Monday Volume 548 16 July 2012 No. 33

HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)

Monday 16 July 2012

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Mr Hammond: As my hon. Friend knows, we are House of Commons committed to publishing a consultation document in the autumn that will look at employer engagement and terms and conditions for reservists. We will set out Monday 16 July 2012 clearly our proposals for the new deal for reserves under the new arrangements I announced last week. The House met at half-past Two o’clock Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire) (Lab): There is all-party concern about forces’ pay during the Olympic PRAYERS games. The Secretary of State is right that there is no exact comparison with other workers, but the country has noticed that London bus and train drivers are [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] getting Olympic bonus payments and that our forces are not. What contact has he had with G4S about it paying bonuses to troops who are called up at the last minute? I do not begrudge the transport workers their Oral Answers to Questions bonus, but just because troops rightly cannot go on strike, they should not be ignored by the Government.

Mr Hammond: Clearly the union got to the right hon. DEFENCE Gentleman and made sure he included that last bit. We are determined to ensure that the welfare of our troops The Secretary of State was asked— who are engaged in the Olympic project is properly looked after while they are deployed on that operation Armed Forces Pay and that they are properly recognised. I am in discussion with senior members of the armed forces about how 1. Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): best to do that. What recent assessment he has made of the effects of The Government do not have a direct contractual the 2012 Budget on the pay of all ranks of armed relationship with G4S—the London Organising Committee forces personnel. [116890] of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games holds that relationship—but I can assure the right hon. Gentleman The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): that whatever resources we need to ensure we offer an The Chancellor announced extensions to public sector appropriate package to our armed forces will be made pay restraint in the autumn statement 2011. That will available. impact on armed forces pay. However, my right hon. Friend announced no further changes in relation to pay 22. [116913] David T. C. Davies (Monmouth) (Con): in the 2012 Budget, but he did announce the doubling Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that of council tax relief for personnel on operations; the battalions made up largely of British personnel, such doubling of the families welfare fund to support the as the Royal Welsh, are now facing the axe, whereas families of those deployed; and an additional £100 million battalions made up largely of non-British personnel, of spending to improve accommodation for service such as the Gurkhas, are not? personnel and their families. In addition, the lower-paid members of the armed forces are benefiting from the Mr Hammond: This strays slightly wide of the original changes to taxation announced in the Budget. question. I explained the week before last, I believe, the reason why the decision was taken not to look at Diana Johnson: Before the 2010 election, in full knowledge removing a Gurkha Rifles battalion—the arrangements of the deficit, Hull Liberal Democrats promised to we have with the Sultanate of Brunei for the rotation of “raise the pay of our lowest-paid soldiers by as much as battalions would have broken down and been inoperable £6,000”. Lib Dems now back the pay freeze and the had we removed one of the two battalions. 20,000 redundancies while expecting our troops to sort out the Olympic shambles. Why should our armed Middle East forces trust Liberal Democrat promises ever again?

Mr Hammond: The hon. Lady supported the 2. Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): What recent Government who got us into the deficit that this assessment he has made of the defence situation in the Government are currently digging our way out of. We middle east; and if he will make a statement. [116891] are setting out plans for sustainable, affordable armed forces who will be properly equipped for the task we ask The Minister for the Armed Forces (Nick Harvey): them to do in future. They understand that. Demands for greater political, social and economic participation continue in the middle east and north Mark Lancaster (Milton Keynes North) (Con): Part Africa. The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate of the remuneration package for reservists is the option and we are supporting efforts to deliver a political for them to earn a bounty if they are deemed to be solution to the conflict. The UK also remains concerned efficient. Territorial Army regulations allow the linking over Iran’s nuclear programme and continues to work of a compulsion to train on certain days with the award with other countries to achieve a diplomatic solution to of that bounty. Although that is not currently done, are Iran’s nuclear ambitions. On that basis, we assess that there any plans to do it in future? the regional security situation will remain fragile. 657 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 658

Robert Halfon: As the security situation in the Sinai difficulty that will be involved in trying to secure any peninsula deteriorates, weapons bound for Gaza’s terrorists international consensus in favour of action there. The are being freely smuggled, and two cross-border terror recent events that we have seen are deeply shocking. attacks have left nine Israelis dead. What assessment The Government want to see an end to violence and an have the Government made of the Egyptian authorities’ orderly transition to a more representative form of efforts to tackle the security threat emanating from this government, but the efforts being made so far are no man’s land? certainly hitting a lot of obstacles.

Nick Harvey: The Government remain concerned Joint Strike Fighter about the security situation in Sinai and we regularly raise it with the Egyptian authorities. There continue to be credible reports of significant quantities of weapons— 3. Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk) (Con): What particularly rockets—being smuggled into Gaza. The progress his Department has made on selecting the UK recognises that Israel has legitimate security concerns future base for the joint strike fighter. [116892] and that the people of Gaza are suffering at the moment, which does not serve Israel’s long-term security interests. The Minister for the Armed Forces (Nick Harvey): Although an initial decision had been made by the Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Lab): The Minister previous Government on the basing for the joint strike will be aware that the last nuclear non-proliferation fighter, it is being reviewed in the light of the strategic review conference agreed on a strategy of a nuclear defence and security review, as part of the work on the weapons-free middle east and that, because Israel is not footprint strategy for the defence estate. The military a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty, a special requirement for the joint strike fighter has gone forward conference, hosted by the Finnish Government, will be to the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is held in Helsinki at the end of this year. Will he assure leading the work to deliver a defence estate of a sustainable the House that the British Government remain fully size and shape, and one that delivers the most cost-effective behind the process, will be represented at that conference approach to Future Force 2020 basing. and will do their best to ensure that both Israel and Iran are also present, to bring about a nuclear weapons-free Elizabeth Truss: Three weeks ago, the Secretary of region? State for Defence is reported to have said that RAF Marham would be the logical base for the joint strike Nick Harvey: We continue to support that initiative, fighter. Can the Minister tell me when a decision on and I assure the hon. Gentleman that we will be represented basing will be made to help to secure the base’s long-term at that conference. We would like it to make progress, future, as well as boost confidence for local businesses but we do not underestimate the inherent challenge. in west Norfolk?

Sir Menzies Campbell (North East Fife) (LD): My Nick Harvey: This Thursday, the Defence Secretary hon. Friend has already indicated by his answers that will take delivery of the first of our joint strike fighter there is an inextricable link between the military and aircraft. A decision will be made on where it will be political situations in the middle east. It is also the case based in good time for the introduction of the strike that there is still consideration—the possibility—of a fighter into service. Detailed work is taking place at the strike by Israel against Iran. Have my hon. Friend and moment to look at the basing requirements, and we will the Government made any assessment of the political make a decision as soon as is practically possible. fallout of such a strike? Angus Robertson (Moray) (SNP): The Minister will Nick Harvey: The Government remain committed to no doubt recall that the Ministry of Defence has already finding a diplomatic solution to the problem of Iran’s concluded that the optimal base for the next generation nuclear ambitions, and we continue to work with of fast jets is RAF Lossiemouth, but I am sure that he international allies and others around the world to try will also appreciate that, in relation to RAF Lossiemouth, to bring it about. We stand ready to help the international the thoughts of everyone at the moment will be with the community in the event of any general security deterioration personnel and with the families of the crew members in the region, but it is important above all else that we who died on board the two Tornadoes that were lost. find an international solution to what is a very tricky Will he take this opportunity to update the House on problem. the recovery operation, and on the medical condition of the fourth crewman, who was recovered? Mr Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway) (Lab): Within the last 24 hours, the International Committee Nick Harvey: The investigation into what went wrong of the Red Cross has stated that the situation in Syria is continuing, and I must be careful not to say anything has now developed into a civil war. What are the that could prejudice it. Our thoughts are with the implications for us of such a statement, and has the community and, in particular, with the relatives of Secretary of State spoken with his US or any other those who perished. As soon as we can, we will make it NATO counterparts about what practical measures need clear to everyone what contributed to that disastrous to be taken to alleviate the pain and suffering of the incident. Syrian people? On the future of Lossiemouth, the hon. Gentleman will be aware that since that announcement, it has been Nick Harvey: The Foreign Office is in constant dialogue announced that Typhoon is moving into Lossiemouth. with international communities and our allies about the With the best will in the world, it would not be practical grave situation in Syria. Nobody underestimates the to have both fleets situated at one base. 659 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 660

Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View) (Lab): The Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): Some Minister talked about the bases for the joint strike of the brightest and bravest soldiers have traditionally fighter. The Government have already carried out two been recruited in Yorkshire, but the people of Yorkshire U-turns on the joint strike fighter programme and sold are pretty savvy, and they know that the critical mass of the Harrier fleet to the USA. Given that the USA is our armed forces is such that joining up has a declining now in the throes of major budget problems and, if the attraction for young men and women in the present story in The Sun today is to be believed, might well pull situation. the plug on the whole programme, will the Minister reconfirm the confidence expressed by the Secretary of Mr Robathan: I pay tribute to the soldiers from State a few weeks ago not only in the joint strike fighter Yorkshire. They join not only the Yorkshire regiments programme but in the carrier programme? Will he also but the Coldstream Guards, with whom I served, and confirm that there will be no further budget increases as other corps throughout the British Army. Joining the a result of what is happening in the USA? Army remains an attractive option, and I would recommend it to anyone. It is sad that fewer people are joining at the Nick Harvey: I am sure that the hon. Lady does not moment. believe everything she reads in The Sun, or indeed in any other newspaper. There are stories almost every Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD): I am sure that the week about the alleged state of that programme in the Minister will be pleased that the Secretary of State gave US. On Wednesday this week, the Secretary of State an assurance to the Defence Select Committee last week will be visiting the US Marine Corps to see the short that the decisions to cut the Army would be revisited in take-off and vertical landing—STOVL—version of the 2015. Alongside welcoming that, will the Minister give joint strike fighter flying. It has already done 1,000 hours me an assurance that recruiting policy will look again at of flying time with the US Marine Corps, and we have the Pay As You Dine arrangements? every confidence that it will come into service as planned. Mr Robathan: I am not entirely sure that my right Army Recruiting Policy hon. Friend did give that assurance, but no doubt the hon. Gentleman can discuss that with him. The decisions were made by the Army itself—by generals looking 4. Patrick Mercer (Newark) (Con): What plans he carefully at future recruiting patterns—and I am sure has for Army recruiting policy in the next five years; that they will keep the matter under constant review as and if he will make a statement. [116893] well. I understand that Pay As You Dine was introduced at The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence the request of members of the armed forces under the (Mr Andrew Robathan): Recruiting remains one of the last Administration. Although not universally popular, Army’s highest priorities. Given that it is an organisation it does mean that people pay less for food that they that promotes from within, there is an enduring need to often did not eat under the old system. ensure that the Army has the capacity to take on an appropriate number of new recruits. Our recruiting Mrs Madeleine Moon (Bridgend) (Lab): Wales has an targets are already reflecting those required for a regular excellent reputation for recruiting into the Army, and Army of 82,000, with current planned annual recruitment the loss of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh has come figures of approximately 600 officers and 7,400 soldiers. as a huge blow there. What steps will the Minister take to ensure that Welsh men and women who wish to join Patrick Mercer: I am interested in the Minister’s Welsh regiments will continue to do so following the reply, especially in the light of the Secretary of State’s loss of the 2nd Battalion? statement on recruitment the week before last. The trouble is that recruiting takes a long time, and if we Mr Robathan: As I have said, I think that everyone need troops to be instantly available—as we have done regrets the loss of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Regiment for the Olympic games—we surely need to rethink the of Wales, but Welsh men and women do join the armed cuts to major units, particularly the five infantry battalions. forces. Welsh men join the Welsh Guards; they join all the corps, and so forth. I spent 15 years in the Army Mr Robathan: I know that my hon. Friend was until I was kicked out, and I think that it still provides a responsible for recruiting in his last job in the Army; he very attractive career for any young man or woman. was director of Army recruiting, and I pay tribute to him for that. He will know that making these cuts to the Farnborough Air Show Army is not something that we would have wished to do; they were forced upon us by the appalling financial 5. Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con): What steps position that was left behind— his Department has taken to promote defence exports at the Farnborough air show. [116895] Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Groundhog day! 15. Dr Phillip Lee (Bracknell) (Con): What steps his Department has taken to promote defence exports at Mr Robathan: Groundhog day it may be, but it is also the Farnborough air show. [116906] true. I appreciate what my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Patrick Mercer) says about recruiting taking a The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence long time, and I know that my right hon. Friend the (Mr Gerald Howarth): The Farnborough international Secretary of State understands the difficulty of raising air show, which takes place in my constituency, was extra troops at short notice. opened last Monday by my right hon. Friend the Prime 661 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 662

Minister, who emphasised the high importance that the forces use Scottish equipment. Are Scottish firms likely Government attach to supporting defence and security to be helped or hindered by any breakaway of Scotland exports. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for from the rest of the United Kingdom? Defence attended with his ministerial team, and we were extremely well supported throughout by the team Mr Howarth rose— from the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation. RAF air and ground crews, accompanied by Italian air force personnel, were on hand to provide Mr Speaker: Order. Please will the Minister answer briefings on the outstanding role played by the Typhoon that question with reference purely, and very narrowly on operations over Libya last year. In addition, 150 air and briefly, to the Farnborough air show? cadets were out in force helping the show organisers. Mr Howarth: First, let me say that the Typhoon air Jason McCartney: I visited the Farnborough air show display was given by a Scot—Scott Loughran. He gave myself last week and was able to see the best of the an absolutely stunning display of the Typhoon. The British aerospace industry, which employs 100,000 people, UKTI Defence and Security Organisation represents is worth £20 billion, and holds a 17% share of the the whole United Kingdom, and it does a great job for global market. Will the Minister join me in recognising Scotland. If we were to bust up the UK, that would be the importance of the role played by small and medium- bad news for Scotland, bad news for the UK and bad sized enterprises in the supply chain, particularly those news for all businesses in this country. in my constituency which are driving growth and employing apprentices? Mr James Arbuthnot (North East Hampshire) (Con): The fact that last week some 16 Ministers attended the Mr Howarth: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for Farnborough air show, all of whom showed a great setting out so clearly the merits of the Farnborough air degree of knowledge and interest, and the fact that the show. He is absolutely right: SMEs play a hugely important Prime Minister opened it with an outstanding speech, part. It is not just about the big boys. Without the went down extremely well with the defence industry. Is SMEs, which are a repository of a huge amount of my hon. Friend able to say whether exactly the same highly specialised technical knowledge, we would not will happen in two years’ time? have the industries that we do have. I am pleased to say that orders worth $72,000 million were signed as a Mr Howarth: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend, result of last week’s show. and constituency neighbour, for pointing out that—as the trade association, the ADS, also observed—the Dr Lee: I too had the privilege of attending the air event had unprecedented support from Ministers, including show last week, in my capacity as vice-chairman of the the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, and from Parliamentary Space Committee. The UK’s space industry the Opposition as well. The support given to the show has grown by 10% year on year for most of the last has been extremely valuable. I myself had 15 meetings decade. Will the Minister tell me how the Ministry of with overseas delegations, and I can tell my right hon. Defence is supporting UK business in exporting in the Friend that I fully expect the same to apply in 2014. defence sector? Equipment and Support Contracts (SMEs) Mr Howarth: I am pleased to say that the space industry is making a hugely important contribution in the United Kingdom. We have a number of very well- 6. David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con): What his most qualified companies. Two names that spring to mind are recent estimate is of the proportion of defence equipment EADS Astrium and Surrey Satellite Technology, both and support contracts let to small and medium-sized of which are making huge contributions. I must tell my enterprises. [116896] hon. Friend, however, that this is quite sensitive territory, and I cannot go into too much detail. 9. Priti Patel (Witham) (Con): What his most recent estimate is of the proportion of defence equipment and Mr Denis MacShane (Rotherham) (Lab): We are still support contracts let to small and medium-sized exporting arms to Bahrain, where the death toll mounts, enterprises. [116899] the numbers in prison grow and the torture continues. I am curious to know whether the Minister has any The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence moral qualms about that. (Peter Luff): During the financial year 2011-12, approximately 41% of new contracts were awarded to Mr Howarth: As the right hon. Gentleman knows small and medium-sized enterprises. That represented perfectly well from his experience in the Foreign Office, approximately 13% of the value of all new contracts we have one of the most stringent arms export control placed in the year. A significant proportion of our other arrangements in the world, and we look very carefully business also reaches SMEs from the prime contractors at these matters. I should add that Bahrain has been an through the supply chain. extremely important friend and ally to both the United Kingdom and the United States. David Rutley: I welcome the recent announcement that 41% of contracts were awarded to SMEs. They are Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West) (Lab/Co-op): vital not only to our security, but to the economy. What Many Scottish firms get assistance from UK Trade and steps is my hon. Friend taking to fulfil their potential Investment and benefit from the fact that the British abroad as well as at home? 663 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 664

Peter Luff: I am glad to say that I find that SMEs Defence Equipment and Support are often particularly energetic in pursuing overseas opportunities. Indeed, many British small defence 7. Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What plans contractors begin their commercial lives exporting, rather he has for the future of Defence Equipment and Support; than selling to the domestic market, which is a great and if he will make a statement. [116897] tribute to the enterprise they show. UKTI DSO takes enormous steps to help SMEs. It participates in many The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): trade delegations with my hon. Friend the Member for I expect to be able to make a written ministerial statement Aldershot (Mr Howarth), the Minister with responsibility about this issue tomorrow that will give further detail. for international security strategy. I pay tribute to DSO However, in headline terms, the analysis conducted by and to SMEs, which make a great contribution to our the Chief of Defence Matériel on the comparative economy and to defence. benefits of changing Defence Equipment and Support into either an Executive non-departmental public body Priti Patel: There are 3,000 SMEs in the UK defence with a strategic partner from the private sector or a industry, and they are doing great things for our economy Government-owned contractor-operated entity suggests and vital work for our defence sector. What is the MOD that the strategic case for the GoCo option is stronger. doing to make Government business more accessible to More value-for-money analysis is required to confirm these SMEs? that assessment, and the Ministry of Defence will focus effort over the summer on developing and testing the Peter Luff: My hon. Friend might apply for an GoCo option further. Adjournment debate on that topic, because it would test your patience, Mr Speaker, if I were to list all the Kerry McCarthy: I thank the Secretary of State for things we are doing to help SMEs, which include producing that reply. Was it not the case that the Government were simplified standard contracts, making SMEs aware of always in favour of privatising Defence Equipment and tendering opportunities, and ensuring they are paid Support but found it difficult to find the evidence to quickly. However, I attach the greatest importance to show that that provided value for money for the taxpayer? the establishment of the suppliers’ forum for SMEs, Were the other options under active consideration and which I chair, and which enables us to pursue in detail in development? both the concerns of SMEs and the issues we have in dealing with them. That is a very fruitful discussion, Mr Hammond: We have looked at all the options, which is leading to a radical simplification of the way in including what we call “DE and S-plus”: keeping an which we do business with SMEs, and in due course it on-vote solution with enhanced capabilities. At the will create many more opportunities for them. moment, it is clear that the work being done is pointing in the direction of a Government-owned contractor- operated entity, but I will publish further details tomorrow, Mr Speaker: I always have patience for orderly answers, and further details still as they become available later in but not for speeches masquerading as answers. I know the summer and in the autumn. the Minister will readily accept that point. Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con): While welcoming Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): On defence my right hon. Friend’s willingness to be bold in this contracts, will the MOD’s current plans inevitably result area, may I suggest to him that one of the key factors to in more contracts for companies such as G4S? take into account in deciding just how bold to be—the GoCo is the boldest option—will be how many years Peter Luff: That is not my responsibility. I was talking Mr Gray is willing to stay in the job? I speak as one of about defence equipment and support contracts, and as his great admirers. far as I am aware—I stand ready to be corrected—G4S has no role in such contracts. Mr Hammond: We are extremely grateful for the contribution that Bernard Gray is making as Chief of Defence Matériel. He is looking at bold and radical Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Many SMEs in solutions that will allow us to deliver the equipment Northern Ireland are involved merely on the periphery programme within the budget envelope we have set, and of large MOD contracts. What steps are the Government thus ensure that the whole of our programme for the taking to ensure that there is a fair distribution of armed forces is sustainable, in marked contrast to what defence contracts and fair business opportunities for the previous Government managed to deliver. SMEs in Northern Ireland? Employment (Veterans) Peter Luff: It is one of the sadnesses of the structure of the UK defence industry that defence industries are 8. Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab): What steps relatively few and far between in Northern Ireland. Of his Department is taking to improve the employment course, Thales is the prime example of an excellent opportunities of veterans. [116898] company doing first-rate work in Northern Ireland; I visited it earlier this year, seeing for myself just how The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence good that company is, and it makes a huge contribution (Mr Andrew Robathan): Prior to leaving, all service through the supply chain. The small and medium-sized personnel are entitled to some form of resettlement businesses of Northern Ireland can also contribute to assistance consisting of time, money and training, according other contracts throughout the United Kingdom, and I to their length of service. Those who have served for am sure they are doing so in a realistic and strong way. six years or more, and all those medically discharged, 665 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 666 regardless of how long they served for, are entitled to practices of G4S. However, it appears that it was not the full resettlement programme, which includes a three-day recruiting that was the problem but the organisation of career transition workshop, the use of a career consultant, the Olympics in general in terms of security. a job-finding service, and retraining time and a retraining grant. Those who have served for four years or more are Mental Health (Soldiers) entitled to employment support in the form of a bespoke job-finding service and career interview. 10. John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab): What additional Huw Irranca-Davies: May I invite the Minister to support he plans to provide for mental health conditions borrow or even steal an excellent idea from the Labour experienced by current and former soldiers. [116900] Front-Bench team—the Labour veterans interview programme, where leading companies guarantee veterans The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence interviews for appropriate vacancies—and include that (Mr Andrew Robathan): The Ministry of Defence is as part of the official resettlement programme? Will he committed to offering a high standard of mental health support the calls to roll that programme out through care to those who need it. In his “Fighting Fit” report, Jobcentre Plus, as it would be a great boon for our my hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire armed services? (Dr Murrison) made a wide range of recommendations for improvements to mental health care for both serving Mr Robathan: Having previously extolled the merits and former armed forces personnel. The MOD is working of a career in the armed forces, may I recommend to all with the Department of Health to implement the employers the merits of employing ex-service personnel, recommendations, and I am pleased to report that who, in general, bring with them a better work ethic and excellent progress is being made. better values, and often better skills, than people from outside the armed forces? So I think that we would John Mann: With the stigma of mental health increasingly agree on that matter. We welcome the guaranteed interview being lifted in our society, not least in the armed services, scheme and would welcome all assistance. will the Minister take it on himself to ensure that every mental health trust across the country is required, in Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): partnership with his Department, to have an effective Most veterans do extremely well in civilian life, not least strategy for dealing with current and former members because of the skills they have acquired while they have of the armed services? been in uniform. However, those who do less well, especially in employment terms, tend to be those who Mr Robathan: The hon. Gentleman is quite right that have spent relatively few years in the armed forces, and the stigma is being lifted. Indeed, there is a programme that is where resources are not focused. What can be in the Army called trauma risk management, or TRiM, done for that particular group of people? which means that if somebody appears to have some mental problems, his comrades in arms will go to the Mr Robathan: My hon. Friend is right about that, chain of command and say that they think that so-and-so and I know that he takes a particular interest in these is having trouble and should be looked at carefully. We things. Of course various factors are at work here, one are already deploying extra mental health nurses across of which is that some people leave after less than a week the Department of Health as a result of the “Fighting and do not stay in touch, in any way, with the armed Fit” report. If the hon. Gentleman has not read it, I forces. We are looking at improving the career resettlement strongly recommend that he does because it is an extremely advice. Indeed, we are ensuring that everybody now gets good piece of work. a resettlement interview and gets some financial and employment advice when they leave. Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con): Does the Minister agree that it should be a key objective of any Government, 21. [116912] Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab): How many whether led by those on the Government Benches or by veterans have lost the opportunity of a job as a result the Opposition, to look after people who have been of the G4S Olympics fiasco? mentally or physically hurt in the service of our country for the rest of their lives? Mr Robathan: I have absolutely no idea. Mr Robathan: I do agree and I think that those who Dr Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con): On that have been injured mentally or physically in the service same theme, does the Minister agree that it would have of our country and of us all deserve due consideration. been good if G4S had recruited more veterans to police That is certainly what we look to give them. In the spirit the Olympics and ensure security? Will he confirm that of co-operation, let me say that I thought the armed what has happened will not result in a single serving forces compensation scheme, which was put in place by soldier in Afghanistan having to stay on the front line the previous Government, was a very good scheme. for one day longer than would otherwise have been the case? Gemma Doyle (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab/Co-op): Reports show that there is a higher incidence of mental Mr Robathan: First, I can confirm that nobody will ill health among reservists who have served in Iraq or remain longer on operations in Afghanistan because of Afghanistan than among those from the regular forces. this debacle over the G4S contract. I will say to my hon. Recent announcements make it clear that the Government Friend, as he would expect me to, that I absolutely agree intend to rely more heavily on reservists in the coming that former service personnel would do that job particularly years. Will the Minister say whether the MOD intends well, but I have no responsibility for the recruitment to give greater importance to reservists’ mental health, 667 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 668 and what measures he will put in place to analyse the companies to invest in the UK, encouraging innovative reasons for the disparity and to improve their mental small and medium-sized enterprises, investing in defence health? science and technology, and strongly supporting responsible defence and security exports. We are also working closely Mr Robathan: The hon. Lady is correct, in that it is with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills more difficult to keep tabs on reservists because they go on a range of initiatives to maintain and develop engineering out of the military environment back to their homes and scientific skills, including initiating a dialogue with and jobs and so on. They also do not have the cocoon, the defence industries similar to that taking place through dare I say it, of having their comrades around them. We the successful aerospace growth partnership. are taking action, and I want to mention two things in particular. First, the medical assessment programme Graham Jones: There are reports today in the newspapers and the reserves’ mental health programme are currently that the F-35B programme is to face substantial cuts in based in St Thomas’s hospital. We are moving the the US. Has the Minister had any indication from his medical assessment programme to Chilwell in the very counterparts in the US of a reduction in the number near future— that will be procured, which may affect defence jobs in east Lancashire? Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Downgrading it. Peter Luff: I remember a good friend of mine, a general, who retired recently from the British armed Mr Robathan: No, we are certainly not downgrading services, who said he would know that he had retired it. Indeed, I went there only about a month ago to talk when he started believing what he read in newspapers. about it to those involved, and they think that it is the I would strongly recommend to the hon. Gentleman right way forward. not to believe what he reads in newspapers. The United Secondly, Professor Simon Wessely at the King’s Centre States remains strongly committed to the programme. for Military Health Research is carrying out an in-depth The F-35B is an outstanding aircraft, it is flying extensively, study into the mental health problems that people encounter, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will particularly focusing on reservists. receive our first two aircraft on Thursday. The hon. Gentleman should be a little sceptical. Mrs Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) (Con): What advice is available to armed forces families on the Regimental Disbandment after-effects of operational deployment? 12. Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay) (Con): Mr Robathan: Not all people suffer after-effects. I believe What account he took of recruitment capability in that my hon. Friend’s son has served or is serving in determining regimental disbandment. [116902] Afghanistan: is that correct? The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): Mrs Grant indicated assent. In selecting infantry battalions for withdrawal, the Army has focused on the major long-term recruiting challenges Mr Robathan: He is. Not all people who return from that it faces in this area. It has looked carefully at Afghanistan have mental health after-effects, but it is historic recruiting performance over a decade, and at obviously a concern that some people do. Within units demographic projections for the age cohort from which in particular, there are various options, including the infantry recruits are drawn in the recruiting catchment programme I have mentioned, TRiM, and a programme areas of different regiments. It has also considered called the Big White Wall. It is an online programme regional and national affiliations, the merger and and people can put their feelings anonymously on a big disbandment history of individual battalions, and existing white wall. There is a huge amount of support, but it is commitments of battalions to future operations. The not always easy to access. We want to make it easier for overriding objective has been to arrive at a solution that families and others to access that mental health provision— delivers a balanced and effective military force and is seen as fair and equitable by those currently serving in Mr Speaker: Order. We are extremely grateful to the the Army. Minister, but I think that the Minister and the hon. Lady should have a cup of tea together and discuss the Mr Baron: Although the MOD has not been able to matter further. supply the five and 10-year recruitment figures, despite a named-day written parliamentary question tabled the Defence Manufacturing Industry week before last, the three-year figures clearly show that better recruited English battalions, including the 2nd 11. Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab): What steps his Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, are being Department is taking to maintain skills levels in the axed in order to save the more poorly recruited Scottish defence manufacturing industry. [116901] ones. Will the Secretary of State deny that petty politics in relation to the Scottish referendum has influenced The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence decisions? (Peter Luff): The “National Security Through Technology” White Paper published in February emphasised the Mr Hammond: My hon. Friend is repeating an assertion need for a strong skills base in the UK to ensure that the that he made when I made the statement. I sat down armed forces and national security agencies have access afterwards with the Chief of the General Staff and to the technology, equipment and support they need. went through his process again to reassure myself that I That is why we are creating the right conditions for could say with confidence to my hon. Friend that the 669 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 670 assertion he is making is simply not correct. Looked at Helicopter Capability over a decade, the recruitment figures for the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers speak for themselves. I am happy 14. Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) to have a meeting with him and go through the numbers, (Con): What plans he has to improve the helicopter if he would like to do so. capability of the armed forces. [116904] Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Three former senior figures from all three services wrote in The Daily The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Telegraph this morning of “cynical” cuts to our armed (Peter Luff): The Ministry of Defence is making significant forces and described the plans for Army 2020 as investment in helicopter capability, including: buying “unbelievable”. Does the Secretary of State not think an additional 14 Chinook helicopters and modernising that with a collapse in confidence at such a high level the existing fleet; completing the life extension programme and morale among the ranks in free-fall, along with his for Puma; upgrading the Merlin helicopters and our risky strategy on the use of reservists, his decision on attack helicopter capability; and replacing the current 2020 should be another candidate for a possible Lynx fleet with new Wildcat helicopters, the first of Government U-turn? which was formally handed over to the MOD at Farnborough international air show last week. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also announced a Mr Hammond: As usual, plenty of criticism and no £250 million support contract to sustain these in service. constructive suggestions from the Opposition. In relation That is a substantial programme of investment that will to the letter this morning, the key word is “former” ensure a strong and credible helicopter capability. senior officers. I take my advice from senior serving officers in the military. This is a plan designed by the Army to secure the future of the Army. They are Mr Evennett: I welcome my hon. Friend’s reply. Will confident that they can deliver it and I have confidence he update the House on plans to marinise the Merlin in their ability to do so. and upgrade Apache? Peter Luff: The Department is currently exploring New Regiments (2006-07) options for upgrading the mark 3 and 3A helicopters as part of an assessment phase for the Merlin life sustainment 13. Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con): What assessment programme. It will look at obsolescence issues and the he has made of the effectiveness of the unification of ship optimisation upgrades needed for routine operation the new regiments created in 2006-07 where battalions at sea. All options are still being considered, so I cannot were created from previous historical regiments; and if tell my hon. Friend what he wants to know until the he will make a statement. [116903] conclusions are available. The decision on exactly how many Apache helicopters will be upgraded will be taken The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): at a later date, but we plan to sustain their capability The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the Duke of Lancaster’s until their out-of-service date, which is 2040. Regiment, the Yorkshire Regiment, the Mercian Regiment, the Royal Welsh and the Rifles were all created in Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab): The 2006-07. All these regiments have provided battalions Minister will know of my sincere wish to see air-sea for operations in Afghanistan which have been well rescue remain within the Department. What contingency prepared and which have delivered significant success, plans, if any, does he have on helicopters as far as as well as all taking significant casualties. air-sea rescue is concerned?

Philip Davies: My right hon. Friend will understand Peter Luff: I have every confidence that my hon. the disappointment in Yorkshire at the disappearance Friends in the Department for Transport will secure of 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment—the Green that facility very successfully during the competition Howards—but can he confirm whether his intention is they are running. to have a completely merged Yorkshire regiment in its entirety with the two remaining battalions, which I Topical Questions understand is what the majority of those serving would like to see, or to have the two remaining battalions based on their previous regimental backgrounds, which T1. [116915] Andrew Selous (South West Bedfordshire) it seems the majority of retired personnel would like (Con): If he will make a statement on his departmental to see? responsibilities.

Mr Hammond: My hon. Friend draws an interesting The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond): distinction—not the only one that has been brought to My departmental responsibilities are to ensure: that our my attention—between the desires of people serving in country is properly defended now and in the future the Army now and those of former members of the through delivery of the military tasks for which the armed forces, because they are not necessarily aligned. I MOD is mandated; that our service personnel have the can only repeat what I told the House on 5 July: having right equipment and training to allow them to succeed announced the changes, we expect regiments to come in the military tasks; and that we honour our armed forward with proposals for restructuring within the forces covenant. My first priority is the success of the boundaries we have announced. We will support decisions operation in Afghanistan, followed by the provision made within the regimental families to do that, whichever of support to the Olympics security plan. The Ministry way they propose going. of Defence has also embarked on a major project of 671 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 672 transformation to ensure the behavioural change needed Mr Philip Hammond: On the first point, I take advice to maintain the budget in balance and deliver the equipment from the Army, and that is the correct way for the programme. Defence Secretary to behave in these matters. On the preservation of the name of the Staffords, I am well Andrew Selous: As a former Territorial soldier, I have aware of the concerns expressed by Staffordshire Members every confidence that our reserve forces will rise to the of Parliament, and as I said in relation to the Yorkshire challenge set by the Secretary of State, as they always Regiment, this is a matter for the regiment. If the regiment have done, but when does he expect the order of battle comes forward with a proposal to merge the antecedent for the Territorial Army to be announced? name into the antecedent names of the 1st Battalion the Cheshires, we will be quite happy to support that Mr Hammond: As I said, we will publish a consultation arrangement. paper in the autumn. The consultation period will take us through into the new year and we expect to be able to T3. [116917] Sir Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed) publish full details of our plans for the Army reserve in (LD): Does the Defence Secretary agree that the Royal the spring, including the order of battle. Regiment of Fusiliers has done everything that was asked of it in conflict, in peacekeeping, in recruitment Mr Jim Murphy (East Renfrewshire) (Lab): How and in coping with reorganisation? Why, then, has it many contracts does the Ministry of Defence have with been reduced to a single battalion, when its recruitment G4S? Will the Secretary of State commit to reviewing record is so much better than battalions unaffected by them in the light of recent events, and will there be a the infantry cuts? moratorium on the MOD signing any future contracts with that company until the findings of those reviews Mr Hammond: I am afraid that the right hon. Gentleman have been reported in full to Parliament? repeats the comments that my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon and Billericay (Mr Baron) made earlier, and that is simply not the case. Looked at over a 10-year Mr Hammond: I cannot given the right hon. Gentleman horizon, the recruiting figures speak for themselves, and a simple answer on contracts we have in place with the Army has conducted a rigorous process that resulted G4S— in the withdrawal of the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. I can say no more than that to the right Mr Murphy: Why not? hon. Gentleman.

Mr Hammond: I am quite happy to look into the T5. [116919] Dan Jarvis (Barnsley Central) (Lab): matter and write to him. Depending on the type of Significant cuts to the armed forces carry real risk; contract being let, the MOD is bound by the regulations increased reliance on the reservists carries real risk; and binding all Departments—European procurement directive greater emphasis on the private sector for logistical regulations—unless it is a contract for war-like supplies, support, again, carries real risk. Will the Secretary of and must conduct its procurement in accordance with State therefore respond to my concern that the them. potential cost-saving benefits of the cuts to capability that the Government have announced do not outweigh T2. [116916] Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (Con): the risks that they pose to our ability to leverage force Can the Minister update the House on the range of in an uncertain and changing world? protected vehicles available to our troops in Afghanistan? Mr Hammond: As usual, there is no alternative The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence constructive suggestion. We have a £38 billion black (Peter Luff): Yes I can, and I have heard very moving hole in the defence budget, and we have to resolve that testimony from those who have returned from Afghanistan, problem to make our armed forces sustainable in future and from the families of those in Afghanistan, about and to ensure that we can properly equip them when we the effectiveness of such vehicles. We have a range of ask them to put themselves in danger. What we have options that balance firepower, mobility and protection, done is to set out a coherent plan that will deliver including Huskey, Mastiff, Warthog, Warrior, CVR(T)— smaller but better equipped armed forces that are sustainable combat reconnaissance vehicle (tracked)—Coyote and in the medium and long term, and I suggest to the hon. Jackal; and the latest protected mobility vehicle, Foxhound, Gentleman that that is the best way forward for them. which is being deployed to Afghanistan now, will reinforce our commitment to provide force protection and proper T7. [116921] Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con): I protection against the improvised explosive device threat, warmly welcome the involvement of the armed forces while providing maximum utility. It is a good package. in ensuring that the Olympic games are safe and secure. Will my right hon. Friend explain the role that they will T4. [116918] Tristram Hunt (Stoke-on-Trent Central) play during the Olympics and, in particular, the various (Lab): The armed forces careers advice centre in consultations and engagements that have taken place Hanley in my constituency is the second busiest in the with the community over the use of ground-based air country, but, under the Defence Secretary’s ill thought defence systems? out plans, its recruits will not be able to join their local battalion, the Staffords. On recruitment, his numbers Mr Hammond: Yes. The armed forces will support are not wrong, but, rather than acting like a desiccated the police in the security operations for the Olympics. calculating machine, will he support the campaign to We will provide the air policing regime, including the keep the Staffords’ name in the Mercian Regiment by ground-based air defence missiles, to enforce the prohibited merging it with 1st Battalion the Cheshires? and restricted zones around London. There will also be 673 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 674

Royal Marine activity on the River Thames in support Jim McGovern (Dundee West) (Lab): Constable Colin of the police, and of course 11,000 people will be MacColl of Tayside police came to my surgery last deployed in support of the venue security operation. Friday in his capacity as a constituent and someone There has been extensive consultation with local authorities, who works in my constituency. He outlined how distressed landlords and Members of Parliament on the proposed and distraught his family are at the fact that his nephew, location of the ground-based air defences. Leading Seaman Timmy MacColl, was last seen on 27 May in Dubai on shore leave from HMS Westminster. T6. [116920] Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab): Will the Can the Minister outline what has been done to try to Secretary of State update the House on the MOD’s locate Leading Seaman MacColl and what will be done current position in Libya? in future to alleviate my constituent’s concerns?

Mr Hammond: I am very happy to double-check and The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence write to the hon. Gentleman, but I believe that the (Mr Andrew Robathan): I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman position is that we have two MOD personnel on secondment for that question, and I should say that the right hon. in Libya. [Interruption.] The Minister for the Armed Member for Stirling (Mrs McGuire) has been in touch Forces is confirming that. on behalf of the family as well. This is a sad case. Leading Seaman MacColl has T8. [116922] Mr David Evennett (Bexleyheath and disappeared. The Royal Navy police made all efforts to Crayford) (Con): Will the Secretary of State join me in find him in Dubai, but unfortunately the ship then paying tribute to our armed forces, who do such a sailed, as ships do. We have no particular police presence tremendous job? Does he believe that their professionalism in the country. We are liaising with the Dubai police, will be an asset at the Olympic games? who are leading on the case. The Foreign Office is absolutely on the side of the Dubai police. Mr Hammond: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Contrary to a lot of the noises off that we have been hearing, most people visiting the Olympic games and Mr Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con): Would any most people living in London will be hugely reassured further cuts in the armed forces be unsustainable? by the presence of our armed forces. They bring resilience and reliability to the security arrangements. When a Mr Philip Hammond: We have announced all the soldier is scheduled to be at place A at time B, you can reductions in armed forces manpower required to deliver bet your bottom dollar that he will be there. the outcome of the strategic defence and security review. The changes announced will allow us to deliver the Mr Bob Ainsworth (Coventry North East) (Lab): Future Force 2020 structure in 2020. What will be the effect of the ludicrously last-minute commitment for our armed forces on post-operative leave entitlement for those returning from Afghanistan? Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab): Will the Secretary of State look again at the cuts to the Mr Hammond: I have answered that question in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, particularly the impact on House before. People who came back from Afghanistan Coventry and Warwickshire and the local impact? Can in April will have had their post-operational leave scheduled. we have an answer without the right hon. Gentleman’s It is possible that some people who have post-operational blaming everybody else? He is responsible for the double-dip leave scheduled for the period of July and August will situation that we have got. be asked to reschedule it. However, I can confirm to the right hon. Gentleman that everyone will receive their Mr Hammond: I am responsible. I take advice from full entitlement of post-operational leave, or any other the Army, which is the only responsible way to decide kind of leave, and that people who have to change their on a restructuring package for the Army. As I said, personal arrangements and incur any financial loss as a I have reassured myself since I made the announcement consequence will be fully reimbursed for that loss. that all of its elements are sound and based on proper evidence provided by the Army. Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con): Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Scout specialist vehicle will go ahead, giving much needed certainty both to the Michael Ellis (Northampton North) (Con): There is armed forces and the supplier, General Dynamics, a an excellent proposal for 10,000 tickets for the Olympic valued employer in my constituency? games to be given to Her Majesty’s armed forces personnel. What procedures are being undertaken for the proper allocation of those 10,000 tickets? Can my right hon. Peter Luff: I can confirm that. The Scout specialist Friend say something about whether, if other tickets vehicle programme is currently in the demonstration remain unsold, it might be possible to give those tickets phase. The first vehicle platform test rig was rolled out to armed forces personnel? on 6 June this year and pre-production vehicle prototypes are due to begin delivery from 2013. The successful completion of the demonstration phase will lead to a Mr Hammond: We are extremely grateful to the London main investment decision at main gate, currently planned Organising Committee of the Olympic Games for the for 2016. That is good news for my hon. Friend’s help that it has provided in making tickets available constituents, and I thank them, through her, for what through Tickets for Troops and directly to the armed they are doing to create that important capability for forces. We now have a substantial number of tickets the Army. available and we hope there may be still more to come. 675 Oral Answers16 JULY 2012 Oral Answers 676

The detailed arrangements for distributing those tickets Mr Hammond: I am not aware of any such cases, but will be determined by the commander-in-chief, land I am happy to talk to my hon. Friend outside the forces. Chamber and to write to him.

Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East) (Lab): I am John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Lab/Co-op): sure that the thoughts of all right hon. and hon. Members Further to the previous unclear answer, is the Secretary will be with the families of those who lost their lives in of State categorically ruling out revisiting the “cat and Afghanistan in recent days. What assessment has the trap” system for the aircraft carriers? Secretary of State made of recent reports that the Taliban believe that the insurgency can no longer be won? Is not Mr Hammond: I do not think that there was a previous this the perfect opportunity to convene all-party talks unclear answer. We have made a decision to revert to to bring about a secure peace in Afghanistan? the STOVL––short take-off and vertical landing—solution. We are highly confident of the delivery of the F-35B Mr Hammond: Indeed. The Government’s policy is STOVL variant, which the US Marine Corps depends to maintain the pressure through the military campaign, on. We have had the highest level discussions with the while encouraging both sides to come together and US Administration, who strongly support the programme. explore their tentative early contacts, and also to encourage I am looking forward to seeing US Marine Corps Pakistan to play a constructive role in this process, aircraft flying at Pax River on Wednesday. because, in many ways, Pakistan holds the key. Mr Speaker: Before I call the shadow Home Secretary Richard Drax (South Dorset) (Con): A senior military to ask the urgent question that I have allowed, I must source has told me that many soldiers have been taken tell the House that I intend to bring proceedings on it to off promotional courses as a consequence of the G4S an end after half an hour. In view of the proceedings on shambles. Will the Secretary of State assure me that Thursday, I ask Members not merely to repeat questions they will get back on to those courses and will be fully already posed and answered then, but to explore new compensated if their course is delayed by, say, a year? territory that has since arisen. 677 16 JULY 2012 Olympics (Security) 678

Olympics (Security) LOCOG and the Home Office monitored delivery throughout the following months. G4S assured LOCOG 3.32 pm and the Government continually that it would be able to deliver its contractual obligations. However, on Wednesday Yvette Cooper (Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford) 11 July, following the difficulties with scheduling that (Lab): (Urgent Question): To ask the Home Secretary the company has acknowledged, G4S notified LOCOG to make a statement on Olympic security. and the Government that it would not be able to provide the numbers of security personnel specified in its contract. The Secretary of State for the Home Department I want to be clear that that was the first time that G4S (Mrs Theresa May): Since I updated the House on Olympic admitted to any Minister that it would not be able to security last week, there have been several allegations in deliver the numbers of security personnel that it had the media, and I want to deal with each of them. promised. First, it was reported that Ministers knew there would We acted immediately to make further contingency be a shortfall in security staff last year. This is untrue. arrangements by agreeing the deployment of 3,500 further Last September, Her Majesty’s inspectorate of constabulary troops. That brings the total military contribution to reported, at my request, on the security preparations by the games to 17,000, including personnel from all three the London Organising Committee of the Olympic services. Games, and it recommended several measures. HMIC reported again in February and concluded that LOCOG G4S has failed to deliver its contractual obligations, had plans in place to deliver the required number of but we have the finest military personnel in the world— security personnel. Neither HMIC report identified troops who are willing, ready and able to step in when specific problems with G4S scheduling. their country calls—and we can be sure of their professionalism in helping to deliver a secure and safe Secondly, it was reported that the Under-Secretary of Olympic games. State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire), who is the Minister for crime and security, had attended Yvette Cooper: Everyone wants the games to be an meetings in which he was told there was a security staff outstanding success. After the G4S shambles, we need shortage. In fact, G4S repeatedly assured us that it would things to be back on track and the Home Secretary overshoot its targets. As I told the House on Thursday, needs to show that she is sorting it out. G4S told the Government that it would be unable to First, will the Home Secretary tell us precisely how meet its contractual obligations only last Wednesday, many people she now expects G4S to provide? It was and we took immediate action. contracted to provide 17,000, it now says that it will be Thirdly, it was reported that we must have known about 13,000, but it has admitted that the vast majority of the shortfall because the military was put on standby in those are still in process. Today, we learned that only a April. This is also not the case. In fact, 7,500 troops third of the expected G4S staff turned up to lock down have been part of the security plans since December, a a venue in Manchester and that the police had to do it further 1,000 were on standby in the event of flooding instead. The monitoring has failed once spectacularly or other such civil emergencies, and we placed a further and the Home Secretary has failed to assess the numbers 2,000 on standby as a precaution in case the threat level once before. Will she now tell us how many staff she increased. The 3,500 troops whose deployment I announced believes G4S will provide? last Thursday are a direct response to the failure of G4S Secondly, the Home Secretary told us on Thursday to meet its contractual obligations. A further contingency that 3,500 extra troops would be sufficient to fill the will remain. gap. If G4S fails to deliver the full 13,000 people it now The Government have strengthened the oversight of promises, will those troops be enough? If more troops the security planning operation since we came into and police will be needed, she should say so now and office. I will go through briefly what has happened since not let this drift. The troops and the police will do an the bid for the games in 2005. From the beginning, the excellent job, but they need to be able to prepare. organisers planned to use private sector personnel for Thirdly, the London Mayor said this morning: venue security. LOCOG confirmed that it would be “Everybody that was organising the Olympics knew this was using private sector security personnel well before the coming up…ages ago.” 2008 Beijing Olympics. It started the procurement process for security personnel in April 2010. The deputy mayor said: When we entered government in May 2010, we instigated “This issue was flagged up repeatedly by both the Metropolitan a comprehensive review of Olympics safety and security Police Authority and subsequently the Mayor’s Office…for more than a year to G4S directly, the Olympic Security Board, and the planning, overseen by the then Security Minister, Baroness Home Office.” Neville-Jones. That audit and review identified a shortfall in LOCOG’s venue security budget, which we addressed Even G4S says that it has been discussing the detailed in the comprehensive spending review. shortfall for “eight or nine days”. And yet, last Monday, the Home Secretary told the House that she was We recognised that, with a project of this size and scale, even that additional funding might not ensure the “confident that our partners will deliver”.—[Official Report, level of security that we needed, so I asked for outside 9 July 2012; Vol. 548, c. 9.] assurance of LOCOG’s venue security planning. In It is incomprehensible that the monitoring was that September 2011, I commissioned HMIC to carry out poor that no one told her until Wednesday. How on an inspection of LOCOG’s venue security plans. As I earth could the Minister responsible for delivering Olympics have said, that led to several recommendations that were security be the only person who did not know? When acted on by the Home Office, the police and LOCOG. was she first told that there was a problem with G4S? 679 Olympics (Security)16 JULY 2012 Olympics (Security) 680

We need to know why the Home Secretary has failed Mrs May: I can confirm that G4S has made it clear on this, because we need to have the confidence that she that it will meet any additional police or military costs. understands what went wrong and is competent to sort the problem out now, so that everyone can get on and Keith Vaz (Leicester East) (Lab): I thank the Home make the Olympics a great success. Secretary for agreeing to appear before the Home Affairs Committee as soon as the Olympic and Paralympic Mrs May: I will respond to the various points that games are over. the shadow Home Secretary has raised. She asked what May I take the Home Secretary back to the HMIC the numbers look like. The revised solution of more report? Is she telling the House that G4S was made than 23,000 personnel that was decided on at the end aware of the contents of the report prepared by Sir Denis of last year was made up of 10,400 G4S guards, O’Connor? There were four copies of that report, and 7,500 military at peak, up to 3,000 Bridging the Gap, up one went to Charles Farr, who chaired the Olympic to 3,000 volunteers and up to 2,000 incumbents that— security board. If G4S was aware that there were shortcomings, it ought really to have put them right Yvette Cooper: What about G4S? before last Wednesday.

