VAT: Imports

Ms Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made on the HMRC review into Simplified Import VAT Accounts. [207981]

Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) expect to publish a report by 30 September 2014 on Simplified Import VAT Accounts.

Work and Pensions

Carer’s Allowance

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement. [208015]

Mr Harper: The primary purpose of Carer’s Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person. It is not, and was never intended to be, a carer’s wage or a payment for the services of caring. It is also not intended to replace lost or forgone earnings in their entirety.

In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Income Support and Pension Credit. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate of up to an additional £34.20 a week.

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy that a person in receipt of carer's allowance may claim that allowance for each person cared for. [208016]

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Mr Harper: Carer’s Allowance was introduced to provide a measure of financial support for carers who have forgone the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person. Carer's Allowance is not a payment for the services of caring, therefore it is payable for the care of only one severely disabled person, even if the carer is looking after two or more people and there are no plans to change this policy.

EU Law

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many new EU directives and regulations have been transposed into UK law by his Department since May 2010. [207267]

Esther McVey: Since 2010, 66 EU directives have been transposed and 49 direct-acting EU regulations have come into effect.

Industrial Health and Safety

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the level of variation of health and safety regulations between local authorities and of the effect of such variation on small and medium-sized enterprises. [207810]

Mr Harper: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has ongoing discussions with local authorities (LA) in respect of their regulation of health and safety, including an annual statistical return. The most recent assessment for 2013-14 and comparisons with previous years showed a continued move towards a greater consistency in approach by local authorities.

The national activity and variation between local authorities is reported to the HSE/LA Enforcement Liaison Committee, published on the HSE website and used by local authorities in bench marking and peer review processes.

No assessment has been made of the effect of any variation on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Mr Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his Department's policy to permit jobseeker's allownce claimants who follow their advisor's instructions to attend a jobcentre course instead of signing on to be sanctioned or have their claim stopped because they did not sign on. [207548]

Esther McVey: Where a jobseeker’s allowance claimant is required to participate in a Jobcentre course, they are given information, verbally and in writing, which includes details about the course itself, what they are required to do by way of participation, and whether they are still required to attend the Jobcentre and meet their benefit conditions whilst attending the course.

There are some circumstances where DWP can excuse a person from the requirement to sign on, in order to enable them to participate in a course. This includes those claimants who are participating as a full-time student on an employment related course for a maximum of two weeks.

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However, in the majority of cases, claimants will be expected to sign on whilst participating in a course. Where conflicting appointments/course times arise, we make every effort to re-arrange claimants’ signing on arrangements.

If the decision is that the claimant is to continue attending the Jobcentre and the claimant fails to do so, without having a good reason, their benefit may be sanctioned.

Lead: Industrial Health and Safety

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been brought against employers in respect of exposure of employees to lead in each of the last three years. [207775]

Mr Harper: Occupational exposure to lead is regulated by the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002.

In the last three years to April 2014, the Health and Safety Executive has prosecuted the following number of cases in relation to breaches of CLAW:

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government is taking to protect the health of painters and decorators at work in relation to lead paint. [207774]

Mr Harper: Protection of the health of painters and decorators at work in relation to lead based paint is achieved by restricting access to such paints and by limiting exposure.

The marketing and use of lead based paint is restricted in the UK by the EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals Regulation (REACH). Under the current conditions of the REACH restriction, there is a derogation to allow for limited use of lead based paint in the restoration and maintenance of historic buildings and artwork. Those intending to use lead based paint must provide a declaration of the intended use to both the supplier and to the relevant competent authority before any work commences.

Further protection is afforded by the Control of Lead at Work Regulations (CLAW) 2002. These Regulations apply to activities involved in the application of lead based paint in permitted circumstances as described above and also to refurbishment work such as maintenance of buildings, where the removal of lead based paint can create risks of exposure.

Under CLAW duty holders are required to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, including identifying whether lead based paint or other lead-containing material is present. Informed by that assessment, duty holders must identify, and implement adequate control measures to minimise the exposure of workers to inhalable lead particles and ensuring high standards of personal hygiene.

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If exposure to lead is likely to be significant, employers are also required to carry out air monitoring and medical surveillance of employees.

Unemployment: Brighton

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the effects of the benefits cap on reducing unemployment in Brighton, Kemptown constituency; and if he will make a statement. [207091]

Esther McVey: The DWP will be evaluating the benefit cap policy and, where possible, its impact on movement into work later this year and expect to publish these findings in autumn 2014.

