Daily Report Friday, 6 March 2015 CONTENTS

Transcription

Daily Report
Friday, 6 March 2015
This report shows written answers and statements provided on 6 March 2015 and the
information is correct at the time of publication (03:32 P.M., 06 March 2015). For the
latest information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written
statements, please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/
CONTENTS
ANSWERS
BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND
SKILLS
4
Starter Home Initiative
12
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
12
4
Members: Correspondence
12
Appeals
4
Mobile Phones: Austria
13
Business: Government
Assistance
4
Non-departmental Public Bodies
13
Green Investment Bank: Wales
5
Ofcom
13
Higher Education
6
Radio Frequencies
13
Higher Education: Admissions
6
Railways: Radio Frequencies
14
Higher Education: Carers
6
Regulation
14
Research: Finance
7
Science: Research
7
Students: Finance
8
Students: Loans
8
Technology: Employment
8
Vocational Training
9
CABINET OFFICE
9
Asthma
9
Behavioural Insights Team
10
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
10
Aarhus Convention
10
Coastal Communities Fund
DEFENCE
14
Afghanistan
14
Armed Forces: Deployment
15
Civil Servants: Reserve Forces
15
Nimrod Aircraft
15
Scotland
17
Veterans: Scotland
17
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
18
Electoral Register: Learning
Disability
EDUCATION
18
18
Carers: Young People
18
10
Educational Institutions:
Asbestos
18
Fire Services
11
Free School Meals: Copeland
19
Housing: Construction
11
GCSE: Disadvantaged
19
12
2
Daily Report
Headteachers
19
Obesity: Copeland
34
Schools
20
Secondary Education
20
University Hospitals Bristol NHS
Foundation Trust
35
21
HOME OFFICE
35
21
Asylum
35
Asylum: Stockton on Tees
36
22
Borders: Personal Records
36
Agriculture
22
Mark Jenner
37
Agriculture: Research
23
National Police Air Service
37
Dangerous Dogs
23
Offenders: Foreign Nationals
38
Procurement
25
Police: Pensions
39
Wildlife: Smuggling
25
Terrorism
39
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Energy: Meters
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL
AFFAIRS
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
40
26
Adam Smith International
40
Algeria
26
Developing Countries: Children
40
Armed Conflict: Sexual
Offences
26
International Climate Fund
40
Gambia
27
Overseas Aid
40
Iraq
28
LGBT People
28
Mauritania
29
Religious Freedom
29
Ukraine
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
OFFICE
TRANSPORT
41
East Coast Railway Line
41
Gilberdyke Station
41
High Speed 2 Railway Line
41
30
Maritime and Coastguard
Agency: Wales
42
30
Railway Stations: Disability
43
Brain: Tumours
30
Railways: Electrification
44
Cancer: Cumbria
31
Road Works
45
Clinical Commissioning Groups:
Cumbria
31
Southern
46
Health Services: Greater
Manchester
31
Dave Hartnett
46
Health Services: South Yorkshire
32
WORK AND PENSIONS
46
Kidney Diseases
32
Food Poverty
46
Lung Diseases
33
Housing Benefit
47
Malnutrition: Cumbria
34
Northampton Hospital
34
Housing Benefit: Greater
London
47
HEALTH
TREASURY
46
Daily Report
Jobseeker's Allowance
Personal Independence
Payment: Wales
3
48
49
Reserves held by Academies
and Free Schools
HEALTH
Personal Independence
Payment: Wrexham
49
Remploy
49
Social Security Benefits
50
Social Security Benefits and
Welfare Tax Credits
50
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
52
DEFENCE
52
Ministry of Defence Support to
Ukraine
EDUCATION
52
No voice unheard, no right
ignored – a consultation for
people with learning disabilities,
autism and mental health
conditions
WORK AND PENSIONS
Agenda for the Employment,
Social Policy, Health and
Consumer Affairs Council
(EPSCO) 9 March 2015, Brussels
Notes:
Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.
Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally
tabled as an oral question and has since been unstarred.
52
52
55
55
57
57
4
Daily Report
ANSWERS
ANSWERS
BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS
Appeals
Guto Bebb:
[226141]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to respond to
the consultation, Regulatory and competition appeals: options for reform, which closed on
11 September 2013.
Jo Swinson:
The Government is still considering some of the complex issues raised in the consultation
before fully considering the way forward.
Steps have been taken to address one of the issues raised as part of the consultation.
The Government has made provisions in the Consumer Rights Bill to allow for a widened
pool of judges to sit as Chairs of the Competition Appeals Tribunal. This reform removes
the time limit that judges can remain as Chairs and allows both Scottish judges and
judges from the Queen’s Bench to be nominated as Chairs.
Business: Government Assistance
Mr Chuka Umunna:
[225778]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what growth hubs are in
operation; where each hub is located; when each hub began operation; and how many
businesses have been provided assistance by each hub.
Matthew Hancock:
Growth Hubs bring together services for small business in each Local Enterprise
Partnership (LEP) area. There are currently 23 Growth Hubs, and a list of locations is
provided in the table below. Growth Hubs have begun operation at different times
reflecting local circumstances, and launch dates are shown. As a condition of receiving
funding from Government in 2015-16 alongside their Local Growth Deals, LEPs will
report on the number of businesses their growth hub has helped. This information will
be available from October 2015.
GROWTH HUB
L AUNCH DATE
GROWTH HUB
L AUNCH DATE
Black Country
June 2014
Lancashire
Prior to January 2014
Buckinghamshire
Thames Valley
New Anglia
June 2014
Cumbria
Northamptonshire
Coventry &
Warwickshire
August 2014
Oxfordshire
June 2014
Daily Report
ANSWERS
GROWTH HUB
L AUNCH DATE
GROWTH HUB
L AUNCH DATE
Coast 2 Capital
August 2014
Southend
June 2014
D2N2
December 2015
South East Midlands
March 2014
Dorset
May 2014
Stoke-on-Trent &
Staffordshire
October 2014
Greater Manchester
Solent
July 2014
Heart of the South
West
June 2014
Swindon & Wiltshire
May 2014
Humber
June 2014
Tees Valley
July 2014
Gloucestershire
October 2014
Thames Valley Berkshire June 2014
Worcestershire
June 2014
Green Investment Bank: Wales
Jonathan Edwards:
[225374]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much has been paid by
the Green Investment Bank to projects in Wales in each year of that bank's operation.
Matthew Hancock:
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) has to date helped finance four projects located in or
off the coast of Wales. Total commitments to these amounts to £289,100,000 of which
£69,100,000 has so far been deployed. Details are set out in the table below:
P ROJECT
2012/13
COMMITTED / DRAWN
(VALUES £M)
2013/14
COMMITTED / DRAWN
(VALUES £M)
2014/15
COMMITTED / DRAWN
(VALUES £M)
Rhyl Flats offshore wind 57.5 / 57.5
farm
Gwynt y Mor offshore
wind farm
220
Port Talbot bio-energy
plant
11.20 / 11.20
Kingspan energy
efficiency retrofit
0.40 / 0.26
0.14
5
6
Daily Report
ANSWERS
In addition, GIB has helped finance introduction of energy efficient lighting in car parks,
including 9 in Wales.
Higher Education
Jesse Norman:
[224149]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, which new higher education
institutions designated under section 129 of the Education Reform Act 1988 received
funding for (a) capital works and (b) specific designated courses in the last five years for
which data are available.
Greg Clark:
[Holding answer 24 February 2015]: In the last five years two higher education
providers were designated under section 129 of the Education Reform Act 1988 - The
National Film and Television School and The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. Both
were designated in 2013.
To date neither has received funding for capital works.
In 2008 the National Film and Television School had a two year full time post graduate
course specifically designated allowing eligible students to apply for disabled students’
allowance, this lapsed at the point that they became a publicly funded higher education
institution.
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine had no courses specifically designated for
student support prior to them becoming a publicly funded higher education institution.
Higher Education: Admissions
Mr Liam Byrne:
[222895]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimates of university
application numbers his Department used when making the decision to remove student
number controls.
Mr Liam Byrne:
[222896]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what recent estimate his
Department has made of numbers of applications to English universities in (a) 2015-16, (b)
2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19 and (e) 2019-20; and what effect the decision to remove
student number controls in December 2013 has had on those estimates.
Greg Clark:
The Department does not estimate the number of applications to English universities.
Higher Education: Carers
Greg Mulholland:
[225302]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is
taking to ensure universities better support students who are also carers.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Greg Clark:
[Holding answer 3 March 2015]: As autonomous bodies, universities are responsible for
providing support to help their students succeed in their studies.
Universities charging above the basic fee level (£6,000 for full time students) must also
agree an access agreement with the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) setting out what more
they will do to widen participation and help students to succeed with their studies. In its
latest guidance, OFFA specifies young carers as a group whose needs universities should
consider.
Carers Trust and the National Network of Universities Supporting Young Adult Carers
have produced a resource “Supporting Students with caring responsibilities: ideas and
practice for universities to help student carers access and succeed in Higher Education.”
The Trust and the Network are holding an event on 24 th April to help universities to
support students with caring responsibilities through the student lifecycle.
Research: Finance
Roberta Blackman-Woods:
[224049]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding was
awarded by the (a) Arts and Humanities Research Council, (b) Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council, (c) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, (d)
Economic and Social Research Council, (e) Medical Research Council, (f) Natural Environment
Research Council and (g) Science and Technology Facilities Council to institutions and
Reseach Organisations in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) each
government office region in England in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12, (C) 2012-13, (D) 2013-14
and (E) 2014-15.
Roberta Blackman-Woods:
[224050]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how much funding was
awarded by the (a) Arts and Humanities Research Council, (b) Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council, (c) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, (d)
Economic and Social Research Council, (e) Medical Research Council, (f) Natural Environment
Research Council and (g) Science and Technology Facilities Council to each university in the
UK in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12, (iii) 2012-13, (iv) 2013-14 and (v) 2014-15.
Greg Clark:
This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Science: Research
Dr Matthew Offord:
[225412]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has
made of the effect of maintaining the current level of spending on science research and
development beyond 2016; and what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on
that matter.
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8
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Greg Clark:
At a time of tight control over public spending, this Government has remained
committed to supporting our world-class science and research base. We have protected
the science ring fence in cash terms for 2015/16. We have also announced investment in
science infrastructure of £1.1bn a year rising with inflation to 2021, funding for new
programmes such as Quantum Technologies, the Newton Fund, and further investment
in high level skills. This means that overall Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
investment in science and research will reach £5.8bn in cash terms for Financial Year
2015/16, an increase in the overall allocation compared to recent years.
Students: Finance
Mr David Lammy:
[224394]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many people with
limited or discretionary leave to remain have had applications for students loans or grants
rejected in each year since 2008.
Greg Clark:
[Holding answer 23 February 2015]: The Student Loans Company does not hold
information on the number of student loan and grant applicants with limited or
discretionary leave to remain that have had their application rejected for the years
requested.
