the following national routine and at risk immunisation programmes:

diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenza type b;

pneumococcal disease;

rotavirus;

meningococcal group C disease;

hib/Men C;

measles, mumps and rubella (German measles);

influenza;

cervical cancer;

shingles;

tuberculosis; and

maternal pertussis.

Vaccines are not centrally procured for the following immunisation programmes for certain at risk groups: pneumococcal disease for the over 65s; influenza for the national flu programme (over 65s and those in risk groups); and Hepatitis B for infants.

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Central procurement of vaccines for the United Kingdom is generally considered where contracting for large quantities of vaccine is expected to result in economies of scale and purchasing power in relation to the infant and adult national immunisation programmes.

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the Immform process works for the ordering of vaccine supplies; which vaccine supplies may be ordered through the Immform process; for what reasons some vaccine supplies may not be ordered through the Immform process; and if he will make a statement. [207581]

Jane Ellison: ImmForm is a service provided by Public Health England to allow the national health service to order vaccines which are centrally procured for the national routine immunisation programme. Vaccines which are not centrally procured are ordered directly by the NHS from vaccine manufacturers, rather than via ImmForm.

Viagra

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each age group were prescribed Viagra through the NHS in each of the last five years. [207708]

George Freeman: Information is not collected centrally on the number of people prescribed medicines or the medical condition being treated. However, information is available on the number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England.

Viagra is a brand name for the chemical Sildenafil. The following table shows the number of prescription items dispensed for Sildenafil, broken down by brand names, for the last five years.

The number of prescription items for Sildenafil (British National Formulary (BNF) Section 7.4.5 Drugs for erectile dysfunction), by brand name, written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community, in England1
Thousands
 NapatraSildenafilViagraTotal

2009

1.1

1,231.8

1,232.9

2010

1.3

1,274.8

1,276.1

2011

1.1

1,278.3

1,279.4

2012

1.4

1,286.2

1,287.6

2013 2

0.6

830.7

566.6

1,397.9

Notes: 1 Figures are for BNF Section 7.4.5 Drugs for erectile dysfunction only. Sildenafil also appears in BNF Section 2.5.1 Vasodilator antihypertensive drugs. 2 In June 2013 Viagra came off patent. There was a shift in prescribing practice with an increase in prescribing of Sildenefil by its generic name and a corresponding decline in the prescribing of the branded Viagra. Source: Prescription Cost Analysis provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre

Viral Haemorrhagic Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to prepare contingency plans in the event of an outbreak of the Ebola virus in the UK. [207707]

8 Sep 2014 : Column 461W

Jane Ellison: The risk to the United Kingdom of Ebola remains very low. The national health service has plans in place to deal with patients with infectious diseases as part of its core business. This includes plans to manage patients in line with infection control procedures, and where necessary in highly specialist infectious diseases facilities. We keep these plans under constant review.

These plans have been tested most recently by the successful transfer back to the UK of a health care worker who became infected with Ebola when working with patients in Sierra Leone. The patient, a British national, was cared for in the national High Level Isolation Unit at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The patient has now recovered.

In the unlikely event of an outbreak involving more than two people, specialist staff at this unit are trained and prepared to look after patients safely in an isolation ward, which would be dedicated for this purpose.

It is extremely unlikely that an outbreak of Ebola would occur in the UK even if there was to be an imported case, as there are factors operating in West Africa which would not be seen in the UK.

Waste Disposal: Health Hazards

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Health Protection Agency study on the health effects of emissions from municipal waste incinerators to be published. [208139]

Jane Ellison: In January 2012, the Health Protection Agency, whose functions were transferred to Public Health England (PHE) on 1 April 2013, approved funding for the study.

It was originally envisaged that preliminary results for this study on the health effects of emissions from municipal waste incinerator would be available by March 2014 but because of unanticipated complexity in gathering both emissions and health data this has been delayed. A paper with preliminary results is now expected to be published in 2015.

PHE’s position that well run and regulated modern municipal waste incinerators are not a significant risk to public health remains valid, and the study is being carried out to extend the evidence base and to provide further information to the public on this subject.

Home Department

Children: Abuse

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports her Department has commissioned into child abuse in the last 25 years; and what steps her Department took in response to the conclusions and recommendations in each such report. [207502]

Norman Baker: Data on reports commissioned is not collected centrally. However, the Home Office has published a number of potentially relevant research reports in the period in question which contain references to issues such as rape, young people and prostitution, child abuse victims and child sex offenders.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 462W

A full list of Home Office Research reports are published in various series and are available either on the Gov.uk website at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/about/research

or on the National Archives website at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110218135832/http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.html

Conclusions and recommendations from research and other reports are routinely used by the Department to inform evidence based policy making.

