Written Answers to Questions
Wednesday 15 September 2010
Justice
Contracts
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration his Department has given in its invitation to tender for (a) prison law and (b) family law services in 2010 to ensuring that the technical and professional ability specifications are (i) reasonable and proportionate and (ii) compliant with the provisions of clause 15 (12) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006. [14553]
Mr Djanogly: In respect of the tender for family services, prior to the tender process the service specifications were the subject of a formal consultation that opened on 31 October 2008 and closed on 23 January 2009. They were then adjusted in light of comments received.
The prison law requirements were similarly the subject of a formal public consultation that ran from 10 February 2009 to 5 May 2009. The 2010 Standard Crime Contract Specification, which includes the prison law provisions, was then subject to a formal technical consultation with the Law Society in September 2009.
Across all tenders for 2010 contracts, including prison law and family law, applicants have been required to complete a pre-qualification questionnaire. This included sections on technical experience, business conduct and financial conduct. Tenders that failed to satisfy the Legal Service Commission's pre-qualification requirements were assessed as unsuccessful.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment of capacity to carry out work his Department makes in determining the allocation of matter starts to companies tendering under the Legal Services Commission contract which commences on 14 October 2010. [14785]
Mr Djanogly: As part of the tender process for 2010 contracts the Legal Services Commission (LSC) (who, as the body that administers the legal aid budget, managed the tender process) applied a 'capacity test' across civil areas of work. The threshold of capacity was specific to each category of law and limited the number of matter starts per full time equivalent staff member (FTE) delivering the service.
Further to this upfront safeguard, the LSC is also undertaking a verification exercise whereby they are seeking confirmation from successful applicants that they are in a position to deliver the work they have been allocated for the start date of the new contract.
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals against the tender decisions made in respect of Legal Services Commission (LSC) contracts due to commence on 14 October 2010 in (a) north- east wales, (b) Wales and (c) England the LSC is considering. [14786]
Mr Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has received 1,050 appeals nationally as of 9 September 2010. The LSC does not hold the information requested broken down by geographical areas. The tender process is ongoing. Not all tender notifications have been made and in some cases the appeals period against the tender process is still open.
County Courts
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what consultation he plans to undertake with (a) magistrates, (b) district judges and (c) others on the implementation of his proposals to abolish county courts boards; [14672]
(2) what estimate he has made of the total level of savings that will arise from the abolition of courts boards. [14673]
Mr Djanogly: None. The decision to abolish Courts Boards was taken by the previous Government and announced as part of the March 2010 Budget statement. The coalition Government have decided to proceed with the abolition.
The Department expects to save approximately £450,000 per year from the abolition of the Courts Boards. This amount includes remuneration to members, travel and subsistence payments, recruitment costs and other ad hoc and administration expenses.
Courts: Operating Costs
Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total running costs were of the Surrey and Sussex Courts Board in each of the last four years. [14671]
Mr Djanogly: The remuneration, travel and subsistence costs for the Surrey and Sussex Courts Board for the last four years are as follows.
| £ | |
The above do not include additional costs for recruitment, HMCS staffing, and administration/ad hoc expenditure. These costs could either not be quantified or could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
Custodial Treatment: North Wales
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many (a) men and (b) women received immediate custodial sentences from courts in north Wales in the last five years. [15312]
Mr Blunt: The number of males and females sentenced to immediate custodial sentences by courts in north Wales, 2004 to 2008 are shown in the table.
Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
| Number of males and females sentenced to immediate custodial sentence in North Wales, 2004-08( 1)( , )( 2) | |||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| (1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Court Categorisation Crown Courts: area categorisation based on the prosecuting police force area (which is not necessarily the area of the sentencing court). If another agency has brought the prosecution, area categorisation is based on the criminal justice area of the sentencing court. Magistrates Courts: As part of the rollout of the Libra case management system in magistrates courts during 2008. a change was made to the categorisation by area. Sentences given at courts using the Libra system are categorised according to the criminal justice area of the court while others are categorised in the same way as the Crown Court. By the end of 2008, all magistrates courts were using Libra. Police forces do not prosecute minor offences (those that are sentenced at magistrates courts) outside their areas. Only around 0.01% of sentences at magistrates courts were affected in 2007 and 2008. Source: Justice Statistics - Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice | |||||
Departmental Official Hospitality
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010. [14935]
Mr Blunt: In July 2010 the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr Kenneth Clarke) and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Djanogly) hosted events. The costs are as follows:
| Date | Event | Cost (£) |
Fixed Penalties: Shoplifting
Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a fixed penalty system for offences related to shoplifting in order to reduce expenditure on prosecutions. [14784]
Mr Kenneth Clarke: Since 2004 penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) have been available to the police to deal quickly and effectively with low-level, antisocial and nuisance offending, including minor instances of shoplifting. The scheme allows the police to spend more time on frontline duties and provides an alternative to prosecution in appropriate cases.
In July 2009 revised operational guidance was issued to police forces to restrict the issue of PNDs for retail theft to first-time offenders who are not substance mis-users and to cases where the value of goods stolen does not exceed £100.
The scheme is not designed to tackle more serious offending, which should be prosecuted at court.
The Government are undertaking a full assessment of sentencing policy to ensure that it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public, punishing offenders and cutting reoffending. We will be considering our approach to all out-of-court disposals as part of this work.
Legal Aid: Families
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many legal practices in (a) Houghton and Sunderland South constituency and (b) Sunderland were awarded contracts to provide family legal aid services in the latest period for which figures are available. [14636]
Mr Djanogly: The number of legal practices under contract to the Legal Services Commission (LSC) to provide family legal aid in (a) Houghton and Sunderland South constituency is three and (b) Sunderland Central is eight, in the contracted period between April 2010 and October 2010. The LSC is currently in the process of completing the tender for new contracts due to start in November 2010.