The latest official benefit cap statistics, available at

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/341890/benefit-cap-may-2014.pdf

show that by May 2014, 120 households had been capped in Brighton Kemptown constituency. Among the 54 households that are no longer capped, 17 have moved into work, as shown by them having an open Working Tax Credit claim. In addition to this there may be a small number of cases who have moved into work with sufficiently high salaries that they are not entitled to Working Tax Credit.

Universal Credit

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what proportion of universal credit claimants have a payment made directly to their landlord; [208008]

(2) what the value is of payments made directly to landlords for universal credit claimants in (a) total and (b) each local authority. [208007]

Steve Webb: The information requested is not currently available.

The Department published its strategy for releasing official statistics on Universal Credit (UC) in September 2013 which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics

As outlined in the strategy, officials are currently quality assuring data for UC therefore it is not yet possible to give a definitive list of what statistics will be provided in the future. These statistics however will be published in accordance with the relevant protocols in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The latest official experimental statistics on UC can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/universal-credit-statistics

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he will take to ensure that evaluations of the Work Programme look at its performance for ethnic minority jobseekers. [208014]

Esther McVey: DWP commissioned a comprehensive evaluation of the Work programme which was conducted by a consortium of external researchers led by the

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Institute for Employment Studies. This evaluation includes large scale surveys which include significant numbers of ethnic minority Work Programme participants.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which recommendations made by the Work Programme Best Practice Group have been (a) fully implemented, (b) partially implemented and (c) not implemented; and if he will make a statement. [208078]

Esther McVey: In October 2014 we will be publishing the full report of the Work Programme: Building Best Practice Group, and the Department's responses to each recommendation.

Energy and Climate Change

Biofuels: Imports

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the demand for biomass for combustion in the UK is met by imports. [207889]

Amber Rudd: In 2013, 35% of the demand for biomass for combustion was met by imports, net of exports.

Source:

Table DUKES 6.1 (columns B-E), Digest of UK Energy Statistics 2014, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/renewable-sources-of-energy-chapter-6-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

Energy: Billing

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effect of changes in energy bills on households and businesses in rural areas. [207640]

Amber Rudd: The Government are concerned about the effect of changes in energy bills on all households and businesses, including those in rural areas and considers the needs of all types of households and businesses when developing policies.

We publish regular information on industrial energy prices and on domestic energy bills in DECC’s Quarterly Energy Prices. Industrial prices are only available at the UK level. Average domestic energy bills are produced for each of the 15 Public Electricity Supply (PES) regions in the UK:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/quarterly-energy-prices

We also publish regular information on the impact of policies on prices and bills.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills

Energy: Meters

David T. C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) with reference to the policy document entitled, Helping households to cut

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their energy bills, supporting pages on smart meters, updated online on 24 July 2014, who receives the benefits of £17.1 billion for the installation of smart meters in homes; and what form those benefits take; [207543]

(2) with reference to the policy document entitled, Helping households to cut their energy bills, supporting pages on smart meters, updated online on 24 July 2014, who incurs the costs of £10.9 billion for the installation of smart meters in homes. [207542]

Matthew Hancock: Smart meters will bring an end to estimated billing, helping consumers to budget better and help make switching between suppliers easier and faster. Domestic and non-domestic consumers will have near-real time information on their energy consumption to help them control their energy use, and avoid wasting energy and money. Smart metering can transform the prepay experience. Topping up a smart meter in prepay mode should become as easy as topping up a mobile phone. New products and services will be supported in a vibrant, competitive, more efficient market in energy and energy management.

Suppliers will have access to accurate data for billing and to improve their customer service. They will also be able to reduce costs, for example by reducing call centre traffic, removing the need for a site visit to read meters and better manage debt.

Energy networks will have better information upon which to manage and plan their activities and smart meters enable smart grids which support sustainable energy supply.

Energy suppliers will be responsible for purchasing and installing smart meters. Energy suppliers and other energy industry participants, such as network operators, will also incur costs as part of upgrades to their systems and for Data and Communications Company services, so that they are able to take full advantage of smart metering.

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As is the case with traditional meters, the Government expect that both costs and cost savings as a result of smart metering will be passed to consumers by competing energy suppliers through energy bills. We estimate that this is will result in energy bill reductions as a result of smart metering of £26 a year by 2020, rising to around £43 per household a year by 2030, for the average dual fuel domestic consumer—taking into account all the costs and savings.

