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I will pass your inquiry on to the Welsh Assembly Government who will respond to your inquiry in relation to Welsh higher education institutions in due course.
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a local authority could reject a petition requiring an officer to be called to account, as proposed in
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill provides that certain local authority officers can be required to give evidence, where the grounds for the request relates to their job responsibilities. The scenario outlined by the noble Lord is unlikely to occur, as local government operational decisions are not taken by central government, but were such a petition to be put to a local authority it could not be rejected.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps a local authority is to take if a petition is received that calls for an officer to be held to account, as set out in Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, where that officer is then in the employment of another local authority, government department or agency, or other public body; and whether that officer may be obliged to attend a meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee by the authority or by their current employers. [HL2402]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an “officer to be called to account” in Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill means the individual officer named in the petition, or whether it can be taken to mean another officer who has taken over the discharge of functions to which the petition refers and for which the original officer is no longer responsible. [HL2419]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, under Clause 16(10)(b) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill “another officer” is in addition to or in place of the officer to be called to account; whether the petition organiser will be informed of any additional or replacement officer to be questioned; and what steps will be taken if the petition organiser objects to the change. [HL2423]
Baroness Andrews: Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill provides that petitions may require relevant officers, whether identified by name or description, to give evidence to an overview and scrutiny committee. The overview and scrutiny committee could invite a former officer of the local authority to give evidence, but could not require them to do so under Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. Alternatively, the overview and scrutiny committee could decide that for the purposes of addressing the concerns raised by the petition, it would be more appropriate for another officer to attend before it.
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Clause 13 provides that local authorities must acknowledge petitions, and that this acknowledgement must give such information about what the authority proposes to do in response to the petition as the authority considers appropriate. Local authorities may therefore use the acknowledgement to inform the petition organiser if the overview and scrutiny committee considers that for the purposes of addressing the concerns raised by the petition, it would be more appropriate for another officer to attend before it. If the petition organiser objects to the change in the officer who is required to attend the meeting, the organiser could ask the overview and scrutiny committee to review its decision.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require or issue guidance to local authorities on (a) how much time an officer must be given between receiving a notification to appear before an overview and scrutiny committee as a result of a petition submitted in accordance with Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill, and the date of the meeting; and (b) whether the officer may use the resources of the local authority in preparing material for use at such a meeting. [HL2403]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether local authorities will be required to pay to an officer any expenses or overtime incurred as a result of having to attend a meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee following a petition submitted to the authority that calls for the officer to be called to account, as set out in Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. [HL2420]
Baroness Andrews: Relevant officers would be required to give evidence under Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill as part of their employment, and would not be appearing in a personal capacity. Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill provides that the grounds for the request to give evidence must relate to the officer's job responsibilities. In preparing for giving evidence, officers would therefore use the resources of the local authority, and be eligible for overtime pay and expenses, as with the other tasks they carry out as part of their employment.
As with existing arrangements for officers to give evidence to overview and scrutiny committees, the period of time between an officer being notified that they must appear before the committee, and the date of the meeting, will depend upon local authorities' internal management processes and the frequency of overview and scrutiny meetings.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether under Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill a local authority could reject a petition requiring an officer to be called to account on the ground that the officer had left the employment of the authority; whether a
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Baroness Andrews: Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill provides that petitions may require relevant officers, whether identified by name or description, to give evidence to an overview and scrutiny committee. The overview and scrutiny committee could invite a former officer of the local authority to give evidence, but could not require them to do so under Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. Alternatively, the overview and scrutiny committee could decide that for the purposes of addressing the concerns raised by the petition, it would be more appropriate for another officer to attend before it.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (a) the Public and Commercial Services Union, (b) the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, and (c) UNISON about the impact on their members of Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. [HL2405]
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have consulted officials who would be covered by Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill or their representatives; if so, whether any written responses were received; and, if so, whether they will place those responses in the Library of the House. [HL2408]
Baroness Andrews: The Department for Communities and Local Government carried out a public consultation on the proposals in Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. The Communities in control: Real people, real power: Improving local accountability—Consultation ran from 7 August until 30 October 2008. 199 responses were received, and the Department for Communities and Local Government will place copies of these responses in the Library of the House. The Department for Communities and Local Government published Communities in control: Real people, real power—Government response to the improving local accountability consultation on 26 January 2009.
Department for Communities and Local Government officials met SOLACE and UNISON to discuss Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill in Autumn 2008, and have ongoing discussions on the policy with these two organisations. PCS does not represent local authority officers, so the Government did not contact PCS to discuss the proposals. However, it would have been open to PCS to respond to the public consultation on the policy, Communities in control: Real people, real power: Improving local accountability—Consultation.
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To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to issue guidance to local authorities suggesting a limit on the number of petitions they should accept each year that call for a specific officer to be called to account, as set out in Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill. [HL2406]
Baroness Andrews: The Government have no current plans to issue guidance on this issue. Safeguards in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill ensure that officers can only be required to give evidence under Clause 16 when the request to do so relates to their job responsibilities, and is not vexatious, abusive or otherwise inappropriate.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the provisions of Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill would constitute a change in the employment contract of the relevant officials. [HL2407]
Baroness Andrews: The provisions in Clause 16 merely involve the overview and scrutiny committee exercising its existing powers at the request of members of the public, they should not require any changes in the employment contracts of the relevant officials.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the impact of Clause 16 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill; who will conduct such a review; and how often such a review will take place. [HL2422]
Baroness Andrews: The Government are committed to measuring the success of all new policies included in legislation. As such, the Department for Communities and Local Government will conduct a review of the impact of the petitions provisions in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill within three years of implementation.
