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Tuesday 1 May 2012

Volume 543 No. 297 Part 1 of 2

HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Tuesday 1 May 2012

£5·00

© Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2012 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through The National Archives website at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/our-services/parliamentary-licence-information.htm Enquiries to The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected]

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House of Commons Tuesday 1 May 2012 The House met at half-past One o’clock PRAYERS [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] MESSAGE TO ATTEND THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS Message to attend the Lords Commissioners delivered by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. The Speaker, with the House, went up to hear Her Majesty’s Commission; on their return, the Speaker sat in the Clerk’s place at the Table. ROYAL ASSENT Mr Speaker: I have to acquaint the House that the House has been to the House of Peers where a Commission under the Great Seal was read, authorising the Royal Assent to the following Acts: Water Industry (Financial Assistance) Act 2012 Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 Scotland Act 2012 SundayTrading(LondonOlympicGamesandParalympic Games) Act 2012

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Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech Mr Speaker: I have further to acquaint the House that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the Lords Commissioners, delivered Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of Her Majesty’s Command. For greater accuracy I have obtained a copy, and also directed that the terms of the Speech be printed in the Journal of this House. Copies are being made available in the Vote Office. The speech was as follows: My Lords and Members of the House of Commons My Government’s legislative programme has been based upon the principles of freedom, fairness and responsibility. My ministers have made it their paramount priority to reduce the deficit and restore economic growth. To this end legislation has been enacted to establish the Office of Budget Responsibility and legislation has been introduced to reform the financial services sector. My Government has set out plans to restore the public finances to a sustainable position and meet its fiscal targets. The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to visit Canada and also Australia to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth. We received a warm welcome on our State Visits to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Republic of Ireland and on our visit to the United States. We were glad to welcome his Holiness the Pope, His Highness the Emir of Qatar, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Turkey and the President of the United States of America on their visits to the United Kingdom. To mark the Diamond Jubilee, city status will be bestowed on Chelmsford, Perth and St. Asaph and the City of Armagh will be granted a Lord Mayoralty. The Duke of Edinburgh and I intend to travel across the United Kingdom and my family will travel throughout the Commonwealth to take part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Legislation has been passed in advance of the Olympic and Paralympic Games which are to be held in London later this year. Legislation has been passed with regard to my armed forces who continue to serve valiantly in Afghanistan and other places across the globe. My Government has worked to address the threat of Iranian nuclear proliferation and to help build a stable Afghanistan. My Government has worked to stem the violence in Syria and to support political and economic freedom in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. Legislation has been enacted to reform the constitutional arrangements of the United Kingdom, including an Act to establish fixed parliamentary terms of five years. Legislation has been passed to empower local communities, to provide for elected mayors and to establish elected police commissioners in England and Wales. My ministers have worked to restore trust in political institutions and have sought to rebalance the relationship between the state and the citizen. In pursuance of this aim existing regulatory burdens have been reviewed and legislation has been passed to repeal unnecessary laws and to abolish identity cards.

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Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech

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Legislation has been enacted to ensure that Parliament and citizens are involved in any proposals to transfer powers to the European Union. Measures have been passed to reform legal aid and the sentencing of offenders. Reform of the public services has been a priority for my ministers. To this end, legislation has been enacted to reform the National Health Service, postal services and other public services. My Government has also taken forward policies aimed at encouraging greater individual and social responsibility. Legislation has been enacted to provide teachers with greater freedom over the curriculum, to help more schools establish academy status and to allow new providers to run state schools. Legislation has been enacted to reform pensions and the welfare system. My Government established a Commission to consider wider reforms to public sector pensions and has committed itself to bringing forward legislation to implement the findings of that Commission. An Act has been passed to make fair and transparent payments to Equitable Life policy holders. My Government has championed efforts to tackle climate change and legislation has been passed to improve energy efficiency and security. My ministers have worked to foster a strong working relationship with the devolved administrations. Legislation has been enacted to strengthen the devolution settlement in Scotland. In Wales, a Commission has been established

Her Majesty’s Most Gracious Speech

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to examine the Welsh devolution settlement. My Government is committed to working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to rebalance the economy and build a shared future in Northern Ireland. Members of the House of Commons: I thank you for the provisions which you have made for the work and dignity of the Crown and for the public services. My Lords and Members of the House of Commons I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your counsels. PROROGATION Mr Speaker: The Commission was also for proroguing this present Parliament, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: “My Lords and Members of the House of Commons: By virtue of Her Majesty’s Commission, which has now been read, we do, in Her Majesty’s name, and in obedience to Her Majesty’s Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Wednesday the ninth day of May to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Wednesday the ninth day of May.”

End of the First Session (opened on 25 May 2010) of the Fifty-Fifth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the Sixty-First Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.

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Written Ministerial Statements

1 MAY 2012

Written Ministerial Statements Tuesday 1 May 2012

CABINET OFFICE Ministerial Pensions The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (Mr Francis Maude): On 15 March I laid before the House an amendment scheme to the ministerial pension scheme to introduce an increase in member contributions from April 2012 and set out the detail in a written ministerial statement, Official Report, column 33WS. In order to ensure that this change in contributions does not inadvertently increase the benefits earned by the members of this pension scheme, which are determined by a complex calculation, it is now necessary to make some further small technical changes by way of an amendment scheme. I have notified the trustees of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and the Government Actuary of the need for this further technical amendment scheme to deliver the contribution increase on which I consulted last year. The details of the amendment scheme have been laid before the House.

Written Ministerial Statements

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Lloyds TSB, Deloitte, Airwave, Atkins, GlaxoSmithKline, Next, Thames Water, Thomas Cook, Sainsbury’s, Cadbury/ Trebor, and John Lewis. Collectively, they are powerful advocates for London 2012, both in the UK and in overseas markets, and have made possible community, sporting and education programmes that will make these games stand apart, such as LOCOG’s schools based Get Set programme which now reaches children in 80% of schools across the UK. Many have gone much further, such as Sainsbury’s sponsorship of the school games. Their partnership with London 2012 will reach communities across the UK. To highlight but a few—GE’s £4.8 million funding of a new intensive care unit in Homerton hospital, Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of street games, and McDonald’s financial and training support for the London 2012 games makers. Sponsors’ contributions depend on their ability to secure exclusive association with the games within their sector for purposes of marketing and other promotional activity. To ensure that suppliers, who have been engaged on commercial terms and have not purchased sponsorship rights, do not prejudice LOCOG’s ability to benefit from the significant value provided by its sponsors, contracts with suppliers contain the London 2012 “No Marketing Rights Clauses”. However, to enable the appropriate identification by businesses of the way in which they have contributed to the games, LOCOG has developed a detailed protocol which allows businesses that have supplied goods and services to the games to refer to that fact in different contexts. For example, such businesses may mention the work they have undertaken in relation to the games in the form of an accurate factual statement in the following materials: client lists; pitch documents; annual and statutory reports; social or informal business contexts;

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT London Olympics 2012 (Suppliers’ Marketing Protocol) The Minister for Sport and the Olympics (Hugh Robertson): London 2012 has already generated thousands of opportunities for businesses throughout the country. This written ministerial statement seeks to set out how businesses that have worked on the games can make the most of their extraordinary achievement and experience within the terms of their contracts. The Government, the London Organising Committee of the Games (LOCOG) and their partners are absolutely committed to creating a lasting business legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic games. As part of that legacy, it is important that businesses who have won a contract are able to identify to potential customers and in recruiting new employees the contribution they have made towards the success of the games. The costs of staging the games have been funded with a significant contribution from sponsors—in excess of £l billion from international sponsors, broadcast rightsholders and domestic sponsors, including 44 domestic sponsors who are major British-based businesses such as British Airways, British Telecom, British Petroleum,

internal communications.

Full guidelines, including examples of what suppliers may say about their work on the games are set out in the protocol issued by LOCOG and available on its website at: http://www.london2012.com/mm/Document/ Publications/StategiesPolicy/01/25/45/23/L2012 SuppliersNoMarketingRightsProtocolpublishedSept10 _Neutral.pdf.

The protocol also provides that businesses that wish to refer to their work relating to the games in other contexts should talk to LOCOG about whether and how this should be done. One of the major benefits of staging the Olympic and Paralympic games in 2012 is the significant boost the games will give to the UK economy. With the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), Government and other key stakeholders, LOCOG has developed and implemented a pragmatic approach which allows case studies, promotional events and visits to be used to showcase what London 2012 as a whole has brought for the UK. This permits a level of publicity that is proportionate and made in the context of promoting the business benefits of the games. This includes most recently the publication of the Beyond 2012 legacy document, as well as the Springboard to Success suppliers directory.

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1 MAY 2012

2012 is a unique opportunity to showcase and promote wider British business. The GREAT campaign will showcase to the world all that is best about the UK as a place to visit and do business. I am also placing copies of the protocol in the Libraries of both Houses. DEFENCE Afghanistan The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): I wish to clarify answers that I gave in response to questions from the hon. Member for Ilford South (Mike Gapes) and my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) as printed in the Official Report, 26 April 2012, columns 1124 and 1130 respectively. Column 1124 The hon. Member for Ilford South (Mike Gapes) asked the following: In 2014 or 2015 when our combat role has ended, who will provide force protection for our trainers?

The final sentences of my response should have been: The Afghan national officer training academy is being built within the perimeter of an Afghan facility, the perimeter of which will be defended by Afghan troops. Inside this Afghan National Army perimeter, UK personnel based at the Academy will operate from within a coalition force Operating Base, and will therefore be protected by UK or coalition military personnel.

Column 1130 My hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Tony Baldry) asked the following: Because of the need to balance the Ministry of Defence budget, a number of service personnel will be made redundant later this year, including, I suspect, a number who have recently returned from Afghanistan and a number based in my constituency with the Royal Logistic Corps. However, those people have skills that are much sought after by local employers, so will my right hon. Friend ensure that MOD officials work with the local community to set up a social enterprise to ensure that the skills of the service personnel who are made redundant are made known to local employers as swiftly as possible, and so that as many of those skills and those people can be brought into the local labour market as swiftly and speedily as possible?

The first sentences of my response should have been: Exemption from redundancy extends to anyone who is within six months of deploying to Afghanistan, is on operations, or is on their Post Operational Leave or any accrued Operational Rest and Recuperation. Therefore, the majority of service personnel would be exempt from compulsory redundancy for a period of between four and seven weeks after returning from operations in Afghanistan.

I apologise to the House for the errors in my original answers. INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Sale of Actis The Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Andrew Mitchell): I wish to inform the House of the Government’s decision to sell its residual 40% ownership interest in Actis Capital LLP (Actis).