The Impact Assessment, updated in January 2014, provides further details of these benefits and costs:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meter-roll-out-for-the-domestic-and-small-and-medium-non-domestic-sectors-gb-impact-assessment

Fuel Poverty

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) with reference to chart 4.6 of the Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics Report 2014, published by his Department on 12 June 2014, what proportion of the (a) local authority, (b) owner-occupied, (c) private rented and (d) housing association households are in fuel poverty; [207538]

(2) with reference to table 4.6 of the Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics Report 2014, published by his Department on 12 June 2014, what proportion of the total fuel poverty gap is made up of (a) local authority, (b) owner-occupied, (c) private rented and (d) housing association households; [207537]

(3) with reference to section 4.2.4 of the Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics Report, published by his Department on 12 June 2014, what proportion of fuel-poor households live in (a) local authority, (b) owner-occupied, (c) private rented and (d) housing association housing. [207541]

Amber Rudd: The figures requested under the Low Income High Costs (LIHC) indicator for the years 2003-12 are given as follows:

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Education

Academies: Closures

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many new academies and studio colleges have been closed by her Department on the basis of lack of student numbers within their first year of trading; [207508]

(2) how many academies and studio colleges created from a pre-existing education institution were closed by her Department in the first year of trading; [207509]

(3) how many academies and studio colleges which were entirely new businesses were closed by her Department in the first year of trading. [207510]

Mr Timpson: Two studio colleges were closed by the Department for Education on the basis of lack of student numbers within their first year of trading. They were both entirely new businesses. No studio colleges created from a pre-existing education institution were closed by the Department in the first year.

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No academies which were entirely new businesses were closed by the Department in the first year. Three academies created from a pre-existing education institution merged with another establishment in the first year.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent progress she has made on the bursary scheme to set up cadet units in schools. [207651]

Mr Timpson: The Cadet Bursary Fund was launched by the Prime Minister on 18 June to help state schools set up, grow and sustain new cadet units. The aim of our Cadet Expansion Programme is to see 100 new state school units established by September 2015. 49 new units have been approved so far.

The Cadet Bursary fund will be administered by the Combined Cadet Force Association. The Department for Education is supporting the development of a fundraising strategy to ensure the legacy of the fund.

To date, £1,560,000 has been donated or pledged to the fund. This comprises £1 million from Libor funds, £250,000 from Youth United funding and £310,000 from private donations. The fund will open to applications from schools involved in the Cadet Expansion Programme on 15 September, and grant decisions will be announced in early December.

We will publish the full details on the application process and detailed guidance for schools shortly.

Chemistry: Teachers

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will extend the provision of post-ITT Subject Knowledge Enhancement courses for chemistry teachers. [207367]

Mr Laws: For the past two years, the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has funded a number of higher education institutions (HEIs) to deliver post ITT subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) training to support schools to address workforce capacity challenges in shortage subjects, traditionally secondary maths, physics, chemistry and modern foreign languages (MFL). The programme has provided subject knowledge training to a level that would be required to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS) to qualified teachers who did not train in their SKE subject.

The Department for Education’s vision is to work with schools to develop an education system in which teacher and leadership training, continuous professional development (CPD) and school-to-school support are delivered locally by partnerships led by the best head teachers. We are encouraging schools to find local solutions to their particular challenges and supporting teaching school alliances (TSAs) and system leaders to deliver innovative solutions to drive up standards. In line with this vision, NCTL are no longer funding HEIs in 2014-15 and instead are running a test and learn project with 45 teaching school alliances. TSAs will be responsible for designing and delivering post ITT SKE provision, focusing on secondary maths, physics, chemistry, computing, MFL and primary maths to meet their local/regional need. How they deliver the project and the subject they

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choose to focus on is entirely their decision and we expect to see a diverse range of approaches building on existing partnerships. This is not intended as a direct replacement for HEI delivered post ITT SKE programmes, and the opportunity remains for teachers and schools to purchase courses from HEIs to meet their professional development needs.

The National Science Learning Centre and five regional Science Learning Centre Consortia offer high quality science CPD for teachers and technicians working with pupils aged 5 to 19. Teachers are encouraged to consider the opportunities offered by the Regional Science Learning Centres, who also provide professional development bursaries (Impact Awards) that are funded by the Department for Education.