Magistrates Courts: Fines
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the total amount is of fines issued in magistrates courts in the last three years which remain unpaid. [14579]
Mr Djanogly: HMCS systems do not currently identify how many or how much of the value of fines imposed just in magistrates courts within a certain period remain outstanding, this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual search of all fine accounts.
However HMCS systems can identify the total amount imposed within the last three years and the total value outstanding. The total value outstanding can relate to fines imposed in any previous period and includes financial penalties imposed a number of years ago during the period when fines could not be cancelled (2004-06) and financial penalties which are being paid by instalments.
The total amount imposed and balance outstanding includes fines imposed in the magistrates and Crown courts, compensation, costs, victims surcharge and the value of unpaid fixed penalty notices that are transferred to HMCS for enforcement as a fine. The outstanding balance has risen through the application of a strict policy that only allows fines to be written off in certain circumstances.
| £ | ||
| Total amount imposed | Total amount outstanding | |
Prison Service: Manpower
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the ratio of prisoners to prison officers is across the Prison Service. [15232]
Mr Blunt: The ratio of prisoners to prisoner officers in all public sector prisons in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010 is one officer to 3.03 prisoners (1:3.03).
The ratio of prison to prisoner officers in all private prisons in England and Wales as at 31 March 2010 is one officer to 3.78 prisoners (1:3.78)
Prison officers includes all officer grades within the public sector and private prisons. Data provided are on headcount basis (part timers count as one).
Prison Service: Training
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the (a) Prison Service and (b) probation service have spent on places on the course Delivering Effective Penal Policy: Taking a Radical New Approach to Short-Term Sentences, organised by CPPS seminars. [15273]
Mr Blunt: I can confirm that Prison Service spend for the financial year 2010-11 for the cost of staff attending the course 'Delivering Effective Penal Policy: Taking a Radical New Approach to Short-Term Sentences', organised by CPPS seminars, is £ 293.75 including VAT.
The probation service data are not routinely collected.
Prisoners: Literacy
Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners learnt to read while serving their sentences in each of the last five years. [15002]
Mr Blunt: Neither the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) nor the Skills Funding Agency routinely collect this information. However, we are able to provide information on the number of Level 1 literacy qualifications achieved.
Gaining a Level 1 literacy qualification demonstrates that a learner has attained the 'functional' level of literacy which people need to get by in life and at work.
The Skills Funding Agency are able to provide information on the number of Entry level and Level 1 literacy qualifications achieved by adult prisoners in public sector prisons in England as recorded on Individualised Learner Records. The following table shows the Entry Level and Level 1 achievement data for the last three academic years.
| Academic year | Entry level and Level 1 Literacy aims achieved( 1) |
| (1) Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) funded delivery in custody for aged 18 and over. Notes: 1. A learning aim is a generic term which includes qualifications, courses and learning events under a general title. A learning aim is, in the wider FE system, a single element of learning that attracts funding. 2. The Skills Funding Agency have responsibility for planning and funding learning and skills delivery for learners in public sector prisons and young offenders' institutions in England through the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS). It excludes private prisons, prisons in Wales and Immigration Removal Centres. 3. The data collected records the number of learning aims enrolled in a year rather than individual learners. As learners may enrol on more than one literacy or numeracy course in any year, and may achieve at one level and progress to the next level, the number of enrolments and achievements does not represent individual learners. 4. The data includes prisoners who have not been sentenced, who are remanded in custody pending trial or sentencing. | |
The Toe by Toe scheme operated by the Shannon Trust in prisons makes an important contribution to the development of prisoners' reading. Through peer-mentors, they support and encourage emergent readers, enabling them to progress into activity where their literacy skills can be accredited.
Prisons: Visits
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many closed visits there have been in each prison in each of the last three years. [15014]
Mr Blunt: In 2008-09, the last year for which data are available, 1,543 visitors to prisons were made subject to a period of closed visits following a visiting ban, 374 visitors were made subject to a period of closed visits instead of a visiting ban, and 1,871 prisoners were made subject to a period of closed visits.
In 2007-08, 1,638 visitors to prisons were made subject to a period of closed visits following a visiting ban, 414 visitors were made subject to a period of closed visits instead of a visiting ban, and 1,939 prisoners were made subject to a period of closed visits.
In 2006-07, 1,684 visitors to prisons were made subject to a period of closed visits following a visiting ban, 494 visitors were made subject to a period of closed visits instead of a visiting ban, and 1,813 prisoners were made subject to a period of closed visits.
Data are collated regionally and monthly; to provide data for each prison would require a manual trawl through three years' of data, which would incur disproportionate cost.
These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. The data are not subject to audit.
Rape
Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the funding of (a) rape crisis centres and (b) sexual assault referral centres in 2011-12. [14776]
Mr Blunt: Decisions on funding for 2011-12 will be made following the comprehensive spending review.
TV: Licensing
Dr Thérèse Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received a custodial sentence on conviction for non-payment of a TV licence in the last two years. [15386]
Mr Blunt: A person cannot be sentenced to imprisonment if convicted of an offence under section 363 of the Communications Act 2003. The maximum penalty for not having a valid TV Licence is a £1,000 fine. The court may also order the convicted person to pay for TV Licensing's costs in the proceedings. The means by which a person could be sentenced to immediate custody would be if they refused to pay the fine but they would be sentenced to custody for the non-payment of the fine and not for TV licence evasion.