Mrs May: The very first figures that I gave were Mrs May: The HMIC report was on LOCOG’s security 10,400 G4S guards, 7,500 military, 3,000 Bridging the planning capabilities. It was a not a review of G4S. It Gap, up to 3,000 volunteers and up to 2,000 incumbent outlined a number of steps that LOCOG needed to take security suppliers at existing venues. [Interruption.] The to plan and manage the delivery of the venue security hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) asks, responsibilities. That predated the decision to increase “Bridging what gap?” Bridging the Gap is the name of a the number of venue security personnel. A further programme under which students and others can get report was commissioned from HMIC in February, and employment. it said that it was reassured that LOCOG had plans in The shadow Home Secretary says that we need to get place to resolve any issue expeditiously. Issues were a grip, but that is precisely what we have been doing. raised in those reports, but all those who were required When we came into office, we made an immediate to act on them did so. security audit, increased the budget and revised the plans. I have commissioned several reports on Olympic Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD): Will preparedness, each of which has led to a refinement of the Home Secretary investigate claims that existing G4S the plans. When G4S told us last Wednesday that it staff in other parts of the country have been given the would be unable to deliver its contractual obligations, opportunity to fill Olympic security posts only if they we decided to deploy extra military personnel to fill take annual leave, despite the massive shortage? the gap. The right hon. Lady asked why the situation was not Mrs May: My hon. Friend raises an issue that has not known about earlier. I have explained that we commissioned previously been raised with me. I will look into it, but it reports on G4S’s preparedness, which contained is of course for G4S to decide how it will provide the recommendations on which LOCOG, the Home Office numbers. It has had significant difficulties in scheduling and the police acted, but those reports all made it clear both existing staff and the new staff that it is bringing that subject to acting on those recommendations, LOCOG in, but I have noted his point. was on track to deliver the necessary security personnel. Last Wednesday, G4S told us that it would be unable to Mr Jack Straw (Blackburn) (Lab): Given the scale of deliver its obligations. the shortfall between what G4S contracted to provide The shadow Home Secretary asked about timing. On and what it is now providing, which must have been Friday 6 July the managing director of G4S Global obvious upon inquiry, is the Home Secretary saying Events told Reuters: that G4S was guilty of wilful deception of HMIC, or “We are delivering a London Olympics now. If there was a was there some failure in the monitoring of what G4S similar event going on in Australia, I would be bullish that we was doing? could deliver that at the same time.” I suggest that the right hon. Lady listens to the comments Mrs May: I suggest that the right hon. Gentleman of some of her colleagues. The noble Lord West has looks at some of the comments that G4S has made said: about its situation. It may be of interest to the House to “I don’t think it will affect the security of the games. That’s know that the accreditation process has accredited more been taken care of. The Government have sorted that out, because than 20,000 G4S personnel. The problem for G4S has the military are in there.” been allocating personnel to particular venue security The shadow Olympics spokesman has said: tasks through its scheduling programme. It was when it examined that situation and saw the difficulties it was “The important thing now is to focus on the solutions.” having that it came to the Government last Wednesday I suggest that the shadow Home Secretary listens to her and said that it could not meet its full contractual colleagues. obligation.

Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con): Can the Andrew Bingham (High Peak) (Con): Will my right Home Secretary confirm that any costs associated with hon. Friend confirm that no members of the armed the additional measures will be met by G4S, not the forces involved in the deployment will lose their annual taxpayer? entitlement to leave or be left out of pocket? 681 Olympics (Security)16 JULY 2012 Olympics (Security) 682

Mrs May: I can confirm that absolutely. I understand Mrs May: I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for The Government are on course to deliver a safe and Defence confirmed that in Defence questions. secure games that everyone will enjoy. We have had good cross-party support until now for the delivery of Mr Bob Ainsworth (Coventry North East) (Lab): We the Olympic games, and it is a pity that that has not have the finest armed forces in the world, and they will continued under the shadow Home Secretary. step into the breach most admirably. The lateness of the decision, however, will add considerably to their discomfort Mr George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab): In view of and the burden that is placed on them. Given the size of the discrepancy between the account that the Home the gap, there must have been a failure of monitoring or Secretary has given the House this afternoon and reports deliberate deceit—one or the other—for such a gap to from HMIC, the Mayor of London’s office and G4S, exist so late in the process. will she publish all the relevant contacts that she had with all those bodies so that we can judge for ourselves? Mrs May: The right hon. Gentleman fails to appreciate the fact that it was at a stage fairly close to the beginning Mrs May: The right hon. Gentleman has made an of the Olympic games that G4S began to schedule staff assumption about differences in statements that have to particular venue security duties. It was when it began been made. I have explained: if he looks at what G4S doing so that it discovered that it had a problem with has been saying, it made it clear that it realised only the numbers. That is what G4S has absolutely made recently that it was not going to be able to deliver. It clear. I repeat to the right hon. Gentleman what I have rightly, as a company, put its hand up and said, “We did just said: in fact, we have accredited over 20,000 G4S have problems; it was our mistake.” As I said in response personnel. The issue was getting staff to the venue to my hon. Friend the Member for Selby and Ainsty security task, and it was right that G4S came to us at the (Nigel Adams), it is willing to provide funding to cover point that it did and said that it was not going to be able the extra costs that will be incurred. The right hon. to fulfil the personnel numbers, which is why we have Gentleman referred to other comments that have been asked for the contingency from the military. made. I dealt with some of those in my statement.

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere) (Con): So that we Mr Don Foster (Bath) (LD): Notwithstanding the can see the full picture, will my right hon. Friend tell us abysmal failure of G4S to date, is it the intention once exactly when in the preparations for the games that it the games have begun that G4S will continue to recruit, was decided that the contract for security would be train and schedule its security staff to Olympic venues, between LOCOG and G4S, and what was the ministerial enabling some of our troops to go home early? input at the time into that decision? Mrs May: It is certainly the case that G4S will continue Mrs May: The decision that the contract would be to provide staff at Olympic venues. Crucially, of course, between LOCOG and a private sector contractor was it will also provide staff for the Paralympics. It will still taken under the previous Government, and I am not make a significant contribution to venue security at the party to the discussions that took place. Olympic and Paralympic games. There will be more military personnel, and as the hon. Gentleman knows, they have already been informed that they will undertake Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab): The Secretary of State these duties. has said on more than one occasion that G4S deliberately deceived the Government. If that is the case in a £300 million contract, will it be allowed to tender for any further Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East) (Lab): private contracts with the Government in future? Can the Home Secretary tell us anything about the incident on Tyneside last Saturday, when 58 employees of G4S were supposed to turn up for work, but 10 actually Mrs May: A number of Members have hinted at the turned up and the shortfall was made up by the issue of deceit. G4S did not deceive the Government: it Northumbria police? Will she confirm that Northumbria assured us that it could deliver— police will be fully compensated for its costs, and if she cannot tell us anything now, will she investigate the Ian Lavery: What is the difference? incident further and report back to us?

Mrs May: Well, there is a very great difference, and Mrs May: The example that the right hon. Gentleman I am sure that the hon. Gentleman understands that has quoted—another example is going across the broadcasts difference. When G4S recognised that it was having today about the Manchester area—is an exact example difficulty scheduling and getting sufficient staff numbers of the problem that G4S encountered. In encountering to the posts for which they were required it came to the that problem, it identified the fact that it would not be Government and said that it could not deliver the able to provide the security personnel. As to the costs to numbers that it thought it could. the police, G4S has stated that it will ensure that it covers the costs for the police and the military, but if the Mr Ben Wallace (Wyre and Preston North) (Con): As right hon. Gentleman would like me to write to him we speak and as the House meets, athletes from all over with more detail, I would be happy to do so. the world are arriving at Heathrow to take part in one of the world’s greatest athletic gatherings. Does my Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest) (Con): Will the right hon. Friend agree that one of the things that Home Secretary reassure the House and people who undermines national security is petty point scoring and live in areas such as my Epping Forest constituency, hysterical opposition, talking the games down? which is close to the Olympic park, hosts an Olympic 683 Olympics (Security)16 JULY 2012 Olympics (Security) 684 venue and, indeed, a Ministry of Defence security site, the G4S contract. We now hear from G4S that 9,000 people that normal levels of policing and security that are are still being processed. Does the Home Secretary necessary at this time will not be adversely affected by share her senior civil servant’s confidence now? the current situation? Mrs May: I explained this on a number of occasions Mrs May: Of course all parties involved have been last Thursday and this afternoon. There was a rolling working to ensure that the security that is provided is programme for G4S for recruiting individuals and taking the security that is needed for the Olympic games. That them through the training and accreditation process. is what is being put in place, and that is why we took the G4S repeatedly assured us that it was going to overshoot contingency arrangements we did in immediately calling rather than undershoot its target. It came forward and in those 3,500 troops to ensure that we could maintain said it could not meet its contractual obligations only the levels of security we require. last Wednesday.

Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab): It is inconceivable Ian Swales (Redcar) (LD): The contract is between that the Cabinet Committee that was overlooking this LOCOG and G4S. What does this situation tell us matter did not spot this—or was it that it believed its about LOCOG and its effectiveness in monitoring what own mantra: “public sector bad; private sector good”? is happening? Who is on this Committee? Mrs May: The contract is obviously between LOCOG Mrs May: The hon. Gentleman says that the Cabinet and G4S, but LOCOG has been party to discussions Committee should have spotted this, but G4S spotted it over time as we have been revising the numbers required, only in the last few days. That is what is absolutely clear as all hon. Members know. The HMIC report that I and that is what G4S has admitted. commissioned last year was into LOCOG’s arrangements. LOCOG responded to that and made changes as necessary. Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con): Will my right hon. Friend confirm that the failings of G4S will not Jack Dromey (Birmingham, Erdington) (Lab): Hundreds cost any extra to the public purse in the running of the of West Midlands police officers have been asked to games? stand in for G4S because its security guards have simply not turned up. The public have confidence in our police service but no confidence in G4S, yet the Home Secretary Mrs May: Obviously, there is a contract between the has spent £4 million promoting privatisation of essential London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games police services, the principal beneficiary of which would and Paralympic Games and G4S. There are penalties in be G4S. In light of the Olympics debacle, will she now it, and it is for LOCOG to deal with, but G4S is on abandon her reckless plans? record as saying that it will cover the extra costs of the military and the police. Mrs May: It is not a reckless plan for police forces to look to ensure that they make the best use of their Mr David Winnick (Walsall North) (Lab): Could it be budgets, so that they can put as much money as possible the unanimous wish of this House that the British not into back-office functions, but into getting police participants in the games do far, far better than the out on the streets. shambles we are now discussing? Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): The Home Mrs May: I am sure it is the unanimous wish of this Secretary should have a gold medal for the speed at House that British participants in the games are going which she has corrected this problem. Why exactly to do extremely well, that we will have a good medal cannot the 20,000 people whom G4S has recruited be haul and that Members like myself will have constituents employed? Are people just saying that they are not who are medal hopefuls—and I wish them every good going to go to work? luck in their competitive events. Mrs May: There are a number of things, the first of David Tredinnick (Bosworth) (Con): My right hon. which is the scheduling problems that G4S has had. Friend has outlined the checks and inspections that she Some individuals will now say, for a number of reasons, rightly had in place, but does she not suspect that G4S that they do not wish to take up the work. However, the is, perhaps at the very least, hiding the scale of the problem was identified only in the past few days, leading problem and has been doing so for some time? to the decision by G4S last Wednesday, when it told us it could not meet its requirements. Mrs May: No, I would say that G4S came forward and made a statement to the Government that it would Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab): not be able to provide the numbers required. It would There is a similar problem in Salford—not Manchester—to have been easy for G4S to carry on saying, “We will the ones described by my right hon. Friend the Member provide the required numbers”—but it did not; it recognised for Newcastle upon Tyne East (Mr Brown) and my hon. that it could not and at that point it came to the Friend the Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Jack Government and we took the necessary action. Dromey). Athletes in a hotel in Salford are now being protected by our local police force rather than by G4S. Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/ Will our police continue to be overstretched in that way Co-op): On 14 December, the chief civil servant in the on an ongoing basis? When will they be helped? When Home Office gave evidence to the Public Accounts will the Home Secretary accept that G4S is clearly not Committee, assuring us that everything was fine with fit for purpose? 685 Olympics (Security)16 JULY 2012 Olympics (Security) 686

Mrs May: Some police forces have put extra personnel Mrs May: I can reassure the right hon. Gentleman on certain venues as a result of what has happened. that all parties who were involved in preparations for Hon. Members have made a number of comments the Olympic games have been working to monitor the about our wonderful military personnel, but we should arrangements for security and to monitor G4S, and last also recognise that we have the best police force in the Wednesday—[Interruption.] On 6 July, G4S made clear world. There are meticulous plans for the policing of its confidence in its plan, and last Wednesday, on 11 July, the Olympic games and I have every confidence that our it said that it could not meet the numbers that it was police will do an excellent job. required to provide. We have taken action to ensure that we provide the safe and secure games that I hope Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North) (Con): I everybody in this House wants this country to have. understand the political difficulty of issuing a warning order earlier in the year, putting troops on standby for Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con): Will my right an increase in the threat or for a situation such as this. hon. Friend confirm that one group that has met its However, surely it was the right thing to do, not just for target is the reserve forces, more than 2,100 of whom the safety of our citizens, but also to enable our armed have volunteered? forces better to plan their R and R and training obligations. Mrs May: I am very pleased to confirm that. We have Mrs May: My hon. Friend, with her knowledge of not just the finest regular military forces in the world, the armed forces, makes a very important point. It is in but wonderful reservists, who are willing to step up to the interest of our armed forces for us to give them the plate—including, of course, some in this House as sufficient notice of contingency arrangements. We have well. I gather that 2,100 reservists have volunteered for had to move on the 3,500 extra troops because of the the Olympic games. I pay tribute to them and to the lateness of the point at which G4S admitted to us that it work they will be doing. was unable to meet its personnel needs. On the various other requirements, we have been able to give the notice Joan Walley (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab): Given to which she refers. that the police, as well as the troops, are having to step in and bridge the gap, will the Home Secretary provide Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab): What is the us, as Parliament goes into recess, with the numbers of precise number of security personnel that G4S will now policemen and women in forces around the country deliver for the Olympics? who are having to be moved to guard Olympic venues and hotels? It is selling the police short. Mrs May: We are continuing to accredit personnel for G4S and it continues to schedule personnel for the Mrs May: The hon. Lady talks as though there was Olympic games. The precise balance of the numbers it never any suggestion that the police would be involved will provide will become clear over the next few days— in security provision for the Olympics. That is not the [Interruption.] I suggest that Opposition Members should case: the police have always been part of the security for actually look at G4S’s statements on how it is dealing the Olympics, as has the military. Yes, the police are with the issue and on what the problem is. The suggestion taking on some extra requirements, as is the military. that this is a problem for the Government is not the case. We all have one aim, and that is to provide a safe and secure games that everybody can enjoy. Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD): When G4S makes a colossal error such as this, the Army and the police step in to provide cover, which is effectively a Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): form of insurance on the contract. What steps were Does the Home Secretary agree that a degree of humility taken when the contract was issued to ensure a level on the part of the Opposition is appropriate, as it was playing field between G4S and other private or public Labour’s plans that deliberately downplayed the involvement sector providers, and what steps will the Home Secretary of the armed forces in the first place? Our armed forces take to ensure a level playing field in future? were required then and they are required now. They are among our very best ambassadors and will add materially Mrs May: LOCOG undertook a process of inviting to the quality of our Olympic games. bids for the contract, as a result of which it decided that G4S was the contractor it wished to employ and there is Mrs May: As I noted earlier, the decision that LOCOG a contract between LOCOG and G4S. We have asked would have a contract with a private sector contractor the military to increase the numbers it is making available was taken under the last Government. My hon. Friend so that we can provide for the security of the Olympic is absolutely right to pay tribute to the quality of our games and reassure people that our plans for a safe and armed forces. I have every confidence that they will not secure games are in place and that the gap that has only do a good job, but do so in a spirit that ensures opened up will be covered by those military personnel. that everybody coming to the games can enjoy them as a sporting event. Mr John Spellar (Warley) (Lab): The shadow Home Secretary clearly asked the Home Secretary to respond Several hon. Members rose— to comments in tonight’s Evening Standard from the Mayor of London and his deputy for policing that Mr Speaker: Order. I thank the Home Secretary and everyone knew about this ages ago. The Home Secretary colleagues, whose succinctness enabled 29 Back Benchers declined to do so. Will she now say why, if the Greater to question the Home Secretary in the 22 minutes of London authority and the police authority knew about exclusively Back-Bench time available. It shows what we the problems, she did not? can do when we put our minds to it. 687 16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 688

Rail Investment It will include overhead electrification between Southampton and Basingstoke, which will be a pilot for possible wider replacement of the less efficient third rail 4.4 pm system in the wider south-east. The Secretary of State for Transport (Justine Greening): I am also delighted to announce that my Department With permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to make a and the Welsh Government have agreed on a proposal statement on rail investment. This Government have for the electrification of the valleys lines into Cardiff always been clear that our overwhelming priority is and for the completion of the electrification of the rebuilding our economy and restoring economic growth, Great Western main line to Swansea. That is fantastic to enable this country to compete in the global marketplace news for people in south Wales. I have worked closely in the years and decades ahead. Just as we are dealing with the Welsh Government and the Secretary of State with the budget deficit, so we are determined to deal for Wales, who has tirelessly made the case for investment with the massive infrastructure deficit that we inherited. in Wales, and I expect that investment to help to unlock That is why we have taken the deliberate decision to significant economic and employment opportunities in prioritise significant investment in our transport some of the most deprived parts of Wales. infrastructure—not only in Thameslink, Crossrail, High This is the largest programme of rail electrification Speed 2 and hard-shoulder running on motorways, but that this country has ever seen. The previous Government in relatively small interventions that make a big difference, electrified just 10 miles of railway, but we have now set such as tackling pinch points on our motorway network. out plans for more than 850 more miles of electrified The huge growth in passenger numbers over the last railway. By the time that is completed at the turn of the decade or more demonstrates how much people and decade, on current estimates, three quarters of all rail businesses value and rely on our railway system. The journeys in England and Wales will be made on cheaper, numbers speak for themselves. Last year, passengers greener and more reliable electric trains. With the number made 1.5 billion journeys, and the number of passenger of rail passenger journeys expected to increase by 16% miles travelled was almost 50% higher than in 2000. over the period, I am also asking the rail industry to Rail freight operators carried 100 million tonnes of provide capacity for 120,000 more commuters into London goods last year, with freight moved up by more than and over 20,000 more into regional cities. 15% over the same period. To help to meet that rapidly Inter-city rail travellers will also benefit from new rising demand, we have already committed to the biggest investments. Those benefits will include the completion rail modernisation programme since the Victorian age, of the northern hub project in Manchester; a £240 million with more than £18 billion of rail investment in this investment in capacity and connectivity improvements spending review period alone, including in High Speed 2 for the east coast main line, benefiting communities and Crossrail. from the home counties to the north-east; and a further Today, I can announce that we are increasing that £300 million for high-value, small-scale schemes in other commitment, with a further £16 billion of public support parts of the country. That is on top of the improvements for the classic rail network between 2014 and 2019, to which we have already committed ourselves, including which will support more than £9 billion of enhancement faster journeys from London to Scotland and Wales in line upgrades, greater capacity and more electrification. through the inter-city express programme, and across The high-level output specification that I am publishing northern England from Liverpool to Newcastle through today sets out my vision for the railway in 2019, and I electrification of the north trans-Pennine line. would like to take this opportunity to thank the Department Passengers also want better transport access to for Transport officials and the rail team who have international gateways. As I told the House on Thursday, worked with me on that project. I am asking Network Rail to develop a new western My vision is for a railway that is cheaper, greener and access rail link to our hub airport at Heathrow. I am more reliable to run, that supports economic growth also asking for improvements in the vital freight route and that delivers for its passengers and freight customers. to Felixstowe port through line and junction upgrades Passengers are at the heart of that vision, which is about at Leicester, Peterborough and Ely. That will give a delivering the capacity so that passengers can get to significant boost to the rail freight industry, which work; helping people and business to get between our forecasts a 23% increase in demand by 2019. I am cities faster; getting more freight off our roads and on providing £200 million of new funds to support the to our railways; and improving access to our ports and development of the freight network in order to meet airports. I would also like to take the opportunity to that increased demand. thank the many MPs who have represented their community I know that, for passengers, railways are often more needs to me as I have developed the package. about stations than about carriages and track. The At the heart of the high-level output specification is a HLOS programme that I am announcing today will rolling programme of electrification to deliver more benefit stations at Bristol, Huddersfield and Oxford, powerful, more sustainable and more efficient trains for and will recognise the value of smaller-scale station passengers and to allow freight operators to use electric schemes by providing further funds for the Access for trains to haul longer loads at lower cost. Today, I am All and national stations improvement programmes, asking the rail industry to create a new electric spine for both of which have delivered excellent results for rail freight and passenger services from the south coast to users in recent years. I also know that not everyone the east and west midlands and south Yorkshire. That can get to a station easily, and that a number of local electric spine will include the electrification of the midland communities have long wanted to see a new station in main line to Sheffield, which will dramatically improve their area. I am making £20 million available initially, passenger services between London, the midlands and and asking Network Rail to launch a competition inviting Yorkshire. It could cut journey times by up to 13 minutes. bids for new stations now. 689 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 690

[Justine Greening] Even many of the supposedly new projects which make up the remaining £4.2 billion are not so new after Vital though that massive programme of investment all, such as electrification of the midland main line, for is, there is another equally important programme that which development of the economic case was announced we must deliver to ensure that our railway remains by Lord Adonis, and to which we committed at the last affordable. Sir Roy McNulty’s review identified inefficiencies election. Today’s U-turn on the Great Western main in our rail industry worth up to £3.5 billion a year. I line is an acceptance that we were right to commit to assure the House that I remain committed to eradicating completing electrification all the way to Swansea, a those inefficiencies, and to sharing the benefits with decision the Secretary of State and her predecessor have passengers and taxpayers. Alongside HLOS, I am publishing spent two years saying had no business case or economic the funding that I will make available to enable the benefit, when it plainly did. I welcome that U-turn; it is railway to operate over the period. The settlement is a victory for the Labour Government in Wales. necessarily challenging: it assumes that the industry will It is right for the Government to commit to completing deliver the important reforms set out in my March the northern hub. That is vital to improve connectivity Command Paper and that the benefit will be returned and capacity between our northern cities. However, to us all, whether we are passengers or taxpayers. instead of that being promised for after the next election, That builds on the reforms that we are already making we could have made further progress with the scheme in to rail franchises, with longer contracts and more flexibility this Parliament. However, the Government chose to cut for operators to innovate in the interests of passengers. investment in this spending period by £1.2 billion, according We recently published the invitation to tender for Essex to Network Rail’s latest delivery plan update for the Thameside, and I expect to announce the Great Western current control period, CP 4. It says that that has led ITT shortly. I also expect to announce the award of the to deferrals to CP 5, the period covered by today’s next west coast franchise over the summer. Today I am announcement. So we have cuts in this Parliament publishing revised guidance for the Office of Rail replaced by promises for the next. As the Select Committee Regulation, which has statutory responsibility for Network on Transport has discovered, the entire northern hub Rail’s efficiency, stressing the importance that I—along could have been funded this year just from the Department’s with passengers and taxpayers—attach to efficiency underspend, but the Secretary of State instead chose to and value for money. hand that money back to the Treasury. Today’s announcement represents another historic We have also had confirmation today that the landmark in the regeneration and modernisation of Government are determined to press ahead with hiking Britain’s railways. It represents a recognition that investment rail fares by up to 11% in each of the next two years, on in HS2 must not be at the expense of investment in the top of January’s fare rises of up to 13%. The misery for existing network, and it shows that the Government’s passengers is not to stop there: we discover from the vision for the railways is clear: a railway system that is tender documents for the new franchises that bidders faster, more reliable, less crowded and more green. are being assured they can then go on imposing eye-watering Today we are taking real steps to make that happen by fare rises of up to 8% every year. That means more than delivering on our commitment to deficit reduction through a decade to come of investment-busting fare rises. a more efficient railway, recognising our commitment to Will the Secretary of State confirm how much lower High Speed 2 by developing the railway and preparing investment in enhancement schemes, greater capacity it for integration with the new line, and supporting our and electrification will be in control period 5 than in economy by bringing people and jobs closer together. control period 4? Can she confirm when work will begin That is our vision, that is our priority, and I commend it on the ground, actually delivering jobs from each of the to the House. schemes that have yet to get under way? Will she update the House on the significant delays in completing the 4.13 pm contractual negotiations for Thameslink rolling stock Maria Eagle (Garston and Halewood) (Lab): I thank and the inter-city express programme? Will she confirm the Secretary of State for early sight of her statement, that she has approved a cut in the planned order of new most of which, of course, we read in the newspapers inter-city trains from 1,400, as planned by Labour, to over the weekend and this morning. fewer than 600? What we have just heard is a list of rail investment When will we see the results of the review into train projects that were announced by the last Government— procurement that was promised following the fiasco of [Interruption.] It is true. They were announced by the awarding the Thameslink contract to a company that last Government, but they will have to be delivered by will build the trains in Germany? With long-term youth the next one. We were promised £9 billion of new unemployment having trebled in the last year, what investment, but, as we have heard today, the reality is a steps are the Government taking to ensure that young plan for just £4.2 billion of new rail schemes over five people benefit from the investment through apprenticeships years—less than half the amount that was spun to the and jobs? Will the Secretary of State confirm that media in advance of today’s statement to the House. Of Network Rail’s debt, now standing at £27 billion, is set the rest—the other £5.2 billion—more than half is to increase to £33 billion by the end of this control simply confirmation that schemes already under way period? How much will that have risen to by the end of will not be cancelled halfway through, including Crossrail, 2019, as a result of today’s announcement? Thameslink, the electrification of the Great Western On Network Rail, will the Secretary of State join me main line, and the electrification in the north-west and in condemning the decision to again propose a bonus across the Pennines, all schemes announced by my scheme that will see senior managers handed £300,000 noble Friend Lord Adonis as Secretary of State for each, apparently because they have said they will walk Transport in 2009. away if they do not get it, and then a wider bonus 691 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 692 scheme that could cost taxpayers £11.7 million? Can she it to invest not only in its own companies, but in the confirm that, as she threatened last time, she will turn supply chain that we so badly need to make sure that up to this Thursday’s annual general meeting and vote that work can be supported. against that package, and if not, why not? The hon. Lady asked about Network Rail bonuses. In light of the commitments made to improve rail Well, you know what, I am the first Secretary of State links to Heathrow, when will the aviation industry actually for Transport who has ever expressed an opinion on be allowed to submit evidence to the Department on the them, so I do not need to take any lectures from the country’s medium-term and long-term aviation capacity ex-Government, who set up Network Rail and then needs, or do we have this lack of joined-up policy proceeded to spend the whole time complaining about making because we are awaiting the next Government how it ran itself. It is putting in place its new governance reshuffle? structure, which will be a more responsible one than Finally— that set up for it by the Labour Government. It beggars belief that, on a day when we announced such an Mr Speaker: Order. We are extremely grateful to the historic investment, all the Opposition can do is carp hon. Lady, but she has now well and truly had her time. from the sidelines. However, I suspect that while that is I have been watching the clock very closely, the Secretary their strategy they will remain exactly where they are of State was within time and we must now move on. now: on the sidelines. The Secretary of State will respond and then we will take Back Benchers. Several hon. Members rose— Justine Greening: I have to say that many people watching this will be amazed at the hon. Lady—rather Mr Speaker: Order. I remind the House that, in than looking at the glass 95% full, she seems to be accordance with convention, Members who entered the looking at it 5% empty. The bottom line is that the Chamber after the Secretary of State began her statement Labour Government had 13 years to crack on with this, should not be seeking to catch my eye. It is also obvious so if they did not get to do it, they have only themselves that there is very widespread interest in this subject— to blame. We are in government and we are taking our understandably so—which I am keen to accommodate, opportunity to improve our railway system for our but Members will also be aware that there are two people. Opposition-day debates to follow. Therefore, there is a premium on brevity from Back Benchers and Front I am delighted that it is a coalition Government who Benchers alike. have finally delivered on that programme of transformation for the Welsh railways. It will make a huge difference to the Welsh economy, and I am delighted that we have Mr John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con): Over the been able to announce it today. I can assure the hon. past two years Network Rail has announced losses of Lady that we are looking at whether we can advance £344 million on its very large derivatives book, so would some elements of the investment earlier—of course we not a better way of spending that money be to have a are. In fact, that comes on the back of a huge amount of national programme to replace dangerous level crossings work already under way across the industry, be it the with bridges and underpasses—and could that start in work happening at Reading station, Peterborough station Wokingham, please? and Birmingham station, which is having a huge refit; the work on Crossrail and Thameslink; or the work we Justine Greening: My right hon. Friend raises an have just finished at St Pancras. important point about passenger safety. In fact, the The hon. Lady talked about the inter-city express railways are one of the safest modes of travel we have. programme, and we are making good progress in those We have announced £65 million today to see continued negotiations. She will be aware that, as and when Hitachi improvement in level crossings. I would be very happy is able to start building those trains, it will open a brand to meet him to hear his concerns about his local station, new depot in the north-east, which will create several and I am sure that Network Rail, which takes the hundred jobs. I very much hope that it will be the decisions, will also be interested to hear those concerns. beginning of a story for that region in the coming years that mirrors the one people have seen in the automobile industry. Mrs Louise Ellman (Liverpool, Riverside) (Lab/Co-op): This is a welcome investment announcement, but it The hon. Lady asked about apprenticeships and jobs. appears to be based on the industry finding an as yet Network Rail is playing its role in developing a skilled unidentified £3.5 billion of savings. If those savings are British work force through recruitment and development. not found or if the cuts involved are not acceptable, It is taking on 200 new apprentices annually on a which of today’s announcements will not take place? three-year programme, and there is now a graduate programme in place, which took about 150 people in 2011. It is also funding an industry-wide track and train Justine Greening: I believe that the savings will be programme to give opportunities to unemployed graduates, found. We have a work programme in place and for the offering three six-month placements with different first time the industry has come together. Sir David organisations. I got to meet some of those graduates Higgins, when he appeared at the hon. Lady’s Committee earlier this year, and it was outstanding to see them and recently, committed to reducing his costs base by 20% and the opportunities they have been presented with. So a said that he was keen to go further. I believe that we huge amount of effort is already going on in the industry. have a plan in place to work with the industry. Critical Today’s announcement will complement that and give to that is not constantly reorganising it, as it is time for the industry the pipeline for the future which will allow it to stay where it is and work together better. 693 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 694

Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con): I commend Blackburn to Bolton line are in urgent need of doubling the Secretary of State for her statement. The upgrade and improvement. What progress is likely to be made and electrification of the midland main line will be on that? hugely welcome in Kettering. Will she announce the details of the upgrades that will take place along the midland Justine Greening: The good news is that our investment main line, because that is a crucial part of the investment in the northern hub opens up more capacity on that that she has just announced? stretch of the line. Of course, the decision about how the capacity is then used is a local and regional decision. Justine Greening: There will be a variety of upgrades For the first time, the opportunity will open up and I of junctions, tracks and capacity. One key aspect of am sure that the right hon. Gentleman will want to today’s announcement is the removal of some of the make his case to his local passenger transport executive. bottlenecks that often stop passenger trains going as fast as they can. Many of us will have been on a passenger Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood) (Con): I welcome train while it travelled at what seemed to be quite a slow the whole of my right hon. Friend’s statement and, in pace. That is often because it is stuck behind a freight particular, her decision to go ahead with the long-promised train. A number of the smaller improvements we are and often delayed electrification of the midland main making today will mean that that happens less and that line. Is that not a clear example of action by the will be one of the things we can do to improve my hon. coalition following years of broken promises from Labour? Friend’s line. Justine Greening: It absolutely is—my right hon. Mr David Blunkett (Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough) Friend has been a tireless campaigner to get that investment (Lab): It would be churlish not to welcome the fulfilment which communities such as his have so long needed. We of a Labour pledge to electrify the midland main line are going to get on with the upgrade and the electrification and to make the associated improvements. Will the of the midland main line. That will also, incidentally, Secretary of State tell us exactly when those improvements release long-distance diesel trains, which we can potentially and the electrification will begin? cascade on to other parts of the network, so it will have benefits that go far broader than just the midland main Justine Greening: The improvements will take place line. over the 2014 to 2019 period, as the project is developed and rolled out. I have worked hard to ensure that Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): Will the Secretary Sheffield has a good transport package from the of State make sure that the electrified midland main Department. Another thing that I managed to get sorted line connects to the first phase of High Speed 2, so that out, which the right hon. Gentleman’s Government Yorkshire gets classic compatible trains running fast never did, was £3 million for a footpath bridge over the from London via Birmingham to Yorkshire just as railway line, which will mean that his community and quickly as Manchester? Will she reflect on her claim others around that area can get into Sheffield from the that only 10 miles of track was electrified under Labour? other side of the railway track. I believe that that, After all, High Speed 1 from the channel tunnel to alongside the midland main line scheme and the capacity London, a brand-new electric line, was built when Labour changes, means that by 2019 he will see a much better wasinpower. service. Mr Speaker: I gently say to the hon. Gentleman, for Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD): The whom I have the highest regard and affection, that if he Labour chairman of Transport for Greater Manchester is going to ask a question about High Speed, there is said of today’s announcement: real merit in asking a high-speed question. From now on, we need short questions and short answers. I say “Taken together, these investments will change the face of rail that in the interests of colleagues whom we wish to services in the North of England in a manner that has not been seen for several generations. accommodate. The Northern Hub and electrification programmes will be a catalyst to help drive economic growth across the north”. Justine Greening: The hon. Gentleman raised the question with me only last week in a meeting that I had I could not agree more. Does that not prove the commitment with him on High Speed 2. As I said to him then, there of the coalition Government to rebalancing the economy are some challenges in doing as he suggests, but one of and bringing investment and jobs to the north of England? the most important aspects of the High Speed 2 business case is to ensure that as many communities as possible Justine Greening: Absolutely it does. It is this Government are connected up with it, and that we do that as soon as who have brought forward the investment plans for the possible. I have no doubt that we will continue to look northern hub and been prepared to finance them and it at whether those options are available to us and we can is this Government who have gone on with High Speed 2, progress them. In the meantime the great news for him which is critical in the longer term for improving is that we will see High Speed coming up to his part of connectivity across the whole country. It will particularly the country and it will hugely benefit his community benefit the great northern cities, one of which the hon. when it gets there. Gentleman represents. Mr Rob Wilson (Reading East) (Con): May I thank Mr Jack Straw (Blackburn) (Lab): I assume from the my right hon. Friend and the Chancellor for backing welcome reference in the Secretary of State’s statement the campaign that I led for western access to Heathrow, to high-value, small-scale schemes that she accepts which will connect Reading directly to the nation’s hub that, to avoid a two-tier railway, lines such as the airport? Does she agree that the £500 million investment 695 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 696 offers the opportunity for further private sector involvement Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con): and investment to ease pressure on the taxpayer and I welcome with inexplicable joy the announcement on also on ticket prices? the northern hub, which I have waited to see for so many years. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Justine Greening: I think that it does. In the Department amount of investment in the north-west, Yorkshire and for Transport we are keen to look at how we can more the north-east puts to bed any notion whatsoever that efficiently and effectively leverage in private sector the north does not get its fair share of Government investment. We were able to do that recently on the local funding? authorities’ major road schemes and we should look to do it also on rail schemes where we can. Interestingly, Justine Greening: I absolutely think that. As someone on the £500 million project that we are taking ahead for who was born and bred in Yorkshire, I think that the that western rail access to Heathrow, more than 90% of sort of investment now going up to the north of our the benefits will go directly to businesses, so it is a real country is absolutely critical. There is so much talent up catalyst for growth in the Thames valley area. there; we just need to make sure we invest to unlock it.

Paul Flynn (Newport West) (Lab): Does the Secretary Derek Twigg (Halton) (Lab): The Secretary of State of State’s announcement mean that the Ebbw Vale line mentioned small interventions that make a big difference. will be modernised so that trains can run directly to the Do her plans include any proposal to look at the Halton heart of Newport? curve in Cheshire, which is an important project for both Cheshire and Merseyside, and if they do not will Justine Greening: That is a very good point. The she go away and look at it again? electrification will open up a range of possibilities— [Interruption]—and it will massively improve journey Justine Greening: That is more of a local scheme, but times, as well as the quality of service. I can hear hon. I will certainly undertake to look at it and see whether Members on the Opposition Benches chuntering, as if I can get back to the hon. Gentleman with some more somehow we have just made a bad announcement. It is details. a transformational one. It will drive growth and jobs in south Wales and we should all welcome it wholeheartedly. Joseph Johnson (Orpington) (Con): I welcome the announcement of a £700 million investment for reducing Iain Stewart (Milton Keynes South) (Con): As chairman overcrowding and congestion in London and the south-east. of the all-party group on east-west rail, I thank my Will my right hon. Friend kindly look at the causes of right hon. Friend for announcing that her new line is to overcrowding on Southeastern’s routes to Orpington, be electrified. As a diesel route it was due to generate which, extraordinarily for a station of its size, has no 12,000 new jobs in the region. Can my right hon. Friend fast trains at all during peak hours? set out what additional benefits she expects an electric route to deliver? Justine Greening: My hon. Friend is right to raise the issue of capacity in London, particularly on his line, Justine Greening: I think it will mean a lower cost which I know local MPs have had real concerns about. railway and lighter trains which are more efficient and We are looking to work closely with operators such as reduce maintenance costs. They are more reliable trains TfL to see what we can do together to improve those and they open up better opportunities for scheduling services over time. As I said earlier, 120,000 more people than we have had in the past with diesel trains. It is a are catered for in these plans, which we have worked up huge investment which will massively impact on my very carefully. I think that it is very good news for hon. Friend’s local community and it opens up the commuters in London. possibility of seeing whether we can extend that line further towards east Anglia in the coming years. Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Central Ayrshire) (Lab): I welcome the statement, if it is not in fact one about jam Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab): Will the Secretary tomorrow. In those circumstances, can the Secretary of of State give her backing in principle to rail freight State give some indication of what additional resources infrastructure capable of carrying full-scale lorries and will be put into the railway system this side of the lorry trailers on trains between the channel tunnel and general election and, in particular, how much extra will Britain’s major conurbations? be paid to the Scottish Parliament?

Justine Greening: I am not sure whether I can give the Greg Mulholland (Leeds North West) (LD) rose— hon. Gentleman the categorical in-principle assurance that he wants, but I am sure he will welcome the fact Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Order. that a huge chunk of the investment will help get more freight off the road and on to the railways, and of Justine Greening: The hon. Member for Central Ayrshire course the electric spine project is one of the key ways (Mr Donohoe) will know that transport in Scotland is a in which we can do that. There is also investment in devolved matter. He will also know that in the spending Felixstowe so that we can continue to get containers by review we have committed £18 billion for the railway rail. Importantly, one of the other pieces of work in network, an outstanding amount of investment that can which we are engaged is improving the gauge so that it make a huge difference. Of course, today’s announcement can take bigger containers than it is currently able to adds further to that pipeline. I think that the certainty it take. That will open up easier travel by rail for the will give the industry about the investment coming container market. down the track will really help to ensure that we get the 697 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 698

[Justine Greening] trains. Can the Transport Secretary explain how much of the £9 billion investment will go towards reopening most out of the improvement not only for passengers the Ashington-Blyth-Tyne line? and freight, but for jobs and growth, particularly in the railway industry. Justine Greening: We are looking at whether there is any possibility of opening lines. Our main focus has Greg Mulholland: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. been on whether we can improve stations, and in fact That is probably the closest I will get to the Dispatch open new ones, but over time we may be able to unlock Box—[HON.MEMBERS: “Hear, hear!”]—in this Parliament. some of those local decisions through the Department’s In the last Parliament Labour’s contribution to tackling decentralisation approach. We have just consulted on congestion in Leeds was cancelling the Leeds supertram that, some very interesting responses have come through and continuing to insist on a no-growth franchise for and I hope that we will make some announcements Northern Rail. Susie Cawood, from the Leeds, York later. I take the hon. Gentleman’s point with real interest. and North Yorkshire chamber of commerce has said: “The chamber welcomes government investment in the rail Dr Thérèse Coffey (Suffolk Coastal) (Con): May I say network…Continued investment is essential to ensure we remain how delighted we are about the Ely North junction? It is competitive and continue to attract inward investment and grow great news for East Anglia and for unlocking freight our existing businesses— from Felixstowe, and we commend the Secretary of State on it. What further junctions can we look forward Mr Deputy Speaker: Order. The hon. Gentleman to for unlocking freight? should not take advantage of a situation. Many Members want to get in and this has to finish at five past 5. In Justine Greening: My hon. Friend has raised the issue fairness, we all have to get in. tirelessly and recently had a Westminster Hall debate on the topic, and it is campaigners such as my hon. Friend Justine Greening: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely who have really powerfully put the case to Ministers for right that this investment will make a big difference to looking at the issue and seeing what we can do to tackle Leeds. It is not just on the back of the north trans-Pennine it. The Ely junction will be done, and it matters massively, express electrification. He will also know that the because it creates the potential for enhanced passenger £240 million investment in the east coast main line will services between Cambridge, King’s Lynn and Norwich, also improve services for his constituents. Of course, he so it will have broader benefits, including freight, which, will be aware that in the longer term we are investing in with Felixstowe nearby in her constituency, I know is High Speed 2, which will have a stop in Leeds. close to her heart.

Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab): Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab): While indeed Despite my constituents paying ever higher fares to welcoming the news that an electrified train will be travel by train, Hull will be the largest city in this heading down the tracks to Swansea, and to Maesteg, country without electrification. Why is that? at some point in the future, we note that there is a two-year delay, so when will the train be arriving in Justine Greening: We are working our way around the Swansea, and when in Maesteg? UK. In fact, by the end of this decade around three quarters of passenger miles will be on electrified railways. Justine Greening: I assure the hon. Gentleman that I can assure the hon. Lady that the Government absolutely we are cracking on with the programme now, and that is want to progress electrification—it is better for the precisely why it has been announced today as part of railways overall, it has a good business case, and it is our priority for the next control period. We will work on good for the environment—but obviously we still have it with the Welsh Assembly Government, and I am sure to cut our cloth to meet the public affordability needs, that we will be able to release more details to him which is what we are trying to do. She will know that I shortly. have taken a real interest in her area, which is one of the reasons why, while I have been Secretary of State for Mr Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) (Con): Of every Transport, we have halved the tolls on the Humber bridge. 100 people, a mere three travel by train. A huge subsidy is proposed for the £870 million loss that covers Anna Soubry (Broxtowe) (Con): This is a great day CrossCountry Trains and East Midlands Trains, and for Greater Nottingham, which has waited many years that does not even cover the infrastructure costs. How for the electrification of the midland main line. Can the are we to justify such massive expenditure that will Secretary of State, whom I thank from the bottom of benefit so few? my heart, confirm that it will give a real economic boost to Beeston in my constituency, to the enterprise zone, Justine Greening: Our investment proposal today is and to the business park which is bang opposite the about making sure that we have a railway network that station? can cope with the level of demand in coming years, and that is absolutely critical for our economy, but my hon. Justine Greening: I am absolutely sure that it will. We Friend is right that we have to ensure that the railways are developing a fantastic midland main line for what is are efficient, and a railway system that every year costs a fantastic city. us £3.5 billion more than it needs to is not acceptable. That is why in order to address efficiency we have some Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab): We have got the lines, difficult challenges ahead of us, but we are going to we have got some stations; the only problem on the work with the industry to do that, because the points Ashington-Blyth-Tyne line is that we have not got any that he makes are absolutely valid. We have to tackle 699 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 700 inefficiency. Well run organisations provide a better least through the potential to improve stations and see service to their customers, and I am determined to turn access for all stations brought to his area. There is also the railways into a well-run organisation. investment in safety at level crossings and the general pots that we put in place to improve passenger experience Mr George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab): I welcome and the strategic freight network. There is a huge number the Secretary of State’s statement, but can she assure of different aspects to the investment, and I am sure me that the west coast main line franchise will not be that many of them will relate to the hon. Gentleman’s determined on the basis of job cuts and a corresponding community. reduction in service to the travelling public? Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) (DUP): Will today’s Justine Greening: We have been very clear about announcement have any budgetary implications for wanting to see improvements in the west coast main line devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula? service, and we have actually seen passenger numbers What practical measures has the Secretary of State put on that franchise grow rapidly over recent years. We in the procurement provisions to ensure that her aspiration want to see those improvements continue and, at the of jobs for British industry and the UK supply chain is same time, value for money for the taxpayer. I hope that realised by this investment? some of the investment that we are putting in across the network today will help support all that, and the right hon. Gentleman will obviously be interested to see the Justine Greening: On the hon. Gentleman’s point outcome of the tender process later on. about jobs and growth, I should say that absolutely I have looked not only at what we need on our network David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con): Unlike Opposition and the investment profile but at getting a really clear Members, I welcome today’s statement. Will my right understanding on how the measures can help support hon. Friend confirm that the northern hub electrification jobs and growth, particularly in the railway industry. will lead to improved journey times, more frequent The hon. Gentleman knows that I am keen to make trains and much better connectivity between the great sure that the money that we are spending as a Government towns and cities in the north-west of England? benefits not just passengers but the industry, in creating more jobs. We will continue to look at how we can make Justine Greening: Yes, yes and yes. sure that our procurement processes work effectively and I certainly hope that we can do more to support our Meg Munn (Sheffield, Heeley) (Lab/Co-op): I, too, industry than the last Government. welcome the electrification of the midland main line. [HON.MEMBERS: “Hooray!”] But a letter from the Minister David Tredinnick (Bosworth) (Con): Will my right of State, the right hon. Member for Chipping Barnet hon. Friend confirm that the journey time from Leicester (Mrs Villiers), arrived in my inbox shortly before this to London will now be under an hour, at 58 minutes, statement. It says: and that we will get new electric trains? Will she be “Completion of Midland Mainline electrification is proposed straightening out the Harborough curves, which have for 2019.” long been an obstacle to electrification? That is seven years away. Given the increasing north-south divide, I urge the Secretary of State to bring it forward Justine Greening: I can confirm those journey-time so that we get the benefits more quickly. improvements for my hon. Friend’s constituents, who will welcome that, as I do. On the particular aspect of Justine Greening: To reassure the hon. Lady, I should the curves, I will make sure that I write to him so that I say that we are looking at whether we can commence get my facts right, but I hope and believe that there will some of the investment earlier. We have had to set out be a positive response on that, too. our basic proposals, of course, but let us be clear: today we are setting out a statement of output—what we want to get out of the railway system. It is now for the industry Kevin Brennan (Cardiff West) (Lab): I am glad that to go away and look at how it can achieve the outcomes the Secretary of State was able to work positively with that we are specifying. The midland main line electrification the Welsh Government over the electrification of the is one of the key, explicit schemes that we have said we valley lines and the extension to Swansea. Has any want to bring forward. If the industry has a proposal to financial contribution from the Welsh Government been do it faster than the timeline that we have mentioned, I involved? have no doubt that we will be very interested in looking at it. Justine Greening: The hon. Gentleman is right to say that we worked closely not only with the Secretary of Sir Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD): The Secretary of State for Wales but the Welsh Assembly Government. I State is fully aware of the east of England rail prospectus. met Carl Sergeant a few times to discuss these proposals. I put it to her that for those of us served by the Greater As regards how the financing will work, the basic Anglia line, her statement today is very disappointing. scheme for the valleys is £300 million. That is funded When might we expect the entire east of England rail through track access charges that franchise operators prospectus to be implemented? will pay. It pays them to do this, because they save money through electrification, which reduces their operating Justine Greening: The hon. Gentleman will see costs. Once the valleys electrification has been completed, improvements in services and capacity over the coming that, in essence, will electrify the line to Bridgend, which years. Many of the improvements that we are announcing means that the final piece to Swansea becomes worth on the network today can improve his area, too—not doing. It also simplifies our rolling stock procurement. 701 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 702

[Justine Greening] Justine Greening: To provide the hon. Gentleman with some reassurance, we are getting on with huge The final piece of the Bridgend to Swansea electrification amounts of investment right now. Of course, if we want is being funded by the UK Government to the tune of to be ready to get the next pipeline kicked off in 2014, £50 million. All in all, it is a good deal for Wales. we have to announce it today so that the industry can start to look at what we want and then come back with Jessica Lee (Erewash) (Con): I welcome the proposals on achieving it. He is absolutely right to say announcement that a fund will be made available to that projects such as the northern hub are crucial. I am consider applications for railway stations to be opened. very proud and pleased that we have been able to My right hon. Friend will recall a meeting earlier this announce that investment, and I look forward to working year with me and representatives from Derbyshire county with him as we develop these proposals. council regarding the Ilkeston train station project. There is a strong regeneration case for that important Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): Welcome as today’s project, and it is well matched with the fund that has announcement is, and although I hate to rain on the been announced today, so does she, too, hope that it can right hon. Lady’s parade, I fear that they will not be be delivered? dancing in the streets of Penzance by the end of the week if the Government go ahead, as we suspect, with Justine Greening: Ultimately that will be a decision reducing the service by a third. Will she reassure my for Network Rail. Let me be clear, though, that it was constituents that this welcome investment in and the meetings I had with my hon. Friend and her local improvement of the rail service across the country as a councillors that brought home to me the fact that whole is not built on the back of cuts to the service to money needed to be set aside to make sure that new Penzance? stations can be opened for the communities that need them where growth is happening. I very much hope that Justine Greening: I am aware of the hon. Gentleman’s her Ilkeston station plan will go forward to the competition concerns, which he is going to talk through tomorrow bid, and I will look with real interest to see it come with the Under-Secretary of State for Transport, my through. hon. Friend the Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). I assure him that no final decisions have been made. I Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) (Lab): Does the emphasise that the HLOS investment that we are making electrification programme include the electrification of will open up real opportunities for us to cascade rolling the Barking to Gospel Oak section of London Overground? stock. For example, the high-speed diesel fleet that is I had a meeting with one of her colleagues about this currently on the midland main line—the Meridian stock— some months ago. It would make freight transportation will be available, and we will see how we can use that from the east of England easier, improve passenger effectively on other parts of the network. services, save a lot of money, and be environmentally sensible. Will she go for it? Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab): The people of the Rhondda Fawr will doubtless want to get out the bunting Justine Greening: I take the hon. Gentleman’s point. and skip for joy—[HON.MEMBERS: “Hear, hear!”] They That is not part of the electrification plans that we have will doubtless want to do so when the Treherbert to announced today. Ultimately it is for Transport for Cardiff line has been electrified. What date should I put London to fund it if it wants to do so, but I am sure that in my diary for the opening of that electrified line? Will it will take on board the points that the hon. Gentleman it happen before the review of constituency boundaries has made and, if the business case stacks up, might and before Lords reform, or perhaps after? consider it. Justine Greening: It is nice to know that the hon. Sir Tony Baldry (Banbury) (Con): I thank my right Gentleman looks at things through such a political lens, hon. Friend for all that she is doing on the east-west rail rather than from the perspective of his local community. link. It has been quite difficult keeping up with all the This investment will take place from 2014 to 2019. It good news today. Will she therefore arrange to put in will make a huge difference to communities such as his. the Library a map of the national rail network as she I only wish that he could support it wholeheartedly and envisages it in 2020 and in 2025 so that we can share it without reservation. with our constituents? Eric Ollerenshaw (Lancaster and Fleetwood) (Con): Justine Greening: I will make sure that that is done. May I add my congratulations to my right hon. Friend My hon. Friend will see huge swathes of the network on how much she is doing in the north-west to deal with being newly electrified and pockets of growth in our key the neglect of the previous Government? What will she cities where we are now meeting demand. do about towns such as Fleetwood in my constituency, which had 13 years of rusty railway lines and still have no trains on them? Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): The Secretary of State should be congratulated on any investment for our country, for the Yorkshire region, for Justine Greening: That is really a local matter for my the northern hub and for Huddersfield, but according hon. Friend’s regional passenger transport executive. to the classic economic theory of Keynes, this country As he will know, we are electrifying the Manchester to is in a deep recession, and we need this investment now, Blackpool railway line, which will provide real benefits. not in two years’ time. I am keen, as colleagues across the House know, to 703 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 704 understand what people want next. If I know what they Justine Greening: It is totally absurd. Of the £9.4 billion want next, I can set about seeing whether we can of investment, up to half could benefit business directly. provide it. It will be massively important for local economies and for jobs and growth. Its effect will go well beyond the Jonathan Reynolds (Stalybridge and Hyde) (Lab/Co-op): rail industry, for example by connecting up airports I am pleased that the northern hub is proceeding. It and ports. My hon. Friend’s local airport at Gatwick is could give us six trains an hour between Manchester receiving investment for its station. All those things are and Leeds, running through my constituency. Does the important in providing our country with a joined-up Secretary of State agree that it would be wrong to transport system that supports efficient end-to-end journeys sacrifice local services, such as those connecting Mossley for passengers and businesses. and Ashton, to make way for extra inter-city services, and that the train operating companies should use any Jonathan Ashworth (Leicester South) (Lab): The Secretary extra capacity and infrastructure to improve services for of State will know that there has been a huge cross-party everybody? campaign for electrification of the midland main line, so I am delighted to welcome her announcement, including Justine Greening: We are careful to ensure that we what she said about the upgrade of the Leicester junction. understand the impacts of the northern hub. For example, She will know that commuters want that work to start today’s announcement includes increased capacity at as quickly as possible, so will she undertake that it will Huddersfield station to maximise the benefits of the start closer to 2014 than 2019? northern hub investment. We will continue to look at how we can do that across the whole of the network. I Justine Greening: It depends on the industry’s response believe that this project will be hugely influential in to the outputs that we have said today we want to unlocking economic growth across the Pennines—linking achieve. I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I do not up the areas as they have always wanted. generally let the grass grow under my feet. I like to get on with things and get them sorted out, so we will get Elizabeth Truss (South West Norfolk) (Con): I thank on with all these projects as fast as we can. my right hon. Friend for her commitment to upgrade the Ely North junction. May I ask that half-hourly Duncan Hames (Chippenham) (LD): What a tremendous services to King’s Lynn be specified in the Thameslink statement! Lighter electric trains accelerate and decelerate franchise agreement in 2013 and the Norwich to Cambridge faster, allowing for intermediary stops serving communities franchise agreement in 2014 so that passengers can see such as Corsham, in my constituency, as long as we are the benefit of that upgrade? successful in winning a new station in the competition that the Secretary of State has announced today. Will Justine Greening: It is too early to say exactly what any of that multi-million-pound fund be available before will be specified in the franchise contracts, but many of control period 5? the investment proposals that we have put in place today, which the industry will come back to us with Justine Greening: I am looking at how the competition more detailed versions of, allow the potential for more and the bids will work, and I believe we can get a lot of frequent services. I know that that is exactly what learnings from how individual communities and local communities such as my hon. Friend’s want. We are authorities respond. We can see how the local authority building headroom for growth into the railway network major roads programme worked—it was an effective for the communities that need it. process in getting local authorities to work with local Jonathan Edwards (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr) enterprise partnerships and say what their road network (PC): I find myself in the strange position of congratulating needed. I am interested to see how this pot of money the Government on their statement. It goes part of the can do the same thing for new stations in communities way to making up for the historical underfunding of the such as my hon. Friend’s. Once we have got those Welsh railways. The north Wales coast line and the line learnings, there is no reason why we cannot start to pull west of Swansea are vital links between the mainland forward that investment. and Ireland, which is a major trading partner of the Welsh economy and the wider UK economy. What Paul Blomfield (Sheffield Central) (Lab): I welcome discussions are happening between the Department, the the Secretary of State’s statement, but may I ask her for Welsh Government and European institutions about further clarification of her earlier answers about track using Wales’s share of HS2— improvements? In particular, will the programme include track improvements at all three bottlenecks on the midland Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Order. main line—Derby, Leicester and Market Harborough —without which we will not get the targeted improvements Justine Greening: I understand the point that the in journey times? hon. Gentleman is making. It is a relevant question. The Welsh Government have not raised that issue with Justine Greening: I will need to confirm that specific me directly, but it is something that I am interesting in point, but I am certainly aware that track improvements considering. Perhaps he will forgive me if I reflect and will happen at Leicester. I believe that they will also get back to him as my thinking on HS2 develops. happen at Derby, but I will need to find out about Market Harborough and write to the hon. Gentleman. Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): Does my right hon. Friend agree that the reported contention of the Opposition Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): Rail passengers that this significant rail investment will not create jobs in Wellingborough will warmly welcome the statement, is completely absurd? but does the Secretary of State share my concern that 705 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 706

[Mr Peter Bone] ones. I think that that will have a positive impact on the environment in that station. St Pancras station is an the announcement was leaked to the press in advance of amazing building. It is impossible to walk in without being given to Parliament? Would she express her surprise gasping at the wonderful architecture, and those of us that the Deputy Prime Minister was on television promoting who want more members of the next generation go into the statement, apparently in breach of the ministerial design, technology and engineering should take them to code? St Pancras, which will get them fired up.

Justine Greening: I was concerned. This is obviously Several hon. Members rose— an important announcement, and I can understand why people would be keen to make it. I e-mailed and wrote Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): We have only to all Departments to emphasise to them when the five more minutes—let us try to get through as many announcement was embargoed until, so of course it was questions as possible. disappointing to see some of it leak out earlier. Heather Wheeler (South Derbyshire) (Con): I thank Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab): I thank the Secretary of my right hon. Friend and all the Ministers and State for her close working with the Welsh Government Parliamentary Private Secretaries who have worked hard and for listening to the lobbying from south-west Wales, with all the local MPs to make sure that this new ably led by my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea electrical spine is achieved. The point is we have a spine, West (Geraint Davies). I also thank her for the comments and we waited 13 years for someone else to find one. that she has just made about looking further west. Will she give special consideration to starting the project to Justine Greening: I do not think I could put it better Swansea in time for the Dylan Thomas centenary year myself. My hon. Friend is absolutely right. in 2014? Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op): In 2014, Justine Greening: I believe that may be something of we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Dylan Thomas’s a stretch, but we will wait to see what the industry says birth. May I thank the Secretary of State for ensuring about how quickly it can deliver the plan and develop that in that year we can herald a new beginning to the proposals. There is a lot of work to be done, but the electrification to Swansea bay city region, encouraging most important thing is that we have signalled that it is inward investment and growth? Will she assure me that going ahead. I appreciate the support of the hon. Lady a door will be opened for more investment in transport and her colleagues, and I have to say that I have had a infrastructure, including ports and roads? huge amount of lobbying by Government MPs from Wales as well. Together, they have made a real difference Justine Greening: I understand how important this by getting across the case for investment. investment is. I think that it was Admiral insurance that wrote to me saying what a difference the investment could Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con): I very much make to jobs in the area. It was precisely those sorts of welcome the fully funded northern hub project, the representations I reflected on, which is why I know that investment in Huddersfield railway station and the new the investment will make a huge difference. station fund, which my community of Milnsbridge may go for. Will the Secretary of State confirm the importance Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): of connectivity and local stopping services, so that I warmly welcome the statement. What will the Transport people in Slaithwaite, Marsden, Lockwood, Honley Secretary do to dispel the impression that the south-west and Brockholes get full benefit from this transformational is the poor country cousin of the railway network, which announcement? will of course be underscored by HS2 and the north-south electric spine? She will want to address particularly the Justine Greening: We want many communities to plight of residents west of Salisbury. benefit from the announcement, and frankly, the more people we can get on the railways, the more successful Justine Greening: I am always keen to look particularly they will be. That means connecting as many communities at what we can do to improve transport infrastructure as possible, which is the approach that I am taking to in the south-west. There is an issue of resilience for the High Speed 2 and to the current network. That is one railway and road network, but my hon. Friend will reason why, for the first time, I have set aside some remember that we announced the electrification of the money for new stations. Great Western railway line, and we have announced an intercity express programme that will result in more Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras) (Lab): As capacity on that line and the potential for more frequent the Member representing St Pancras, may I ask the services. Perhaps less close to him, in Bristol, we have Secretary of State whether she is really satisfied that it announced today substantial investment in Bristol Temple will be 2019 before the first electric train arrives from Meads station. All those things will begin to strengthen Sheffield at that magnificent station, which was so the south-west transport system, but I would like to see magnificently refurbished under the Labour Government what we can do to go further and do better. to provide a connection for the channel tunnel link and fast trains to the Olympic games? Nigel Adams (Selby and Ainsty) (Con): My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for Justine Greening: The right hon. Gentleman looks Transport kindly met members of the Selby and district forward, as I do, to a time when trains that arrive at rail users group and me to discuss the electrification of St Pancras are not dirty diesel trains but clean electric the line from Micklefield to Selby. They will be delighted 707 Rail Investment16 JULY 2012 Rail Investment 708 to hear that the scheme will go ahead. Will the Secretary bottlenecks is key to capacity? Will she use some of the of State confirm that that historic investment will contribute £700 million that is available so that users of the Wimbledon to the control of fare rises and will reduce overcrowding loop will gain the full benefits of Thameslink? for my constituents in Selby? Justine Greening: I am sure that we will look closely Justine Greening: The Micklefield to Selby electrification at the case my hon. Friend has made. I know he has opens up a second route to the north of Leeds, as my worked very hard, alongside other local MPs, to see hon. Friend will be aware. It also means that potentially local railway services improved. Wimbledon itself is a we can have three trains an hour serving London. He is key railway hub for his local area. It plays a really right: electrification means that we have a lower-cost important role, and I am keen to see what we can do to railway, which is the key to getting off the hook of improve it. having to pass on above-inflation rail-fare rises to passengers Penny Mordaunt (Portsmouth North) (Con): I every year. congratulate the Secretary of State on this announcement, and particularly the investment in the Portsmouth to Andrew Bingham (High Peak) (Con): I welcome the London line and longer rail franchise agreements. If she investment in line speed and capacity improvement on will forgive my greed, will she consider writing into the links between Manchester and Sheffield. The Hope those new agreements basic passenger comfort standards, Valley line through my constituency provides a vital such as seat design and toilet provision, so we can ensure link for freight and passengers. Does my right hon. the quality and accessibility of these services? Friend agree that investment in that line will benefit not only the two great cities but many of my High Peak Justine Greening: I have met my hon. Friend to discuss constituents? some of her concerns about the rolling stock used by some of her constituents on local lines. I take those points Justine Greening: Yes it will. The more freight we can very seriously. That is why one of the pots of money we get off the road, the better. The more options we can have set aside is to improve the passenger experience. It give people to get off the road, the better. may seem like a small thing to have adequate toilet provision on trains, but for many people, particularly for mothers with kids, it is really important. My hon. Dr Julian Huppert (Cambridge) (LD): I congratulate Friend is therefore right to raise this point. the Secretary of State and her team on this excellent announcement. In 13 years, the previous Government Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con): Businesses managed to electrify nine miles—a distance that a garden and residents in Swindon will warmly welcome the snail could cover in 15 days. They also allowed rail fares Government’s commitment to a new rail western access to go up by 66%. Does the Secretary of State agree that to Heathrow. Connectivity is the key. Will my right hon. rail fares are too high, and that it is time to end Friend assure me that with the extension of electrification above-inflation rail fare increases? through to south Wales and Swansea, we will see electric- only rolling stock on the cross-country Great Western Justine Greening: I have to say that I did not know line? that snails were that fast, but I believe we need to try to get off this hook of above-inflation rail fare rises every Justine Greening: We will move to electrify the rolling year, which is one reason why we are looking at the stock, too. It is one way of ensuring that we keep efficiency savings programme that Roy McNulty first operating costs down. My hon. Friend’s constituents outlined. Today’s investment in electrification will be a could see a 30-minute reduction in their journey time to key part of that as well. Heathrow. That will benefit not just his area but the whole of the south-west. Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con): In my right Several hon. Members rose— hon. Friend’s time as Secretary of State, a new Victorian era of rail investment is not only being promised but Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Unfortunately, delivered. Does she agree that removing some of the I am going to have to cut off debate on the statement now. 709 16 JULY 2012 710 Points of Order Opposition Day 5.12 pm [4TH ALLOTTED DAY] Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. At Defence questions, the Secretary of State announced that he was going to National Health Service lay a written ministerial statement tomorrow on the future of Defence Equipment and Support—the equipment arm of the Ministry of Defence. He said that a decision 5.14 pm had been taken to run the organisation by a Government- Andy Burnham (Leigh) (Lab): I beg to move owned, contractor-operated model. This decision has been the subject of debate, delay, review and speculation That this House regrets the growing gap between Ministers’ statements and what is happening in the NHS; notes mounting over the last two years. In the light of how important evidence of rationing of treatments and services by cost, despite this matter is—not only to those working in the defence Ministers’ claims to have prevented it; further regrets the increasing sector but to many Members—is it right for it to be number of cost-driven reconfigurations of hospital services, despite announced through a written ministerial statement rather the Coalition Agreement’s promise of a moratorium on changes than an oral statement and on the last day before the to hospital services; further notes growing private sector involvement House rises for the summer recess, as it denies us the in both the commissioning and provision of NHS services, opportunity to scrutinise this very important decision? contradicting Ministers’ claims that the NHS reorganisation would not increase levels of privatisation; recognises that, according to the Government’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses figures, Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): The hon. actual Government spending on the NHS in 2011-12 fell by Member has put his point on the record, and I am sure £26 million, the second successive real-terms reduction in NHS that the Secretary of State for Defence will be made spending, following a reduction of £766 million in the Government’s aware of his comments. first year in office, in breach of the commitment in the Coalition Agreement; believes the Government’s decision to reorganise the Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland NHS has distracted its focus from the financial challenge, with West) (Lab): On 4 July, the Under-Secretary of State for seven out of 10 acute hospital trusts in England missing savings targets in the first half of 2011-12; calls on the Government to Education, the hon. Member for East Worthing and take action to prevent rationing by cost in the NHS, based on the Shoreham (Tim Loughton), who has responsibility for evidence presented; and further calls on the Government to children and young families, told me in a written answer honour pledges on NHS spending in the Coalition Agreement, that he was not aware of any individuals recruited to and the commitment that future savings will be reinvested into the civil service positions in his Department who had previously NHS front line, and to return at least half of the underspend to been employed or elected in political positions. I am the Department of Health budget. aware of at least three such appointments to senior The year 2011 was the first full year of the coalition positions— Janet Grauberg, Alexandra Gowlland and Government and the year of the biggest ever fall in Elena Narozanski—and there may be more. I am certain public satisfaction with the national health service. As that the Minister would not knowingly have misled the I shall set out, those two facts are not unconnected. The House, so I can only assume that he had not confirmed NHS in England is reeling from the Government’s the accuracy of the answer he was given, despite the fact catastrophic decision to reorganise it at a time of huge it took over a month to provide it. Mr Deputy Speaker, financial pressure. Warnings by Opposition Members will you advise whether it is still the case that Ministers and others during the passage of the Health and Social are responsible to Parliament for the accuracy of the Care Act 2012 of a postcode lottery, of destabilised information they give to it? What steps can be taken to hospitals and of increasing privatisation are, sadly, beginning ensure that the Minister comes to Parliament to correct to materialise. the record? For the coalition, attention has moved to other battles— more pressing priorities—but for the NHS the moment Mr Deputy Speaker: As the hon. Lady knows, the of greatest danger is now, as the unstoppable force of occupant of the Chair is not responsible for the answers reorganisation hits the immovable object of the financial that Ministers provide. She has nevertheless put her challenge. That is why the Opposition make no apology point on the record, and I am sure it will be taken up. for introducing this debate, or for bringing the House’s attention back to where it should be: our country’s most important public service and the struggle it faces. I am grateful for the Secretary of State’s letter— [Interruption.] I can hear him mumbling away on the Government Front Bench. I would have thought the debate would justify his attention, as it justifies that of the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns). The Opposition have introduced this debate to support NHS staff. We thank them for what they do. They have a huge capacity to deal with whatever is thrown at them, but they have been set mission impossible by the Government. One can only wonder how they felt on hearing the news that the Deputy Prime Minister had the chance to stop this reorganisation but chose to prioritise House of Lords reform. A million hearts will have sunk. 711 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 712

It was not just the Government’s decision to reorganise Stephen Pound (Ealing North) (Lab): Further to the that was wrong; the way they have gone about it was previous question, the hon. Member for Ealing Central wrong as well. and Acton (Angie Bray) has said that this is all about finance, and she may well be right. However, bearing in mind the fact that Ealing hospital not only came in Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con): under budget but produced an operating surplus last The right hon. Gentleman will know that the Chair of year, what possible justification can there be for ripping the Public Accounts Committee said that productivity this crucial and much needed service from the heart of fell continuously for a decade under the previous our community? Government. Does he regret that and recognise that radical change is required to get the productivity improvements this country desperately needs if we are to be able to Andy Burnham: My hon. Friend makes his point afford the NHS we all want? powerfully. With some reconfigurations there is a clinical case supporting change, such as the changes I introduced in London before the last election to improve stroke Andy Burnham: I am afraid the hon. Gentleman is services. We reduced the number of centres from 12 to out of date, because the figures cited by the Government eight. That was a difficult decision for many London are wrong. NHS productivity was improving by the Members at the time, but it was the right thing to do time Labour left office. The independent and authoritative because lives are being saved. However, there is a world Commonwealth Fund pronounced the NHS the most of difference between those changes and the crude, efficient health care system in the world in June 2010. cost-driven reconfigurations in the NHS that those on That was the legacy of the Labour Government, which the Government Benches said they would not allow. the Conservative party is putting at risk. I spent my weekend reading a very entertaining book As I have said, it was not just the decision to reorganise entitled “Never Again? The story of the Health and that was wrong; the way the Government have gone Social Care Act 2012: A study in coalition government about it is also wrong. Before the ink was dry on their and policy making”. It is a very interesting book and White Paper, Ministers set about dismantling existing offers a new, detailed account, by Nick Timmins, of the NHS structures before the new ones were in place. That Government’s NHS reorganisation—or, as it says on is a dangerous move at any time, but disastrous at a the blurb, the inside story of a “car crash”. I particularly moment of financial crisis. enjoyed the quotation from the Minister of State—I gather that he has not read it, but there he is, up in lights We have therefore had drift in the NHS: a loss of at the very beginning of the book. He made this comment focus at local level and a loss of grip on the money just about the then Bill, which the author thought worthy of when it was most needed. At a stroke, the Government special attention: demoralised the very work force who would be crucial to managing the transition, with primary care trust “You cannot encapsulate in one or two sentences the main managers dismissed as worthless. Experienced people thrust of this.” left in droves. Those who stayed hoping for jobs in the He should know that better than anybody, as he toured new world were issued with scorched earth instructions: more media studios than anybody, and used more sentences “Get on and do the unpopular stuff now—the rationing than anyone, in a vain attempt to sell the technocratic and the reconfiguration—so the new clinical commissioning and dense plans that made sense to his boss and nobody groups don’t have to.” else. We can now see the consequences across England: Mrs Anne Main (St Albans) (Con): Given that the brutal, cost-driven plans for hospital reconfiguration biggest strain on most health authorities is staff pay, being railroaded through on an impossible timetable does the right hon. Gentleman regret the fact that without adequate consultation; walk-in centres being Labour doubled the remuneration of GPs, allowing closed left, right and centre; and people left in pain and them to opt out and thus putting huge stresses on many discomfort, or facing charges for treatment, as PCTs health care authorities, which then had to buy in additional introduce restrictions on 125 separate treatments and services? Does Labour not regret allowing doctors to be services. paid more for doing less?

Mr Andy Slaughter (Hammersmith) (Lab): On the Andy Burnham: I am interested in the argument that subject of brutal closures, did my right hon. Friend the hon. Lady is beginning to develop, which is that she have a chance to look at the authoritative report by wants to deliver pay cuts to NHS staff across her David Rose in The Mail On Sunday yesterday about the constituency. Presumably she wants the same as people “Beeching-style” closure of major casualty units? Four in the south-west are getting. Is that what she is calling out of nine of the units to be closed are in west London, for? It is an interesting argument, and I would be interested leaving my constituents and 2 million people in west to hear her expand on it later. London without adequate health cover. Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab): Will my right hon. Friend give way? Andy Burnham: I have no idea how Ministers expect west London to cope with service reductions on that scale, nor do I know how they square them with the Andy Burnham: In a moment. moratorium on hospital closures and changes which What I found most useful about the book is that it they promised at the last election. Perhaps we will hear answered a question that has been nagging away in my some justification later today, although I will turn to mind for some time. As a former Health Secretary, I reconfigurations shortly. remember clearly the warnings I received from senior 713 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 714

[Andy Burnham] Was he warned about the changes in regulations that have resulted in the decision of the south-west consortium civil servants about the sheer scale of the £20 billion to suggest changes to the terms and conditions and pay efficiency challenge. “It would be a major undertaking,” of staff in that area? That was a direct result of regulations they said. “The NHS would need to focus all its energy brought in by his Government. on that alone. To be negotiated safely, new policy initiatives would have to be put on hold.” Over the months that Andy Burnham: No, it was not. Agenda for Change have followed, I have often had cause to recall those was one of the proudest achievements of our Government, words, as I watch the Secretary of State add to the and we always staunchly defended national pay financial challenge with the biggest ever reorganisation arrangements. The hon. Gentleman talks about warnings, in NHS history. Did the same civil servants issue the but I have just read out the explicit warning that was same apocalyptic warnings to the incoming Secretary of given to the current Secretary of State that this was the State as they did to me? Finally I have my answer, in a wrong time to reorganise the NHS. It was unforgivable quotation in the book from an unnamed senior civil to proceed in those circumstances. This was the single servant: most reckless gamble ever taken with the NHS, and “The biggest challenge was trying to get the secretary of state patients and staff are already proving to be the biggest to focus on the money—the £20 billion and the sheer scale of the losers. financial challenge”. According to that civil servant, however, the Secretary Steve Brine (Winchester) (Con): I was not reading the of State’s attitude was: book that the right hon. Gentleman has mentioned at “I am going to do these reforms anyway, irrespective of whether the weekend, but I was listening to Radio 4 last night there are any financial issues. I am not going to let the mere while I was doing the washing up, as I do. I heard one of matter of the financial context stop me getting on with this”. his colleagues, the hon. Member for Wigan (Lisa Nandy), Another civil servant is quoted as saying: say that Labour was committed to repealing the Health and Social Care Act in its entirety. Will the shadow “We did point out to him that his plans were written before the Secretary of State tell me whether, when I am in Winchester big financial challenge, and didn’t that change things? He completely did not see that at all. He completely ignored it”. over the summer recess, I should tell the clinical commissioning groups that are getting on with their Then the question is asked: was the Secretary of State work that all that work would be undone, and that the presented by the Department with alternatives to inflicting Hampshire primary care trust and the South Central legislative upheaval on the NHS? A senior civil servant strategic health authority would be recreated if Labour said that were to form the next Government? “it was clear that having posed the question of did he want to see other options, that Andrew was not very interested at all in us Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Order. We presenting alternatives.” are short of time, so may I request short interventions, A picture is emerging of a Secretary of State with an please? inability to listen, take advice or heed warnings, who is going to have his Bill regardless of the upheaval that it Andy Burnham: There is a simple answer: yes, we will will cause to the national health service. repeal the Act. It is a defective, sub-optimal piece of legislation and it is saddling the NHS with a complicated Barry Gardiner: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend mess. The hon. Gentleman should listen to the chair for giving way, although I fear that the moment might of the NHS Commissioning Board, whom his Secretary have passed. I simply wanted to ask him to reflect on of State appointed. He has called the legislation the challenges that the hon. Member for St Albans “unintelligible”. In those circumstances, it would be (Mrs Main) issued to him about doctors and pay. Does irresponsible to leave it in place. he agree that those doctors are now the very people who are in charge of commissioning the services of which Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood) (Con): Will the right they are also the providers? I wonder whether the hon. hon. Gentleman give way? Lady thinks that that is a good thing or a bad thing. Andy Burnham: I will give way to the Chair of the Select Andy Burnham: At the heart of the defective legislation Committee in a moment. that the Government rammed through the House of Wherever we look, we see warnings of an NHS in Commons is an unresolved conflict of interest, in which increasing financial distress, yet according to Ministers commissioners can also be providers who can remove everything is fine. The gap between their complacent services from hospitals and then provide them themselves. statements and people’s real experience of the NHS gets Under pressure in the other place, the Government wider every week. They are in denial about the effects of came up with a requirement for a statement of such their reorganisation on the real world. That dangerous interests, but without introducing any mechanism for complacency cannot be allowed to continue. enforcement to ensure that decisions in the NHS are being made for the right reasons. I fear that that conflict The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon of interest will return to haunt the Government. Burns): In the light of what the right hon. Gentleman has just said, will he clear up this confusion? His leader, Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): The right hon. Gentleman the right hon. Member for Doncaster North (Edward knows that I share his critique of the Health and Social Miliband), has said that he would keep clinical Care Act 2012. He mentioned the fact that civil servants commissioning, yet the shadow Secretary of State has had given him warnings and cautioned him about the just said that he would repeal the Act in toto, which consequences of his decisions during his time in office. would include the provisions on clinical commissioning. 715 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 716

Andy Burnham: One of the great tragedies in this book the general election the Conservatives cynically used the is the Secretary of State’s admission, during a statement NHS to try to gain votes, and they will pay a heavy price in the House in which he announced the “pause”, that for breaking the promises that they made then. he could have done most of what he wanted to do without legislation. The former Secretary of State, the Mr Simon Burns rose— right hon. Member for Charnwood (Mr Dorrell), is quoted as muttering to a colleague, “Why on earth are Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab) rose— we doing it, then?” Well, why on earth did he do it? Because he wanted his Bill, regardless of other people. Andy Burnham: I will give way to the Minister one more time, and then to my hon. Friend the Member for Mr Dorrell: A moment ago, the right hon. Gentleman Eltham (Clive Efford), but after that I must make some told my hon. Friend the Member for Winchester (Steve progress. Brine) that Labour was committed to repealing the Act in its entirety. Does that not mean that an incoming Labour Government would be committed to precisely Mr Burns: I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman. the kind of pre-cooked reorganisation of which he has Although he did not answer the question that I asked just accused my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State? him earlier, he did spread more confusion. If he were ever in a position to repeal the entire Act and did so, given that the strategic health authorities and the primary Andy Burnham: No, it does not. This is what Government care trusts will have long since gone, how does he Members do not understand. It is not about the envisage care being commissioned for patients? organisations, but about the services that they provide. The existing organisations can be asked to work differently, Andy Burnham: The Minister seems to equate removal and I would ask them to work differently. I do not want of the Act with bringing back PCTs and SHAs. I do not NHS organisations to be in outright competition, hospital have a problem with clinical commissioning, and I said versus hospital; I want them to work collaboratively. So as much during the Bill’s passage. I introduced it myself. yes, we will repeal the Act, but no, there will not be a I do not have a problem with clinical commissioning pointless top-down reorganisation of the kind that we groups; my problem is with the job that they are asked have seen the Secretary of State inflict on the NHS. to do, and the legal context in which they are asked to This complacency is dangerous, and it cannot be operate. We reject the Secretary of State’s market, and allowed to continue. We had two clear purposes in that is why we will repeal his Act. initiating today’s debate. First, although we cannot stop the Government’s reorganisation, we can hold them Clive Efford: Clinicians in south-east London presented to account for promises that they made to get their Bill proposals for the reorganisation of our health care through. I shall shortly identify five such promises in provision in “A picture of health”. It was all agreed by respect of which we are asking Ministers to live up to local commissioners, but when the Tories took office, their words. Secondly, we wanted to give the House a they imposed a two-year delay that cost our health care chance to help the NHS by voting to hold the Government trust £16 million a year—and that is the same trust to account and enforcing the coalition agreement’s that the Secretary of State has just put into administration. commitments on NHS spending. Let me first deal with Ministers’ claim that there is no Andy Burnham: This is what happened: when they evidence of rationing of treatments by cost. They have came into government, they had a cynical policy of a promised to act if any evidence is presented. In fact the moratorium, and they went up to Chase Farm hospital evidence is plentiful, and it is simply not credible for to announce it, saying, “There will be no cuts and no Ministers to deny it. The postcode lottery of which we closures at this hospital.” They traded and touted for warned is now running riot through the NHS. We have votes in that constituency for years on the back of that identified 125 separate treatments that have been stopped issue, and now that hospital is going to close. They or restricted in the past two years, in some cases in delayed the reconfiguration and then they delayed the direct contradiction of guidance from the National savings that came to the NHS. It was disgraceful, and Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. people will have seen through it.

Mr George Howarth (Knowsley) (Lab): Last week I Mr Dave Watts (St Helens North) (Lab): I wish my was at Whiston hospital, which, as my right hon. Friend right hon. Friend well in trying to hold this Government will know, covers Knowsley and St Helens. The net to account. The NHS is paying consultancy fees all effect of all the changes is that its staff, particularly the around the country: hundreds of thousands of pounds nursing staff, are thoroughly demoralised. Does my are being wasted, and the Government are refusing to right hon. Friend accept that any commitment that he publish the information. They are also bullying many of makes to changing the system will be welcomed by the trusts. How are we going to get the information out NHS staff? when the Government are doing this?

Andy Burnham: I have heard the same from staff Andy Burnham: My hon. Friend is absolutely right throughout the system. Morale has never been lower. about the waste of money the Government have brought People have been badly let down by a Government who into the NHS through this reorganisation. The total is promised them no top-down reorganisation, a moratorium over £3 billion. That is simply unjustifiable at this time. on hospital changes, and real-terms increases. None of Staff who had been working in primary care trusts are those things has been delivered. During the run-up to either being re-employed as consultants or are going 717 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 718

[Andy Burnham] hospitals now marketing private treatments for in vitro fertilisation, cancer screening or bone screening since into clinical commissioning groups. This is such a waste the cap was lifted? How about the letter sent to all PCTs of money at a time when the NHS needed every penny requiring them to identify three or more services for to maintain standards of patient care. tendering under the “any qualified provider” measure I was talking about rationing, and let me focus on in 2012-13? How about the 100 or so tenders for a range cataract surgery. GP magazine has found limits on of services that have been offered to the private sector cataract surgery in 66% of PCTs. The Royal National on this Secretary of State’s watch, with a total value of Institute of Blind People found that 58% of PCTs are more than £4 billion? So let me ask the Minister and using visual acuity thresholds to restrict surgery. This is the Secretary of State today: will they now at least be the evidence, so the Secretary of State had better start honest about their true intentions for the level of private listening. What has happened since those restrictions on sector involvement in the NHS? cataract operations have been introduced? Unsurprisingly, the number of cataract operations in England fell by Mrs Sharon Hodgson (Washington and Sunderland over 12,000 between 2010 and 2011. That is a direct West) (Lab): Is my right hon. Friend as concerned as I result of the new restrictions. There is no less need, am about the exponential rise in the number of private however. Thousands of older people need such procedures, health care ads that we see on our television screens and but they are now being forced to live with very poor in our newspapers every day? These ads had almost sight. disappeared under the previous Government. Advertisers advertise only when they know that there is a market. This is truly a false economy. Cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective procedures carried out by the Andy Burnham: This is really important; it is where NHS. It helps people live independently and have a all of what the Government are doing comes together. quality of life, and research has shown that in the last They have put in place restrictions in treatments— two years poor vision has been a factor in 270,000 falls 125 separate treatments, as I have just mentioned— by people aged 60 or over. This is the rationing by cost and at the same time they have given a 49% cap to that Ministers have repeatedly denied is happening. So NHS hospitals to do more private work. So as the NHS let me ask the Secretary of State again: does he agree decommissions services, hospitals are then free to start with these restrictions on cataract surgery? If he does offering those services. That is why my hon. Friend is not, will he take immediate action to lift them? beginning to see the changes that she is noticing, and this is the clear agenda of the Conservative party. Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras) (Lab): Will my right hon. Friend confirm that under the last Labour Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore) (Lab): Does not the Government the number of cataract operations carried fragmentation that my right hon. Friend is describing out by the NHS rose from 160,000 a year to 310,000 a raise the crucial question about when the national health year, as a result of the commitment of the staff? What service ceases being a national health service under this will the staff in the south-west think about all this if Government? they have their pay cut? Andy Burnham: The Bill that the Government brought Andy Burnham: For staff who are trying to hold through is an attack on the N in the NHS; that is what it things together through the chaos the Government have was designed to do. It was designed to break national brought about, what a kick in the teeth it must have standards; to break national pay; to break waiting time been to read in the Sunday newspapers that unless they standards; and to allow primary care trusts to introduce accept pay cuts, they will be made redundant. My right random rationing across the system. That was the intention hon. Friend says the staff made those improvements, of the Bill that they brought through; they wanted an but so did he. As the incoming Secretary of State, he unfettered market in the health service, and my hon. made improvements to waiting times for cataract surgery, Friend is absolutely right. That is why we are saying that which, if I remember rightly, were commonly about a we will repeal this Act and restore the N in NHS at the year in the late-1990s. We brought those waiting times earliest opportunity. right down. Now what do we hear? We hear that under this crowd people with two cataracts are being told, Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole) (Con): On 28 June, “Youcan have one done, but not both.” That is what the in response to misinformation put out by Labour NHS has been reduced to under this Government. The councillors, the medical director of my local hospital Secretary of State has promised action, and I have given trust, a doctor of 30 years, wrote an article in my local him the evidence. He now must take action. paper under the headline “NHS faces greatest challenge”. The second area on which the Government need to She talked about staff costs, treatment costs and the be challenged is privatisation. As the debate on the Bill 2008 Nicholson challenge. She said that the trust’s drew to a close, the Secretary of State made this clear problems date “back to 2008”, and she continued: statement: “Having been a doctor for nearly 30 years, the 2008 Nicholson “The legislation is absolutely clear that it does not lead to challenge is, by far, the greatest challenge the NHS has ever privatisation, it does not promote privatisation, it does not permit faced”. privatisation and it does not allow any increase in charges in the What should we believe: the picture being presented by NHS.”—[Official Report, 27 March 2012; Vol. 542, c. 1335.] the right hon. Gentleman or this article? It is hard to know where to start, but how about the NHS walk-in centre in Sheffield, which is managed by a Andy Burnham: The hon. Gentleman is making my private company and has just started charging patients point; if he was listening to what I said at the start of with whiplash injuries £25 for treatment, or the NHS my speech, he would have heard me say clearly that 719 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 720 the £20 billion Nicholson challenge, which I set, was the hardest to understand given that the Prime Minister always going to be a mountain to climb for the NHS. appeared on every billboard in the land, on practically Let us be clear that it was. What was unforgiveable was every street in the land, promising to do the opposite combining that Nicholson challenge with the biggest just two years ago. ever top-down reorganisation in history, when the whole thing was turned upside down, managers were being Gordon Birtwistle (Burnley) (LD): Will the right hon. moved or made redundant and nobody was in charge of Gentleman advise me who he consulted with before he the money. That was what was so wrong, and that is closed the A and E unit in Burnley? what the hon. Gentleman should not be defending if he is defending staff in the NHS. Andy Burnham: I was prepared to make difficult The third area where we need action from Ministers decisions and be honest about them. I am not proposing is on protection for staff. The Deputy Prime Minister the reversal of that decision and I note that clinicians in said recently: his area recently said how it had improved outcomes for his constituents. What I will not do—what I will never “There is going to be no regional pay system. That is not going to happen.” do—is go to marginal constituencies, as the Secretary of State did, and make false promises that I will reopen But we heard yesterday that a breakaway group of such units. The Secretary of State did that before the 19 NHS trusts in the south-west has joined together to last election; no wonder he is looking shifty in his seat drive through regional pay, in open defiance of the right now. He went to the hon. Gentleman’s constituency Deputy Prime Minister. They are looking at changes to and said that he would reopen that unit. Has he done force staff to take a pay cut of 5%; to end overtime that? I do not believe that he has. payments for working nights, weekends and bank holidays; to reduce holiday time; and to introduce longer shifts. Clive Efford: On that very point about turning up in We even hear that if staff will not accept this, they are constituencies just before general elections promising to going to be made redundant and re-employed on the save A and E services, the Tories pledged to save 999 services new terms. So let us ask the Secretary of State and the at my local hospital, Queen Mary’s, Sidcup. They pledged Minister to answer this today: do the Government to keep that A and E open—the Secretary of State did support regional pay in the NHS and the other moves so himself. Where is the A and E? planned by trusts in the south-west? If they do not, will they today send a clear message to NHS staff in the Andy Burnham: I do not know how the Secretary of south-west that they are prepared to overrule NHS State justifies what has been done. Even in my own managers? patch, Greater Manchester was going through a children’s Fourthly, I shall deal with reconfigurations. The House and maternity services review and some constituencies will recall the promise of a moratorium on changes to were benefiting from the changes—Bolton, for example, hospitals and the Prime Minister’s threat of a “bare-knuckle was getting a bigger maternity unit—but some were not fight” to resist closure plans. In 2010, the Secretary of and this Secretary of State went both to Bury, where he State set out four tests that all proposed reconfigurations said that he would defend the maternity unit, and to had to pass. They related to support from general Bolton, for a photo call celebrating the new investment. practitioners, strengthened public and patient engagement, If anything illustrates the sheer opportunism of the clear clinical evidence and support for patient choice. Secretary of State in opposition, surely that is the example He said: that does. “Without all those elements, reconfigurations cannot proceed.” So let me ask the Minister: does he think that the A and Several hon. Members rose— E units closing at Ealing, Hammersmith, Charing Cross and Central Middlesex pass that test? How about St Helier, Andy Burnham: I will give way to the hon. Member King George, Newark and Rugby? Is it not clear to for Totnes (Dr Wollaston) before I conclude. everyone that the Prime Minister’s bare-knuckle fight never materialised? Is it not also clear that no one told Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes) (Con): I hope that in his the Foreign Secretary, the Work and Pensions Secretary conclusion, the right hon. Gentleman will address a or even the Minister of State, Department of Health, point raised by the King’s Fund. It said that the greatest the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), policy failure of the previous Administration was the who is responsible for care and older people and who failure to tackle health inequalities. He says that he has launched a campaign against his own Department? wishes to appeal the whole of the Health and Social What clearer sign could there be of the chaos in the Care Act 2012, but does he accept that shifting public Department of Health and of the chaos engulfing the health back to local authorities gives us one of the NHS? Will the Secretary of State now take action to greatest opportunities to tackle health inequalities? Will stop reconfigurations on the grounds of cost alone? he seriously put public health back where it was before and, by so doing, continue to fail to address health That brings me to my fifth and final area for action, inequalities? which is NHS spending. The coalition agreement said: “We will guarantee that health spending increases in real terms Andy Burnham: The hon. Lady mentions the Act, in each year of the Parliament.” and I seem to remember that she called the Bill a hand That is health spending, not the health allocation. Official grenade thrown into the health service. She seems to Government figures show that actual spending has fallen have changed her tune since then. We made huge progress for two years running and the underspend has been on tackling smoking and improving the public health clawed back by the Treasury. Of all the promises the of this country, progress of which we are very proud. coalition has broken, people will surely find that one We can always say that we could have done more, but 721 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 722

[Andy Burnham] Mr Slaughter: The Minister talks about scaremongering. For seven years my constituents put up with scaremongering I remember putting through measures on smoking towards from his party that Charing Cross hospital was going to the end of our time in government that were opposed close. The services there expanded. After two years of by those on the Government Front Bench. I am not sure his Government, the hospital, 500 beds, and the accident how she could justify that. and emergency department are closing and being replaced The budget cut combined with the distraction of by an urgent care centre, which will treat only minor reorganisation means that six out of 10 hospitals in injuries. What will that do to his statistics? England are now off target for their efficiency savings. That brings me back to where we started: this is the Mr Burns: I am slightly surprised that the hon. wrong time to reorganise the national health service. In Gentleman made that intervention because it rather conclusion, the House cannot reverse tonight the damage proves my point about scaremongering. He said that is of the NHS re-organisation, but we are not powerless. going to happen. The truth is that the local NHS has There are things we can do to help the NHS at one of determined locally what it believes is the best reconfiguration the most dangerous moments it has faced. Our constituents of services. That is going out to public consultation and will expect us to hold Ministers to account for promises so far no decisions have been taken because the consultation made on rationing and reconfigurations. They will want process has only just started. It will last for 14 weeks us to do the right thing by NHS staff facing pay cuts and then the results of that consultation will be considered. and redundancy. Our constituents have a right to expect that one of the central pledges in the coalition agreement— Several hon. Members rose— not to cut the NHS—will be honoured. That is the simple call of our motion this evening which, we hope, Mr Burns: I will now make progress. can unite all sides of the House. A vote tonight for the motion would be a positive vote for an NHS under siege To return to waiting times and the record as a fact, and a message of appreciation for NHS staff facing rather than the fiction that Opposition politicians like uncertain times. I commend the motion to the House. to peddle, 96% of patients wait for fewer than four hours in accident and emergency, and every ambulance trust in England meets its core response times. 5.50 pm The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon Andy Burnham: On accident and emergency waiting Burns): The motion that we are debating today is typical times, let us be clear. In the 2013 year to date, has the of the Opposition. Rather than praising the NHS in a NHS met the 95% target or not? year of change, they seek to denigrate it. Rather than commending the hard work and dedication of NHS staff, Mr Burns: Yes; 96% of patients wait for fewer than they undermine their efforts and belittle their results. four hours in A and E, and as the right hon. Gentleman Rather than supporting the parts of the NHS that are knows, the percentile is 95%. dealing with long-term financial challenges—challenges that were partly of the own making of the right hon. Mr George Howarth rose— Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham)—they attempt to scaremonger. Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab) rose— In truth, this has been a year that has tested the NHS, which has dealt with significant financial pressures as Mr Burns: I shall make a little more progress. well as the transition to the new system, but it is also a year in which the NHS has proven its mettle. Far from Let us not stop at waiting times. The £600 million cancer the meltdown that some gleefully predicted, we have drugs fund that has helped more than 12,500 patients to seen a robust and resilient NHS delivering better care access the drugs previously denied to them, the screening for patients. programmes for breast and bowel cancer, potentially saving an extra 1,100 lives every year by 2015, the Mr George Howarth: Will the Minister give way? world-leading telehealth and telecare whole systems demonstrator programme, which saw a stunning 45% Mr Burns: In a minute. fall in mortality and is set to transform of 3 million people with long-term conditions over the next five I know that waiting times mean a great deal to the years— right hon. Member for Leigh, so let us have a look at the numbers. Despite what he peddles around the country, waiting times remain low and stable—in fact, below Several hon. Members rose— where they were at the last general election. In May 2010 more than 18,000 people waited more than a year Mr Burns: I will give way to my hon. Friend the for treatment. Today that figure is just 4,317. Today Member for Crawley (Henry Smith), then I will give 55,335 people wait more than six months for treatment— way to the right hon. Member for Knowsley (Mr Howarth) almost half the figure of 100,979 at the last general and the hon. Member for Walsall South (Valerie Vaz), election. There are 149,912 people now waiting more then I will stop giving way for a time to make progress. than 18 weeks, compared to 209,411 in May 2010. The median wait for admitted patients has fallen in that time Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con): Earlier this year I was from 8.4 weeks to 8 weeks, and for non-admitted patients delighted to be able to open a new digital mammography from 4.3 weeks to 4 weeks. Across the country, all NHS unit at Crawley hospital, a hospital which under the waiting time standards for diagnostic tests and cancer previous Government saw its accident and emergency treatment have been met. unit closed down. Does my right hon. Friend find it 723 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 724 odd that the Opposition refuse to match the spending pride. I, too, would like to take this opportunity to praise commitments on the NHS that this Government are NHS staff for their hard work and dedication and the delivering? excellent results they are delivering for patients.