Written Ministerial Statements

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Actis is a fund management business which promotes and manages private equity funds on behalf of third-party investors in a range of developing countries. Actis was created in 2004 as a spin-out from CDC Group plc (CDC), the UK’s development finance institution, following a reorganisation in which CDC moved from being a direct investor to being an intermediated investor. CDC sold a 60% stake in Actis to Actis management for £373,000. I would refer the House to the written statements of 8 January and 8 July 2004 by the then Secretary of State for International Development on the reorganisation of CDC. DFID does not take part in the day-to-day operations of Actis, has no board representation and very limited governance rights. Since 2004 Actis has performed well. It is now established as a leading and successful fund manager in its own right, with some US$4.6 billion of funds under management. Yet despite the successful performance of funds managed by Actis, as a consequence of the ownership structure and financial arrangements put in place in 2004 under the previous Government, DFID has not received any payment whatsoever or direct financial benefit from Actis. In my evidence to the International Development Committee of this House in January 2011 and in the context of that Committee’s report on the future of CDC, I said that I thought that the arrangement entered into in 2004 by the then Government represented poor value for the taxpayer, that there was no reason for the Government to retain their shareholding in Actis and that moreover, if we can realise proper value for it, in the interests of the taxpayer, then we should do so. The International Development Committee took a similar view as it subsequently recommended in its report that DFID’s shareholding in Actis should be sold, but that care must be taken to achieve maximum value. DFID’s financial adviser on the sale process—Canaccord Genuity Hawkpoint Limited (Hawkpoint)—has looked closely at the Government’s position and rights within Actis and at Actis’s future prospects. Hawkpoint has advised that, even if Actis continues to be successful, the Government have no realistic prospect of receiving direct profit distributions in the foreseeable future. Hawkpoint estimates the current value of the Government’s 40% ownership stake in Actis at US$ nil to US$3 million. The Government followed an open and competitive sale process. Our advisers identified and approached a number of potential bidders who were believed to have the strategic rationale and the financial capacity to acquire the DFID stake. DFID also advertised publicly in the Financial Times (Worldwide) that the DFID stake was for sale. Following Hawkpoint’s discussions with potential bidders, no third-party bidders subsequently came forwards with a credible offer for the DFID stake as currently constituted. The Government therefore decided to proceed on the basis of the offer made by Actis management. The Government have now concluded their negotiations with the management team. In consideration of the sale of its stake in Actis, DFID will receive both an upfront cash payment and a share in the future profitability of Actis’s funds. The cash element will comprise US$13 million payable in two equal instalments, the first instalment payable on completion and the second instalment 12 months after completion. The profit share element will comprise a 10% share of carried interest profit of Actis Emerging

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Markets Fund 3 and Actis Infrastructure Fund 2, which have to date invested in 34 businesses across the developing world, and a 7.5% share of carried interest profit in Actis’ latest Fund 4, which is currently being raised. The carried interest consideration will be payable over time and its value will depend on the size and future performance of Actis’s funds. However, if Actis’s funds continue to perform strongly, as they have done historically, then this profit share would generate a substantial return for the Government and for the British taxpayer, which mid-point calculations developed by our financial advisers indicate could over time deliver an amount in excess of US$100 million (undiscounted). In the event of a subsequent transaction taking place within the next five years which attributes a significantly higher value to Actis, provisions have been agreed enabling the Government to share in the proceeds of that transaction. The Actis business has been created through combined contributions from CDC and the Actis partners. CDC contributed the initial investment portfolio to be managed, the people and their associated infrastructure and knowledge

Written Ministerial Statements

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base. Beyond that initial contribution, CDC has continued to support the viability and economics of Actis through its formative years via its commitment to invest in further substantial funds raised and managed by Actis. On the back of that support, Actis has built a successful business measured in terms both of investment performance and third-party funds raised. Under previous arrangements, the UK taxpayer was not able to benefit directly from the success of the Actis business. By giving the Government the chance to share in the future profits of funds managed by this successful business, I believe that this sale represents a much fairer and better deal for the taxpayer. The US$13 million cash element of the consideration is alone significantly above Hawkpoint’s estimate of the value of DFID’s existing stake at between US$ nil and US $3 million, with significant scope for upside beyond this through Government’s share in carried interest. I am today publishing Hawkpoint’s fairness opinion to Government and other information about the sale on the DFID website and will also place copies in the Library of the House.

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Written Answers

30 APRIL 2012

Written Answers to

Written Answers

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the (a) A120 and (b) A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey per day was in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate she has made of daily traffic volume in each of the next 20 years. [105635]

Questions Monday 30 April 2012

Mike Penning: The A120 trunk road runs between the M11 junction 8 and the Parkeston roundabout at Harwich. It is split by the A12 at Colchester between junctions 25 and 29. Current and recent traffic flows, from 2005 are set out in the following table. The data prior to 2005 is incomplete and considered unreliable.

[Continued from Column 1264W] TRANSPORT A120 Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average number of vehicles using

Road section/link

2005

Average daily A120 traffic flows 2006 2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

A120 West Total

36,866

38,709

41,257

40,910

41,526

40,820

41,142

18,274

19,217

20,541

20,429

20,643

20,266

20,465

18,592

19,492

20,716

20,481

20,883

20,554

20,677

27,886

29,099

30,337

30,617

31,006

31,157

30,640

13,814

14,433

15,084

15,156

15,406

15,557

15,345

14,072

14,666

15,253

15,461

15,600

15,600

15,295

14,072

14,666

15,253

15,461

15,600

15,600

15,295

12,773

13,196

13,667

13,583

13,692

13,704

13,783

12,764

13,176

13,605

13,598

13,670

13,716

13,548

23,187

23,643

24,206

23,744

23,716

23,951

1

11,732

11,958

12,249

12,009

11,978

12,082

1

11,455

11,685

11,957

11,735

11,738

11,869

1

A12 to Crown Interchange A120 between A12 and A1232 (AL221) A120 between A1232 and A12 (AL220) Crown Interchange to Hare Green A120 between A1232 and A133 (AL214)

19,463

19,367

17,954

19,432

19,520

18,842

19,656

9,749

9,637

9,810

9,717

9,791

9,456

9,919

9,714

9,730

8,144

9,715

9,729

9,386

9,737

41,000

40,396

41,332

40,824

41,146

40,030

40,182

23,737

23,088

23,596

23,357

23,643

22,935

22,908

Westbound

A120 between A133 and A1232 (AL215)

17,263

17,308

17,736

17,467

17,503

17,095

17,274

Total

Hare Green to Harwich

11,550

11,426

11,405

11,206

10,662

9,724

8,724

Eastbound

Westbound

Total

Eastbound Westbound Total

Eastbound Westbound Total Eastbound

Westbound

M11 to Panners Interchange A120 between M11 J8 and A130 (AL3904) A120 between A130 and M11 J8 (AL3905) Panners Interchange to Galleys Roundabout A120 between A130 and A131 (AL3906) A120 between A131 and A130 (AL3907) Galleys Roundabout to Marks Farm RBT A120 between A131 and A131 (AL3908) A120 between A131 and A131 (AL3909) Marks Farm RBT to A12 A120 between A131 and A12 (AL3910A) A120 between A12 and A131 (AL3911A)

— —



A120 East Total Eastbound Westbound

Total Eastbound

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Eastbound Westbound 1

Written Answers

30 APRIL 2012 Average daily A120 traffic flows 2006 2007

Road section/link

2005

A120 between A133 and A136 (AL3190) A120 between A136 and A133 (AL3189)

5,664

5,580

5,886

5,846

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2008

2009

2010

2011

5,593

5,499

5,032

4,648

4,283

5,812

5,707

5,630

5,076

4,441

No Data

The Highways Agency does not have future year forecasts of daily traffic volumes along the A120 for each future year. Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations her Department received from the regional development agency in support of the dualling of the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey between 2005 and 2010; and if she will place in the Library a copy of each item of [105636] correspondence. Mike Penning: As part of the first round of the regional funding allocation (RFA) process, in January 2006 the Department received from the East of England regional assembly, on behalf of it and the East of England Development Agency, the document entitled “RFA—Advice to Government from the East of England” which supported the inclusion of the A120 Braintree to Marks Tey scheme in the region’s RFA programme. This was followed up in February 2009 with a further document setting out the East of England’s updated advice to the Government on the second RFA round which made no mention of the A120 scheme. Copies of both documents will be placed in the Library of the House. Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of journeys along the (a) A120 and (b) A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey were made for (i) residential or commuter and (ii) businesses purposes in the latest [105640] period for which figures are available. Mike Penning: Current traffic information held by the Highways Agency for the A120 trunk road does not include data relating to the type of journey undertaken and consequently the proportion of residential or commuter or journeys for business purposes is not known for the A120. A31 Mr Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to ensure that the A31 between the Hampshire border and the Canford Bottom roundabout is cleared of litter; and if she will publish the arrangements that are in place for litter [105114] clearance. Mike Penning [holding answer 24 April 2012]: The Highways Agency regularly monitors cleanliness of the all purpose trunk roads. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse, the responsibility for litter collection on trunk roads falls with the local authority. On the A31 trunk road, between the Hampshire border and the Canford

Bottom roundabout, litter is the responsibility of Dorset Waste Partnership/East Dorset District Council. Each week, the Agency issues local authorities with a road space report, enabling them to identify opportunities to use Agency traffic management creating a safe working environment for their litter clearance. Where the standards set by the Environmental Protection Act are not being met, and no contact has been received regarding sharing traffic management, the Agency will write to the relevant authority asking for appropriate action to be taken. Addison Lee Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contracts her Department holds with Addison Lee. [105958] Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, the Department for Transport holds no current contracts with Addison Lee. Air Travel Organisers’ Licence Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many applications for FlightPlus Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing she estimates the Civil Aviation Authority will process before 30 April 2012; [104522]

(2) how many new Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) holders with a FlightPlus ATOL she expects will be fully licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority by [104524] 30 April 2012. Mrs Villiers: The Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) Regulations 2012 come into force on 30 April 2012. To help industry adapt to the new requirements the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has provided details of its transitional approach to enforcement during May, including for travel firms requiring an ATOL licence or Accredited Body membership for the first time. Details are available on their website: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2094/ 20120412ImplementationPolicy1%200.pdf

Accordingly, the CAA anticipates that there will be two hundred new ATOL licence holders by the end of May 2012. More than one thousand further businesses are anticipated to be compliant with the 2012 ATOL regulations through membership of an Accredited Body, also by the end of May 2012. Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many organisations she expects will receive Accredited Body status under her revised Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing regulations by 30 April [104523] 2012.

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Written Answers

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Mrs Villiers: The Civil Aviation Authority expects that at least three organisations will have Accredited Body status on 30 April 2012. Airbus: China Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has had recent discussions with the (a) aviation industry and (b) Chinese government on the effect of planned changes to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on China’s relationship with Airbus. [104525]

Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has had a number of discussions with the aviation industry at which the inclusion of aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System has been raised. We have been clear that the UK continues to support the aviation ETS in the absence of global action. The Government meets regularly with representatives of the Chinese Government to discuss a wide range of issues, including aviation issues. Aviation: Exhaust Emissions Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s work programme on a global agreement to tackle aviation [103907] emissions; and if she will make a statement. Mrs Villiers: The UK Government remains fully supportive of efforts to secure a global agreement to tackle CO2 emissions from international aviation. We welcome the recent progress made within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) where we have been closely involved in discussions. Aviation: Hertfordshire Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012 to the hon. Member for Hertsmere, Official Report, columns 947-48W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, who requested the meeting between the Minister of State and Simon Hoare; and what response policy officials in her Department gave to Simon Hoare’s proposal on [104357] Radlett strategic rail freight interchange. Mrs Villiers: I do not have a record of who originally suggested the meeting take place. With regard to the e-mail of 10 November, a rail policy official provided Mr Hoare with a standard policy response on 8 December, pointing out that it would not be appropriate for Ministers or officials to comment on a specific development proposal. Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in her Department have had with (i) Helioslough and (ii) representatives of Helioslough [104358] since May 2010. Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has had no meetings with Helioslough or representatives of Helioslough since May 2010.