House of Commons Commission
Departmental Pay
Mr MacShane: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the answer of 6 September 2010, Official Report, column 2W, on departmental manpower, how many staff employed by the House of Commons Commission are paid an annual salary of (a) under £25,000, (b) between £25,000 and £65,000, (c) between £65,000 and £100,000, (d) more than £100,000 and (e) more than £150,000. [14610]
Sir Stuart Bell: As at 30 June 2010, the House of Commons employed 1,639 full-time equivalent staff of whom 80 were temporary. The number of individuals employed was 1,789. Their annual salaries fall into the following ranges:
| Number | |
Northern Ireland
Big Society
5. Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on implementation of the Government's big society proposals in Northern Ireland. [14506]
Mr Swire: I am a member of the Ministerial Committee on the Big Society and I am meeting next month with the noble Lord, Lord Wei, who advises Government on these matters to discuss how best to engage with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers on the big society agenda. These issues are largely devolved in Northern Ireland but we would be happy to share ideas and collaborate where that is appropriate.
US Investment
9. Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the US Administration on inward investment in Northern Ireland. [14510]
Mr Swire: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed inward investment with the US Consul General in Belfast in July and at his meetings with Declan Kelly, the US economic envoy to Northern Ireland. He will discuss these matters again when he visits the United States later this month in advance of the US Investment Conference in October.
Economic Development
12. David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on economic development in Northern Ireland. [14514]
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on economic development in Northern Ireland. [14511]
Mr Swire: I refer my hon. Friends to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Tamworth (Christopher Pincher).
Assembly Constituencies
11. Mr Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the implications for the number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly of the Government's policy to create fewer and more equal-sized constituencies. [14512]
Mr Swire: We have had a range of discussions on this issue. Since Assembly elections are based on parliamentary constituencies, changes in parliamentary electoral arrangements would have an impact on the Assembly. But the Government have no intention of dictating the size of the Assembly, which is in the first instance a matter for the Assembly itself to consider. Once the issue has been considered the Government will bring forward any necessary legislation.
Economy
13. Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the state of the Northern Ireland economy. [14516]
Mr Swire:
Economic issues are largely devolved in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Executive Ministers share the view of my right hon. Friend and I that the
private sector in Northern Ireland needs to grow. Almost 30% of Northern Ireland jobs are public sector jobs compared to a UK average of around 20%. Our aim is to seek to rebalance the economy in partnership with the Executive.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010. [14934]
Mr Paterson: The total amount spent in July was £554.50.
Parades
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive on proposals for changes to legislation regulating parades in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [14515]
Mr Paterson: This legislation is a matter for the Executive under the arrangements set out in the Hillsborough Castle Agreement. It is for the Executive to find a solution for all the people in Northern Ireland. I will give my formal consent to the Assembly legislation as soon as I receive such a request from the First and Deputy First Ministers. But if a local solution cannot be found I will have no alternative but to continue the Parades Commission.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Departmental Billing
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers her Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010. [13313]
Richard Benyon: The proportion of correctly presented invoices from suppliers paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010 was as follows:
| Percentage | ||
| July 2010 | August 2010 | |
Environmental Stewardship Scheme
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the monetary value of payments made under the (a) Entry Level, (b) Higher Level and (c) Upper Entry Level Stewardship schemes was in 2009-10. [15175]
Mr Paice: The monetary value in 2009-10 of:
(a) Entry Level Stewardship scheme payments was £161,085,554.18;
(b) Higher Level Stewardship scheme payments was £69,179,089.99; and
(c) the first Uplands Entry Level Stewardship agreements commenced on 1 July 2010, with payments due twice yearly. Therefore, no payments have yet been made.
EU Law
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many officials in her Department work (a) full-time and (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation or administration of EU legislation and consequent policies. [13780]
Richard Benyon: A large proportion of DEFRA's business takes place in the context of legislation adopted in the EU following negotiation with other member states, the European Commission and the European Parliament. Consequently a substantial majority of staff in the Department (who totalled 8,110 full-time equivalents in 2009-10) will be engaged in EU-derived business. The Department does not hold data analysing how much of each post is EU-related, and it cannot be generated without incurring disproportionate costs.
Tyres
Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies take into account rolling resistance as a performance criterion when purchasing tyres. [13552]
Richard Benyon: The Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, do not specifically include rolling resistance in all considerations for purchasing tyres, relying on maintenance and fleet management suppliers to provide what is consistent with manufacturers recommendations for the vehicle and suitable for the terrain on which the vehicle will be used.
Examples of where it is taken into account:
Environment Agency which has a policy to fit environmental (green) tyres across their fleet. It purchases approximately 85% green Michelin tyres which are low rolling resistance. In addition to this, whilst there may be occasional issues with fitting green tyres on certain vehicles (e.g. 4x4s vehicles) there are now approximately 75% of all 4x4 tyres that are developed with green credentials in mind for rolling resistance.
Natural England's Pool Car Fleet is managed by a Fleet management supplier whose, tyre replacement policy is to use Michelin Tyres, as this manufacturer produces some of the lowest rolling resistance tyres within its brand.
Treasury
Bereavement Allowance
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the merits of treating bereavement allowance as non-taxable income; and if he will make a statement. [14615]
Mr Gauke: Bereavement allowance is a contributory benefit, and it is appropriate that where a benefit replaces earnings, it is liable to tax.
However, as with all other taxpayers, a person's tax liability depends upon their total taxable income from all sources and the income tax allowances to which they are entitled. The rates of income tax are set by Parliament, but someone whose only income is the basic bereavement allowance, for instance, will not pay tax because their personal tax allowance would cover this.