Students: Loans
Dr Julian Huppert:
[225433]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy
to increase the level of student maintenance loans in areas where the cost of living matches
or exceeds the London average to the level of such loans in London.
Greg Clark:
[Holding answer 2 March 2015]: Decisions on support for tuition and living costs
support are taken on an annual basis.
The Government announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 12 March 2014 the
Maintenance Grant for academic year 15/16 would be maintained at 14/15 levels.
Maximum loans for living costs for new and continuing full-time students will be
increased by forecast inflation for 2015/16, 3.34%. The student support package for
16/17 will be announced in due course.
Technology: Employment
Chris Bryant:
[225603]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an
assessment of the consequences for his policies of the conclusion of the report Technology
at Work: The Future of Innovation and Employment, published in February 2015 by Citi GPS.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Mr Edward Vaizey:
The report by Citi GPS makes an important contribution to the debate about how
technological developments will shape work and the labour market.
The Government’s Horizon Scanning Programme Team is working with officials across
departments to explore the implications for policy – including employment – of
emerging technologies. Through this work, the team has been in touch with the authors
of the Citi GPS report from the Oxford Martin School since last year.
Vocational Training
Stephen Timms:
[226127]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what proportion of
traineeships completed to date lasted (a) less than one month, (b) between one and three
months, (c) between three and six months and (d) six months or more.
Nick Boles:
Of the 6,400 traineeship completions reported to date (August 2013 to October 2014)
one per cent lasted less than one month, 32 per cent lasted between one and three
months, 48 per cent lasted between three and six months, and 18 per cent lasted more
than six months. These data will include trainees that left earlier than originally expected
for positive destinations.
While work experience and work preparation training should be completed within 6
months of starting a traineeship, learners are able to continue to study English and/or
maths for longer – for example, as part of further learning or while they are in work.
Therefore, the length of traineeships can vary greatly.
CABINET OFFICE
Asthma
Liz Kendall:
[225989]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 October 2014 to
Question 211917, how many people (a) under and (b) over the age of 18 died as a result of
asthma in England and Wales in 2014.
Mr Rob Wilson:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I
have asked the Authority to reply.
Attachments:
1. ONS Letter to Member - Death from Asthma [PQ-22598.PDF]
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10
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Behavioural Insights Team
Chris Bryant:
[225726]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2015 to
Question 223182, who the members of the Cross-Government Behavioural Insights Network
are; when that network has met; and what topics were discussed at each of those meetings.
Mr Rob Wilson:
The informal cross-government behavioural insights network was established in 2012 to
share experience and insights from across government.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are
not normally disclosed.
There is not a defined membership list for the network with attendees drawn from
across the civil service.
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Aarhus Convention
Roger Williams:
[225984]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what representations
he has received about the use of the Aarhus Convention in challenging planning decisions in
the High Court from (a) local authorities, (b) other bodies and (c) individuals; and if he will
make a statement.
Brandon Lewis:
The Aarhus convention is referred to by some of those who challenge planning decisions
in the High Court although we do not hold systematic records. Each challenge is
considered on its merits, taking into account the representations of each party as a
whole. The Department also deals with correspondence referring to the Convention in
its normal course of business.
Coastal Communities Fund
John Pugh:
[223748]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which coastal resorts
have received support in more than (a) one round and (b) two rounds of coastal
communities funding awards.
Penny Mordaunt:
The Coastal Communities Fund has had three bidding rounds to date. A table has been
placed in the Library of the House giving details of 164 coastal communities across the
UK that have received grants from the Fund in one, two or three bidding rounds. The
table covers all grants awarded in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to
date.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
In addition to the coastal communities in the table, 22 grants were awarded to projects
in local authority areas, and a further five grants awarded to cross local authority
projects including two long distance coastal footpaths, where we do not have details of
the individual coastal communities they will help.
Ministers are not involved in the grant application or assessment process. The Big Lottery
Fund is responsible for inviting and assessing applications to the Fund and makes
recommendations to Ministers on which projects should be supported.
The Coastal Communities Fund is currently closed for further applications. No decisions
have been taken yet on whether there will be further bidding rounds. This will be a
matter for the next Spending Review. However, I hope there will be further
opportunities to support local schemes which have not benefitted from Government
support to date.
Fire Services
Lyn Brown:
[226132]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, on how many
occasions he has used his powers of intervention under section 22 of the Fire and Rescue
Services Act 2004 since May 2010; and for what reasons he used those powers on each such
occasion.
Penny Mordaunt:
These intervention powers have not been used under this Government or the last
Administration, as they have not been needed.
However, as I made clear in my Written Ministerial Statement of 15 December 2014,
Official Report, Column 68WS, these are powers that could be used if the Secretary of
State considers a fire and rescue authority is failing, or is likely to fail, to act in
accordance with the Fire and Rescue National Framework for England.
Housing: Construction
Mr Michael Meacher:
[226229]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many (a) council
houses and (b) affordable housing units have been built in each year since 1985.
Brandon Lewis:
Statistics on additional affordable housing built or acquired in England since 1991-92,
including those delivered by local authorities, are published in the Department’s live
tables 1000 and 1009, which are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-affordable-housingsupply
Statistics are not available prior to 1991-92. Affordable housing statistics include
housing delivered by local authorities (councils) and Private Registered Providers (housing
associations).
11
12
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Mr David Winnick:
[226004]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the hon.
Member for Walsall North will receive a reply to his letter of 22 January 2015 enclosing a
motion passed by Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council.
Kris Hopkins:
A reply was sent on 27 February.
Starter Home Initiative
Mr Nick Raynsford:
[225986]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has
made of the (a) distribution between each local authority in England of the total number of
homes built under the proposed starter homes exceptions policy over the next five years and
(b) amount of section 106 and community infrastructure levy contributions foregone as a
consequence of this policy.
Mr Nick Raynsford:
[226133]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has
made of the total potential value of section 106 and community infrastructure levy
contributions which will be forgone in sales designated under the proposed exemptions
policy for starter homes.
Brandon Lewis:
Further to my Written Ministerial Statement of 2 March 2015, Official Report, Column
42-44WS, we do not anticipate any shortfall, as these are homes which would not
otherwise have been built.
Councils will still benefit from the New Homes Bonus and council tax receipts from the
new homes.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Sir Gerald Kaufman:
[225760]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when he intends to reply to the
letter to him dated 21 January 2015 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton
with regard to Ms B H Ardwold.
Mrs Helen Grant:
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has no record of receiving this letter and a
duplicate has been requested.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Mobile Phones: Austria
Chris Bryant:
[225787]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of
the effect on price and quality of service for consumers of the reduction of mobile network
operators in Austria from four to three.
Mr Edward Vaizey:
There are no plans for a separate assessment of the consequences of the Austrian
mobile market consolidation in 2012. DCMS officials, working with BIS colleagues in
Competition Policy, continue to monitor the results of the EU remedies imposed when
the deal was sanctioned. Competition authorities will look at all relevant evidence when
considering any future mergers that affect the UK market.
Non-departmental Public Bodies
Chris Bryant:
[225696]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9
February 2015 to Question 223139, if he will discuss his Department's policies with the (a)
Early Intervention Foundation and (b) Centre for Ageing Better.
Mrs Helen Grant:
My Right Hon Friend the Secretary of State will happily consider any meeting request
made in the normal fashion.
Ofcom
Guto Bebb:
[226042]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a comparative
assessment of the effects of (a) judicial review standard and (b) merits-based appeals on the
ability of Ofcom to carry out its functions.
Mr Edward Vaizey:
The Government has already assessed the impacts of both standards of review. This was
done as part of its analysis prior to consulting on options for reforming Regulatory and
Competition Appeals in 2013.
Radio Frequencies
Chi Onwurah:
[225982]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress he has made on
promoting sharing of Government-owned spectrum.
Mr Edward Vaizey:
This Government has made good progress on Government shared spectrum. 62 MHz of
Government used spectrum has already been shared or released. 140 MHz of spectrum
at 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz will be released entirely from public to private use.
13
14
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Railways: Radio Frequencies
Chi Onwurah:
[225983]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of
the suitability of the L-Band spectrum between 1.4GHz and 1.5GHz for improved on-train
connectivity.
Mr Edward Vaizey:
There have been two assessments already. At a European level the Radio Spectrum
Policy Group has published a report on wireless broadband in part of this range
(https://circabc.europa.eu/d/a/workspace/SpacesStore/6e0575cf-5244-4707-a811c45b61b29377/RSPG13-522-Final_RSPG_Report_on_WBB.pdf, section 6.2). In the UK,
Ofcom recently concluded a consultation on the use of the upper end of this range of
frequencies for supplemental downlink, i.e. boosting data rates for mobile telephony.
This can be found at http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/consultations/licencevariation-1.4ghz/summary/1.4ghz-consultation.pdf
Regulation
Guto Bebb:
[226041]
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make a comparative
assessment of the cost of (a) legal fees and (b) legal advice relating to appeals of regulatory
decisions to (i) Ofcom and (ii) other regulators in (A) 2013-14, (B) 2012-13 and (C) 2011-12.
Mr Edward Vaizey:
There are no plans to make a comparative assessment. Information about legal costs
relating to appeals of regulatory decisions can be sought directly from Ofcom and other
economic regulators, who are independent from Government.
DEFENCE
Afghanistan
Mr Jim Murphy:
[226217]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of
State for International Development on what future military support will be provided to
Afghanistan.
Mr Julian Brazier:
[Holding answer 6 March 2015]: The UK has made an enduring commitment to
Afghanistan. We are now contributing around 470 troops in a non-combat role to the
NATO Resolute Support Mission, principally focused on mentoring at the Afghan
National Army Officer Academy to help develop the next generation of Afghan military
leaders. The UK has also committed £70 million a year until 2017 to help sustain the
Afghan National Security Forces and £178 million a year in development aid.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Armed Forces: Deployment
Ian Lucas:
[226035]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2015 to
Question 214595, what criteria is used to decide how many UK military personnel are
deployed to individual UN operations.
Mr Julian Brazier:
Deployments of UK personnel overseas take into account a number of factors, including:
National Security Council priorities; foreign, defence and security policy objectives; and
matching Defence capabilities to the requirements of the task.
In addition to deployments of troops and capability in standing operations and one-off
deployments, the Ministry of Defence currently supports a number of UN missions
through the provision of highly capable staff officers.
Civil Servants: Reserve Forces
Mr Jim Murphy:
[226218]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff within the Scottish Government
are participating in the Civil Service Reserves One per cent Challenge.
Mr Julian Brazier:
The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate
cost. Currently there are approximately 3,400 Volunteer Reserves based in Scotland and
the Scottish Government is working closely with the Armed Forces in Scotland to
promote service in the Reserve Forces.
Nimrod Aircraft
Angus Robertson:
[225757]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much was spent on the Nimrod MRA4
project in each financial year from 1994 to 2014.