Written Answers

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Neither I nor officials in the Department for Transport have had meetings with Helioslough. In addition to the matters referred to in my answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W, I held a meeting on 8 June 2011 with various representatives of the logistics industry, including CgMs Consulting and Helio Europe. DFT officials were present. The Radlett proposal was not discussed. Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the Radlett rail freight site was discussed with Helio Europe and others on 10 June 2011; [104359] (2) whether minutes were kept of the meeting between the Minister of State and Helio Europe and [104360] others on 10 June 2011; (3) whether any officials were present at the Minister of State’s meeting with Helio Europe and others on [104447] 10 June 2011. Mrs Villiers: The meeting with representatives of the logistics industry, which included Helio Europe, took place on 8 June 2011. Minutes were kept of the meeting. The Radlett rail freight proposal was not discussed. Officials from the Department for Transport were present at the meeting. Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W to the hon. Member for Hertsmere, on aviation: Hertfordshire, (1) whether the meeting between the Minister of State and the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was minuted; who requested the meeting; and what aspects of the Radlett site were discussed at [104364] the meeting; (2) what the outcome was of the Minister of State’s meeting with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Communities and Local [104446] Government. Mrs Villiers: The meeting was held at my request. It was minuted. The Radlett development was mentioned in the context of a discussion about keeping the Department for Transport informed on announcements about rail freight interchanges once decisions had been taken. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State confirmed that the Department for Transport would be notified after decisions were taken. Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W to the hon. Member for Hertsmere, on aviation: Hertfordshire, what the outcome was of the Minister of State’s meeting with [104445] Helio Europe and others on 10 June 2011. Mrs Villiers: The meeting with representatives of the logistics industry, which included Helio Europe, took place on 8 June 2010. The discussion at the meeting served to inform input into the Growth Review. The Radlett proposal was not discussed. Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012,

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Official Report, columns 947-8W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, (1) on which occasions (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have met representatives of (i) Helioslough, (ii) subsidiaries of Helioslough and related commercial organisations and (iii) individuals or other bodies engaged to act on behalf of [104448] Helioslough since May 2010; (2) what representations her Department has received on (a) rail freight and (b) the Radlett rail freight proposal from (i) Helioslough, (ii) subsidiaries of Helioslough and related commercial organisations and (iii) individuals or other bodies engaged to act on behalf of Helioslough; and what meetings have been held between officials in her Department and such [104449] individuals or bodies since May 2010; (3) what representations Ministers in her Department received on the Radlett rail freight proposal prior to the meeting between the Minister of Transport and the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the autumn of [104506] 2010. Mrs Villiers: Since May 2010, my office has received the following emails from Community Connect Limited: (a) 24 May 2010—This was a general inquiry asking for the coalition Government’s view on rail freight and Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges. This was passed to a rail policy official who drafted an official response on 4 June 2010. (b) 10 November 2011—This was the email referred to in my answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W.

In addition to the matters referred to in my answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W, I held a meeting on 8 June 2011 with various representatives of the logistics industry, including CgMs Consulting and Helio Europe. DfT officials were present. The Radlett proposal was not discussed. Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-48W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, for what reason the meetings between the Minister of Transport and the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government were organised in autumn 2010 and 12 May 2011. [104507] Mrs Villiers: The conversation with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the autumn of 2010 was not pre-arranged, taking place at the margins of business in the House. The purpose of the meeting on the 12 May 2011 was to discuss general policy matters on rail freight interchanges and the planning system. Mr Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W, on Aviation: Hertfordshire, on which occasions (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met representatives of Community Connect Ltd since the [104675] formation of the Coalition Government. Mrs Villiers: I refer to my answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947-8W. There have been no meetings between Community Connect and officials from the Department for Transport.

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Mrs Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, column 947W, on aviation: Hertfordshire, (1) when her Department submitted the Rule 11 statement of case to the Department for Communities and Local Government; [104752] (2) if she will place in the Library the Rule 11 statement of case sent to the Department for Communities and Local Government by her [104753] Department. Mrs Villiers: In response to invitation for comments from the Department for Communities and Local Government, officials in the Department for Transport made representations in accordance with Rule 19 of the Town and Country [Inquiry Procedures] [England] Rules 2000 on 13 October 2011 and on 11 November 2011. DCLG made these and all other representations available to all parties for comment under normal planning procedures. A list of the representations received about the Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange planning since May 2010 will be published when the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), issues his decision on the appeal. The reference to the Department’s representation of 13 October as a “Rule 11 statement” in my answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, columns 947 -8W, was a typographical error. The reference should have been to a “Rule 19 statement”. Biofuels Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect [105625] of regulation on the biofuels industry. Norman Baker: The effect of regulation on the biofuels industry is assessed by my Department through the production of impact assessments which present the costs, benefits and potential risks of a proposal or regulation. A number of biofuel related impact assessments can be found on my Department’s website; including the impact assessment for the recent amendment to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation 2007 which transposes the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2009/ 28/EC). BMI Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on regional connectivity between Belfast city and Heathrow of IAG’s takeover of bmi. [106229]

Mrs Villiers: The Government has not undertaken such an assessment but recognises that continued air connectivity within the UK is very important to people and businesses in Northern Ireland. Over 18,000 flights a year operate between Belfast’s two airports and the five main London airports, of which nearly 7,000 are between Belfast and Heathrow.

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Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if she will take steps to ensure the continuity of routes currently operated by BMI and its [105359] subsidiaries; (2) what discussions she has had with Ministers in the Scottish Government on the future of air services currently operated by BMI and its subsidiaries. [105360] Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport has not had any recent discussions with the Scottish Government on the future of air services currently operated by BMI but as Aviation Minister I discussed aviation connectivity between Scottish cities and London with Scottish Transport Minister, Keith Brown, when we met in September 2011. We have also been engaging with the European Commission on the importance of connectivity between London and regional destinations in the UK. Bus Services: Fares Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will seek a guarantee from Arriva North East that bus fares will not be increased in the [106174] Tees Valley during 2012 and 2013. Norman Baker: Bus fares are not set by central Government. Local bus operators are free to set their own fares in the deregulated market. However, local transport authorities have the power to set maximum fares as part of a Quality Partnership Scheme and I suggest the hon. Member direct his suggestion to the relevant local council. In the recent paper Green Light for Better Buses, available in the House Library, the Government set out its plans to improve bus services through more targeted subsidy, by adopting the recent Competition Commission recommendations on regulation and ticketing to encourage competition in local bus markets, and by incentivising partnership working between bus operators and local transport authorities. Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Mr Doran: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of the closure of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices in Scotland on prosecutions for offences relating to vehicle registration and licensing in Scotland. [106246]

Mike Penning: DVLA has a clear commitment to ensure that enforcement activities remain fully effective. Initial assessments have shown that centralising enforcement would not lead to any degradation in service as the operational processes are largely post and telephone-based. We will work with stakeholders to fully understand the legal requirements specific to Scotland to ensure these can be met. Driving under Influence Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of her proposals on minimum pricing for drink-drive rehabilitation courses on the quality of course [104828] provision.

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Mike Penning: The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) published its consultation paper, “New Approval Arrangements for Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Courses”, on 9 November 2011. The consultation ran until 4 January 2012, and the Agency is currently assessing the responses. The consultation proposed that the minimum fee (currently £150) for a Drink Drive Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) course be abolished. Abolishing the minimum fee would allow providers to take into account regional price variations, to make the courses more affordable for offenders. The revised scheme will introduce improved quality assurance and compliance arrangements, to cover all aspects of course provision. Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the effect of her proposals on multiple provision of drink-drive rehabilitation courses in large geographical areas on [104829] the quality of course provision. Mike Penning: On 9 November 2011, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) published a public Consultation Paper: “New Approval Arrangements for Drink-Drive Rehabilitation Courses”. The proposed Drink Drive Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS) Course Syllabus was developed working closely with The Association of Drink Drive Providers of Training (ADDAPT)—the representative body for DDRS course providers. The consultation ran until 4 January 2012, and the Agency is currently assessing the responses. Edinburgh Airport Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the future prospects of air services between Edinburgh and (a) [105358] Brussels, (b) Copenhagen and (c) Zurich. Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State has not undertaken assessment of future air services from Edinburgh. We recognise the importance of good connectivity from regional airports but airlines operate in a commercial competitive environment and they decide which routes to operate. Exeter-Plymouth Railway Line Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what geological surveys have been undertaken in respect of the Exeter to Plymouth [105078] railway line. Mrs Villiers [holding answer 25 April 2012]: The Department does not hold geological survey information for railway routes. This is the responsibility of Network Rail as the owner and maintainer of the railway infrastructure. Network Rail advises that it uses the survey information provided by the British Geological Survey. Where Network Rail does construction work, it undertakes a ground investigation and provides this information to the British Geological Survey. Network Rail monitors earthworks such as cuttings and embankments, on a frequency based on the condition of the assets. With regard to the Exeter to Plymouth line, Network Rail has stabilised the cliffs adjacent to the railway at Dawlish, although this is primarily an issue of coastal erosion rather than geology.

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Heathrow Airport Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times operational freedoms at Heathrow airport have been deployed since the end of [104004] Phase 1 of the trial.

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Justine Greening [holding answer 24 April 2012]: The Government intends to consult shortly on the detail of a package of compensation measures for properties affected by HS2. A key part of this package is measures to streamline the statutory blight process to ensure timely payment of compensation.

Mrs Villiers: The measures approved specifically for use during phase one of the operational freedoms trial have not been deployed since 29 February which is when the first phase of the trial ended. However, these measures do share some common features with established Heathrow operating procedures (for example Tactically Enhanced Arrivals Mode) which have continued as normal during and after the trial. Further details on the procedures in place during phase one of the trial, and how Heathrow operates normally, can be found at the following web address:

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on homes subject to a compulsory purchase order as a result of High Speed 2 where a change in route would mean that the property [105217] was no longer affected.

http://www.heathrowairport.com/noise/noise-in-your-area/ operational-freedoms-trial

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the use of homes being made subject to a compulsory purchase order as a result of High Speed 2 before they are demolished.

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she has taken to review plans for [105155] a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Mrs Villiers: None. The Coalition cancelled plans for a third runway at Heathrow as set out in its programme for government. High Speed 2 Railway Line Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will estimate the number of people who wish to sell their homes but are unable to do so as a consequence of the High Speed 2 rail project. [105160]

Justine Greening [holding answer 24 April 2012]: As of 24 April 2012, we have received 348 applications to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme (EHS). Of these 78 are reapplications and 65 have been accepted. As I set out in my announcement on 10 January 2012, we are also developing an innovative package of property compensation measures for the longer term, on which we will consult on shortly.

Justine Greening [holding answer 24 April 2012]: As set out in the Crichel Down rules, the Government would offer any surplus land acquired through compulsory purchase back to the former owners or their successors.

[105218]

Justine Greening [holding answer 24 April 2012]: As I set out in my statement on 10 January 2012, we will shortly consult on a blight and compensation package, including upon proposals for a sale and rent back scheme to allow home owners whose homes would be compulsorily purchased to remain in their homes until their property is needed for construction. Legal Costs Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much her Department spent on fees for legal work in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if she [104586] will make a statement. Norman Baker: Expenditure by the Department for Transport (including its seven executive agencies1 and HS2 Ltd2) on fees for legal work in the financial years 2010/11 and 2011/12 is as follows. Financial year (£)

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she plans to take to ensure that those affected by High Speed 2 receive compensation in [105161] a timely manner.