Mr Burns: My hon. Friend is right. As he would probably Angie Bray (Ealing Central and Acton) (Con): Will expect, I shall deal with that issue later in my speech. my right hon. Friend give way? While I am responding to his intervention, let me say that not only was his hospital fortunate in having that fantastic equipment to look after his constituents, but Mr Burns: I promised to give way to my hon. Friend I had the pleasure last week to be in his constituency to the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy). visit Elekta and Varian, which are world leaders in making equipment to help with radiotherapy. Andrew Percy: Will the Minister condemn Labour party representatives in Goole who, despite the fact that Valerie Vaz: The Minister is very fond of statistics. under Labour we saw ward closures and mental health Can he say whether GP referrals have gone up, and in-patient beds go, recently gave the media incorrect whether A and E admissions have gone up or down? waiting list times, and will he confirm that in north Lincolnshire 93% of patients are seen within 18 weeks, Mr Burns: The hon. Lady will know that GP referrals which is far ahead of the national target? The Labour have gone down slightly, but the referrals to A and E party needs to stop talking down our local hospital. have risen slightly. Mr Burns: I am extremely grateful to my hon. Friend and Mr Howarth: The Minister said in his opening remarks certainly condemn any misrepresentation, misinformation that Opposition Members are denigrating NHS staff or talking down of the NHS in any of my hon. Friends’ and their achievements. Does he accept that if he has constituencies. any conversations with NHS staff, he will find the reverse—they feel that they are being denigrated by this Several hon. Members rose— Government and their reforms? Mr Burns: If hon. Gentlemen and Ladies will bear Mr Burns: I do not like to contradict the right hon. with me, I would like to make some progress, because Gentleman, but I will. What I said was slightly different this is a short debate and many hon. Members would from what he accused me of saying. What I said was like to participate, but I will give way later. that rather than praising the NHS in a year of change, the Opposition denigrate it. That is slightly different. The motion, like the right hon. Member for Leigh, mentions a fall in spending on the NHS of £26 million To pick up on a point that the right hon. Member for in 2011-12. I will give him one statistic: £12.5 billion. Leigh mentioned from a sedentary position, GP referrals There will be £12.5 billion extra for the NHS in this for 2011-12 were 1% lower than in the previous year, but Parliament, £12.5 billion that would never have been outpatient referrals were, as I said, slightly higher. made available had he had his way, as he said that to do so would be irresponsible. That is exactly what his party Andrew Percy: Will my right hon. Friend give way? is doing in Wales, where it is in control of the NHS. It is cutting the NHS budget in Wales by 6.5% in real terms Mr Burns: If my hon. Friend will allow me, I would from 2011-12 to 2014-15. His motion talks about a like to make some progress. If the opportunity arises, £26 million underspend, but what he does not understand I will give way to him then. is that there has been a real-terms increase in funding I could stop after reporting all that good news, but I for the NHS this year. Because we are no longer wasting do not see why I should when there is so much more to hundreds of millions of pounds on a bloated bureaucracy praise the NHS for. It gets little praise for its performance and the national programme for IT, we have been able from the Opposition. I want to praise the fact that to save an extra £1.1 billion in real terms from the back patients are reporting better outcomes for hip and knee office and put it into front-line care. replacements and for hernias, and the fact that the latest GP patient survey showed that 88% of patients rated Andy Burnham: So that there is no confusion, because their GP practice as good or very good. MORI’s this is a very important matter, I will quote from a independent public perceptions of the NHS survey Department of Health press release of Friday 6 July: shows satisfaction with the NHS remaining high at “PESA figures released today show that in real terms NHS 70%. spending has reduced slightly by 0.02%.” In the patient experience survey, 92% of patients who For the record, will the Minister say whether NHS had used the NHS in the past year rated their care as spending rose or fell over the last financial year? good, very good or excellent. Mixed-sex accommodation breaches are down an incredible 96% since we came to power, although of course the Opposition often claimed Mr Burns: What I was saying that the right hon. to have eradicated that problem—not so, alas. MRSA Gentleman—[Interruption.] He must wait one minute, infections are down 24% in the year, and C. difficile because I will answer him. What I said, which is correct, infections down 17%. More than a million more people is that, in keeping with our commitments, we have have an NHS dentist. No reasonable person could look increased funding on the NHS in real terms— at the performance of the NHS over what has been a challenging year with anything but admiration and Andy Burnham: It is your press release. 725 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 726

Mr Burns: Just wait. But, as he has said, and as I have but I certainly urge my hon. Friend, her constituents said about the £26 million—[Interruption.]—there was and others to get involved in the consultation so that all an underspend in the NHS and that money, as he will views can be considered. know, because of the financial arrangements his party put in place for the NHS in 2004, will be ploughed back Several hon. Members rose— into the NHS over the next three or four years as extra spending. We will put in more money for front-line Mr Burns: I will now make some progress. clinical staff, including more than 4,000 doctors—more The motion seeks to give the impression that NHS money for doctors and treatments and for improving care is being rationed. That is worse than inaccurate: it patient outcomes. Spending on front-line NHS services is scurrilous nonsense and scaremongering on a grand has increased by £3.4 billion in cash terms, or 3.5%, and somewhat desperate scale. [Interruption.] I will compared to last year. come to cataracts in a moment. We did some rudimentary checking of our own into the veracity of those claims, Angie Bray: Will my right hon. Friend give way? which were originally made as part of the Labour party’s NHS health check. It was not long before it Mr Burns: Not at the moment. became abundantly clear that that was not worth the press notice it was printed on. It claimed that there was The motion states that seven out of every 10 acute a blanket ban by NHS Hull on the removal of risk ganglia. hospital trusts in England missed their savings targets We spoke with NHS Hull and found that there is no for the first half of 2011-12, referring to their cost such ban. It claimed that 11 out of 100 PCT clinical improvement plans. Not only did the right hon. Gentleman commissioning groups restrict laser revision surgery for use out-of-date figures—figures for the whole year are scars, but such cosmetic surgery has never been routinely now available—but he again misrepresented what they available on the NHS, under either this Government or mean for the performance of the NHS. Across the the previous Government, when the right hon. Member NHS, acute NHS trusts plan to save £1.3 billion during for Leigh was Secretary of State. It claimed that weight-loss 2011-12. In the end, they saved £1.2 billion. More than treatment is restricted, stating that half—57%—of the shortfall was concentrated in just 10 NHS trusts in significant financial difficulties— “patients generally have to be over 18 and have a BMI over a 10 NHS trusts that he ignored when he was Health certain level to receive weight loss surgery”. Secretary but that we are getting to grips with. I would Amazing—people actually have to be overweight to be point him instead to the £4.3 billion of efficiency savings entitled to weight-loss surgery. I would have thought made in 2010-11 and the further £5.8 billion of efficiency that that was startlingly obvious, but obviously the right savings made in 2011-12. Primary care trusts and strategic hon. Gentleman does not think so. health authorities have reported a surplus of £1.6 billion in 2011-12, money that is being carried forward and Andy Burnham rose— made available for 2012-13 and thereafter. Mr Graham Stuart rose— Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab): Will the Minister give way? Mr Burns: I will give way to the right hon. Gentleman and then to my hon. Friend, but then I will make some progress. Mr Burns: No, I will not. Unlike the right hon. Member for Leigh, who Andy Burnham: Is the Minister aware that the National championed cuts to the NHS, this Government are Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance investing more in the NHS, more in front-line care, recommends that bariatric surgery should be offered more in staff and more in treatments. only to people with a BMI of 40? Is he also aware that numerous PCTs all over the country are restricting Angie Bray: As my right hon. Friend is aware, the access to that surgery by introducing their own arbitrary proposal is to downgrade four accident and emergency limits? That is evidence of the rationing I am talking departments across London that are all right beside my about. He will know that the NHS constitution guarantees constituency. Does he agree with my constituents that people access to NICE-approved treatments, so why losing four accident and emergency departments is does he not take action on those PCTs that are standing disproportionate and will mean a significant loss of outwith the NICE guidance? service for them locally? Mr Burns: What the right hon. Gentleman rather Mr Burns: What I will say to my hon. Friend is cunningly does not mention—[Interruption.] Iam similar to what I said to the hon. Member for Hammersmith answering the question, if the hon. Member for Copeland (Mr Slaughter): that is a reconfiguration that is in (Mr Reed) can just keep quiet for a second. The right progress and has been put together locally by the local hon. Gentleman says that the NICE guideline refers to NHS. It has just gone out to consultation and, obviously, a BMI of 40, and that is absolutely correct, but I point when the process is complete the responses will be him in the direction of one area in central London that considered before any final decisions are made on the does not go by that guideline, because it uses a BMI of best way to provide care for her constituents and those 35, which is lower. of Opposition Members so that they can get the quality of care and the relevant care in their area. At the Mr Graham Stuart: Is my right hon. Friend as confused moment, when there is a consultation process going on, as I am by the Labour party’s policy? The right hon. it would wrong of me to comment on a local decision, Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) could not explain 727 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 728 where public health would go; he wants to repeal the Not only does the right hon. Gentleman have some Health and Social Care Act 2012, although he wants difficulty understanding the meaning of “privatisation”, the services to be shaped as the Act says; and on but he forgets his own record in government. The only funding he said in June 2010: plan to increase the private provision of NHS services “It is irresponsible to increase NHS spending in real terms”. came under the previous Government when he was That is the Labour party’s policy: it is chaotic and makes Minister, when his hon. Friend the Member for Leicester no sense. Can my right hon. Friend please tell us whether West (Liz Kendall) was the special adviser and when he sees more sense in it than I do? Patricia Hewitt was Health Secretary. In May 2007, the right hon. Gentleman said: Mr Burns: I am afraid that I cannot help my hon. “Now the private sector puts its capacity into the NHS for the Friend, because the policy is contradictory and does benefit of NHS patients, which I think most people in this not make sense. country would celebrate.” Those are his words. It was his Government who saw The right hon. Gentleman talks about repealing the private companies paid 11% more than NHS providers 2012 Act, which includes the clinical commissioning for doing the same work, and who wasted £297 million groups, but if he abolishes them there will be no other on operations that never happened at independent sector mechanism from 1 April next year to commission care treatment centres. Given that he may have forgotten, I for patients, so there will be no one available to commission must tell him that the Labour party manifesto in 2010, care for patients, which seems stunning. when he was the Secretary of State for Health, stated: The right hon. Gentleman talks about funding, and “Foundation trusts will be given the freedom to expand their his quotations—my hon. Friend the Member for Beverley provision into primary and community care, and to increase their and Holderness (Mr Stuart) mentions one—are quite clear: private services—where these are consistent with NHS values”. he disapproves of giving real-terms increases in funding That suggests that, as Secretary of State, he was prepared to the NHS. In Wales, the Welsh Labour Government to have in his own party’s manifesto a policy allowing have taken him at his word and are cutting spending, and encouraging foundation trusts to attract more work which we are not very enthralled by. from the private sector. Several hon. Members rose— This Government’s Health and Social Care Act 2012 specifically prohibits the Secretary of State, Monitor or Mr Burns: I will now make progress. the NHS Commissioning Board from favouring any type of provider, be they from the NHS, the charitable Treatments available on the NHS are based on clinical sector or the independent sector. It does so because this need. There should never be any arbitrary rationing Government understand something that the right hon. based on cost either locally or nationally—[Interruption.] Gentleman’s never did—it is not the nature of the The right hon. Member for Leigh shouts from a sedentary provider, but the quality of the outcomes that matters position, “There is”, and waves a piece of paper a little most to patients. like Chamberlain on his way back from Munich, but if the piece of paper that the right hon. Gentleman is waving is his NHS health check, which officials in my Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): Will the Department have looked at, it is as worthless as the Minister give way? piece of paper that Chamberlain brought back from Munich. Mr Burns: No, I will not. If the right hon. Gentleman has any genuine evidence The motion speaks of the based on the cost of care, I and the Department of “increasing number of cost-driven reconfigurations of hospital Health will certainly investigate it. Such practices are services”. totally unacceptable, and we will take them very seriously The reconfiguration of NHS services must always be indeed, but until then, although the motion talks about led by a desire to improve patient care and patient “the evidence presented”, the truth is that there is none. outcomes. As lifestyles change, as needs and expectations The right hon. Gentleman claims that the number of grow and as technology develops, the NHS must respond. cataract operations has fallen significantly since we came This Government are very clear that the reconfiguration to power, but the reason for the fall is that clinicians of services is a matter for the local NHS, and that the have advised that the surgery is inappropriate in many best decisions are those taken closest to the front line cases—on clinical grounds. Surgery is available, however, and tailored to the needs of the local population. But, for those patients who are clinically eligible, and they when making those decisions, it is imperative that the will receive it when there is a clinical reason. NHS carries the support of local people, patients, carers and clinicians. Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab): The principle is enshrined in the four tests that my Will the Minister give way? right hon. Friend the Secretary of State set out in 2010: all local reconfiguration plans must demonstrate support Mr Burns: No, I am making progress. from clinical commissioners, strengthened public and The motion notes the growing involvement of the patient engagement, clear clinical evidence and support private sector, insisting that it represents evidence of for patient choice. growing privatisation. Not only is that unadulterated tosh, but I personally find it offensive to be accused of Clive Efford rose— seeking to privatise the NHS, when in my political philosophy one of my core beliefs is in an NHS free at John Woodcock (Barrow and Furness) (Lab/Co-op) the point of use for all those eligible to use it. rose— 729 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 730

Mr Burns: The right hon. Member for Leigh equates Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab) rose— the coalition agreement’s promise of a temporary moratorium on changes to hospital services, with a Mr Burns: The hon. Lady only recently walked in. commitment to hold the NHS in a permanent state of She has not been here from the beginning. suspended animation. The moratorium was needed to I call on the unions to respond positively to the issue put a stop to the arbitrary reconfigurations that his and the national discussions on “Agenda for Change”. I Government instigated—reconfigurations that lacked also hope that the Opposition will support the policies the support of local clinicians, lacked a clinical evidence that they put in place when in government. base and lacked basic democratic legitimacy. This Government and the Secretary of State have put that The Opposition have used this debate to make yet right. another sorry attempt to paint a distorted picture of the NHS. That is wrong. The shadow Secretary of State pours Now I turn to another issue that the right hon. scorn on the performance of the NHS, while we admire Gentleman raised and which is of considerable importance, the excellence of the staff; he belittles their achievement given what has— while we laud them; he scaremongers, while we present the truth more transparently than at any other time in Clive Efford rose— the history of the NHS. The accusations in the motion are simply wrong, and John Woodcock rose— I ask my right hon. and hon. Friends to join me in the Division Lobby at the end of the debate to defeat the motion. Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Order. Hon. Gentlemen, the Minister has given way quite a bit, and Several hon. Members rose— I am sure that if he wishes to give way he will let you know. You do not need to keep standing and hovering for so long. Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Order. I inform hon. Members that there is now a five-minute limit on speeches. Mr Burns: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. Because I want to make progress so that other people can 6.21 pm contribute, I will not accept any more interventions. On the South West Pay Consortium—[Interruption]—an Grahame M. Morris (Easington) (Lab): Thank you issue on which I hope the right hon. Member for Leigh for calling me early, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am delighted will listen, given that during his speech he seemed keen to be able to participate in this important debate just to hear the Government’s response—the Government’s before the recess. position is clear: it is for employers, not for the Government, I refer hon. Members to part of the Opposition to lead negotiations on the terms and conditions of motion: their staff, and to do so with the agreement of staff. “That this House regrets the growing gap between Ministers’ This Government are committed to the principles of statements and what is happening in the NHS; notes mounting evidence of rationing of treatments and services by cost, despite “Agendafor Change”, a national framework. The ongoing Ministers’ claims to have prevented it”. negotiations on “Agenda for Change” are about ensuring that patients and taxpayers get the maximum value for I would like to highlight one specific example. The money from every penny spent on the NHS, and that it Minister, who is not paying attention at the moment, is spent efficiently and effectively. The negotiations are may wish to make note of the issue, because it matters not about a pay cut, and we would not support one. to cancer patients in my area and across the country. I am talking about the lack of access to advanced The Health Act 2006, brought in by the previous radiotherapy. Government when the right hon. Gentleman was the By way of background, I should say that the national Minister of State in the Department of Health, gives cancer action team told NHS commissioners that NHS trusts the power to set their own terms and radiotherapy is involved in 40% of cases in which cancer conditions. Although they are free to opt out of the is cured. Furthermore, radiotherapy by itself now cures national pay framework, they cannot do so unilaterally; 16% of cancer patients. By contrast, cancer drugs are they must consult and seek agreement with their staff the main cure of only 2% of cancer patients. We can and representatives. draw the conclusion that I hope the Department of Almost all trusts have until now chosen to stay on Health and Ministers would accept: radiotherapy cures national terms and conditions. I believe that most still far more cancer patients than drugs. They should issue want to, but that has to be fit for purpose and fit for the instructions to commissioners to reflect that and make future. Only one trust—Southend—has opted out of money available for radiotherapy. “Agenda for Change”. [Interruption.] The hon. Member The current allocations are inadequate and arguably for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (Tom paltry. The radiotherapy budget for the current year is Blenkinsop) may be a Whip, but he is rather foolish to just £350 million, while the cancer drug budget is close fall into the trap that I have just set. That trust opted to £1.5 billion. Within that sits the Government’s flagship out of “Agenda for Change” under the last Labour cancer drugs fund, which, according to information Government. Perhaps he would like to apologise. that I have received, was underspent by £150 million. Pay is the largest element of NHS costs, and pay Despite that underspend, an additional £200 million is systems must evolve. The trusts in the south-west wish going into the cancer drugs fund. My concern is that to work and negotiate with the trade unions to agree that money is not for cancer patients but for cancer changes, not to dismiss and re-engage staff. drug companies. 731 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 732

The whole idea is becoming discredited—so much Sir David Nicholson in his annual report to the national so that, as has been reported in the newspapers, even health service in May 2009, and it was endorsed by the Mr Clive Stone, the Prime Minister’s constituent who right hon. Gentleman. Sir David said, looking forward originally inspired the fund, has asked for less money to to the period of this Parliament: be put into the fund. Why? He now needs advanced “we must be prepared for a range of scenarios, including the radiotherapy for his cancer and there is no money possibility that investment will be frozen for a time. We should available for him. also plan on the assumption that we will need to release unprecedented The cancer drugs fund cannot be used to fund advanced levels of efficiency savings between 2011 and 2014—between £15 billion and £20 billion across the service over the three years.” radiotherapy, and that is a real concern. I have no doubt that during the winding-up speeches we will be told that I agreed with what the shadow Secretary of State said the Government are putting in an extra £150 million about the importance of what we, in the Health Committee, into new radiotherapy treatments over the next four dubbed “the Nicholson challenge”. I believe that that is years. The Minister of State, the hon. Member for the central challenge facing the national health service. Sutton and Cheam (Paul Burstow), keeps telling us The sadness in this debate was that the right hon. that, but when I ask him where the first and second year Gentleman gave us no hint as to how he believes the allocations—£13 million and £22 million—are being health service should address that central challenge spent, he tells us that he does not know. about which he and I agree. I thought I would try to help out the Minister, so I sent freedom of information requests to every strategic Mr Graham Stuart: Meeting that challenge, and dealing health authority asking how much of the money they with the challenges in the NHS generally, would be all had received and how their PCTs had spent it. I have the more difficult if one believed, as the right hon. good news for the Minister, who is not in his place. It is Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) does, that real-terms that he is not the only one who is in the dark when it increases in investment in the NHS are irresponsible. comes to that £13 million and £22 million; the SHAs do not know either. I have the replies with me. I was going Mr Dorrell: I agree with my hon. Friend, but let us to read them out, but unfortunately I do not have time. not go down that route. At the time when Sir David Nicholson was writing, the Labour Government were The stark truth is that under this Government no new contemplating the possibility not of a real-terms freeze, money is going into providing the latest radiotherapy which is in effect what is planned under the coalition, technologies for the NHS. In March last year, the but of a cash freeze, which would have been substantially Secretary of State commended some of the new facilities, more difficult to achieve. including the new CyberKnife system at St Bartholomew’s hospital in London. Members, some of whom have also The main issue now is how we deliver services that been to see the system, are concerned that charities are meet the demands placed on the system against the having to be used to raise money to buy that vital background of a resource allocation to the health service equipment. When I raised that issue in this Chamber, that was always going to be dramatically less generous the Minister disputed that, but I have furnished him than it was during the earlier years of the Labour with a list of areas where it is happening. The Minister Government. We heard from the right hon. Gentleman should accept his responsibility, get a grip on the situation a commitment that an incoming Labour Government and ensure that cancer patients needing advanced would go through a clean-sheet-of-paper redrawing of radiotherapy have access to the service that they need. the map— I support the motion. Andy Burnham indicated dissent. 6.26 pm Mr Dorrell: The right hon. Gentleman shakes his Mr Stephen Dorrell (Charnwood) (Con): It is a pleasure head, but he said that he would repeal the Health and to follow the hon. Member for Easington (Grahame M. Social Care Act 2012, the result of which would be to Morris), who is a member of the Health Committee. commit the health service to precisely the kind of I hope he will forgive me if I do not follow him down reorganisation—or re-disorganisation—that he accuses the specialist course of radiotherapy services. the Government of introducing. I want to address my remarks primarily to the shadow The challenge for the Opposition is to show that they Health Secretary and to begin with an echo from a are willing to map a future for the health service, in different era. When I first came to the House, there used much more constrained financial circumstances, that to be something called “Whitelaw’s law”, which, obviously, allows it to meet the demand for services that is going to referred to the late Willie Whitelaw. “The more he be placed on it and to fulfil the aspirations that we all blusters,” we used to say, “the less he believes it.” The have for improved quality of service. That becomes shadow Health Secretary gave us an Olympic-class increasingly difficult in the light of motions such as the demonstration of the principle of Whitelaw’s law. He one that the right hon. Gentleman has put down for blustered from the Dispatch Box and got himself into the House to consider. He invites us to regret several dead ends. It became clear that he did not really believe that he had answers for the challenges facing “the increasing number of cost-driven reconfigurations of hospital the NHS. services” I refer the right hon. Gentleman to a point that he and made and which I agree with. The most important “growing private sector involvement in both the commissioning statement about the current state of the health service and provision of NHS services”. was not made by him as Secretary of State—and, with Yet when he was Secretary of State and bore my right great respect to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of hon. Friend’s responsibilities for meeting this challenge, State, it was not made by him either. It was made by he made it clear that service reconfiguration was precisely 733 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 734

[Mr Dorrell] Let us look at the facts. At the time when the Secretary of State made his announcement, briefings appeared in how the health service needed to meet the challenges the media about South London Healthcare being a that it faced, and that the private sector had an important failing trust with poor standards of clinical care. On the role—of course, not an exclusive role—in introducing contrary, the trust has shown significant improvement the solutions to the challenge that Sir David Nicholson in clinical performance. It is one of the top five trusts in articulated in May 2009. The same approach was taken the UK in terms of low mortality, hospital infection in the Labour party’s manifesto for the 2010 general election. rates are three times lower than the national average, The challenge that the right hon. Gentleman has to and the four-hour target for A and E patients has been address if he is to discharge his responsibilities as met month on month since February. For those of us shadow Health Secretary is to move on from party who have been working with South London Healthcare political ding-dongs, of which we have had too many. to raise its performance, it is particularly galling to see [Interruption.] The right hon. Member for Holborn the Secretary of State dismissing those achievements and St Pancras (Frank Dobson) is commenting from a and incorrectly claiming, as he did on 28 June in a sedentary position. I have always been aware that he, at communication to MPs, that patients at the trust least, does not agree with the commissioner-provider “experience some of the longest waits for treatment”. split that the shadow Health Secretary operated as That is simply not true of South London Healthcare Secretary of State and has always said that he is in today. It may have been true a year ago, but, as I said, favour of considering. there has been improvement, and the Secretary of State has ignored that. Indeed, he himself appears to realise Frank Dobson: Would the right hon. Gentleman care that his criticisms were wide of the mark, as just one to confirm for the House that in the last year when he week after he made that statement I received a letter was Secretary of State, NHS hospitals carried out 5.7 million from him, as did many other London MPs, starting operations and at the end of the Labour Government’s with the following memorable words: period in office it was carrying out 9.7 million operations? “Dear Colleague, Mr Dorrell: I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman I wanted to write to you with a summary of the excellent for drawing attention to the fact that throughout the performance of the NHS in your area”. history of the health service, under Governments of all You couldn’t make it up; talk about the left hand not political complexions, there has been a growth in the knowing what the right hand is doing. level of services, and improvement in the quality of services, provided to patients. It happened under the What about the deficit? Yes, there is a deficit—about Tory Government of whom I was a member and under £70 million last year—but South London Healthcare the Government of whom he was a member. Of course, has been implementing a series of service changes designed that is delivered not by the politicians but by the doctors to reduce it over the next four years while at the same and nurses who work in the health service. time improving the standards of health care. Ironically, The challenge faced by the current generation of its task has been made much more difficult by the policy makers, including the shadow Health Secretary, Secretary of State, who knows only too well that two is how to meet the rising demands and the requirement years ago, in summer 2010, he intervened to halt the for improved quality in much more constrained financial implementation of a clinically led plan to reconfigure circumstances than I or he faced as Secretaries of State. services in south-east London entitled “A picture of He signally failed to meet that challenge today. health”, which, after six months’ delay and a review that he imposed, was judged to meet all four of the necessary tests. His intervention merely delayed a reconfiguration 6.34 pm process that was going to improve services and save Mr Nick Raynsford (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab): money. Now, after a wholly unnecessary and costly This debate comes less than a week after the Secretary delay, the plan is proceeding, with the consolidation of of State’s announcement that he is putting South London A and E services on two, rather than three, sites and Healthcare NHS trust into administration. He will therefore similar moves to concentrate specialisms: stroke at Bromley; not be surprised, and nor will the House, that I intend elective surgery at Queen Mary’s, Sidcup; and maternity to focus on that issue. at Queen Elizabeth, Woolwich. All those changes have Not surprisingly, this announcement has caused massive helped to improve performance and have made savings. alarm and concern across south-east London. Staff Ironically, the same Secretary of State who delayed the working for the NHS in all three affected boroughs— implementation of these improvements is now blaming Greenwich, Bromley and Bexley—are all worried about the trust for the deficit without acknowledging his own whether they will continue to have a job. Patients and part in the process. their relatives are worried that the NHS services on South London Healthcare has been in existence for which they have depended for years may no longer be just three years. It came into being as a merger of three available, as rumours abound about potential cuts and trusts, all of which faced deficits and needed support closures affecting hospital services. What is most regrettable and help to get out of their problems. As the trust’s is that all this is utterly unnecessary. Indeed, there is a ex-acting chair, who was removed from office today, strong suspicion that the whole process of putting South said in his letter to the Secretary of State on 9 July, London Healthcare into administration is driven by “We have been prepared to take strong action—we are the only politics—by the Government’s wish to send a message Trust in London to successfully close an A and E department and about being tough with trusts in deficit rather than by a move maternity services…What we have not been prepared to do rational assessment of what is most likely to help the is to promise more than is within our capacity to deliver; nor to trust to improve its clinical and financial performance. mask structural issues that need to be addressed.” 735 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 736

It is a tragedy that, rather than supporting the trust in any of the MPs from those parties in the south-west. I its really good work in improving patient care and do not think that any of them said, to use the phrase of reducing the deficit, the Secretary of State has acted in the Minister of State, Department of Health, the right an arbitrary and unfair way and is trying to blame the hon. Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), “We admire trust for a problem for which he has a large measure of you people in the health service so much that we have responsibility. decided that you will have to pay more for your pension and work longer, and that your pension will be smaller.” 6.39 pm I do not think that any of the Lib Dem or Tory candidates in the south-west put in their leaflets, “We Karen Lumley (Redditch) (Con): I want to highlight admire you people in the national health service so some of the issues that people in Worcestershire are much that we intend to reduce your pay.” None of them facing. Like many parts of the country, we are facing a said, “We admire you so much that we are going to joint services review of our acute trust. reduce your entitlement to leave.” None of them has For those who do not know Worcestershire, it has said, at a time when there is rightly increasing concern three hospitals, including a private finance initiative about the standard of care in hospitals at the weekend, hospital, which is costing 5% of the total health spend “We intend to reduce or get rid of your overtime pay at in the county. The PFI deal was made under the Labour weekends.” I would not wish to be admired by a Health Government, who have admitted that there is a case for Minister, because something nasty would clearly appear saying that they were poor at negotiating PFI contracts shortly afterwards. from the outset. In Worcestershire, not only were they People in the national health service are sick to death poor at negotiating the contract; they also put the of this massive reorganisation, of thousands of their hospital in the wrong place. Our PFI hospital is in the colleagues being made redundant, of people having to south of the county, which is all very well for people reapply for their own jobs, and of being expected to do who live there, but for the 200,000-plus people who live their day job while falling into line with the preposterous in the north of the county, it is extremely difficult to get ideas in the major health legislation that went through to. For somebody who lives in Redditch, it is far easier this House. On top of that, they are now being told that to get to a hospital in Birmingham than to one in they cannot be paid what they used to be paid. Apparently, Worcester. people in the south-west say, “Pay down here tends to We are now undertaking yet another review. Once be lower, so let’s reduce the higher pay of people in the again, people in Redditch see that their hospital and public sector, such as those in the hospitals, to the their services, including A and E, maternity and children’s miserable levels that the private sector pays people services, are under threat. I say once again because six here.” It is not likely that giving people even lower pay, years ago we were in the same position. I know that which is always associated with poor health, will improve spending in our health economy has been increasing, the public health of people in the south-west, which the but we in Worcestershire are paying for the overspends hon. Member for Totnes (Dr Wollaston), who is herself of the past few years and need to save money. a GP in the south-west, has talked about. I put it on the record that the people of Redditch want What the Government have done is disgraceful and is to retain their A and E. As their Member of Parliament, in clear breach of their manifesto commitments. They I totally agree with them. We are in the early stages of are now attacking people in the national health service. the consultation, but I urge Ministers to look closely at I laud and admire people who work in the national this matter. The Secretary of State has visited the Alexandra health service. There may be some bad ’uns—there are hospital and seen for himself what a good hospital it is. bad ’uns everywhere—but most of them work very hard Importantly, it was paid for and is owned by the NHS. and brilliantly on our behalf, none more so than those I will be asking for a cross-party meeting in due course, at University College hospital in my constituency and which I hope my right hon. Friend will agree to, because at the Kentish Town health centre, which I was happy the people of Redditch are once again working together. be at recently with Alan Bennett for the ceremony to Apart from the Labour parliamentary candidate, people celebrate 125 years of the Wigg practice, which serves have put party politics aside to work together to save people brilliantly. Believe me: when I talk to people at our A and E. those two institutions, the main people who are denigrated I know that many other Members want to speak in are the Tory Ministers who have wished all this upon this debate. I just wanted to put the marker down that them. I join in that denigration. we in Redditch want our A and E and that I intend to fight for it. 6.45 pm Stuart Andrew (Pudsey) (Con): I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to speak in this debate. The NHS is 6.41 pm clearly important to all of us. I have seen it personally Frank Dobson (Holborn and St Pancras) (Lab): We because I have had a number of operations and through all know that the massive top-down reorganisation of my working life in the hospice movement, where I saw the national health service that the Government have how the care that is provided is so important to the pushed through had not a jot of public support, that no families we were looking after. Clearly, the dedication one voted for it and that it was not mentioned in the of the staff is great and I pay tribute to them. famous coalition agreement. Nevertheless, it was proceeded Listening to the Opposition today, it is hard to take with. them seriously. We can see what they would do with the We are now faced with something that was not in the NHS if they were in power by their actions in Wales. election manifesto of either of the Government parties. They have cut the budget, resulting in an increase of Nor, I suspect, was it in any of the election literature of 51% in the number of patients waiting to start treatment 737 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 738

[Stuart Andrew] Stuart Andrew: I thank my hon. Friend, who brings me on to my next point. Independent analysis of patient and an increase of 156% in the number of those waiting flows showed that the majority of people in the Doncaster, for more than 26 weeks. All the bad news from the Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield area would not go to Opposition is therefore difficult to swallow. Newcastle; they would probably choose centres in Liverpool, I will give a couple of examples from my area. I Birmingham or even London. The NHS constitution recently met some GPs and clinicians to talk about the states that patients have the right to make choices about work they are doing to redesign musculoskeletal services. their NHS care, yet the joint committee of primary care They have brought in innovative ways of ensuring that trusts has asserted that Newcastle could reach the minimum the patient knows exactly what will happen to them. number of procedures if parents were “properly managed”. Clinicians across primary care, community services and That flies in the face of patient choice. secondary care are working together to ensure that the Furthermore, the review has ignored the views of the patient has a clear understanding of the care that they people. I do not think there has ever been a petition will receive. They use map displays, which show a clear as large as the one from Yorkshire, with more than pathway, offer educational content for GPs to ensure 600,000 people’s signatures, but it counted as only one that patients get the highest standard of care, and representation in the meeting at which the decision was ensure that information is available for the patient. made. I will raise a number of issues tomorrow to do with the scoring process that was used in the review, but I am proud to say that on Friday, one of the surgeries I believe that the change will provide a poorer quality of in my constituency will open a new well-being centre, service for Yorkshire and Humber families. Clinical experts which will provide a place where health care, social care from the BCCA, the Bristol inquiry, the Paediatric Intensive and the third sector can come together to provide better Care Society and the Association of Cardiothoracic ways to improve health and well-being in the town. Anaesthetists say that paediatric services should all be under one roof. In Leeds, we have a dedicated children’s Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): Does the hon. hospital with all the services under one roof, so it is Gentleman share the concerns of many Members, as ready-made. I believe he does, over the closure of surgical units for I urge Ministers to look into the process of the review children in the middle counties of England? If so, what and see whether they believe it was properly run. Given is he doing to prevent it in his constituency? the closeness of the scores for Leeds and Newcastle, and considering the outcry that has come from Yorkshire and the Humber, I hope that they will give both centres Stuart Andrew: The hon. Gentleman pre-empts the an opportunity, until April 2014, to demonstrate that next part of my speech and I am grateful to him for they can comply with all the standards that the clinicians that. on the safe and sustainable steering group have As this is a health debate, I am sure that my right hon. recommended. If one or both centres fail to meet any of Friend the Secretary of State would expect me to talk those standards, the decision should be reviewed. about the safe and sustainable review of children’s heart This is a very important issue for my constituents. units. Like other Members, I have received a number of The number of letters that I and my colleagues from e-mails from various organisations today. One of them around Yorkshire and the Humber are receiving shows said that some MPs should seek to reignite the debate how strongly people feel about it, and I urge Ministers and that I should think about the children because if I to listen to our concerns. had children, I would move heaven and earth to ensure that the service was the very best. Frankly, throughout 6.52 pm the campaign on children’s heart units, I have only ever thought about the children. Of course I want the very Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab): Thank best service for them, as do the right hon. and hon. you for giving me the opportunity to speak in this Members from all parts of the House who have worked important debate, Mr Speaker. I wish to bring to the on the campaign. I have always accepted that there is a House’s attention some of the realities on the ground. need for change. That is why I want to discuss a few NHS North West London is currently conducting a related points this evening. I know that I will have an flawed consultation, which is cynically being held during opportunity to raise it in greater detail tomorrow, but it the Olympics and the summer months, on proposals for is important that I speak about it tonight. the reconfiguration of acute hospital services. The proposals would mean the closure of four out of nine accident Access and travel times are incredibly important to and emergency departments, including Ealing’s, and the the families who use children’s heart services. Logical effective closure of Ealing hospital, my local hospital. health planning surely dictates that services should be My right hon. Friend the shadow Secretary of State based according to where the population lies. The British recently described those shocking proposals, accurately, Congenital Cardiac Association states: as “butchery”, not reconfiguration. “Where possible, the location of units providing paediatric The proposals are put forward as clinically led, but cardiac surgery should reflect the distribution of the population to minimise disruption and strain on families.” that is far from the truth. At a recent meeting convened to discuss them, consultants at Ealing hospital and GPs from right across the London borough of Ealing voted Andrew Percy: That is exactly the point that Members unanimously against the proposal to close Ealing hospital. who represent Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire are Other clinicians from right across north-west London concerned about. The proposals will mean that patients are also opposed to the changes, and the hon. Member will have to travel, and expecting families in northern for Ealing Central and Acton (Angie Bray), who has Lincolnshire to get to Newcastle is simply not acceptable. just left the Chamber, has rightly said that they are 739 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 740 financially driven. I take this opportunity to congratulate I apologise to the Minister of State, my right hon. and thank the staff at Ealing hospital, who are working Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), for not hard to provide services to patients during this time of having heard his speech. I had to attend an urgent uncertainty. meeting with a Minister to discuss the closure of a The Nicholson challenge means that across the country, Remploy factory in my constituency. My hon. Friend £20 billion of savings must be found in the NHS by the Member for Southport (John Pugh) gave me a 2014, and £1 billion of those is earmarked to come from précis of the Minister’s wise remarks as best he could— north-west London. It is clear that this is a top-down without, of course, being able to convey fully his panache restructuring of hospital services, driven totally by financial and oratorical dexterity. I understand that the Minister considerations. The proposals are being railroaded through made a number of important remarks about one issue by the remnants of the old PCTs before they are abolished that I want to discuss, as a Member representing west next April and replaced with clinical commissioning Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which, apart from groups. That is a top-down reorganisation of local being the centre of the world, are in the far south-west. hospitals by an unaccountable body that, after making That issue is pay and conditions for staff. As I understand these major decisions, will no longer exist. That flies in it, he emphasised the point that no such independent the face of what the Prime Minister said to me at Prime review of pay, conditions and the salaries of staff in Minister’s questions—that such a decision should have such an area can proceed without the full involvement the support of local doctors and patients. Local GPs and support of the unions, and their engagement in the and patients are overwhelmingly against the proposals, final decisions. so they should be withdrawn immediately. The Prime Minister has also repeatedly told me that there are no Alison Seabeck (Plymouth, Moor View) (Lab): It is plans to close Ealing hospital. Given that after his visit absolutely right that the trade unions should be involved, to Ealing he said that he liked what he saw, I expect him because this is an enormous issue, particularly for staff to join me, local doctors, patients and all political morale in the south-west. Does the hon. Gentleman not parties in opposing the plans. share my concern that thus far the consortium has The Secretary of State, too, is on record as saying shown no great desire to undertake that consultation in that there were no plans to close Ealing hospital’s A and the south-west? That really has to change. E, and as asking where all the people who use it would go. Approximately 100,000 people a year attend there, Andrew George: The hon. Lady makes an important of whom 55,000 use the urgent care centre and 45,000 are point. Lezli Boswell, the chief executive of the Royal treated in the full A and E department. Where will all Cornwall Hospitals Trust, wrote to me on behalf of the those people go for treatment if Ealing’s A and E is consortium about concerns that have been raised, including closed? Other A and E departments that are not proposed by the unions, saying that once the national pay review for closure are already under pressure from their own has concluded under “Agenda for Change” it would population and would not be able to cope with the extra then be appropriate, if it is at all appropriate, for any numbers. Services would suffer, and waiting times would further local discussions to proceed. Without union become intolerable. involvement in the work of the consortium, I agree with The preferred option being consulted on also includes the hon. Lady that the proposal is irrelevant and potentially the closure of the Central Middlesex, Hammersmith disruptive and dangerous, given its impact on staff and Charing Cross A and Es. That would be reckless morale throughout the NHS in the south-west. My and dangerous, and would leave a large swathe of west hon. Friends will be listening closely to this debate, and London without adequate A and E cover. Three London to the concerns that have been raised by many Members boroughs—Ealing, Brent and Hammersmith—would and, indeed, by staff across the south-west about the be left without any A and E. What would happen if consequences for staff morale and the impact on NHS there were a major incident similar to the Southall rail services. I certainly hope that the Secretary of State will crash in Ealing or elsewhere in west London, or, God address those issues when he concludes the debate. forbid, an air crash or terrorist incident? A key issue is one that dare not speak its name—it The plan is opposed by clinicians, patients, politicians affected staff morale under the previous Government as of all parties and members of the public, and it should well—but it is the increasing pressure on front-line be scrapped immediately. I will support the motion this NHS staff. The staffing levels at the coal face have never evening. been sufficient to provide a safe staff to patient ratio. Many people have been critical of nursing and care 6.57 pm standards in the NHS, but they often overlook staffing ratios. Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Ealing, Southall (Mr Sharma), I have also expressed concerns about the out-of-hours a fellow member of the Health Committee. He makes a service in Cornwall—I know that we will not have time strong case on behalf of his constituents, and one hopes to discuss that—and the Care Quality Commission will that any reconfiguration will be evidence-based and, produce a report as a result of those concerns, which above all, based on clinical governance and clinical were also voiced by the hon. Member for Truro and safety. Falmouth (Sarah Newton). This is an important debate—indeed, we cannot debate On pay for staff in the south-west, the chief executive the future of the NHS enough, because it concerns of the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust said to me in a many Members and their constituents. It draws passion letter: and a great deal of interest, because it affects everyone’s “In recent years NHS organisations have largely exhausted lives. I therefore congratulate the Opposition on giving other avenues of potential cost-saving (including reducing reliance us the opportunity to debate it this evening. on bank or agency staff and implementing service improvement 741 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 742

[Andrew George] The second quotation: “These cuts will hit the poorest and most vulnerable hardest”. initiatives). Monitor…has also estimated that NHS organisations with a turnover of around £200m will need to produce savings of The third quotation: around £9m a year for each year until 2016/17 to remain in “The government must take urgent steps to safeguard our local financial health.” NHS”. She goes on to say that the consortium, which consists Those three quotes date respectively from 2003, 2007 of 20 organisations in the south-west, and 2007, when the hon. Lady was campaigning to keep “is looking at how pay costs may be reduced, whilst maintaining a open the accident and emergency centre at Central transparent and fair system that is better able to reward high Middlesex hospital—campaigning for something which performance, incentivise the workforce and support the continued she, in her government, is now closing. No wonder her delivery of high quality healthcare.” latest comment is: Does the Secretary of State agree with that, and how “This flawed consultation, which does not allow residents to does he intend that that should proceed? How will he say that they want to save the A and E, is a kick in the teeth for all protect staff and staff morale, because the consequences local people.” will, I fear, derail national negotiations on “Agenda for I do not speak Parseltongue—I do not understand Change” and drive down pay and morale, particularly it—but I deplore the pretence of opposing a policy that in an area of very low wages? I hope that he is listening. you are pushing through in government. That is really disgraceful. Barry Gardiner (Brent North) (Lab) rose— Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Lindsay Hoyle): Mr Cunningham, Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab) rose— you have until 7.10 pm before the Minister responds. Mr Speaker: The Front-Bench winding-up speeches will begin at 7.10 pm, so the two remaining colleagues 7.7 pm can divide the time if they wish, but not if they do not. Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab): Thank I call Mr Barry Gardiner. you, Mr Deputy Speaker. 7.4 pm Patients in my constituency of Stockton North are already feeling the pain from the Tories’ policies. The Barry Gardiner: Thank you, Sir. I shall try to respect your number of admitted patients who have waited longer advice. than 18 weeks for an operation rose by a staggering In November 2011, the following announcement 49% between May 2010 and November 2011, and I have appeared on the Central Middlesex hospital website: no doubt that the figure is much higher now. “A and E at Central Middx Hospital is temporarily closing The North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation overnight between 7 pm and 8 am starting from Monday Trust faces a drastic cut to its budget of £40 million 14 November 2011. over three years. Chief executive Alan Foster has said The urgent care centre next to A and E will remain open 24 hrs that that is the most difficult financial position the he a day 7 days a week to treat patients with minor injuries and illness. has ever faced and has acknowledged that the cuts will We are making this temporary change to ensure we continue to undoubtedly lead to unpopular decisions to keep the provide a safe service to patients during the winter months.” trust afloat. The trust is trying very hard, and it has In those three paragraphs, we hear twice over that that even resorted to car boot sales to try to balance the overnight closure is temporary, which gave minimal comfort books. Some of those cuts could be achieved if the to my constituents in Brent who used the facility. The Government got behind the trust and did something to overnight closure is indeed temporary. On 2 July, a ensure that the two North Tees and Hartlepool university consultation entitled “Shaping a healthier future” was hospitals are replaced by one midway between the two launched in north-west London, and residents can submit communities. their views until 8 October this year. The consultation, My fear is that there will be no new hospital and the promoted by a transitional body called NHS North trust will be forced to close one of the existing hospitals West London, aims to centralise and rationalise hospital if it is to have any chance at all of delivering £40 million services in the area. Each proposal outlined in the cuts in the next few years. We could end up without any consultation includes the closure of the A and E at of the benefits of a new hospital, and the targets might Central Middlesex—not overnight provision, but the still not be achievable. Such a cut would almost certainly 24-hour facility—for good. cause irreparable damage to the trust’s ability to maintain The motion speaks of the excellent range of high- quality services of which it “the growing gap between Ministers’ statements and what is is justly proud. It will undermine all the good work that happening in the NHS”. has gone on in the trust over the past 10 years. I may have trouble agreeing with that, because it depends I know that the trust will keep patient safety, quality on which Minister and which statements. The Minister and performance at the top of its agenda as it goes of State, Department for Education, the hon. Member through this difficult period, but it will not be easy to for Brent Central (Sarah Teather), received an e-mail deliver services to the 350,000 people who depend on from me today advising her that, if called to speak, I them, as they have in the past. The north-east already would quote her in this evening’s debate. I wanted to do experiences far greater levels of poor health than the so, because she made the following three statements. national average. It must be due to the heavy industries First: and resultant poor environment, as our region mined “The Tories would be a disaster for the NHS, they plan a part coal, built ships and made chemicals and steel. The privatised service”. budget cuts will only worsen this position. 743 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 744

The last Labour Government worked hard to reduce That was in April 2012, and it is a fact, again showing the kind of health inequality faced in my constituency, that Ministers are out of touch. The Secretary of State where men can expect to live 14.8 years less in one part claimed that there is no such evidence of treatments of the constituency than in another. Real progress was being restricted or decommissioned. made to close the gap, but even so, it has proved painstakingly slow, as much work requires huge resources, Dr Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) which are now being denied. I feel the gap growing, (Con): Will the hon. Gentleman give way. even though I know that Stockton borough council has recently appointed a high-calibre person to head up Andrew Gwynne: I will not, as I do not have time now. public health. We will not be able to make the progress In the Secretary of State’s annual report to Parliament, everyone wants if he and the NHS are starved of resources. he dismissed restrictions on bariatric surgery as “meaningless” and continued to say: 7.10 pm “Time and again, he says”— Andrew Gwynne (Denton and Reddish) (Lab): We that is my right hon. Friend the Member for Leigh have had a good debate, albeit one slightly curtailed by (Andy Burnham)— statements. We have heard 10 speeches from Back-Bench ‘“Oh, they are rationing.’ They are not”.—[Official Report, Members and I would especially like to commend my 4 July 2012; Vol. 547, c. 923.] right hon. Friends the Members for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr Raynsford) and for Holborn and St Pancras But Opposition Members all know the truth. Aside (Frank Dobson) and my hon. Friends the Members for from the evidence presented by the Labour party and Easington (Grahame M. Morris), for Ealing, Southall the “GP Magazine”, verified by Full Fact, primary care (Mr Sharma), for Brent North (Barry Gardiner) and trusts acknowledge that they are restricting access to for Stockton North (Alex Cunningham) for their bariatric surgery. The National Institute for Health and contributions. I also rightly want to pay tribute to the Clinical Excellence recommends surgery for anyone with many thousands who work in our national health service, a body mass index of 40 or a BMI of 35 and co-morbidity. doing a tremendous job in often challenging and difficult Many PCTs, including NHS Stockport in my own circumstances. constituency of Denton and Reddish, impose additional restrictions. As we have heard in the debate today, there are growing problems in the national health service. We Recent freedom of information requests of PCTs and know that two thirds of NHS acute trusts—65%—are shadow clinical commissioning groups across England reported to have fallen behind on their efficiency targets. have revealed that 149 separate treatments, previously As we have heard from right hon. and hon. Members, provided for free by the NHS, have been either restricted we are starting to see temporary ward and accident and or stopped altogether in the last two years, with 41 of emergency closures, while a quarter of walk-in centres those being entirely stopped in some parts of the country. are closing across England. Despite the “Through the This provides the clearest evidence yet of random rationing Looking Glass” world of Ministers—one where the across the NHS and of an accelerating postcode lottery, Secretary of State for Health closes a debate—we now which appears to be part of a co-ordinated drive to have growing rationing across the national health service, shrink the level of NHS free provision. From our study, with treatments—including cataracts, hip and knee it is clear that many patients are facing difficulties in replacements—being restricted or stopped altogether accessing routine treatments that were previously readily by one primary care trust or another. available, and there is evidence that some patients are being forced to consider private services in areas where John Pugh (Southport) (LD): Does the hon. Gentleman the NHS has entirely stopped providing the treatment. not acknowledge that the real weakness of this debate, Of course, there has been a real reduction in the as specified by the Select Committee Chairman, is that number of nurses working in the NHS. The Government the Labour party has at no point spelled out how it have claimed that there are only 450 fewer nurses, and at would meet the £20 billion Nicholson challenge? Will Health questions last month, the Minister, the right he tell us? hon. Member for Chelmsford said that the figure was “nowhere near 4,000”. But now we all know the truth: Andrew Gwynne: We set out the Nicholson challenge, figures for the NHS work force in March 2012 showed but I notice that the hon. Gentleman does not defend clearly that there are 3,904 fewer nurses than in May the decisions being taken by his Government to restrict 2010. We have seen broken promise after broken promise, or stop these treatments. including on reconfigurations. It is becoming increasingly clear that there is a gap It was this Government who, when in opposition, between Ministers’ statements on the NHS and people’s spent millions of pounds during the general election real experience of it on the ground. In opening, the putting up posters throughout the country reassuring Minister of State, Department of Health, the right hon. the electorate that under the Conservatives there would Member for Chelmsford (Mr Burns) incorrectly said be a moratorium on hospital and A and E closures. Indeed, that GP referrals have gone down. Figures published by in opposition, they pledged to overturn some very difficult the Department of Health on 13 July 2012 show that reconfiguration decisions taken by the previous Labour GP referrals are up by 1.9% year on year. Those are Government. Yet, as we have seen, the moratorium has statistics from the Minister’s own Department’s. He is not materialised, and there is now evidence of major out of touch. Furthermore, the Minister said that NHS changes to hospital services across the country. Hull is not restricting procedures on ganglia, but a It is worth remembering that the Prime Minister gave freedom of information request we received says: a firm pledge not to close services at Chase Farm “NHS Hull will not routinely commission excision of ganglia”. hospital, but in September 2011, this Secretary of 745 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 746

