Written Answers
Thursday 24 October 2013
Alcohol
Question
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount spent on alcohol during 2012–13 by Department of Energy and Climate Change. [HL2805]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): We have no records of any purchases of alcohol in 2012-13.
It is the Department’s policy that staff may not purchase alcohol on behalf of the Department and that they will not be recompensed for any alcohol that they may purchase.
Banking
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any plans to review exemptions under the large exposures regime applicable to United Kingdom banks; and whether sovereign debt will continue to be zero-weighted for capital purposes.[HL2535]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): The Capital Requirements Regulation (CRR) enters into force on 1 January 2014 and continues to set a zero percent risk-weight for EU sovereign debt. The large exposures regime is being reviewed by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS). The UK is represented by the Bank of England and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the BCBS.
Banks: Co-operative Bank
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what power the Prudential Regulatory Authority has used or could use to oblige The Co-operative Group to comply with qualifying parent undertakings in respect of The Co-operative Bank.[HL2536]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the requirements set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Threshold Conditions) Order 2013, which directors of The Co-operative Bank are judged to have exercised significant influence over the past two years, and which of those are also directors of The Co-operative Group; whether those people are judged by the Prudential Regulatory Authority to have exercised “adequate skills and experience”; and whether they have been judged to have acted with probity.[HL2537]
The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Deighton) (Con): It is unclear what is meant by "comply with qualifying parent undertakings" in this question. Under the Financial Services and Markets Act (FSMA) a “qualifying parent undertaking” is a company that owns an authorised person and which meets the criteria set out in the Act.
Co-operative Banking Group Ltd, which owns Co-operative Bank Ltd, is a qualifying parent undertaking under FSMA. Co-operative Group Ltd, which owns Co-operative Banking Group Ltd, is not a qualifying parent undertaking.
The PRA has powers under 192A to 1921 of FSMA to direct qualifying parent undertakings where this is necessary or desirable for the purposes of delivering the PRA’s objectives. The PRA’s policy statement on the use of these powers is available from the Bank of England website, http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/publications/ Documents/other/pra/powerdirection.pdf. These powers are available in relation to Co-operative Banking Group Ltd, but not in relation Co-operative Group Ltd.
Persons who perform significant influence functions (SIFs) are subject to the approved persons regime. The PRA wrote to the Noble Lord, Lord Myners, on 6 August 2013 noting that “The assessment of these individuals (including their fitness and propriety to perform the relevant role) occurred at various times and the approval dates for these individuals is published on the Financial Services Register on the PRA and FCA websites.” A copy of the letter was placed in the libraries of both Houses at the time.
Climate Change
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to revise inherited climate change policies in the light of their impact on (1) domestic, and (2) industrial, power prices.[HL2655]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): The policies that we are putting in place to improve energy efficiency will, on average, more than offset the costs of policies supporting low carbon generation and energy efficiency investment—which currently comprise 9% on average of household energy bills.
The main driver behind energy bill rises in recent years has been wholesale energy costs—between 2010 and 2012 they have caused at least 60% of the increase in household bills.
On the industrial side, this Government has increased the level of rebate on Climate Change Levy available to energy intensives industry signing a Climate Change Agreement from the level it inherited to 90% and committed to exempting energy intensives from the costs of Electricity Market Reform Contracts for Difference. Furthermore, we are already supporting eligible electricity intensives for the increased cost of their electricity arising from the EU Emissions Trading System.
In March we published a detailed report on the impact of policies on energy prices and bills, which is accessible at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/172923/13032_6_-_Price_and_Bill_Impacts_Report_Final.pdf
Credit Unions
Question
Asked by The Lord Bishop of Derby
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to support credit unions as viable alternatives to payday lenders and other providers of high cost credit.[HL2802]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): While the majority of credit unions are not providing direct competition to payday lenders, credit unions are increasingly helping members who have become trapped with payday loans, offering them a way to consolidate and escape from the high interest rates, spreading out their debts over a longer, more affordable period.
Government has committed investment of up to £38 million in credit unions — to increase access to affordable credit for at least 1 million more people and save consumers up to £1 billion in loan repayments by March 2019.
We are also changing the maximum interest rate credit unions can charge per calendar month from 2% to 3%, coming into force on 1st April 2014.