Angus Robertson:
[225758]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much British Aerospace was paid for work on
the Nimrod MRA4 project in each financial year from 1994 to 2014.
Angus Robertson:
[225759]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of support costs for
the Nimrod MRA4 in each financial year from 2009 to 2020.
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16
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Mr Julian Brazier:
Available expenditure information on the Nimrod MRA4 aircraft programme is provided
below:
FINANCIAL YEAR
£ MILLION
Pre 1996-97(1)
5
1996-97
72
1997-98
78
1998-99(2)
451
1999-2000
192
2000-01
307
2001-02(3)
58
2002-03
251
2003-04
444
2004-05
414
2005-06
304
2006-07
380
2007-08
308
2008-09
278
2009-10
310
2010-11(4)
87
Notes:
(1) Total cost of the assessment phase as at 31 March 1996. Earlier data is no longer
available.
(2) Accruals accounting introduced to Ministry of Defence accounts.
(3) The variance between 2001-02 and 2002-03 in part reflects an accruals adjustment.
(4) As at 31 December 2010.
In addition, costs of £0.5 million were incurred in disposing of Nimrod MRA4 airframes,
against a corresponding receipt of £1 million.
Available financial information has not identified payments relating to the programme
after 20 October 2012.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Information on payments made to BAE Systems in respect of work undertaken on the
Nimrod MRA4 programme is no longer centrally held and could be provided only at
disproportionate cost. I am withholding details of costs associated with the cancellation
of the Nimrod MRA4 programme as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice
commercial interests.
The Nimrod MRA4 support solution was in the assessment phase at the time the
programme was cancelled. At that time, the approved cost of the support solution was
£146 million. Estimated support costs for each year from 2009 to 2020 are no longer
centrally held and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy:
[226215]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many and what proportion of (a) staff of his
Department and (b) staff working for companies contracted by his Department in Scotland
are paid less than the living wage.
Mr Julian Brazier:
The Government supports businesses which choose to pay the Living Wage. The
national minimum wage is independently set by the Low Pay Commission at a level
which maximises wages without reducing employment prospects. It is for workers and
employers to negotiate the level of wages above the minimum wage. This includes the
Government as a procurer and an employer. Around 20 million employees, over 95% of
the total, earn above the minimum wage, and the majority of public sector workers
currently earn above the Living Wage.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently employs 170 civilian staff in Scotland who are
being paid below the UK Living Wage of £7.85 an hour. This represents 4.4% of the
MOD civilian population based in Scotland.
We do not have access to the information required to provide equivalent data in respect
of contracted workers' rates of pay, where paid by their parent company or recruitment
agency.
Veterans: Scotland
Mr Jim Murphy:
[226216]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assistance his Department provides to people
leaving the Armed Forces in Scotland to seek further training and qualifications upon leaving
the Armed Forces.
Mr Julian Brazier:
In Lord Ashcroft's 2014 review of transition arrangements, he made clear that the
measures which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) already have in place ensure that the
vast majority of Service leavers make a successful transition to civilian life. Among many
others, these measures include a resettlement and career package from the MODfunded Career Transition Partnership and funding for nationally recognised qualifications
through Enhanced Learning Credits which can be utilised up to 10 years post-discharge.
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ANSWERS
These arrangements apply to all Service leavers, regardless of stationed location or
residential address within the UK.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
Electoral Register: Learning Disability
Mark Durkan:
[226006]
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will collect information on the number of people
with a learning disability who (a) register to vote under the new individual electoral
registration system and (b) vote in the 2015 General Election.
Mr Sam Gyimah:
It is not possible to monitor the number of people with a learning disability who (a)
register to vote and (b) vote in the forthcoming election as no record is made of
disability when registering to vote or when voting.
The Cabinet Office is funding Mencap to increase the representation of people with
learning disabilities on the electoral register. This includes engagement activity
highlighting to disabled people why they should register to vote and how to do so.
EDUCATION
Carers: Young People
Steve McCabe:
[226363]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information her Department requires local
authorities to hold on the number of young carers in receipt of free school meals.
Mr Edward Timpson:
[Holding answer 6 March 2015]: The Department for Education does not require local
authorities to collect this information.
Educational Institutions: Asbestos
Dan Jarvis:
[225875]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to compensate teaching
professionals who have been exposed to asbestos while working in educational
establishments.
Mr David Laws:
It is the responsibility of employers to compensate their employees or former employees
where harm is shown to have resulted from exposure to asbestos. Employers may have
to provide compensation in cases where it is shown that they have not taken measures
to protect their employees from the risk of exposure to asbestos. As the employers of
teaching professionals in educational establishments, it is for schools, academy trusts or
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ANSWERS
governing bodies (depending on the type of school) to provide compensation to
employees harmed by asbestos exposure.
There are a number of schemes available to those who are unable to bring a claim for
compensation against their employer or trace the relevant employers' liability insurer,
which can support those who may have experienced this. These benefits and lump sum
payments are administered by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Free School Meals: Copeland
Mr Jamie Reed:
[226115]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children in each ward in Copeland
constituency (a) were eligible for and (b) received free school meals in each of the last five
years.
Mr David Laws:
Information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school
meals is not published at parliamentary constituency level.
GCSE: Disadvantaged
Mr Jim Cunningham:
[226047]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will calculate the proportion of (a) pupils
known to be eligible for free school meals achieving 5+ A*- C GCSEs (or equivalent) grades
including English and mathematics and (b) all other pupils achieving 5+ A* - C GCSEs (or
equivalent) grades including English and mathematics, by local authority and region for the
2013-14 GCSE results using the 2013 methodology.
Mr David Laws:
2013/14 Key Stage 4 results by local authority using the 2013 methodology have not yet
been published by the Department for Education.
Information on pupils achieving 5+ A*- C GCSEs (or equivalent) grades including English
and mathematics using the 2013 methodology by local authority will be released in midMarch.
Information on the attainment of pupils by free school meals (FSM) using the 2013
methodology at national level is published in table 1 of the ‘GCSE and equivalent
attainment by pupil characteristics: 2014’ Statistical First Release. This is published online
at:
www.gov.uk/government/statistics/gcse-and-equivalent-attainment-by-pupilcharacteristics-2014
Headteachers
Mr Jim Cunningham:
[226048]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications her Department has
received for the first application round of the talented leaders programme.
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ANSWERS
Mr David Laws:
The application round for the first cohort of the Talented Leaders programme opened
on 10 September 2014. The Future Leaders Trust that runs the programme received a
total of 125 completed applications.
Mr Jim Cunningham:
[226049]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school leaders her Department have
recruited to the talented leaders programme to date.
Mr David Laws:
To date, the Future Leaders Trust that runs the Talented Leaders programme has
recruited 27 school leaders to the programme. This first cohort of talented leaders will
be matched and placed in headship positions in schools by September 2015.
The Talented Leaders programme aims to recruit 100 exceptional school leaders over
two cohorts and match them with schools in areas of the country that are facing some
of the toughest challenges.
Mr Jim Cunningham:
[226050]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which areas are taking part in the talented
leaders programme; and how many school leaders have been recruited to that programme
in each area to date.
Mr David Laws:
There are currently fifteen priority areas around the country that have joined the
Talented Leaders programme. They are Bradford, Blackpool, Suffolk, North Lincolnshire,
Redcar and Cleveland, Hartlepool, Stockton on Tees, Sunderland, Norfolk, Southend on
Sea, Bracknell Forest, East Sussex, Medway, Thanet, and Portsmouth. Additional areas
are expected to join over the coming months.
The Future Leaders Trust that runs the programme is currently matching talented leaders
with schools in some of the priority areas.
Schools
Mr Michael Meacher:
[226230]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will give a guarantee that in her tenure as
Secretary of State for Education there will be no for-profit schools.
Mr Edward Timpson:
All academies must be set up as charitable trusts, which ensures that any income must
be spent on their charitable aims. The government has no plans to change these
arrangements.
Secondary Education
Kevin Brennan:
[225999]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of (a) secondary school places
were in publicly-funded selective schools, (b) pupils attended schools outside their local
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ANSWERS
authority area at Key Stage 3 and (c) selective school pupils do not live in the same local
authority area as the school for each local authority area with selective schools in the latest
period for which figures are available.
Mr David Laws:
a) According to the January 2014 school census, a total of 162,630 pupils attended
selective state-funded secondary schools. This represents 5.1% of the 3,181,360
attending state-funded secondary schools.[1]
b) As of January 2014, 8.8% of pupils in each of the academic years 7, 8 and 9
attended schools outside their local authority area.[2]
c) As of January 2014, 25.5% of pupils attending selective state-funded secondary
schools did not live in the same local authority area as the school.
[1] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january2014
[2] www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january2014
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Energy: Meters
Pamela Nash:
[226043]
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, how many and what
proportion of (a) electricity and (b) gas energy customers in (i) the UK, (ii) Scotland, (iii)
England, (iv) Wales and (v) Northern Ireland used home prepayment meters in each year
from May 2010 up to the most recent period for which records are available.
Matthew Hancock:
Data on methods of payment for domestic energy consumers are published in Quarterly
Energy Prices, tables 2.4.2 and 2.5.2.
This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/quarterlydomestic-energy-price-stastics .
The tables below show the proportion of customers on pre-payment for each year since
2010. Data is only available at the Public Electricity Supply (PES) region level of
geography. As Merseyside and North Wales is a PES region we cannot separately
calculate totals for England and Wales. Gas is not yet widely available in Northern
Ireland; therefore this data has been excluded from the gas table.
Percentage of electricity customers with pre-payment meters
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014P
UK
15
15
16
16
17
Scotland
19
19
19
19
21
21
22
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ANSWERS
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014P
England and
Wales
14
14
15
15
16
Northern
Ireland
33
36
37
36
36
Percentage of gas customers with pre-payment meters
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014P
GB
13
13
14
15
15
Scotland
13
14
16
17
18
England and
Wales
12
13
14
14
15
Data for 2014 is provisional as Q4 2014 data is not yet available, so percentages
published are based on data from the first three quarters of the year.
DECC estimate that there are just over 27 million households in the UK that consume
electricity, based on meter point counts, suggesting that in 2014 there were around 4½
million households using pre-payment meters.
DECC estimate that there are just over 23 million households in Great Britain that
consume gas, based on meter point counts. This suggests that in 2014 there were
around 3½ million households using pre-payment meters.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Agriculture
Sir Nicholas Soames:
[225777]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is
taking to improve total factor productivity in the agricultural sector; and if she will make a
statement.
George Eustice:
The Secretary of State has set out a long-term economic plan for food and farming - the
number one priority is to enable a productive and resilient industry. As part of this work,
Defra is dedicated to opening up new markets at home and abroad, making EU
regulations work for British farmers, and protecting this country from plant and animal
disease.
Earlier this month the Secretary of State introduced Food Enterprise Zones (FEZs), which
will make the planning process easier for ambitious businesses that want to expand.