[Andrew Gwynne] It is now clear that the Government are cutting our NHS. The NHS is important for the people of our State accepted the recommendations and approved the country, and they deserve better. I commend the motion downgrading and closure of services at Chase Farm. to the House. And there are several others, such as the Hartlepool, the King George hospital in Ilford, the East London, the 7.20 pm Trafford General, the North London, the St Cross in Rugby and, as we have heard today, the West London, The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley): too, that have either closed or are set to close. What is I was rather disappointed by the speech of the hon. becoming clear is that when it comes to reconfiguration, Member for Denton and Reddish (Andrew Gwynne). Ministers are hiding behind their new localism and are Like the motion, the hon. Gentleman failed to say happy to blame the soon-to-be-abolished structures for anything about NHS staff, or to reflect the admiration the forthcoming closures. and respect we have for them. The motion and his In the brief time remaining, I want to deal with speech were just another occasion for Labour to use the Government spending on the health service. As we have NHS as a political football, fuelled by nothing but learned, actual Government spending on the NHS in distortions, inaccuracies and myths. 2011-12 fell by £26 million. I always welcome such debates, because they give hon. Members an opportunity to raise constituency Mr Graham Stuart: Will the hon. Gentleman give issues. Many did—I will respond to the points they way? made—but the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham), the shadow Secretary of State, did not. Andrew Gwynne: No, I will not. When the Conservative Opposition raised debates on the NHS before the election, as we often did, we had an This was the second successive real-terms reduction alternative policy to express and arguments to put in NHS spending, following a reduction of £766 million forward. Like the motion, his speech was empty of in the Government’s first year in office. This is in clear argument and of fact, and he and the Labour party are breach of the commitment given by the Conservatives empty of policy. and Liberal Democrats in their coalition agreement. The right hon. Gentleman told us only that he wants Of course, a long line of professionals have come, one to abolish the Health and Social Care Act 2012. If that after the other, to express their concern about the happened, there would be no clinical commissioning damage that will be done to the health service if hospital in the NHS. In fact, nobody would be responsible for is pitted against hospital, and doctor against doctor. commissioning. He would abolish local authorities’ That is where we start. The Health and Social Care Act responsibilities for public health in their area, which 2012 now allows hospitals completely to change character they are embracing and acting on. He would abolish over time. The Government have essentially set everybody health and wellbeing boards, which are integrating health on their own. Hospitals are being told, “You’re on your and social care more effectively. He would abolish the own. There’s no support from the centre any more; no duties in the legislation for NHS bodies to act to reduce more bail-outs.” health inequalities, which rose under a Labour Government. We know that there are problems with the NHS meeting Let me address some of the points— efficiency targets. Indeed, a survey of NHS chief executives and chairmen found that one in four believe that the Grahame M. Morris: Will the Secretary of State give current financial pressures are the way? “worst they have ever experienced”, with a further 46% saying they were “very serious”. Mr Lansley: No. I will address the points made in More than half of foundation trusts missed their savings hon. Members’ speeches, including his. He was the first plan targets, according to Monitor’s review of the last Back-Bencher to speak in the debate. He talked about financial year. more support for radiotherapy. He must recognise that we committed to £150 million additional support for Ministers have said that every penny saved will be a radiotherapy in the cancer outcomes strategy. That will penny reinvested to the benefit of patient care, but in be available. He mentioned CyberKnife, which is a reality £1.4 billion of the £1.7 billion not spent by the brand name for stereotactic beam therapy. That form of Department of Health has been returned to the Treasury— therapy is available in the NHS and will continue to be more broken promises. It is therefore clear for all to see available. He neglected to mention that I announced that there is an increasing gap between what the during the past few months new plans for the establishment Government are saying and what is going on in the NHS, of two major centres for proton beam therapy in this and the experience of ordinary patients on the ground. country, which will mean that patients no longer have to The Government have increasingly broken their promises go abroad to access it. on the NHS. They promised no top-down reorganisation and a moratorium on hospital closures and they promised Grahame M. Morris: Will the Secretary of State give to maintain spending levels in the NHS. They have way? broken all those promises—they are the three biggest broken promises in the history of the NHS. There is Mr Lansley: No. clearly a yawning gap between what the Prime Minister and others say and the reality of patients’ experience. My right hon. Friend the Member for Charnwood (Mr Dorrell) made an important point on the Nicholson During the general election, the Prime Minister said: challenge, which a number of Opposition Members “I’ll cut the deficit, not the NHS.” mentioned. At least one or two of them had the good 747 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 748 grace to recognise that David Nicholson’s proposals ahead; if not, they will not. I advise him to continue making were set out in May 2009, under, and endorsed by, a speeches in the House, but also to ask the general Labour Government. Labour Members now want nothing practitioners and clinical commissioners in Ealing what to do with the consequences of meeting that financial they think is in the best interests of their patients—his challenge. They fail to recognise, as my right hon. constituents. That is a good basis to start with. Friend said, that the challenge was against the background My hon. Friend the Member for St Ives (Andrew of an expectation that a Labour Government would not George), the right hon. Member for Holborn and St Pancras increase the NHS budget, and that the challenge would (Frank Dobson), and a number of other hon. Members, have to be achieved within three years. The Conservative asked about the south-west pay consortium. When I went Government have increased the budget for the NHS. to the NHS pay review body just a couple of months or Over the course of this Parliament, it will go up by so ago, I made it very clear that the Government believe £12.5 billion, which represents a 1.8% increase in real we should do everything we can to support NHS employers terms. The right hon. Member for Leigh and his party to have the flexibilities in the pay framework that are were against that. necessary for them to recruit, retain and motivate staff. No Opposition Member recognised in the debate the simple fact that, in the first year of this Parliament, Frank Dobson: Meaning: pay staff less in the south-west. £4.3 billion of efficiency savings were achieved, and performance improved, across the NHS. That was not even in the time frame for the Nicholson challenge. We Mr Lansley: The right hon. Gentleman should not have now had one year of the challenge. The target was interrupt from a sedentary position. I am answering the £5.9 billion of efficiency savings, and we achieved, question. Members are interested in this. When I went across the NHS, £5.8 billion. Things are on track, which to the pay review body, I made it clear that, in my view, completely refutes the shadow Secretary of State’s argument we could achieve that through negotiations on the “Agenda that we cannot have reform and deliver on the financial for Change”. That continues to be my view, and the challenge at the same time. Actually, we can do both, south-west pay consortium makes it clear in its and in addition improve performance in the NHS. documentation that it supports such a negotiation. It is right to pursue such a negotiation nationally and for The right hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich local pay flexibilities to be used in the national pay (Mr Raynsford) completely contradicted the hon. Member framework. That is what most NHS employers do, with for Eltham (Clive Efford) on the South London Healthcare the exception of Southend. NHS trust. The latter said he was against changes at Queen Mary’s, Sidcup, but the former said that I did I have made it clear, as the Minister of State, Department not get on with the changes soon enough. The hon. of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford Member for Denton and Reddish complains from the (Mr Burns) has, that we are not proposing any reductions Opposition Front Bench that I did not have a moratorium, in pay as a consequence. I do not believe they are but the right hon. Member for Greenwich and Woolwich necessary or desirable in achieving the efficiency challenge. complains because I did have one. Let me be clear about this: I did introduce a moratorium, Andy Burnham: I have a simple question for the and the four tests. Reconfigurations that meet the four Secretary of State. Is he therefore overruling the south-west tests should go ahead, because they will improve clinical consortium? outcomes for patients, meet the needs of the people of that area, deliver on the intentions of local commissioners, Mr Lansley: No, because the south-west consortium and be in line with the views of the local public. If they has made no such proposal. Its document is clear: it meet the four tests, they should go ahead; if they do wants the “Agenda for Change” national pay framework not, as my hon. Friend the Member for Redditch (Karen to give it the necessary flexibilities. My view is that we Lumley) made clear in respect of Worcestershire, they should do that, and I hope that the Opposition, along should not go ahead. That much is clear. with the trade unions and the staff side, will support it. My hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Stuart As a consequence, no proposal for the reduction of pay Andrew) made good points on how clinical commissioning or the dismissal and re-engagement of staff is, in my is bringing improvements in musculoskeletal services. view, desirable or necessary. Indeed, when I went to the He also rightly made it clear, as the right hon. Member pay review body, I made the point that I did not believe for Leigh did not, that Wales does not meet anything reduction of pay in the NHS to be necessary. like the same standards as England and is cutting its Let me conclude. There was a lot that those of us in NHS budget by 8.4%. We are increasing resources for the Chamber did not hear from Opposition Members. the NHS in England and improving it. It is expected Much of it was in the annual report that I published just that, by the end of this Parliament, expenditure per two weeks ago—waiting times below what they were at head for the NHS in Wales will be below that of the time of the last election; the number of people England. That is what we get from a Labour Government. waiting beyond 18 weeks cut by 50,000; the number Let me reiterate to the hon. Member for Ealing, waiting beyond a year reduced by nearly two thirds; Southall (Mr Sharma) and my hon. Friend the Member infection rates in hospitals at their lowest ever level; for Ealing Central and Acton (Angie Bray) a point I cancer waiting times met; ambulance trusts all meeting made a moment ago. The hon. Member for Ealing, the category A8 standard; 95.8% of patients seen, treated Southall should admit that the plans being looked at in and discharged from A and E within four hours; 92% of north-west London are entirely the same ones considered in-patients and 95% of out-patients saying that their under a Labour Government before the election. I will care was good, very good or excellent; and patients insist that the plans are subjected to the four tests I have across the NHS saying that they support the NHS and described. If they meet those four tests, they can go believe the care they received to have been excellent. On 749 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 750

[Mr Lansley] Joyce, Eric Raynsford, rh Mr Nick Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald Reed, Mr Jamie that basis, the House should reject the motion as unfair Keeley, Barbara Reeves, Rachel in its characterisation of the NHS and wrong in its Kendall, Liz Reynolds, Emma denigration of the NHS. Lammy, rh Mr David Reynolds, Jonathan Lavery, Ian Riordan, Mrs Linda Question put. Leslie, Chris Ritchie, Ms Margaret The House divided: Ayes 228, Noes 303. Lewis, Mr Ivan Robertson, John Lloyd, Tony Robinson, Mr Geoffrey Division No. 54] [7.30 pm Llwyd, rh Mr Elfyn Rotheram, Steve Love, Mr Andrew Roy, Mr Frank AYES MacShane, rh Mr Denis Roy, Lindsay Abbott, Ms Diane Dobson, rh Frank Mactaggart, Fiona Ruane, Chris Abrahams, Debbie Docherty, Thomas Mahmood, Mr Khalid Ruddock, rh Dame Joan Ainsworth, rh Mr Bob Donohoe, Mr Brian H. Mahmood, Shabana Sarwar, Anas Alexander, rh Mr Douglas Doran, Mr Frank Malhotra, Seema Seabeck, Alison Alexander, Heidi Dowd, Jim Mann, John Shannon, Jim Ali, Rushanara Doyle, Gemma Marsden, Mr Gordon Sharma, Mr Virendra Anderson, Mr David Dromey, Jack McCann, Mr Michael Sheerman, Mr Barry Ashworth, Jonathan Durkan, Mark McCarthy, Kerry Sheridan, Jim Bailey, Mr Adrian Eagle, Maria McClymont, Gregg Shuker, Gavin Bain, Mr William Edwards, Jonathan McCrea, Dr William Skinner, Mr Dennis Balls, rh Ed Efford, Clive McDonagh, Siobhain Slaughter, Mr Andy Barron, rh Mr Kevin Elliott, Julie McDonnell, John Smith, Angela Bayley, Hugh Ellman, Mrs Louise McFadden, rh Mr Pat Smith, Nick Beckett, rh Margaret Esterson, Bill McGovern, Alison Smith, Owen Bell, Sir Stuart Evans, Chris McGovern, Jim Spellar, rh Mr John Benn, rh Hilary Farrelly, Paul McGuire, rh Mrs Anne Stringer, Graham Benton, Mr Joe Fitzpatrick, Jim McKechin, Ann Sutcliffe, Mr Gerry Betts, Mr Clive Flello, Robert McKenzie, Mr Iain Tami, Mark McKinnell, Catherine Blackman-Woods, Roberta Flint, rh Caroline Thomas, Mr Gareth Meacher, rh Mr Michael Blears, rh Hazel Flynn, Paul Thornberry, Emily Meale, Sir Alan Blomfield, Paul Fovargue, Yvonne Timms, rh Stephen Mearns, Ian Blunkett, rh Mr David Gapes, Mike Trickett, Jon Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Gardiner, Barry Michael, rh Alun Turner, Karl Brennan, Kevin Gilmore, Sheila Miliband, rh David Twigg, Derek Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Glass, Pat Miller, Andrew Umunna, Mr Chuka Brown, Mr Russell Glindon, Mrs Mary Moon, Mrs Madeleine Vaz, rh Keith Bryant, Chris Godsiff, Mr Roger Morden, Jessica Buck, Ms Karen Goggins, rh Paul Morrice, Graeme (Livingston) Vaz, Valerie Burden, Richard Goodman, Helen Morris, Grahame M. Walley, Joan Burnham, rh Andy Greatrex, Tom (Easington) Watson, Mr Tom Byrne, rh Mr Liam Green, Kate Mudie, Mr George Watts, Mr Dave Campbell, Mr Alan Greenwood, Lilian Munn, Meg Whitehead, Dr Alan Campbell, Mr Ronnie Griffith, Nia Murphy, rh Paul Williams, Hywel Caton, Martin Gwynne, Andrew Murray, Ian Williamson, Chris Chapman, Jenny Hamilton, Mr David Nandy, Lisa Wilson, Phil Clark, Katy Hamilton, Fabian Nash, Pamela Wilson, Sammy Clarke, rh Mr Tom Harman, rh Ms Harriet O’Donnell, Fiona Winnick, Mr David Clwyd, rh Ann Harris, Mr Tom Onwurah, Chi Winterton, rh Ms Rosie Coaker, Vernon Healey, rh John Osborne, Sandra Woodcock, John Owen, Albert Coffey, Ann Hendrick, Mark Wright, David Pearce, Teresa Connarty, Michael Hepburn, Mr Stephen Wright, Mr Iain Cooper, Rosie Heyes, David Perkins, Toby Cooper, rh Yvette Hillier, Meg Phillipson, Bridget Tellers for the Ayes: Corbyn, Jeremy Hilling, Julie Pound, Stephen Tom Blenkinsop and Crausby, Mr David Hodge, rh Margaret Qureshi, Yasmin Nic Dakin Creagh, Mary Hodgson, Mrs Sharon Creasy, Stella Hoey, Kate NOES Cruddas, Jon Hopkins, Kelvin Adams, Nigel Barwell, Gavin Cryer, John Howarth, rh Mr George Cunningham, Alex Hunt, Tristram Afriyie, Adam Bebb, Guto Cunningham, Mr Jim Irranca-Davies, Huw Aldous, Peter Beith, rh Sir Alan Cunningham, Sir Tony Jackson, Glenda Alexander, rh Danny Beresford, Sir Paul Curran, Margaret Jamieson, Cathy Andrew, Stuart Bingham, Andrew Danczuk, Simon Jarvis, Dan Bacon, Mr Richard Binley, Mr Brian Darling, rh Mr Alistair Johnson, rh Alan Baker, Norman Birtwistle, Gordon David, Wayne Johnson, Diana Baker, Steve Blackman, Bob Davidson, Mr Ian Jones, Graham Baldry, Sir Tony Blackwood, Nicola Davies, Geraint Jones, Helen Baldwin, Harriett Boles, Nick Denham, rh Mr John Jones, Mr Kevan Barclay, Stephen Bone, Mr Peter Dobbin, Jim Jones, Susan Elan Barker, Gregory Bottomley, Sir Peter 751 National Health Service16 JULY 2012 National Health Service 752

Bradley, Karen Goldsmith, Zac Maynard, Paul Shapps, rh Grant Brady, Mr Graham Goodwill, Mr Robert McCartney, Jason Sharma, Alok Bray, Angie Gove, rh Michael McCartney, Karl Shepherd, Mr Richard Brazier, Mr Julian Graham, Richard McIntosh, Miss Anne Simmonds, Mark Bridgen, Andrew Grant, Mrs Helen McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick Simpson, Mr Keith Brine, Steve Gray, Mr James McPartland, Stephen Smith, Miss Chloe Browne, Mr Jeremy Grayling, rh Chris McVey, Esther Smith, Henry Bruce, Fiona Greening, rh Justine Mensch, Louise Smith, Julian Bruce, rh Sir Malcolm Grieve, rh Mr Dominic Menzies, Mark Smith, Sir Robert Buckland, Mr Robert Griffiths, Andrew Mercer, Patrick Soames, rh Nicholas Burley, Mr Aidan Gummer, Ben Metcalfe, Stephen Soubry, Anna Burns, Conor Gyimah, Mr Sam Miller, Maria Spelman, rh Mrs Caroline Burns, rh Mr Simon Halfon, Robert Mills, Nigel Spencer, Mr Mark Burrowes, Mr David Hames, Duncan Milton, Anne Stanley, rh Sir John Burstow, Paul Hammond, rh Mr Philip Moore, rh Michael Stephenson, Andrew Burt, Alistair Hammond, Stephen Mordaunt, Penny Stevenson, John Burt, Lorely Hancock, Matthew Morgan, Nicky Stewart, Bob Byles, Dan Harper, Mr Mark Morris, Anne Marie Stewart, Iain Cable, rh Vince Harrington, Richard Morris, James Stewart, Rory Cairns, Alun Harris, Rebecca Mosley, Stephen Streeter, Mr Gary Campbell, rh Sir Menzies Hart, Simon Mowat, David Stride, Mel Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Hayes, Mr John Mulholland, Greg Stuart, Mr Graham Carmichael, Neil Heald, Oliver Mundell, rh David Stunell, Andrew Carswell, Mr Douglas Heath, Mr David Munt, Tessa Sturdy, Julian Cash, Mr William Heaton-Harris, Chris Murray, Sheryll Swales, Ian Clappison, Mr James Hemming, John Murrison, Dr Andrew Swayne, rh Mr Desmond Clark, rh Greg Henderson, Gordon Neill, Robert Swinson, Jo Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth Hendry, Charles Newton, Sarah Syms, Mr Robert Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey Hinds, Damian Nokes, Caroline Tapsell, rh Sir Peter Coffey, Dr Thérèse Hoban, Mr Mark Norman, Jesse Thurso, John Collins, Damian Hollingbery, George Nuttall, Mr David Timpson, Mr Edward Colvile, Oliver Hollobone, Mr Philip O’Brien, Mr Stephen Tomlinson, Justin Cox, Mr Geoffrey Holloway, Mr Adam Offord, Dr Matthew Tredinnick, David Crockart, Mike Hopkins, Kris Ollerenshaw, Eric Truss, Elizabeth Crouch, Tracey Howell, John Osborne, rh Mr George Turner, Mr Andrew Davies, David T. C. Hughes, rh Simon Ottaway, Richard Tyrie, Mr Andrew (Monmouth) Huhne, rh Chris Parish, Neil Vaizey, Mr Edward Davies, Glyn Hunt, rh Mr Jeremy Patel, Priti Vara, Mr Shailesh Davies, Philip Huppert, Dr Julian Paterson, rh Mr Owen Vickers, Martin Davis, rh Mr David Hurd, Mr Nick Penning, Mike Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa Dinenage, Caroline Jackson, Mr Stewart Penrose, John Walker, Mr Charles Dorrell, rh Mr Stephen James, Margot Percy, Andrew Walker, Mr Robin Dorries, Nadine Javid, Sajid Perry, Claire Wallace, Mr Ben Doyle-Price, Jackie Jenkin, Mr Bernard Phillips, Stephen Walter, Mr Robert Drax, Richard Johnson, Gareth Pickles, rh Mr Eric Ward, Mr David Duddridge, James Johnson, Joseph Pincher, Christopher Watkinson, Angela Duncan, rh Mr Alan Jones, Andrew Poulter, Dr Daniel Webb, Steve Duncan Smith, rh Mr Iain Jones, Mr Marcus Prisk, Mr Mark Wharton, James Ellis, Michael Kawczynski, Daniel Pritchard, Mark Wheeler, Heather Ellison, Jane Kelly, Chris Pugh, John White, Chris Ellwood, Mr Tobias Knight, rh Mr Greg Raab, Mr Dominic Whittaker, Craig Elphicke, Charlie Kwarteng, Kwasi Randall, rh Mr John Whittingdale, Mr John Eustice, George Laing, Mrs Eleanor Reckless, Mark Wiggin, Bill Evans, Graham Lancaster, Mark Redwood, rh Mr John Willetts, rh Mr David Evans, Jonathan Lansley, rh Mr Andrew Rees-Mogg, Jacob Williams, Mr Mark Evennett, Mr David Laws, rh Mr David Reevell, Simon Williams, Roger Fabricant, Michael Leadsom, Andrea Reid, Mr Alan Williams, Stephen Fallon, Michael Lee, Jessica Robathan, rh Mr Andrew Williamson, Gavin Farron, Tim Lee, Dr Phillip Robertson, Hugh Willott, Jenny Featherstone, Lynne Leech, Mr John Robertson, Mr Laurence Wilson, Mr Rob Field, Mark Leigh, Mr Edward Rogerson, Dan Wollaston, Dr Sarah Foster, rh Mr Don Leslie, Charlotte Rosindell, Andrew Wright, Jeremy Francois, rh Mr Mark Letwin, rh Mr Oliver Rudd, Amber Wright, Simon Fullbrook, Lorraine Lewis, Brandon Ruffley, Mr David Yeo, Mr Tim Russell, Sir Bob Fuller, Richard Lewis, Dr Julian Young, rh Sir George Rutley, David Gale, Sir Roger Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Zahawi, Nadhim Garnier, Mr Edward Lord, Jonathan Sanders, Mr Adrian Sandys, Laura Garnier, Mark Luff, Peter Tellers for the Noes: Scott, Mr Lee Greg Hands and Gauke, Mr David Lumley, Karen Selous, Andrew Mr Philip Dunne George, Andrew Macleod, Mary Gibb, Mr Nick Main, Mrs Anne Glen, John Maude, rh Mr Francis Question accordingly negatived. 753 16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 754

Adult Social Care Government in debate after debate to take action and to make some tough decisions to ensure that we looked after our ageing population, but, time and again, they 7.45 pm failed to take any real action. We are not building on Liz Kendall (Leicester West) (Lab): I beg to move, what they did; we are having to go into the space where That this House notes the growing crisis in adult social care; they failed to act. welcomes many of the proposals in the Care and Support White Paper including national minimum standards on eligibility, stronger Liz Kendall: I always respect the hon. Gentleman’s legal rights for family carers, portability of care packages and interventions, but he seems to forget that we faced up to improvements to end-of-life care; notes that many of these ideas those difficult decisions and choices on adult social care were proposed by the previous administration, but believes they in “Building the National Care Service”. We tried to get are now in danger of appearing meaningless without the ability to cross-party agreement on those proposals, but they properly fund them; is concerned that the Government is considering a cap on individual costs as high as £100,000; is committed to the became a political football at the last general election. important Dilnot Commission principle that protection against The hon. Gentleman should be encouraging those in his the risks of high care costs should be provided for everyone; and Front-Bench team to engage seriously in cross-party calls on the Government to honour the commitment in its 2010 talks and to take the difficult decisions that need to be NHS White Paper to introduce legislation in the second session of taken. this Parliament to establish a legal and financial framework for adult social care. Margot James (Stourbridge) (Con): Will the hon. The issue of how we provide decent care for older Lady give way? and disabled people and their families is one of the biggest challenges facing Britain today. Ten million people in Liz Kendall: I want to make some progress, then I will the United Kingdom are now over 65, and that figure give way. will rise to more than 15 million by 2030. The number Labour proposed better information and national of over-80s is growing even faster, and is set to double minimum standards to tackle the postcode lottery in to nearly 6 million in 20 years’ time. Medical advances care. We also proposed that everyone should have the also mean that people with disabilities are living longer right to have a personal budget—which we introduced—that than ever before. people should be able to take their care package with The fact that we as a nation are living longer is them if they moved to a different area, and that carers something that we should celebrate. There have been should have the right to have their own needs assessed many improvements in adult social care over the past and met independently of the person for whom they 10 years, and I shall say more about that in a moment. cared. However, too many people still face a daily struggle to The difference between the Labour Government and get the care and support that they need if they are the present Government is that we set out the difficult disabled or become frail and vulnerable in their old age. decisions about how those changes would be paid for. The ways in which we provide and fund care need major The absence of that information is the gaping hole at reform if we are to deliver a better, fairer and more the heart of this Government’s plans. There is a risk sustainable system. That reform is vital for older and that their promises of new rights and services will be disabled people and their families who want and deserve meaningless without the ability to fund them properly. a decent system of care and support, but it is also vital Indeed, for our economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility’s fiscal sustainability report states that the primary pressure “this White Paper is not worth the paper it’s written on.” on the public finances is our ageing population. Without Those are not my words, but those of the Alzheimer’s major changes to pensions and, crucially, to health and Society, which has damned the White Paper as a massive social care, the long-term growth of our economy and failure. Similarly, the sustainability of our public finances could be put “the key test for this White Paper was to deliver an urgent at risk. timetable to reform social care funding. The Government has failed this test.” Last week, the Government had the chance to show that they were prepared to meet the challenge of Again, those are not my words. They are the words of fundamentally reforming care and support, and many the Care and Support Alliance, which consists of more of the promises in their White Paper and draft Bill than 65 organisations that represent and support older on social care are welcome. They build on Labour’s and disabled people. achievements when we were in government. Indeed, many of the Government’s announcements were put Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab): I entirely support forward by Labour in our White Paper, “Building the the principle of a national care service, but will my hon. National Care Service”, more than two years ago. They Friend go slightly further and be as bold as Nye Bevan included a shift in the focus of local council and NHS in suggesting that it should be free for all at the point of services towards prevention and early intervention need? to help more older and disabled people to stay living independently in their own homes, and more joined-up Liz Kendall: I know that my hon. Friend is passionately NHS and council care to stop families having to struggle committed to this issue, and he will know that we with the different services to get the support that they remain determined to ensure that there is a fair, affordable need. and sustainable system for care and support in future. The Government have failed to take proper action to Mr Graham Stuart (Beverley and Holderness) (Con): tackle the immediate care crisis, and they have failed to I am experiencing a sense of déjà vu. Those of us who confront the difficult funding decisions that we need for take an interest in these matters pleaded with the previous the future. Last week we heard nothing but complacency 755 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 756 from the Government about the desperate care crisis Several hon. Members rose— that faces people throughout the country. Ministers repeatedly claim that there is enough money in the Liz Kendall: In reality, the number of days on which a system, but the truth is that the Government’s savage hospital bed is occupied by someone who could have cuts in council budgets have pushed an already pressurised been discharged has risen by 18% since this time last care system to breaking point. year, and by a staggering 29% in the last 18 months. Adult social care accounts for about 40% of council These delays now cost the NHS £18.5 million every budgets—it is up to 60% in some areas—and for the single month, and more than a third are due to cuts in largest elements of councils’ discretionary spending. social care. The number of delayed discharges from When council budgets are slashed by a third, it is social care has risen by 11% in the last month alone. inevitable that care services will be cut. Figures from the Instead of burying their heads in the sand, Ministers Government’s own Department for Communities and should be taking action. Labour has called for £700 million Local Government show that more than £1.3 billion from last year’s NHS underspend to be ring-fenced for has been cut from older people’s social care provision social care immediately, and I was delighted to learn since the coalition came to power. Fewer people are that the all-party group on local government today receiving support that they desperately need as councils called for those funds to be used for that purpose, rather raise eligibility thresholds. Charges for vital services than being absorbed back into the Treasury coffers. I such as home help are soaring, with huge variations hope that, when the Minister responds, he will tell us across the country. That is a stealth tax on the most whether he agrees. vulnerable members of society. At the same time, the quality of care is being put at risk as councils are forced Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con): to pass on cuts in their budgets to care providers. I congratulate the hon. Lady on giving way at long last. [Interruption.] From a sedentary position, the hon. It is nice of her to do so, and we are most grateful. Member for Truro and Falmouth (Sarah Newton) asks Given that she began by saying that she wanted to see a what we did in 13 years. We increased spending on adult consensual, non-partisan approach to the issue, can she social care by 53%, we invested £1.2 billion in the carers’ explain why we have just heard a party political diatribe? grant, we provided new rights for carers to have their needs I find that very disappointing. assessed and to request flexible working, we introduced the Supporting People programme, and we spent Liz Kendall: I was stating the facts about the care £227 million on extra care housing. I rest my case. crisis, which have been made clear not by me but by According to the United Kingdom Homecare organisations representing older and disabled people, Association, one in 10 home care visits now lasts for by local councils and by the NHS. It is the Government’s only 15 minutes. That is a completely inadequate amount denial of the existence of the care crisis and their of time if frail, vulnerable people are to be helped to get insistence that there is enough money in the system that up and to be washed, dressed and fed. Residential care I am seeking to correct. is under huge pressure too. Nine out of 10 home care As I have said, the Government have failed to recognise, providers say that low council fees are creating a two-tier let alone tackle, the care crisis, and they have failed to system, with new investment being directed only towards face up to the difficult decisions that we need for the wealthier parts of the country. Unpaid family carers are future. Their progress report on funding merely says suffering as well as they are forced to give up work, and that the Government support the principles of Andrew their own health suffers because they cannot obtain the Dilnot’s commission on the funding of long-term care help that they need to look after their loved ones. Yet and support. They now claim that it is only right for the Government repeatedly deny the scale and urgency Dilnot’s proposals to be considered as part of the of the care crisis. spending review. That was not their view two years ago, when they made a clear promise in their NHS White Several hon. Members rose— Paper to legislate on a new legal and financial framework in the current parliamentary Session. Now we have only Liz Kendall: Last week, local councils throughout the a draft Bill to reform social care law alone. At best that country will have listened in disbelief as Ministers repeatedly means that there will be no change in funding before the insisted that there was enough money in the system and next general election, and at worst it means no change no need for councils to cut care provision. Sir Merrick at all if the Government return to power. Cockell, the Conservative chairman of the Local Government Association, has said that the current system Richard Fuller (Bedford) (Con): Will the hon. Lady does not have enough money to provide care for give way? “anyone other than the most needy, or those who can afford to pay for all of their own care.” Liz Kendall: I want to make a little more progress. Without more funds, he says, we will According to yesterday’s edition of The Sunday Telegraph, “see some of the most popular services councils provide, such as Andrew Dilnot has said that the delay has left older and parks, leisure centres…winding down by the end of the decade.” disabled people in fear and misery. He expressed serious The Government are astonishingly complacent about concern about the possibility that the Government will the impact that cuts in social care are having on the set the cap at a far higher level than that proposed by his NHS. Last week the Secretary of State for Health commission—at £75,000 or even £100,000 rather than brushed aside concerns about delayed discharges from £35,000. He also said: hospitals, saying that they were “if you go beyond £50,000 it is less effective in giving reassurance “broadly the same as… last year”.—[Official Report, 11 July 2012; to the population and ceases to be a way of helping people with Vol. 548, c. 322.] lower levels of assets.” 757 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 758

[Liz Kendall] Two years have been wasted on an unwanted and unnecessary reorganisation, when everyone should have Instead of making real progress on funding reform, the been relentlessly focused on the key challenge of our Government trumpeted proposals for a national deferred ageing population: meeting rising demand for care at a payment scheme, providing loans to cover the costs of time of unprecedented financial pressure. residential care. The third reason is the most fundamental of all. Many Conservative Members have still not grasped the Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con): Does the basic principle that we must collectively and universally hon. Lady recall what the Secretary of State actually pool the risks of facing catastrophic care costs, as we do said when he announced his proposals last week? He in the NHS, in order to make things better and fairer for made it very plain that, if the hon. Lady’s party sat us all. A voluntary system that leaves it up to individuals down seriously with Ministers and reached the consensus and their families alone will not work. The only way that the whole country is clearly crying out for, the necessary forward is through an effective partnership between mechanisms could be introduced in the Bill and the individuals and the state. funding could be found in the comprehensive spending review. We need less party politics and more consensual conversations. Kelvin Hopkins: I agree with what my hon. Friend is saying. The Government keep on talking about consensus, Liz Kendall: It was Labour Members who proposed but the problem is that we say yes to Dilnot, but they do cross-party talks, and it was Government Members not. If they were to say yes to Dilnot, we might have a who decided unilaterally to publish the progress report basis for consensus. on which we had been trying hard to agree. The hon. Lady accuses Opposition Members of not being serious Liz Kendall: We remain serious about trying to achieve about funding reform. We are, and I will set out what we cross-party consensus. If one party comes forward on would like to happen so that those talks can proceed. its own and proposes a controversial and difficult decision, The deferred payment schemes that were announced that always leads to a political fight; we saw that only last week already exist in some parts of the country too clearly before the last general election. However, we and are currently interest-free, but according to the need cross-party consensus because this is a long-term Government’s plans interest will be charged, which will challenge. We have to try to get agreement so that, make loans more expensive than they are now. Many whichever party is in power, people know there is a councils remain utterly unclear about how they will find system that they can understand and pay for in future. the money to pay for those schemes. As the Local Members on the Government Benches have criticised Government Association says, Labour’s record in government, but we are proud of our “Councils are not banks and the implication of this level of achievements on social care. We increased spending by debt in an already overstretched system needs urgent attention.” 53% when we were in government. We helped drive up The truth is that the Government have so far ducked quality through national performance assessment of the care challenge, and the reasons for that are clear. local councils and independent inspection of care services. First, owing to their disastrous economic policy, they We championed integration, with new legal powers for are now borrowing £150 billion more than they originally the NHS and local councils to pool budgets, and new planned to borrow. The Treasury has pulled the plug, care trusts to jointly commission care. Those care trusts and has kicked long-term care funding into the long grass. will be swept away under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. We supported carers through the carers grant Richard Fuller: I thank the hon. Lady for giving way. and new rights for carers. We introduced the first ever As she recognises, cross-party consensus is required if national dementia strategy, and we backed improvements we are to solve the social care problem. Care workers—the in housing through the Supporting People programme people who actually provide the care to people—do not and extra care housing. [Interruption.] The hon. Member get sufficient attention, however. One of the problems for Reading East (Mr Wilson) mutters from a sedentary they have suffered from over many years is per-minute position that that is not real action. He should try billing. Does she recognise that our changes to get rid of telling that to the carers we supported through breaks per-minute billing are worth while, and what impact that are now under threat, and the people who have does she envisage that will have on the provision of care benefited from extra care housing and the Supporting over the long term? People programme, which his Government have cut by 12%. Liz Kendall: The hon. Gentleman raises a serious We understood that we had much further to go, point. I know from shadowing care home assistants in however. That is why before the last general election we my constituency that commissioning by the minute can published plans for fundamental reform, including difficult cause considerable problems. For instance, it does not decisions on how care should be funded. We tried to get allow the staff to meet the individual needs of those cross-party agreement. We did not succeed, but we are who are most desperate for help and support. As I have determined to try again now. said, we welcome many of the proposals in the White A year ago, my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Paper, but they need to be properly funded, and that is Opposition made an open and sincere offer of cross-party why I am so concerned that the issue of long-term care talks, and it is a matter of genuine regret that the funding has been kicked into the long grass. Government unilaterally decided to publish their own The second reason why the Government have failed progress report on funding, rather than the joint report on this issue is that the Health Secretary’s obsession we had wanted to agree. Labour remains committed to with reorganising the NHS has been a disastrous distraction. serious and meaningful cross-party talks. 759 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 760

I hope that the Minister will tell the House whether Much of last week’s reporting about the Secretary of the Government will commit to addressing the current State’s statement in the House and the publication of funding gap as well as future reform. Andrew Dilnot the White Paper and draft Bill gave the impression that says that that is vital. Will they also set a clear timetable the only subject that was talked about was who pays for for reform, with legislation on funding reform in this care—where the line is drawn between what an individual Parliament, as Labour has called for? Will they agree to personally is responsible for in meeting their care costs include their Treasury team in the talks, which Labour and what costs the state would pick up. The Government has offered from the start? do not dispute that that is an important issue, and we have made significant progress on that agenda, but it is Dr Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) not enough simply to redraw the boundary between (Con): One of the authors of the Dilnot report was personal responsibility and state support, because the Lord Warner, who was a member of the previous Labour system of social care in England is undoubtedly broken. Government. He made the point that one of the reasons Given that there were 13 years of Labour inaction, for the funding crisis is that the previous Government the hon. Member for Leicester West must face up to failed to invest adequately in social care; it received only some of the challenges in respect of social care. A 70% of the funding compared with the NHS. That was White Paper finally emerged in the dying days of the one of the major failings of the previous Government. last Labour Government; it was published on 30 March, They should have invested more in social care when the just seven days before a general election was called. sun was shining and the country had the finances to That is not good enough; it is too little too late. What do that. did that White Paper say? It talked about national eligibility, but when? It was by 2015, so it was going to Liz Kendall: I politely say to the hon. Gentleman that take Labour five years to introduce that change. On we did not cut local council budgets by a third. I have portability, it did not commit to ensuring that support always said that social care budgets have been under would be provided immediately in the area to which the increasing pressure for many years, which is why we person was moving. In other words, there was still a risk desperately need funding reform. I know that he supports of interruptions. In addition, that Labour White Paper that reform and will work with us in the years ahead. said nothing about the rights of carers. The hon. Member The Government’s decision to kick the issue of long-term for Leicester West was absolutely wrong when she told care funding into the long grass is a bitter blow for older the House that Labour was responsible for introducing and disabled people and their families. It is a huge carers legislation. Back-Bench Members in this House, disappointment for local councils, which are desperate tirelessly arguing the case, were responsible—[Interruption.] for a new social care settlement, and it is a disaster for Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Members our NHS, which will face intolerable pressure as our supported those many measures over a number of years, care system crumbles further still. This issue will not go but none came from the Front-Bench and none came away, because our population is ageing. Our care system from the Labour Government. needs fundamental reform—reform this Government have so far failed to deliver. I commend the motion to Hugh Bayley (York Central) (Lab): I would like to get the House. back to the issue in hand and call a spade a spade. The only substantial asset that most families have to pass on 8.6 pm to their children and grandchildren is the home they live in. If the Government want a new inheritance tax, The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul would it not be fairer to levy it at the same percentage Burstow): Let me begin by striking a note of agreement rate on rich and poor alike, and not simply target those between Government and Opposition, before moving people who have the misfortune to fall ill at the end of on to the areas where we disagree. I agree with the hon. their life? Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) that our debates about our ageing society are too often couched in terms of burdens and impacts on public expenditure, when Paul Burstow: I will come in a moment to our response they should be a cause for celebration as we have more to the Dilnot commission recommendations, so I will people living longer and living healthier for longer. deal with the hon. Gentleman’s point at the right time. That stands as a tribute to our national health service, our local authorities and many others besides. Hugh Bayley: Now would not be bad. I sat in the House for 13 years in opposition to a Labour Government, and it became very clear to me Paul Burstow: No, I am talking about the time at which that, despite the wealth of the nation being much greater in the sequence of my speech I will make the point at that time than it is now, the Labour party was not about the Dilnot commission recommendations. willing to tackle the pressing need for serious systemic I wish to make one other observation on the national reform of social care. I shall talk in a moment about the care service White Paper that the Labour Government Labour Government’s last-minute moves to address published seven days before the last general election that agenda. was called. Our White Paper addresses the end-of-life Social care is Bevan’s orphan. It was left over after care issues, but Labour’s failed to address them. the NHS was established in the 1940s, and it has suffered ever since. It has been hidden behind its favoured sibling, Mr David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab): The Minister is the national health service, out of sight until life takes a rightly critical of the failure of the previous Government turn and tips people into crisis. Social care’s founding to bring in care for the people of England. Does he principles date back to the Poor Law; it was a poor relation support what was done in Scotland by the previous to the NHS, ripe for reform, but neglected for decades. Government? 761 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 762

Paul Burstow: I am not certain which thing the hon. Paul Burstow: The hon. Gentleman expresses an opinion Gentleman is inviting me to support. Many measures that is held by many people, but the Government’s were introduced by the coalition Government in Scotland position is not to take that view. We take the view that over a number of years to reform the social services a cap on care costs is an important component in a system in Scotland, not least some relating to adult redesigned system for funding in this country. What we safeguarding which this Government are now making have said clearly is that we have to address how that is progress on. paid for as part of a spending review. That is why we believe that both a cap and an increase in the means-test Andy Burnham (Leigh) (Lab): I think that the Minister threshold provides the necessary assurance for a family has unfairly misrepresented the process we went through to plan and prepare for care, and provides the mechanisms in the last Parliament. We did not just have a White by which the financial services industry can grow and Paper before the general election. We had a Green develop to offer appropriate products. Paper in the summer of 2009, and the whole process was kicked off in the 2007 spending review. Upon a Mark Field: Is there not a problem with what the request from the then shadow Health Secretary, I agreed Minister has said? I understand that this is an incredibly to cross-party talks. So the Minister is unfair in saying difficult issue, which we all have to deal with. I have lost that nothing was done and then a rabbit was produced both my parents. One died at the age of 70, only from the hat. May I say to him that the White Paper 18 months ago, at a time when we were on the cusp of that I produced before the election addressed both putting her into full-time care, which would have been service reform and funding? I am afraid that the same ruinously expensive. Is not the problem with all this that could not be said of the White Paper that emerged last if we put in place today any system with a fixed cap, it week. will almost certainly be superseded by events and will then be seen as unjust for future generations?

Paul Burstow: That is interesting, because the White Paul Burstow: The hon. Gentleman identifies one of Paper that was published seven days before the general the issues associated with the design of the introduction election was called carried no details on who should of a cap. It is worth pointing out that the interaction pay, what they should pay or when they should pay. It between the cap and the means-test threshold means contained no details of that sort, and I urge people to that every family would have a different level for which read it and compare it with the White Paper, draft Bill they would be liable to meet their care costs. The issues and other details that we published just last week. In relating to design are real, as are those about how to 13 years, when the money was available, the Labour meter the system from the point someone enters it, and Government did not do anything; they left it until the they require detailed work as part of the design of an last seven days and even then did not come up with the effective implementation alongside the costings of it. details. In the space of two years, this coalition Government Hugh Bayley: The hon. Member for Cities of London have advanced further and faster than any in the previous and Westminster (Mark Field) is right to identify that 20 years on addressing a wide range of issues and there is a link between inheritance and the high cost of challenges and backing that with tangible action. Unlike end-of-life care for people. May I put it to the Minister what happened with Labour’s royal commission, so that if there is a cap of £100,000, the entire inheritance firmly kicked into the long grass, this Government have could be wiped out for a family who have a modest accepted all the recommendations of the Dilnot commission home in the north of England, whereas somebody as the basis for a reformed system. Many of those living in a home worth 10 times as much in southern recommendations are translated into the legislation that England would still maintain a large proportion to we published last week. Crucially, the Government accept pass on? the principles of a capped cost system as the basis for protecting people from catastrophic costs. Labour’s motion Paul Burstow: That is why we have to explain this seems to suggest that Labour does, too. I want to make clearly. By lifting the means-test threshold to £100,000, it clear that we are keen, still, to engage with the official the interaction between the absolute cap and the means Opposition and other stakeholders in reaching a final test means that the amount the individual will ultimately settlement on this question of the boundary between pay as their lifetime contribution towards their care the state’s responsibility and the individual family’s costs is related to their wealth. I urge the hon. Gentleman responsibilities for meeting care costs. again to look at both the tables and the graphs in the progress report, as he will see exactly how it protects the Mark Field (Cities of London and Westminster) (Con): assets of a family, even in the scenario he has described. Does the Minister not recognise that any cap, be it at It is also important to understand that redrawing the £35,000 or £60,000, as was initially proposed by Dilnot, boundary between what the individual pays and what is likely within a very short time to be wholly inadequate, the state pays does not—things all too often were conflated given the funding constraints that we are under? The in this way last week—add any new spending power to harsh reality is that people who wish to preserve an the system. That leads me to the question of getting funding inheritance for their children—that is an understandable into the system. Before the 2010 spending review, the desire—must recognise, as must their children, that Dilnot commission urged the Government to protect those children will have to take on the burden of looking baseline funding for social care, and we did just that. In after aged parents, in both time and financial terms. It October 2010, we confirmed an extra £7.2 billion of sounds like a hard truth, but it needs to be put on the support for adult social care, which, together with a record, because otherwise we are not going to get any programme of efficiency, was sufficient to protect access further forward in dealing with this matter. to support. That included an unprecedented £4.2 billion 763 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 764 of NHS resources to support social care, to promote Government have provided. As a result, between last integration and innovation, and to support the expansion year and this year, council budget spend on social of reablement services. The Labour party wants to services has gone down by just 1%. paint a picture of doom and gloom up and down England on these services, tarring every council with Sheila Gilmore (Edinburgh East) (Lab): On the question the same brush of being crude cutters of services, when of efficiencies, would the Minister include councils that that is not the case. tendered a service and made a saving, but to the detriment of the end user of the service? That is how we got to the Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): Perhaps 15-minute, short-term care options. Is that an efficiency I could describe to the Minister what is happening in or a cut in service? Trafford, which has a Conservative council and is where my constituency is located. We are seeing a twin squeeze, Paul Burstow: When there is a crude race to the bottom despite the Minister’s apparent sanguinity about the and contracting is by the minute simply to ration access funding. On the one hand, we are seeing thresholds for to the service, resulting in a care home provider or home access to care being raised as a means of rationing the care provider delivering care on a very time-and-task way in which the money is spent. On the other hand, as oriented basis, that is totally unacceptable. We know care providers are telling me, commissioners are reducing that in places such as Wiltshire, where home care services and reducing the price they are prepared to pay providers are organised on an outcomes basis, that is delivering to the point where they can hardly sustain their business better results for the service users and releasing resources at all or meet minimum wage legislation. to reinvest in services.