2010-2011

2011-20123

Justine Greening [holding answer 24 April 2012]: As I set out in my statement on 10 January 2012, the Government intends to consult on a streamlined advance purchase scheme to simplify the statutory blight process for property owners.

Legal fees paid 19,170,900 7,511,500 1 Figures for 2011-12 only cover the period to the end of February 2012 because there is a time lag of approximately one month for invoices paid by executive agencies and notified to the central Department. 2 The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Government Car and Dispatch Agency, the Driving Standards Agency, the Vehicle Certification Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Highways Agency. 3 HS2 Ltd is developing and promoting a new UK high speed rail network and is owned by the Department.

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure that (a) elderly people seeking to downsize, (b) people wishing to sell their home who are affected by changes in the property market and (c) people wishing to sell a property in a small community where a majority of the community is affected by High Speed 2 and whose property has been adversely affected by High Speed 2 [105216] receive compensation in a timely manner.

These figures include litigation and advisory (nonlitigation) fees, but exclude the costs of the department’s in-house Legal Service and the Treasury Solicitor’s Department. In the interests of greater transparency, the department has been working on how it can better provide more comprehensive legal spend data. Therefore, these figures provide data for the whole department and are compiled on the basis of cash paid in the periods shown.

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lost through evasion in 2011. Overall, VED compliance increased from 99.1% in 2010 to 99.3% in 2011.

Lewes-Uckfield Railway Line Stephen Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to ensure no road scheme proposed by East Sussex County Council prevents the reinstatement of the Lewes to Uckfield [105136] railway.

Motorcycles Steve Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of motorcycle MOT tests revealed illegal modification of unrestricted motorcycles in the latest period for which figures are available. [105950]

Mrs Villiers: Whether the proposed new road in Uckfield is built with a bridge over the trackbed is a matter for the county council, and the planning process. However, the trackbed is protected from development by the planning policies of both Wealden and Lewes district councils.

Mike Penning: Motorcycles do not fail the MOT for illegal modification of power restriction as it is not part of the MOT test.

London Airports

Motorways: Speed Limits

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what the basis is of ownership of take-off [105467] and landing slots at London airports; (2) what recent consideration she has given to the merits of referring the matter of the operation of slot allocation at London airports to the Competition [105468] Commission.

Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the cost associated with (a) increasing the motorway speed limit to 80 mph and (b) maintaining the speed limit at 70 mph on stretches of the motorway network where 80 mph is not deemed to be appropriate on the grounds [104002] of safety.

Mrs Villiers: EU regulation governs the allocation, transfer and exchange of slots at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and London City airports. The regulation requires member states to ensure that independent airport slot co-ordinators are appointed to manage slot allocation at airports where capacity problems occur. Airport Co-ordination Ltd is the UK’s independent co-ordinator. The UK Government and Civil Aviation Authority have no role in airport slot allocation processes.

Mike Penning: I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 7 March 2012, Official Report, column 762W.

Metal Theft Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has made an estimate of (a) the value of metal stolen from railways in Barnsley in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011 and (b) costs incurred by (A) Network Rail and (B) train operating companies owing to the theft of metal from railways in the Barnsley Metropolitan Borough in (1) 2010 and (2) 2011. [105870]

Norman Baker: This is a matter for Network Rail and the train operators. However, Network Rail has advised that the cost of compensation it paid to train operators on its London and North Eastern route for delays arising from incidents of metal theft was £3,534,219 in 2010/11 and £4,039,448 in 2011/12. Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of untaxed cars in use in the last 12 months; and how much revenue was not collected as a result of unpaid [106154] vehicle excise duty in 2010-11. Mike Penning: Following the last Roadside Survey of Vehicle Excise Duty evasion, national statistics were published in December 2011. These reveal the number of unlicensed vehicles in Great Britain was estimated at 249,000 vehicles. This was down from the 307,000 vehicles estimated in 2010. It was estimated that £40 million was

Olympic Games 2012 Mr Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to discuss with train operating companies special arrangements and reduced fares for designated volunteers for the London 2012 Olympics and [105448] Paralympics. Mrs Villiers: Volunteers will be entitled to travel on public transport in London (zones 1-6) for free in order to get to their shifts during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. This will include travel between London and the venues close to London. LOCOG wilt also provide free transport for its volunteers in Weymouth and Portland and the co-host cities (within defined boundaries) of the football competition. Peter Cruddas Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials in her Department have had with (i) Peter Cruddas and (ii) Sarah Southern since [104493] 12 May 2010. Norman Baker [holding answer 23 April 2012]: Ministers and Special Advisers in the department have not met with either Peter Cruddas or Sarah Southern since 12 May 2010. Ministerial and the Permanent Secretary meetings with external organisations, are routinely published every quarter. This can be accessed via the following links: http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/ministerial-transparency/ http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/dft-permanent-secretarymeetings-with-external-organisations/+

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Public Consultation Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether her Department collects the IP addresses of [104080] respondents to its consultations. Norman Baker: Responses to consultations are captured via an online system and the data output for each consultation includes the IP address used by respondents. We do not analyse IP addresses, although the data is passed to the division relevant to the consultation. The Driving Standards Agency also use this system and other agencies have access to it but have to date not used it. Radioactive Waste Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she conducted an environmental impact assessment on the sea shipment of radioactive heat exchangers from the decommissioned Magnox nuclear plant at Berkeley from Avonmouth port in Gloucestershire to Studsvik Nuclear AB at Nykoping [106260] in Sweden. Mike Penning: The movement of the heat exchangers by sea was carried out in accordance with the appropriate international regulations—primarily the provisions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. In this instance, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) conducted a survey and assessment to confirm the correct classification of the heat exchangers as low level surface contaminated objects in order to ensure the correct provisions of the IMDG Code were applied. As a result of the classification an environmental impact assessment was not undertaken as it would not be required under the IMDG Code. Railways: East of England Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding from the public purse was spent on the Great Eastern Main Line in each of [105641] the last 10 years. Mrs Villiers: The Office of Rail Regulation publishes, as part of its National Rail Trends data, a summary of Government support for the rail industry, which includes the subsidy/premium payment for each train operator on an annual basis: www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/nrt-government-support.pdf

Details of monthly payments to train operators are set out in the Transparency section of the Department’s website, under ‘Department monthly spend over £500 in value’: www.dft.gov.uk/publications/dft-monthly-spending/

This shows net payments to train operators in each four-week period. It should be noted that no figure is shown if any payments by the train operator to the Department exceeded any subsidy paid by the Department to the train operator. Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what surplus was generated by the train operating company running the Greater Anglia franchise in each of the last 10 years; and what her estimate is of the amount that will be generated in each [105642] of the next five years.

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Norman Baker: Details of subsidy and premium payments in respect of all Train Operating Companies are published annually by the Office of Rail Regulation in National Rail Trends. This is available on the ORR’s website at www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Future premium payments for the Greater Anglia (short) franchise have been published on the Department’s website at www.dft.gov.uk

It would not be in the public interest to provide estimates of premium payments beyond the life of the current franchise as to do so would impact on the Department’s ability to secure value for money bids. Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail journeys were made on Greater Anglia franchise services in each of the last 10 years; and what estimate she has made of the number of rail journeys that will be made on the Greater Anglia franchise in each of the next 20 years. [105643]

Mrs Villiers: The number of rail passenger journeys made on Greater Anglia franchise services in each financial year since 2004-05 (the earliest year for which data are available) are as follows: Greater Anglia passenger journeys 2004-05 to 2010-11 Number (million) 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Source: Office of Rail Regulation

108.6 99.9 106.0 111.9 112.8 107.0 115.0

The Department has not made any forecasts for the next 20 years for Greater Anglia franchise services. The Department is in the process of developing its High Level Output Specification in which some demand forecasts will be published. However these are unlikely to be at a franchise specific level. Railways: Electrification Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Prime Minister’s support for rail electrification in South Wales during his visit to Wales on 5 April 2012, on what date she expects to make an announcement on her plans for rail electrification; and what geographical areas that [106217] announcement will cover. Mrs Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport is in ongoing discussions with Welsh Ministers regarding the proposed electrification of rail lines in South Wales. If electrification is funded through the High Level Output Specification for the railway, an announcement is expected by July 2012. Railways: Tickets Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance she has given to the Rail Fares and Ticketing Review on the closure of ticket [105915] offices.

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Mrs Villiers: We have set out our current position on ticket office opening hours in our consultation on the Rail Fares and Ticketing Review, which can be found at: http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-09/

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which train operating companies have been given permission by her Department to close ticket offices in the latest period for which figures are available; and in respect of which stations such [105916] permission has been given. Norman Baker: Since May 2010, no train operating companies have been given permission to close ticket offices. Ministers in the last Administration approved reductions in ticket office opening hours under the Minor and Major Change procedures at approximately 300 stations between May 2005 and May 2010.

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Retirement Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of her Department retired in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; how many of such staff were taking early retirement in each such year; and if she will make a statement. [104584] Norman Baker: In 2010/11, 446 staff retired from the Department for Transport, including its Executive Agencies, 183 of whom retired before their normal pension age. In 2011/12, 262 staff retired, 40 of whom retired early. 143 of the early retirements in 2010-11 were as a result of Voluntary Early Exit schemes being run across the Department under the previous Civil Service Compensation Scheme which allowed for voluntary early retirement terms. Changes to the Civil Service Compensation Scheme in December 2010 removed the ability for staff to take voluntary early retirement and therefore there were no voluntary early retirements in 2011/12. Roads: Accidents

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent communications have taken place between her Department and London Midland on the closure of station ticket offices; and on what [105984] dates such communications took place. Norman Baker: Ministers at the Department for Transport have not had any communications with London Midland to discuss this matter. Departmental officials have met and had correspondence with London Midland on a regular basis to discuss a variety of issues, including LM’s proposal to reduce the opening hours of some ticket offices. In addition to these meetings, DFT officials work closely with each train operator on a wide range of issues relating to the rail network. The frequency of communications can vary, and can be as often as every day when there are significant operational matters to discuss. The DFT does not maintain a record of each issue that is discussed on every occasion. Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether decisions on the closure of station ticket offices are taken by her Department or by train [105985] operating companies. Norman Baker: It is for Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to decide whether or not to propose a closure of a station ticket office. If the TOC does decide to progress a proposed closure then they must consult with the appropriate stakeholders, including Passenger Focus and London TravelWatch (if appropriate), other train operators, the Association of Train Operating Companies, and any affected Passenger Transport Executives. If the proposal is agreed by all the consultees then the Secretary of State (SOS) has no role in the process. However if following the consultation the TOC is unable to agree the proposal with Passenger Focus or London TravelWatch, then the TOC must refer the matter to the SOS for arbitration if it wishes to proceed with the closure.