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ANSWERS
Defra is making available grants of up to £50,000 in 11 areas to facilitate the setting up
of Local Development Orders and FEZs. She has now opened applications for a second
round.
To boost technology development, £70m of the £160m for Agri-Tech is funding an
Agri-Tech Catalyst to commercialise near market innovation. 52 Agri-Tech Catalyst
projects, worth £43m (£30m of government funding), have been announced. Successful
projects from the Third Round will be announced in March 2015.
Agriculture: Research
[225776]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her
Department's expenditure was on (a) basic and (b) applied agricultural research in each of
the last 15 years.
George Eustice:
a) The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has not funded basic
agricultural research within the past 15 years. Such research is commissioned by the
Research Councils who are funded by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
(BIS).
b) Defra’s expenditure on applied agricultural research in each of the last 15 years,
excluding food science research but including agri-environment and soils research, is as
follows:
Defra’s expenditure on applied agricultural research (£millions)
1999/2000 2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
78.8
78.0
79.5
78.7
79.3
79.4
77.8
71.5
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
64.9
59.4
61.1
59.0
57.8
52.1
43.5
Note: This has been supplemented since January 2014 by £160million allocated by the
Department for Business Innovation and Skills and the Department for International
Development to agricultural research and innovation under the UK Strategy for
Agricultural Technologies, which Defra developed jointly with these departments.
Dangerous Dogs
Jim Fitzpatrick:
[225160]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people
have been (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of an offence under section 2 of the Dogs
Act 1871 in England in each year from 1997 to 2014.
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ANSWERS
Jim Fitzpatrick:
[225303]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people
have been (a) proceeded against and (b) convicted of offences under section 3(1) of the
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in England in each year from 1997 to 2014.
George Eustice:
The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates’ courts and found guilty at
all courts of offences under section 2 of the Dogs Act 1871 and Section 3(1) of the
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in England from 1997 to 2013 is in the table attached and
has also been sent to the House Library.
Criminal court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in May 2015.
Attachments:
1. table showing Magistrates Courts proceedings [table for 225160 225303.xls]
Jim Fitzpatrick:
[225161]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many section 1
dogs have been exempted under section 4A or 4B of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in
England in each year from 1997 to 2014.
George Eustice:
The attached table shows the numbers of dogs added to the Index of Exempted Dogs
under section 4A and 4B of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 from 1997 to 2014.
YEAR
NUMBER OF DOGS
1997
11
1998
35
1999
25
2000
15
2001
4
2002
7
2003
None recorded
2004
6
2005
1
2006
6
2007
185
2008
330
2009
395
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ANSWERS
YEAR
NUMBER OF DOGS
2010
729
2011
683
2012
678
2013
720
2014
674
Procurement
Mr Chuka Umunna:
[226059]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of
the amount (a) her Department and (b) its agencies and non-departmental public bodies
spent on procurement was paid to small and medium-sized enterprises (i) directly and (ii)
through the supply chain in the last year for which figures are available.
Dan Rogerson:
On 25 February 2015, the Government published the latest spend data relating to
central government spend with SMEs for 2013/14. This sets out procurement spend
data for all Whitehall Departments including Defra, and its agencies and nondepartmental public bodies. The information can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/central-government-spend-with-smes2013-to-2014
Wildlife: Smuggling
Justin Tomlinson:
[225972]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what
recommendations the Government plans to propose to the Conference on the Illegal Trade
in Wildlife in Botswana in March 2015.
George Eustice:
The Government is working with other countries and international organisations to
develop an ambitious set of outcomes for the Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade
that is taking place in Botswana on 25 March 2015. These will build on and complement
the 25 commitments to action on enforcement and criminal justice, demand reduction
and sustainable livelihoods set out in the Declaration from the London Conference on
the Illegal Wildlife Trade.
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ANSWERS
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Algeria
Sir Hugh Robertson:
[225990]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what independent
assessment has been made of the number of refugees living in the Tindouf camps; and what
the most recent estimate of that number is.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
We have no access to independent figures on the number of refugees living in the
Tindouf camps. The UK supports the language in the UN Secretary General’s latest
report on the situation in Western Sahara (S/2014/258), which cites a figure of 90,000
refugees.
Sir Hugh Robertson:
[225991]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he
has made of the findings of the report of the European Anti Fraud Office on food aid for the
Tindouf refugee camps.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) report on food aid in Tindouf refugee camps was
undertaken from 2003, drafted in 2007 and released in 2015 following an intervention
by the EU Ombudsman. The report cites three key elements to the fraud: the diversion
of food aid, the inflation of refugee numbers in camps and the use of unpaid labour.
The evidence may encourage the European Commission to look at measures to reduce
the risk of fraudulent practices.
Sir Hugh Robertson:
[225992]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his
Department holds on when the report to the European Anti Fraud Office on food aid for the
Tindouf refugee camps was (a) undertaken, (b) completed and (c) published.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The European Anti Fraud Office (OLAF) report on food aid in Tindouf refugee camps was
undertaken from 2003, drafted in 2007 and released in 2015 following an intervention
by the EU Ombudsman.
Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences
Mr Keith Simpson:
[225994]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many (a) full-time
UK-based and (b) locally-engaged staff in his Department are working to support the
Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative in (i) London and (ii) overseas; and if he will make a
statement.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
James Duddridge:
There are seven full time members of staff working in the London based Preventing
Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) team. The team is supported by colleagues from
geographic and thematic desks whose portfolios cover PSVI issues. In addition the team
works closely with other government departments including Stabilisation Unit and DFID.
It is not possible to provide accurate figures of all UK and locally engaged staff around
the FCO network who work on PSVI but over the last twelve months the London PSVI
team has worked with staff in over eighty posts to take forward PSVI objectives.
Mr Keith Simpson:
[225996]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which British
Embassies and High Commissions have included the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative
within their business plans; and if he will make a statement.
James Duddridge:
We have PSVI strategies and engagement in place for a range of conflict affected
countries, key partners and multilateral posts including Bosnia and Herzegovina, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Iraq, Syria, the USA, the United Nations and the
European Union.
Mr Keith Simpson:
[225997]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to
take to incorporate lessons learned from the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative into
teaching at the Diplomatic Academy; and if he will make a statement.
James Duddridge:
Lessons from the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) campaign are being
incorporated into a range of teaching materials on campaigning, communications
strategies, and policy development for the Diplomatic Academy. Additionally, the
Diplomatic Academy materials on conflict and multilateral engagement will include
sections on preventing sexual and gender based violence as well as related issues such as
combatting violence against women and girls.
Gambia
Tim Farron:
[226039]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his
Department is taking to improve the rights of LGBTI people in Gambia.
James Duddridge:
The UK position on human rights is clear: human rights are universal and must apply
equally to all people. We are therefore concerned about the "Aggravated Homosexuality
Bill" recently introduced in The Gambia, and the British Ambassador in Banjul has raised
these concerns with the Gambian government on numerous occasions in recent months.
Furthermore, we have raised our concerns at the United Nations when The Gambia’s
human rights record was evaluated during the Universal Periodic Review. The Foreign
and Commonwealth Office will also be focussing on The Gambia’s record on Lesbian,
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ANSWERS
Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues in its upcoming Annual Human Rights and
Democracy Report which will be published on 12 March. This report is HMG’s flagship
publication on human rights around the world.
Iraq
Andrew Rosindell:
[225945]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent
discussions he has had with his Iraqi counterpart on strengthening Iraqi military forces.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The strengthening of Iraq’s security forces forms a regular part of our engagement with
the Government of Iraq, including when the Foreign Secretary hosted the inaugural
meeting of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL on 22 January. The
meeting was attended by both Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi and Foreign Minister
Ibrahim Al-Jaafari. Discussions included the need to support the Government of Iraq in
its fight against ISIL, as well as the need for progress in strengthening Iraq’s political
stability through addressing Sunni disenfranchisement. This would include progress on
the creation of a National Guard, legislation in this regard would, in part, see Sunni
tribal forces brought under the aegis of Iraq’s security forces, politically and militarily
drawing together Sunni and Shia in their common fight against ISIL.
The UK is actively contributing to the Global Coalition’s efforts in support of Iraqi Forces
including conducting over 150 strikes and training over 1000 members of the Kurdish
Peshmerga. In addition to our earlier delivery of lethal equipment to the Peshmerga,
which included 40 Heavy Machine Guns, subject to parliamentary scrutiny, we will also
gift 1000 surplus VALLON Counter-IED metal detectors to Iraq, and deploy a team to
provide training in their use.
LGBT People
Tim Farron:
[226223]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his
Department is taking to promote the rights of LGBTI people overseas.
Mr David Lidington:
Our work to combat violence and discrimination against Lesbian Gay Bisexual &
Transgender (LGB&T) people is therefore an important part of our international human
rights work. We work through our embassies and high commissions, and through
international organisations, including the UN, the Council of Europe and the
Commonwealth, to raise awareness of the importance of tolerance and nondiscrimination against all people, including LGB&T people, and to address discriminatory
laws, in particular those that criminalise homosexuality.
We welcomed the adoption at the Human Rights Council in September 2014 of the
UN’s second ever resolution on sexual orientation, which passed by a much bigger
majority than the first resolution on this issue in 2011. We work with partners as part of
the UN’s LGB&T Core Group in New York to ensure that the UN does more to combat
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ANSWERS
discrimination and protect the rights of all, regardless of their sexual orientation or
gender identity. We support targeted project work and work with civil society in
individual country situations.
Mauritania
Mrs Madeleine Moon:
[225906]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will hold
discussions with his Mauritanian counterpart on the arrest and trial of Biram Abeid and
others involved in anti-slavery campaigns in that country; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The UK’s representative in Nouakchott has raised our concern at the Biram Abeid case
with the Mauritanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in particular the length of the activists’
sentence. With other EU member states, the UK made a public statement to express our
concern on 20 January. We understand that the activists are appealing the sentence,
and we are considering what further representations will we make to the Government
of Mauritania following the outcome of this appeal.
Religious Freedom
Tim Farron:
[226038]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff in his
Department's Human Rights and Democracy section work in the area of freedom of religion
or belief.
Mr David Lidington:
Within the Human Rights and Democracy Department (HRDD), the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office (FCO) has one full time Desk Officer wholly dedicated to
Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), who works closely with the Team Leader in the
Equalities and Non-Discrimination Team, who themselves spend approximately 50% of
their time on FoRB. Additionally, the Head and the Deputy Head of HRDD spend
approximately 5% and 20% respectively of their time on FoRB issues; one Human Rights
Advisor spends 5% and one HRDD Communications Officer approximately 10%.
As FoRB is one of only six thematic human rights priorities for the FCO, a considerable
number of other FCO officials in London and overseas are engaged directly on FoRB as
part of their wider human rights work.
Mr Nigel Dodds:
[226107]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will meet the
Religious Liberty Commission to discuss global religious persecution.