Paul Burstow: We know from the surveys that although Richard Fuller: When I intervened earlier, Mr Deputy last year there was a cash freeze in the increases that Speaker, I forgot to refer hon. Members to my entry in local authorities paid to provider organisations, this the Register of Members’ Financial Interests as the year across the country the average was a 1.4% increase. director of two care companies. Again, that does not quite tally with the picture that The Minister is absolutely right to say that there is a some hon. Members want to paint. patchwork of responses from local authorities. I absolutely It is also worth saying that the picture of local welcome the end of per minute billing, which is a authorities grappling with tough budget settlements is tremendous step forward, but I draw the Minister’s complex. Different councils are responding to the pressures attention to the comments made by the hon. Member on budgets in different ways. Some are acting in a very for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green). She talked smart way, as the Demos report, “Coping with the about the pressures of meeting the minimum wage and Cuts”, revealed. Such councils are protecting access by the pressures that local councils are putting providers focusing on reablement services, helping more people to through. The Government must consider that issue, get back on their feet without the need for long-term because there is exploitation in some areas. As businesses support, which is better for the individual and more and charities try to meet the requirements local councils cost-effective. Indeed, the latest figures from the Association are putting on them, workers are finding it difficult to of Directors of Adult Social Services reveal that councils achieve a sustainable wage in providing care services. are protecting front-line care. Paul Burstow: My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight that issue, which the Low Pay Commission Roberta Blackman-Woods (City of Durham) (Lab): has commented on over a number of years, including Would the Minister agree to look closely at the report of before this Government came into office. In our White the all-party local government group on social care, Paper, we make it very clear that local authorities, as the published today? It makes very clear that a funding gap commissioners of such services, must be mindful of still exists and recommends that NHS money should their responsibilities in ensuring that the resources they be used to plug that gap. Will the Minister commit to provide to providers are sufficient to allow them to fulfil continuing to do that and to considering the other their legal obligations. recommendations in the report? Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab): The Minister Paul Burstow: Obviously, I will happily look at the talks about the financial pressures faced by local authorities report and I look forward to meeting the all-party in providing care to elderly and disabled residents, but is group to discuss its findings and recommendations he aware that the cost to local authorities of self-funders later. who have to fall back on the state is in the region of I want to report to the House the findings of the £1 billion a year? Does he agree that that is a very ADASS survey, which was published recently. Last year’s unpredictable thing for local authorities to deal with? survey found that for every pound saved by local authorities What proposals does he have to help local authorities in in social care, 69p came through greater efficiency. This that regard? year, it found that that had risen to 77p in every pound. Yes, some councils are cutting services, and last year Paul Burstow: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her 23p in every pound that councils saved came from question, because it allows me to talk about some of the service reductions, but this year that figure is just 13p in points I think will directly address it. Reform of our every pound. Local authorities are getting smarter in care and support system is about more than just who organising their services, so I want to pay tribute to pays for care; it is also about some other very important those councils and councillors who have worked hard issues. A central proposition in the White Paper we with service users, carers and providers to protect services published last week concerns the move from a service to make the best possible use of the extra money the focused on managing crisis, and often not doing so very 765 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 766

[Paul Burstow] I wanted to pick up again on the point about the White Paper ruling out crude contracting by the minute—a well, to one focused on supporting people’s well-being culture of clock-watching which has been allowed to by concentrating on early intervention and prevention. grow up for years in too many places and which is not That is why, alongside the White Paper, we published a good for dignity, respect or quality. Under the Labour draft Bill that will underpin the reforms we intend to Government there were years and years of delay and make, consolidating, simplifying and modernising the dither when it came to addressing the quality of care legislation. The Bill sets out for the first time in statute workers and health care assistants. This Government some very clear governing principles about how decisions are putting in place a code of conduct and national are made in social care, focusing on people’s well-being minimum training standards, and will double the number and living by the idea set out by our first White Paper in of people able to access apprenticeships in the care government of “No decision about me, without me”. sector to 100,000. The Bill sets out a number of important changes that go to the heart of people being able to plan, prepare Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): I am grateful to my and have proper choice about the care available to them. hon. Friend for his remarks. I hope I am not taking him First, it makes it a requirement for local authorities to back too far, but given that he is talking about the ensure that there is a universal offer of information and integration of services, particularly among authorities, advice so that people can plan and prepare. Secondly, it and implying the portability of assessments for those requires for the first time local authorities to focus on with care packages, will he comment on the extent to prevention. Thirdly, it requires a sufficiency of quality which the Local Government Association has approved care so that choice is available to people locally. Fourthly, and supported the proposals in the Government’s White it requires integration and co-operation not just between Paper? the NHS and social care but between those agencies and housing. Paul Burstow: On the proposals for portability of The Bill will not only do that; it will simplify the assessment and guaranteed continuity of care, the LGA point of entry into the state system. It will ensure is certainly aware and has been engaged in the consultations consistent national eligibility and, for the first time in that we undertook last year as part of our preparations Government legislation, will ensure that there are rights for the White Paper. It did not, of course, negotiate line for carers not just to an assessment of their needs but to by line the text of the White Paper, but it has the support for those needs. It will also deal with the often opportunity, as does everyone else, to participate now in mentioned issue of protection from disruption when the scrutiny of the draft Bill that we introduced. I hope people move from one part of the country to another or the LGA will do so. We wish to engage with the LGA when a child moves from children’s services to adult on these issues. services. It will guarantee continuity of services, which Integration is an important part of these reforms. is not currently provided for. Too often, people feel bounced around the system. Personal budgets, which were started by the Opposition What we do for the first time in the White Paper is set but have not stuck well because of the legal framework, out a number of important steps towards more integration will for the first time be given a clear legal basis. I am of the two existing systems. delighted to say that whereas when this Government came to office in 2010 we inherited 168,000 people receiving Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP): The Minister has personal budgets, by March of this year 432,000 people used the term “integration” several times. In Northern were benefiting from them. There will also be clear legal Ireland we have an integrated health and social care duties on the NHS, police and councils to safeguard system, which is working extremely well. I am conscious people. that that is very different from the position on the At the heart of our White Paper reforms is the notion mainland. Are there lessons from the integrated system that we need less variability on quality, to ensure that in Northern Ireland that could be applied here? We have providers are responsible for driving up quality and done it well in Northern Ireland. Perhaps the example accountable for doing just that, and to have more and could be used here. open information about the quality of provision. That is why our provider quality profiles will provide that Paul Burstow: From my own limited study of the information in a way that will allow people to compare system and from visits that I have made over the years, and rate providers for the first time and why we are one of the conclusions that I would draw, which is at the putting an extra £32.5 million in to support those heart of our reforms as well, relates to culture and services. collaborative behaviour across the various parts of the system. That has been essential to delivering genuinely Andy Burnham: The Minister is mentioning the things integrated care in some parts of Northern Ireland. I in the White Paper that he will ask councils to do. Can believe it is essential to delivering genuinely integrated he give us a figure tonight for how much the Government care in England as well. have estimated that the cost to councils will be of I mentioned earlier that end-of-life care was an omission providing all those things and tell us how councils will from the Labour Government’s last White Paper. It has pay for it? not been omitted from ours. We are doubling the budget of the pilots that we have instituted to test the patient Paul Burstow: I will come on to give a specific figure funding mechanisms and to make sure that we have in a moment, so the right hon. Gentleman will have to the necessary data to understand the benefits of a free be patient. social care system at end of life. We want to make it 767 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 768 clear that we see the merits of such a change, and it is family inheritances. It takes no account of rising care why we want to make sure that we have the information costs or the imperative need to lift care standards, which on which we can base the final decision. in many cases shame a civilised society. Our goal is to shift the focus of the system to prevention This is where we come to the crux of the matter. At and early intervention, not to wait for the system to present, many local authorities pay only for 15-minute stutter into life when a crisis strikes. We want to make it or 30-minute visits, and many do not pay for the journey easier for people to plan and prepare, both to avoid and time, even though that is part of the contract, or the reduce the need for care and to meet the need for care in petrol costs, which care providers are obliged to provide the first place. Last week we laid out a reform agenda of themselves. Frankly, it is impossible in 15 or 30 minutes universal information and advice, national eligibility, to get an elderly and often infirm person out of bed, to deferred payments, integration of health, housing and clean the sheets, which may well be soiled, to get him or social care, better transition for children to adult services, her dressed, washed and fed, to clean and tidy up and, and support for carers. Together those constitute the of course, to engage in some kind of conversation to most comprehensive overhaul of adult social care in generate some decent human relationship. Equally, it is 60 years, and they are a contrast to the motion before impossible, as my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester us, which adds nothing, says nothing about how change West (Liz Kendall) pointed out, with the minimum will be paid for, and says all that it can to scare people wage rates paid by local authorities because of their about the current system. squeezed budgets—a funding shortfall of at least £1 billion Rather like 13 years of a Labour Government, today’s this year—for care providers to offer the higher standards motion gets us nowhere. That is why we are investing an the Minister talked about and which they want to provide extra £300 million in the system to support change, and and which the service users deserve. why I urge my right hon. and hon. Friends to vote How is the big black hole in the White Paper to be against the motion. dealt with? The Local Government Association says that the gap between the money available this year and Several hon. Members rose— the predicted cost is about £1.4 billion, stretching to £16.5 billion by 2020, when spending on social care will Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Order. To exceed 45% of council budgets. Against that shortfall, accommodate as many Members as we can, a five-minute the £300 million of extra funding announced by the limit will be introduced, with the usual overtime for two Secretary of State in his statement last Wednesday interventions. looks derisory. This dilemma is by no means insoluble. The long-term costs of Dilnot are estimated at about £3 billion a year. 8.32 pm In his Budget four months ago, the Chancellor had a Mr Michael Meacher (Oldham West and Royton) choice in the allocation of precisely such a sum, but he (Lab): The Minister, as always, sought to present a decided to spend it on the top 1% earning more than positive picture of his proposals, but I continue to be £3,000 a week by cutting the 50p rate of tax. For the struck by the internal conflicts of the White Paper. same amount of money he could have funded Dilnot in The whole thrust of this Government has been to full, but for this Chancellor the priority are the super-rich, shrink the state, but Dilnot will clearly expand it. The not the elderly, infirm or disabled people in need of Chancellor, who torpedoed Labour’s social care proposals social care. The long-term answer to this problem is the just before the last election by claiming that they represented introduction of a new social insurance scheme. a death tax, is now supporting his own death tax, only this time it will be £35,000 to £50,000, as opposed to 8.38 pm Labour’s £20,000. Now the Chancellor has once again sabotaged a fair and reasonable inter-party settlement, Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con): I welcome the which is plainly needed, by abruptly breaking off the Government’s White Paper “Caring for our future: talks and introducing a pretty vacuous White Paper reforming care and support” and its priority of putting with no costs in it—or, to use the words of Sir Alec the well-being of the cared for and their carers at the Douglas-Home in 1964, a menu without the prices. heart of its approach. As the Member who represents the constituency with the highest proportion of elderly Furthermore, the Chancellor clearly wants the adult people in the north-west of England—there are 72,000 social scheme to be voluntary—I think this is what lies carers in Cheshire—I particularly welcome the proposals. behind many of the difficulties—but the sums add up only if there is compulsory risk pooling. Yet the For the first time there will be a clear legal basis for Chancellor—it is he, rather than the Secretary of State, the cared for and their carers having their own individual whom we must deal with—still will not face up to the care and support plans, a tangible recognition of the ineluctable logic of a mandatory adult social care system, utterly invaluable contribution that some 6 million carers and he is still trying to dodge it in two rather unscrupulous make, many of whom often work more than 50 hours a ways: first, he is kicking it into the long grass by week, at great personal cost. With 2 million people moving postponing it to the uncertainties of the next spending in and out of caring roles each year, the Government review in 2014, even though gross neglect is endemic are right to recognise that giving carers a right to personal and reform is needed urgently; and secondly, he is assessments and plans is a priority so that their own evading today’s realities by ignoring any need for upgrading health and well-being are supported and recognition is standards. The Minister referred to upgrading standards, given to the fact that they, too, have lives to live. and clearly he wants to, but the means with which to do I am also pleased that the Government have already so are incompatible with the White Paper. The Treasury’s allocated £400 million for carers’ breaks over the current £1.7 billion is purely a dead-weight cost to protect five-year period, but it is important that that is reviewed 769 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 770

[Fiona Bruce] local health and wellbeing boards. That will be particularly welcomed by Crossroads Care Cheshire East, whose to ensure that the effectiveness of such payments is director told me, shortly after I was elected in 2010, that maximised. I welcome the new duties placed on local “we could do so much more and add so much value if we were authorities, which will substantially help the cared for more involved in strategic discussions about care provision.” and their carers to access appropriate support, as the The Government’s proposals in the White Paper are to fragmented health, housing and care support services be welcomed. that have existed until now have caused at best frustration, and at worst despair. 8.43 pm Clearer dissemination, and the duty on local councils to provide advice and preventive services, should go a Mr David Anderson (Blaydon) (Lab): In 1989 I became long way towards alleviating the problem described by a care worker after losing my job as a coal miner. I did one volunteer in the care sector, when she said that so almost by mistake, but it was one of the best decisions social workers just do not have time to help signpost I ever made, and over the next 16 years, as a care worker carers to information, advice and support. and as a representative of people working in care, I came to realise that we can look at care in three ways: The Government are to be commended for their we can provide none, provide it on the cheap or provide commitment to work towards the assurance of quality quality. We cannot do a combination of the three, and care standards through improved training provision for I hope that in the Chamber tonight we all agree that, if care workers, the introduction of a new code of conduct we are going to do quality care, we need to look after and of minimum standards for care workers and the the work force properly, train them properly, treat them appointment of a chief social worker, and for their aim like professionals, have them in numbers, respect them, of doubling the number of care apprenticeships to treat them with dignity, have the resources in place and 100,000 by 2017. In that respect, I commend the excellent give them some responsibility. They respond to that if work of the apprentices on Cheshire East council’s allowed to, and the best way they respond is by showing A-Team, who are already blazing a trail through their respect for, and treating with dignity, the people they apprenticeships as carers for the elderly in our community are taking care of, building the trust and confidence not —soundly rebutting the myth that younger people do just of those they are caring for but of their carers—their not care for our elderly or give them the dignity and family and their friends who look after them. respect they deserve. I also welcome the Government’s proposals to fund I believe that my Government did some good things adaptations to keep the homes of the elderly safe, over their 13 years in office, regardless of what the because the NHS is estimated to spend £600 million a Minister says, but in truth we did not do enough. In year treating injuries caused by hazards in inappropriate 1999 we set up the Sutherland commission, but we housing—the majority of cases associated with falls. backed down on it—we chickened out. We did the right The Government’s new care and support housing fund thing in Scotland, and, yes, it was done under coalition of £200 million over five years, to support the development government, but the commission was set up by a Labour of specialised housing and adaptations of homes, is Government. particularly welcome. We should have done more, and we have a chance I welcome also the Government’s commitment to today to do more. My view is clear: why is someone abolish per-minute billing for care visits. That will be needing care because they cannot take care of themselves music to the ears of a distressed care worker who came different from someone who needs care because they to my surgery and said that she was seriously considering are ill? We never say to anyone who needs physical or leaving the profession, because not only was she unable mental care on the NHS that they cannot have it, but we to provide within the time frame allocated the care do say that to people who cannot take themselves to the needed for those she visited, but there was nothing like toilet, bath themselves or take their medication. We the necessary allocation of travel time between the would never do that with children, so why should we do homes that she needed to visit. In some cases, they were it with the elderly and disabled? even in different towns. She showed me her timetable, I am clear that there is a cost; of course there is. I and I can only say that I entirely agreed with her. want to ask the Minister about some of the things he I welcome in particular in the White Paper the was saying earlier, and I hope that I get a response. Government’s recognition that if we are to address this What resources are we going to put in? If there are to be massive challenge and make a reality of good quality, 100,000 apprentices, what will that cost? If there is to be comprehensive care provision for all, which I am sure is a new code of conduct, what is the implication of that? everyone’s aspiration across the House, we will do so If there is to be extra training, what will that cost? All only if we harness the energy, resource and skills of the those things are welcome, but if we are just going to talk whole community, including community groups, many about them and not resource them, we might as well not of which are highly professional and which work very bother to talk about them. hard to support carers and the cared-for. I would like to have clear in my mind the issue raised I am very pleased that the Government have committed by my right hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West to working closely with Age Action Alliance jointly to and Royton (Mr Meacher). What is the difference between find practical approaches to improving the lives of what is now proposed and the death tax that the current older people; that they have decided to invest funds Secretary of State so cleverly used during the last election through Big Society Capital, so that social enterprises, to undermine the stuff that my Government were trying charities and voluntary groups can access greater resources to do? He talked then about £8,000 a year and a saving in order to make a difference in communities; and that of £40,000 for everyone. That has all disappeared—it is they have decided to involve those communities in all under the carpet. Did he mean what he was saying strategic decisions on health and care services through back then and does he mean what he is saying now? 771 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 772

Yes, if we are going to do this properly, there will be a For the Liberal Democrats, my hon. Friend the Member cost—but we always find the cost of going to war and for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) said that the Green of extending the nuclear deterrent. In the past week, we Paper have found the cost of taking 3,500 troops off duty to “comes 12 years too late. It is this Government’s shameful legacy save the embarrassment of the Home Secretary. If we that they will leave office having failed to reform a system that the can do all that for those reasons, why can we not do it to Secretary of State”— take care of the elderly, vulnerable and frail in this country? now the shadow Secretary of State— We were attacked by the Minister, who said that “himself has described as a cruel lottery.”—[Official Report, Labour MPs were moaning and whining on. That is 14 July 2009; Vol. 496, c. 160-62.] part of the game that we play in this place, but what about what other people are saying? The Care and Support When social care is viewed as a sustainable enterprise, Alliance says that Governments always see it as involving a big—and, “the social care system faces collapse”, worse still, an uncertain—sum, and that is why Treasuries usually baulk at it and we make very little progress. while the Alzheimer’s Society says: Governments are far happier in clarifying people’s rights “Millions of vulnerable people had been promised vital reform and then passing the buck to local authorities. What but today they are being massively let down.” paralyses Governments is the potential, not the identifiable, Mencap says: cost—what it is and how we are going to share it out “this promising blue print will never get off the ground if it fails —and that amounts to a huge political headache. to address the chronic underfunding in social care.” In order to resolve this, we need to do two things. Finally, the UK Home Care Association says: First, obviously, we need to get a handle on the costs; “The Coalition Government’s White Paper has failed the frail but secondly, we need to work out a way of trying to and disabled”. defray them. Elderly people to whom I have spoken following our recent debates and last week’s statement Those are those organisations’ words—not mine, and have spoken in slightly different terms from how we not my party’s. speak here. They are sceptical about some of the Like other Opposition Members, I believe that the Armageddon scenarios. They are resentful about their only real answer is a care system funded from general perceived lack of contribution to society—not in the taxation. We have a generational chance to make this a past but currently. They do not see themselves, en bloc, crusade, just as 60 years ago people in this House made as a drag on society. a crusade for the NHS. I know that some Government Members will say that that has been anathema, because We know that some people incur massive costs because ultimately the NHS—when we get down to the bare they are frail, disabled, suffer with dementia and so on, bones—is socialism in action. It is socialism delivering and the social, personal and family costs are appreciable, for the people of this country. What I want would be but we also know of many pensioners who make a huge exactly that—the strong providing for the weak, not the family and social commitment, and some who are even weak being let down by the strong. We have the chance in employment. My predecessor, Lord Fearn, still has to do that. It is a challenge for this generation. The a delivery round of 500 copies of “Focus”, as does his question for all of us on both sides of the House is: are wife, and they are both in their 80s. That shows the we up for it? benefits of delivering “Focus”. We do not know enough, and need to know more, about how we get people into the category of the fit and keep them out of the category 8.47 pm of the frail. We need to know why people end up in one category or the other and what the relative costs are of John Pugh (Southport) (LD): I want to be constructive. maintaining them there in terms of drugs, treatment I fear that this debate may take a different route from and so on. We do not know whether by advocating an that taken in the recent consensual Back-Bench debate. active, healthy old age we are deferring costs or eradicating We all recognise that the cost of adult social care is a them. The science of gerontology has an appreciable problem not just for this country, but for every advanced way to go. It is not clear to me, and probably not to society that we can think of. The outline is fairly familiar: many Members, how public health can move people funders, private and public, feel stretched and frightened into the better category of the fit and away from the by demographic change and the elderly are scared and category of the long-term frail. anxious about mounting costs. Treasuries throughout the world are nervous whenever the issue crops up, and My main point—to some extent it is not mine, as it normally they vacillate. Last week, the Government was suggested to me by what the hon. Member for were, in part, accused of that—of dragging their feet. South Thanet (Laura Sandys) said in a previous debate—is that even if we accept that there is no way of avoiding That is nothing new. Back in 2009, following the the cost of the last years of life and the fact that as publication of the Green Paper, there was very much people get older their maintenance gets more expensive the same thing. The current Secretary of State, who was in terms of calls on the NHS, there is a case for then the shadow Secretary of State, said: considering whether we should do some serious number- “One debate always seems to roll into another with this crunching to re-engineer social care in order to sharpen Government. We need a decision, and we need serious, costed up and prioritise interventions, as we have seen with proposals to be the basis for that decision.” dementia and arthritis. We do not know at this stage The current shadow Secretary of State, then the Secretary what the true benefits of that could be. I am not quite of State, said: sure what I mean by re-engineering social care even as “we are putting forward three broad options for the country to I say it, but we need to find out what it means and try to debate, and it would be wrong to force the pace of that debate.” implement it in order to defray the costs. 773 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 774

8.52 pm I accept that there are severe problems with adult social Mr Virendra Sharma (Ealing, Southall) (Lab): Thank care. I do not know where the hon. Member for Leicester you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for calling me to speak in this West (Liz Kendall) got her figures about the last important debate. Government’s record on adult social care spending, but according to local government figures, between 2004 I am often contacted by my elderly constituents and and 2010, spending increased by 0.1%. Meanwhile, the their families about social care and its funding, and I population of over-65s grew by 7.7% and the number of can tell the House that it is a massive worry to many of over-80s by 11.6%. them. While I welcome many of the “in principle” recommendations in the Government’s White Paper, Liz Kendall: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for being their lack of commitment to reforming the long-term more generous with her time than perhaps I was. I got funding of social care means, in effect, that they are my figures from an independent assessment of Labour’s kicking this urgent reform into the long grass. Dilnot record in Government that was produced by the King’s recommended capping social care contributions at £35,000 Fund before the last general election. and increasing the means-tested savings figure to £100,000. Supporting that in principle is all well and good, but the Margot James: I am grateful to the hon. Lady for fact that the Government are not proposing anything clarifying that. According to local government statistics, specific until the 2013 comprehensive spending review in the six years up to 2010, the spend was flat, and I and not implementing anything this side of the general have mentioned the demographic pressures. Interestingly, election means that thousands of my constituents will the same analysis states that over the same time, NHS continue to face anxiety about the potential cost of expenditure rose by 27%, expenditure on the police rose their social care and a substantial loss of their lifetime by 20%, and even expenditure on schools rose by 12%. savings. One in 10 of them will face catastrophic social care costs of over £100,000. That is not acceptable and A picture is emerging of the deprioritising of adult shows that the Government are out of touch and ducking social care under the last Government. That is the the issue. origin of the problem that we are debating. That is what Social care funding is in crisis. Councils across the gave rise to the restrictions of the eligibility criteria for country have been forced to cut £1 billion from social care. Long before this Government came to office, care. In Ealing, the Labour council has had its overall many local authorities started to restrict eligibility to budget cut by 30%. With a substantial proportion of its those in moderate need of care and then to those in budget being spent on adult social care, it is struggling critical need of care. to protect the most vulnerable, who depend day in, day out on the social care that it provides. It has found 70% Mr Anderson: Will the hon. Lady give way? of the £85 million that it must cut over four years from efficiencies and has cut a smaller percentage from adult Margot James: I will give way one more time. social care to try to protect the vulnerable. The spend on social care is decreasing while the Mr Anderson: I appreciate it. number of elderly people in need of social care is May I suggest that in criticising the last Government, increasing. The Local Government Association recently the hon. Lady needs also to look at the record of the released a report on local government financing that Government before that? Throughout the 1980s and made it clear that with the elderly population and the 1990s, the social care and health service budgets were cost of social care both increasing, unless the Government drastically reduced to a degree that was an embarrassment reform social care funding urgently, by the end of the to this country. decade, councils will be able to pay only for social care and all other council services, such as refuse collections, Margot James: I welcome the hon. Gentleman’s will have to stop. That is not a sustainable situation for intervention, but I will move on to the present day, social care or for other council services. The Government relevant though the NHS and social care budgets of cannot afford to do what they have done in this White 20 or 30 years ago no doubt are. Paper. They have not grasped the financial nettle, but We are beset by problems, although I was pleased to have kicked social care funding into the long grass. hear the Minister confirm that according to ADASS, One action that the Government could take immediately social care spending has gone down by just 1% in the would be to use some of the £1.7 billion underspend past year. Given the incredibly difficult economic situation from the NHS—£1.4 billion of which has been returned that we are in, much of which we inherited from the to the Treasury—to tackle the funding crisis in social previous Government, that is an achievement. However, care. Labour is sensibly calling for £700 million of that we do have problems. underspend to be given to councils immediately to tackle People value their independence, and most older the crisis in social care funding. That would be a significant people want to stay in their own home. With the right step that would help my constituents who have social support, many can. To a large extent, the White Paper care needs. The need for a long-term funding solution is proposals will provide the support that is needed to critical. I hope that the Government will engage urgently enable more people to stay at home. Carers are a vital in all-party talks so that a solution can be found without source of people’s ability to maintain their independence further delay. I therefore support the motion. at home, and the 5 million carers who do an incredibly important job in our country do not get enough support 8.59 pm at the moment. I welcome the extra money that is being Margot James (Stourbridge) (Con): I will start my put towards enabling them to have respite, because contribution with some points that I wanted to make carers tell me that a break is what they need first and earlier in the debate about the origin of the problems. foremost. I am sure that no amount of money would 775 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 776 ever be enough to give them the breaks and support lottery. One of our purposes should be to minimise the that they need, but at least the White Paper proposals extent of that lottery and maximise entitlement and will provide some support. support for all individuals. Many people do not realise that social care is means- One of the most humbling experiences I have had tested until they get to the point in their lives at which since becoming Member of Parliament for Scunthorpe they need it. That means that we need more information was going to visit a constituent in his home last week on to be available. We need to be honest with people about this very issue of care and support. He is a similar age what is possible, what is available and what is not. All to me. When he was younger, near the end of his training Governments are guilty of putting the best picture in the medical profession, he went out into the sea and forward, which is sometimes misleading. I applaud the suffered a terrible accident. As a result, he was paralysed Government’s decision to commit £32.5 million to from the neck down. Since then, he contributed to improving information, but perhaps I can make a plea society in a number of different ways. He retrained in on behalf of some of my older constituents: that investment higher education until he was advised by his GP to should not all be online. Many older people do not retire because if he did not, in the GP’s words, “the communicate in that way, so we must allow for some wheels would come off” and he would no longer be able leaflets in GPs’ surgeries, libraries and day centres, and to contribute to society. for other traditional forms of communication. Otherwise, After going to see my constituent, he wrote to me—this we will make older people who do not engage with new is about individuals and real people’s lives—about the media even more dependent on other people to get publication of the draft social care bill: information for them. “I have just been reading the latest on social care funding on the BBC website—it would seem that meaningful cross-party Fiona Bruce: Will my hon. Friend give way? dialogue re Andrew Dilnot’s recommendations has broken down and that the government wants to put decisions off until the Margot James: No, I promised not to take any more spending review late next year. interventions, because I know other Members want to My suspicions about kicking into the long grass appear justified!...I speak. have already contributed over £60000 towards my care package Then there is the dreaded assessment. Older people and seem to be paying more and more each year—despite the fact often try hard at their assessment to suggest that they that North Lincolnshire council reduce the value of my care can do more than they really can, especially when their package every time there is a review. carers are present. At the moment, assessments are My condition has not improved. I am, in fact, starting to suffer conducted inconsistently not just around the country more and more of the long term complications that inevitably hit ageing tetraplegics.” but within communities—it depends on who conducts them. I applaud the initiative to make them far more The worry and concern are there. When visiting my universal and consistent. The Dilnot proposal of making constituent in his home, I observed that the people who them portable around the country is certainly a huge were providing the care were brought in at his expense. step in the right direction. Resources were not adequate, because that cost was being taken out of his small pension from working in As Members of all parties have indicated, the quality higher education, which went up by 5% a couple of of care needs to improve. I welcome the emphasis on weeks ago, although the contribution to North Lincolnshire dignity and respect that runs through the White Paper. council went up by 25%. What is the incentive to do the It is important that we have better training for care right thing in difficult circumstances when those sort of workers and an end, if possible, to the terrible business things happen? of contracting by the minute, which flies in the face of dignity. I quite agree with other hon. Members that it What I have described was additional care. The core is impossible to get an elderly person out of bed and care was provided by my constituent’s mother, who was dressed in the amount of time that is allocated these in her mid 80s, and his sister, who travelled for two and days. a half hours to spend half the week helping to care for him. As politicians, we need to step up to the plate. It is Dignity and respect are at the heart of a good-quality about leadership—cross-party leadership—and being care system, and I am pleased that that has been given able to do the right thing for people, such as my constituent, the prominence that it deserves in the White Paper. Of who suffer misfortune. Had that misfortune occurred, course we would like to do more, but I applaud the as he said to me, in a car crash, he would have received Government for making a very good start and, if I may insurance compensation, which would pay for his care say so to Opposition Members, they have done so package. Because it took place in a situation of utmost within two and a half years of coming to office, which is tragedy—nobody was responsible for it, but it was a a great improvement on the previous Government, who total misfortune—there is no underpinning support took 12 years before they got round to the same point. from the state, which should properly protect him and his family from having to pay more and more money. 9.5 pm My plea is for us to show the leadership across the Nic Dakin (Scunthorpe) (Lab): Adult social care is parties— probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest, challenges that we as politicians and policy makers face. We have Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Order. heard from thoughtful contributions from Members on both sides of the House explaining why it is so difficult. 9.10 pm If people are fortunate they never need to access adult care. If they are unfortunate they do need to do so, or Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth) (Con): I am members of their family do. As we heard from the hon. delighted to follow the hon. Member for Scunthorpe Member for Southport (John Pugh), it can be cruel (Nic Dakin), as I completely agree that this issue is 777 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 778

[Sarah Newton] all parties must agree on how those billions can be found—there is every possibility that such a Bill will get about leadership. Some of my hon. Friends alluded to a through Parliament and, when next year’s comprehensive better-tempered debate, such as the Back-Bench business spending review is developed, the money will be found. debate, to which all parties made thoughtful contributions, Yes, it is frustrating if we have to wait another year or based on a great deal of expertise from different walks 18 months. Before I entered the House, I spent the best of life—whether from people in the medical profession, part of my adult life working for Age Concern England those who had spent their life in social services or those and for the International Longevity Centre in the UK, who had a personal point of view from being a carer. coming up with solutions that previous Governments We heard some heartfelt contributions in that debate, so certainly kicked into the long grass, so this is our best I think we are united in the desire to do something hope in a generation. about this issue. What I have found deeply disappointing about today Heidi Alexander: I respect the hon. Lady’s work on is the fact that this debate was called in the first place. this issue, but does she recognise that there is almost There was significant and genuine desire by this coalition universal agreement outside the House that the big Government to solve once and for all this problem that disappointment is that there were no proposals last everyone agrees needs to be solved. Everyone agrees week on how, in the longer term, we provide the funds that it needs cross-party support—for reasons that are that we all want for care for the elderly and those with obvious to anyone sitting in the Gallery or watching disabilities? this evening’s debate and to all the various voluntary organisations that have been very substantially misquoted Sarah Newton: I accept that there is genuine or very selectively quoted this evening. There is a unity disappointment, but people equally understand that all of purpose, but it is not being served by the Opposition parties in the House must be committed on where the who are tabling Opposition day debates, falsely dividing billions of pounds each year will come from, so that the the House. proposals are sustainable for the long term, and so that If the Opposition were to put their efforts into working people can save and invest without fear of the rug being closely with the two parties that form this coalition to pulled from beneath them. come to a sensible solution, I believe that measures The proposals are a sticking plaster—there is not would be in the White Paper, but we are still seeing doubt about that—but if only people could hear the sledging and negative comments from Opposition Front- facts, they would appreciate that more money is being Bench Members as we have seen all day. It is deeply put into the system while the problem is being resolved disappointing that the Opposition are so thoroughly for the long term. It is not true that all councils are letting down the people whom they claim they represent. cutting back. Cornwall council has not cut its adult I do not believe it is too late, and I really urge them to social care. It is working in extremely innovative ways get back to the table and to be more positive about the with the NHS and the voluntary sector to ensure that steps that the Government are taking—[Interruption.] services are improved. I do not accept the shroud waving Here we go again; I cannot even finish a sentence from Opposition Members, who say that every part of without Opposition Members chuntering. the country is in crisis. The fact is that I worked very closely with a number of Opposition colleagues. Various Members have talked Richard Graham (Gloucester) (Con): My hon. Friend about the very good work we did in the inquiry led by has a high interest in, and knowledge of, these matters. the all-party group on local government that looked at Does she agree that counties such as hers and mine— this issue. There was an all-party agreed proposal that Cornwall and Gloucestershire—that prioritise adult social identified many measures—which the Government have services precisely because of their ageing populations, picked up in the draft White Paper—that we can achieve are helping to find a solution to the problem, which is together. The effort should be focused on what we agree so badly needed by constituents all round the country? on, so that we can offer the reassurance that is needed by the desperately worried people all around the country Sarah Newton: I agree. I encourage people to read the that have been quietly identified this evening. People are good report published today by the all-party parliamentary worried not only about the social care system now, but group on local government, because it contains good the social care system in the future. We should be examples from all over the country of how proper reassuring these people and giving them hope that this integration of social services with housing and the NHS House has the necessary combined will and determination. is beginning. There is every possibility, as a result of I do not think any of us want to face the electorate at HealthWatch and the health and wellbeing boards, that the next general election saying that this problem has such integration innovation will deliver the joined-up not been solved. services for families and carers that will lead to an As to the timetable, yes, I would love to be able to agenda focused on public health and the prevention of stand here today and congratulate the Government on the problems that lead people into acute settings such as finding every penny to fund a long-term solution. If we A and E and hospitals. People currently end up in such can get the cross-party talks into gear in September, we settings far more than they need to. should be able to put in place the mechanism that, as I am confident that, in a years’ time, hon. Members confirmed by the Secretary of State, could be built into on both sides of the House will come here to share best a Bill and put before Parliament. When all parties have practice from those parts of the country that grasp the agreed on how this is to be funded—as many people opportunities of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 have rightly said, it will cost billions of pounds every and make the most of the changes. We can then encourage year and we are in a very difficult financial situation, so other parts of the country that do not prioritise those 779 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 780 matters to do the best they can for older people and choose to pay for them by progressive taxation—if we carers in their societies. All hon. Members want them to wish. It is a political choice. People say, “Oh, well it’s have higher-quality and better care so that they can live not affordable.” However—I have told this story many in dignity for the rest of their lives. times—I remember that when my children were young, if they asked for a second ice cream, my wife would say 9.17 pm to them, “Mummy can’t afford it,” when what she was really saying was: “You can’t have another ice cream.” Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North) (Lab): The hon. Member Of course she could afford it. We can afford to pay for for Southport (John Pugh) was kind enough to say that free long-term care too, but we choose not to—so far. people of a pensionable age can sometimes make useful I hope to persuade my side at least to commit to it in contributions. He is very kind to me—I am the only time. Member of a pensionable age to speak in the debate. I am 37 in my mind, but with a son of 42, that is rather The extra costs of Dilnot would initially be £2 billion unlikely. a year. That is the equivalent of 0.5p on the standard The Government have failed at the core of the White rate of income tax. I have put this to many people in Paper, on the question of funding. This is about money, meetings and asked them, “What would you choose: the not leadership or consensus or making nice words in the threat that your home would be taken away, with no Chamber. I am very pleased that Labour Front Benchers equity to hand on to your grandchildren, or an extra have accepted Dilnot. His proposals are not perfect, but 0.5p on the standard rate?” Without exception, they say he goes a long way to proposing a free national care 0.5p on the standard rate. Of course, we do not have to service, which my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon do it that way, because there is plenty of cash in the tax (Mr Anderson) and I want. gap, which is estimated to be as much as £120 billion a year, or even more. If we collected a tiny fraction of I know Andrew Dilnot well—he is a fine, highly that—one sixtieth—we could cover Dilnot’s proposals; intelligent and compassionate man. He went to great lengths and, if we have to have a bit more, let us squeeze the tax to tailor a precise scheme that could be accepted by the gap a bit further. However, since Margaret Thatcher’s Government, but at the last minute, they have buckled time as Prime Minister, we have seen the standard rate and not committed to it. The problem is the Treasury—the cut by 5p, which is 10 times more than the cost of worst Government Department of all. It has failed the Dilnot, so do not let us pretend that it not affordable. country over and over again with terrible mistakes. The We choose not pay for it, because we think—or some European exchange rate mechanism destroyed the credibility people think—that low taxes are better or that letting of the Conservatives, but the Treasury has done lots of tax evaders and tax avoiders get away with it is better other bad things. It is a dreadful Department. I hope than looking after elderly people in great need. that Ministers now tell me how wonderful it is. We are also committed, apparently—I understand There has been almost no mention of the royal that this goes for both sides of the House—to the idea commission on long-term care from some 14 years of owner occupation, but we are actually seeing the ago—I think my hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon gradual erosion of owner occupation, particularly by mentioned it—which recommended free long-term poorer people having their houses taken away when— care, which is precisely what he and I want. However, the Government at the time—they happened to be a Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Order. Government I supported—could see that the report was going to be unanimous, so they slotted in two people at the last minute to ensure that it was not unanimous, and 9.23 pm from that point onwards they hung on to the minority Dr Daniel Poulter (Central Suffolk and North Ipswich) report of those two members. It was a bit of a disgrace, and (Con): It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member I made that point strongly. I tabled an early-day motion for Luton North (Kelvin Hopkins). I commend him for in the 1997 to 2001 Parliament calling for implementation his ability to get Europe into almost every debate we of the royal commission’s recommendations, which have in this House. I am not sure whether his sums quite was signed by more than 100 Members of the House at added up at the end of his speech, but it is commendable that time, and in the 2001 to 2005 Parliament I tabled that we have seen a commitment across the House this another early-day motion saying the same thing, again evening to improving the dignity and quality of elderly with the same sort of support. I also have the support of care, which is something I am sure we would all like the National Pensioners Convention—a body with which to see. I am closely associated—which also wants free long-care All previous Governments have taken steps in that on the same basis as in the NHS. direction, but I believe that the White Paper and the In Scandinavia they do it. Indeed, what I have always draft Bill that this Government have brought forward wanted my party to do—as well as the others, but represent the most significant steps towards improving particularly mine—is to move in the direction of dignity in elderly care for a generation. The in-principle Scandinavia, not the United States of America. If Members support for Dilnot and the Dilnot proposals is a good read the book “The Spirit Level”, they can see that the recommendation, and it needs to be considered in the civilised societies—where people are happier and all context of whole-government spending at the next spending sorts of social problems are lesser—are in the Scandinavian- review. However, for the first time there has been an style countries. The worst end of the spectrum is in in-principle agreement by a Government that social America, and we have been steadily moving towards the care is one of the most important issues and challenges American end, not the Scandinavian end. facing our country. How we are going to provide dignity In the end it is about cost and this word “affordability”. in elderly care—high-quality care in the community—is We choose what is affordable. It is not written in stone: a clear priority for this Government, and that should be we can choose to make things affordable, and we can commended. 781 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 782

[Dr Daniel Poulter] Dr Poulter: I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, and I agree with her. The Government are making a I want to outline some of the real challenges that face clear commitment to encouraging integrated care and people who are in receipt of social care, particularly the to putting savings made in the back office back into the frail elderly.The hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) front line of NHS care. Many billions of pounds have pointed out that it can be difficult to distinguish between already been committed, and there is more money in NHS care and social care, because they often involve the draft Bill to encourage better integration between exactly the same things. They include supporting the the NHS and social care services. activities of daily life that we all take for granted, such As the Minister of State said, it is important to shift as washing, dressing, getting in and out of bed or the the emphasis away from crisis management and towards bath and going up and down stairs. Those are the kinds preventive care. The focus on housing as part of the of things that we mean when we talk about providing integrated care system is important. My hon. Friend the high-quality social care, and this Government have put Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce) made the point forward strong measures that will make it much easier that, far too often, older people fall over and injure to provide such care for the people who most need it. themselves as a result of poor lighting or a lack of The White Paper and the draft Bill provide for support handrails in their homes, ending up in the accident and for carers, and for improving the personalisation of emergency department, when better lighting and preventive care, which is particularly important for younger people care in the home would have provided a much more in receipt of social care, as the hon. Member for Scunthorpe effective way of looking after them properly, as well as (Nic Dakin) said. Respite care is also recognised as an saving the NHS and social care a lot of money. That key important means of better supporting carers, giving commitment to more integration between the NHS, them a break from the hard work of looking after providers of housing and social services providers is a people and ensuring that the role of carers is properly fundamental ingredient of the way in which we can supported. The proposals also include a commitment to improve the day-to-day quality of adult social care, portability of care, and to a universal care assessment. while also saving a great deal of money, which can be spent on improving care for everyone else. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con): I raised the Finally, let me talk a little about funding. The Dilnot issue of portability with the Secretary of State last proposals have been agreed to in principle, and I hope week. It is crucial that a debate should take place about that the Opposition will at least give the Government what we are doing here and what is happening in Wales, some credit for the fact that there has been a once-in-a- as this is a devolved matter. There must be close liaison generation attempt to deal with this issue. It is not good between us. I understand that the initiative must come enough to say, 13 years into an Administration, “Three from the Welsh Government but, without that liaison, weeks before the general election, we will publish a people will fall between the two countries. White Paper.” No one could consider that a serious commitment to tackling the challenges that we face. Dr Poulter: My hon. Friend makes an important point. Social care and NHS care do not recognise The way forward now must be the cross-party working county borders, which is why portability is so important. that we all believe is desirable. That means that all They certainly do not recognise the boundaries between parties must work together and support the Government’s England and Wales or between any other parts of the White Paper, support day-to-day improvements in care United Kingdom. We have devolved responsibility for for older people, and support the agreement in principle the NHS, and the fact that there are different funding to the Dilnot proposals that the Government have priorities in the different parts of the UK, with the presented. Government in England supporting investment in the NHS and the Labour Administration in Wales cutting 9.31 pm NHS spending, highlights the importance of my hon. Friend’s point. I am sure that the Minister will be able Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab): While we sit here to reassure us that the coalition Government are taking discussing this issue, families will be sitting in their steps to ensure that portability can take place across living rooms or around hospital beds trying to decide those borders wherever possible. what to do for their loved ones. Can they stay in their The White Paper also contains a commendable own homes? Will someone be able to deliver 24-hour commitment to improving integrated care and ensuring care? How long will the situation continue? What will that more joined-up working takes place between the happen when the money runs out? What should they do NHS and social care. for the best? While we sit here listening to the Minister telling us that we will sort things out in the future, Sarah Newton: Would my hon. Friend like to comment families—now—are making the most difficult decisions on some of the Opposition’s assertions that the efficiency of their lives. savings from reductions in management levels in NHS I want to talk about the reality for my constituents, are not being put back into front-line services to enable and to plead with the Minister to work with all the integration, and that they are somehow being siphoned political parties in this place to find a long-term solution off to the Treasury? I do not believe that— to the growing crisis of adult social care. It has to be a long-term solution: it has to be a solution that will last Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Order. I must for many years, whoever is in government, and we have ask the hon. Lady to turn round so that the microphone to find it now, not after the next general election. Old can pick up what she is saying. I know that she is age happens only once to each individual. It is not finding that difficult, but she should be heard by everyone something that we can return to and do better next in the Chamber. time. 783 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 784

We cannot just look at residential care; we must also sorted out the police clearance, provided training, look at the systems that keep people in their own ascertained the needs of clients and supported the homes, and allow them to lead fulfilling lives and live in volunteers. The volunteers will continue to visit the dignity. The present situation is dire. Bolton council has elderly and disabled people with whom they are currently had to cut £15 million from its budget for adult social in contact, but it will not be possible to recruit new care, which means that it can no longer give support volunteers or take on new clients. to the 536 people aged between 18 and 64 and to the The fees local authorities pay to care homes is also an 1,312 people aged over 65 who have moderate needs. issue. There has been a significant real-terms cut over the last two years. That inevitably impacts on care. It Roberta Blackman-Woods: Does my hon. Friend agree also means self-funders are charged more in order to that we have heard nothing from the Government this subsidise the costs of council-funded residents. evening that demonstrates that they have any idea of The choice of home is another huge concern. The the funding crisis that is hitting a number of local other day, I was speaking to one of the police officers authorities throughout the country? There is no urgency on the parliamentary estate. He told me his mother was at all in the Government’s actions. in a care home. He and the family had chosen a home that suited her needs and they had sold her house to pay Julie Hilling: Yes. The cuts faced by northern local for the care, but now the money is running out and he authorities in particular are dire. Bolton will have to does not know whether the local authority will pay the find £100 million worth of cuts during the current care home fees, whether his mum will have to move or Parliament. whether the family will somehow have to pay the additional costs. If the cap is ever introduced, that will be too late Sheila Gilmore: Does my hon. Friend agree that it for him, but he still needs to know that the care costs simply is not good enough to express—as the White will be met in future. Paper does—concerns about such matters as short periods The needs of the elderly and disabled do not move in of care time, or the fact that some carers are not even a straight line. Some people may need to go into care for earning the minimum wage, if there is no way of making a period of time, such as when recovering from an things work financially? I do not believe that councils illness or an accident, but, with support, be able to return have chosen 15-minute slots deliberately; I believe that home. However, we were told that after six months my they have done it in order to save costs and make mum would have to sell her flat to pay for her care. In efficiencies. Similarly, there are carers who have to pay fact, after eight months in a care home, she has returned for their own travel. to her own flat. That shows that people do not move in a straight line through the system. Decisions should not Julie Hilling: We have to realise that we are facing be taken on the basis of cost alone; they should be a crisis now, not a crisis in the future. People in our taken on the basis of needs, too. constituencies are suffering daily. A young man in my Let me conclude by reading out a comment from a constituency who has learning difficulties and has relied constituent of mine called Amy: on carers to help him with his everyday life will now see his carer only once a week. Contact with a carer is the “Alongside the funding crisis there is also a huge injustice in the way we pay for care. This includes the dementia tax, where only contact that many such people ever have with tens of thousands of families are left to pay all their care costs another human being, and that contact is now going. It whilst other terminal conditions are paid for by the NHS. is truly a false economy. This low level of care for The significant cost of care means many carers face financial people with moderate needs is what keeps them in their hardship and are often forced to give up work. homes, keeps them healthy, and stops them ending up We need reform to build a fair and sustainable care system in residential care prematurely. Bolton is managing to which delivers dignity, independence and peace of mind.” maintain substantial and critical care, but it will have to find £34 million in cuts over the next two years, and it is Amy is right. We need to get on with this. We need to worried that it will have to join other councils in only find a solution where people’s needs are taken into providing critical care. account, and where people do not live in fear for both themselves and their families. We need to find a solution Paying for home care is a huge worry. The average to this problem that all of us can live with, and that cost is £13.61 an hour, but it can be a great deal more; in cares for people who are in need in our society. Brighton and Hove, carers cost £21.50. It is not unusual for people paying for care to have to find more than Several hon. Members rose— £10,000 a year to cover that cost. That spending needs to be taken into account if we are to have caps over the Mr Speaker: Order. The Opposition Front-Bench whole amount. Many Members will know that my mother speech must start at 9.40 pm, so the hon. Member for has been in and out of care over the past 12 months. We Blackpool North and Cleveleys (Paul Maynard) has a have spent £20,000 since October on her care. tiny window of time in which to make his contribution. The cuts to local authority budgets are affecting other support services, and the consequent cuts to the 9.38 pm voluntary sector are having dire consequences. The voluntary sector provides luncheon clubs, social activities Paul Maynard (Blackpool North and Cleveleys) (Con): and carers groups, all of which are under pressure or I shall be very brief then, Mr Speaker. I have just two at risk. minutes. Horwich visiting service in my constituency has When we talk about social care, we tend to spend lost funding and can no longer employ its part-time most of our time discussing the elderly. I want to say a co-ordinator. That was the person who recruited volunteers, few words about young disabled people, however, who 785 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 786