All taxes and benefits are kept under review.
Charities: Private Education
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual tax revenue forgone by the Exchequer as a result of the charitable status of private schools. [15221]
Mr Gauke: No estimate has been made of the annual tax revenue forgone by the Exchequer as a result of the charitable status of private schools because HMRC records do not distinguish amounts repaid to or claimed by charities according to type of charity.
Child Benefit
Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the number of malicious counterclaims for child benefit in the latest period for which figures are available; [13452]
Mr Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not keep statistical information on how many child benefit claims are perceived to be malicious nor does the Department record how many competing claims resulted in an existing claimant's child benefit being stopped.
HMRC received around 140,000 claims to child benefit during 2009-10, where another adult was already claiming for the same child or children, and have received around 46,500 such claims in 2010-11 up to and including August 2010. Reliable information is not available for 2008-09 and earlier years.
Ian Austin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people earning over £37,401 in (a) England, (b) Dudley borough and (c) Dudley North constituency receive child benefit. [15129]
Mr Gauke: We estimate that around 312,000 adults in England have incomes over £37,401 and also receive child benefit payments in 2009-10.
The information for Dudley borough and Dudley North is unavailable.
Departmental Electronic Equipment
Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much (a) his Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies spent on televisions in each year since 1997. [7497]
Justine Greening:
The available information requested is shown in the following table. HM Treasury does not hold a central record of the purchase of all televisions
by individual teams and the figures provided represent centrally purchased televisions only.
HM Treasury data prior to 2005-06 cannot be provided within the disproportionate costs threshold.
DMO data prior to 2002-03 are not available due to the introduction of a new accounting system.
| £000 | ||
| HM Treasury | Debt Management Office (DMO) | |
No televisions have been purchased by the Asset Protection Agency or the Royal Mint Advisory Committee.
Departmental Fines
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each such year. [13326]
Justine Greening: The Treasury does not hold a central record of transport-related fines.
A review of payments to the Government Car and Despatch Agency since 2005 revealed the following information:
| Tickets | Cost (£) | |
Departmental Internet
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons it was decided not to moderate the content of contributions to his Department's Spending Challenge website. [13985]
Justine Greening: The Spending Challenge website had a strict moderation policy and a dedicated team kept a close eye on content posted in order to remove the minority of ideas that were inappropriate as soon as possible. Content was moderated post-publication as per industry standards.
John McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) others represent his Department on the spending review challenge group. [15022]
Danny Alexander: The civil service members of the Independent Challenge Group do not represent their Departments, but act in an independent capacity to bring challenge to the spending review process. There is one member of the Independent Challenge Group (ICG) from the Department for Communities and Local Government: Andrew Campbell, Acting Director General, Local Government and Regeneration, Communities and Local Government. The ICG membership list, including departmental affiliations, was made public on 4 August, and is published in full on the HM Treasury website:
Food: Prices
Rehman Chishti: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the rate of food price inflation (a) was on the latest date for which information is available and (b) is forecast to be over the next 12 months. [14093]
Justine Greening: Within the consumer prices index, the annual rate of food inflation was 3.9% in August 2010.
In its June 2010 forecast, the Office for Budget Responsibility did not publish a separate forecast for the rate of food price inflation.
Gift Aid
James Wharton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average cost of processing a gift aid claim on donations made to charities was in the latest period for which figures are available. [14633]
Justine Greening: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not distinguish the costs of administering gift aid from other activities in relation to charities and charitable giving.
An estimate of £5 per claim processed was included in the impact assessment on "Extending Charity Tax Reliefs to Certain Organisations in Europe" published on 24 March 2010. This figure is the minimum cost as it reflects only certain costs beyond the payroll cost of staff directly engaged in the repayment process.
HMRC currently estimates that the average cost is around £8 per claim.
Green Investment Bank
Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which official in his Department has lead policy responsibility for proposals relating to the establishment of a Green Investment Bank. [13674]
Justine Greening: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has lead policy responsibility for proposals relating to the Green Investment Bank, working closely with other Departments.
Members: Correspondence
Sir Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 29 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr Noman. [15190]
Mr Gauke: The chief executive of HM Revenue and Customs replied to the right hon. Member on 14 September 2010.
Tax Allowances: Married People
Mr Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to bring forward proposals to introduce transferable tax allowances for married couples. [14886]
Mr Gauke: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Glasgow North East (Mr Bain) on 9 June 2010, Official Report, column 189W.
VAT: Crown Dependencies
Mr Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to amend the UK's Act of accession to the European communities to remove Crown Dependencies' eligibility for low value consignment relief. [14911]
Mr Gauke: The Government have no plans to bring forward amendments to the UK's treaty of accession to the EU in the manner the hon. Member suggests. However, as I told the House in my written answer to a question from my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid) on 13 July 2010, Official Report, column 661W, the Government are actively reviewing the operation of low value consignment relief.
VAT: Hearing Aids
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to zero rate privately-purchased hearing aids for value added tax. [14601]
Justine Greening [holding answer 13 September 2010]: It is not possible to introduce a zero rate of VAT for privately-purchased hearing aids. Agreements with our EU partners prevent us from extending the scope of existing zero rates, or introducing new ones.
Welfare Tax Credits
Mr Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive the 50-plus element of working tax credit; and what the average payment of that element was in the latest period for which figures are available. [15445]
Mr Gauke: Approximately 15,000 families were benefiting from the 50-plus element at April 2010. On average these families were entitled to receive £4,720.