Mr David Lidington:
I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 February 2015 to PQ 224376.
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ANSWERS
Ukraine
Andrew Rosindell:
[225946]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent
discussions he has had with his US counterpart on establishing a cessation of hostilities in
Ukraine.
Mr David Lidington:
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the
member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met US Secretary of State, John
Kerry, in London on 21 February. They discussed the importance of full implementation
of the Minsk agreements. We continue to monitor closely the implementation of the
ceasefire, including through reporting from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.
HEALTH
Brain: Tumours
Mr Roger Godsiff:
[225785]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reason brain tumours are not included in
the Government's Be Clear on Cancer awareness campaign.
Jane Ellison:
“Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011,
committed over £450 million over the four years up to 2014-15 to achieve earlier
diagnosis of cancer, including some central funding for Be Clear on Cancer (BCOC)
campaigns, which aim to raise awareness of the symptoms of cancer and get
symptomatic patients to present earlier.
The BCOC campaigns aim to raise awareness of the symptoms of specific cancers, and
to encourage people with symptoms to see their doctor promptly. The decision on
which cancers should be the focus of BCOC campaigns is informed by a steering group,
whose members include primary and secondary care clinicians, analysts and key
voluntary sector organisations. A number of factors are taken into account when
deciding which campaigns to develop and run, with one of the main criteria being the
number of deaths that could be avoided through earlier diagnosis. The focus for
national campaigns so far has therefore been on lung, breast (in women over 70),
bowel, kidney and bladder, and oesophago-gastric cancers.
The Department will continue to work with Public Health England, NHS England and
other stakeholders to keep these campaigns under review and work with relevant
experts to see what might be done to increase awareness of other cancers, such as brain
tumours.
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ANSWERS
Cancer: Cumbria
Mr Jamie Reed:
[226112]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what proportion of patients at (a)
North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust and (b) University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS
Foundation Trust were seen by a consultant within two weeks of a GP referral for each type
of cancer in each quarter since 2008.
Jane Ellison:
The information requested can be found in the Statistics section of the NHS England
website at:
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/
Clinical Commissioning Groups: Cumbria
Mr Jamie Reed:
[226114]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding (a) in total and (b) per capita has been
allocated for Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group for each year from 2013-14 to 201920.
George Freeman:
Clinical commissioning group (CCG) funding has not been decided beyond 2015/16.
Notified revenue allocations and per capita allocations for Cumbria CCG are:
YEAR
ALLOCATION £000
P ER CAPITA £
2013/14
692,122
1,330
2014/15
677,324
1,299
2015/16
685,654
1,313
These figures exclude running cost and Better Care Fund allocations.
Health Services: Greater Manchester
Helen Jones:
[226124]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential
effect of devolution of spending to Greater Manchester on (a) patients who live outside the
Greater Manchester area but who are registered with a GP there and (b) patients who wish
to receive treatment at a hospital in Greater Manchester but who live outside the area.
George Freeman:
This is a historic partnership between local organisations in Greater Manchester (GM),
with general practitioners as clinical leaders working with elected leaders to improve
services for people living in the area.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
The National Health Service bodies involved, including NHS England and the relevant
clinical commissioning groups, will remain statutorily accountable for the exercise of
their functions. GM will work collaboratively with local non-GM bodies and take into
account the impact of GM decisions upon non-GM bodies and their communities.
The fundamental national policies including Choice, inspection regimes, guidance and
regulations will continue to apply to GM but, in line with the Five Year Forward View
published by NHS England, GM will exercise greater freedom in how they are
implemented so that local services better reflect the priorities of local patients and
service users.
Health Services: South Yorkshire
Mr Clive Betts:
[225995]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which schemes in Sheffield and South Yorkshire will
be (a) cancelled, (b) delayed or (c) deferred as a result of the transfer of £650 million from
the NHS capital budget for 2014-15 to the revenue budget.
Mr Clive Betts:
[225998]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which schemes in Sheffield and South Yorkshire will
be (a) cancelled, (b) delayed or (c) deferred as a result of the transfer of £197 million from
the NHS Technology Fund budget for 2014-15 to the revenue budget.
George Freeman:
The Department has not cancelled, delayed or deferred any agreed funding for specific
capital schemes in National Health Service trusts or foundation trusts.
Kidney Diseases
Kate Green:
[225684]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage earlier
diagnosis of kidney disease.
Kate Green:
[225685]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department issues to clinical
commissioning groups and local authorities on developing appropriate services to identify
kidney disease among people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
Kate Green:
[225686]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential for
cost savings in the NHS from earlier diagnosis of kidney disease.
Jane Ellison:
The NHS Health Check programme, which launched in 2008, is a universal and
systematic programme for everyone between the ages of 40-74 years (not already on a
chronic disease register) that assesses people’s risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney
disease and diabetes. It is estimated that the programme could detect at least 20,000
Daily Report
ANSWERS
cases of diabetes or kidney disease earlier, allowing individuals to be better managed
and to improve their quality of life.
Economic modelling suggested that the NHS Health Check programme would be cost
effective and it is is estimated that savings to the National Health Service budget
nationally would be around £57 million per year after four years, rising to £176 million
per year after a 15 year period.
Black and south Asian people are three to five times more likely to have kidney failure
than white people, but many are unaware of the condition. Local authorities, which are
responsible for roll-out of the health check in their respective areas, can choose to target
high-risk groups to encourage participation in the NHS Health Check programme, if
appropriate. Guidance and tools for commissioners, clinicians and local authorities on
the programme, including case study examples on its application in specific
communities, can be found at the following link:
www.healthcheck.nhs.uk
In addition to this, the NHS Choices Website contains detailed information on both black
and Asian health issues which includes a page on the increased risk these ethnic groups
have of developing kidney disease. The page can be viewed at the following link:
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Kidneyhealth/Pages/BlackandAsiankidneyhealth.aspx
Finally, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s guidance Chronic kidney
disease: early identification and management of chronic kidney disease in adults in
primary and secondary care sets out best practice for clinicians on early diagnosis and
care of patients with the condition. The guidance was updated in July 2014.
Lung Diseases
Mark Pawsey:
[225733]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of chronic lung disease are
recorded as being linked to (a) butterscotch flavoured e-liquid and (b) electronic cigarettes in
general.
Jane Ellison:
The Department does not hold the requested information.
There are reported cases of butterscotch, and other flavours of e-liquid, containing the
chemical diacetyl which has been strongly associated with a form of lung disease called
bronchiolitis obliterans via occupational exposure.
This substance is not intentionally present in e-liquids and because of the potential of
this chemical to cause disease, a precautionary approach should be taken. Many
responsible producers have taken steps to remove this chemical from e-liquids.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
Malnutrition: Cumbria
Mr Jamie Reed:
[226111]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have been diagnosed with
malnutrition in (a) Copeland constituency and (b) Cumbria by (i) GPs and (ii) A&E doctors in
each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison:
This information is not collected centrally.
Northampton Hospital
Chris Heaton-Harris:
[224979]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many Serious Incident Investigations have been
undertaken by Northampton General Hospital into incidents involving stillbirths in each year
since 2010.
Dr Daniel Poulter:
It is the responsibility of care providers to investigate all serious incidents that take place
under their jurisdiction.
Data from the Strategic Executive Information System (STEIS) shows that a total of five
serious incidents involving still births were reported by Northampton General Hospital
since 2010. Where a small number of cases exist the Department is unable to provide
further details as the disclosure of such information could breach an individual’s
confidentiality.
Obesity: Copeland
Mr Jamie Reed:
[226113]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children in each ward in Copeland
constituency in (a) reception and (b) year 6 have been recorded as (i) overweight or (ii) obese
in each of the last five years.
Jane Ellison:
Data on Childhood obesity at a sub-national level for England are collected through the
National Childhood Measurement Programme for two school year groups Reception (45 year olds) and Year 6 (10-11 year olds).
The attached table presents the most recent ward level data that are available. Wardlevel data are not published by individual year because of the small numbers at ward
level and potential disclosure of sensitive information. The figures in the table are
summed over three year periods.
Some small numbers still remain and these figures have been suppressed, shown by an
‘s’ in the attached table.
Information for the overweight category was not calculated at ward level for the three
year periods 2008/09-2010/11 and 2009/10-2011/12. Information for these periods is
for the obese weight category only.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Attachments:
1. NCMP ward level data for childhood obesity [Childhood obesity at a sub-national
level for England.docx]
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Tessa Munt:
[225987]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answers of 26 January 2015 to
Question 221450 and of 2 March 2015 to Questions 225136, 225137 and 225138, for
what reasons funding is provided to University Hospital Bristol to treat patients with gamma
knife radiosurgery; when that funding approval was given; and who authorised that funding.
Jane Ellison:
Since 1 April 2013, radiosurgery treatment is planned and paid for by NHS England to a
national specification, developed through public consultation. All existing contracts for
stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic radiotherapy services, including that with
University Hospital Bristol, were transferred to NHS England on 1 April 2013. NHS
England has continued to commission against these contracts, during the review of
stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy.
The future provision of stereotactic radiosurgery services in NHS England will be
determined by the procurement exercise that will follow on from the consultation
exercise that has recently ended. Until this process is completed there are no plans to
change current commissioning arrangements.
HOME OFFICE
Asylum
Alex Cunningham:
[226000]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used for
determining to which areas asylum seekers are dispersed.
James Brokenshire:
[Holding answer 6 March 2015]: The last Labour Government passed the Immigration
and Asylum Act 1999 to alleviate the pressure on local authorities in London and the
South East of England where most asylum seekers made their asylum claims.
The effect of the 1999 Act was to pass the support responsibility to the Home Office.
Regional dispersal policy established by the then Home Secretary in 2000 provides that,
as a general rule, asylum seekers should be accommodated in areas where there is a
greater supply of suitable and cheaper accommodation.
Asylum seekers who need accommodation are housed across the UK according to an
agreed ratio, based on various regional factors. The Home Office has voluntary
agreements with 95 local authorities throughout the United Kingdom in accepting the
dispersal of asylum seekers. As part of the regional dispersal policy established in 2000
an advisory cluster limit was set by the Home Office at 1 asylum seeker for every 200 of
the settled population.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
Asylum: Stockton on Tees
Alex Cunningham:
[226002]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much the Government is
paying private landlords to house asylum seekers in Stockton-on-Tees local authority area.
James Brokenshire:
[Holding answer 6 March 2015]: The Government does not pay private landlords for
accommodating asylum seekers as there is no direct contractual relationship between
the Home Office and private landlords. Accommodation is provided through third party
accommodation providers under the COMPASS contracts. Accommodation in the
Stockton-on-Tees area is provided via a contract with G4S and the associated costs are
regarded as being commercially sensitive and are not available for disclosure.