This will enable credit unions to break even on their smaller, most expensive to issue loans, and to become more stable over the long term. This will give low income consumers greater access to reliable, affordable credit, without having to resort to more expensive means, such as home credit or payday lenders.
Energy: Electricity
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount of electrical consumption in the United Kingdom during (1) October 2011 when the clocks were on summer time (GMT+1), and (2) November 2011 when the clocks were on winter time (GMT). [HL2771]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): Electricity consumption in the United Kingdom during October 2011 was 27.1 TWh compared to 28.1 TWh during November 2011.
Source: ET 5.5: Availability and consumption of electricity, DECC (https:/www.gov.uk/govermnent/publications/electricity-section-5-energy-trends)
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total amount of electrical consumption in the United Kingdom during (1) March 2012 when the clocks were on winter time (GMT), and (2) April 2012 when the clocks were on summer time (GMT+1).[HL2772]
Baroness Verma: Electricity consumption in the United Kingdom during March 2012 was 28.6 TWh compared to 25.7 TWh during April 2012.
Source: ET 5.5: Availability and consumption of electricity, DECC (https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/electricity-section-5-energy-trends)
Energy: Prices
Question
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the correlation between wholesale energy prices and the price paid by consumers.[HL2727]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Baroness Verma) (Con): Wholesale energy prices make up around half a typical household dual fuel bill and are estimated to have contributed at least 60% of the increase in household energy bills between 2010 and 2012.
Retail energy prices are also influenced by a number of other factors including transmission, distribution and metering costs, costs of delivering social and environmental obligations and other supplier operating costs, margins and VAT. Suppliers will take account of all of these costs when setting prices.
Food: Donations
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reasons given by the Red Cross for their decision to intervene in the United Kingdom to alleviate hunger; and whether they intend to take any action to relieve problems of hunger in the United Kingdom.[HL2662]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord De Mauley) (Con): No formal assessment has been made of the reasons given by the Red Cross for its partnership with FareShare to collect and distribute food donations to UK charities. The Government does however recognise the good work of organisations that redistribute surplus food to help provide access to nutritional meals for those who may otherwise struggle.
While it is not the Government’s role to control the price of food, the impact of food price inflation is a real concern for this Government. We recognise that the root causes of household food insecurity are varied and complex. We are reforming the welfare system to make it fairer, more affordable and better able to
tackle poverty, unemployment and welfare dependency, and to provide increased access to jobs through the Government’s efforts to promote growth in the economy.
Most major retailers already have partnerships with redistribution charities. In 2012, Defra held a meeting with retailers and food distribution charities to explore the barriers to redistribution, and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is working with Fareshare and FoodCycle to deliver a trial to increase food distribution from retail stores.
Through Healthy Start the Government provides a nutritional safety net, in a way that encourages healthy eating, to more than half a million pregnant women and children under four years old in very low income and disadvantaged families throughout the UK.
The Deputy Prime Minister has announced free school meals for all infant school children in reception, year 1 and year 2 from September 2014. This follows a recommendation from the Department for Education’s independent school food reviewers, Henry Dimbleby and John Vincent, in the School Food Plan, that the Government should extend entitlement to free school meals, particularly for primary school children.
At the same time, the Government will also extend free meals to disadvantaged students in further education and sixth form colleges. Free meals are currently available only for eligible students at school sixth forms.
Government: Ministerial Visits
Questions
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when a Minister last visited Lewisham Hospital.[HL2798]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The last visit to Lewisham Hospital by a minister at the Department was on the 24 May 2010 when the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health (Anne Milton) visited the Hospital.
Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when a Minister last visited the former South London Healthcare NHS Trust.[HL2799]
Earl Howe: The last visit by a minister in the Department to the former South London Healthcare NHS Trust was on 1 August 2011 when the then Secretary of State, Department of Health (the Rt. Hon Andrew Lansley) visited Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley.
Health: Mental Health
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many days children spent on adult mental health wards in each region in 2011–12.[HL2608]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The number of days children spent on adult mental health wards in each region in 2011–12 can be found in the following table:
The number of bed days in adult specialist mental health facilities for patients who are under 16 years of age and under 18 years of age (inclusive).
| Organisation code | Organisation Name | Number of inpatient bed day by age | |
| Under 16 | Under 18 | ||
| England | 3,494 | 24,112 | |
Notes
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Data source: Mental Health Minimum Dataset (MHMDs).
Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC)
Health: Molecular Diagnostic Services
Questions
Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration has been given to the development of best practice guidelines for molecular diagnostics services for patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer.[HL2455]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): NHS England's Molecular Diagnostic Testing Group will be considering access to available and effective tests for all cancer patient groups that can benefit.
Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what data are collected across the National Health Service in England regarding the performance of molecular diagnostics and pathology services in relation to the testing of cancer.[HL2456]
Earl Howe: Part of the work programme of NHS England's Molecular Diagnostic Testing Group will be to assure that quality standards are set for molecular testing across the National Health Service in partnership with key stakeholders such as the Royal College of Pathologists and others.
Healthcare: Costs
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 29 August (WA 359–60), what the current agreement with the government of Ireland on pensioner healthcare costs involves; when it terminates; whether it is publicly available; whether they will place it in the Library of the House; whether they are considering alternatives to the system of counting Irish pensioners in the United Kingdom and United Kingdom pensioners in the Republic of Ireland; and whether such pensioners in or from Northern Ireland are counted.[HL2534]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): In 2011, an agreement was reached between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland for 2010-2013 on the percentage of pensioners in the Republic of Ireland the UK would be liable for.
The nature of the current agreement between the UK and the Republic of Ireland is based around exchanges of letters and on-going discussions on a future system for measuring pensioner numbers, rather than it being one set document. The agreement covers the whole of the UK.
The Government is still considering its position on arrangements from 2014 onwards.
Houses of Parliament: Ministers and Whips
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many presently serving Ministers, including Whips, are unpaid in (1) the House of Lords, and (2) the House of Commons.[HL2505]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): I refer the noble lord to the list of Her Majesty's Government that outlines the number of Ministers paid and unpaid a copy of which I have today placed in the library of the house.
Internet: Filesharing Sites
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures have been put in place to block the use of illegal filesharing sites such as The Pirate Bay.[HL2793]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Government recognises the importance of effective action against sites operating from outside the UK that are dedicated to operating illegally and infringing copyright. Action can be taken under section 97A of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended). Action taken by the Motion Picture Association, the BPI and others against sites such as The Pirate Bay is welcome.
Israel
Questions
Asked by The Lord Bishop of Worcester
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they intend to take to implement the new European Commission guidelines of July 2013 on the funding of Israeli settlement-based entities and activities. [HL2650]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The EU guidelines on the eligibility of Israeli entities and their activities in the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967 for grants, prizes and financial instruments, were prepared to implement the commitment made by EU Foreign Ministers in December 2012 to make a distinction in relevant EU programmes and agreements between the State of Israel and Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories. The guidelines themselves apply to EU, rather than individual Member State programmes, and will be implemented by the European Commission. The guidelines are due to be implemented in January 2014.
Asked by The Lord Bishop of Worcester
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of whether the new European Commission guidelines of July 2013 on Israeli settlement-based entities and activities will apply to the Horizon 2020 research programme.[HL2651]
Baroness Warsi: The Guidelines were intended to implement the commitment made by EU Foreign Ministers in December 2012 to make a distinction in relevant EU programmes and agreements between the State of Israel and Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories, to ensure that no EU funding goes to Israeli settlements. They were not intended to prevent the continuation and development of economic and scientific
co-operation between the EU and Israel. Discussions are currently taking place between EU and Israeli officials to find a way forward which implements the guidelines whilst enabling Israeli participation in Horizon 2020, the EU’s science collaboration programme.
Asked by The Lord Bishop of Worcester
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made by the European Commission, the European External Action Service and the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council on the preparation of European Union guidelines on the labelling of Israeli settlement products.[HL2652]
Baroness Warsi: We welcome the commitment of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Rt. Hon Baroness Ashton of Upholland, to prepare EU-wide guidelines on the labelling of settlement produce, and understand it is a complex process. The issue of settlement produce remains a subject of ongoing discussion with our EU partners, the European Commission, and the European External Action Service.