Mr Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families receive the baby element of child tax credit; and what the average payment of that element was in the latest period for which figures are available. [15446]
Mr Gauke: The latest information on the number of families benefiting from the baby element of child tax credits, is available in the HMRC snapshot publication "Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics April 2010". This can be found at:
The average payment of the baby element is not available.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Afghanistan: Politics and Government
David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with President Karzai on membership of the Afghan government's High Level Peace Council. [14604]
Mr Hague: The appointment of members of the High Level Peace Council is a matter for the Afghan authorities and I have not discussed individual members with President Karzai. We welcome the recent announcement by President Karzai to set up a High Level Peace Council. We look forward to the announcement of the list of members in due course. The formation of the High Peace Council is a significant step to expedite the peace and reconciliation process, building on the successes of the Consultative Peace Jirga and Kabul Conference and rooted in the Afghan people's desire for peace. The UK continues to support the political process which is needed to bring the conflict in Afghanistan to an end.
Burma: Elections
Dr Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether officials in the British Embassy in Burma have had recent discussions with leaders of ethnic minorities in Burma on the forthcoming elections. [15426]
Mr Lidington: Our embassy in Rangoon regularly meets representatives of ethnic minority groups both inside Burma and on the Thai-Burma border. This includes recent meetings with the Karen, Shan, Rohingya, Mon and Chin where forthcoming elections were discussed. Such groups have faced difficulties with the process of registration, membership listing, candidate nominations, severe funding restrictions and in some cases harassment from the regime. Foreign and Commonwealth officials also recently met a delegation of ethnic representatives in London to discuss forthcoming elections and further meetings with ethnic leaders are scheduled. Our ambassador in Rangoon repeatedly raises his concern with the regime that forthcoming elections will not be free and fair while ethnic and other opposition parties continue to be excluded or face tough restrictions.
Dalai Lama
Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates the Dalai Lama last visited the UK; for how long he stayed; where he visited; what the purpose of the visit was; in what manner and by whom he was received by the Government; what advice the Government gave his representatives in the UK on the visit; and if he will make a statement. [15402]
Alistair Burt: His Holiness, the Dalai Lama last officially visited the UK, in May 2008. He was invited by Harry Cohen MP, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tibet, the Network of Buddhist Organisations in the UK, Oxford Blackfriars Hall and the Oxford Buddhist Society, which organised his programme of visits in London, Nottingham and Oxford.
The Dalai Lama met the previous Prime Minister, on May 23, at Lambeth Palace in his capacity as a religious leader. They discussed interfaith issues.
European Parliament
Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the adoption of a single seat for the European Parliament. [15721]
Mr Lidington: The Government's policy is to press for the European Parliament to have only one seat, in Brussels.
The Government oppose the dual sitting of the European Parliament as it is a huge waste of time and resources. Estimates suggest that having two seats for the European Parliament currently costs the British taxpayer £28 million per year and also means that 20,000 extra tonnes of carbon dioxide are emitted each year in the process.
Human Trafficking
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to provide assistance to UK citizens who have been trafficked overseas and are prosecuted overseas for offences committed under duress. [14893]
Mr Lidington: If a British national is prosecuted overseas for a crime that may have been committed under duress, we would expect their lawyer to address this at the trial. If, however, these points are not duly considered during the judicial process, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-in consultation with the law-would consider taking up the British national's concerns with the relevant authorities. As a last resort, where there is prima facie evidence of a denial or miscarriage of justice and where we have made representations that have failed to secure a remedy, we can consider supporting an application for clemency.
Narco-terrorism: Mexico
Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department has given to the government of Mexico to counter narco-terrorism. [14866]
Mr Bellingham: I will reply to my hon. Friend shortly.
Substantive answer from Henry Bellingham to Mark Pritchard:
I refer my hon. Friend to the response given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Home Department (Nick Herbert), on 14 September 2010, Official Report, column 964W.
Work and Pensions
Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all pre-2003 Child Support Agency cases will be transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission by 2011. [13941]
Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all pre-2003 Child Support Agency cases will be transferred to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission by 2011. [13941]
The problems encountered by the Child Support Agency following the launch of the Reforms in 2003 resulted in a decision to defer the bulk transfer of cases from the old (launched in 1993) scheme, to the current (launched in 2003) child support scheme. In the meantime, cases were only migrated from the old computer system to the new computer system where they had a link with a case on the new system that made this necessary.
This decision was kept under review and in February 2006 the Government asked Sir David Henshaw to review the entire system of child maintenance. His subsequent report led to the Government's White paper and to the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008, which makes provision for a new system of child maintenance known as the "future scheme".
The Commission continues to develop plans for a future scheme that is intended to replace both the existing schemes. As with all government departments, the Commission is undertaking a review of its plans as part of the current spending review and in line the new government's priorities.
I hope you find this answer helpful.
Children: Peterborough
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in poverty (a) before and (b) after housing costs in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [14620]
Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government Office Region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible. However, figures for East of England are set out in Table 1.
Children: Tyne and Wear
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of children (a) in absolute poverty, (b) in relative poverty and (c) with combined material deprivation and low income in Washington and Sunderland West constituency. [14578]
Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government office region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible. However, figures for the north-east of England are set out in the following table.
Departmental Billing
Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many payments to suppliers were made by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available. [13932]
Chris Grayling: The following information details the volumes of payments to suppliers made in August 2010 by the Department. DWP payment terms are calculated from the receipt of a valid invoice rather than the date of invoice.