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the role of the Health and Safety Executive in reducing accidents by people who drive as part of their employment. [104352]

Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has had no such discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr Duncan Smith). Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) deaths and (b) serious injuries there were on roads in the London Borough of [105579] Bexley in each of the last five years. Mike Penning: The information requested is given in the following table: Reported fatalities and serious injuries in road accidents in the London borough of Bexley, 2006-10 Number Casualty severity

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Killed

6

6

0

5

2

Serious injuries

97

99

73

77

66

The data for 2011 will be published at end of June 2012. Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information her Department holds on how many road traffic accidents were reported on (a) the A2 in Bexley borough, (b) the A20 in Bexley borough, (c) Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, (d) Okehampton Crescent, Welling, (e) Gravel Hill, Bexley, (f) Upper Wickham Lane, Welling, (g) Knee Hill, Abbey Wood, (h) Park View Road, Bexleyheath, (i) Broadway, Bexleyheath, (j) Avenue Road and Pickford Lane, Bexleyheath, (k) Long Lane,

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Bexleyheath, (l) Colyers Lane, Erith, (m) Thames Road, Crayford, (n) North End Road, Erith and (o) [105580] Erith Road, Bexleyheath in 2011. Mike Penning: The information requested for 2011 is not yet available. The first road safety statistics for 2011 are due to be published at end of June 2012. Roads: EU Grants and Loans Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what EU funding programmes are available to support spending on UK road infrastructure. [105638]

Mike Penning: The Trans European Network—Transport (TEN-T) programme supports the development of infrastructure for all modes of transport. Some regions of the UK can also use European regional development funding from the structural funding programme to develop transport infrastructure, including roads. Shipping John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to respond to the conclusions of the legal working group on application of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to seafarers working on non-UK registered vessels travelling between UK ports; and if she will make a statement. [106280] [R] Mike Penning: A legal working group has now concluded its consideration of the application of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to seafarers working on non-UK registered vessels travelling between UK ports. The Minister of Employment Relations, the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), will be responding to the conclusions of the working group in the near future. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to convene a working group to assess the monitoring and enforcement of the Equality Act 2010 (Work on Ships and Hovercraft) [106281] Regulations 2011. [R] Mike Penning: A review of the operation and effect of the regulations will be undertaken after five years in the usual way. To inform that review, I intend to convene a working group next year. I envisage the working group looking at the impact and the enforcement of the regulations in particular and it is possible that it could look into ways in which awareness of the regulations could be developed. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South, of 23 March 2012, Official Report, column 912W, on shipping: EU law, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 will prevent social dumping in the (a) shipping and (b) offshore industries; and if she will place in the Library a copy of [106282] any such assessment. [R]

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Mike Penning: The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 addresses fair competition and should hinder social dumping through the creation of a level playing field across the international shipping industry. The convention provides that ships of non-ratifying countries should have “no more favourable treatment” in the ports of ratifying countries. The impact assessments which we have prepared in support of the proposed UK regulations to implement the MLC, which will be published as part of the consultation package on implementing legislation, will include the impact of applying the convention’s provisions to ships of non-ratifying flags. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South, of 23 March 2012, Official Report, column 912W, on shipping: EU law, whether the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 applies to all seafarers working on vessels in UK territorial waters, irrespective of (a) seafarer nationality and (b) flag of [106283] state. [R] Mike Penning: The Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 will provide comprehensive rights and protection at work for all seafarers regardless of their nationality and the flag of their ship when working on ships to which the MLC applies, as defined in article II of the convention. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 876W, on shipping: treaties, what legal advice she has received on the Maritime Labour Convention 2006; and if she will place in the [106284] Library a copy of any such advice. [R] Mike Penning: As a matter of general policy, and in keeping with the approach taken by other public bodies, the Department does not disclose any legal advice it may receive, and does not disclose whether any such advice has been sought or obtained in any particular case. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 876W, on shipping: treaties, what the requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 that the UK is already compliant with are; what recent meetings she has had with (a) the shipping industry and (b) trade unions at which UK compliance was discussed; how many such meetings there have been since May 2010; and on what dates any such discussions have taken place. [R] [106285]

Mike Penning: There are a number of areas in which the UK is already fully compliant with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006; these include Titles 1.2, 1.3, 2.3, 2.7 and 4.5. In addition, current legislation already complies with a number of provisions within the other Titles. Where amendments to existing legislation or new provisions are required, the Government will consult. A first package of such measures will be issued for public consultation shortly. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency continues to chair meetings of a tripartite working group to keep the shipping industry and trade unions informed of progress

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Written Answers

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with UK implementation of the MLC and to address any concerns expressed by stakeholders. Since May 2010, the working group has met on nine occasions as follows: May 2010, July 2010, September 2010, November 2010, January 2011, April 2011, June 2011, November 2011 and March 2012.

Mr Simon Burns: Data from the Accident and Emergency Clinical Quality Indicators, which include an indicator that specifically measures time to treatment, have not yet been published for January 2012 onwards. Data for January 2012 will be published on 25 May 2012.

Taxis

Alcoholic Drinks

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if her Department will review and terminate any contracts with any private hire company whose drivers have been instructed to breach road traffic [106206] regulations.

Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of trends in [105924] alcohol consumption over the last 10 years.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has no current contracts with private hire companies. However, in the event that any such contracts were placed, the Department’s contracts include a range of provisions for their termination. If officials had evidence that a private hire company under contract to the Department was instructing its drivers to break the law in any way, officials would take whatever action was appropriate under the terms of the contract, including termination if necessary. Transport Grahame M. Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the level of transport spending in each English region for each of the last five [105330] years. Norman Baker: The requested information can be found in the Department’s annual report and accounts for 2010-11, Table 6 (page 44) http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1012/hc09/ 0972/0972.pdf

Transport: Standards Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department is taking to encourage transport authorities to consult on the introduction of voluntary partnerships or quality [105843] contracts; and if she will make a statement. Norman Baker: Local transport authorities have a statutory duty to consult on Quality Contract Schemes should they wish to introduce them. The Department has issued guidance which sets out its expectation that prior to the statutory notice and consultation stage, local transport authorities will discuss their proposals with local bus operators, passenger groups and other interested parties. There is no statutory duty to consult on voluntary partnership schemes, but the Department would expect a similar approach to be adopted.

HEALTH Accident and Emergency Departments Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have waited longer than four hours for treatment in accident and emergency units [106165] since January 2012.

Anne Milton: We expect to set out shortly our assessment of trends in alcohol consumption and harm over the last 10 years as part of written evidence to the Health Committee’s inquiry on the Government’s Alcohol Strategy. Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Royal College of Surgeons’ conclusions and recommendations on the role of dental teams in identifying and treating alcohol misuse; and if he will incorporate this advice as part of [105363] his strategy to tackle alcohol abuse. Mr Simon Burns: We will consider the recommendations made by the Royal College of Surgeons for further work in relation to the benefits of introducing alcohol screening and brief interventions in a primary dental care setting. As the report notes, the Government intends to strengthen the approach to prevention in the planned new dental contract. Under the pilot care pathway, all patients receive an oral health assessment that screens for risk factors including alcohol consumption. Where patients report that they consume alcohol beyond the safe limits they receive targeted advice including, if required, signposting to appropriate specialist services. Antidepressants Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 April 2012, Official Report, columns 413-4W, on anti-depressants, for what reason the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased between 2009 and 2011; and how many prescriptions for anti-depressant drugs were issued in each region in each year between 2004 and [106215] 2008. Mr Simon Burns: Information is only available on prescription items dispensed in the community in England. The following table shows the number of prescription items dispensed for drugs classified as anti-depressant drugs in British National Formulary section 4.3 for the period 2004 to 2008. Number of prescription items (thousand) 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis system

28,996 29,390 31,038 33,840 35,961

We are unable to provide a conclusive account for the increase in the number of prescription items dispensed.

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Autism Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to publish quality standards for the treatment of autism spectrum [103733] disorders. Paul Burstow: We have asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to develop a Quality Standard on autism in children, young people and adults, as part of a library of approximately 170 NHS Quality Standards. NICE has not yet published a time scale for the development of this Quality Standard. Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific guidance and support he expects clinical commissioning consortia should receive to ensure that they commission an appropriate range of [103760] services for people with autism. Paul Burstow: Once it is established, it will be for the NHS Commissioning Board (the Board) to issue commissioning guidance to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). The Department will hold the board to account through the Mandate to the Board, which will include the indicators in the NHS Outcomes Framework, NHS Outcomes Framework indicators include measurements on long term conditions. Quality Standards will be positioned at the centre of the new commissioning architecture: the provisions in the Health and Social Care Bill will make Quality Standards an integral part of the proposed new duties of quality that will apply to the board and CCGs. This means that, in the future, Quality Standards will be used to judge the performance both locally and nationally of the national health service. This will help to embed the needs of adults with autism into the health and social care system as never before. Aviation Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many air miles have been accrued from travel by each Minister in his Department since 2010; how many were (a) forgone and (b) donated to each charity; and whether air miles accrued by officials in this period were required to be (i) forgone and (ii) given to charity. [105451]

Mr Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. According to the latest statement received by our travel provider at the end of February, the Department as a whole, (all Ministers and officials travelling on departmental business), had over 53,000 air miles available. Air miles and any other benefits accrued through travel paid for from public funds are used for official purposes or else foregone, in line with the Ministerial Code.

Written Answers

1288W

Mr Simon Burns: Women in Birmingham, Ladywood who received PIP implants as a result of national health service treatment are eligible—as are women throughout England—for a consultation, imaging if appropriate, and removal and replacement of the implants if, informed by an assessment of clinical need, risk or the impact of unresolved concerns, a woman with her doctor decides that it is right to do so. If the woman received the implants from a private provider which has gone out of business or is unwilling to meet its moral and legal obligations to help, the NHS will remove but not normally replace the implants. Details are given in a letter from the NHS Chief Executive, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library and is available on the Department’s website at: www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/01/pip-breast-implants-letters-toprofessionals/

Cancer Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance on the functions, funding [105545] and accountability of cancer networks; (2) whether cancer networks will be established as [105546] strategic clinical networks; (3) how much his Department spent on cancer networks in the last three years for which figures are [105547] available. Paul Burstow: We have made it clear that there is a role for clinical networks, such as cancer networks, in the reformed national health service. The networks are a place where clinicians from different sectors come together to improve the quality of care across integrated pathways. The cancer networks are a clear example of how this way of working delivers better quality care and we are continuing to fund the networks in 2012-13. From April 2013, the funding of the networks will be a decision for the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB). The NHS CB will also set levels of accountability. A review of clinical networks, is currently underway, to consider, the functions, structures and governance that will mostly effectively support commissioners to deliver improved quality and outcomes in the future. Information on the funding of cancer networks is not held centrally. Funding to support cancer networks is mainly provided through what is called the Strategic Health Authority bundle. In addition to funding from the bundle, networks receive funding from other sources, such as their constituent primary care trust or from one or more of their provider trusts. Cardiovascular System Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy will provide for implementation of the 2008 NICE guidance on familial hypercholesterolemia in respect of [105663] family screening.

Breasts: Plastic Surgery Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to support women resident in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency who [105456] have received faulty PIP breast implants.