Mobile Phones
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assumptions they have made about the proportion of the proposed increase in spectrum charge to mobile phone companies that will be passed on to mobile phone customers in higher call charges; and what evidence they have considered on the matter. [HL2548]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Government directed Ofcom in December 2010 to revise the fees paid for licences to use spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands following the auction of licences to use the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands so as to reflect full market value. The Statutory Instrument making this direction was accompanied by an impact assessment which is available at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/3024/impacts . That auction was held earlier this year with the licences granted on 1 March. On 10 October 2013 Ofcom published its proposals for revising these spectrum licence fees and invited responses by 19 December. In coming to its final decision on the revised fees to be paid, Ofcom will take full account of all the responses it receives to this consultation. In this, as in all its activities in relation to communications, it is the principal duty of Ofcom to further the interests of citizens and of consumers.
NHS Litigation Authority
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the cost of (1) salaries, and (2) administration, of the NHS Litigation Authority.[HL2586]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total number of staff employed by the NHS Litigation Authority; and what is the number of (1) legally qualified staff, (2) medically qualified staff, and (3) staff dually qualified in medicine and law. [HL2587]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total payments made by the NHS Litigation Authority to claimants and in legal fees during each of the last five years for which figures are available.[HL2588]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government in each of the last three years what proportion of all claims made to the NHS Litigation Authority were settled out of court and what proportion were contested; and what were the costs of each.[HL2589]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The information in the following table shows the total salary costs and administration costs of the NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA):
| Total Salary Costs and Administration Costs (2012-2013) | |
| Authority Programme Expenditure £’000 | |
The information in the following table shows the total number of staff employed by the NHS Litigation Authority (NHS LA), and the total number of legally and medically qualified staff:
The information in the following table shows payments made by the NHS LA in respect of clinical and non-clinical claims against the National Health Service:
| Payments made by the NHS LA in respect of clinical and non-clinical against the NHS. | ||||
| Total Clinical | Total Non-Clinical | Total | ||
| £'000 | £'000 | £'000 | ||
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The information in the following table shows what proportion of all claims made to the NHS LA were settled out of court and what proportion were contested; and the costs of each:
| 2012-13 | 2011-12 | 2010-11 | |
NHS Property Services Limited
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the 2013–14 budget for NHS Property Services Ltd; how many staff it employs; who are the shareholders of that company; what assets it holds; what are its sources of income; and who is accountable for ensuring that the company operates in accordance with company law.[HL2477]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether an audit of NHS land and building use has been conducted by NHS Property Services Ltd.[HL2478]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the establishment of NHS Property Services Ltd has changed the ownership or control of NHS land and buildings; and which bodies have the authority to sell NHS land or buildings or change their use. [HL2479]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate has been made by NHS Property Services Ltd of the value of surplus NHS land and buildings on the basis of (1) current use or (2) market value.[HL2480]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what mandate has been given to NHS Property Services Ltd; and to whom it will be accountable for delivering that mandate.[HL2481]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The expected annual revenue costs (budget) of NHS Property Services (NHS PS) are approximately £800 million for 2013-14. With regard to staff, on 1 April 2013 some 3,000 staff formerly employed by primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities (SHAs) transferred to NHS PS. The number of staff employed by the company as at 11 October 2013 is 3,112.
The Secretary of State is the sole shareholder, represented by a senior Departmental director who is a non-executive director on the company's Board. NHS Property Services, a limited company wholly owned by the Secretary of State, was created to take that part of PCT's estate which did not transfer to NHS providers or Community Health Partnerships, another limited company wholly owned by the Secretary of State, on 1 April 2013. On that date, around 4,000 properties previously owned by PCTs and SHAs were inherited by the company, at a value of just over £3 billion. The property portfolio transferred to the company includes care homes, community centres, general practitioner surgeries, health centres, support buildings, offices and land. The Company's income is derived from its tenants, asset disposals and from NHS commissioners.
NHS PS is committed to achieving high standards of corporate governance and is accountable to the shareholder in this respect. The company's board comprises a non-executive chairman, five non-executive directors (one of which is the shareholder's representative), a chief executive and five executive directors. The board is supported by an audit and governance committee. The board is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the company meets company law. Legal advice is sought as required and company activities are subject to both internal and external audit. The governance programme includes an internal review, scheduled for January 2014, to evaluate compliance with the Articles of Association that are registered with Companies House.
With regard to whether the Company has conducted an audit of NHS land and buildings an initial audit has been undertaken and further, more detailed audits are underway. The company is building a detailed database of its assets to ensure it has a comprehensive understanding of its estate, its use and precisely how much it costs to run.