Borders: Personal Records
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225963]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been
stopped from leaving the UK by officials at the ferry port in Hull in the last year.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225964]
stopped from leaving the UK by officials at the ferry port in Dover in the last year.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225968]
stopped from leaving the UK by officials at the shuttle tunnel in Folkestone in the last year.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225969]
stopped from leaving the UK by officials at the ferry port in Portsmouth in the last year.
James Brokenshire:
To ensure the integrity and security of the UK border Her Majesty’s Government does
not comment on port specific statistics.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225965]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times there have been
no police or immigration officials at the ferry port in Portsmouth checking people leaving the
UK in the last year.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225966]
no police or immigration officials at the ferry port in Hull checking people leaving the UK in
the last year.
Daily Report
Mr Mike Hancock:
ANSWERS
[225967]
no police or immigration officials at the shuttle tunnel in Folkestone checking people leaving
the UK in the last year.
Mr Mike Hancock:
[225970]
no police or immigration officials at the ferry port in Dover checking people leaving the UK in
the last year.
James Brokenshire:
The requested information has not been released as it is Border Force policy not to
release port-specific staff numbers on grounds of national security.
Exit checks were abolished by the last government. This Government is committed to
reintroducing exit checks by April 2015 on scheduled commercial international air, sea
and rail routes.
Mark Jenner
Steve Rotheram:
[226045]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, and in what capacity,
Mark Jenner is currently employed by a UK police force.
Mike Penning:
The Home Office does not hold this information. The employment of individual officers
and staff is an operational matter for individual forces.
Steve Rotheram:
[226046]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether public funds were used to
facilitate payments of UCATT subscription fees by Mark Jenner when he joined that union
between 1996 and 1998.
Mike Penning:
The Home Office does not hold this information.
National Police Air Service
Andy Sawford:
[226105]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of
the potential merits of introducing fixed wing aircraft to the National Police Air Service fleet.
Andy Sawford:
[226117]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how recent reductions in the
National Police Air Service budget will be distributed between police forces in (a) the East
Midlands and (b) the Eastern region.
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Daily Report
Andy Sawford:
ANSWERS
[226118]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what meetings Ministers in her
Department have had with representatives of the National Police Air Service in the last 12
months.
Andy Sawford:
[226119]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of
the effect of the closure of the National Police Air Service base at Husbands Bosworth on
flight times to (a) Corby, (b) Oundle, (c) Thrapston, (d) Raunds, (e) Irthlingborough, (f)
Warmington and (g) Easton-on-the-Hill in Northamptonshire.
Mike Penning:
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led operational initiative, with all
strategic decisions, including agreeing the budget and operating model, taken by the
Strategic Board which comprises Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief
Constables. The Board agreed to convene a small working group of PCCs to define a
more equitable future funding model for all force areas.
The Strategic Board agreed on 19 February a new optimised operating model that will
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, and will mean that every air base
supports police forces 24 hours a day. NPAS modelling indicates that Northamptonshire
will remain within the 20 minute Priority 1 Service Level Agreement for NPAS. The new
operating model will include an enhanced fixed-wing aircraft capability within the NPAS
fleet.
Home Office Ministers have been kept informed of the development of NPAS’s new
operating model, and officials attend the NPAS Strategic Board meetings in a non-voting
capacity.
Offenders: Foreign Nationals
Mr Ian Davidson:
[225366]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what measures her Department has
put in place to track foreign national offenders upon release back into the community since
May 2010.
James Brokenshire:
[Holding answer 2 March 2015]: Tough enforcement is the cornerstone of this
Government’s immigration policy. Those who break our laws should be removed from
the country at the earliest opportunity, and we will seek to remove any foreign national
who receives a custodial sentence for a criminal offence.
We removed almost 5,100 foreign national offenders in 2013/14 and over 23,000 since
2010. We are removing more offenders straight from prison, which saved the taxpayer
£27.5million in the last financial year. This is all despite a 28% increase in appeals.
We are dealing with offenders who do not want to go home, and in some cases whose
home country does not want to take them back. This presents challenges which we are
determined to overcome. Chief among the challenges are the legal barriers we face.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
That is why this Government is the first to have a strategy for dealing with foreign
national offenders, including overcoming obstacles to their removal. We have also
introduced new powers in the Immigration Act (2014) which have cut the number of
grounds on which criminals can appeal deportation. More than 500 foreign offenders
have already been removed under the new ‘deport now, appeal later’ provisions.
The majority of foreign national offenders in the community were released by an
Immigration Judge, despite our strong opposition. Most offenders are subject to
reporting conditions and, where possible, electronic tagging. If a foreign national
offender fails to comply with these conditions by absconding, our dedicated national
absconder tracing team works with the police, other government agencies and
commercial companies to track down, arrest and return absconders to custody. The
Home Office is using intelligence and working more closely with partners to maximise
the impact of enforcement activity.
Police: Pensions
Helen Jones:
[226125]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, at what age police officers will be
able to draw their pensions under her Department's proposed new pension scheme.
Mike Penning:
Police officers will be able to retire with a pension from age 60 under the 2015 Police
Pension Regulations. They will also have flexibility to be able to retire early with a
reduced pension from age 55. Police officers will continue to retire earlier than most
public servants.
Terrorism
Andrew Rosindell:
[225949]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure
that people who have been suspected of planning to commit terrorist attacks are
appropriately monitored.
James Brokenshire:
This Government has taken significant steps to keep this country safe. Funding for the
Security and intelligence agencies has increased in cash terms by 5% compared to 2010
(from £2 billion to £2.1 billion). We spend £564 million annually on CT policing. And on
25 November 2014, Prime Minister announced £130 million of new money through to
the end of the next financial year to monitor and disrupt terrorists.
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which received Royal Assent last month,
improved law enforcement agencies’ ability to identify who is responsible for sending a
communication on the internet or accessing an internet communications service.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Adam Smith International
Mary Creagh:
[225691]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department
provided to Adam Smith International in the 2013-14 financial year.
Justine Greening:
We do not provide any core funding to Adam Smith International.
Developing Countries: Children
Fiona Bruce:
[226121]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what targets her Department
has set for tackling (a) child labour and (b) other children's rights issues internationally; and if
she will take steps to ensure such targets are included in the sustainable development goals.
Mr Desmond Swayne:
The UK is strongly supportive of Sustainable Development Goal 16 as proposed by the
Open Working Group on the sustainable development goals. As currently drafted, this
includes a target on ending all forms of violence and abuse against children. The UK has
been vocally supportive of target 5.3 which includes the requirement to end child, early,
and forced marriage and female genital mutilation and the Open Working Group report
additionally includes targets on child labour.
International Climate Fund
Mary Creagh:
[225689]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when she expects the
framework for assessing the effectiveness of climate spend through the UK's International
Climate Fund to be ready.
Justine Greening:
The ICF has put in place a further programme, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Programme, to support its work in this area. Impact results will be made available using
the new ICF Knowledge platform which is designed to improve access to ICF data.
Overseas Aid
Mary Creagh:
[225692]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department
has made of the proportion of its multilateral and headquarters' spend that is allocated to
least developed countries.
Justine Greening:
This information is not available in the form requested.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
TRANSPORT
East Coast Railway Line
Grahame M. Morris:
[226040]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what date it is scheduled that free wifi will be
introduced on Virgin East Coast Main Line trains or at stations on that line.
Claire Perry:
Virgin Trains East Coast will introduce free wi-fi at Stations during 2016. On board wi-fi
will continue to be made available free to first class customers from the start of the
franchise and Virgin Trains East Coast’s current plans include a number of initiatives that
will see the phased roll out of free wi-fi to an increasing number of passengers between
2015 and 2018. The exact timings will depend on a number of external factors including
improvements to line side equipment.
Gilberdyke Station
Mr David Davis:
[226136]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to improve disability access to
Gilberdyke Railway Station.
Claire Perry:
All of the available Access for All funding is now committed until 2019 and Gilberdyke
station was not nominated by the industry for the programme. We are not aware of any
industry or third party plans to improve access at the station.
Mr David Davis:
[226138]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to extend the Access for All
funding to Gilberdyke Railway Station.
Claire Perry:1
In 2013 the rail industry was asked to nominate stations for the additional £160m made
available to extend Access for All until 2019. Gilberdyke was not put forward and could
not therefore be considered for funding.
High Speed 2 Railway Line
Mrs Cheryl Gillan:
[226224]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications to the High Speed 2 need
to sell scheme have been received to date; and how many such applications (a) have been
fully reviewed, (b) have been accepted, (c) have been rejected and (d) are still under
negotiation.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
There have been 41 applications of which 5 have been withdrawn.
Decisions have been made on four cases, of which three have been accepted and one
rejected.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
Five cases are pending a decision.
The remaining 27 applications are at various stages between receipt of application,
(checking, verifying, gathering evidence) and consideration by the independent panel.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency: Wales
Mr Gordon Marsden:
[225615]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many hours of shift time were staffed below
risk-assessed levels at (a) Swansea and (b) Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Co-ordination
Centre in (i) July 2013, (ii) January 2014, (iii) July 2014 and (iv) January 2015.
Mr Gordon Marsden:
[225616]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many shifts were staffed below riskassessed levels at (a) Swansea and (b) Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre
in (i) July 2013, (ii) January 2014, (iii) July 2014 and (iv) January 2015.
Mr John Hayes:
The new flexible shift patterns and the ability for areas covered by the new HM
Coastguard structure to be handled by any Coastguard within it mean workload is
managed nationally rather than on a centre by centre basis. This enables HM
Coastguard to proactively match available staff across the whole network to its busiest
areas and times, both diurnally and seasonally.
It is therefore more relevant to consider the total number of Coastguards available on
the growing national network.
As of 6 March 2015 this network, and the benefits it delivers, will stretch from Beachy
Head to the Mull of Galloway. The transition of the national network around the United
Kingdom will be complete by December 2015.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at the current individual centres err
strongly on the side of caution. As each centre joins the evolving national network, the
number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant.
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her
Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between
MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is
available to provide mutual support.
Work continues on the fresh appraisal I have asked for on the relationship between the
available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.
The following table outlines the number of shifts and how many hours of shift time
were staffed below risk assessed levels at (a) Swansea and (b) Milford Haven Maritime
Rescue Coordination Centres in (i) July 2013, (ii) January 2014, (iii) July 2014 and (iv)
January 2015.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
MRCC
JUL-13
Hours
Shifts
Hours
Shifts
Hours
Shifts
Hours
Swansea 23
276
10
120
41
492
32
384
Milford
Haven
60
5
60
26
312
20
240
Shifts
5
JAN-14
JUL-14
JAN-15
Railway Stations: Disability
Mr David Davis:
[226137]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of
railway stations in (a) England, (b) East Riding of Yorkshire and (c) Haltemprice and Howden
constituency that will have full disability access by 2020.
Claire Perry:
Information on the accessibility of individual railway stations is collected by the
Association of Train Operating Companies and published as part of the Stations Made
Easy facility on the National Rail Enquiries website at:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/default.aspx
Mr David Davis:
[226139]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many railway stations in (a) England, (b) East
Riding of Yorkshire and (c) Haltemprice and Howden constituency do not have disability
access.