Mr Simon Burns: Familial hypercholesterolemia will be one of the issues considered during the development of the Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes Strategy. Clinical guidelines published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) represent

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best practice and the Government expects commissioners to take them fully into account in their decision-making. In view of their complexity and because of the different states of readiness for implementation in the national health service, NICE clinical guidelines are not subject to the same statutory funding direction as NICE’S technology appraisals. Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress his Department has made in its Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy; when he expects the strategy to be published; and if he will make a [105664] statement; (2) which organisations and individuals (a) he, (b) Ministers and (c) officials in his Department have met as part of the development of the Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy; and if he will make a statement; [105665]

(3) how the Cardiovascular Outcomes Strategy fits into the proposed NHS Outcomes Framework; and if [105666] he will make a statement. Mr Simon Burns: The development of the cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes strategy is in its early stages, so a date has not yet been set for publication. Following a national engagement event in May, a series of engagement events will be held around the country this year. In addition, there will be other opportunities for organisations and individuals with an interest to feed in their views during the production of the strategy. The CVD outcomes strategy will provide a joined up approach, across the national health service, public health and social care, to secure the delivery of improvements in CVD related outcomes as set out in the NHS Outcomes Framework, the Public Health Outcomes Framework and the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework. Care Homes

Written Answers

1290W

Eligibility for NHS Funded Nursing care may be considered when an individual is not eligible for NHS continuing health care and where it is considered that a place in a nursing home is the best option for meeting their needs. NHS continuing health care is a package of health and social care funded by the NHS where the individual is assessed as having a primary health need. NHS continuing health care can be provided in a range of settings including care homes. Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of people in (a) England and (b) each local authority who sold their homes to pay for residential care in each of the last five years. [106236] Paul Burstow: None. Information about the sale of property to pay for residential care by service users supported by councils is not collected centrally. Local councils may also not know if properties are sold by those who arrange their own care, for example, where a person sells a property and contracts with a care provider privately without the involvement of social services. Cholesterol Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the NHS was of treating the effects of high cholesterol levels in each of the last three years. [105443]

Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally. Raised cholesterol levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and are modifiable in some people. Awareness raising, prevention, early detection and management of modifiable risk factors will be considered as part of the development of the forthcoming cardiovascular disease outcomes strategy. Commission on the Funding of Care and Support

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that primary care trusts consult independent nursing homes when making changes to their payment terms for funded [105977] nursing care payments; (2) whether he has recently had discussions with Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) about changes to its payment terms for funded nursing care payments; and whether he has made an assessment of the subsequent effects on cash-flow for independent nursing homes receiving payments from [105978] Buckinghamshire PCT. Paul Burstow: The annual level of the national health service contribution towards the cost of a place in a care home with nursing for those people assessed as requiring the help of a registered nurse is set at a national level. Once the need for NHS Funded Nursing Care is determined, primary care trusts (PCTs) have a responsibility to pay a flat rate contribution towards registered nursing care costs. The Department would not hold discussions with individual primary care trusts about the level of the NHS Funded Nursing Care contribution or local arrangements for administering such payments.

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of the Dilnot report. [105849]

Paul Burstow: We will publish a White Paper on social care and a progress report on funding reform in spring 2012. The progress report will set out the Government’s response to the Commission’s recommendations. Community Hospitals Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on community hospitals; and [106175] if he will make a statement. Mr Simon Burns: The Government are committed to helping the national health service work better by extending good practice on improving discharge from acute hospitals and increasing access to care and treatment in the community. Community hospitals can be an important part of delivering this, especially in rural communities, providing both planned and unplanned care and diagnostic services closer to home.

1291W

Written Answers

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 devolves more power to local communities where the people, patients, general practitioners (GPs) and councils are best placed to determine improvements to their local NHS. Responsibility for commissioning services will be devolved to local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), which will mean that the design of patient pathways and local services is always clinically-led and based on more effective dialogue and partnership with hospital specialists. Any changes to services must have support from CCGs, patients and the public, be based on sound clinical evidence and support patient choice. Computers Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many computers and related equipment have been purchased by his Department and its public bodies since May 2010; and what the (a) makes and [105837] (b) costs were. Mr Simon Burns: The Department has purchased through its information technology (IT) provider 402 items of computers and related equipment made by Hewlett Packard, Lenovo and Apple, where computers and related equipment are considered to include desktop PCs, laptops and tablets PC and 1,157 Hewlett Packard monitors, in financial year 2010-11 and 2011-12. In addition to this, during the period much of the departmental desktop infrastructure reached the end of its service life and was replaced as part of a planned technology refresh by 3,187 Wyse Thin Client devices. This refresh has improved performance while reducing support costs and carbon emissions. The total cost of these items was £1,021,680. The number of computers and related equipment purchased by public bodies is not held centrally and to provide this information for the Department’s public bodies would incur disproportionate costs. General XT expenditure is contained within each public body’s annual accounts, which can be accessed via the public bodies websites listed as follows. The Health Research Authority and NHS Commissioning Board Authority, as recently established bodies, do not yet have any published accounts. Alcohol Education and Research Council www.alcoholresearchuk.org

Appointments Commission www.appointments.org.uk

Care Quality Commission www.cqc.org.uk

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence

Written Answers

30 APRIL 2012

Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts (Monitor) www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency www.mhra.gov.uk

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence www.nice.org.uk

National Patient Safety Agency www.npsa.nhs.uk

National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse www.nta.nhs.uk

NHS Blood and Transplant www.nhsbt.nhs.uk

NHS Business Services Authority www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk

NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement www.institute.nhs.uk

NHS Litigation Authority www.nhsla.com

Congenital Abnormalities Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many live births occurred of infants with (a) spina bifida, (b) hydrocephalus and (c) other neural tube defects in each year since 2001; and if he [105896] will make a statement. Anne Milton: These data are not held centrally by the Department, but are collected and published by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR). The following information gives the numbers of live born babies with neural tube disorders and hydrocephalus in the English registers for 2001-10. These data are for the following five English regional congenital anomaly registers: Berkshire and Buckinghamshire (CAROBB); East Midlands and South Yorkshire (EMSYCAR); Northern region (NorCAS); South West region (SWCAR), and Wessex (WANDA).

They cover 32% of the births in England. All registers except SWCAR provided data for all years; SWCAR have provided data for 2005-10. There are two other registers in England that have not yet provided data to BINOCAR but are developing the processes to be able to shortly. The registers therefore cover 49% of the births in England but BINOCAR currently only has data for 32% of births. Spina bifida

www.chre.org.uk

General Social Care Council www.gscc.org.uk

Health and Social Care Information Centre www.ic.nhs.uk

Health Protection Agency www.hpa.org.uk

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority www.hfea.gov.uk

Human Tissue Authority www.hta.gov.uk

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Number of cases (live births)

Anomaly Spina Bifida

2001

11

2002

19

2003

18

2004

21

2005

22

2006

26

2007

24

2008

34

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Spina bifida Number of cases (live births)

Anomaly 2009

34

2010

40

Hydrocephalus Number of cases (Live births)

Anomaly Hydrocephalus

2001

35 39

2003

23

2004

27

2005

50

2006

69

2007

65

2008

72

2009

61

Connecting For Health

2010

70

MHRA

Number of cases (Live births) 2001

1



2002

1



2003

1



2004

1

Core Department

2010-11

108.3 million

9.8 million

6.3 million

5.0 million

264,755

14,400

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he had with Ministers in the Home Department on the UK Border Agency’s trial of dental X-rays for age assessment purposes prior to the commencement of that trial on 29 March 2012;



[105989]

2005

7

2006

7

(2) whether he has raised concerns with Ministers in the Home Department about the UK Border Agency’s trial of dental X-rays for age assessment purposes;

2007

8

2008

10

2009

6

2010

1



2001

1



2002

1



2003

5

2004

7

2005

1



2006

1



1



2007 2008

1

£ 2009-10

Dental Services: X-rays

Anomaly

Encephalocele

1294W

records of the number of management consultants used by those companies to deliver the services for each contract. The Department does not keep central records on ‘management consultancy’ expenditure in the specific form requested. The total expenditure on all consultancy services by the core Department, Connecting for Health and the MHRA for financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 are set out in the following table; validated full year expenditure on consultancy services for 2011-12 is not yet available. The figures are based on the definition of consultancy services provided by the Government Procurement Service (formerly the Office of Government Commerce).

2002

Other neural tube defects

Anencephalus and similar

Written Answers

5

2009

7

2010

6

Numbers have been suppressed where there were less than five cases recorded

Consultants

[105990]

(3) what representations his Department has received about the UK Border Agency’s trial of dental X-rays [105991] for age assessment purposes; (4) whether his Department gave approval for the age [106037] assessments dental X-ray pilot. Anne Milton: The Department of Health’s approval was not formally sought for this study. Concerns about the trial were raised by the chief medical officer on behalf of the Department of Health. As currently presented, the study would be deemed to be a research trial, falls within the research governance framework and does require approval from an ethics committee of the National Research Ethics Service. Department of Health officials have had discussions with Department for Education and UK Border Agency officials about the proposed trial. We have also received representations from a number of organisations. Diabetes

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many management consultants were employed by his Department and its agencies in (a) the most recent period for which figures are available and (b) each of the last two years; and what the total cost to his [105369] Department has been.

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to improve education and health checks in schools on the [106317] risks associated with both types of diabetes.

Mr Simon Burns: The core Department, Connecting for Health and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), do not employ management consultants. They contract for the delivery of consultancy services from companies and do not keep central

Paul Burstow: The Department has worked in partnership with school nurses, professional bodies and young people as part of the School Nursing Development Programme. We have developed a new vision and model for the profession covering many elements of health and wellbeing

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Written Answers

30 APRIL 2012

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and primary care trusts and, going forward, the NHS Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs). We are working with emerging CCGs to put in place development opportunities and support for those individual GPs (and other health care professionals) who are coming forward to take on leadership roles. We are also working with stakeholder organisations to understand what support member practices would like as they develop their CCG—including sharing best practice, and providing support material.

for children and young people aged. 5-19. The report and call to action from this programme, “Getting it right for children, young people and families”was published in March 2012. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library and is available at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/ PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_133011

This will assist in the delivery of the Healthy Child Programme and will help local areas to shape their school nursing services. The Department has also this year introduced a Best Practice Tariff (BPT) for Paediatric Diabetes. The BPT sets out a number of criteria that diabetes services must fulfil in treating and caring for children and young people with diabetes in order to receive a payment. One of the criteria is for additional visits to be made to the child by a diabetes specialist nurse or dietitian during a year, which may include school visits.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what checks are made on whether an applicant to register with a GP is entitled to NHS care. [105929] Mr Simon Burns: Applications to general practitioners to join their lists of national health service patients are at the discretion of individual practices. Many practices request proof of identity and confirmation of address when considering applications.

Epilepsy: Health Services Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 27 March 2012, Official Report, column 1106W, on epilepsy: health services, what information (a) his Department and (b) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence holds on compliance with the recommendation that a review by an epilepsy specialist should take place within two weeks of presentation.

Health and Social Care Bill 2010-12 Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he has not published his Department’s risk assessment in relation to the Health [106231] and Social Care Bill. Mr Simon Burns: No government of any persuasion has routinely made risk registers of this type public for the very reason that to do so would undermine open and frank discussion among policy makers. It has been our firm view, and those of other Departments, that for risk registers of this type to fulfil their function, civil servants must be free to “think the unthinkable” and record potential risks and mitigations fully, frankly and with absolute candour, confident in the knowledge that this information will not be publicly disclosed. These arguments were put to the Information Tribunal in this matter and the Department is now considering its response to the tribunal’s reasoned decision.

[105899]

Paul Burstow: This information is not collected. To support implementation of its clinical guideline on the diagnosis and management of the epilepsies in adults and children in primary and secondary care, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has produced guidance and tools to determine the level of service need that might be needed locally. This includes a baseline assessment tool that can be used by organisations to identify if they are in line with practice recommended in NICE guidance and to help them plan activity that will help them meet the recommendations.