Separate figures detailing payments at over 60 days and over 90 days are not collected and to provide this information would incur disproportionate cost.
| DWP | ||
| Number | ||
| August 2010 information (latest available figures) | Payments made within 30-day timeframe | Payments made beyond 30-day timeframe |
| DWP agencies | ||
| Number | ||
| August 2010 information (latest available figures) | Payments made within 30-day timeframe | Payments made beyond 30-day timeframe |
| (1) Includes housing benefit, Welfare and Wellbeing Group, Employment Group and European Social Fund. | ||
| DWP non-departmental public bodies (NDPB's) | ||
| Number | ||
| August 2010 information (latest available figures) | Payments made within 30-day timeframe | Payments made beyond 30-day timeframe |
| (1 )All invoices relating to SSAC and Equality 2025 are included within the DWP return. | ||
Departmental Training
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course. [13302]
Chris Grayling: Information about how many external training courses were attended by DWP staff and associated costs is not held centrally, as a consequence the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Funding for learning and development opportunities is held and managed by individual business areas.
Employment: East Lothian
Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of jobs supported by the Future Jobs Fund in the area most closely corresponding to East Lothian constituency for which figures are available. [13540]
Chris Grayling: The Young Person's Guarantee statistics were published on 11 August 2010 and are available here:
Statistics are available on the Future Jobs Fund which covers the period from October 2009 to May 2010. They show that there were 4,460 recorded Future Jobs Fund starts in Scotland. The information requested for East Lothian is not available.
Future Jobs Fund: Washington Tyne and Wear
Mrs Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs in the (a) public, (b) private and (c) third sector have been created by funding from the Future Jobs Fund in Washington and Sunderland West constituency in the last 12 months. [14360]
Chris Grayling: The Young Person's Guarantee statistics were published on 11 August 2010 and are available here:
Statistics are available on the Future Jobs Fund which covers the period from October 2009 to May 2010. They show that there were 2,310 recorded Future Jobs Fund starts in the North East to the end of May 2010. The information requested for Washington and Sunderland West is not available.
Health and Safety Executive
Mr David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future of the Health and Safety Executive. [13708]
Chris Grayling: Our priority is to ensure that health and safety is regulated fairly and proportionately. That is vital for a strong economy, and for a healthy and productive work force.
This Department's planning proposals, including in respect of the Health and Safety Executive, will be developed as part of this autumn's spending review.
Housing Benefit: Camden
Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in the London borough of Camden have been unemployed for more than a year and are claiming housing benefit. [11936]
Steve Webb: The information is not available.
Housing Benefit: Scotland
John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claimants of housing benefit in (a) Scotland, (b) Glasgow and (c) Glasgow North West (i) are claimants of jobseeker's allowance and (ii) have claimed jobseeker's allowance for 12 months or more. [15111]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed housing benefit and council tax benefit data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics, as the information supplied is quality assured.
At present, the management information needed to estimate durations on housing benefit has not been sufficiently quality assured; and, while information is collected on the number of claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, which includes income- based jobseeker's allowance, the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
Housing benefit case load and average weekly amounts are available at local authority area level and these are published on the Department's website at:
Incapacity Benefit: Medical Examinations
Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants were unable to undergo medical examinations in the Aberdeen trial area because they were unfit to travel. [13499]
Chris Grayling: Neither the Department nor its supplier, Atos Healthcare, collate information on the number of customers called to assessment that are unfit to travel.
However, for the period June 2010 to August 2010, one incapacity benefit customer, who would normally have been examined at Aberdeen Medical Examination Centre, was assessed by home visit. A home visit can be arranged by Atos Healthcare when a customer has difficulty travelling to the examination centre, e.g. due to the availability of public transport or fitness to travel.
Incapacity Benefit: Wimbledon
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wimbledon constituency claimed incapacity benefit in (a) 2005, (b) 2007 and (c) 2010. [12940]
Chris Grayling: The information is provided in the table-please note that no new claims to incapacity benefit were accepted after 27 October 2008 as it was replaced by employment and support allowance from this date. There are not yet data available for 2010-November 2009 are the most recent data available.
| Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants in Wimbledon parliamentary constituency. | |
| Total number of claimants | |
| Notes: 1. Incapacity Benefit was replaced by Employment Support Allowance (ESA) from October 2008. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. IB/SDA 'Claimants' include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contributions conditions but receive a National Insurance Credit, i.e. 'credits only cases'. 4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2005. Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data. | |
Industrial Diseases: Asbestos
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people who have been paid compensation by (a) insurance companies and (b) employers for diseases caused by exposure to asbestos in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. [14586]
Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available.
Jobcentre Plus: Manpower
Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Jobcentre Plus staff are employed on fixed-term contracts; how many of them have been granted contract extensions since 22 June 2010; and what the estimated cost is of extending these contracts. [13843]
Chris Grayling: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking how many Jobcentre Plus staff are employed on fixed-term contracts, how many of them have been granted contract extensions since 22 June 2010, and what the estimated cost is of extending these contracts. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
The latest externally published staffing numbers are for March 2010. This data shows that, at that date, Jobcentre Plus employed 13,624 full-time equivalents on fixed-term contracts.
The latest internal management information shows that the fixed-term contracts for 1,211 full-time equivalents were due to end between 22 June 2010 and the end of September 2010. Of these 593 had their contracts extended.
The majority of these extensions are for 3 months. The estimated cost of these extensions is approximately £3m. However, the decision to extend these contracts was made due to higher staff attrition rates, so with less staff in the organisation these extensions were contained within original budget.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Gateshead
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in Gateshead constituency. [13386]
Chris Grayling: In June 2010 there were 95 lone parents claiming jobseeker's allowance in Gateshead.
The figure has been rounded to the nearest five.