Claire Perry:
Information on the accessibility of individual railway stations is collected by the
Association of Train Operating Companies and published as part of the Stations Made
Easy facility on the National Rail Enquiries website at:
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations_destinations/default.aspx
Mr David Davis:
[226140]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of
stations that will be only partially accessible to disabled passengers in 2020.
Claire Perry:
The 2020 end date applies to rolling stock accessibility and not stations. However, when
infrastructure work is carried out at stations it must meet EU and UK accessibility
standards. In addition, the Access for All programme will have provided step free routes
at more than 220 stations by 2019 and has already delivered smaller scale access
improvements at more than 1,100 stations.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
Railways: Electrification
Caroline Flint:
[225746]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what costs of rail electrification were passed on
to electricity network operators in each of the last five years.
Claire Perry:
The costs of rail electrification are the subject of commercial discussions between
Network Rail and the electricity network operators. Network Rail can be approached at
Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
Caroline Flint:
[225747]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the costs of rail electrification
were passed on to electricity network operators in each of the last five years.
Claire Perry:
The costs of rail electrification are the subject of commercial discussions between
Network Rail and the electricity network operators. Network Rail can be approached at
Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
Caroline Flint:
[225748]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the costs to
electricity network operators of the plans for rail electrification set out in the National
Infrastructure Plan.
Claire Perry:
The estimate of the costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification is the
subject of commercial discussions between Network Rail and the electricity network
operators. Network Rail can be approached at Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London,
NW1 2DN.
Caroline Flint:
[225749]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to monitor and manage
the costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification.
Claire Perry:
The monitoring and management of electrification costs are the subject of commercial
discussions between Network Rail and the electricity network operators. Network Rail
can be approached at Network Rail, 1 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 2DN.
Caroline Flint:
[225750]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assurances he has received from Network
Rail on the costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification and the effect on
consumer energy bills.
Claire Perry:
The costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification are the subject of
commercial discussions between Network Rail and the electricity network operators.
Network Rail can be approached at 1 Eversholt St, London NW1 2DN.
Daily Report
Caroline Flint:
ANSWERS
[225751]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Network Rail
on the costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification and the effect on consumer
energy bills.
Claire Perry:
The costs to electricity network operators of rail electrification are the subject of
commercial discussions between Network Rail and the electricity network operators.
Network Rail can be approached at 1 Eversholt St, London NW1 2DN.
Road Works
Sir Oliver Heald:
[226034]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the quality of
reinstatement work carried out by utility companies and statutory undertakers; and if he will
make a statement.
Sir Oliver Heald:
[226129]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received on the
quality of reinstatement works by utility companies and statutory undertakers in the last
year.
Sir Oliver Heald:
[226130]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has plans to increase resources
available to highway authorities to enforce requirements relating to reinstatement works by
utility companies and statutory undertakers.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
The Department does not collect data relating to the quality of utility reinstatements.
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State has met with representatives of both utility
companies and local highway authorities to discuss street works, including the quality of
reinstatements. In the last year the Department received 8 letters from MPs and 8 other
items of correspondence about reinstatements.
It is for local authorities to determine the resources assigned to enforce requirements
relating to street works. Councils have powers through the New Roads and Street Works
Act 1991 to inspect reinstatements and to require utilities to carry out remedial works to
comply with their reinstatement duties. Further powers are available through the Traffic
Management Act 2004 where local authorities can introduce permit schemes for street
works, and enforce conditions about how works are carried out. A prescribed
proportion of street work inspections is funded by utility companies, and authorities also
have powers to bring prosecutions where the quality of reinstatement does not meet
standards.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
Southern
[225988]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will review the current franchise agreement
of Southern Rail in order to improve service quality.
Claire Perry:
This Franchise Agreement contains provisions for the management and monitoring of
the quality of the service being provided by Southern.
The Department’s Franchise Management team continues to maintain close regular
contact with Southern. This includes monthly meetings with their senior management
where performance figures are scrutinised and challenged. Whilst performance is not at
the level passengers expect senior officials are in even more frequent contact with them.
There are a range of enforcement mechanisms available to the Department in the event
of non-compliance and we will take action if the level of service provided to passengers
makes this necessary.
TREASURY
Dave Hartnett
Paul Flynn:
[224163]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what communications he has had with Mr David
Hartnett, the former head of tax collection at HM Revenue and Customs, since he left that
post to advise HSBC in 2014.
Mr David Gauke:
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has had no communications with David Hartnett in an
official capacity since his departure from HM Customs and Excise in 2012.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Food Poverty
Stephen Timms:
[226036]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken since 8
December 2014 to act on the conclusion of the Feeding Britain report.
Esther McVey:
The Government welcomed the report as a serious contribution to an important debate,
which recognised that the reasons behind demands for emergency food assistance are
complex and frequently overlapping.
As the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced in his oral answer (Official
Report, 8 December 2014, column 633), more information will be provided to claimants
Daily Report
ANSWERS
about Short Term Benefit Advances (STBA) online and in Jobcentres. Guidance will also
be updated and staff reminded of the process for considering STBA requests.
The department has already undertaken testing of the posters and messaging with a
small number of staff and claimants and the designs have now been reviewed by the
Social Security Advisory Committee.
Housing Benefit
Helen Goodman:
[226122]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in 2013-14 received
local housing allowance at a rate of (a) £250 per week for a 1-bedroom property or shared
accommodation, (b) £290 per week for a 2-bedroom property, (c) £340 per week for a 3bedroom property and (d) £400 per week for a property with four or more bedrooms.
Steve Webb:
The information available is for local housing allowance (LHA) cases by the number of
entitled bedrooms and weekly award amount bands.
This information is published and available at:
https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/
Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:
https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Stat-Xplore_User_Guide.htm
Housing Benefit: Greater London
Helen Goodman:
[226221]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in London claimed
(a) £250 per week for a one bedroom, (b) £290 per week for a two bedroom property, (c)
£340 per week for a three bedroom property and (d) £400 per week for a four bedroom
property in housing benefit in 2013-14.
Helen Goodman:
[226222]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many new claims there were for
housing benefit of (a) £250 per week for a one bedroom property or shared
accommodation, (b) £290 per week for a two bedroom property, (c) £340 per week for a
three bedroom property and (d) £400 per week for a property with four or more bedrooms.
Steve Webb:
The information requested in respect of all housing benefit claimants is not available.
The Department does collect some information on the number of entitled bedrooms in
respect of the Local Housing Allowance only. We are therefore unable to answer these
questions which relate to all housing benefit claimants.
The information available is for local housing allowance (LHA) cases by the number of
entitled bedrooms and weekly award amount bands.
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Daily Report
ANSWERS
This information is published and available at:
Jobseeker's Allowance
Mr Michael Meacher:
[226227]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February
2015 to Question 222884, for what reason information that is currently available to his
Department on jobseeker's allowance hardship payments between March 2012 and March
2015 will not be published until May 2015.
Esther McVey:
Figures on the number of hardship payments are currently being compiled and will
require quality assurance ahead of publication.
Mr Michael Meacher:
[226228]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the information his
Department holds on how many people received jobseeker's allowance (JSA) hardship
payments in each year from March 2012 to date; and how many JSA claimants (a) were
sanctioned and (b) received hardship payments in each parliamentary constituency or the
nearest proxy for constituencies in each such year.
Esther McVey:
(a) The information requested for the number of JSA sanctions by Parliamentary
constituency is published and available at:
(b) The latest published information on hardship awards covers the 12 month period
from April 2011 to March 2012 can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/222972/
hardship_adhoc_2011_2012.pdf
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Personal Independence Payment: Wales
Ian Lucas:
[225926]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have waited more
than six months for a personal independence payment application to be determined in (a)
Wrexham constituency and (b) Wales in each of the last three years.
Mr Mark Harper:
The available information on outstanding claims to Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
has been released as an ad hoc publication on 28 January and can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-new-claimsad-hoc-statistics.We intend to release PIP clearance times and waiting/outstanding times
statistics for the first time on 18 March and have pre-announced this in line with UK
Statistics Authority release protocols.
Personal Independence Payment: Wrexham
Ian Lucas:
[225873]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in Wrexham
constituency have been unsuccessful in an application for personal independence payments
since June 2013.
Ian Lucas:
[225924]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many personal independence
payment applications are awaiting determination in (a) Wrexham constituency and (b) Wales.
Mr Mark Harper:
The available information on registrations, clearances and awards for claims to Personal
Independence Payment, at parliamentary constituency and regional level, have been
published in the data tables accompanying the latest, quarterly statistical release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/personal-independence-payment-april-2013to-october-2014.
Remploy
Pamela Nash:
[226219]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February
2015 to Question 224963, what the agenda was and who the participants were in each
meeting between a Minister in his Department and a former Remploy employee since May
2010; and what the proposed agenda is and participants will be in each such meeting that is
currently planned.
Esther McVey:
The information requested is not collated centrally and could not be provided without
incurring disproportionate cost.
49
50
Daily Report
ANSWERS
Social Security Benefits
Stephen Timms:
[226126]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people received (a) hardship
payments and (b) short-term benefit advances in each of the last (i) five years and (ii) six
months.
Esther McVey:
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) intends to publish figures on the number
of hardship applications and awards in May 2015. The date of publication will be
announced shortly.
For Short Term Benefit Advances (STBAs) I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the oral answer
given to him by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Official Report, 8
December 2014, column 633. The Secretary of State set out how the department will be
doing more to raise awareness of STBAs. This will include providing more information to
claimants about STBAs online and in Jobcentres. Staff guidance on STBAs will also be
updated and staff reminded of the process for considering an STBA.
Mr Michael Meacher:
[226226]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 January
2015 to Question 221196, what the criteria were for selecting the 49 cases relating to the
death of a claimant for peer review; what the date and location of death was of the claimant
in each case; in how many of the cases the claimant had been sanctioned; what conclusions
each review reached on whether his Department could have acted more appropriately or
correctly or sympathetically in its dealings with the claimant; and if he will publish the
detailed results of each review.
Esther McVey:
Peer Reviews can be requested for any complex case where it is beneficial for it to be
analysed with objective scrutiny to ensure all issues have been fully addressed. Peer
reviews aim to identify process improvements and contain sensitive information and
disclosing the content of these reviews, even in anonymised and summarised form, may
still allow individuals to be identified.
Social Security Benefits and Welfare Tax Credits
Stephen Timms:
[226033]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what his latest estimate is of the
number of people who will be claiming legacy benefits or tax credits on 1 January 2021.
Mr Mark Harper:
The numbers of claimants in receipt of Universal Credit at any given point will vary
according to a number of factors, such as the prevailing economic conditions and the
behavioural change of claimants.
Daily Report
ANSWERS
The last new claims to legacy benefits and tax credits will be accepted during 2017.
