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11 Aug 2011 : Column WA357



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA357

Written Answers

Answers received between Thursday 21 July andMonday 25 July 2011

Abortion

Question

Asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' guidance, The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, recommends that clinicians caring for women requesting abortion should try to identify those who require more support than can be provided in the routine clinic setting (such as those with a psychiatric history, poor social support or evidence of coercion). For the minority of women who require formal therapeutic counselling, services should have formal care pathways in place with access to trained counsellors with appropriate expertise.

We are looking to strengthen these existing arrangements and are drawing up proposals to enable all women who are seeking an abortion to be offered access to independent counselling. We would want the counselling to be provided by appropriately qualified individuals. Detailed proposals are being worked on. We plan to consult widely on those later this year and will finalise our plans in early 2012.

Agriculture: Peat

Question

Asked by The Earl of Courtown

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): Data on sales of peat extracted in Great Britain by end use are currently available up to 2009-there are no comparable data collected for peat extraction in Northern Ireland.

Around 13.3 million cubic metres of peat were sold by GB extractors over the period 2000-09. It is not possible to separate the 2001 and 2002 data by end use. Of the 10.5 million cubic metres of peat sold in the remaining eight years, around 10.3 million cubic metres were for horticultural use and 233,000 cubic metres were for non-horticultural uses.

No data are held regarding by whom the peat was extracted.

Armed Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq

Question

Asked by Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): The following tables show the numbers of Service personnel killed or wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq in each of the past 10 years. Figures have been presented as those resulting from both hostile and non-hostile action. The figures of those wounded include those classified as very seriously injured (VSI) and seriously injured (SI).

Table 1: UK Armed Forces fatalities in Afghanistan by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 7 October 2001-7 July 2011.
YearAllRoyal NavyRoyal MarinesArmyRAF
HostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOther

All

336

39

0

0

51

2

280

23

5

14

2001

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2002

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

2003

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2004

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

2005

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

2006

21

18

0

0

4

1

17

5

0

12

2007

37

5

0

0

5

1

31

4

1

0

2008

50

1

0

0

16

0

32

1

2

0

2009

107

1

0

0

7

0

99

1

1

0

2010

95

8

0

0

15

0

79

6

1

2

2011

24

3

0

0

4

0

20

3

0

0



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA359



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA360

Table 2: UK Armed Forces seriously injured in Afghanistan by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 7 October 2001-15 June 2011.
YearAllRoyal NavyRoyal MarinesArmyRAF
HostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOther

All

474

44

0

0

62

7

403

36

9

1

2001

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

2002

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

2003

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

2004-

4

2

0

0

0

0

4

2

0

0

2005

1

1

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

2006

24

7

0

0

3

4

21

' 3

0

0

2007

59

4

0

0

13

1

44

3

2

0

2008

60

5

0

0

14

1

43

4

3

0

2009

147

10

0

0

16

0

128

10

3

0

2010

143

10

0

0

11

0

131

10

1

0

2011

36

3

0

0

5

0

31

2

0

1

Table 3: UK Armed Forces fatalities in Iraq by year, Service, and hostile and non-hostile action. 1 January 2003-31 July 2009.
YearAllRoyal NavyRoyal MarinesArmyRAF
HostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOther

All

135

43

8

0

10

2

99

37

18

4

2003

40

12

7

0

7

1

24

9

2

2

2004

10

12

0

0

0

0

10

11

0

1

2005

20

3

0

0

0

0

11

3

9

0

2006

27

2

1

0

3

0

21

2

2

0

2007

36

11

0

0

0

1

32

9

4

1

2008

2

2

0

0

0

0

1

2

1

0

2009

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

Table 4: UK Armed Forces seriously injured in Iraq by year, Service and hostile and non-hostile action. 1 January 2003-31 July 2009.
YearAllRoyal NavyRoyal MarinesArmyRAF
HostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOtherHostileOther

All

149

73

1

3

1

1

140

59

7

10

2003

14

32

0

2

0

0

14

26

0

4

2004

34

11

0

0

0

0

34

8

0

3

2005

10

10

0

0

0

0

10

9

0

1

2006

27

5

1

0

1

1

25

3

0

1

2007

57

12

0

1

0

0

50

10

7

1

2008

7

2

0

0

0

0

7

2

0

0

2009

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

Notes:Tables 1 and 2 include the most recent verified data.Tables 3 and 4 present data up to closure of the UK field hospital in Iraq on 31 July 2009.

