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30 Apr 2009 : Column WA41

Written Answers

Thursday 30 April 2009

Afghanistan

Question

Asked by Lord Swinfen

Lord Tunnicliffe: The report Support to the Health Sector in Helmand Province provided a comprehensive assessment of current healthcare provision in Helmand. This information is being used by the Government of Afghanistan, international donors (including the World Bank and the Government of Estonia) as well as the Helmand Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) to feed into future policy on heathcare in Helmand.

Animal Health

Question

Asked by Lord Taylor of Holbeach

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The original charge for animal health (AH) was based on a notional cost basis only, i.e. estimated staffing costs for HR, procurement and finance. The decision to move on to a fully absorbed costs model was taken across all Defra corporate services and AH were allocated additional budget to cover the higher costs, The charges now include, for example, IT costs and depreciation.

The charging methodology and approach has been reviewed by Defra’s Internal Audit Division and is compliant with the department's charging policy. The costs are also subject to discussion directly with AH.

Banking

Question

Asked by Lord Tebbit

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): UK Financial Investments Ltd (UKFI) is an arm's-length company wholly owned by the Government, which was established to manage the Government’s investments on a commercial basis. Its overarching objectives are to protect and create value for the taxpayer as shareholder, with due regard to financial stability and acting in a way that promotes competition.

On the basis of published information, UKFI is aware of no grounds for taking legal action against the auditors of Lloyds Bank or the Royal Bank of Scotland. The boards of both banks must reach their own decisions on the matter. UKFI has engaged with the banks on a number of issues including use of auditors, and discloses any voting decisions it makes on its website at www.ukfi.gov.uk.

Banking: Iceland

Question

Asked by Viscount Waverley

The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): The issue of financial assistance for these charities was raised by the Treasury Select Committee in its recent report on the impact of the Icelandic banking collapse. We will be responding to the Committee on this, and the other recommendations, in due course.

The Charity Commission is the regulator for the charitable sector and issues guidance on the principles for the investment of charitable funds and the holding of reserves. The Commission’s guidance states that “the basic principle governing trustees’ decisions about investing their charity’s funds is that they must take a prudent approach”.

Expenditure on administration costs by a charity is a matter of judgment for the charity’s trustees and should be recorded in the charity’s audited accounts.

Biometric Data

Question

Asked by Baroness Quin

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): It is too early to make a conclusive assessment of the effect of the new entry requirements for workers under Tier 2 of the Points Based System on this group. Defra and Home Office Officials continue to work closely with industry to ensure their impact on workers seeking entry for the current shearing season is minimised.

Bottled Water

Question

Asked by Baroness Warsi

The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change & Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has not spent money on bottled water. The DWI office has a supply of fresh tap water available to staff and visitors.

Ofwat has not spent any money on bottled water.

Environment Agency records are not held centrally and would incur disproportionate cost to collate. However since 2005 the Environment Agency has not provided bottled water as part of the hospitality service to staff or guests for meetings or other events.

A formal operational instruction has been issued to all Environment Agency regions which explicitly states that bottled water should not be provided for meetings or other functions. The only exceptions are if drinking water is not available on site (possible at remote depots) or for emergency purposes (e.g. mains disruption).

Chaplains

Question

Asked by Baroness Warsi

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Experience Corps were contracted in February 2008 to produce a report based on assessment, collation and analysis of data to establish an evidence base on the existing provision of Muslim chaplaincy including standards and recruitment processes, and to develop a draft framework of voluntary standards and recruitment process for institutions to consider when engaging Muslim chaplains in public service.



30 Apr 2009 : Column WA44

Following a tendering process in August 2008, the contract to pilot the draft framework of standards and recruitment process for institutions engaging Muslim chaplains in public service has been awarded to Faith Matters. Faith Matters will carry out a number of pilots in different institutions across the country over the coming months. The evaluation of the pilots will incorporate the views of relevant officers within participating institutions, as well as wider stakeholder consultation with imams, other faith leaders, chaplains, and officials from other government departments and relevant associated agencies. We expect the pilots to be completed by autumn 2009.

Using key findings from evaluation of the pilots and stakeholder consultation, Faith Matters will produce updated versions of the voluntary standards framework and recruitment process, with accompanying notes and a report listing key actions that need to be taken when implementing the documents.

Civil Service: Performance Pay

Question

Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester

Lord Tunnicliffe: Pay arrangements for the Senior Civil Service are managed centrally by the Cabinet Office and are based on recommendations by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.

Communities: Preventing Extremism

Question

Asked by Baroness Warsi

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The list of all projects that received funding through the Preventing Violent Extremism Community Leadership Fund (CLF) in 2007-08 has been placed in the House Library. Funding allocations for each project in 07-08 have been provided in the answer to a previous Parliamentary Question (DCLG Ref: 1446 08/09).