In addition, work is underway in the Home Office to establish what information was received in respect of Rotherham, and when that work has been completed, Richard Whittam and Peter Wanless will be looking at that process to make sure that it has been conducted absolutely properly.

Counter-terrorism

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she last discussed with the head of the UK Border Force the effectiveness of exit and entry checks in disrupting flows of those who are believed to be travelling to or returning from committing acts of terrorism overseas. [208027]

James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues, officials and others. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Domestic Violence

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that all victims of domestic violence are given equal protection irrespective of gender or sexual orientation. [207382]

Norman Baker: The legislative framework for protecting victims of domestic abuse already applies to everyone, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

The coalition Government is currently consulting on whether the existing law on domestic abuse needs to be strengthened to offer better protection to victims.

The consultation is focused on whether a specific offence should be created that captures patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour in intimate relationships, in line with the government’s non-statutory definition of domestic abuse. As part of this consultation, we welcome views on how all victims can be better protected.

Details of the consultation can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-law-on-domestic-abuse

The consultation closes on 15 October 2014, after which we will consider carefully the responses received to inform our proposals.

Entry Clearances

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Tier 1 post-study work visas were issued in (a) 2009, (b) 2010, (c) 2011 and (d) 2012. [207121]

8 Sep 2014 : Column 463W

James Brokenshire: The information requested is given in the following table:

Entry clearance visas granted—Tier 1—post study (main applicants)
 Number of applicants

2009

4,244

2010

5,360

2011

5,926

2012

4,931

Note: The Home Office publishes annual statistics on entry clearance visas granted outside the UK, by category, in table vi_04 (Entry Clearance Visas volume 1) within the ‘Immigration Statistics’ release. Corresponding data on extensions of stay granted within the UK are published in table ex_02_w (Extensions).

A copy of the latest release, ‘Immigration Statistics April - June 2014’ is available from the Library of the House and from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make an assessment of whether it would be cost-effective and secure to allow visa applicants within the UK the option of collecting documents from a designated office instead of relying on second class post. [207148]

James Brokenshire: UK Visas and Immigration is continually reviewing the customer contact arrangements to deliver best value and improved customer service. We use a combination of dispatch methods to send documents to our customers; the option selected in each case is determined by a number of factors including cost, the required speed of receipt, the monetary value, the need for evidence of delivery and the size of the package.

In the UK, biometric residence permits are generally returned by courier and documents deemed to be lower value of sensitivity by second class post.

A project is in train to enable overseas customers to collect biometric residence permits from a number of regional locations on their return to the UK. We will be reviewing the success of this project carefully to inform future decisions on methods of returning documents to our UK customers. A decision on establishing arrangements for customers to collect documents from UK would need to take into account many factors including the cost of providing reception facilities and the logistics of how to arrange the collections for people who are not located close to the decision making office.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many small and medium-sized enterprises in each (a) district, (b) county and (c) unitary authority hold a Tier 2 general sponsor licence. [207370]

James Brokenshire: A Tier 2 sponsor is not required to provide its district, county or unitary authority as part of its sponsor licence application. The Home Office classifies sponsors by region, based on its postcode prefix. The following table shows the breakdown of small and medium-sized enterprises currently holding a Tier 2 general sponsor licence by region.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 464W

Small and medium enterprise (SME) sponsors with tier 2 general licence at: 1 September 2014
RegionTotal Sponsors

London & South East

13,682

Midlands & East of England

3,028

Wales & South West

1,172

Scotland & Northern Ireland

1,123

North East, Yorkshire & the Humber

906

North West

875

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many employers in the creative industries, as defined in the Government's 2001 Creative Industries Mapping Document, hold a Tier 2 general sponsor licence. [207371]

James Brokenshire: The number of Tier 2 general sponsor licence holders in the creative industry is 273.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Tier 2 General Visas have been issued to international students since the withdrawal of the Tier 1 Post-Study Work Visa. [207120]

James Brokenshire: The available information relates to Tier 2 General grants of an extension of stay in the UK to people who were previously students and is given in the following table:

 Broad previous categoryPBS—Tier 2 Sponsored with a job General

2012

Study

2,538

2013

Study

4,108

Notes: 1. Data for 2013 are provisional figures. 2. Excludes EEA and Swiss nationals. 3. Includes reconsideration cases and the outcome of appeals. Source: Extensions data table expc_01_w Immigration Statistics April-June 2014

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on grants of an extension by previous category in tables expc_01 to expc_01_o within the ‘Immigration Statistics’ release.