Armed Forces: Pilots

Question

Asked by Lord Moonie

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): Personnel are selected for French language training based on their aptitude and on current assessments of the operational and interoperability requirements. Selection is irrespective of their trade or branch within the Services, and will include pilots and aircrew.

Armed Forces: Staff

Question

Asked by Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): In financial year 2010-11, the average cost of employment of an officer was some £83,000 and that of an other rank some £39,000.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA361

These figures include basic salary, specialist pay, employer's social security costs and pension contributions for the average numbers of personnel serving in the Armed Forces during financial year 2010-11.

Childcare Act 2006

Question

Asked by Lord Northbourne

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): We do not believe it is necessary to review the definition of "prospective parent" under Section 2(2) of the Childcare Act 2006. The term "prospective parent" includes the father. Section 2(2) also defines parent as "a parent of a young child, and includes any individual who (a) has parental responsibility for a young child, or (b) has care of a young child". This will not only include fathers, but stepfathers and stepmothers, grandparents who have grandchildren living with them, foster parents and adoptive parents.

Crime: Burglary

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): Statistics on domestic burglary are given in the table.

The police figures are an important source showing the number of domestic burglaries recorded by forces in England and Wales. These are supplemented by the British Crime Survey which includes burglaries that have not been reported to the police.

In her recent independent review of crime statistics, the National Statistician commented that: "Both sources have their strengths and limitations, but they also complement one another, delivering between them a range of information that cannot be provided by one source alone. The two sources therefore add to public understanding of crime in England and Wales".

The Government take account of both sources as they provide a better evidence base than either series alone.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA362

Domestic burglary incidents/offences recorded and rates, England and Wales 2006/07 to 2010/11
British Crime SurveyPolice recorded crime
YearNumber of incidents (estimated)Rates per 10,000 householdsNumber of offencesRates per 10,000 households

2006/07

703,000

311

292,260

131

2007/08

713,000

312

280,696

126

2008/09

717,000

312

284,431

122

2009/10

651,000

280

268,610

116

2010/11

745,000

317

258,148

111

Embryology

Questions

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): In proposing that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) functions transfer to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the department took into account that the CQC is an executive non-departmental public body accountable to the Secretary of State for discharging its functions, duties and powers efficiently and effectively. The department monitors the financial and operational performance, and management of risk, at a general and strategic level through regular formal accountability meetings. It does not assess the CQC's inspection or its monitoring of specific providers.

The CQC is responsible for assessing and ensuring the quality of its inspection and monitoring of specific providers on a day-to-day basis. The CQC's annual accounts and annual report are laid before Parliament, and the CQC is publicly accountable through parliamentary scrutiny, including by Select Committees.

Asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has 78 staff, none of whom are locum, agency or temporary staff. The Human Tissue Authority has advised that it employs 47 staff of whom four are temporary agency workers and two are on temporary contracts.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA363

Energy: Nuclear Tests

Question

Asked by Baroness Brinton

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): As I stated in my Answer of 5 July 2011, the Ministry of Defence has disclosed over 12,000 documents and agreed special arrangements for handling sensitive documents in the personal injury and war pensions appeals cases. Proceedings are continuing in both the Supreme Court and the War Pensions Tribunal and it would therefore not be appropriate or proportionate to provide lists of documents disclosed in those proceedings, especially as the disclosure process before the Tribunal is ongoing. Consequently, it is also impossible to say how many documents have yet to be disclosed.