Jobseeker's Allowance: Wolverhampton
Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will have been on jobseeker's allowance for over 12 months by 2013 in Wolverhampton North East constituency. [13367]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available.
Means-tested Benefits
Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of (a) retaining each universal benefit at the average rate and (b) adopting means testing for all benefits at the average rate in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) each of the next four years. [14396]
Maria Miller: The information that is available is provided in the following table. This sets out, for 2010-11 and each of the next four years, the forecast expenditure on the main DWP payments that have no means test and do not require national insurance contributions to have been made. The estimated cost of adopting means testing for all benefits is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
| Benefit expenditure forecasts, 2010-11 to 2014-15 | |||||
| £ million, nominal terms | |||||
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest million. 2. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 3. Figures are for Great Britain, but also include a small amount of expenditure for claimants who have moved abroad. Source: June 2010 Budget forecast | |||||
Security
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many British standards apply to the installation and maintenance of automatic security gates; and what training is required of people installing them. [13426]
Chris Grayling: The British Standards Institution, which is the source of British Standards, has published six standards which are directly applicable:
BS EN 12635 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Installation and use'
BS EN 12445 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Safety in use of power operated doors-Test methods'
BS EN 12453 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Safety in use of power operated doors-Requirements'
BS EN 12604 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Mechanical aspects-Requirements'
BS EN 13241-1:2003 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Product standard. Part 1: products without fire resistance or smoke control characteristics'
BS EN 12978 'Industrial, commercial and garage doors and gates-Safety devices for power operated doors and gates-Requirements and test methods'.
There is no specific statutory training required for individuals installing automatic security gates. However, the Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers and the self-employed to conduct their undertakings in such a way that persons not in their employment are not exposed to risks. This means that the installers must have the necessary competence to produce a safe final product and, to do this, they will require an understanding of the relevant standards.
British standards are available as priced publications from the BSI website:
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the Health and Safety Executive monitors automatic security gates in the workplace for (a) compliance with relevant British Standards and (b) safety of operation. [13427]
Chris Grayling:
Organisations which install, use or maintain this type of gate have duties under health and
safety law. The main way in which HSE monitors compliance with the law is through proactive visits to workplaces by inspectors and other front-line staff. If an inspector has concerns about the safety of electrically powered gates, then they will enquire into the maintenance arrangements and seek assurance or demonstration that the safety devices are in working order. If inquiries are made of installers of such gates, then their knowledge of the relevant British Standards would be examined. Enforcement action, including Prohibition and Improvement Notices, may be taken where significant deficiencies are found, even if an injury has not occurred.
Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries have been caused by the operation of automatic security gates in the workplace in each of the last five years. [13428]
Chris Grayling: HSE's best estimate is in the following table.
| Severity | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2010-11 | Total |
HSE's best estimate has been created following the interrogation of HSE databases using the terms 'electric gates', 'powered gate' and 'power gate operator'. This approach is used because those notifying the incident do not always use the consistent terms in describing the events that are reported. As a consequence there is no easy way ensuring that all records of a similar nature are accounted for. Similarly, it is not always possible to distinguish workplaces or other premises.
Social Security Benefits: Disqualification
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many claimants of each benefit type received a benefit sanction in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11. [13256]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available in the format requested. Information is not available on sanctions in respect of people claiming income support, incapacity benefit, and employment and support allowance. The available information for jobseeker's allowance is in the table.
Data for 2010-11 are not yet available.
| Number of individuals claiming jobseeker's a llowance, where a sanction has been applied in Great Britain, April 2009 to March 2010 | |
| Number | |
| Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Some additional disclosure control has been applied. 2. The number of sanctions applied is the number of individuals where there has been an adverse decision. 3. Varied length sanctions are where the JSA claimant has their payment temporarily suspended for anything up to 26 weeks. 4. Fixed length sanctions are where the JSA claimant has their payment temporarily suspended for either two, four or 26 weeks. 5. Entitlement decisions are where the JSA claimant has their entitlement to JSA ended. 6. Only the most recent sanction for each individual is shown. Source: DWP Information Directorate: JSA Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database | |
Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many benefit claimants of each benefit type received a benefit sanction of more than one week's benefit entitlement in 2009-10. [13259]
Chris Grayling: The information is not available.
Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations
Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with those responsible for making medical assessments of eligibility for employment and support allowance for people with (a) Asperger's syndrome and (b) other parts of the autism spectrum on their training in making such assessments; what medical experience such assessors are required to have; and if he will make a statement. [14585]
Chris Grayling:
Officials have discussed the training of healthcare professionals in relation to Autistic Spectrum Disorders with Atos Healthcare to ensure that they are
able to conduct assessments for employment and support allowance to the required standards.
All Atos healthcare professionals conducting Employment and Support Allowance assessments receive training regarding Autistic Spectrum Disorders. The training is tailored to individual need but includes provision of information about Autistic Spectrum Disorders contained in evidence-based protocols for mental health conditions, a face to face "learning set" on Asperger's syndrome, a distance learning module on Asperger's syndrome and a DVD on autism.
Healthcare professionals are required to have a minimum of three years post-registration experience and this should include broad based medical practice in roles that have clear relevance to a career in disability assessment medicine. In individual cases, solely at the discretion of the DWP Chief Medical Adviser, the requirement that a healthcare professional must have a minimum of three years post-registration experience may be waived.
Child Benefit
Mr Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many counterclaims have been made for child benefit in each of the last five years; and how many such claims have led to the other parent's child benefit being stopped. [13451]
Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) do not keep statistical information on how many child benefit claims are perceived to be malicious nor does the Department record how many competing claims resulted in an existing claimant's child benefit being stopped.