With regard to any change of ownership or control of NHS land or buildings, and which bodies have the authority to sell NHS land or buildings or change their use, the creation of NHS PS did not change any existing powers of NHS bodies to control NHS land or buildings. The company was established to take over responsibility for the estate that transferred to it on 1 April 2013.
NHS PS is only responsible for the properties within its portfolio and not the wider NHS. There are currently 276 properties in the ownership of NHS PS earmarked for disposal by March 2015, including the sale of 91 freehold properties during the current financial year. The values are currently being assessed. The decision as to whether properties or land is surplus to NHS operational requirements resides with commissioners.
Turning finally to the Company's mandate and its accountability, the company's strategic objectives are outlined in its business plan on its website at:
www.property.nhs.uk/about-us/publications/.
In summary, these are: maintaining continuity of service and keeping buildings safe, warm and clean for service users, visitors and staff; placing patients and the taxpayer at the heart of the business by supporting service transformation; using the company's scale and effective management of its portfolio to keep costs to a minimum and pass back savings to the NHS; ensuring the estate is managed sustainably.
Accountability for the actions and expenditure of NHS PS is via the Department, and its Permanent Secretary to Parliament. As such, the company can be held to account via the Department through the parliamentary committee system, and parliamentary questions.
As a public sector body (100% owned by the Secretary of State) it is subject to requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act (2000).
As a limited company, NHS PS is required to file an annual report and accounts with Companies House.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what processes were used to assess the professional competencies in facilities management of the executive team of NHS Property Services Ltd, with particular regard to the chief executive and the finance director.[HL2524]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what governance arrangements are in place within NHS Property Services Ltd to ensure separation of capital assets and financial resources from revenue expenditure, and to prevent capital resources from being used for day-to-day operating expenses.[HL2525]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NHS Property Services Ltd has a list of NHS properties transferred to it with effect from April 2013, and whether this list will be publicly accessible.[HL2526]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NHS Property Services Ltd has disposed of any NHS land or buildings transferred to it, or intends to do so in the current financial year; if so, what is the capital value of such disposals; and how those resources will be used for the benefit of the National Health Service.[HL2527]
Earl Howe: NHS Property Services Limited (NHS PS), a limited company wholly owned by the Secretary of State, was created to take that part of the primary care trusts' (PCTs) estate which did not transfer to National Health Service providers on 1 April 2013. On that date, around 4,000 properties previously owned by PCTs and strategic health authorities (SHAs) were inherited by NHS PS, at a value of just over £3 billion. The property portfolio transferred to NHS PS includes care homes, community centres, general practitioner surgeries, health centres, support buildings, offices and land.
Details of the sites and buildings that are owned or managed by NHS PS are available at: https://nhsps.micadipr.net/portals/default2.asp
In respect of disposals in the current financial year, as at 11 October 2013, NHS PS has disposed of a total of 16 freehold properties since April 2013, generating £13.1 million of receipts for the public purse. In the same period, the company has also disposed of 10 leasehold properties.
There are currently 276 properties in the ownership of NHS Property Services earmarked for disposal by March 2015, including the sale of 91 freehold properties during the remainder of the current financial year. The values are currently being assessed. The decision as to whether properties or land are surplus to NHS operational requirements resides with commissioners.
The financial receipts from any property disposals will be reinvested in the NHS as they are being off-set against the demand for new capital funding provided by the Department.
Within the executive team, the Director of Finance was appointed as a temporary secondment from Community Health Partnerships, the department-owned company which manages NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) estate in primary and community care. The Chief Executive was appointed from the NHS through a fair and appropriate recruitment process; these officers are supported by a board and senior management team with appropriate property and facilities management skills and expertise.
NHS PS Ltd manages its revenue and capital expenditure in line with its budget, which is agreed by its Board and approved by the Department, and in accordance with guidance and directions by the Department. NHS PS Ltd, at the instruction of the Department, used cash allocated to it for capital purposes to provide short term financing for its revenue expenditure. The Department subsequently made a further investment which returned the amount of cash available for capital purposes to its original level.
NHS: Hospital Readmissions
Question
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take, in order to reduce readmissions, to ensure that elderly people are properly cared for before being released from NHS hospitals.[HL2541]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe): We believe that avoiding unnecessary readmissions to hospital is vital to help people to maintain their independence and to reducing pressures on the system. This is particularly important for older people who often have the most frequent contact with health and care services.