Health Services Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) applications were made and (b) posts were available for (i) acute medicine, (ii) obstetrics and gynaecology, (iii) general surgery and [106385] (iv) anaesthesia in each year since 2002.

General Practitioners Dr Phillip Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure GPs communicate the changes to health and social care to [104389] NHS patients.

Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold comparable data prior to 2010 when a significant amount of specialty recruitment was locally co-ordinated and delivered. Data from 2010 onwards are presented as follows. It should be noted that the number of applications exceeds the number of applicants.

Mr Simon Burns: Communicating the changes to health and social care to national health service patients is not the responsibility of general practitioners (GPs). This is part of the role of strategic health authorities 2010

2011

2012

Posts

Applications

Ratio

Posts

Applications

Ratio

Posts

Applications

Ratio

Acute Medicine (ST3)

65

351

5.4

100

351

3.5

72

247

3.4

Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) (ST1)

249

1,252

5.03

226

597

2.6

211

607

2.9

General Surgery (ST3)

110

3,968

36.07

97

548

5.6

119

555

4.7

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Written Answers 2010

Anaesthesia (ST3)

Written Answers

30 APRIL 2012

1298W

2011

2012

Posts

Applications

Ratio

Posts

Applications

Ratio

Posts

Applications

Ratio

336

875

2.60

317

1118

3.5

277

595

2.1

Notes: 1. Acute Medicine, General Surgery and Anaesthesia are uncoupled specialties so competition ratio is for recruitment at the ST3 level. 2. O&G is a run-through speciality and therefore ST1 entry data have been provided. 3. General Surgery became a nationally recruited and co-ordinated specialty in 2011 hence the difference in applications between 2010 and 2011. 4. To note number of application to General Surgery 2010 is not comparable with data from 2011 and 2012 due to it being locally co-ordinated that year thus making competition ratio higher.

Hospitals: Accidents Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the number of falls at (a) the West Cumberland hospital and (b) the Cumberland infirmary in September and October (i) 2010 and (ii) 2011; and what steps he is taking to reduce the number of falls. [105861] Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold information on the number of falls at specific hospital sites. The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) holds data on falls reported by the North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust. The information is shown in the following table. Number of falls reported by North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust in September and October 2010 and 2011 and the annual total of reported falls September

October

Total falls reported per year

2010

71

80

1,058

2011

84

84

1,067

Note: An increase in incidents reported does not necessarily mean an increase in the number of incidents occurring. NPSA encourages NHS trusts to report patient safety incidents to enhance learning and embed a patient safety culture. The NPSA regularly sees an increase in incidents reported year on year, which is actually a sign of a culture that is growing in awareness of patient safety. Source: NPSA.

A number of guidance documents designed to reduce the risk of harm from falls in the NHS have been produced by the NPSA, or as part of the NPSA’s Patient Safety First initiative, including: ‘slips, trips and falls in hospital’; ‘How to’ guide for reducing harm from falls’ ‘Using bedrails safely and effectively in hospitals/mental health units’; ‘How to’ guide for reducing harm from falls in mental health in-patient settings’; and ‘Essential care after an in-patient fall’.

These documents have been placed in the Library. The Department has asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to develop a quality standard on falls in a care setting, as part of a library of approximately 170 NHS quality standards. In addition, we are encouraging use of the ‘NHS Safety Thermometer’ which records patients who suffer four common ‘harms’ in health care, including harm from a fall. Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department conducted an equality impact assessment on the introduction of the Gardasil form of the human papillomavirus vaccination (HPV) for the HPV programme; and if he will make a statement. [106159]

Anne Milton: An equality impact assessment was completed in 2008 for the introduction of the national human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme. The Department announced in November 2011 that, following a competitive tendering exercise, Gardasil will be the vaccine used in the national HPV vaccination programme from September 2012. In taking this decision, the Department considered the public sector equality duty but did not produce a new equality impact assessment as no changes to service delivery are anticipated. Information and Communications Technology Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on IT projects within the Department of Health and its agencies in [105365] the last two years. Mr Simon Burns: The following table sets out expenditure in the Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and NHS Connecting for Health on IT projects. NHS Connecting for Health spent £178,000 on additional resources which included transport and movers as part of the Data Centre Migration. £ 2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-12

Department of Health

4,317,785

4,954,683

3,328,790

1,285,144

MHRA

4,705,686

2,513,089

4,723,977

2,033,671

1,221,317

526,156

NHS Connecting for Health

1

n/a

1

234,000

1

Further expenditure exists but could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any requests have been made to his Department’s IT department from (a) officials and (b) special advisers working within his Department for information about the process of erasing data from (i) computer hard drives and (ii) other forms of storage [105367] devices in the last two years. Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not collect data on requests for information on this process. Guidance on the safe destruction of such devices and the information on them is available to all staff on the Department’s intranet. Information Officers Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the five most senior media advisers and press officers in his Department; what their job titles are; and what the salary is of each individual. [105368]

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Mr Simon Burns: Defined as the five most senior members of staff with responsibility for media relations, and excluding other officials with roles in associated disciplines such as public health marketing and NHS communications, the relevant members of staff are as follows: Name

Job title

Salary band

Sam Lister

Director of Communications

SCS2: £115,000 - £119,999

Tim Jones

Head of News

SCSI: £80,000 - £84,999

Paul Stephenson

Media Special Adviser

The salary ranges of special advisers are published routinely by the Cabinet Office. The most recent such publication, dating from April is available at the Cabinet Office website: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/ default/files/resources/LIST-APRIL.pdf

Grade 61 Grade 61

Deputy Head of News

G6: £60,575 - £75,035

Deputy Head of News

G6: £60,575 - £75,035

Written Answers

1300W

Pay band (NHS agenda for change)

Type of employees

Length of contract (months)

8A

1 x Contractors

8A

1 x Contractors

9

8A

1 x Contractors

11

8B

5 x Contractors

5 x 12

8B

1 x Contractors

6

8B

1 x Contractors

9

8B/8C

1 x Contractors

17

8B/8C

2 x Contractors

2 x 11

8C

1 x Contractors

9

8C

4 x Contractors

4 x 18

8C

2 x Contractors

2 x 17

8C

1 x Contractors

8

8C

8 x Contractors

8 x 10

8C

1 x Contractors

27

8C

1 x Contractors

12

8C

2 x Contractors

2x6

13

8C/8D

2 x Contractors

2 x 17

It is the Departments policy that staff at grades below senior civil service are not named.

8D

3 x Contractors

3 x 28

8D

2 x Contractors

2 x 16

Manpower

8D

3 x Contractors

3 x 10

8D

3 x Contractors

3 x 17

8D

2 x Contractors

2x3

8D

1 x Contractors

11

8D

1 x Contractors

5

8D

1 x Contractors

8

9

1 x Contractors

10

9

1 x Contractors

9

1

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) agency staff, (b) contractors and (c) consultants were employed by his Department (i) in each pay band and (ii) for each length of contract in the most recent period for which figures are available. [105444]

Mr Simon Burns: As at 31 March 2012, the Department employed a total of 353.1 full-time equivalent agency staff, contractors and consultants—a reduction of 654.5 (65%) on the number employed at 31 March 2010. The following table shows this figure broken down by agency workers and specialist contractor/consultants employed by the Department on 31 March 2012. Department of Health, 31 March 2012 Number Agency Workers

217.0

Specialist Contractor/Consultant

136.1

Total

353.1

The following table shows information requested for Connecting for Health (a part of the Department’s Informatics Directorate) on 25 April 2012. Pay band (NHS agenda for change)

Type of employees

Length of contract (months)

3

1 x Agency Staff

4

1 x Agency Staff

9

4

1 x Agency Staff

11

5

2 x Agency Staff

2 x 12

5

1 x Agency Staff

8

6

1 x Agency Staff

7

4 x Contractors

7

1 x Contractors

8A

4 x Agency Staff

4x2

8A

1 x Agency Staff

5

8A

1 x Agency Staff

3

8A

1 x Contractors

8A

12 x Contractors

8A

1 x Contractors

17

8A

2 x Contractors

2 x 18

8A

1 x Contractors

10

3

9 4 x 13 14

3 12 x 12

The Department has provided staffing figures as at 31 March 2012. Data on the equivalent pay band and each length of contract are managed by each individual business unit and is not routinely maintained centrally. Obtaining this data centrally would incur disproportionate costs and would require new functionality to be developed on the Department’s information systems. Agency workers are typically individuals with admin/clerical skills up to the pay band of SEO equivalent, whereas specialist contractors/consultants are considered to be higher skilled workers and likely to be more senior. To support the achievement of the Government efficiency savings targets, the Department has introduced a number of controls to stop or limit expenditure on contingent labour. A business case is required for any professional services procurement and each case is considered for operational necessity, ensuring the requirement is specifically linked to the delivery of a ministerial priority. The business case is only approved if the case for operational necessity has been proven. These internal approval processes have made a substantial impact on reducing departmental expenditure on non-permanent workers. Medical Records Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospital trusts send confidential patient records [105442] abroad for processing. Mr Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. National health service trusts are individually responsible for compliance with data protection legislation in respect of the processing of patient information. This legislation requires trusts to ensure that they only authorise the processing of personal data in countries where there is an adequate level of protection for the data and for the

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rights and freedoms of individuals. Trusts are also required by data protection legislation, when utilising data processors either at home or abroad, to. ensure that the data processor is bound by a contract to meet appropriate standards of confidentiality and security and not to process the data in ways that have hot been authorised by the trust. Mental Health: Males Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of programmes providing support for men with mental health problems between the ages of 21 and 27 years old in each of the last five years; and if he will make a [105905] statement. Paul Burstow: It is not possible to disaggregate spend on mental illness by either sex or age from the statutory accounting collected by the Department. Ministerial Policy Advisers Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expenses were claimed by (a) paid and (b) unpaid special advisers working in his Department in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [105366]

Mr Simon Burns: According to the Department’s business management system a total of £128.00 was claimed in expenses by special advisers for travel and accommodation on official business between April 2011 and the end of March 2012. There are no unpaid special advisers working in the Department. National Childbirth Trust Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will protect public funding of the National [106359] Childbirth Trust’s practitioner training. Anne Milton: The Department has not provided any funding to the National Childbirth Trust’s practitioner training. NHS: Bureaucracy Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average number of hours was spent on administrative tasks per week by (a) a nurse and (b) a doctor in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available. [105453] Anne Milton: Information about the time spent by health care professionals on administrative tasks is not collected centrally and will depend on the type of role, the needs of patients and the requirements of the organisation. Some administrative tasks are an essential part of health care in delivering safe and effective patient care. Figures for general practitioners (GPs) are available from the latest (2010) GP worklife survey conducted by the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre, which showed that GPs worked an average of 41.4 hours per week and on average, 11.1% of their time is spent on administration. This equates to 4.6 hours per week being spent on administration. The sample size was approximately 1,000 GPs.