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make it her policy to encourage more universities to provide chemistry subject knowledge enhancement courses which are 24 weeks or longer. [207387]

Mr Laws: Initial teacher training (ITT) providers and School Direct (SD) schools are responsible for identifying whether an ITT applicant needs to undertake a subject knowledge enhancement (SKE) course and the length of any course required. This decision is based on the ITT provider or SD school’s assessment of the applicant’s subject knowledge and the requirements of the ITT course they have applied to.

ITT providers and SD schools can commission SKE courses from any source or they can deliver SKE courses themselves. All universities are able to offer SKE courses. The National College for Teaching and Leadership promotes these courses through its online SKE course directory and “Get into Teaching” website. The course directory includes 53 SKE courses in chemistry provided by 20 universities, including the university of Worcester. Officials are working with the Royal Society of Chemistry to promote chemistry SKE in the coming academic year.

Children: Abuse

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps her Department is taking in response to research in the NSPCC's report, Returning home from care. [208034]

Mr Timpson: A robust assessment of the needs of a child and their family and how these needs will be met through ongoing support from the local authority is crucial if children are to return home safely and successfully from care. Improving practice when children return home from care is a priority for the Government.

In September 2013, the Government published the ‘Improving Permanence for looked-after children’ data pack, which is published online:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-permanence-for-looked-after-children-data-pack

The data pack encourages local authorities to consider their own systems and processes for returning children home and to improving their rate of success.

In 2013 the Department consulted on a range of proposals to improve permanence for looked-after children. Department for Education officials have convened a

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meeting of the relevant Expert Group on 9 September to discuss these issues and the Government’s formal response will be published later this year.

The Government have commissioned the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) and the Centre for Child and Family Research (CCFR) at Loughborough University to deliver an action research project. The project is working with frontline practitioners and families to support improved practice in returning children home.

This project is complemented by research we have commissioned from the NSPCC and the University of Bristol. Their approach is ‘top down’, working with senior practitioners to implement a specific model of support for children returning home, developed and tested by NSPCC. This research will build on earlier work by NSPCC and includes a focus on implementation science, identifying savings and efficiencies, and developing a practice model that can be used by local authorities without the need for specialist support from the NSPCC.

Both of these research projects will report in 2015.

Children: Protection

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to ensure that children who have been looked after because of abuse or neglect receive appropriate support and monitoring to prevent further abuse when they return home. [207911]

Mr Timpson: A robust assessment of the needs of a child and their family and how these needs will be met through on-going support from the local authority is crucial if children are to return home safely and successfully from care. The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010 are clear that the child’s care plan must provide details of the advice, assistance and support that the responsible authority intends to provide after the child has returned home. Page 19 of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013’ sets out the principles and parameters of a good assessment. The guidance is published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-together-to-safeguard-children

Improving practice when children return home from care is a priority for the Government. In 2013 we consulted on a range of proposals to improve permanence for looked-after children. Department for Education officials have convened a meeting of the relevant Expert Group on 9 September to discuss these issues and the Government’s formal response will be published later this year.

Children’s Centres

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will review the adequacy of current statutory guidance on the sharing of live birth data with children’s centres. [208025]

Mr Gyimah: The Government have no plans to review the statutory guidance for children’s centres on the sharing of live birth data.

The Department for Education’s Sure Start children’s centres statutory guidance says that health services and local authorities should share information (such as live

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birth data and data on families with children under five who have recently moved into the area) with children’s centres on a regular basis.

EU Law

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new EU directives and regulations have been transposed into UK law by her Department since May 2010. [207257]

Nick Boles: The Department for Education has not had responsibility for transposing into UK law any EU directives or regulations since May 2010.

Free School Meals

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will place in the Library all assessments her Department has conducted on the planning and implementation of providing free school meals to all infants; and if she will make a statement. [207301]

Mr Laws: Evidence collected from local authorities and 14 multi-academy trusts between 11 August and 22 August 2014 suggested that 98.5% of schools would be providing hot meals from the start of term. We have published a statistical notice that provides further details and is available at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-infant-free-school-meals-schools-offering-a-hot-meal

A copy has also been placed in the House Library.

GCE A-level

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students enrolled to study A2 levels in September 2013 in (a) school sixth forms, (b) academy sixth forms, (c) sixth form colleges and (d) 16 to 19 free schools. [207566]

Mr Laws: The information requested is not currently available. Provisional information for students entered for A2 levels in the 2013-14 academic year will be available in October 2014.

GCE AS-level

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students enrolled to study AS levels in September 2012 in (a) school sixth forms, (b) academy sixth forms, (c) sixth form colleges and (d) 16 to 19 free schools. [207565]

Mr Laws: Information on the number of students who entered AS level qualifications in the 2012-13 academic year by school type is provided in the table.