[Paul Maynard] Social care is an issue for families up and down the land. Government Members have said that people have benefit from social care, and who need to have a voice in to understand that they are going to sell off their this debate. I chair the all-party group on young disabled homes, but the point about that is that homes are not people, and we have been discussing many of the key mere bricks and mortar. These may be the homes that issues. Last week, we discussed housing, for example. I people came to as a young married couple and where welcome the money proposed in the White Paper for they brought up their children; these are homes freighted improving housing for the disabled, but may I sound a with memory, emotion and family life. It is too easy to note of caution? At present, too many wheelchair-adapted say that people have to be ready to sell off their homes. houses are not going to those who need them—people This is about people; it is not just about figures on a in wheelchairs. It is all very well constructing these piece of paper. houses, but we must get the allocation policy right, too. Social care is also quintessentially an issue for the I welcome the transition funding, but I have a plea to squeezed middle, to use the phrase of my right hon. make on that. There is a concern that there is a cliff-edge Friend the Member for Doncaster North (Edward at the age of 18. For many families it is, as it were, a Miliband). The very poor will not have to meet their gradual cliff-edge. Things start to decline at 14, so the own costs, although there are still issues to address care package they get at 18 might not be the appropriate about standards of care, and the cost of care is not a one they need as an adult. May I ask the Minister to problem for the extremely wealthy. This is an issue for look at that issue closely? the squeezed middle; it is an issue for people who, I welcome the introduction of portability, as that is perhaps through years of struggle, have a home and crucial. I know that the Opposition brought similar assets and now see the frightening possibility—this is measures in when in government, but we are taking this particularly the case for the elderly—of those assets further. It is far more important for younger disabled being drained away because of a system that is not yet people than it is for those who are elderly. We talk a lot under control. in this Chamber about social mobility. One of the main hurdles for young disabled people who wish to go to Glyn Davies rose— university is the great fear that when they get there they will not have the same social care package as they had Ms Abbott: I am afraid that I will not be able to give when they were at home with their parents. That is the way, because I want to leave sufficient time for the main fear they face; it is what keeps them at home and Minister to make her remarks. means that they do not take full advantage of the We also have to address the issues of dementia and educational opportunities on offer. I will stop there. Alzheimer’s. They are largely dealt with as social care issues but in fact they are an increasing challenge for 9.40 pm people as they grow older. Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington) The Minister called social care Bevan’s orphan and (Lab): No family in the land is untouched by the I think that that is a little unfair. The world we face challenges of social care. Families up and down the today is very different from the world of William Beveridge land who will watch this debate or read about it know and the framers of the first national health service. that if social care is not an issue for them today, it may People live much longer and do so with all sorts of be an issue for them later. Labour Members therefore long-term conditions, whereas changes in the role of think it is important that it is spoken about not in policy women mean that there is no longer a vast, mute and wonk or accountancy terminology, but in terms of hidden army of carers. There are also issues with dementia people. That is because it is an issue about people, be and Alzheimer’s. they the elderly, the disabled, the young disabled, about The Opposition want to be collaborative rather than whom we heard eloquently just now, the carers within party political, but I would be failing in my responsibilities the family or the tens of thousands of men and women if I did not draw to the attention of Ministers the one who work as professional care workers, about whom my message given to my colleagues and I as we have gone hon. Friend the Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) up and down the country talking to local authorities talked so eloquently earlier. about the new public health arrangements and social Let me say from the outset that the Opposition care. Those in town halls, whether they are Labour or accept that this is an issue about which we could have Conservative-led, have said that local authorities are done more. Social care and the challenges it poses in the under unprecedented financial pressure. Some of the 21st century are unfinished business for Labour. However, things we heard from Ministers seemed to suggest a it is not true to say, as some Government Members have certain carelessness about or unwillingness to face up to unfortunately done, that Labour was wholly inactive on the financial pressures that mean that local authorities the issue of social care. We heard from my hon. Friend are making real decisions that are affecting real people the Member for Leicester West (Liz Kendall) about all and real families. Ministers heard what local authorities the steps we took and the innovations we made on are trying to do to make the money stretch. On the one issues associated with social care. To say that we were hand, there are more stringent criteria, so people need totally inactive is quite wrong and is merely party to be in greater need to get social care at all, but on the political point scoring, but it is true that we did not other hand, they are squeezing the money and the grasp sufficiently early the political nettle of how social standards. That is the only way it can happen. care is to be paid for. That is why, from the very If I could say only one thing to Ministers, it would be beginning, we offered talks and entered willingly into that they should listen not to the Opposition spokespeople them, and why we remain willing to resume talks, so or to Labour councillors but to their own Conservative long as Ministers are acting in good faith. councillors, who are trying to make them address the 787 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 788 scale of the crisis that they face. They are very alarmed—we fund it. We stand ready to enter talks. We stand ready to know that they are—that Ministers appear to be poised work with Ministers. All we ask from Ministers is that to place additional responsibilities on them without any they act in good faith. ideas of how to provide funding. I remember what the Prime Minister told this House in February 2010, speaking about social care. He said: 9.51 pm “What we want to know is: where is the money coming The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health from?”—[Official Report, 10 February 2010; Vol. 505, c. 904.] (Anne Milton): I was heartened by some of what I read I have to say that councillors and families up and down in the motion tabled by the Opposition. Welcoming the the country, as well as Members of this House, want to measures laid out in the care and support White Paper know what is behind the fine words and what Ministers was a good start to a process that will be immensely will do to fund the proposals outlined in their White easier with genuine co-operation and communication. Paper. However, the speeches from the Opposition Front Bench were partisan and contained no acknowledgement that Precisely because I do not want to be party political, for 13 years they did nothing. The hon. Member for I will refrain from talking about the Conservative party’s Leicester West (Liz Kendall) seems to have amnesia. party political broadcast on the death tax and the posters Cheap party political squabbling is not attractive. I that said: remind the hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke “Now Gordon wants £20,000 when you die. Don’t vote for Newington (Ms Abbott) that she was very political Labour’s new death tax.” by trying not to be political. I remind her also that I am not a party political person, so I shall leave that. 40,000 people a year had to sell their homes to pay for I shall put it to one side. their care. It reflects badly on her and on the House and does nothing to improve the lives of service users, carers We support Dilnot in principle, but we are a little and staff. A White Paper seven days before the general concerned about the Secretary of State’s pick-and-mix election announcement counts for little. approach to the recommendations. We are worried that although the White Paper reads well, it makes too many Care has to be funded in a way that is fair on service vague commitments. I would be grateful if the Minister users and fair on the taxpayer. We agree with Dilnot could give me an answer on the question of loans, in that financial protection through capped costs and an particular. On that question, as she will be aware, the extended means test are the right basis for any new 1999 royal commission—sadly, we did not address the funding system. Given the extra public spending that issues of funding that it raised—said that will be involved, we need to consider that alongside other priorities. An issue that has been raised throughout “there would need to be an initial outlay of potentially between the debate is the funding for the means-tested system. £1bn and £2.8bn…the scheme would be complex to establish, and to administer, probably very expensive initially and would leave The right place—the responsible place—to consider the state with an uncertain liability.If Local Authorities administered that is in the course of the spending review and I do not it, they might be left with a complex burden of assets which would intend to pre-empt that tonight. I draw hon. Members’ differ greatly from one part of the country to another. The attention to the progress report. Many of the answers to Commission consider there little overall benefit to be gained from the questions that they raise are included in that. The such a scheme.” hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington I would be grateful if the Minister could tell me would do well to refer to figure 4 in the report. —[Interruption.] It is a deferred payment scheme at the We have allocated an extra £7.2 billion to improve discretion of local authorities—[Interruption.] We want care and support as part of the spending review. That to know how the Government will fund the upfront comes as part of what we know is a tough settlement for costs and about the levels of interest. Members will local government. If spent well, it will go far and will appreciate that elderly people, in particular, are very help local authorities maintain people’s access to care concerned about issues of debt. On that and on a range and support. The recent report from Demos and Scope of other issues, we are waiting for a little more detail shows that this can be done, and that reduced funding from Ministers. They can sit on the Front Bench and does not have to mean a reduced service. By putting make party political remarks, but that is no help to more into reablement services that help people regain families throughout the country who are worried about their independence, for example, or by supporting people how they can fund social care in the future. It is no help to live in the community instead of in expensive residential to local authorities, which say that in a very few years care, local authorities can provide the best standards of the cost of social care will have inflated so much that care while saving money. they will not be able to meet other needs from their My hon. Friend the Minister of State mentioned the budget. £32.5 million for better online services and traditional There are many things in the White Paper that we communication methods to help people see what services welcome, not least because many of them were in the are available, whether their care is paid for by them or White Paper introduced by my right hon. Friend the by the state. Likewise, there is an additional £200 million Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) on building a for specialised housing. That additional money more national care service. We say to Ministers that it is easy than pays for the White Paper proposals leading up to to score points. It is easy to talk about what could have the comprehensive spending review. As my hon. Friend been done in the past, but we need to meet the challenge the Member for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich of how we care for our elderly, our disabled and our (Dr Poulter) said, the issue was ducked repeatedly by young disabled. That is the challenge that the nation is the previous Government in far more favourable economic facing now. The White Paper reads well, but Age Concern times. He also drew attention to the absurd distinctions and all the stake-holders are asking how Ministers will between health and social care and the need for integration. 789 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 790

[Anne Milton] not only for this year and next, until the next general election, but for the years ahead. Older people in this My hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Fiona country, the carers who support them and people with Bruce) spoke from the heart about the needs of carers, disabilities deserve that. The White Paper gives us a the £400 million we have provided for carers’ breaks and foundation on which to work, a foundation that has the end of permanent billing. My hon. Friend the Member been missing for far too long. In 13 years in government, for Southport (John Pugh) spoke of the contribution in favourable economic times, those now on the Opposition older people make and how to stop the fit becoming Benches did nothing that was sustainable in the long frail. My hon. Friend the Member for Stourbridge term. We need a foundation that gives us a chance to (Margot James) reiterated the ADASS figures and the build a care and support system that future generations desire for people to stay in their own homes. My hon. will be proud of. I urge the House to reject the motion. Friend the Member for Truro and Falmouth (Sarah The House divided: Ayes 225, Noes 292. Newton) spoke with passion and knowledge of the unity and commonality of purpose we need and the Division No. 55] [9.59 pm divisive nature of the Opposition’s motion. My hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool North and Cleveleys AYES (Paul Maynard) pointed out the huge need to address Abbott, Ms Diane Davidson, Mr Ian the needs of people with disabilities. Abrahams, Debbie Davies, Geraint These are ambitious plans. As well as setting out a Ainsworth, rh Mr Bob Denham, rh Mr John comprehensive package of reform for the longer term, Alexander, Heidi Dobbin, Jim Ali, Rushanara Dobson, rh Frank the White Paper announces changes that will make a Anderson, Mr David Docherty, Thomas difference immediately: a national eligibility threshold; Ashworth, Jonathan Donohoe, Mr Brian H. proper and meaningful portability; duties to share Bailey, Mr Adrian Doran, Mr Frank information to ensure that people can move without Bain, Mr William Dowd, Jim losing their care; a focus on housing; provider quality Balls, rh Ed Doyle, Gemma profiles so that people can finally have clear information Barron, rh Mr Kevin Dromey, Jack on the quality of care providers; mandatory adult Bayley, Hugh Durkan, Mark safeguarding boards; and a requirement to assess carers’ Beckett, rh Margaret Eagle, Ms Angela needs and actually meet them—much neglected help Bell, Sir Stuart Eagle, Maria and support. It also announces a code of conduct and Benn, rh Hilary Edwards, Jonathan minimum training standards for care workers so that Benton, Mr Joe Efford, Clive people know that their care is underpinned by high Betts, Mr Clive Elliott, Julie standards of training and ethics. We will train more Blackman-Woods, Roberta Ellman, Mrs Louise Blears, rh Hazel Engel, Natascha care workers, with 50,000 more apprenticeships by 2017, Blenkinsop, Tom Esterson, Bill double the current number. Blomfield, Paul Evans, Chris Blunkett, rh Mr David Farrelly, Paul Mr Anderson rose— Bradshaw, rh Mr Ben Fitzpatrick, Jim Brennan, Kevin Flello, Robert Anne Milton: The hon. Gentleman should welcome Brown, rh Mr Nicholas Flint, rh Caroline that. Brown, Mr Russell Flynn, Paul Bryant, Chris Fovargue, Yvonne The White Paper opens for business the new national Buck, Ms Karen Gapes, Mike information website so that people can find out more Burden, Richard Gardiner, Barry about all parts of the care and support system. It sets Burnham, rh Andy Gilmore, Sheila out legal entitlements to personal budgets so that care Byrne, rh Mr Liam Glass, Pat users, their families and their carers can choose what Campbell, Mr Alan Glindon, Mrs Mary services they get. There are improvements to the transition Campbell, Mr Ronnie Godsiff, Mr Roger to children’s services to adult services. These are big Caton, Martin Goggins, rh Paul changes, egalitarian changes and, most of all, they will Chapman, Jenny Goodman, Helen be effective changes. We are also reforming the existing Clark, Katy Greatrex, Tom social care legislation through the draft Care and Support Clarke, rh Mr Tom Green, Kate Bill. The White Paper is about keeping people well and Clwyd, rh Ann Greenwood, Lilian Coaker, Vernon Griffith, Nia helping them to take control, get independent and live Coffey, Ann Gwynne, Andrew the lives they deserve with the certainty and security Connarty, Michael Hain, rh Mr Peter they need to do so with dignity. Cooper, Rosie Hamilton, Mr David There are times when we, as politicians, need not only Corbyn, Jeremy Hamilton, Fabian to open our eyes and ears to the world outside this Crausby, Mr David Harman, rh Ms Harriet House, but to stand in the shoes of those we represent. Creagh, Mary Harris, Mr Tom They do not want to see us argue, squabble and bicker Creasy, Stella Havard, Mr Dai over their lives. On this issue, perhaps more than any Cruddas, Jon Healey, rh John other, we need to work together. If we do that, we can Cryer, John Hendrick, Mark Cunningham, Alex Hepburn, Mr Stephen improve the system for millions of people, whether they Cunningham, Mr Jim Heyes, David use the services or care for someone who uses them. The Cunningham, Sir Tony Hillier, Meg system is funded until the next spending review. Curran, Margaret Hodgson, Mrs Sharon I urge Opposition Members and Front Benchers to Dakin, Nic Hopkins, Kelvin put aside party political differences and work alongside Danczuk, Simon Howarth, rh Mr George us to ensure that we have a system that is sustainable David, Wayne Hunt, Tristram 791 Adult Social Care16 JULY 2012 Adult Social Care 792

Irranca-Davies, Huw Owen, Albert Birtwistle, Gordon George, Andrew Jackson, Glenda Pearce, Teresa Blackman, Bob Gibb, Mr Nick Jamieson, Cathy Perkins, Toby Blackwood, Nicola Glen, John Jarvis, Dan Phillipson, Bridget Boles, Nick Goldsmith, Zac Johnson, rh Alan Pound, Stephen Bone, Mr Peter Gove, rh Michael Johnson, Diana Qureshi, Yasmin Bottomley, Sir Peter Graham, Richard Jones, Graham Raynsford, rh Mr Nick Bradley, Karen Grant, Mrs Helen Jones, Helen Reed, Mr Jamie Brady, Mr Graham Gray, Mr James Jones, Mr Kevan Reeves, Rachel Brake, rh Tom Grayling, rh Chris Jones, Susan Elan Reynolds, Emma Bray, Angie Greening, rh Justine Jowell, rh Dame Tessa Reynolds, Jonathan Brazier, Mr Julian Grieve, rh Mr Dominic Joyce, Eric Riordan, Mrs Linda Bridgen, Andrew Griffiths, Andrew Kaufman, rh Sir Gerald Ritchie, Ms Margaret Brine, Steve Gummer, Ben Keeley, Barbara Robertson, John Browne, Mr Jeremy Gyimah, Mr Sam Kendall, Liz Robinson, Mr Geoffrey Bruce, Fiona Halfon, Robert Khan, rh Sadiq Rotheram, Steve Bruce, rh Sir Malcolm Hames, Duncan Lavery, Ian Roy, Mr Frank Buckland, Mr Robert Hammond, Stephen Leslie, Chris Roy, Lindsay Burley, Mr Aidan Hancock, Matthew Lewis, Mr Ivan Ruane, Chris Burns, Conor Hands, Greg Lloyd, Tony Ruddock, rh Dame Joan Burns, rh Mr Simon Harper, Mr Mark Llwyd, rh Mr Elfyn Sarwar, Anas Burrowes, Mr David Harrington, Richard Love, Mr Andrew Seabeck, Alison Burstow, Paul Harris, Rebecca MacShane, rh Mr Denis Shannon, Jim Burt, Alistair Hart, Simon Mactaggart, Fiona Sharma, Mr Virendra Burt, Lorely Harvey, Nick Mahmood, Shabana Sheerman, Mr Barry Byles, Dan Hayes, Mr John Malhotra, Seema Sheridan, Jim Cairns, Alun Heald, Oliver Mann, John Shuker, Gavin Campbell, rh Sir Menzies Heath, Mr David Marsden, Mr Gordon Skinner, Mr Dennis Carmichael, rh Mr Alistair Heaton-Harris, Chris McCann, Mr Michael Slaughter, Mr Andy Carmichael, Neil Hemming, John McCarthy, Kerry Smith, Angela Carswell, Mr Douglas Henderson, Gordon McClymont, Gregg Smith, Nick Cash, Mr William Hendry, Charles McCrea, Dr William Smith, Owen Chope, Mr Christopher Hinds, Damian McDonagh, Siobhain Spellar, rh Mr John Clappison, Mr James Hollingbery, George McDonnell, John Straw, rh Mr Jack Clark, rh Greg Hollobone, Mr Philip McFadden, rh Mr Pat Stringer, Graham Clarke, rh Mr Kenneth Holloway, Mr Adam McGovern, Alison Sutcliffe, Mr Gerry Clifton-Brown, Geoffrey Hopkins, Kris McGovern, Jim Tami, Mark Collins, Damian Howell, John McGuire, rh Mrs Anne Thomas, Mr Gareth Colvile, Oliver Hughes, rh Simon McKechin, Ann Thornberry, Emily Cox, Mr Geoffrey Huhne, rh Chris McKenzie, Mr Iain Timms, rh Stephen Crockart, Mike Hunt, rh Mr Jeremy McKinnell, Catherine Trickett, Jon Crouch, Tracey Hunter, Mark Meacher, rh Mr Michael Twigg, Derek Davies, David T. C. Huppert, Dr Julian Meale, Sir Alan Twigg, Stephen (Monmouth) Hurd, Mr Nick Mearns, Ian Umunna, Mr Chuka Davies, Glyn Jackson, Mr Stewart Michael, rh Alun Vaz, Valerie Davies, Philip James, Margot Miller, Andrew Watson, Mr Tom Davis, rh Mr David Javid, Sajid Moon, Mrs Madeleine Watts, Mr Dave Dorries, Nadine Johnson, Gareth Morden, Jessica Whitehead, Dr Alan Doyle-Price, Jackie Johnson, Joseph Morrice, Graeme (Livingston) Williams, Hywel Drax, Richard Jones, Andrew Morris, Grahame M. Williamson, Chris Duddridge, James Jones, Mr Marcus (Easington) Wilson, Sammy Duncan, rh Mr Alan Kelly, Chris Mudie, Mr George Winnick, Mr David Duncan Smith, rh Mr Iain Knight, rh Mr Greg Munn, Meg Winterton, rh Ms Rosie Ellis, Michael Kwarteng, Kwasi Ellison, Jane Laing, Mrs Eleanor Murphy, rh Paul Woodcock, John Murray, Ian Ellwood, Mr Tobias Lamb, Norman Wright, David Nandy, Lisa Elphicke, Charlie Lancaster, Mark Wright, Mr Iain Nash, Pamela Eustice, George Lansley, rh Mr Andrew O’Donnell, Fiona Tellers for the Ayes: Evans, Jonathan Laws, rh Mr David Onwurah, Chi Phil Wilson and Evennett, Mr David Leadsom, Andrea Osborne, Sandra Julie Hilling Fabricant, Michael Lee, Jessica Fallon, Michael Lee, Dr Phillip NOES Farron, Tim Leech, Mr John Featherstone, Lynne Leigh, Mr Edward Afriyie, Adam Baldwin, Harriett Field, Mark Leslie, Charlotte Aldous, Peter Barclay, Stephen Foster, rh Mr Don Letwin, rh Mr Oliver Amess, Mr David Barker, Gregory Francois, rh Mr Mark Lewis, Brandon Andrew, Stuart Barwell, Gavin Fullbrook, Lorraine Lewis, Dr Julian Arbuthnot, rh Mr James Bebb, Guto Fuller, Richard Liddell-Grainger, Mr Ian Bacon, Mr Richard Beith, rh Sir Alan Gale, Sir Roger Lilley, rh Mr Peter Baker, Norman Beresford, Sir Paul Garnier, Mr Edward Lord, Jonathan Baker, Steve Bingham, Andrew Garnier, Mark Luff, Peter Baldry, Sir Tony Binley, Mr Brian Gauke, Mr David Lumley, Karen 793 Adult Social Care 16 JULY 2012 794

Macleod, Mary Percy, Andrew Stevenson, John Wallace, Mr Ben Main, Mrs Anne Perry, Claire Stewart, Bob Walter, Mr Robert Maude, rh Mr Francis Phillips, Stephen Stewart, Iain Ward, Mr David Maynard, Paul Pickles, rh Mr Eric Stewart, Rory Watkinson, Angela McCartney, Jason Pincher, Christopher Streeter, Mr Gary Webb, Steve McCartney, Karl Poulter, Dr Daniel Stride, Mel Wharton, James McIntosh, Miss Anne Prisk, Mr Mark Stuart, Mr Graham Wheeler, Heather McLoughlin, rh Mr Patrick Pritchard, Mark Stunell, Andrew White, Chris McPartland, Stephen Pugh, John Sturdy, Julian Whittaker, Craig McVey, Esther Raab, Mr Dominic Swales, Ian Whittingdale, Mr John Mensch, Louise Randall, rh Mr John Swayne, rh Mr Desmond Wiggin, Bill Menzies, Mark Redwood, rh Mr John Swinson, Jo Willetts, rh Mr David Mercer, Patrick Rees-Mogg, Jacob Syms, Mr Robert Williams, Mr Mark Metcalfe, Stephen Reid, Mr Alan Tapsell, rh Sir Peter Williams, Roger Miller, Maria Robathan, rh Mr Andrew Thurso, John Williams, Stephen Mills, Nigel Robertson, Hugh Timpson, Mr Edward Williamson, Gavin Milton, Anne Robertson, Mr Laurence Tomlinson, Justin Wilson, Mr Rob Moore, rh Michael Rogerson, Dan Truss, Elizabeth Wollaston, Dr Sarah Mordaunt, Penny Rosindell, Andrew Turner, Mr Andrew Wright, Jeremy Morgan, Nicky Rudd, Amber Tyrie, Mr Andrew Wright, Simon Morris, Anne Marie Ruffley, Mr David Vaizey, Mr Edward Yeo, Mr Tim Morris, James Russell, Sir Bob Vara, Mr Shailesh Young, rh Sir George Mosley, Stephen Rutley, David Vickers, Martin Zahawi, Nadhim Mowat, David Sanders, Mr Adrian Villiers, rh Mrs Theresa Tellers for the Noes: Mulholland, Greg Sandys, Laura Walker, Mr Charles Mr Philip Dunne and Mundell, rh David Scott, Mr Lee Walker, Mr Robin Jenny Willott Munt, Tessa Selous, Andrew Murray, Sheryll Shapps, rh Grant Murrison, Dr Andrew Sharma, Alok Question accordingly negatived. Neill, Robert Simmonds, Mark Newton, Sarah Simpson, Mr Keith Business without Debate Nokes, Caroline Smith, Miss Chloe Norman, Jesse Smith, Henry Nuttall, Mr David Smith, Julian BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE O’Brien, Mr Stephen Smith, Sir Robert Ordered, Offord, Dr Matthew Soames, rh Nicholas Ollerenshaw, Eric Soubry, Anna That, at this day’s sitting, proceedings on the Motion in the name of the Prime Minister relating to the Parliamentary Commission Parish, Neil Spelman, rh Mrs Caroline on Banking Standards may be proceeded with, though opposed, Patel, Priti Spencer, Mr Mark until any hour, and Standing Order No. 41A (Deferred divisions) Penning, Mike Stanley, rh Sir John shall not apply.—(Mr Vara.) Penrose, John Stephenson, Andrew 795 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 796 Banking Standards Parliamentary Commission on Banking (c) the power of the Chair to report under paragraph (9) may also be exercised with the Chair’s agreement by a member of the Standards Commission who is a member of the House of Lords. (13) That the costs of the Commission shall be assessed by the 10.12 pm House of Commons Commission from time to time and shall be The Leader of the House of Commons (Sir George paid by Her Majesty’s Government for the credit of the House of Commons (Administration) Estimate. Young): I beg to move, (14) That the Commission shall report on legislative action no (1) That a Committee of this House be established, to be called later than 18 December 2012 and on other matters as soon as the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, to consider possible thereafter. and report on— (a) professional standards and culture of the UK banking (15) That a message be sent to the House of Lords to desire sector, taking account of regulatory and competition investigations their concurrence. into the LIBOR rate-setting process; On 5 July, the House debated professional standards (b) lessons to be learned about corporate governance, transparency in the banking industry for a full day and resolved to and conflicts of interest, and their implications for regulation and establish a Joint Committee of the two Houses on that for Government policy; matter. As I said in that debate, I do not think there is and to make recommendations for legislative and other action. any disagreement between the Government and the (2) That Mr Andrew Tyrie be Chair of the Commission. Opposition on what we need to do, which is to sustain (3) That Mark Garnier, Mr Andrew Love, Mr Pat McFadden in the UK a strong, vibrant, transparent and more and John Thurso be members of the Commission. accountable financial sector that commands international (4) That the Commission have leave to join with any committee confidence. appointed by the Lords to consider the said matters. The motion before us is the result of negotiation (5) That the Commission may hold meetings under the provisions following the House’s decision to establish a Joint of paragraph (4) of this order at any time after the Lords has Committee. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for agreed to appoint a committee. Chichester (Mr Tyrie) for the work that he has undertaken (6) That the Commission shall, except as provided for in this while also chairing a very active Select Committee. order, follow the procedure of a select committee of this House. I also thank Her Majesty’s Opposition. Following the (7) That the Commission shall have power— debate, it was essential that Parliament was seen to be (a) to send for persons, papers and records; acting in the best interests of the public in resolving the (b) to examine witnesses on oath; issue before it, and that could happen only if the Joint (c) to appoint specialist advisers; Committee were supported not only by the parties in (d) to invite specialist advisers (including Counsel appointed as Government but by the Opposition. I am grateful to specialist advisers) to examine witnesses; those who have added their signatures to the motion. (e) to adjourn from place to place; I do not intend to detain the House for long. I want (f) to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; and to make five points, spending half a minute on each. (g) to report from time to time. [Interruption.] (8) That the Commission shall have power to appoint sub- committees to consider matters specified by the Commission Mr Speaker: Order. Before the Leader of the House within the terms of this order and a subcommittee shall have— makes his five points, to which I wish to listen carefully, (a) the powers in paragraph (7)(a), (b), (e) and (f); and may I gently say to the House that he should be heard? (b) the power to invite specialist advisers appointed by the Any Member should be heard, but the Leader of the Commission (including Counsel appointed as specialist advisers) House is a very senior Member, and Members should to examine witnesses; not be sitting chuntering to each other; they should and the quorum of a sub-committee shall, subject to paragraph show him some courtesy, which they all learnt at one (12)(b), be one member of this House. time. (9) That the Chair may report to the House an order, resolution or Special Report as an order, resolution or Special Report of the Commission which has not been agreed at a meeting of the Sir George Young: As I said, I have five points and Commission if he is satisfied that he has consulted all members of will spend half a minute on each one. the Commission about the terms of the order, resolution or Special Report and that it represents a decision of the majority of First, the process to establish the Commission is not the Commission. following the normal process for establishing a Joint (10) That the quorum of the Commission shall be two members Committee. The Commission, if established tonight, of this House. will be able to begin its work immediately and to meet (11) That, whenever this House shall stand adjourned other during the recess. It is my hope that before the other place than to the next day, any report, Special Report, order or resolution rises, it will also establish a Committee of an equal agreed to by, or evidence taken or received by, the Commission, number of members to act jointly with the Commission including any under paragraph (9) of this order, may be published that we are establishing tonight. or printed under the authority of this House, shall be deemed to have been reported and shall be reported when this House next Secondly, the Commission is being established with sits. powers that are already inherent in our parliamentary (12) That, when the Commission operates under the provisions system. It will also have the novel power to invite special of paragraph (4) of this order, the following provisions shall advisers, including counsel appointed by the Commission, apply— to examine witnesses. I do not think that that will (a) the quorum of the Commission shall be two members of become the modus operandi of other Select Committees, this House and two members of the House of Lords; but it will give the Commission the teeth that it needs to (b) the quorum of any sub-committee shall be one member carry out its important investigative role quickly and from either House; and effectively. 797 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 798 Banking Standards Banking Standards [Sir George Young] I am particularly pleased with the assurances that the resources that are needed will not be taken out of Thirdly, it is proposed that House of Commons resources for other Select Committees. “the Commission shall have power to appoint sub-committees to I wonder whether the Leader of the House has a view consider matters specified by the Commission”. on what amount of resources might be used and whether Unusually, the sub-committees will have a quorum of we will be kept informed as the process goes on. The one. I have discussed that with my hon. Friend the Opposition are keen that the ongoing work of the Member for Chichester. The purpose is to allow a single Treasury Committee, the primary job of which is to member of the Commission to consider a specific issue, hold the Government to account, must not be badly for example a technical matter, and to send for papers affected by its members, not least its Chairman, being with a view to informing the wider Commission. That engaged in other important work, which may have a will feed into the Commission’s work and allow it to tendency to take them away from their day job. We will tackle a broad-ranging subject in a compressed time obviously keep a keen eye on the situation, to ensure frame. that the Treasury Committee’s work of holding the Fourthly, paragraph (13) of the motion directs the Government to account does not suffer as a result of House of Commons Commission to assess the costs the other duties that the hon. Member for Chichester arising from the Parliamentary Commission to be paid and other members of the Committee who are to sit on by the Government. As the Chancellor said in the debate the Commission will take on. on 5 July: Having emphasised once again our belief that we “I commit to giving it any resources it needs to do its job.”—[Official needed a judge-led inquiry, the Opposition are happy, Report, 5 July 2012; Vol. 547, c. 1136.] given that the vote on that was lost, to co-operate with I hope that that reassures my hon. Friend the Member the hon. Gentleman’s inquiry, and we will watch its for Harwich and North Essex (Mr Jenkin), who sought progress with interest. If the House divides this evening, reassurance during our debate on 5 July that the we will join the Leader of the House in the Lobby. Commission should not raid 10.20 pm “the staff and resources of other Committees.”—[Official Report, 5 July 2012; Vol. 547, c. 1149.] Richard Fuller (Bedford) (Con): I rise briefly to welcome Fifthly and finally, the motion sets a deadline for a the motion and wish all the members of the Commission report on legislative action of 18 December. That will the best. I recognise the willingness that my hon. Friend the include pre-legislative scrutiny of the banking reform Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie) has expressed for Bill and any recommendations of the Commission’s the Commission’s work to be forward-looking, and I inquiry that require a legislative vehicle in order to be understand that its role will not be to act as prosecutor. implemented. The December deadline will give the However, I give its members this piece of advice. They Government time to consider any recommendations in are doing the people’s work, and the people have an time for the introduction of the banking reform Bill, expectation of the review of the financial crisis and the which is planned for January 2013. If the Commission financial services sector. They will not understand the cannot complete all its work by 18 December, we will work of the Commission unless this is accomplished: expect it to report on the other areas as soon as possible somebody has to go to jail. thereafter. Criminal prosecutions are an essential part of cleansing We have in this Parliament the skills, expertise and our financial services sector and moving us forward, to mandate to do the job. I am confident in the ability of ensure that the City can reassert itself and its reputation the new Commission to rise to the challenges that confront not only in the eyes of the world but in the eyes of the us and to address the central issue at stake: restoring British people. That is one of the most important confidence in the UK banking industry. I commend the requirements of the parliamentary inquiry, and I leave motion to the House. it to the Commission to consider that comment.

10.17 pm 10.21 pm Ms Angela Eagle (Wallasey) (Lab): Like the Leader John Mann (Bassetlaw) (Lab): It appears that this of the House, I do not wish to repeat the debate that we Commission, which was originally described as a very had on 5 July. We are in slightly calmer waters, we hope. narrow one, is broadening so that, as the Leader of the In that debate, all parties on this side of the House felt House said, it can now look at particular matters with that we needed a judge-led inquiry into the LIBOR sub-committees of one, and there are suggestions that it scandal and wider issues in the banking industry. We should broaden into criminal prosecutions. did not win the vote so, despite our reservations, we The issues remain as they were, but the evidence is decided to co-operate with the inquiry led by the hon. changing and will continue to change. That is the problem Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie). I am grateful to the with setting up ad hoc committees. Just in the past hour, Leader of the House for his admission that the success further e-mails have come from the Bank of England of the Commission relies on the Opposition’s support. that have some significance for matters that have already That gets us off on a better foot than might have been been looked at, looked at again and looked at a third the case. time. Those e-mails are significant to what the Treasury There are some novel elements to the motion, as the Committee looked at the first time, and doubtless Leader of the House pointed out, not least the sub- information will continue to emerge. committees of one. We will look with interest to see how This is a moving feast, and the problem with a that works in a Commission of the size that is proposed, moving feast is that setting a time limit when one does especially given that it is a joint Commission with the not know what will happen next can lead to a certain other place. momentum, which can be in the wrong direction. The 799 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 800 Banking Standards Banking Standards problem is not that it is an arbitrary time limit—any The remit has been set so vaguely that it can incorporate time limit is arbitrary—but that it could be an irrational anything and everything. We will face the economic one. consequences when the partially state-owned banks are Tomorrow in the United States, a new court action is hit in the same way. These issues are entirely out of our being initiated not on LIBOR but on other market control—indeed, they are entirely out of British control. manipulation by banks, and specifically a British bank. The American authorities are two years ahead of the We will see what happens as that court action proceeds, British authorities, and have taken a lead, so they will but simply examining LIBOR, and especially only the dictate the time scale for what comes next. Whether the one bank in which what has gone on has been partially considerations are legal or political—there are elections exposed, rather misses the point about market manipulation coming up, so there may well be more of a political by investment banks over the past 10 years. imperative to be seen to be doing things—they will have Even within the context of LIBOR, we have only grave consequences for these financial institutions and just reached the stage of seeing some of the market the British taxpayer. manipulation that happened, and only in one bank, That is why although it may well come up with Barclays, which has received bad publicity. There is far worthy and credible recommendations, the investigation more to be revealed about that, and I am certain that cannot match the task that it has been set. Because of there will be more surprises to come in the next day, the course of events and the changes that will happen, week or two weeks. Those surprises may well continue arbitrary time limits are, by definition, self-defeating. to flow. There is another problem that goes alongside that, and Even in the case of Barclays, the manipulation of it concerns the other options available to look at those LIBOR is one tiny part of the allegations of market matters. I am pleased that the Leader of the House manipulation and anti-competitive work. A swathe of appears to have given a commitment, and I urge him to evidence is beginning to emerge, and more people are clarify it, that no staffing resource will be removed from now prepared to speak out about how a range of the Treasury Committee in that period of time. If that is markets have been manipulated in a range of ways. the case, that is a significant step forward. If the Treasury Derivatives have been used as the basis of that manipulation, Committee were mothballed at precisely this time, the but in fact it is much more complex than that. At its ability of the House to respond to fast-moving events heart, as Barclays has said, was the making of a quick would worsen significantly. profit. In the past two weeks, courts in Canada have The Treasury Committee has a heavy workload. Today, specified in a non-LIBOR-related case where the judge Commissioner Barnier was supposed to appear before has pronounced that it was manipulation for short-term the Committee in relation to the 17 EU directives and profit on an anti-competitive basis. draft directives relating to financial services on the That is just one bank. No one can answer—the question books at the moment. It is essential that this House was not answered by the Financial Services Authority properly scrutinises and takes a view on what happens today; perhaps it is not in its remit to do so—what the with those directives, but that has not been happening—it contingent liability is for Barclays. That is a small concern, is a key role that the Treasury Committee needs to fulfil. and of significance to people working for the bank, people who have shares in it, and the wider economy, but it is clear that the largely state-owned banks, not Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Does my least the Royal Bank of Scotland but also Lloyds TSB, hon. Friend agree that there may well be some dispute have been doing the same thing. The problem that we about what the Treasury Committee should look at and will face is not just the issues of criminality that may or what this new Commission should look at—if, for example, may not emerge. Proving a criminal case in any of that another scandal or something like it emerged in the next is fiendishly difficult—both finding the person who has few weeks? committed an act and finding a victim so that a case can be taken. If law suits, beginning in the United States but John Mann: My hon. Friend makes the point that I spreading elsewhere, start to succeed, the amounts of have been stressing—that we do not know and cannot money that have been fiddled are so great—because of predict them, but we know that there will be a lot more the instruments that were used—that the British taxpayer scandals emerging, as we are only seeing the tip of the may face a huge, unquantified bill, and we do not know iceberg at present. [Interruption.] I appreciate that this when it will arrive. The future of Barclays is somewhat is not good listening for those hon. Members trying to in question. work out how to respond to this, but if this House is to set up arbitrary ad hoc committees at random every Mr Speaker: Order. I appreciate that the hon. Gentleman time there is a problem, it will potentially undermine is indulging in scene setting—offering the House the itself. Which Select Committee will be next to give away context—but I would politely suggest that he will wish some of its powers to an ad hoc committee? Is this the to turn to the proceedings and composition of the intended appropriate way to determine such matters? Committee. If it is helpful to him, I gently remind him, in relation to the motion, that he has 15 paragraphs If some of the powers set out in the motion were from which to choose when deciding how to focus his reinforced not just in respect of the Treasury Select remarks. Committee but of other Select Committees, that would reinforce the scrutiny of this House over what goes on John Mann: I thank you for your guidance, Mr Speaker. both in government and in the country, so there are My initial remarks related to the remit of the Committee, some good proposals here. The good proposals, however, rather than its composition, which is frankly an irrelevance are bespoke to this particular Commission—for example, compared with the problems of the moving feast of its the ability to call in a QC and the ability to take remit. evidence on oath. If they are good enough for this new 801 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 802 Banking Standards Banking Standards [John Mann] that it has the ability to manipulate the market to determine how things will go. That is the fundamental weakness in Commission, they should be made available to any Select the system of investment banking. The implications for Committee looking at any issue. The House is ducking British manufacturing and manufacturing elsewhere in this problem. the world—

Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): I think the Mr Speaker: Order. I have noted the hon. Gentleman’s hon. Gentleman is making some powerful and important references to investment banking, but I fear—very points. Does he share my surprise that the Treasury considerably—that he is now going to proceed to discuss Select Committee was not given this role? He is absolutely the state of British manufacturing and any relationship right: these powers should be given to all Select Committees between the banking and manufacturing sectors. He is to make Parliament more powerful. gyrating between referring to the terms of reference of the Commission and matters of composition, and then John Mann: I take the hon. Gentleman’s point and talking about matters that are quite outwith the terms I agree with him, but I do not intend to go through all of the motion, which ought to afford him adequate the previous debate on this issue—interesting though it scope. I feel cautiously hopeful that he may be nearer to would be to do so—because I am sticking to the detail the end of his remarks than to the beginning. of what is in front of us, however badly it is worded. There is, however, clearly a case for saying that if the John Mann: I have so far got to paragraph (1)(b) of Treasury Committee had been allowed to carry on this the motion, which I shall quote, so that you are assured, work, it could have done so as effectively as this Joint Mr Speaker, that my remarks are directly pertinent. Committee. I am sure that the five Members from the Paragraph (1)(b) refers to House of Lords who are as yet unknown and unnamed “lessons to be learned about corporate governance, transparency will bring great wisdom to this Joint Committee, but if and conflicts of interest, and their implications for regulation and the House of Lords wants to look into matters, it can for Government policy”. look into them. This is the elected Chamber, and for That is precisely what I was talking about in relation to this elected Chamber to hand over some of these powers how investment banks operate. The lack of transparency, of scrutiny to an unelected Chamber seems a retrograde conflicts of interests and the narrow remit— step, which will come back to haunt us in future. Mr Speaker: Order. I am sure the hon. Gentleman is Once a precedent has been established and it suits the public spirited and trying to be helpful, but he should Government, it is likely to happen again—and this was not misunderstand the terms of the motion. The paragraph a Government initiative. I am rather surprised that the to which he refers underlines the importance of the Opposition Front-Bench team, perhaps looking forward inquiry in learning those lessons. It is not necessary or to being in government themselves, have been seduced feasible for the House to do so tonight. It would be a into accepting this way of undermining the historic, triumph of optimism over reality for him to suppose developed and improving role of this House to scrutinise. that the House would do so courtesy of his speech, no That, I think, is partly what is at stake here, if this matter how compelling it is. becomes the way of doing business in this House. I do not see how a Select Committee, denuded of half John Mann: Thank you for that guidance, Mr Speaker. its members, can in any way work as effectively as a I am merely outlining my objections to the lack of Select Committee operating with all its members. That breadth in the remit given to the Commission. is the reality of what will happen, and we need to be My final questions on paragraph (1)(b)—[HON.MEMBERS: aware of the unintended consequences that might come “Hooray!”] I am surprised hon. Members are so keen to from a potential eurozone crisis and other problems stay and hear the debate, given some of their sedentary emanating from Europe that conflict across the work of comments. It would be helpful if the Leader of the this Joint Committee—and are wrongly not referred to House confirmed unambiguously that the principles within it—because proposals from Brussels are, rightly behind the setting up of the Commission will in no or wrongly, a fundamental part of the equation, affecting way—practically and in reality—undermine the ability decisions made by this House and by the banking of the Treasury Committee to meet as often as it has industry in this country and across the world. That over the past year to discuss subjects that it chooses to aspect has been ducked by the creation of the Commission, investigate. It would help if he confirmed that it can call which will create unhealthy confusion in the debate. the witnesses it chooses and that it will have the access What should have happened? The remit given to the to the staffing resource and expertise that it currently investigation, which should have been carried out by the has. If he can give those assurances, I will not seek to Treasury Committee, should have been far broader— divide the House on the motion. I look forward to [Interruption.] An hon. Gentleman says “Boring” from hearing from him. a sedentary position, but this is not boring. For example, seven investment banks colluded to rig the price of the 10.39 pm Kraft takeover of Cadbury’s. That is the real scandal that underpins the profits in investment banking. In John McDonnell (Hayes and Harlington) (Lab): I some areas, there is ferocious competition, but in the want to make a brief point about paragraph (1)(a), vast majority of investment banking, there is no competition which sets out the terms of reference. Some months ago whatever. That is the scandal that created the culture there were reports, which I raised with the Prime Minister, that led to the LIBOR rigging. An investment bank about the Bank of England’s intervention with at least called in by a company to advise on a sale or takeover one bank, and perhaps more, about the manipulation of has so much knowledge of the workings of the company the quantitative easing auctions. I would welcome an 803 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 804 Banking Standards Banking Standards assurance that paragraph (1)(a) will cover that issue as Bill. It was quite common for the hon. Member for well, rather than just the LIBOR issue, because it is a Nottingham East (Chris Leslie) to make points in that matter of concern if a single bank or a number of Bill Committee in which he quoted extensively from the banks sought to profiteer from the quantitative easing Treasury Select Committee report, only for members of that was put in place by the Government to rescue the the Select Committee to disown the report or distance banks. Indeed, it seems extraordinary that the banks themselves from it. I was almost expecting them to say would seek to profiteer from the taxpayers’ money that that they were not inextricably linked to their membership was used to intervene and save them from the crisis that of the Select Committee in that particular capacity. they had brought about. I would welcome an assurance That experience gives me concern about splitting the from the Chair of the inquiry that that matter, as well as attention and capacity of the Treasury Select Committee LIBOR, will be looked into when we consider the issue in this way, and I worry that this might be a well-motivated of transparency and the ability of the banks to manipulate misadventure in regard to its implications for the work the system overall. of the Committee. I hope that the Leader of the House will be able to 10.41 pm clarify the Government’s hopes and intentions in relation Mark Durkan (Foyle) (SDLP): I have quite fundamental to the timing of the Financial Services Bill and any reservations about the motion before us this evening, amendments that they believe should be made to it in because, a bit like the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John the light of the LIBOR scandal, given the Chancellor’s Mann), I have serious concerns about the implications statement two weeks ago, and in relation to the banking for the work of the Treasury Committee. The way in reform Bill. There appear to be potentially overlapping which we are moving to set up the Commission, with a and intersecting reviews going on, and if we in this Chamber selection of members of the Treasury Committee—almost are mandating them, we need to take responsibility for a Treasury Committee A team—being assigned to the the possible confusion that could be caused to others Commission, will obviously have an impact on the and to ourselves. Committee’s working capacity at a key time. I do not believe that these arrangements will be enough We heard from the Chancellor in the Chamber two to deal with the scale of the problem or the questions weeks ago that he was appointing Martin Wheatley, the that it raises not only about banking but about the incoming chief executive of the Financial Services Authority, competence and due diligence of this Parliament. Are to conduct a review that would report within six weeks. we as parliamentarians up to the task of properly That review was going to make recommendations that scrutinising legislation and introducing regulatory changes? could feed into reconsideration of the Financial Services Is it enough for us to devolve the task to a group of Bill. I would have thought that the outcome of the people hand-picked from the Treasury Select Committee Wheatley review would be the subject of serious by the Whips and expect them to come up with all the consideration by the Treasury Committee. I also wonder answers while we take responsibility only for receiving how the House would consider the implications of that them? I do not think that that is good enough. urgent review, which the Chancellor has instigated, I did not vote for a parliamentary inquiry device under Martin Wheatley. Will the Financial Services Bill when we voted on the matter the week before last, but I Committee be reconstituted or will we just receive scrambled accept that this is the chosen outcome. I have serious amendments? There will be confusion, because the Wheatley reservations about the way in which the terms of reference review is meant to come up with recommendations for for the Commission have been laid out here, and about legislative change—through the Financial Services Bill the possibility of its composition weakening the Treasury first, but possibly also through the banking reform Bill, Select Committee at a key time when two Bills are due which the Government have told us is due in the new to come back to us in the autumn, along with another year. Surely the journey to the banking reform Bill Bill in the new year. I am also worried about the should involve serious consideration and pre-legislative Committee’s ability to deal with other unfolding revelations scrutiny by the Treasury Committee, and perhaps others that might emerge not only from the LIBOR scandal too. but from issues relating to quantitative easing, to which I am not sure how the Treasury Committee can the hon. Member for Hayes and Harlington (John perform its usual role of giving such key legislative McDonnell) referred, and to deal with the outflow from consideration if so many of its members and its Chairman the machinations in the eurozone. are absorbed in the inquiry that this motion establishes—an inquiry that will be intensive and could even turn out to There is a lot of work for the Treasury Select Committee be extensive, in terms of the issues it gets into. We as a to concentrate on, and I am not sure that it will be House are asking the Commission to surf a very dense, assisted by the creation of this device. If the Committee murky and smelly swamp in short order and come up is content with the arrangement, I will have to accept its with clear findings and recommendations. We are assigning opinion. However, that does not absolve us in this it quite an inordinate task, which not only will be hard Chamber from our legislative responsibility in respect to achieve in itself, but will end up damaging the work of those two Bills, which the Chancellor has told us of the Treasury Committee. could be directly relevant and whose scope and reach will need to be adjusted to take account of the LIBOR As someone who sat on the Financial Services Bill scandal and possibly other scandals as well. Committee, I was conscious of the fact that we had many members of the Treasury Committee serving on I have profound reservations, but I wish those who that Committee. I was also struck, however, by the fact are undertaking the inquiry well. They have a difficult that they resiled from positions that they had agreed to, task ahead of them, and I do not know how they are as members of the Treasury Select Committee, in their meant to perform it if, as the motion suggests, they will very good report into aspects of the Financial Services sometimes be expected to work as sub-Committees of 805 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 806 Banking Standards Banking Standards [Mark Durkan] The terms of reference are set out clearly in paragraph (1)(a), which mentions the one. That would create the bizarre scenario of a sub- “professional standards and culture of the UK banking sector”. Committee of one relying on the hired specialist advisers I should be interested to know how “culture” is defined and other agents who will be licensed by this motion. in the context of banking. Does it refer only to banks, That would create some fairly peculiar scenarios that or to building societies as well? We should bear it in Parliament might find hard to stand over. Members of mind that the banking industry consists of not only the Commission might also find it hard comfortably to high-street chains but, for instance, mutual societies. take ownership of all the undertakings of the Commission, Will they be included in the Commission’s investigation? given the odd construct that is provided for in the motion. I accept that this is a scramble in particular LIBOR was the catalyst for the establishment of the circumstances, and that time is pressing. However, I am Commission. Paragraph (1)(b) refers to not sure that it has been a good scramble. I think that “lessons to be learned about corporate governance, transparency there should have been better thought and more and conflicts of interest, and their implications for regulation and consideration, and I think that many of the people who for Government policy”. are comfortable with this device now may end up regretting You pulled up my hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw their decision. on the issue of corporate governance, Mr Speaker, and I accept your ruling. However, many of the matters that 10.50 pm the Commission will consider will not relate purely to Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): It is a great banking. As my hon. Friend said, they will relate to lending pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Foyle (Mark and takeover bids for companies. Will the Commission Durkan), who is always worth listening to, but I have to look into the culture of, for example, the Kraft takeover, say that on this occasion I disagreed with many of the which my hon. Friend mentioned? If it restricts its points he made. I think that this is a chance for Parliament consideration to the banking sector, will not the inquiry to assert itself. I think that it is a new adventure for be of limited use, not just in view of the vehicles involved Parliament. If the Commission is successful—if it produces in such events as the Kraft takeover but—I hasten to a report that is unanimous and not split along party add—in view of some of the things that have been lines, and if it uses all the additional powers that it is going on in local government? I have raised the issue of being given—that will be a great step forward, and the the refinancing of Newcastle airport, for example, which arrangement may be repeated in the future. I take a was a huge scandal in the north-east two years ago. much more optimistic view than the hon. Gentleman. That was driven by the idea that we could get a better The fact that so many Members are in the Chamber late deal for the local council tax payer by refinancing. In at night shows how interested they are in the issue. fact, it got them a worse deal. Will the Committee look at such situations? I have just two questions to put to the Leader of the House. One concerns paragraph (3), which names the Turning to transparency and governance, Government members of the Commission. I am not sure how they Members had strong opinions about private finance were selected. I would have found it understandable initiative deals when they were in opposition, and they for all the members of the Treasury Committee to be still hold to those views now. Will such financing members of the Commission, because they were elected arrangements fall within the remit of paragraph (1)(a) to their positions, but how did these particular names and (b), as they are clearly part of a new culture that come to be here? Certain other Members’ names are not has emerged, and they are a new mechanism for funding here although perhaps they should be. I am surprised, Government policy? Paragraph (1)(b) refers to for instance, that a certain lady Member’s name is not “implications for regulation and for Government policy.” included. Was it purple smoke, or was it, as I fear, the Would today’s announcements on the investment in usual channels? Perhaps the Leader of the House could the railways fall within the remit? That is being financed clear that up. in part through Network Rail, which is a completely I welcome the Leader of the House’s announcement separate organisation and is off the Government balance of an open-ended commitment from the Treasury to sheet. The Committee’s remit could lead to such areas provide money for the counsel to the Commission. being investigated. There are some wider implications Does he hope, like me, that the counsel will act rather here, therefore, and it will be interesting to see if the like a congressional committee and will grill the witnesses, Committee resists going down certain paths. If we do and that members of the Commission will then be able not have a full inquiry that looks at all these areas, the to ask questions? I think that if we set up that sort of public may well think we are just concentrating on a arrangement, we shall be moving Parliament forward. small part of the banking and finance industry, when there are many other concerns that directly affect them, 10.52 pm too. Mr Kevan Jones (North Durham) (Lab): Let me I have great respect for the Chair of the Treasury begin by reiterating the point made by my hon. Friend Committee, the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie), the Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle), who said that we who will chair this Commission, but the hon. Member had voted for a judge-led inquiry. We are setting an for Wellingborough (Mr Bone) mentioned the absence onerous task for the Commission. I think it was my of any women on the nomination list from this House. hon. Friend the Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann) Are we saying that there are no able hon. Ladies from who said that it would be looked at very closely by either side of the House who could sit on this Committee? members of the public, who now have very little faith in We have in the past tried to ensure that all Committees our banking system, whether because of national scandals in this House include women Members. This is an or because of their dealings with their own local banks. omission, therefore. It may be possible that all the 807 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 808 Banking Standards Banking Standards members from the House of Lords will be men, too. We Would that debar them from being appointed as an would therefore have a Committee made up entirely of adviser to the Commission? It is important that we have males, which would be very wrong. It would be right to those things laid out clearly right at the beginning. I do include a certain—female—member of the Treasury not think it is right to leave them up to the Committee Committee on the Commission. Obviously that hon. or the Chair to determine. [Interruption.] Government Lady did not fit the loyalty criteria set by the usual Members may well think that this is frivolous, but to channels, however. Her inclusion could have been useful, many of our constituents it will be very important, in especially in light of her previous life in the banking terms not only of how their money is looked after, but industry. of trying to get credibility back into a sector that is vital We are going to agree this motion tonight when we to this country’s economy. This is very important in do not know who the Lords members of the Committee terms of making sure we get it right and of the reputation will be. I agree with the position of my hon. Friend the of the Members of this House who are going to be Member for Bassetlaw: this is a slippery slope as we are serving on the Commission. agreeing to have a Joint Committee to scrutinise and make The other thing I wish to discuss is how the Commission recommendations with some members who have never is going to be financed. Paragraph (13) says that been elected—and some of whom are, perhaps, unelectable. “the costs of the Commission shall be assessed by the House of Another interesting question is what the powers of Commons Commission from time to time and shall be paid by this Committee will be. Paragraph (7)(a) states that it Her Majesty’s Government for the credit of the House of Commons will have the power to (Administration) Estimate.” “send for persons, papers and records”. We all know that, if someone wants to control the activities of a committee or any organisation, they can What will happen if an individual says, “No”? Will the starve it of money. Are we saying that this Commission Committee have the full powers of Parliament to enforce has a blank cheque? Unless it has, the Government will its will in this regard? be able to starve it of money and limit the scope of its It is also stated that witnesses will be under oath, and activities. also that the Committee will be able to appoint special Paragraph (7)(e) states that the Commission can advisers. That is very important in respect of the expertise “adjourn from place to place”. it will bring to the Committee. There is a question to be asked about a possible declaration of interests by those If a lot of foreign travel is involved, as may well be the individuals, however. Many of the people who have case, that will create an expense. Who makes the expertise in this field will have had direct involvement in determination on that in terms of the work the Commission the culture that this Committee will be examining. So does? Will the Treasury at some point try to limit it by what will be the restrictions on the appointment of saying, “I am sorry, but you have spent too much and so those advisers in respect of either their past lives or any you cannot undertake that foreign travel or employ that future involvement they may have? That needs to be expert witness to interrogate and produce the report”? spelt out from the beginning. We need to make sure that There are a lot of—[Interruption.] The hon. Member they have not got their fingers in any of the pies that for Ealing Central and Acton (Angie Bray) is chuntering this Commission is investigating. from a sedentary position, but she has only just come I do not wish to cast aspersions on any members of into the Chamber. I know that she did not have a very the Commission from this House, but we do not know good week last week, but I wish her all the best for the who its members will be from the other House. How are future. we to define declarations of interest? Are these interests The financing of the Commission will be very important, that those individuals hold now or in previous lives? If so we need some assurance that we will not have interference they are commercial interests, that will raise questions by Government in the Commission’s work by stealth—that about the impartiality of those individuals, and anything is, by starving it of the resources it needs. that does that will damage the Commission from the outset. Mr Bone: The hon. Gentleman is making serious Paragraph (7)(d) has already been mentioned. It states: points about parliamentary scrutiny, and it is great that so many Government Members are present to support “to invite specialist advisers (including Counsel appointed as specialist advisers) to examine witnesses”. him. Does he welcome this new initiative? If there is unlimited funding, if there can be counsel and if the I am not sure what that means. The normal procedure Commission can cross-examine in the same way as that Select Committees follow is that the members ask congressional committees, is that not a good thing? the questions, and questions and briefing notes are clearly written in advance by advisers. This arrangement, Mr Jones: It is—[HON.MEMBERS: “Ah!] Hon. Members however, is very different. This is about having special have not heard what I am going to say yet. I agree with advisers being able to cross-examine witnesses. So what the hon. Gentleman, but we have seen this problem with is the status of those individuals? As the hon. Member Select Committees, whose travel was limited in the previous for Wellingborough has said, that is a huge change from Parliament, hampering their work. As the Commission the way in which Select Committees have operated in will be subject to the Government’s decision on whether this House. When I served on the Select Committee on they can fund it or not, that is a very important point. If Defence we had some very able advisers, but the idea the situation will be that suggested by the hon. Gentleman, that they would cross-examine witnesses is a strange we should have the same arrangements for Select one. We need clarification on that matter. Committees. That would ensure that Select Committees What about specialist advisers and conflicts of interest? could not only employ the proper advisers—and perhaps If they are going to be counsel, we need to ask whether more of them—and see expert witnesses but undertake they have ever acted for banks or financial institutions. the detailed travel that is sometimes required. 809 Parliamentary Commission on 16 JULY 2012 Parliamentary Commission on 810 Banking Standards Banking Standards [Mr Kevan Jones] (b) lessons to be learned about corporate governance, transparency and conflicts of interest, and their implications for regulation and My other concern is paragraph (12)(b), which concerns for Government policy; the setting up of sub-committees. There is no detail and to make recommendations for legislative and other action. about how sub-committees will be set up or about their (2) That Mr Andrew Tyrie be Chair of the Commission. composition. Paragraph (12)(b) states that a sub-committee (3) That Mark Garnier, Mr Andrew Love, Mr Pat McFadden will have a quorum of one, but how big will the committees and John Thurso be members of the Commission. be? (4) That the Commission have leave to join with any committee I am very uncomfortable with the idea of a sub- appointed by the Lords to consider the said matters. committee of one person making decisions or taking (5) That the Commission may hold meetings under the provisions of paragraph (4) of this order at any time after the Lords has evidence. It should include at least one person from each agreed to appoint a committee. House: a Member from this House and one from the other House. Likewise, on the question of political (6) That the Commission shall, except as provided for in this order, follow the procedure of a select committee of this House. balance, it could include a Government Member and an Opposition Member. If we are going to have sub- (7) That the Commission shall have power— committees, surely it would be right to increase the quorum (a) to send for persons, papers and records; to at least two, one from each House, and, potentially, (b) to examine witnesses on oath; to try to get political balance. (c) to appoint specialist advisers; There are many provisions in the motion that prompt (d) to invite specialist advisers (including Counsel appointed as many questions. The hon. Member for Wellingborough specialist advisers) to examine witnesses; made a very good point, in that it sets a lot of precedents (e) to adjourn from place to place; and, I hope, sets a way forward that Select Committees (f) to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House; and can follow to draw down more resources and increase (g) to report from time to time. their powers. (8) That the Commission shall have power to appoint sub- committees to consider matters specified by the Commission I also want to raise the issue of the Commission’s within the terms of this order and a subcommittee shall have— reports. The motion states that it will (a) the powers in paragraph (7)(a), (b), (e) and (f); and “report from time to time.” (b) the power to invite specialist advisers appointed by the Who will decide? If the Commission as a whole decides Commission (including Counsel appointed as specialist advisers) to produce interim reports or short reports throughout to examine witnesses; its life, some of them will be very market sensitive. Will and the quorum of a sub-committee shall, subject to paragraph (12)(b), not the Commission have to be very cautious in what it be one member of this House. releases? I am sure that many finance houses, banks and (9) That the Chair may report to the House an order, resolution other parts of the financial sector will be looking very or Special Report as an order, resolution or Special Report of the Commission which has not been agreed at a meeting of the closely at what the Commission recommends, and it Commission if he is satisfied that he has consulted all members of could affect the share prices of those organisations. the Commission about the terms of the order, resolution or There is no guidance in the motion about how those Special Report and that it represents a decision of the majority of reports should be produced, according to what time the Commission. scale and for what reasons. (10) That the quorum of the Commission shall be two members The other question that was mentioned earlier is of this House. whether we are happy now that we have basically set up (11) That, whenever this House shall stand adjourned other a new type of Select Committee. Personally, I am not. I than to the next day, any report, Special Report, order or resolution think that this inquiry would have been far better done agreed to by, or evidence taken or received by, the Commission, including any under paragraph (9) of this order, may be published by the Treasury Committee. Obviously, those on the or printed under the authority of this House, shall be deemed to Front Bench from my own party argued strongly for a have been reported and shall be reported when this House next judicial-led inquiry, which was the right approach to get sits. confidence in the banking system. In the absence of (12) That, when the Commission operates under the provisions such an inquiry, the Treasury Committee would perhaps of paragraph (4) of this order, the following provisions shall have been a better vehicle. I worry about the precedent apply— that this sets and whether it will allow the Government (a) the quorum of the Commission shall be two members of of the day to dictate to Select Committees or hybrid this House and two members of the House of Lords; Committees. That goes to the heart of the independence (b) the quorum of any sub-committee shall be one member of those Committees and their accountability to Parliament. from either House; The Commission will have a huge job to do and I wish it and well in its deliberations, but we should undertake a (c) the power of the Chair to report under paragraph (9) may serious examination of the new system and the precedent also be exercised with the Chair’s agreement by a member of the that that sets for our Select Committees. Commission who is a member of the House of Lords. Question put and agreed to. (13) That the costs of the Commission shall be assessed by the House of Commons Commission from time to time and shall be Ordered, paid by Her Majesty’s Government for the credit of the House of (1) That a Committee of this House be established, to be called Commons (Administration) Estimate. the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards, to consider (14) That the Commission shall report on legislative action no and report on— later than 18 December 2012 and on other matters as soon as (a) professional standards and culture of the UK banking possible thereafter. sector, taking account of regulatory and competition investigations (15) That a message be sent to the House of Lords to desire into the LIBOR ratesetting process; their concurrence.—(Sir George Young.) 811 16 JULY 2012 Business Without Debate 812