Government Departments: Research and Data

Questions

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Further analysis of the UK breeding pig salmonella survey data to identify risk factors of transmission of infection" to extend the end date of the project by four months due to delays in sample and data collection beyond the control of the contractor. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Development of epidemiological models for the spread and control of bluetongue and African horse sickness" to add an

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA364

extra objective to the study. The original project covered the development of a mathematical model that focused on bluetongue. The contract variation broadened the scope of the project to include modelling of African horse sickness transmission and necessary analysis of equine demographic data. The total cost of the research increased from £363,098 to £717,452.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Salmonella enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in egg production: Elimination of infection from flocks, and characterisation of public health risks" to amend the objectives of the study. The original project included an on-farm study to develop methods for the elimination of salmonella infection from flocks but it proved difficult to recruit the necessary farms. The contract variation resulted in one amended and three new objectives in line with the original aims of the project and did not impact on the end date of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: The department does not fund a project titled, "Investigation of the risk of transmission of typical forms of scrapie to humans". It does however fund a project titled, "Investigation of the risk of transmission of atypical forms of scrapie to humans". This project was designed to provide evidence on the relative risk of atypical scrapie to human and animal health. Preliminary results indicated additional work was required to provide this evidence and fully address the relative risk of atypical scrapie. The variation to the contract resulted in an extended end date and an increase of just under £400,000 in the total cost of the project to the department.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Investigation of the risk of transmission of scrapie in milk of sheep" to

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA365

enable continuation of the project. The length of the original project was seven years; however the department generally only agrees funding for three years. For longer-running projects the work is assessed and either terminated or continued as originally agreed. The contract variation resulted in an increase (just under £300,000) in total cost of the project to the department, with no change to the original end date of the project.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, et cetera).

In this particular instance the contract was varied following a policy request to the contractor. The variation extended the contract by £68,500 to enable the contractor to undertake additional research on gear selectivity trials and to carry out further discard analysis via a short desk study.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc). In this particular instance the project "Marine Protected Areas-gathering/developing and accessing the data for the planning of a network of marine conservation zones"; was varied at the request of the policy customer to enable additional work to be undertaken. Details are:

March 2011 cost variation:

Cost: £1,100.

Reason-"An additional cost of £1,100 is required to develop the Web-GIS tool to enable the set up of the Marine Conservation Zone's (MCZ's) 3rd iteration work".

August 2010 cost variation:

Cost: £101.

Reason-"To provide for extra functionality of digitising and submitting MCZ boundaries and a web-based stakeholder forum".

June 2010 cost variation:

Cost: £42,320.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA366

Reason-"To produce a matrix describing the sensitivity of pressures for EUNIS* Level 3 broad-scale habitats, OSPAR** threatened and/or declining habitats and species and UK Biodiversity Action Plan habitats and species".

* European Nature Information System.

**The Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

In this particular instance the contract was varied at the request of the project manager to extend the end date to enable the contractor to carry out additional testing which was judged necessary to provide greater scientific confidence in the preliminary findings.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

The variation to the project "DefrapH-A study to define the present state of UK waters with respect to potential changes in the degree of acidification of these waters, combining collection of new data over two years, review pre-existing information and numerical analysis", was for £21,924 in financial years 2010-11. This was for additional vital research, facilitating the wider ocean acidification programme.

The output of the variation was to produce a desk review on current knowledge for purposes of resolving issues on the interactions between ocean carbonate chemistry in shelf seas and how this affects modelling and calculation of pH. The results from the desk review were made available to those scientists involved in calculating pH from the samples arising from the NERC-Defra OA programme.

Latterly, in March 2011, the DefrapH project was varied again, with a "no cost" extension, to allow the contractors to finish off the final report from the larger DefrapH for publication.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA367

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

The project "Economics and social assessment for marine strategy framework directive" was varied by an additional £1,900 on the original project budget to allow the contractor to present a paper discussing the socioeconomic implications of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

The European Commission and member states have established, as a part of their common implementation strategy, a Working Group on Economic and Social Analysis to support implementation of the MSFD. The research conducted through this project, although commissioned by the UK Government, was highly relevant to other member states as part of this common implementation strategy; hence the additional requirement to present the findings at the working group.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "Maternal transmission of scrapie in sheep" to extend the end date of the project due to delays resulting from staff losses and from moving the laboratory to a different building. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA368

are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

A contract variation was agreed by the department for the project titled "To develop a cost-effective and practical method to reduce E. coli 0157 infection in cattle prior to slaughter" to extend the end date of the project and re-profile the finances to address the amended timescale of the work.

The end date was extended due to a delay to the start of the project outside of the control of the department. This did not impact on the objectives of the project or the total cost of the project to the department.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

There are many projects related to the area of bovine TB vaccines, but project SE3218 "Bovine TB Vaccine Programme Advisor, Prof. Douglas Young" is the only project with the partial title "Bovine TB Vaccine Programme". There has been no variation to project SE3218 since May 2010. The last variation was in September 2009 which extended the project to its end date of March 2011.