A copy of the latest release, ‘Immigration Statistics April - June 2014’ is available from the Library of the House and from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Information on the previous immigration status of those issued an entry clearance visa (applications made outside the UK) is not available.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what analysis her Department has undertaken of the reasons for visa refusals arising from unconditional and conditional offers of student places; and if she will place this analysis in the Library. [207346]

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has not undertaken any analysis of the reasons for visa refusals arising from unconditional and conditional offers of student places.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 465W

An applicant for a visa to come to the UK as a Tier 4 student must hold a Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) assigned by their Tier 4 sponsor.

The sponsor assigns the CAS when they have made an unconditional offer of a place on a course of study at their institution.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many University-sponsored Graduate Entrepreneur Tier 1 visas have been issued since 6 April 2013. [207372]

James Brokenshire: The information available relates to all Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visas granted. Individuals may be endorsed by either UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) as part of the elite global graduate entrepreneur programme or by authorised endorsing UK higher education institutions (HEI). The data are given in the following table:

Entry clearance visas granted- Tier 1 - Graduate Entrepreneur (main applicants)
 Number

2013

 

Q2

0

Q3

2

Q4

11

  

2014

 

Q1

46

Q2

72

Note: Data for 2013 onwards are provisional figures. Source: Table vi_04_q Immigration Statistics April-June 2014

The Home Office publishes quarterly statistics on entry clearance visas granted outside the UK, by category, in table vi_04_q (Entry Clearance Visas volume 1) within the ‘Immigration Statistics’ release. Corresponding data on extensions of stay granted within the UK are published in table ex_01_q (Extensions).

A copy of the latest release, ‘Immigration Statistics April - June 2014’ is available from the Library of the House and from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many grants of settlement were given to Tier 1 (Post Study Work) visa holders since 2009; and what the countries of origin were of those granted settlement. [207375]

James Brokenshire: The Tier 1 (Post Study Work) visa gives no eligibility to apply to settle in the UK.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish the full Standard Occupational Code groups for all international students employed under the former Tier 1 Post Study Work visa for 2011 referred to in her Department's Impact Assessment, Reform of the Points Based Student System, published on 1 June 2011. [207378]

James Brokenshire: Data on all international students employed under the former Tier 1 Post Study Work visa are not available.

8 Sep 2014 : Column 466W

The Impact Assessment on ‘Reform of the Points Based Student (PBS) Immigration System’ uses survey data to make the assumption that 51 per cent of Tier 1 Post Study Work employees are in skilled employment. The survey data, which are for Tier 1 applicants, have a breakdown of the 2 digit standard occupational code groups. This can be found at:

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110314171826/http:/rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs09/horr22c.pdf

See Table 1.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will publish her Department’s assessment of the effect of the Tier-1 Post Study Work route on domestic graduate unemployment levels; and what steps she took to ascertain the effect on employment amongst that group before her decision to close that scheme. [207413]

James Brokenshire: The Government’s assessment of the impact of closing the Tier 1 Post Study Work route was published in 2011 and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reform-of-the-points-based-student-immigration-system

The Government’s policy objectives were to reduce net migration, increase the selectivity of the immigration system and clamp down on abuse. Accordingly, the impact assessment did not consider the likely effect on domestic graduate unemployment. While the Government do not believe it appropriate to offer non-EEA nationals unrestricted access to the labour market at a time of high graduate unemployment, tier 4 (student) visa holders who obtain a graduate level job may remain in the UK on a tier 2 (skilled work) visa.

Football: EU Law

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the UK could continue to provide information to other EU member states currently provided under Council Decision 2002/348/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that decision on 1 December 2014; [207071]

(2) what assessment she has made of the likelihood of the relevant authorities of other EU member states ceasing to provide information shared under Council Decision 2002/348/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that Decision on 1 December 2014. [207072]

Karen Bradley: A full impact assessment has been conducted on Council Decision 2003/348/JHA.

Details of this assessment can be found in Command Paper 8897

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/326698/41670_Cm_8897_Accessible.pdf

published on 3 July 2014.

The UK could continue to provide information to other EU Member States if the UK did not rejoin this measure.

However, the non-systemised exchange of information risks member states not having access to, or acting upon, relevant intelligence on UK football fans travelling to their country.

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This risks the safety of UK fans travelling abroad for football matches through inappropriate policing based on outdated information.