Following this, the number of people on the remaining legacy claims and tax credit
claims will progressively decline, and the Department will migrate the remaining claims
to Universal Credit. Should there be no change in the labour market outlook or the pace
at which claims are migrated, the current planning assumption is that the bulk of this
exercise will be complete by 2019.
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Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
DEFENCE
Ministry of Defence Support to Ukraine
Secretary of State for Defence (Michael Fallon):
[HCWS354]
I have today laid before Parliament a Ministry of Defence Departmental Minute describing a
gifting package which the UK intends to make to the Government of Ukraine.
Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and its destabilising activities in Eastern Ukraine,
including direct military support to the separatists, have demonstrated its disregard for
international law. The latest ceasefire agreement, reached in Minsk on 12 February and
which came into force on 15 February, has seen a reduction in violence in the conflict zone.
We very much hope it will help end the conflict. However, fighting has not ceased in some
areas and there continue to be fatalities and casualties amongst the Ukrainian armed forces.
This Government is committed to supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and
territorial integrity. As a result of their prolonged engagement in this conflict, the Ukrainians
face a serious shortage of basic equipment, and have requested help.
Our proposed gift of non-lethal equipment is designed to prevent further Ukrainian fatalities
and casualties and to help improve situational awareness on the ground.
The Departmental Minute, which I have today laid before Parliament, describes a gifting
package to the Ukrainian armed forces that will comprise five priority items that are needed
which will provide immediate benefits. These items are Individual first aid kits, Global
Positioning Systems (GPS) units, helmet-mounted monocular night vision goggles (MNVGs),
ruggedised laptops, and Mk6 helmets. Subject to completion of the Departmental Minute
process, delivery is expected to be undertaken over the coming weeks. The total cost of this
proposed package of equipment is approximately £850,000, including transportation and
contingency costs.
This gifting package is being provided alongside other training activities, which are being
delivered by UK military personnel to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
EDUCATION
Reserves held by Academies and Free Schools
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families (Mr Edward
Timpson):
[HCWS356]
There has been some recent interest in the level of cash reserves held by academies and free
schools. The Government regards academies’ cash holdings as reasonable. Academies
cannot borrow and need to hold enough cash to manage their solvency prudently.
In January 2015 I answered two parliamentary questions (219279 and 219280) relating to
the cash reserves held by academies and free schools. I would like to use this opportunity to
Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
provide additional information for individual academies and free schools and to provide
corrected figures for reserves held by academy and free school trusts.
Reserves held by academies
In answering parliamentary question 219279, I provided details of academy trusts’ cash
holdings for the financial years 2010-11 to 2013-14. Academy trusts can of course include
more than one academy, and on reflection it is more useful and relevant to provide figures
covering all individual academies as follows:
DATE
NUMBER OF ACADEMIES TOTAL CASH,
OPEN
£ MILLIONS
AVERAGE CASH PER
ACADEMY,
£ THOUSANDS
31 March 2011
469
62
132
31 March 2012
1,664
1,199
721
31 March 2013
2,823
1,859
659
31 March 2014
3,905
2,469
632
The above table shows that average academies’ cash holdings increased between 2010-11
and 2011-12 and then decreased in the following years to 2013-14. This is due to many
smaller academies opening more recently and holding less cash.
A corrected version of the table in my original answer to PQ 219279 is below. This table is
less representative than the above table, as it does not show the average cash held at an
individual academy level.
DATE [1]
TRUSTS OPEN
TOTAL CASH,
£ MILLIONS
AVERAGE CASH PER
ACADEMY TRUST,
£ THOUSANDS
31 March 2011
377
62
165
31 March 2012
1,524
1,199
787
31 March 2013
2,108
1,859
882
31 March 2014
2,585
2,469
955
NUMBER OF ACADEMY
Reserves held by free schools
In answering parliamentary question 219280, I provided details of cash holdings for free
schools that are part of a free school single academy trust for the financial years 2011-12 to
2013-14. On reflection, it is more relevant to provide details of all free schools that are part
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Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
of a free school academy trust, as follows. This includes free schools that are part of multifree school academy trusts.
AVERAGE CASH PER FREE
SCHOOL IN A FREE
NUMBER OF FREE
SCHOOL ACADEMY
DATE
ACADEMY TRUSTS
TOTAL CASH,
£ MILLIONS
31 March 2012
19
2
105
31 March 2013
59
8
136
31 March 2014
129
26
202
SCHOOLS IN FREE SCHOOL
TRUST,
£ THOUSANDS
The Education Funding Agency (EFA) holds information on free schools’ cash only where free
schools are part of a single free school academy trust or a multi-free school academy trust.
Where a free school is within a multi-academy trust with different types of academy, the EFA
cannot distinguish the free school’s cash holding from that of the wider multi-academy trust.
These schools are not therefore included in the above table.
A corrected version of the table in my original answer to PQ 219280 is below. This table is
less representative than the above table as it only includes free schools that are the only
school in their trust.
DATE[2]
ACADEMY TRUSTS
TOTAL
CASH,
£ MILLIONS
31 March
2012
14
2
143
31 March
2013
47
7
149
31 March
2014
103
20
194
NUMBER OF FREE SCHOOL SINGLE
AVERAGE CASH PER
ACADEMY TRUST,
£ THOUSANDS
Academies and free schools are independent self-managing organisations with freedoms to
generate income from donations and trading activity. They cannot borrow; they can build up
reserves in order to accommodate longer-term plans such as capital investment, to fund
maintenance and expand as well as to manage risk and uncertainty of future funding. As
public sector bodies, academies and free schools are required to apply effective treasury
management policies and ensure that cash is properly controlled.
Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
Academies and free schools typically hold a level of cash that most self-managing
organisations would regard as prudent and no more. The EFA expects trusts with larger cash
balances to have a clear plan as to how they will use these balances and to be able to
demonstrate they have acted accordingly.
[1] We do not have comparable records of academies’ cash holdings for financial years 0607 to 09-10.
[2] The first free schools opened in September 2011.
HEALTH
No voice unheard, no right ignored – a consultation for people with learning
disabilities, autism and mental health conditions
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Norman Lamb):
[HCWS355]
The Government is today publishing the consultation paper ‘No voice unheard, no right
ignored – a consultation for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health
conditions.’
A lot of work has been done over the last two and a half years to improve the lives of people
with mental health needs, learning disability and autism and to realise the vision of everyone
being treated with dignity and respect by health and care services and enjoying the same
rights as anyone else.
However the scale and pace of change for individuals that we all wanted to see has not yet
happened. We have to go further. We want to consider how we can make sure that the
rights, incentives, responsibilities and duties in the system ensure that change is delivered
everywhere and no-one can fall through the gaps any longer.
Above all, we want to see four things:
•
People in charge, supported by family and friends – not as passive patients or
“prisoners” of a system, as they so often feel they are;
•
Inclusion and independence in the community – people should not routinely be sent
away from their homes and communities or to institutions which restrict access to
their community or to inappropriate care;
•
The right care in the right place –there should be real person centred planning with
the individual themselves at the heart; and
•
Very clear accountability and responsibility throughout the system – there can be no
excuses for a lack of clarity over responsibility or for people falling through the gaps
between services.
The consultation sets out a series of proposals on how changes might be made. We hope
that this will mark a step change – and help to secure the rights that everyone deserves. We
also hope that this strengthens further the drive for parity of esteem for all those with
mental health needs.
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Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
The consultation seeks to explore views on a range of proposals intended to strengthen or
build upon existing policies. It also seeks views on proposals developed in response to:
•
issues raised during the 2014 consultation on the Mental Health Act Code of Practice
regarding the Mental Health Act primary legislation; and
•
some of the recommendations of the 2015 National Audit Office report Care Services
for People with Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour.
It sets out a range of potential ideas rather than a single package of measures which
necessarily need to be taken together, and therefore seeks views on which of the measures
would be likely to have most impact.
The scope of the consultation primarily relates to:
(i) assessment and treatment in mental health hospitals for people (all age) with learning
disability or autism;
(ii) adult care and support, primarily for those with learning disability but also for adults with
autism (and the links to support for children and young people); and
(iii) all those to whom the Mental Health Act currently applies (including children and young
people).
Other elements, particularly where they relate to the Care Act 2014, may be of relevance to
adults in receipt of social care, including those with other disabilities.
Some of the proposals relating to possible amendments to the Mental Health Act are not
intended to apply to patients under Part 3 of the Mental Health Act (those who have entered
via the criminal justice system). This is because of those patients’ particular needs and the
important responsibility of the Secretary of State for Justice and the National Offender
Management Service in relation to public protection. This is set out in each relevant section.
This is a consultation by the Department of Health in England. However, the Mental Health
Act applies across England and Wales and any changes to the law in Wales would have to be
agreed by the National Assembly for Wales.
Hidden impairments like autism, learning disability and mental ill health can be harder to see,
and therefore easier to ignore. But, as a civilised society we simply cannot continue to ignore
or tolerate people getting the wrong care or treatment any more than we would for people
with heart disease or cancer.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks from 6 March 2015 to 29 May 2015. An Easy Read
version of the consultation is also available.
A copy of the Command Paper (number 9007) entitled ‘No voice unheard, no right ignored
– a consultation for people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health conditions’ is
attached and is available in the Library.
Attachments:
1. Consultation Paper (Cm 9007) [No voice unheard, no right ignored Cm9007.pdf]
Daily Report
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
WORK AND PENSIONS
Agenda for the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
(EPSCO) 9 March 2015, Brussels
The Minister for Employment (Esther McVey):
[HCWS353]
The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will take place on 9
March 2015 in Brussels . Shan Morgan, Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, will
represent the UK at the meeting.
There will be a Policy debate on the European Semester 2015; As part of the discussion, the
Council will seek the Adoption of draft Council conclusions on the 2015 Annual Growth
Survey and Joint Employment report; and will also seek Adoption of the Draft Joint
Employment Report. The commission will present a Proposal for a Council Decision on
Guidelines for the Employment Policies of the Member States; and seek Endorsement of key
messages on the Social situation in the EU: SPC Report.
The Council will seek a General Approach on the Proposals for a Council Decision
establishing the Employment Committee and repealing Decision 2000/98/EC; and
establishing the Social Protection Committee and repealing Decision 2004/689/EC.
The Council will also seek to Adopt draft Council conclusions on Moving towards more
inclusive labour markets; and the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work
29014-2020: - Adapting to new challenges.
Ministers will be asked to endorse key messages on Financing, effectiveness and efficiency of
social protection systems in the Joint SPC and Commission report.
Under Any Other Business, the Latvian Presidency will inform on the Tripartite Social Summit;
the respective Chairs of the EMCO and SPC will provide information on their Work
Programmes for 2015. The Commission will provide information on the Re-launching of the
social dialogue, Presentation of country reports from the European 2015 Semester, and the
Commission proposal on the Youth Employment Initiative.
57

Daily Report Friday, 6 March 2015 CONTENTS

Transcription

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