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

Lord Henley: All Defra evidence contracts are closely monitored by Defra specialists working with policy colleagues. Contract variations are required if there are significant changes to any of the details in the original agreement (eg costs, required outputs, timetable, research team, etc).

Project SE3227 "Evaluation of the protection efficacy of vaccines against bovine TB in a natural setting" was amended in May 2010 to re-profile the finances, and £331,427 was moved from financial year 2010-11 to 2011-12. The total costs of the project were not affected. This variation was carried out as delays in the project resulted in work being done later than originally planned and the finances were amended to reflect the actual spend in the project.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA369

Health: Midwifery

Question

Asked by Baroness Cumberlege

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Non-National Health Service bodies, including Independent Midwives UK, cannot currently join the Clinical Negligence Scheme for trusts as members. In future, we intend to make NHS clinical indemnity arrangements available to all providers of NHS acute, community and mental health care, which includes independent midwives who wish to work within the NHS. We will publish proposals in due course.

Health: Pressure Sores

Question

Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Data of the cost to the National Health Service of treating pressure sores in hospitals and nursing homes in England is not held centrally by the department.

However, the first NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12, published on 20 December 2010, sets out the outcomes and corresponding indicators that will be used to track the success of the NHS in delivering improved outcomes. This includes an indicator currently being developed for 2012-13 to measure "incidence of newly-acquired category 3 and 4 pressure ulcers".

Health: Reciprocal Agreements

Questions

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Under European Union (EU) Regulation 883/2004, if someone is in receipt of a state pension from two or more member states and they live in one of the member states that pays them a pension, the member state of residence is liable for the cost of

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA370

that pensioner's state healthcare. However, if someone is in receipt of a state pension from two or more member states but not from their member state of residence, the member state where that person has the longest record of contributions is liable for their state healthcare costs.

Currently, the Government do not have consistent centrally held data to estimate how many non-United Kingdom EU nationals have built up entitlement to a UK state pension and have since retired and returned to their home member state, or will in the future.

Asked by Lord Laird

Earl Howe: Persons who are ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom are entitled to access National Health Service treatment free of charge. Nationality is not a criterion in establishing ordinary residence, and therefore the NHS does not collect data on the nationality of those patients they treat who are ordinarily resident in the UK.

The only reciprocal arrangements in place for the UK to reclaim costs for healthcare provided to European citizens resident here are those provisions set out in European regulation 883/2004. The regulations enable a member state to claim the cost of healthcare for posted workers, pensioners and their dependants, and the dependants of workers, who have registered as resident in another member state to that which is liable for the cost of their healthcare.

State healthcare systems vary across Europe, including residency based systems funded from general taxation and contributions-based systems. Providing a UK national meets the relevant criteria in another member state, they should have the same entitlement to access the state healthcare system in that country as other residents of that country.

Asked by Lord Laird

Earl Howe: All E109 forms are issued to the dependants of workers living in a different member state to the worker. All E121 forms are issued to a person in receipt of a state pension or their dependants who

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA371

move to live in a different member state to that which pays their pension. The S1 replaces the E106, E109 and E121 under Regulation 883/2004. On the S1 there is a means by which to identify which entitlement category a person belongs to, and the entitlement is recorded alongside the respective registration.

Asked by Lord Laird

Earl Howe: A person moving to work in another member state, who leaves their dependants in the United Kingdom, should request form E109 or S1 from the authorities in the country where they work and send the form to the Department of Work and Pensions which registers it in the UK.

The following table (correct as of 25 January 2011) shows such registrations for the calendar years 2008-10.

Number of forms issued by another member state to the dependants of workers and registered in the UK
Member state200820092010

Austria

2

1

Belgium

1

1

France

1

1

Germany

18

16

6

Total

22

19

6

Healthcare: Costs

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Claims submitted in 2009-10 were based on the United Kingdom average cost of pensioner healthcare and the number of Polish pensioners registered in the UK for the purposes of receiving benefits in kind for the years 2004-06. Officials in the Department for Work and Pensions made the claims in December 2009. No average cost claims were submitted to Poland in 2007-08 and 2008-09.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA372

Immigration

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): The Minister responsible for the policy is required to sign off policy impact assessments. Ministers are entitled to disagree with the assessments, and feed back comments to civil servants. Prior to publication of the impact assessment, the Minister responsible for the policy (or the chief executive of non-departmental public bodies and other agencies) is required to sign a declaration to say that they have read the impact assessment and are satisfied that it represents a reasonable view of the expected costs, benefits, and impacts of the policy.