Joined-up and co-ordinated planning for a safe and timely discharge from hospital is an important part of ensuring that people are not unnecessarily readmitted. The current discharge guidance 'Ready to Go?' sets out the steps for discharge planning and ensuring that a support package is in place on discharge from hospital. We will be reviewing and refreshing our guidance around joint discharge planning as part of our work on the Care Bill.
Further, in the case of acute hospitals, the responsible National Health Service body is required to notify the relevant local authority that a patient is likely to need care and support on discharge, and the date on which they are to be discharged. The local authority is then responsible for assessing the patient and putting a care and support package in place. Should they fail to do so they are liable to reimburse the NHS body for the cost of the delay to the patient's discharge.
Between 2010 and 2015 we will invest £l billion in reablement services, which help people to regain and maintain their independence and confidence following an acute episode, thus helping them avoid unplanned readmission to hospital.
In 2015-16 these reablement monies will form part of the £3.8 billion Integration Transformation Fund, which will be shared between the NHS and local authorities, and spent on the basis of joint plans. This fund will support localities to focus on preventing readmissions, but also on preventing people reaching the crisis point which causes them to be admitted in the first place. This ambition is being supported through the work on the Vulnerable Older People's plan, which is looking to improve care for our most vulnerable and elderly patients through more proactive care management in general practice, and more integrated, coordinated care outside hospitals.
NHS: Migrant Access
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1) illegal migrants, (2) non-European Economic Area short-term visitors, and (3) non-European Economic Area temporary migrants received NHS treatment for injuries sustained as a result of (a) violent crime, (b) sexual assault, and (c) female genital mutilation, in 2012–13.[HL2490]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The information is not collected centrally. Although the Health and Social Care Information Centre collects hospital episode statistics these do not contain information about the patient's residency, nationality or migration status.
Official Information: Classification
Question
Asked by Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for streamlining the classification system for official information.[HL2395]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): As part of the Government's Civil Service Reform programme, a new Security Classification Policy was launched on 17th October 2013. The new policy will come into use across the Civil Service on 2nd April 2014. The new policy simplifies the system, reducing the existing 6 protective markings down to 3 new security classifications.
A copy of the Government Security Classification Policy is available online and has been placed in library of the house.
Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the capital expenditure undertaken in association with the 2012 London Olympic Games which (1) was purely for facilities which have no ongoing value after the conclusion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games; and (2) was for capital projects which have an ongoing value for London and south east England.[HL2680]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): Approximately £5 billion of expenditure by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), funded from the £9.3 billion Public Sector Funding Package for the Games, relates to capital expenditure undertaken in respect of projects which have generated an on-going benefit. This includes infrastructure works to establish the Olympic Park. It includes those elements that would remain of the Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre, and venues that remain relatively unchanged such as the Copper Box and the Velodrome. The sum includes capital spend on transport improvements, particularly around Stratford Station and the Docklands Light Railway, as well as the development of the East Village. In addition, around £0.3 billion was made available from the Public Sector Funding Package to the London Legacy Development Corporation towards the post-Games transformation of the Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park for legacy use.
A further £0.8 billion of capital spend by the ODA relates to temporary facilities or improvements for the time of the Games, which have been removed. These include temporary infrastructure improvements to the Olympic Park such as bridges and roads, temporary facilities for Basketball, Shooting and Water Polo and the temporary elements of permanent venues and facilities, such as the temporary wings of the Aquatics Centre, which were necessary for the safety of spectators and therefore effective operational management.
Overseas Aid
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that none of the aid they provide to Pakistan for education is used in ways that encourage or promote prejudice and discrimination against religious or other minorities.[HL2631]
Baroness Northover (LD): DFID has management structures and third party validation in place across our education programmes to ensure UK aid is not being used in ways that encourage or promote prejudice and discrimination against religious or other minorities.
Pakistan
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what medical and other assistance they have offered to the government of Pakistan for the victims of the earthquake in Balochistan.[HL2559]
Baroness Northover (LD): The UK Government has extended an offer of support to the Government of Pakistan, which was acknowledged with gratitude. Through existing project support, the UK has already provided 200 affected families with shelter and basic sanitation. We will also contribute over £2 million in additional medical support and shelter to provide much needed assistance to thousands of vulnerable affected people.