The relevant authorities of other EU member states could continue to provide information under Council Decision 2002/348/JHA if the UK did not rejoin the measure, but would not be using a formalised system of communication in order to do so. Information exchange between member states independent of the structure and obligations of the measure risks making it more difficult to guarantee appropriate high quality information. The lack of structure and obligations would make it more difficult to identify the correct agency with which to deal and could lead to a reduction in the quality and quantity of information exchanged.

Human Trafficking

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the nationality and gender was of each suspected victim of trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme operated by the Salvation Army in August 2014; in which (a) region and (b) county each of the suspected victims was found; which agency referred each person to the scheme; in which town was the shelter to which they were placed for the relevant period; and what contact is had with each victim after they exit the shelter to ensure they are not re-trafficked. [207358]

Karen Bradley: The data requested for August 2014 can be found on the Salvation Army’s website, at:

http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/Anti_Human_Trafficking_Latest_Report

Monthly reports are published on the website providing information on victims that have been supported. In the interests of the victim’s safety, only the region in which the victim was encountered will be provided.

Upon leaving Government-funded care, a victim is provided with tailored support either to safely return home or integrate in the UK, if they are eligible to do so. Once a victim leaves the service, no formal mechanisms exist to maintain contact with them. However, ongoing support of victims is being considered as part of the review of the National Referral Mechanism.

London Airports

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Force personnel have been deployed at (a) Gatwick, (b) Heathrow, (c) Luton, (d) Stansted and (e) Southend airport in each year since 2008. [207274]

James Brokenshire: To ensure the integrity and security of the UK border, Her Majesty's Government cannot provide details of the number of staff deployed at specific ports.

Mental Health Act 1983

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when her Department will publish the review of the operation of sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England and Wales. [207125]

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Norman Baker: The review of the operation of Sections 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983 has completed the evidence-gathering phase and we are currently analysing the proposed options. The Home Office and Department of Health intend to publish a joint report later this year.

Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) direct employees, (b) outsourced workers and (c) agency workers in executive agencies which report to her Department are paid less than the Living Wage as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. [208012]

Karen Bradley: All permanent members of staff directly employed by Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) are paid the Living Wage or above.

HMPO can confirm all agency workers engaged by HMPO after a 12 week qualifying period are paid the equivalent of a permanent member of staff on the starting point of the equivalent grade pay scale. This is in accordance with the requirements placed upon the Department by the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 (as amended). This therefore means all agency staff after the 12 week qualifying period are paid the living wage or above.

HMPO does not keep information on the level of pay of staff employed by organisations contracted to provide services within HMPO.

Police and Crime Commissioners: West Midlands

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner by-election held on 21 August 2014. [207187]

Mike Penning: The cost of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) by-election on 21 August has been estimated to be £3.7 million. These costs are underwritten by the Home Office and will not come from funds that would otherwise have gone to police forces.

Students: Rape

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of rape on university campuses were reported to the police in each year since 2004; and how many reported cases led to successful prosecutions. [207936]

Norman Baker: The requested information is not available centrally. The Home Office does not collect information on the exact location of rape offences.

Television

Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on the purchase of televisions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date. [207217]

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Karen Bradley: Information on expenditure on purchase of televisions in 2013 and 2014 is not held centrally and would incur disproportionate cost to obtain.

UK Visas and Immigration

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether staff answering calls to the UK Visas and Immigration MPs' Hotline who are not directly employed by the Home Office receive the same training and have access to the same information as staff who are directly employed. [207384]

James Brokenshire: All staff, whether employed directly or via an agency, receive the same training and have access to the same systems.

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of staff answering enquiries to the UK Visas and Immigration MPs' Hotline have been directly employed by the Home Office in the last six months. [207385]

James Brokenshire: Between 1 January and 31 March 2014, two members of the team who answered UK Visas and Immigration MP's Hotline were employed via an agency.

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what private companies have been contracted to answer enquiries to the UK Visas and Immigration MPs' Hotline in the last six months. [207386]

James Brokenshire: No private companies have been contracted to answer enquiries to the UK Visas and Immigration MP’s Hotline.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Afghanistan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total cost is of the current security contract with G4S in Afghanistan; what the tender for the next such contract is worth; who has expressed interest in that contract; and when the contract will be awarded. [207729]

Mr Lidington: The current security contract which has been in place since February 2010 with G4S in Afghanistan is worth approximately £120 million and is due to end on 30 June 2015. The tender for the next such contract is worth an estimated value of £14-20 million per annum and is likely to reduce over the lifetime of the contract. As this is currently a live tender, we are unable to provide details as to who has expressed interest in this contract, since this information is commercially sensitive.