HMRC received around 140,000 claims to child benefit during 2009-10, where another adult was already claiming for the same child or children, and have received around 46,500 such claims in 2010-11 up to and including August 2010. Reliable information is not available for 2008-09 and earlier years.
Communities and Local Government
Business Improvement Districts
Ms Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many business improvement districts there were (a) in each of the last three years and (b) on the latest date for which information is available. [14987]
Robert Neill: The Department does not hold information on numbers of business improvement districts (BIDs) on an annual basis.
The total number of BIDs as of September 2010 is 92, 15 of which are in their second term.
Council Housing: Finance
Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what his policy is on the reform of council housing finance. [14969]
Andrew Stunell: We are reviewing the unfair Housing Revenue Account Subsidy system as part of the Spending Review.
Council Tax: Tax Rates and Bands
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate his Department has made of the number of homes in England incorrectly banded in the 2005 council tax revaluation. [15063]
Robert Neill: No council tax revaluation took place in 2005.
Departmental Cleaning Services
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on cleaning in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10. [15052]
Robert Neill: Communities and Local Government have spent the following on cleaning in its headquarters buildings in London during: (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10.
| Cost (£) | |
In July 2004, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister signed a contract with Mitie for contract cleaning services in Ashdown House and Eland House, London Victoria. In May 2010, the Department gave due notice to reduce the level of contract cleaning in its remaining headquarters building, Eland House, achieving ongoing savings of circa £150,000 per year.
Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what declarations of (a) interests, (b) gifts and (c) hospitality were made by special advisers in his Department in (i) 2007-08, (ii) 2008-09 and (iii) 2009-10. [15059]
Robert Neill: In the periods 2007-08 and 2008-09 no declarations of interests, gifts or hospitality were made by special advisers in Communities and Local Government and in 2009-10 there was one declaration of a gift made by special adviser.
Departmental Official Hospitality
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in his Department in July 2010. [15144]
Robert Neill: Communities and Local Government spent £80 on the provision of hospitality at a ministerial reception for housebuilders in July 2010.
Domestic Violence: Supporting People Programme
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many support units for (a) women and (b) men at risk of domestic violence were provided or part-funded by Supporting People in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10. [15048]
Andrew Stunell: There were 10,549 Domestic Violence House-Hold Units funded by the Supporting People programme as at 31 March 2009. Information is not broken down between male and female. Data for 2009-10 are not yet available.
Information returned by the providers of Supporting People services show that in 2009-10, 26,361 clients entering services were defined as 'people at risk of domestic violence'. 25.927 of these were female (98%), 434 were male (2%).
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which local authorities have been granted Supporting People funding to support (a) women and (b) men at risk of domestic violence in (i) 2008-09 and (ii) 2009-10. [15049]
Andrew Stunell: The Supporting People programme grant, which enables local authorities to provide housing- related support services including domestic violence provision, is allocated to the 152 top tier authorities. However, CLG do not specify what proportion of the Supporting People budget should be allocated to individual client groups or services. The provision of Supporting People housing-related support services, including domestic violence provision for men and women, is a matter for local authorities to determine based on local needs and priorities.
Fire Services
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent submissions he has received on the future use of the (a) estate and (b) IT system constructed as part of the FiReControl project. [15023]
Robert Neill: One recent submission from EADS has been received specifically on the future of the estate and IT system constructed as part of the FiReControl project.
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had on the future use of the (i) estate and (ii) IT system constructed as part of the FiReControl project since 25 May 2010; and which organisations (A) requested and (B) attended such meetings. [15024]
Robert Neill: The Government are becoming increasingly concerned at the inability of EADS to deliver on its contractual obligations to a sufficient quality and time and we have made this clear to them in no uncertain terms.
Since 25 May 2010 my officials have had one meeting with EADS, specifically at their request, to hear their alternative ideas for the future use of the estate and IT system constructed as part of the FiReControl project.
I have met with EADS recently, at their request, when they offered to deliver a system with reduced functionality by June 2011. We have made it clear that none of these plans is under consideration and EADS must deliver the contracted solution by the contracted date(s).
The Government are committed to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer, improving resilience and stopping the forced regionalisation of the fire service.
Fire Services: Finance
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of his Department's in-year budgetary savings for 2010-11 will come from the central Government grant to fire and rescue authorities in England; and if he will make a statement. [15021]
Robert Neill: There has been no reduction to the formula grant allocated to local authorities for 2010-11, which includes grant payments to fire and rescue authorities in England.
Fires: Electric Cables
Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires in private rented properties (a) in North Swindon constituency and (b) England and Wales were attributed to faults in electrical installations and products in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. [14793]
Robert Neill: Fire incident data are available up to the end of March 2010, but only to Fire and Rescue Authority level, and dwelling tenure details are not collected under the Fire and Rescue Incident Recording System. Therefore the data in the table are for all dwellings, and for Wiltshire rather than for North Swindon.
| Fires in dwellings attributable to faults in electrical installations and products, April 2009 to March 2010 | |
| Number | |
| Source: Fire and Rescue incident records, CLG | |
Fruit
Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much was spent on fruit supplied to Ministerial offices in his Department in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [15053]
Housing Improvements: Disability
Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of the disabled facilities grant; if he will retain current funding levels for the grant; and if he will make a statement. [13918]
Andrew Stunell:
The disabled facilities grant assists disabled people to live as comfortably and independently as possible in their own homes. Any statements concerning
levels of funding in respect of the disabled facilities grant programme will be made following the spending review settlement.
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