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Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of students who enrolled in September 2012 to study AS levels in a (a) school sixth form, (b) academy sixth form, (c) sixth form college and (d) 16 to 19 free school dropped out during the first year of their course. [207567]

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Mr Laws: The information requested is not held by the Department for Education.

Mandarin: GCSE

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in state schools secondary education obtained a GCSE in Mandarin Chinese in each year since January 2011. [208111]

Mr Laws: It is not possible to identify pupils entered for Mandarin Chinese from the Department for Education’s data. However, the Department does hold information on the number of entries into GCSE Chinese which includes Mandarin Chinese and other Chinese subjects. In the academic year 2010-11, there were 2,480 entries for GCSE Mandarin, 2,307 in the academic year 2011-12 and 2,346 in the academic year 2012-13. This information is published in the GCSE statistical first release (subject time series table) at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2012-to-2013-revised

Science: Teachers

Sir Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to help schools provide subject-specific continuing professional development for science teachers. [207364]

Mr Laws: The Department for Education currently supports curriculum-focused continuing professional development (CPD) for science teachers and technicians through a contract with Myscience.co Ltd to manage five regional science learning centres (RSLCs). The five RSLCs additionally co-ordinate and quality assure up to 10 local science learning partnerships (SLPs) each, which bring together teaching schools and other outstanding schools, higher education institutions, independent schools, further education and sixth-form colleges and employers and industry experts to deliver CPD locally.

In addition, the Department provides funding to Myscience.co Ltd to support the payment of impact awards for science teachers and technicians who attend and undertake CPD run by the regional science learning centres and science learning partnerships.

The Department also funds the Triple Science Support Programme (TSSP), delivered by Myscience.co Ltd, to provide an extensive programme of practical support and guidance to schools on how to provide triple science at GCSE level. The TSSP focuses its support on schools that do not currently offer triple science or that have few pupils taking triple science.

The Department supports the improvement of science teaching through a joint arrangement with the Wellcome Trust and industry partners to fund CPD through scholarship awards called Enthuse Awards. Over five years from August 2013 to July 2018, the Department will provide £10 million to schools to support teachers’ attendance at high quality science CPD training delivered by the National Science Learning Centre.

The Stimulating Physics Network has also been set up to provide support at regional level to increase progression to A-level physics. This is funded by the Department and administered by the Institute of Physics. The network provides two strands of support: universal support for all schools, which offers programmes of

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workshops, networking opportunities and other professional development events though a team of physics network co-ordinators; and developing intensive partnerships with selected schools provided through a team of teaching and learning coaches who facilitate tailored programmes of CPD.

Special Educational Needs

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2014, Official Report, column 551W, on disadvantaged pupils, what research her Department has commissioned into the role of special educational needs co-ordinators in decisions on how to spend the pupil premium; and for what reason no guidance was issued to schools on this matter. [208026]

Mr Timpson: The Department for Education has not commissioned any research to date specifically on the role of special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) in decisions on how to spend the pupil premium, just as the Department does not advise schools in any general sense on how they should spend the pupil premium. This is because schools are best placed to understand and respond to the needs of their disadvantaged pupils, and to develop their own processes for deciding pupil premium spending priorities. Schools will of course wish to involve SENCOs in reviewing the evidence on effective practice in raising the attainment of disadvantaged pupils with special educational needs, and use their findings to inform spending decisions.

Cabinet Office

Big Society Network

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) under what criteria the Big Society Network was contracted to run the Giving summits; [208125]

(2) how much the Big Society Network has received for administering the Big Society Awards in each of the last three years; [208126]

(3) against what criteria the Big Society Network was awarded the contract for running the Big Society Awards; [208127]

(4) how much has been given to the Big Society Network for the purpose of running the Giving summit in each of the last three years. [208128]

Mr Newmark: Grants were awarded to Society Network Foundation to deliver aspects for the Big Society Awards and the Giving summit following consideration of proposals put forward by Society Network Foundation.

In 2012-13, £350,000 was paid to Society Network Foundation for the delivery of aspects of the Big Society Awards, £12,000 for delivering certain aspects of the Giving summit and promotion of the Big Society. In 2013-14, £150,000 was paid to Society Network Foundation for delivery of aspects of the Big Society Awards.

Domestic Visits

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 359W, on domestic visits, what domestic visits he has made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was. [208003]

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Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 360W.