Bahrain

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the validity of reports that the so-called Bahrain 13 were tortured during 2011. [207345]

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Mr Ellwood: The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry acknowledged reports in 2011, at the time these individuals were sentenced, which suggested that some of them had been abused in detention, denied access to legal counsel and coerced into confessing. We publically expressed concern at the decision by the Cassation Court to uphold the life sentences of these individuals, not least because of the reports of mistreatment and lack of due legal process.

Cameroon

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consular assistance is available to British nationals in Cameroon. [207689]

James Duddridge: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides consular assistance to British nationals overseas, including in Cameroon, in a range of situations as set out in our guide “Support for British Nationals Abroad”:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/317474/FCO_Brits_Abroad_2014.pdf

The ability of the High Commission to offer consular services in the Far North, North and Adamaoua provinces is limited. Should a British national need assistance they should contact the British High Commission in Yaoundé. The Foreign Office advises all British nationals to refer regularly to Travel Advice for the most up to date country specific information.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on recent Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon; and what assessment he has made of the implications of those attacks for regional security. [207694]

James Duddridge: Boko Haram concentrate their attacks in northern Nigeria but are regularly reported to operate in neighbouring countries, including Cameroon where they have conducted numerous attacks and kidnappings. In August 2014 Boko Haram were reported to have attacked a number of locations in northern Cameroon, including the towns of Fotokol, Kerawa and Achigachia. Boko Haram present a regional threat and therefore require a regional response. The UK is committed to supporting the region tackle the threat from Boko Haram. On 12 June the UK hosted a ministerial meeting for the region and international partners in London which the Foreign Minister of Cameroon attended. The meeting agreed measures to strengthen regional co-operation against Boko Haram. On 3 September I visited Nigeria, where I met both President Jonathan and Foreign Minister Wali. In those meetings I expressed the UK's deep sympathy for the plight of the school girls and discussed further measures for securing their release. The UK will continue to work closely with Nigeria and the international community to tackle the threat posed by terrorist groups such as Boko Haram.

Climate Change: Human Rights

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on the effect of climate change on human rights in countries particularly affected by climate change. [208075]

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James Duddridge: This Government are committed to securing a new global, legally-binding agreement on climate change by the end of 2015, which we firmly believe is the most effective way to minimise the impact of climate change on vulnerable states. The impact of climate change on the realisation of individuals’ human rights was most recently discussed at the UN Human Rights Council in June this year, when the Government supported a resolution on climate change and human rights and called for an expert discussion on how to address the adverse impacts of climate change on individuals’ human rights. We also continue to make it clear at all levels, and in all appropriate fora, that states should ensure they meet their human rights obligations when taking action to tackle climate change.

Embassies

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much UK embassies have spent on hospitality in the last two years. [207730]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office undertakes a wide range of activities to establish and maintain contacts throughout its network of over 270 overseas embassies, consulates and other posts. This includes meetings and events hosted for political and business delegations (including those in support of UK Trade and Industry) to promote British interests overseas and the prosperity agenda. For financial years 2012-13 and 2013-14, FCO expenditure on official representation and business hospitality undertaken at our overseas posts was £8,539,350.61 and £7,888,008.22 respectively. Any such spending is undertaken for business reasons, and is kept under rigorous scrutiny to ensure value for money and effectiveness and is incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity, Propriety and Value for Money.

Exports: Israel

Mr Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the likelihood of use by Israeli forces of equipment containing UK components in breaches of international humanitarian law in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; and if he will make a statement. [207825]

Mr Ellwood: We reviewed all existing export licences to Israel during Operation Protective Edge. We found that the vast majority of exports currently licensed for Israel were not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza in response to attacks by Hamas.

On 12 August, the Government announced that 12 licences were identified for components which could be part of equipment used by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza. As we were unable to clarify whether export licence criteria was being met, we took the decision to suspend this small number of export licences if there was a resumption of significant hostilities.

We monitored the situation closely and assessed that the resumption of hostilities when Hamas later broke the ceasefire was not enough to warrant a suspension.

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Iran

Mrs Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the human rights situation in Iran; and if he will make a statement. [207297]

Mr Ellwood: Iran's human rights record remains cause for grave concern. More than 200 people have reportedly been executed in 2014, with many more prisoners on death row at risk of imminent execution. The most recent (August 2014) figures from Human Rights Watch suggest that there are an estimated 895 political prisoners/prisoners of conscience in detention across the country. Freedom of expression continues to be suppressed with widespread internet censorship, the continuing closure of media outlets and systematic targeting of journalists and bloggers. Religious and ethnic minorities also continue to face widespread discrimination.