National College of School Leadership
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many teachers employed by Manchester City Council have been allocated places at the National College of School Leadership. [HL2270]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Children, Schools and Families (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): 1160 members of school staff from Manchester City Council have engaged with the college in leadership provision programmes. It should be noted however, that although the college requests information from participants about the role they have within their school, this is not always provided.
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Nighthawking Survey
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for taking forward the recommendations of English Heritage's Nighthawking Survey. [HL2250]
Lord Davies of Oldham: English Heritage is preparing an implementation plan to take forward the recommendations of the Nighthawking Survey; English Heritage expects this to be ready before the summer.
Nuclear Installations Inspectorate
Question
Asked by Lord Jenkin of Roding
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce a Legislative Reform Order into Parliament to give effect to Dr Timothy Stone's recommendations for the structural changes to the Nuclear Directorate; and whether the order will include the creation of an autonomous unit within the Health and Safety Executive to carry out the regulatory duties of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate. [HL1998]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Following the recommendations of Dr Tim Stone's review, the Government are restructuring the Nuclear Directorate of HSE, of which the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate is part, through legislation to create an autonomous body, within the auspices of the HSE. The Government expect this to be accomplished through a legislative reform order, which we hope to introduce this year.
Prisoners: Compensation
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government in calculating compensation for former United Kingdom prisoners, what consideration is allowed for the state funding of accommodation and food facilities for (a) those incorrectly imprisoned; and (b) those released early due to a lack of space. [HL2319]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Bach): Each unlawful imprisonment claim is dealt with on its own merits taking into account appropriate case law. The award of any damages is not offset by the cost of accommodation and food provided during the period of unlawful imprisonment. No compensation is paid to prisoners who are released early on home detention curfew nor under the end of custody licence scheme.
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Sudan
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are assisting, through government and non-government organisations, voter education of the population of southern Sudan. [HL2204]
Lord Tunnicliffe: Since December 2007, the UK has supported a £400,000 programme of civic education through the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, an international non-governmental organisation with extensive networks of local partners throughout Sudan. We have also provided £1.5 million to the UN to launch a programme of preparatory support to the elections process across Sudan. This will fund a range of activities related to voter education such as information campaigns, training of civil society organisations and electoral assistance staff, development of voter education materials, and the provision of small grants for local initiatives. Training of trainer events have already been held in five of the 10 southern states.
Unemployment
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty's Government how their green agenda will reduce unemployment, especially in the areas worst hit by the recession. [HL2022]
The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Stern review showed that without global action the economic impact of climate change will be equivalent to a loss in world GDP of 5 to 20 per cent per annum now and for ever. This is balanced against around 1 per cent to 2 per cent of GDP if we take action now, and this investment in low carbon technologies can underpin economic recovery.
On 6 March, the Government held a summit at which we set out our vision of a low carbon economy and the areas in which we should focus our efforts to achieve it: energy efficiency, transforming our energy infrastructure, supporting the move to low carbon vehicles, and making the UK the best place for low carbon business. Following this summit, a full low carbon industrial strategy will be published in the summer. By continuing efforts to build a low carbon economy we will create the jobs and growth we need now. Turnover in the low carbon and environmental goods and services sector as a whole could rise to over £150 billion and employment could rise by 400,000 people to 1.3 million by 2015.
Unemployment
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many jobs were lost in (a) each English region, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in (1) each quarter of 2008, and (2) the first two months of 2009. [HL2171]
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To ask Her Majesty's Government how many job vacancies there are in (a) each English region, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL2172]
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of those 18 and under are unemployed in (a) each English region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, and (d) Northern Ireland. [HL2175]
Lord Patel of Bradford: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
Letter from Karen Dunnell, National Statistician, to Lord Roberts of Llandudno, dated March 2009.
As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many jobs were lost in (a) each English region, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in (1) each quarter of 2008, and (2) the first two months of 2009; how many job vacancies there are in (a) each English region, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and what percentage of those 18 and under are unemployed in (a) each English region, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland, and (d) Northern Ireland. (HL2171, HL2172 and HL2175)
Data for employee jobs, total UK vacancies and unemployment estimates (tables provided overleaf) are based on surveys, as with all sample-based surveys, estimates are subject to sampling error.
Table I shows the number of employee jobs in each English region, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from 2007Q4 to 2008Q4 (seasonally adjusted), and the quarterly changes. This does not measure the number of jobs lost, but the net change between jobs created and jobs lost. The employee jobs series is a quarterly measure and so does not provide estimates for the first two months of 2009. The Office for National Statistics plans to release estimates for 2009Q1 on 17 June 2009.
The Office for National Statistics estimates the number of vacancies from the Vacancy Survey, however estimates below UK are not available from this source.
An alternative source of information on job vacancies is administrative data from Jobcentre Plus. This data only include job vacancies notified to Jobcentre Plus and consequently are inconsistent with the UK estimates from the Vacancy Survey, however geographical breakdowns of this data are available. Data for Northern Ireland are not readily available.
Table 2 attached, shows the number of live unfilled job vacancies held by Jobcentre Plus for each English region, Scotland and Wales for January 2009. The latest three-month average for the UK from the Vacancy Survey is 504,000.
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