Energy

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps he is taking to reduce energy costs in his Department; and if he will make a statement. [208335]

Mr Maude: Information regarding my Department’s energy consumption and meeting the cross-government Greening Government Commitments (GGC) can be found in the 2013-14 Annual Report at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325326/41432_HC_Cabinet_Office_annual_report_2013_to_2014_print_ready.pdf

A copy of this publication is also available in the House of Commons Library.

Government Departments: Cybercrime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the number of cyber-attacks on Government IT systems since January 2014. [208102]

Mr Maude: We are now seeing around 100 sophisticated attacks a month on UK Government or industry networks. The Government have committed £860 million until 2016 to the transformative National Cyber Security Programme to bolster the UK’s cyber defences. The National Cyber Security Strategy, published November 2011, sets out how the UK will support economic prosperity, protect national security and safeguard the public’s way of life by building a more trusted and resilient digital environment.

We do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks on Government IT systems.

Government Departments: ICT

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance the Government Digital Service issues to department on minimum requirements for IT systems reliability and availability. [208089]

Mr Maude: The Government Service Design Manual provides guidance and advice on designing and building digital services. This covers both reliability and availability.

This is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/service-manual

Radiation Exposure

Paul Flynn: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what work the Horizon Scanning Programme has undertaken on the implications for environmental security of (a) an accident at a nuclear facility involving a large release of radiation and (b) the sabotage of a nuclear facility or nuclear cargo in transit by a terrorist group; [208053]

(2) what issues are currently under examination by the Horizon Scanning Programme. [208051]

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Mr Letwin: The Horizon Scanning Programme has investigated emerging technologies, emerging economies, the changing supply and demand of resources, changing social attitudes of young people, and the future of demographic change in the UK. The Programme continues to draw on observations from these areas alongside exploring potential new areas of investigation, which include the future of work, regulation and rural communities.

The Horizon Scanning Programme has not examined the implications for environmental security in regards to nuclear facilities and does not plan to do so in the future. The risks posed in the question are however considered as part of the National Risk Assessment process.

Unemployment: Older People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people over 50 years old in each region and constituent part of the UK have been unemployed for over 12 months. [208076]

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

Letter from Glen Watson, dated September 2014:

As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people over 50 years old in each region and constituent part of the UK have been unemployed for over 12 months (208076).

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

The table shows the number of people aged 50 years and over who had been unemployed for 12 months or more in each region and constituent part of the UK, according to survey responses from the APS for the 12 month period April 2013 to March 2014, the latest available period.

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

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

http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

8 Sep 2014 : Column 526W

Culture, Media and Sport

Brass Bands

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many requests for funding have been made to the Arts Council by brass bands in each of the last three years; and how many such requests were (a) accepted in full, (b) accepted in part and (c) rejected. [207353]

Mr Vaizey: A list of the eligible applications to the Arts Council in the last three years in the sub-art form “Brass and Silver bands” will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. However, some activity for which brass bands play a constituent part may not be included, as the wider activity has not been classified specifically as such. Ineligible applications are not recorded by sub-art form.

Domestic Visits

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2014, Official Report, column 13W, on domestic visits, what domestic visits he and his predecessor has made since January 2013; and what the purpose of each such visit was. [208005]

Mrs Grant: Details of Ministers’ visits are published quarterly and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-meetings-and-hospitality-data-october-to-december-2013

EU Law

Mr Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new EU directives and regulations have been transposed into UK law by his Department since May 2010. [207255]

Mr Vaizey: Since January 2010, DCMS has transposed four EU directives into UK law; and four EU regulations have come into effect within our areas of responsibility.

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National Anthems

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals for an English national anthem. [207647]

Mr Vaizey: There are no plans to recommend to Her Majesty the Queen that any change should be made to the UK national anthem, nor are there any plans to introduce an official English anthem.

Pay

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 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. [208011]

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Mrs Grant: DCMS does not have any direct employees who are paid less than the rate defined by the Living Wage Foundation as a living wage.

DCMS is not responsible for setting pay levels for contracted workers. This is a matter for the organisations who employ them. However, we actively encourage employers to ensure that the living wage is paid and we would monitor these when contracts are being negotiated.

We do not hold central records for our arms lengths bodies.

Television

Mr Bradshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on the purchase of televisions in (a) 2013 and (b) 2014 to date. [207210]

Mrs Grant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not purchased any televisions in the periods stated.