Railways: High Speed 2
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the cost to date in external legal expenditure by the Department of Transport of defending judicial reviews brought in respect of the HS2 project. [HL2721]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): To date, the Department for Transport has spent approximately £460,000 (excluding VAT) on external legal fees to defend the judicial reviews brought in respect of HS2.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish full details of the technical basis for the Department for Transport’s statement that operating 18 trains per hour, or more, is feasible on a high speed rail line with train speeds above 225mph.[HL2724]
Baroness Kramer: HS2 Ltd undertook the technical assessment to determine that operating 18 trains per hour, or more, is feasible on a high speed rail line with train speeds above 225mph. This information was published in 2011 and is available at the HS2 website links below.
http://www.hs2.org.uk/news-resources/engineering -documents
Signalling headways and maximum operational capacity on High Speed Two London to West Midlands route.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the total number of passengers using HS2 in 2033 whose journeys will begin or end in London.[HL2725]
Baroness Kramer: The August 2012 Economic Case estimated that approximately 40 million passengers would board HS2 services in London each year from 2037. A similar number are also estimated to alight in London. We plan to publish an update shortly.
Figures for 2033 are not directly available and would need to be interpolated from our model results. We consider that the results for 2037 are more representative of what is expected to happen after the full Y network is open because not all effects will be apparent in the opening year.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Transport will publish isoloss contours in respect of the impact on property values along the line of the route in the period from the HS2 route announcements in 2010 to the start of this year.[HL2834]
Baroness Kramer: The Department for Transport will not be publishing this information because it is not information held by the Department.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many households have been compensated this year for the property blight and hardship expected to arise from developing HS2; and what the total amount of compensation paid out for property blight and hardship has been for the current year.[HL2835]
Baroness Kramer: The Exceptional Hardship Scheme for Phase One has enabled the Government to purchase the homes of 32 households suffering hardship, and in doing so has incurred costs of £17,793,216. The Exceptional Hardship Scheme for Phase Two and the statutory blight compensation scheme have not yet incurred any costs because the relatively short period since their opening means that purchases are only now nearing completion. More details of applications, outcomes and spending on both the Hardship schemes are available on their respective pages on the HS2 Ltd website.
Railways: Reopened Lines
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans concerning the re-opening of the former railway line from Penrith to Keswick; and who would be responsible for the financing of any such re-opening.[HL2690]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): The Department for Transport is aware of an on-going campaign led by a group called CKP Railways to re-open the Penrith to Keswick line. As any re-opening would primarily address local rather than strategic transport needs, it would be for Cumbria County Council and the Local Enterprise Partnership to determine whether the re-opening of the line is a priority and secure funding from locally
allocated funds, such as the Local Growth Fund. We have received no indication that this scheme is a priority for the Council.
Smoking
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 29 August (WA 382–3), what assessment they have made, based on the publication Statistics on Smoking, of (1) the percentage decline in the overall quantity of tobacco products consumed since the workplace smoking ban in 2007, (2) the comparative changes from then to a recent year in the number of hospital admissions due to smoking-related illnesses and the estimated number of deaths that can be attributed to smoking, and (3) the proportionate change in consumption of hand-rolling tobacco and manufactured cigarettes. [HL2442]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): Smokefree legislation commenced in England in July 2007. The aim of legislation is to provide protection from the hazards of secondhand smoke in enclosed work and public places.
An academic review of the evidence of the impact of smokefree legislation was published at the same time as Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library. The evidence is clear that smokefree legislation has had beneficial effects on health. We also know that levels of compliance and public support are high. The Government believes that the aims of the legislation continue to be effectively achieved.
The following information compares figures for the latest available year with figures for the full year preceding commencement of smokefree legislation. The years in question vary according to the source of the data. The following changes described are not necessarily attributable to smokefree legislation.
A close proxy for the quantity of tobacco products consumed is given by information on the quantities of tobacco released for domestic United Kingdom consumption that are produced by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). UK figures for 1996 to 2012 are available in Table 2.11 of ‘Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013. The quantity of cigarettes released for domestic UK consumption has decreased by 17% between 2006 and 2012. This is based on cigarettes only and calculated using rounded figures.