Iraq

Question

Asked by Baroness Tonge

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever): The Government received the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber judgments on Al-Skeini and Al-Jedda on 7 July 2011 and are carefully considering the implications and next steps.

Marine Environment: Pollution

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): The Irish Sea is bounded by England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and these regions all have their specific mechanisms and organisations that monitor and report on pollution in the Irish Sea. UK bodies that undertake pollution monitoring in the Irish Sea include the Department of Environment Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (Water Management Unit), Natural Heritage (Northern Ireland

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA373

responsible for the implementation of legislation and for environmental monitoring), Defra, The Environment Agency, Marine Scotland, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).

The types of pollution in the Irish Sea that are monitored include:1. Hazardous substances and their effects;2. Radioactivity;3. Eutrophication;4. Oil and chemical spills;5. Litter; and6. Underwater noise.

Readings for each of these areas for the last 50 years are not readily available in one collated data set.

In 2010, Defra published Charting Progress II (available on the Defra website) which provides the first integrated assessment of the state of the seas across the whole of the UK continental shelf, and includes summaries of the state of the main pollution issues in the Irish Sea.

The main programme for monitoring the status of contaminants in UK waters is the Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP). This measures the concentrations of specific chemicals that are persistent, toxic and have the ability to accumulate in food chains, at almost 500 sites around the UK. The data from around 1990 onwards can robustly be used in time series data and is reported in a series of annual Aquatic Monitoring reports available on the Cefas website. This series of reports provides detailed information on the analytical methods used to monitor pollution sources in UK waters and includes reports on monitoring carried out before 1990.

Joint working with the Irish Republic on the state of the Irish Sea is mainly carried out through the framework of the OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the North East Atlantic. Through this, information gathered by the various organisations is brought together, and assessments are made and published in the OSPAR Quality Status Report. A regional report covering parts of the Irish Sea is included.

National Countryside Week

Question

Asked by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): National Countryside Week was launched by The Prince's Countryside Fund on 11 July. The fund is intended to improve the sustainability of British farming and rural communities; reconnect consumers with countryside issues; and support farming and rural crisis charities. The fund works by participating companies making a donation and providing in-kind support; as the fund

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA374

works with businesses rather than Government, Defra cannot provide direct support to the fund, although it supports its overall aims.

National Patient Safety Agency

Question

Asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, responsibility for the work of the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) relating to reporting and learning from patient safety incidents will move to the NHS Commissioning Board.

The department intends that, over the next few years, the National Clinical Assessment Service (NCAS) will become a self-funded service. An interim host will be identified for NCAS prior to the abolition of NPSA.

The Health Research Authority will be established this year, in the first instance as a special health authority, with the National Research Ethics Service as its core.

The function of managing the delivery of the Confidential Enquiries (now known as the Clinical Outcomes Review Programmes), with the relevant provider organisations will transfer from the NPSA to the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership.

NHS: Bed-blocking

Question

Asked by Baroness Gale

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): We have made no estimate of the cost to the National Health Service of delayed transfers of care.

The department collects and routinely publishes information on delayed transfers of care. The most recent data are for May 2011 and these show that there were 4,158 patients delayed on the last Thursday of the month, with the total number of delayed days in the month at 114,241 days.

Passports

Question

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA375

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has recently completed the co-location of seven passport interview office sites in Belfast, London, Glasgow, Newport, Liverpool, Durham and Peterborough.

The co-location brings together the public counter (passport offices) and interview office functions (personal passport interview offices) into a single location. Each of the seven locations can now deal with two types of transaction-passport applications and interviews.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Question

Asked by Lord Ramsbotham

The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The investigation into the incident was completed on 5 July 2011. The governor concluded, in the light of the findings of the investigation, that no grounds existed on which to justify disciplinary action. The investigation made a number of recommendations and these are being taken forward by the governor.