Written Answers

1302W

On 6 January we announced a series of measures to improve the quality of nursing care and free up nurses to provide the care patients and relatives expect. This included rolling out the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement’s Productive Series ‘Releasing Time to Care’ initiative to free nurses from non-essential paperwork and excessive bureaucracy. Further details about ‘Releasing Time to Care’ are available on the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement’s website at: www.institute.nhs.uk/quality_and_value/productivity_series/ the_productive_series.html

We understand that the Royal College of Nursing are looking at this issue. NHS: Drugs Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions he has overruled a National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendation on the availability of a drug on the NHS; and what the circumstances were in each such [106232] case. Mr Simon Burns: None. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is an independent body and must be allowed to develop its guidance free from political interference. NHS: Manpower Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made of the total number of staff who left employment in the NHS in the last year [105445] for which figures are available. Mr Simon Burns: Between January 2011 and January 2012, the latest data available, the NHS Information Centre monthly publication showed that 95,574 staff left the national health service. NHS: Pensions Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by the NHS on pensions [105647] in each year since 1997. Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) manages the NHS Pension Scheme and administers employer and employee contributions received from NHS organisations. The following table sets out the total amount of employer contributions the BSA has received between 1996-2011 from employers with access to the NHS Pension Scheme. Financial year

Employer contributions (£000)

1996-97

554,202

1997-98

605,053

1998-99

663,982

1999-2000

723,950

2000-01

925,169

2001-02

1,504,273

2002-03

1,632,536

2003-04

3,588,337

2004-05

3,890,167

2005-06

4,301,122

2006-07

4,579,685

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Written Answers

Financial year

30 APRIL 2012

Employer contributions (£000)

2007-08

4,686,588

2008-09

5,006,587

2009-10

5,330,140

2010-11

5,553,234

Source: The NHS Pension Scheme and NHS Compensation for Retirement Scheme Resource Accounts.

Obesity Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on obesity management in the [105484] NHS in each of the last five years. Anne Milton: The Department does not hold this information. It is up to primary care trusts to commission a range of health care services for their population, based on clinical need and effectiveness. The Foresight team which is part of the Government Office for Science published ‘Tackling Obesities: Future Choices in 2007’. The Foresight team estimated the cost of obesity and overweight to the national health service (in terms of the cost of treating the conditions and diseases attributable to obesity) to be £4.2 billion in 2007; more recent research suggest that this could be as high as £5.1 billion. Obesity: Children Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of children [105452] likely to be obese in the next 10 years. Anne Milton: Data from the Health Survey for England show a flattening of the previous upward trend in childhood obesity. The overall rate remains high at 16% for two to 15-year-old children. The ‘Call to action’ sets out a new national ambition for reversing the trend in the level of excess weight in children by 2020. A copy of the ‘Call to action’ has already been placed in the Library.

Written Answers

1304W

However, a provision of European medicines legislation (Article 81 of Directive 2001/83/EC), requires that the person who holds an authorisation to market a medicine and the relevant distributor must ensure appropriate and continued supply of the product to pharmacies and other authorised suppliers, so that the needs of patients are met. This requirement has been implemented into United Kingdom medicines legislation. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the government body responsible for the safety and licensing of medicines in the UK, investigates all reports of suspected breaches of medicines legislation including matters relating to Article 81. The MHRA has reminded distributors of their duties in this area, and continues to undertake targeted inspections to ensure compliance with the regulations. The Department carefully monitors shortages of medicines, which are influenced by many factors including the exchange rate, and continues to work closely with supply chain stakeholders to ensure patients receive the medicines they need. Prescriptions Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to prescribers on the practice of issuing prescriptions without physically examining the patient. [106230] Mr Simon Burns: The Department has not issued guidance on this issue. Doctors and other prescribers are governed by their professional regulators, who ensure proper standards in prescribing. The General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and General Pharmaceutical Council have all issued guidance on prescribing, with the GMC and NMC including specific standards on remote and repeat prescribing. Public Expenditure

Prescription Drugs: Shortages Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people waited more than 24 hours to receive prescription medication due to medicine stock shortages in (a) Coventry and (b) [105539] England in March 2012. Mr Simon Burns: This information is not available centrally. Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures his Department has put in place to ensure that UK medicine stocks are protected from the effects of international economic [105540] factors; (2) what assessment his Department has made of the effect of Euro exchange rate fluctuations on medicine stock shortages in the UK; and if he will make a [105541] statement. Mr Simon Burns: The export of medicines to other member states can be carried out legally by anyone who holds the necessary licences under medicines legislation.

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the five largest pieces of internal expenditure have been within his Department since May 2010. [105364] Mr Simon Burns: The five largest single payments made in the period 1 May 2010 to 31 March 2012 are as follows. Supplier

Payment date

Value (£)

CSC Computer Sciences Ltd

22 December 2011

21,227,693.97

Bytes Technology Group Ltd

22 July 2010

35,583,169.99

Computacenter UK Ltd

22 July 2010

23,474,946.22

Oxfordshire county council

30 June 2011

19,224,138.00

Staffordshire county council

7 July 2011

19,648,908.00

These single payments made to the commercial organisations may represent a number of individual invoices. The payments to Oxfordshire and Staffordshire county councils are for social care grants.

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Written Answers

1306W

Schizophrenia: Prisoners

Speech Therapy

Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the treatment pathway and services to support prisoners with schizophrenia following their [105554] release from prison.

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance and support he expects clinical commissioning consortia to receive to ensure that they commission an appropriate range of services for people with speech, language and communication needs. [106150]

Paul Burstow: Former prisoners have a lower than average level of engagement with primary care services and this means they are less likely to be in touch with community and specialist mental health services. In many areas assertive outreach teams have been commissioned to improve engagement with mental health services. The Government’s mental health outcomes strategy, ‘No Health Without Mental Health’, makes it clear that consideration of equality of access to mental health services for offenders should be part of the planning and development of services. Mr Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of suicides related to schizophrenia amongst (a) prisoners and (b) people released from prison in [105555] the last five years. Paul Burstow: In the last five years 15 people in prison have committed suicide where there was a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia or other delusional disorder. Similar information is not available for people after they leave prison. Sick Leave Mr Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sick days were taken by staff in his [105815] Department in each of the last three years. Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is given in the following table. Also included are the average working days lost (AWDL) per staff member for comparison. Total number of (working) absence days due to sickness

AWDL per staff per year

January 2011 December 2011

to

9,962

4.1

January 2010 December 2010

to

11,810

4.5

January 2009 December 2009

to

11,262

4.6

Social Services Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the funding allocated for primary care trust spending on social care was spent on (a) prevention services, (b) communicating equipment and adaptations, (c) telecare, (d) crisis response services, (e) maintaining eligibility criteria, (f) re-ablement and (g) mental health by each primary care trust in England in the latest period for which [106114] figures are available. Paul Burstow: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 2012, Official Report, columns 194-95W.

Mr Simon Burns: As commissioners, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) will need to have strong relationships with a range of health partners to provide them with access to information, advice and knowledge to help them make the best possible commissioning decisions. They will be under a statutory duty to seek advice in commissioning services from a broad range of professionals, such as those who are well placed to understand the speech, language and communication needs of local populations. They will also be able to access advice from clinical senates and networks. The NHS Commissioning Board will have a duty to publish commissioning guidance to which CCGs must have regard. In addition, CCGs will work with local authorities to develop a comprehensive analysis of health and social care needs in each local area, and to translate these into action through the joint health and wellbeing strategy and their own commissioning plans. Spinal Muscular Atrophy Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness of spinal muscular atrophy among health care [105826] professionals and the public. Paul Burstow: There is information available for both the public and health care professionals concerning spinal muscular atrophy available on the NHS Choices website at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/spinal-muscular-atrophy/pages/ introduction.aspx

There is also information on the NHS Evidence website, with a number of resources published by clinicians, charities and professional organisations available at: www.evidence.nhs.uk/search?q=Spinal+Muscular+Atrophy

Furthermore, the Department has referred for development a quality standard for relatively uncommon neurological problems to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in March 2012, following advice from the National Quality Board. The primary purpose of NICE quality standards is to make it clear what quality care is by providing patients, carers and the public, health and social care professionals, commissioners and service providers with definitions of high-quality health and social care. Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Pregnancy Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give consideration to routinely offering blood tests to all pregnant women to test for the presence of spinal muscular atrophy and genetic abnormalities. [105827]

Mr Simon Burns: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises Ministers and the national health service in all four countries about all aspects of

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screening policy and supports implementation. Using research evidence, pilot programmes and economic evaluation, the committee assesses the evidence for programmes against a set of internationally recognised criteria. The UK NSC has not reviewed the evidence for antenatal spinal muscular atrophy screening. However, where stakeholder organisations feel that there is enough evidence published in peer reviewed journals to consider screening for a condition, they can submit a policy proposal to the UK NSC. Further information is available on the UK NSC’s website at: www.screening.nhs.uk/policyreview

Surgery

1308W

between quarter 4 of 2010-11 and quarter 3 of 2011-12 for Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is shown in the following table. Last minute elective operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons Number Quarter 4 2010-11

48

Quarter 1 2011-12

49

Quarter 2 2011-12

31

Quarter 3 2011-12

56

Total

184

Note: A last minute cancellation is one that occurs on the day the patient was due to arrive, after they have arrived in hospital or on the day of their operation. Source: Department of Health dataset Quarterly Monitoring Cancelled Operations.

Surgery: Males Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled by hospitals in Barnsley metropolitan borough in the last [105866] 12 months. Mr Simon Burns: Information is not centrally held in the format requested. The number of elective operations cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons

Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many male breast reduction operations were carried out in the last three years, broken down by age [105485] of patient. Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is given in the following table.

Number of finished consultant episodes1 where a main or secondary procedure2 of breast reduction was carried out and the patient was male for 2008-09 to 2010-11 by patient age at start of the episode Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector Age group

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

Total

10-19

7

20-29

13

4

6

17

6

11

30-39

30

3

3

5

11

40-49

6

1

4

11

50-59



1



1

60-69

3

3

3

9

70+

1



2

3

Total

33

18

31

82

1

Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. 2 Number of episodes with a (named) main or secondary procedure The number of episodes where the procedure (or intervention) was recorded in any of the 24 (12 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and four prior to 2002-03) procedure fields in a hospital episode statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if the procedure is recorded in more than one procedure field of the record. Note that more procedures are carried out than episodes with a main or secondary procedure. For example, patients under going a ″cataract operation’ would tend to have at least two procedures—removal of the faulty lens and the fitting of a new one—counted in a single episode. Notes: 1. OPCS 4 Codes used 2. B31.1—Reduction mammoplasty 3. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Surgery: Waiting Lists

WORK AND PENSIONS Child Tax Credit

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of waiting [105477] times for elective surgery.

Mr Simon Burns: National health service referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times data published on 19 April 2012 show that the average (median) time waited for patients completing an RTT pathway in February 2012 was 8.7 weeks for admitted patients.

Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families received the child element of the child tax credit in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency in (a) 2009, (b) 2010 and (c) 2011. [105157] Mr Gauke: I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Treasury. For 2009-10, this information is available in the HMRC publication ‘Child and Working Tax Credits Statistics

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Finalised annual awards. Geographical Analyses’ (this is the latest year for which data are available; 2010-11 data will be published 31 May 2012), available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-geogfinal-awards-may11.pdf

Table 3 has the requested information for Bexleyheath and Crayford. The numbers benefiting from the child element of child tax credit are those out of work1, those receiving WTC and CTC, and those receiving CTC only more than the family element. This is approximately 4.8 thousand households. 1 The statistics for out of work families include households who were administered by DWP and claimed their child support through benefits. In addition, a small number (