The estimated number of admissions to National Health Service hospitals involving a primary diagnosis attributable to smoking increased by 4 % from 445,100 in 2006-07 to 462,900 in 2011-12. This information is available in Table 4.4 of ‘Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013' and Table 5.2 of Statistics on Smoking, England, 2008'. The estimated number of deaths attributable to smoking decreased by 3% from 82,900 in 2007 to 80,000 in 2011. This information is available in Table 4.6 of ‘Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013' and Table 5.4 of 'Statistics on Smoking, England, 2008.
In 2006, 74 % of adults smoked mainly filter or plain cigarettes and 26 % smoked mainly hand rolled tobacco. In 2011, these figures were 66 % and 34 % respectively. This information is available in Table 2.4 of ‘Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013.
The following publication has been placed in the Library:
- Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013
The following publications are available in the Library:
- Statistics on Smoking - England, 2008-
Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A Tobacco Control Plan for England
- The Impact of Smokefree Legislation in England: Evidence Review
Full tables containing all the information are available from the following links:
Statistics on Smoking - England, 2013
www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid =12212&topics=1°/02fPublic+health%2fLife style&sort =Relevance&size=10&page=1#top
Statistics on Smoking - England, 2008
www.hscic.gov.uk/searchcatalogue?productid= 1279&q=title%3a%22Statistics+on+Smoking°/0228usort=Relevance& size=10&page=1#top
Smoking: e-cigarettes
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the regulation of e-cigarettes in the United Kingdom, following the recent decision of the European Parliament.[HL2518]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The United Kingdom Government will continue to press for an agreed European position on the regulation of nicotine containing products through European Union legislation. The draft Tobacco Products Directive is part way through its legislative process. The UK position will need to reflect the final outcome of that negotiation process but in the meantime, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is encouraging potential applicants to choose to license their products by presentation.
Sport: Women on Boards
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many women were members of each Olympic Governing Body of Sport in 2004, 2008 and 2012; and what progress has been made to increase representation of women on both the UK Sport and Sport England Boards since the London 2012 Olympic Games. [HL2739]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation monitor the number of women on sports governing body Boards with funding from Sport England. They publish the data annually in
their “Trophy Women report”. This focuses on all sports in receipt of public funding, not just the Olympic Sports.
http://www.wsff.org.uk/system/1/assets/files/000/000/525/525/bfe7f2d13/original/12910_Trophy_ Women.pdf
The recent competition for new UK Sport and Sport England Board members was run in a way that would encourage the widest field of candidates and will be announced shortly.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which Governing Bodies of Sport, currently in receipt of lottery or government funding, have achieved the “Women on Boards” targets set out in 2011.[HL2740]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation monitor the number of women on sport’s governing body Boards with funding from Sport England. They publish the data annually in their ‘Trophy Women’ report.
http://www.wsff.org.uk/system/1/assets/files/000/000/525/525/bfe7f2d13/original/12910_Trophy_Women.pdf
It showed that nearly half of all governing bodies in receipt of lottery and government funding now have at least 25% “women on their boards”. The expectation is that all publicly funding NBGs will have at least 25% women on their Boards by 2017.
Television Licence Fee: Court Proceedings
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 29 August (WA 383–4), what steps they propose to take to
address gender inequality in the enforcement of television licence evasion; and whether they have undertaken research on the reasons for the disparity.[HL2532]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Con): The process of enforcement of licence fee evasion is gender blind. A TV Licensing Enquiry Officer will take a statement from the person who opens the door at an unlicensed property, provided they are a responsible adult who lives at that address. It is that person who becomes liable to face prosecution for evading the licence fee. Her Majesty’s Government have no plans to conduct research into this area.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 29 August (WA 383–4), whether they will research and publish the annual cost of proceedings in court against those charged with installing or using a television receiver without the appropriate licence; and whether they will consider reviewing the arrangement whereby the BBC is not required to pay for the enforcement of its licence fee payment.[HL2533]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Ministers have announced their intention to reform the way certain regulatory cases are dealt with as part of a wider reform of summary justice. The processing of TV licence cases forms part of that work. We will therefore publish the annual cost of proceedings in court against those charged with installing or using a television receiver without the appropriate licence, before we bring forward legislation.
We have no plans to revise the existing arrangements whereby licence fee money is used to enforce licence fee payment, in advance of the current licence fee settlement coming to an end in 2017.