Schools: Work Experience

Question

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): In line with our policy of devolving greater autonomy to the front line, it will be for individual schools to choose what relationship they want with local employers and how they deliver work experience to their students. At the core of our approach to education policy is trust of professionals and the removal of top-down prescription. We propose to reduce the formal requirement on schools to provide work-related education and allow them greater flexibility to choose provision from a range of opportunities.

South Wales Police

Question

Asked by Lord Laird



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA376

The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Browning): The recording of crime by the police is governed by the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) and the Home Office Counting Rules (HOCR). These require that a crime is recorded if the circumstances reported by a victim amount to a crime in law and there is no credible evidence to the contrary. The HOCR sets out the classifications under which crimes are to be recorded for statistical purposes and include classifications for burglary. The HOCR also provide considerable guidance, with the use of examples, to aid forces in determining the correct classification under which a report of crime should be recorded. This guidance is kept under review and may be amended when necessary.

The Home Office no longer monitors police force performance from the centre, with that function performed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

Answers received between Monday 25 July and Monday 1 August 2011

Abortion

Questions

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): The elective tariff applies where an admission to hospital has been arranged in advance, and the non-elective tariff applies where an admission to hospital is unplanned.

I am unable to provide a response to the second part of the question. Work is being undertaken by departmental officials on data collections relating to abortions. Upon the completion of this work, I hope to be able to provide a more substantive response.

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

Earl Howe: The Secretary of State approves independent sector clinics to perform abortions under Section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967, as amended. The department has no role in the designation of family planning clinics which are commissioned at local level by primary care trusts.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA377

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

Baroness Verma: The United Nations Population Fund has produced several reports and research papers on the issue of sex ratio imbalance. These are available to download from: http://www.unfpa.org/gender/selection.html. The International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Scopes International have not issued any reports or representations on gender-abortion in India or China in the last five years.

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

Baroness Verma: The UK Government have consistently cited the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and its programme of action (POA) as the defining policy-setting text. The Commission for Population and Development (CPD) acting on behalf of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations has the responsibility of monitoring, reviewing and assessing the implementation of the plan of action of ICPD at the national, regional and global levels, identifying reasons for success and failure, and advising the council.

Africa: Agricultural Aid

Questions

Asked by Lord Chidgey

Baroness Verma: The Secretary of State, Ministers and officials at the Department for International Development (DfID) regularly meet with private sector representatives and other interlocutors to inform and determine DfID's approach to working with the private sector in Africa.

These discussions, together with formal public consultations on specific policy issues such as the reform of CDC, underpin DfID's objective on boosting wealth creation and programmes to catalyse business investment in agricultural growth in Africa.

Ministers' commitment to promoting investment and entrepreneurship in Africa is underlined by several visits, including the recent one with the Prime Minister to Nigeria and South Africa, the recent speech made

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA378

at the London Business School on Growth in Africa, and DfID's May 2011 publication, The Engine of Development: The PrivateSector and Prosperity for Poor People.

Asked by Lord Chidgey

Baroness Verma: Britain routinely discusses factors affecting economic growth and food security with partner governments in Africa. UK Government officials also participate in twice-yearly meetings of the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme. We use these meetings and our country-level work to review the programme with the African Union and member states and urge progress towards the Maputo productivity and expenditure targets.

Agriculture and Food

Question

Asked by Lord Chidgey

Baroness Verma: Ministers from the Department for International Development (DfID) have discussed the possibility of the UK contributing to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) with representatives of many of the main institutions involved in its support.

In the first of the three years of our financial commitment to the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative (AFSI), DfID disbursed approximately one-third of its total pledge. We therefore believe we are on track to deliver in full on our AFSI commitment without additional spending through GAFSP. Nevertheless, Ministers are still considering whether to make a UK contribution.

Agriculture and Food: Research Funding

Question

Asked by Baroness Byford

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Technology Strategy Board's New Approaches to Crop Protection competition has resulted in support for 32 industry-led research projects worth £26 million, with £13.5 million of public

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA379

sector funding. Following the competition, the Technology Strategy Board consulted with both industry and academia as it was its first significant funding engagement with this sector.

