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* indicates number < than 10 per LA
To ask Her Majesty's Government for each local authority for which they have data, (a) how many home-educated children are considered to be not in education, employment or training (NEET), (b) how many home-educated children are not considered to be NEET, and (c) how many of the home-educated children in each local authority considered to be NEET (1) are from traveller families, (2) are children who first became home-educated in years 10 or
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Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: The department's policy is not to release any information that might lead to individual children being identified where data released could be combined with other data. As 47 local authorities identified a total of 270 out of 1220 home educated children that were not in education, employment or training when the Connexions Service conducted its autumn survey of year 11 school leavers, we are not able to release a breakdown of these data by local authority as the numbers for each category in each individual authority would be small. The percentages for different authorities are given in the form of a histogram on the Every Child Matters website at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/everychildmatters/ete/independent reviewofhomeeducation/irhome education/.
Data requested in parts (1) and (2) of question (c) were not collected. Only children who had supplied information about their education, employment or training status are included in the survey.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is meant by "Known to social care includes Section 17, 37 or 47 enquiries" in the Department for Children, Schools and Families' working paper Independent Review of Home Education-safeguarding evidence. [HL434]
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin: Known to social care in this context means children who, at the time of the data collection, were receiving or were planning to receive social care services in local authorities in England under the following sections of the Children Act 1989:
Section 17 (provision of services for children in need, their families and others); Section 37 (care orders); andSection 47 (local authority duty to investigate when there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm).Legal definitions can be found at http://www.opsi. gov.uk/acts/acts1989/ukpga_19890041_en_1.
The questionnaire seeking information excluded some children that fell into these categories and this is shown at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/foischeme/subPage. cfm?action=collections.displayDocument&i_ documentID=801&i_collection ID=322.
Energy: Electricity Generation
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether feed-in tariffs for small-scale electricity generation are available throughout Britain; if not, whether there are barriers to doing so; and whether they will examine their use in Germany, in particular in Freiburg. [HL653]
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The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Government have published proposals for feed-in tariffs for small-scale electricity generation. The Department of Energy and Climate Change published a consultation document in July, still available from the DECC website at http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations /elec_financial/elec_financial.aspx.
The consultation elicited over 700 replies which are currently being analysed in line with the proposal to introduce a scheme by April 2010.
In the course of developing the proposal Ministers and officials consulted a wide range of organisations, nationally and internationally. A number of supporting studies based on this are also available at the same website.
Energy: Renewables
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the rate of tax charged on recovered fuel oil in the United Kingdom; and whether an assessment has been made of how that rate of tax compares with that charged in other European Union member states. [HL447]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): Since 1 November 2008, following the end of a UK derogation from the EU Energy Taxation Directive, recovered fuel oil has been subject to duty at the same rate as fuel oil, the fuel for which it most commonly substitutes. This rate is 10.37 pence per litre.
The Chancellor keeps all duty rates under review, taking account of a wide range of factors including rates in other member states.
Finance: Bonuses
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prospects of moves to ensure that bonuses in the financial sector are not linked to turnover, profits or short-term results. [HL177]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The Government have been clear that the banking sector needs to develop sustainable long-term remuneration policies that take better account of risk.
The FSA has published its remuneration code of practice which comes into force on 1 January 2010. In advance of this all the banks subject to the code had to provide the FSA with a remuneration policy statement to demonstrate compliance.
The Government have introduced the Financial Services Bill to Parliament which contains measures to ensure that the remuneration practices do not incentivise excessive risk taking.
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These will ensure that remuneration policies are aligned with long-term success through a greater component of bonuses being paid in the form of shares as well as the use of deferral and claw-back should future performance deteriorate.
Furthermore, in the 2009 Pre-Budget Report the Government announced a temporary bank payroll tax of 50 per cent which will apply to discretionary bonuses above £25,000 awarded in the period from Pre-Budget Report to 5 April 2010 for each individual employee.
This tax will encourage banks to consider their capital position and to make appropriate risk adjustments when setting the level of bonus payments above the threshold, which is at the level of median earnings in the UK.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prospects for the full implementation of the Financial Services Authority's draft code of practice for executive remuneration, especially by companies in which the taxpayer has a stake. [HL178]
Lord Myners: The FSA has published its remuneration code of practice which comes into force on 1 January 2009. In advance of this all the banks subject to the code had to provide the FSA with a remuneration policy statement to demonstrate compliance.
The Government have also asked the FSA to provide an annual report on remuneration practices, including compliance by firms with the new code. This report will assess whether remuneration practices are likely to lead to a build up of systemic risk, and make recommendations for action if this is thought to be the case.
The banks in which the Government are a shareholder are managed on an arm's-length commercial basis by United Kingdom Financial Investments (UKFI). The Government expect their investee banks to beat the forefront of complying with the FSA's code and UKFI is working with the banks as a shareholder to ensure their remuneration policies are aligned with long-term value creation.
House of Lords: Fair Trade Goods
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees what percentage of the bananas purchased by the House
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The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The current fruit and vegetable framework supply contract commenced in April 2008. For the year 2008-09, fair trade bananas were specified in all orders placed but supplies received depended on market availability. For the years 2006-07 and 2007-08, fair trade bananas were not a standard supply specification but were delivered subject to market availability. The Refreshment Department does not have the staff resource to monitor the proportion of fair trade bananas received.
House of Lords: Peers' Writing Room
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees on what date the Peers' Writing Room coffee machine will resume functioning. [HL389]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The coffee machine is now operational once again. I regret any inconvenience caused over the past few weeks.
House of Lords: Pork and Bacon
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees when the House of Lords Refreshment Department last reviewed the price of British bacon; and what was the result of that review. [HL629]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): The price of British bacon is reviewed on a weekly basis as specified in the current meat framework supply contract. For the week ending 11 December 2009, the price quoted was £6.63 per kilo (23.51p per rasher). The equivalent price for Dutch bacon was £4.48 per kilo (15.89p per rasher).
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