The full list of projects receiving CLF funding between 2008-09 and 2010-11 is set out below. This includes all projects that were awarded funding in 2008. Funding will also be subject to organisations providing sufficient evidence that projects are making satisfactory progress and organisations are complying with grant terms and conditions.

(This table will be placed in the House Library).



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30 Apr 2009 : Column WA47

Capacity Building
OrganisationProject descriptionProposed grant

British Muslim Forum

BMF will develop their own capacity and sustainability by recruiting to four posts. This will enable them to work with local Muslim organisations across the country to develop their own working arrangements and governance structures.

£75,000 (08/09)

£50,000 (09/10)

Business in the Community (BiTC)

Mosaic Muslim Media Network for Muslims working in the media sector to build the confidence of community groups and leaders to engage the media.

£25,000 (08/09)

GW Theatre Company

GW Theatre will build their organisational infrastructure in order to deliver a national tour of their production “One Extreme to the Other”. Aimed at young people aged 14-25 and adults too, “One Extreme to the Other” offers a powerful theatrical stimulus to debate about issues relating to extremism and is accompanied by a comprehensive multimedia follow-up package to inform further discussion and lead in good practice. They aim to deliver 110 performances over the next three years.

£95,000 (08/09)

Khayaal Theatre Company

Khayaal Theatre Company plans to build its capacity for growth and sustainability in order to deliver between 200-250 performances of their two plays “Hearts and Minds” and “Sun and Wind” in schools across the country over the next three years. Both of these plays address the issues of radicalisation and extremism as they manifest themselves in families and communities.

£129,541 (08/09)

Muslim Youth Helpline

Capacity building for MYH to recruit a Helpline Care Manager to develop the Helpline's support services and extend the reach of its support services to support vulnerable young people at risk of radicalisation in hard to reach communities, such as the Somali and Eastern European Muslim communities.

£30,650 (08/09)

£61,888(09/10)

£64,767 (10/11)

Association of Muslim Chaplains in Education (AMCED)

AMCED will build its organisational capacity to effectively deliver new services to Muslim chaplains to promote community cohesion and prevent violent extremism. This will involve recruitment and training of new staff, development and launch of their website.

£44,400 from CLG (08/09)

£30,000 from DIUS (08/09)

Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB)

Development of MINAB's operational plan, recruitment of members to the umbrella organisation in time for the first annual general meeting and piloting of minimum standards in four mosques.

£116,000 (08/09)

£58,000 (09/10)

Ashram Housing Limited

Building the capacity of housing associations and Muslim social housing tenants to tackle violent extremism. This project will deliver training to frontline staff to deliver culturally sensitive services to Muslim tenants and work with Muslim communities to empower them through increased representation on housing boards and resident committees.

£50,000 (08/09)

£50,000 (09/10)

£50,000 (10/11)

Dervish Arts

Building the organisational capacity of Dervish Arts to market and deliver their arts based workshops with young people and Muslim women. The “Rainbow” workshops engage school pupils through creative arts to explore their identities as British Muslims and promote a positive understanding of Islam. The “Dreams to Reality” workshops offer practical support to Muslim women to empower them to reject violent extremism in their communities

£20,000 (08/09)

Faith Matters

“Caring for Converts” project - Supporting the vulnerable convert community by establishing a helpline and website for new converts; and providing mentoring and support to converts and their families.

£50,000 (08/09)

£50,000 (09/10)

Henna Foundation

Building the organisational capacity of the Henna Foundation to extend their work with Muslim families and women in England. Henna will also deliver various community engagement events across England to discuss the role of the family in preventing extremism.

£55,000 (08/09)

£35,000 (09/10)

£45,000 (10/11)

Islamic Society of Britain

Developing the Islamic Awareness Week website to have a particular focus on schools, teachers and young people. The website will promote a positive understanding of Islam to other communities and have moderated online discussion forums for young people

£20,000 (08/09)

Muslim Women’s Network UK

Developing the infrastructure and sustainability of the Muslim Women's Network UK to provide support and advice to over 200 women's organisations.

£20,000 (08/09)

£20,000 (09/10)

£30,000 (10/11)

Sufi Muslim Council

Building the organisational capacity of the Sufi Muslim Council in order to work with the Muslim community to prevent radicalisation and build resilience. SMC will expand its organisation to deliver activities across England and will organise cultural events in the community in order to promote discussion around violent extremism.

£150,000 (08/09)

The Somali Messenger

The project will create a website to provide advice and guidance to the Somali community in the UK. It will focus on providing support for young Somali people and offering them advice around understanding wider UK society, accessing services, obtaining skills and training/employment. Another function of the website will be to promote moderate messages about Islam.

£60,000 (08/09)

Ulfah Arts

Building the organisational capacity of Ulfah Arts to enable them to deliver arts based projects with young Muslims and Muslim women, which will help them to explore issues around faith and identity and challenge extremist interpretations of Islam.

£37,050 (08/09)

£10,000 (09/10)

£20,000 (10/11)

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