On the basis of the feedback received, it will seek to improve delivery of future competitions by, for example:

appointing a high-level steering board to provide sectoral awareness and help in scoping future competitions;increasing the time between launching the competition and the formal opening of the call for applications;engaging more with potential applicants in order to provide more opportunity to learn about the scope of the call and the collaborative R&D process;provide better clarification of state aid issues;make greater use of the knowledge transfer networks to disseminate information about the competition; andhold three consortium building workshops to help organisations meet other potential collaborators.

The Technology Strategy Board does not have plans to formally publish the findings.

Agriculture: Dairy Farms

Questions

Asked by Baroness Byford

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): The average milk price in pence per litre paid to British dairy farmers in each of the past five years is given below.

20062007200820092010

UK Milk Price

17.94

20.66

25.91

23.71

24.66

Source: Defra statistical survey

The average milk price in pence per litre paid to dairy farmers in the European Union member states in the past five years (where data are available) is given below.



11 Aug 2011 : Column WA380

Member State20062007200820092010

Austria

21.03

24.01

31.76

26.66

28.10

Belgium

18.96

24.48

26.14

21.76

26.93

Bulgaria

23.30

24.42

Czech Rep.

18.89

20.83

26.86

20.78

24.99

Cyprus

28.35

29.23

40.70

46.90

45.34

Denmark

20.35

22.37

30.42

25.30

28.22

Estonia

17.08

19.01

24.26

19.35

24.51

Finland

25.21

26.53

37.55

36.39

32.83

France

20.55

22.27

29.69

27.43

27.35

Germany

18.93

23.07

27.36

21.79

27.36

Greece

24.55

27.32

35.36

34.61

32.99

Hungary

16.58

20.17

26.27

19.73

23.03

Ireland

19.11

24.72

29.06

22.74

27.19

Italy

22.52

24.25

30.62

28.08

29.89

Latvia

16.50

18.66

22.55

17.16

22.21

Lithuania

14.30

17.24

20.75

16.78

22.24

Luxembourg

21.4

25.52

30.78

24.66

26.32

Malta

Netherlands

19.5 2

23.22

29.40

24.61

27.77

Poland

17.85

20.88

24.74

20.38

24.17

Portugal

19.23

22.38

29.71

26.67

25.34

Romania

18.71

21.18

Slovakia

17.58

20.49

26.38

19.26

24.15

Slovenia

18.55

19.79

27.03

23.80

23.74

Spain

20.80

25.00

31.00

26.82

25.98

Sweden

20.12

22.12

29.42

24.04

29.74

United Kingdom

17.98

20.80

25.78

23.71

24.65

Source: DG Agri and DairyCo (There is a small difference between the DG Agri and Defra figures for the UK price)

UK dairy farmers are among the most efficient and competitive in Europe. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food (the right honourable Jim Paice MP) has challenged the industry to capture more of domestic and export markets given the low farmgate price paid relative to our European competitors.

Asked by Baroness Byford

Lord Henley: The tables below show the volume of liquid milk and milk products exported from the UK as recorded in the official overseas trade statistics for the period 2004-2010.

Liquid milk is exported from the UK in two forms, as raw milk for processing by dairies, or as liquid drinking milk (eg, pasteurised or UHT milk). Raw milk is only traded across the Irish border-that is, raw milk exports go from Northern Ireland for processing by dairies in the Republic of Ireland.

UK exports of liquid milk, 2004-10
Description2004200520062007200820092010

Raw milk for processing

434

626

617

538

559

433

418

Liquid drinking milk

251

485

512

423

457

461

475

Source: DARDNI, HM Revenue and Customs

2010 data are subject to amendments

11 Aug 2011 : Column WA381

UK exports of milk products, 2004-10Thousand tonnes
Description2004200520062007200820092010

Cheese

93

96

104

97

88

105

113

Milk powder

186

102

96

105

98

72

91

Cream

81

93

94

78

62

64

72

Whey

56

75

74

67

74

49

45

Ice Cream

53

51

56

39

33

39

42

Butter

35

45

36

32

24

27

27

Yoghurt

12

22

17

17

17

21

23

Buttermilk

13

20

22

25

14

18

17

Condensed milk

18

4

6

6

3

4

6

Other

11

0

1

1

1

0

1


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