Business Without Debate The petition states: The Petition of residents of Stalybridge and Hyde and the Greater Manchester area, ARRANGEMENT OF PUBLIC BUSINESS Declares that the proposals made in the second part of the Ordered, Winsor Review will have a devastating effect on the morale of frontline officers, and risk a detrimental effect on the quality That the following changes to Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of service the Police provide to the public. of public business) be made, with effect from Monday 15 October 2012: The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons – in line 19, leave out ‘or Tuesday, four o’clock on’ and insert ‘, urges the Home Secretary to reject the recommendations contained four o’clock on Tuesday or’; within the Winsor Review. – in line 20, leave out ‘three’ and insert ‘two’; and And the Petitioners remain, etc. – in line 29, leave out ‘three’ and insert ‘two’.—(Greg Hands.) [P001103] Rushden Ambulance Station (Northamptonshire) SITTINGS IN WESTMINSTER HALL (E-PETITIONS) 11.12 pm Motion made, (1) That the following changes be made to Standing Order Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): I have a No. 10 (Sittings in Westminster Hall) until the end of the next petition with 3,673 names on it, organised by a very nice session of Parliament: lady in my constituency called Mrs Dorothy Maxwell. (a) in line 3, at the end, add the following new sub-paragraph— The problem that we have in Rushden is that the East ‘(za) on Mondays beginning at half-past four o’clock and Midlands Ambulance Service is rather poor and is continuing for up to three hours, if the Backbench Business getting worse. The way that the ambulance service has Committee has reported its determination that a sitting in Westminster decided to solve that problem is to close the ambulance Hall to consider an epetition or e-petitions should take place on station. That, as might be expected, has not been universally that day;’. welcomed. (b) in line 28, at the end, add the following new paragraph— The petition reads: ‘(3B) (a) The business taken at a Monday sitting in Westminster The Humble Petition of residents of Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Hall shall be the e-petition or e-petitions which the Backbench East Northamptonshire, and surrounding areas Business Committee has determined should be debated, and each such e-petition shall be debated on the motion, That this House Sheweth, has considered the e-petition from [petitioners] relating to [subject That the proposed closure of Rushden Ambulance station will of petition]. detrimentally affect the 97,500 people that live in the local area, (b) Paragraph (10) of this Order shall not apply to proceedings reducing response time and providing an inferior service. under sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph; no dilatory motion Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House may be made in relation to proceedings under that sub-paragraph requests the Secretary of State for Health to urge the except by a Minister of the Crown; and the question on any such Northamptonshire County Council, the District Council of East dilatory motion shall be put forthwith.’ Northamptonshire and East Midlands Ambulance Service to (2) That the following new paragraph be added to Standing work together to find a solution that will allow the Rushden Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), in line 50, at the Ambulance station to remain open. end: And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc. ‘(3AA) In addition to those days allotted under paragraph (3A) [P001110] of this order, the Backbench Business Committee may determine that a sitting in Westminster Hall may be held on a Monday in Independent Pharmacy Provision (Brierley Hill, Dudley) accordance with paragraph (3) (za) of Standing Order No. 10 to consider e-petitions.’ 11.14 pm (3) That Standing Order No. 152J (Backbench Business Committee) Chris Kelly (Dudley South) (Con): It is my pleasure be amended by leaving out from ‘with’ in line 39 to ‘of’ in line 40 and inserting ‘paragraphs (3A) and (3B)’.—(Greg Hands.) to present this petition when the Minister of State, Department of Health, my right hon. Friend the Member Hon. Members: Object. for Chelmsford (Mr Burns), is on the Front Bench. I was recently contacted by Vijaykumar Lad of Kingswinford, the proprietor of Ian McArdle’s, the independent pharmacy BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS in Brierley Hill, which has been trading for more than Ordered, 40 years. Mr Lad is concerned about the number of That Mr David Ward be discharged from the Business, Innovation applications for 100-hour pharmacies in Brierley Hill, and Skills Committee and Mike Crockart be added.—(Mr Alan which he and his customers feel will threaten the survival Campbell, on behalf of the Committee of Selection.) of existing pharmacy provision there. Upon visiting McArdle’s pharmacy to meet Mr Lad PETITIONS and several of his customers, I was presented with a petition signed by more than 1,000 residents who wished Policing (Winsor Reforms) to see McArdle’s of Brierley Hill saved. I therefore present this petition to the House. 11.11 pm The petition states: The Petition of users of McArdles Pharmacy, Brierley Hill and Jonathan Reynolds (Stalybridge and Hyde) (Lab/Co-op): others, I am pleased to have chosen this evening to present this Declares that the Petitioners are concerned about proposals to petition from residents of my constituency and the allow three further pharmacies to open in Brierley Hill town neighbouring areas, prompted by a meeting that I held centre that will each trade for more than 100 hours per week, as with local police officers. the Petitioners believe that adequate pharmaceutical services are 813 Business Without Debate 16 JULY 2012 814

[Chris Kelly] NHS (Rationing of Care) already provided by the network of three well established pharmacies Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House and that these unnecessary and undesirable new pharmacies will do now adjourn.—(Greg Hands.) jeopardise the existing businesses that have provided personal care to customers for more than 40 years. The Petitioners therefore 11.15 pm request that the House of Commons urges the Government to ask Dudley Primary Care Trust to reject any application for the Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab): This opening of further pharmacies in Brierley Hill town centre. issue has already been raised today in the debate on a And the Petitioners remain, etc. motion in the main business of the House, but I believe [P001111] that the growing concern about rationing in the NHS justifies further debate tonight. For almost as long as the NHS has existed, rationing has been a matter of concern. Resources are finite, but in the past two years rationing has reached an unprecedented level; more than 125 previously free treatments have now been restricted or even stopped altogether, and they cover the full health care spectrum, from the cosmetic to the essential and all stages in between. These findings were revealed in a survey, carried out by Labour’s shadow health team, of all NHS primary care trusts and shadow clinical commissioning groups in England. It is important to state the relevance of Labour’s new NHS check, which I will refer to in my speech, because as well as conducting surveys it gathers together the views of those working in the health service and takes into account the views of those receiving the service and their families. The submissions are considered alongside evidence from freedom of information requests to produce an accurate and relevant monthly report, such as the one on rationing. Labour’s findings are backed by members of the British Medical Association who warn that creeping NHS rationing is making patients suffer unnecessarily, with people who need hip and knee replacements having to wait longer for operations while suffering in pain. GPs believe that the rationing is the result of the drive to make savings in the NHS of up to £20 billion by 2015. That is further borne out by the results of a poll conducted by the BBC in March, which found that more than four out of five GPs expect the rationing of NHS care to increase in response to financial pressure. The concerns of the medical profession are echoed by other professions in the health service. Ahead of this debate I was contacted by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, which is very concerned about the rationing of NHS physiotherapy services and has a number of examples of patient care and outcomes suffering as a result. The CSP opposed the Health and Social Care Bill and the Government’s reforms to the NHS because of concerns about the negative impact on patient care resulting from rationing and the fragmentation of services. It is particularly concerned about the “any qualified provider” model and has found that patient choice is being adversely affected by the clear rationing of treatment and access in some of the “any qualified provider” service specifications, which it has systematically reviewed. For example, in Nottinghamshire the amount of treatment prescribed is limited without regard to patient need. In other areas, no re-referrals are allowed within a six or 12-month period, also regardless of patient need. This rationing is likely to lead to increased orthopaedic referrals and unnecessary surgical interventions. The CSP has further concerns about the impact of the “any qualified provider” model, including a reduction in patient choice and the quality of care, the loss of clinically and cost-effective innovations such as self-referral 815 NHS (Rationing of Care)16 JULY 2012 NHS (Rationing of Care) 816 to physiotherapy, the negative impact on the physiotherapy where new criteria require that a patient must complain profession and the risk of conflicts of interest among of intense or severe symptomatology and have a BMI of private providers. Those are all legitimate concerns from less than 40 to be listed for a knee replacement. a respected professional body, so I hope that the Minister Evidence also showed, alarmingly, that PCTs and will address them specifically with the society. CCGs are diverging from the NICE guidelines, as in The Minister has denied the relevance of the shadow NHS Bassetlaw, where needle fasciotomy for Dupuytren’s Health team’s extensive survey, the NHS check, but contracture is considered only if the patient is aged over perhaps he should reconsider his opinion of it, because 45 and has a loss of extension in one or more joints the survey’s findings mirror those of GP magazine, exceeding 25°, or if the patient is under 45 years old and which gathered evidence under the Freedom of Information has a greater than 10° loss of extension in two or more Act, showing that 90% of primary care trusts were joints. However, the NICE guidelines do not refer to imposing restrictions. The magazine received responses degree of loss of extension or any specific age criteria, from two thirds of England’s 151 trusts on the procedures other than to say that the procedure would be more that they considered to be non-urgent. The most common appropriate in older people. restriction was on tonsillectomies, but there was rationing Equally alarming are the findings that show that in other areas, too. patients now have to pay for treatments that had been free. In a surgery in Yorkshire, patients needing treatments Mr Jamie Reed (Copeland) (Lab): Will my hon. Friend for cysts, skin lesions and in-growing toenails were told give way? that they were no longer available on the NHS. But the practice had established a private company to offer Mrs Glindon: I will. those minor operations at a cost: £56.30 for the removal of a small cyst; £126 for larger cysts; £146.95 for the removal of an in-growing toenail; and £243 for the Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans): Order. Youcan removal of a non-cancerous mole. make an intervention, Mr Reed, but not from the Opposition Front Bench. If you step up to another Bench, In response to the GP magazine report, the Minister you may intervene from there. said: “It is quite unacceptable if this is going on in all those cases. As you’ll appreciate, it is a complex issue. But the defining point is Mr Reed: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I trust that people should be treated on clinical need, and not financial that this is in order. considerations.” Will my hon. Friend join me in asking the Minister, The findings of the BMA, the concerns of other health who has indicated that he will not take interventions professionals, such as the Chartered Society of from me this evening, whether he will undertake a Physiotherapy, and the results of Labour’s in-depth nationwide investigation into the clear rationing that is survey all point to the fact that, because of increasing occurring in the NHS, and whether the Government rationing, people are being treated on the basis not of will publish a list of procedures in which the eligibility clinical need, but of financial considerations. criteria for treatment are now being changed? Will she join me also in asking the Government to act where Will the Minister respond positively to Labour’s call various NHS organisations are breaching NICE guidelines for an immediate review of rationing in the NHS and on treatments offered to patients? act immediately on the new evidence showing treatment restriction on cost alone? How will he ensure that national guidelines can be implemented? Will he take Mrs Glindon: I certainly will, and my hon. Friend action, pending the outcome of the review, to reverse may find that at the end of my speech I reiterate some of immediately rationing decisions that leave patients in what he has said. severe pain, restrict mobility, limit their ability to live There is rationing in other areas, too, with 66% of independently or have a major psychological impact? trusts limiting cataract surgery and more than half Will the Government initiate a public debate on whether rationing weight-loss surgery and hip and knee operations. all other treatments should be provided by the NHS, Dr Richard Vautrey of the British Medical Association rather than allowing them to be restricted in a random describes the situation as a “cost-saving exercise”, saying fashion? quite rightly: “Patients fully understand the NHS doesn’t have unlimited Mr Reed: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for letting resources...but they don’t understand, or believe it’s fair, when me intervene once more. Will she also join me in asking services are provided in one area but not another.” the Minister to publish whatever assessment must have The Labour party’s survey provides evidence of random been made into the claims forthcoming from the freedom rationing throughout the NHS, and of an accelerating of information requests shown to the Department of postcode lottery.A number of rationed or decommissioned Health? Will she join me in asking the Government to treatments are common across several PCTs and clinical publish that assessment of those claims? commissioning groups, while some are specific to individual PCTs and CCGs. That demonstrates the wide variation Mrs Glindon: I certainly join my hon. Friend in asking throughout the country. the Government to publish the assessment. The survey found that rationing of treatment varies In denying the findings of Labour’s survey of rationing from capping, as in NHS South West Essex and NHS and the supporting evidence from the BMA and other South East Essex, where a cap has been placed on the professional bodies working in the NHS, the Government community diabetes service, to restricting treatment are denying the people of this country the full NHS based on age or clinical need, as in NHS Warwickshire, service that they deserve and have contributed towards. 817 NHS (Rationing of Care)16 JULY 2012 NHS (Rationing of Care) 818

Julie Hilling (Bolton West) (Lab): I am listening with she was here for the earlier debate, so she might not great interest to my hon. Friend’s speech. Does the have heard me describe it as being as worthless as the decrease in care free at the point of delivery match the piece of paper that Chamberlain brought back from increase in the care that is then paid for by patients? Are Munich. In the course of my comments, I will outline the hospitals now offering all that care to people as long why that is. as they pay for it? As I said, the core principle of the NHS is that it is a comprehensive health service, free at the point of use Mrs Glindon: I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. for all those eligible to use it. That principle remains as As I have outlined, one of the terrible things is that true and relevant today as it was when the NHS legislation people have to pay.However, in some instances, treatment was passed in 1946 and enacted in July 1948, and it will is simply not available any longer. remain true in the years and decades to come for as long Finally, I should say that my party accepts that there as the three main political parties continue to subscribe has to be a debate on some treatments that are of to that core belief. borderline value, but that debate should be part of a Before I move on to the specific accusations of rationing national review. I hope the Minister will respond positively that the hon. Lady makes, may I first point out that it is to the request for an immediate review, allow a full and this Government who are protecting NHS budgets and positive debate to begin, and arbitrary and unfair rationing increasing the amount of money available to the NHS in the NHS to end. by £12.5 billion over the course of this Parliament? It was the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) 11.28 pm who described such a commitment as “irresponsible”—a The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr Simon comment that I find particularly bizarre coming from a Burns): I congratulate the hon. Member for North Labour shadow Health Secretary. Tyneside (Mrs Glindon) on securing this debate and May I ask what the hon. Lady’s party is doing where the shadow Minister, the hon. Member for Copeland it is in control of the NHS? Is it increasing spending, or (Mr Reed), for more or less keeping a straight face is it cutting it by 6.5%? The lucky escape of the NHS in during the course of it. England is that it has growing budgets under this Government compared with falling budgets had her Mr Reed: For the Minister’s delectation, I should say party won at the last election. If the hon. Lady, who that it is exceptionally hard to keep a straight face when looks a bit perturbed, does not understand what I am he is in the Chamber. talking about, I can tell her that I am referring to what is happening under a Labour Government in Wales Mr Burns: I am extremely grateful. I take that as a who are cutting the NHS budget—a warning to anyone compliment, because I would hate to reduce the hon. living in England. Gentleman to tears. Of course the financial challenge is a difficult one. On As the hon. Lady and other hon. Members well know, its own, the extra £12.5 billion will not be enough to cost-based rationing of the sort that she has described is cover the growing demand for NHS services. It is vital not permitted and not condoned. that we get the most value—the very best health outcomes, as we like to say—out of every single penny that taxpayers Debbie Abrahams (Oldham East and Saddleworth) spend, by cutting out waste and focusing more on (Lab): Will the Minister give way? prevention. It is true that the hon. Lady’s party recognised this too. When Labour was in office, it established Mr Burns: No, I will not; I am going to make some NICE—the National Institute for Health and Clinical progress. This is not the hon. Lady’s debate and I have Excellence—to help the NHS to improve patient care only just started. within the finite resources available to it in order to ensure If the hon. Member for North Tyneside or any other value for money. Through its world-class commissioning member of her party or of the public brought forth programme, it rewarded commissioners for setting priorities. genuine evidence of cost-based rationing—blanket bans Furthermore, it first recognised the scale of the £20 billion on treatment—this Government would act decisively to gap between funding and demand that emerged in 2009. stamp it out, but the fact is that so far we have been The result was the QIPP agenda—quality, innovation, brought no such convincing evidence of that. productivity and prevention—with its focus on improving The core principle underpinning the NHS is that it is patient care, increasing innovation and gaining greater a comprehensive health service, available to all, free at accountability. the point of use and based on need and not ability to Since then, the world has changed. Thanks to the pay. That principle is enshrined in the NHS constitution horrendous mess in which the hon. Lady’s Government and reaffirmed in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. left the nation’s finances, the NHS faces one of the toughest financial settlements in its history, even with Mrs Glindon: Does the Minister therefore disagree its protected budget. That is one reason why the Health with all that has been said by the BMA and other and Social Care Act was so vital. To get the best care for professionals about their concerns about the rationing patients during a difficult financial settlement, we needed that is taking place? Does he doubt them? Does he to put clinicians in control—making the connection think that the thousands of people who have contacted between clinical and financial decisions, always putting Labour’s health check are not telling the truth? patients’ interests first, and always looking for value for money. Mr Burns: It is not a question of not telling the truth. In future, local priorities will be determined by local If the hon. Lady waits, I will deal with the NHS health clinicians, not by administrative organisations that check that she has mentioned. I am not sure whether lack sufficient clinical input and are cut off from 819 NHS (Rationing of Care)16 JULY 2012 NHS (Rationing of Care) 820 patients. Commissioning decisions will be based on a Julie Hilling: I have listened very carefully to the far deeper understanding of local need, with clinical Minister, who is saying that he does not believe the commissioning groups working with health and reports are true. Does he feel, however, that he ought to wellbeing boards, local authorities and key community do more investigation? The BMA’s research and other organisations to meet the needs of their local population. research makes these points, whereas he simply says he There will be better, more effective, more efficient care has spoken to one commissioning group. They say that for patients. there is no smoke without fire, and it seems to me that Let me address directly the accusations of rationing. the Government ought to take these allegations seriously We are clear that it is completely unacceptable for and investigate properly what is happening. commissioners to impose blanket bans on treatments. That is set out in case law and in Department of Health Mr Burns: Of course the Government take these policy, which requires commissioners to allow exceptions allegations very seriously, which is why my officials rang in individual circumstances. We are also clear that NHS Hull to ask about wrist ganglia and were amazed commissioners must never restrict access to treatments to be told that there were no restrictions as described in on the basis of cost alone. That message was reiterated the Labour party’s political leaflet. [Interruption.] If in a letter from Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth medical director, to the medical directors of strategic (Debbie Abrahams) will just hush for a minute, I will health authorities as recently as September 2011. He answer the question. I am always very pleasant to her, emphasised that any decision to restrict access to a as she knows from experience. treatment or intervention must be justified by a patient’s I have personally made checks on two allegations about individual circumstances. By that, I mean not their rationing, one in south-east Essex, south of my constituency, financial circumstances, but their clinical circumstances and one that I believe from memory was in Bedfordshire. and condition. My officials investigated both claims, which arose out Since then, my ministerial colleagues and I have of a meeting that I had with a clinician, and both claims reiterated the message in our communications with the were untrue. There had been a mistaken understanding service that treatments available on the NHS are based of what was going on, and there was no rationing based on clinical need; that there should never be any arbitrary on cost. The conditions in each trust were quite specific, rationing based on cost, either locally or nationally; and and cases were determined on clinical grounds. that we will take action against any organisation found I also looked into one example after reading a story to be arbitrarily restricting treatment without clinical in my local newspaper about what was allegedly going justification. on in the mid-Essex primary care trust, which is now part of the north Essex cluster. It was to do with the As hon. Lady said, the Labour party recently made a treatment of people suffering from overweight. Again, series of serious accusations in its NHS health check— the story was inaccurate. There was no truth in the accusations that services are being restricted or allegation that the trust was refusing to treat smokers or decommissioned without clinical justification. Had the people who were overweight. They were treated, providing hon. Lady done some rudimentary checking of her that it was clinically safe to do so. The three specific own, she would quickly have come to the same conclusion allegations that I have investigated, both myself and that we did: that such claims are nonsense dreamed up through my officials, have proved to be untrue. in Labour party headquarters. As I said earlier, we have had officials look at the The NHS health check claimed that there was a Labour party’s political document because, on the face blanket ban by NHS Hull on the removal of wrist of it, it raised serious allegations that merited investigation. ganglia. We spoke with NHS Hull. There is no such I am afraid that the examples that I have given have not ban. The health check claimed that 11 out of 100 primary met the reality of the headline claims. care trusts or clinical commissioning groups restricted laser revision surgery for scars, but such cosmetic surgery Mr Reed: I appreciate the confidence that the Minister has never been routinely available on the NHS, either is showing in refuting the evidence put to him based on in the lifetime of the coalition Government or in the freedom of information requests to the PCTs in question. 13 years of the last Labour Government. The position He mentioned three cases out of 125. When will he assess has not changed one iota since the Government came to the remaining 122, and will he publish that assessment? power. The NHS health check claimed that weight-loss surgery Mr Burns: This debate is half an hour long, and I is restricted. It states: have been fortunate enough to have 15 minutes. We have “patients generally have to be over 18 and have a BMI over a investigated all the claims, but it would not be in the certain level to receive weight loss surgery”. interests of the hon. Member for North Tyneside, or Incredibly, people have to be overweight before they will possible in the time allowed, for me to go through all of be considered for weight loss surgery. To me, that seems them. I have been assured that the evidence that Labour perfectly logical. Why would the NHS want to treat claimed to have in its party political document does not people who were not overweight? From reading the live up to the hyperbole of the hon. Member for Copeland Opposition’s NHS health check, it appears that the or the shadow Secretary of State. Opposition define rationing as a clinician denying treatment Appropriate, clinically based decisions about the setting to a patient who has no clinical need for it. That is of priorities will continue to be taken by commissioners patently ridiculous. Treatments available on the NHS in the NHS. However, by shifting decision making to are based on clinical need. As I said, there should never local clinicians, we will ensure that those decisions are be any arbitrary rationing based on cost, either locally fair, transparent and based on the best clinical evidence. or nationally. Such practices are totally unacceptable. Treatment should never be restricted without clinical 821 NHS (Rationing of Care)16 JULY 2012 NHS (Rationing of Care) 822

[Mr Simon Burns] Question put and agreed to. justification, and I say again that we will take action should any genuine evidence emerge that that is occurring. We regard it as unacceptable as Opposition Members 11.44 pm do; the trouble is, the evidence that they have come up with so far does not live up to the claims that they make House adjourned. about it. 95WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 96WS Written Ministerial Revenue Forecast for Environmental Taxes Actual Actual Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Raised Raised Forecast Forecast Forecast Forecast Statements Tax 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Climate £0.7bn £0.7bn £0.7bn £0.7bn £0.7bn £0.8bn Change Monday 16 July 2012 Levy Aggregates £0.3bn £0.3bn £0.3bn £0.3bn £0.3bn £0.3bn Levy Landfill £1.1bn £1.1bn £1.1bn £1.2bn £1.5bn £1.6bn Tax TREASURY EU ETS £0.4bn £0.3bn £0.7bn £1.5bn £1.6bn £1.7bn Carbon 0 £0.7bn £0.7bn £0.8bn £1.0bn £1.0bn Reduction Environmental Taxes Commitment Carbon 0 0 0 £0.6bn £1bn £1.2bn Price The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Miss Chloe Floor Smith): A simple efficient and cost-effective policy Total £2.5bn £3.1bn £3.5bn £5.1bn £6.1bn £6.6bn framework will meet environmental objectives while supporting growth and maintaining a sound fiscal position. Market-based solutions to price carbon are at the heart of this approach, achieving objectives at the lowest 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 possible cost. Tax policy will be developed in the context Total Revenue from £2.5bn £3.1bn £3.5bn £5.1bn £6.1bn £6.6bn of wider Government levers (such as voluntary agreements Environmental and regulations) and overlap of policy instruments will Taxes (£bn) be avoided. Total Tax Forecast £550.8 £570.4 £591.5 £622.5 £658.4 £692.0 Receipts (£ bn) The Government classify environmental taxes as those Proportion of total 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 0.8% 0.9% 1.0% that meet all of the following three principles: tax receipts Environmental Impacts from Budget 2012 announcements by year The tax is explicitly linked to the Government’s environmental objectives; and Impact from 0 0 -£15m +£60m +£30m +£30m Budget 2012 The primary objective of the tax is to encourage environmentally (already included positive behaviour change; and above) The tax is structured in relation to environmental objectives—for Based on Budget 2012 forecasts including impact of Budget 2012 announcements. example, the more polluting the behaviour, the greater the Total Revenues as % of GDP = 0.2% (2011/12) tax levied. The Government have defined the following as environmental taxes based on these principles. These Revenue Raising Taxes and Fiscal Instruments with taxes will form the baseline for the proportion of tax Environmental Benefits revenues from environmental taxes, against which the Government will be assessed against the coalition’s In addition, the Government believe that the design commitment to increase the proportion of tax revenue and structure of other taxes can play a role in achieving accounted for by environmental taxes: the coalition commitment. Climate Change Levy; Aggregates Levy; These are taxes and fiscal instruments which are primarily designed to raise revenue or to achieve other Landfill Tax; objectives, and therefore do not qualify as environmental EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS); taxes on the basis of the Government’s three principles. Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme; However these instruments may have an environmental Carbon Price Support. impact due to behavioural change and in some cases may be explicitly designed to do so. On that basis, the Building on the baseline established here for Government believe that it is important to make reference environmental taxation, the Government will continue to the revenue (or revenue forgone) of transport taxes, to explore opportunities to further green the tax system levies and exemptions/reliefs in its overall assessment of over the course of this Parliament. There are a number environmental taxation. of environmental priorities which could be pursued through the tax system including: For example, vehicle excise duty is primarily a revenue Climate change mitigation; carbon reduction; energy efficiency. raising tax but is, for cars bought new after 2001, Climate change adaptation; water efficiency, water quality in structured to incentivise the purchase of cars with lower the environment (diffuse pollution), flood mitigation. CO2 emissions. Other taxes may include reliefs or Environmental protection and improvement: waste reduction, exemptions which promote environmentally positive protection of virgin resource, biodiversity, air quality. behaviour change but within a wider set of objectives. Any options considered will be assessed against the We will continue to explore opportunities to improve, fundamental priority of deficit reduction and strategic update and reform revenue-raising taxes to increase aim of simplification. their environmental benefits. 97WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 98WS

Examples of Revenue-Raising Taxes and Fiscal Instruments with Secondary public service pensions. Those reforms will allow the Environmental Benefits major unfunded public service pension schemes to provide Actual Actual Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue Revenue pension benefits to employees of new and existing NDPBs Raised Raised Forecast Forecast Forecast Forecast with unfunded pension schemes. In future, new bespoke Tax 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 schemes for NDPBs will be allowed only in compelling Vehicle £5.8bn £5.8bn £5.9bn £5.8bn £5.8bn £5.8bn circumstances, provided they follow Lord Mutton’s design Excise recommendations. The Government will consider further Duty how to reform funded defined benefit schemes in line Fuel Duty £27.3bn £26.9bn £27.3bn £28.1bn £28.9bn £30.1bn with Lord Mutton’s recommendations. Funded defined Air £2.2bn £2.7bn £2.9bn £3.0bn £3.3bn £3.5bn contribution schemes will not be reformed as part of Passenger Duty this process as they do not impose liabilities on the Company £1.8bn £1.9bn £2bn £2.1bn £2.3bn £2.6bn Exchequer. A provisional list of existing NDPBs’ pension Car Tax schemes due for reform will be published when the Bill Fuel £0.4bn £0.4bn £0.4bn £0.5bn £0.5bn £0.5bn is introduced. Benefit Charge The Government will honour in full the accrued Van Fuel £10m £10m £10m £10m £10m £10m rights earned by all scheme members and, where applicable, Benefit will maintain the final salary link for past service for Charge current members. Members of NDPB pension schemes Van £65m £65m £65m £65m £65m £65m will also benefit from my announcement on 2 November Benefit Charge 2011 that no-one within 10 years of retirement on Feed in £0.0bn £0.2bn £0.5bn 0.7bn 0.8bn £0.9bn 1 April 2012 will see any change in when they can retire Tariffs* nor any decrease in the amount of pension they receive, Renewable £0.5bn £0.6bn £0.8bn £1.0bn £1.2bn £1.4bn Official Report, 2 November 2011, columns 928-29. * Obligations Once the major scheme reforms are settled, we will Total £38.1bn £38.6bn £39.9bn £41.3bn £42.9bn £44.9bn look to begin discussions with NDPB staff and their Total Tax £550.8 £570.4 £591.5 £622.5 £658.4 £692.0 Forecast representatives, whom we invite to work with the Receipts Government to ensure the changes are introduced as (£bn) effectively as possible no later than 5 April 2018. Proportion 6.9% 6.8% 6.7% 6.6% 6.5% 6.5% of total tax receipts Exemption/ Not costed separately but are classed as revenue foregone. Reliefs These include: Enhanced Capital Allowances; Landlord Energy BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS with Saving Allowance and Capital Allowance for thermal insulation environmental of buildings. benefits Based on Budget 2012 forecasts Retail and Manufacturing Consultation *Based on OBR forecast (Government Response) The Government’s definition compared to the ONS definition of environmental taxes The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, The Office for National Statistics (ONS), OECD Innovation and Skills (Norman Lamb): The Government and EuroStat all follow the same broad definition of are committed under the red tape challenge to reduce environmental related taxes but all three include different the burden of regulation which acts as a barrier to sets of taxes within that definition. growth. Unnecessary regulation has to be removed especially The Government also accept this broad definition if it is outdated and no longer applies. but the Government’s definition focuses on the taxes We are today laying before the House two statutory that are explicitly environmental (e.g. climate change instruments which will revoke 13 measures identified levy, landfill tax, aggregates levy etc) and those that are under the retail and manufacturing themes of the red environmentally related but primarily revenue raising tape challenge. Three of these measures were introduced (e.g. fuel duty, air passenger duty, vehicle excise duty to revoke previous instruments. etc). Many of these statutory instruments were introduced to tackle a specific problem relating to a particular Non-departmental Public Body (Pension Reform) product such as safety issues arising from hood cords on outer clothing or safety standards for prams and pushchairs. While these regulations may be very effective The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Danny Alexander): at stamping out the problem they were designed to The Government accepted the recommendations of Lord tackle, they are not flexible enough to deal with new Mutton’s Independent Public Service Pensions Commission products or practices. The revocation of these measures (IPSPC) as the basis for discussion with unions on the is beneficial as some of them are based on standards reform of public service pensions, Official Report,23March which are redundant. 2011, column 951. The Mutton pension reform process was explicitly applicable to public service pensions in The removal of these measures will not reduce general, including non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) consumers’ protections but increase clarity and make and other types of public bodies as the interim IPSPC the law for business and consumers more straightforward. report (page 134) made clear. As announced in the Prescriptive regulations in the areas covered are no Queen’s Speech on 9 May, the Government intend to longer necessary and this was the general view highlighted bring forward legislation during the current parliamentary in the consultation responses. The General Product Session to provide a consistent legal framework for Safety Regulations 2005 protect consumers from products 99WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 100WS which are not safe for use, provided the supporting the opportunity of comparing various characteristics of European standards offer an acceptable level of safety the population and, owing to a high degree of consistency protection. In addition to this the issue of price fixing is between censuses, allows the measurement of change now covered by the Competition Act 1998 which deals over time. with agreements and practices which prevent, restrict or The results of the 2011 census for England and distort competition. Wales, which will in total comprise many hundreds of A full list of the statutory instruments to be revoked detailed tabulations designed to meet a wide range of is as follows: users’ needs, are being published in a series of phased Bunk Beds (Entrapment Hazards) (Safety) Regulations 1987 releases over the next 12 months. This first release will (SI 1987/1337) establish the new baseline for ONS’s population estimates Children’s Clothing (Hood Cords) Regulations 1976 (SI 1976/2) for the next 10 years, and will help to determine the Imitation Dummies (Safety) Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/2923) allocation of future local government funding. The Wheeled Child Conveyances (Safety) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/ release covers estimates of: 2866) the usually resident population by single years of age and Gas cooking Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/149) five-year age bands, by sex for England and Wales together, for England and for Wales; Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Regulations 1991 (SI 1991/2693) Gas Catalytic Heaters (Safety) Regulations 1984 (SI 1984/1802) the usually resident population by five-year age bands, by sex for regions, counties and local authority areas; All-Terrain Motor Vehicle (Safety) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989/ 2288) the number of households for England and Wales together, for England, for Wales and for regions, counties and local Cooking Utensils (Safety) Regulations 1972 (SI 1972/1957) authority areas; Indication of Prices (Beds) Order 1978 (SI 1978/1716) the number of non-UK short-term residents for local authority Child Resistant Packaging and Tactile Danger Warnings areas. (Safety) (Revocation) Regulations 1992 (SI 1992/2620) Stands for Carry-cots (Safety) (Revocation) Regulations 1996 The final figures show that the usually resident population (SI 1996/2756) of England and Wales was 56,076,000, an increase of Magnetic Toys (Safety) (Revocation) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/ 7% since 2001. The response rate to the census was 94 % 1347) nationally, representing a small improvement on the The Government are currently looking in more detail 2001 census. However, response rates have improved at the following regulations which were also included in markedly in many of the areas that were found to be the consultation. We intend to do a separate Government most challenging in the 2001 census. The published response on them in due course. results make full allowance for those people who did not complete a census form. Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1554) Pencils and Graphic Instruments (Safety) Regulations 1998 Although additional processing has been carried out (SI 1998/2406) this time, and an intense programme of quality assurance has been undertaken, publication of these figures is six weeks ahead of the corresponding report from the 2001 census. These first results are being made publicly available CABINET OFFICE via the ONS website and are accompanied by a range of supporting information, including the response rate for 2011 Census Results (England and Wales) each local authority area. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency will today publish a similar but separate first release The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster from the census in Northern Ireland. The first release General (Mr Francis Maude): The 22nd decennial census from the census in Scotland will be published by the of population for England and Wales was taken on National Records of Scotland in December. 27 March 2011. Today, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes the first results in a report that I have Further releases over the next 12 months will cover laid before the House this morning. the more detailed results. Within these, data from the full range of questions included in the census will be Everyone in the country uses public services at various cross-analysed and presented for a range of geographies times—such as schools, health services, roads, public down to the lowest level—“census output area” (an transport, job centres and libraries. These services need output area is, on average, 125 households or 250 people). to be planned to keep pace with the changing demographics Strict measures of statistical disclosure control will be of the country. Government, local authorities, the health applied to each release to ensure that no individual service, the education and academic community, commercial person or household will be identified from the information business, professional organisations and the public at released. large all need reliable information on the number and characteristics of people and households if they are to In line with Government policy on open data, these conduct their activities effectively. This need is currently later releases will be available via the ONS website in a best met by conducting a census every 10 years covering format that will make it easy for organisations and the whole of the population, and by updating the individuals to use the detailed results in their own population estimates each year from the census benchmark. systems and websites, increasing the use and exploitation Throughout the UK, broadly the same questions are of the census results. asked and the information recorded in the same way. As part of the preparations for the future, the Office This allows the comparison of different groups of people for National Statistics last year instigated a review of a and small areas across the entire nation. It also provides number of different methods of collecting demographic 101WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 102WS and socio-economic data from a variety of sources with Taking into account the evidence—including the recently the aim of providing a viable alternative methodology published report by the Political and Constitutional for collecting census data. The outcome of that review Reform Committee on the Government’s proposals—we will be reported in 2014 in time to implement plans will now develop revised policy proposals with the by 2021. intention of publishing a White Paper and draft Bill during this Session of Parliament. As part of this process, Government officials intend to meet with a number of respondents to make sure that their points DEFENCE have been fully understood and would be open to meeting any other respondents if they request to do so. Logistic Commodities and Services (Transformation) This document is available to download at: www.official- documents.gov.uk. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are available in the Vote Office. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Peter Luff): I can today announce the launch of an initial phase of a planned transformation project within ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS Logistic Commodities and Services (LCS), part of defence equipment and support. Flooding The primary role for LCS is to provide support to military operations and force generation by undertaking procurement and inventory management of all non- explosive commodity items, including food, clothing, The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and fuel, and medical supplies. This also involves the storage Rural Affairs (Mrs Caroline Spelman): Over recent weeks and distribution of these commodity items, together we have seen exceptional amounts of rainfall, culminating with all other non-explosive stock across defence. in the flooding seen in June and most recently over the past couple of weeks. The period from April to June has The transformation project aims to consider how we been the wettest on record and the Government and can improve inventory management and stock control, other agencies have mounted a co-ordinated response in rationalise current stock holdings, improve and rationalise the face of this unseasonal weather. storage infrastructure (releasing surplus for disposal), improve commodity procurement and logistic processes, Earlier in July, areas of south and east Devon received and optimise the size of the LCS organisation. Under the average rainfall for the whole of July in only 18 hours, the current model, each commodity area operates in with up to 50 mm recorded. Recent flooding has been isolation. The storage infrastructure itself requires exacerbated by the wet ground conditions from the investment to improve its condition and to rationalise exceptionally wet weather through June. the numerous dispersed locations. We estimate the number of properties affected in This initial phase of the project, the assessment phase, England to be at least 3,000, but as final numbers are has now commenced and will explore the alternative collated across the impacted areas this could rise to delivery models available and whether these would represent 4,000. Our sympathies are with all those who have value for money. This work will explore two options for suffered flooding, especially those in the worst affected delivering support in the future; industry integration areas including Crawshawbooth, Todmorden, Hebden and an in-house developed value for money benchmark. Bridge, Mytholmroyd and Dorset. The Environment No decisions on the final operating model or locations Agency estimates that 80 properties were flooded over will be made until the assessment phase is complete. the weekend in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and This phase will take a minimum of 12 months to Shropshire. I know that local communities are pulling complete. The formal process of TU consultation will together as the recovery operation begins in earnest, be followed throughout the project. and I hope that all will be able to return to their homes as soon as possible. The Government have activated the Bellwin scheme of emergency financial assistance to help local authorities DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER affected by the recent floods with the immediate costs associated with protecting life and property in their areas. Exceptionally, the scheme will reimburse local “Introducing a Statutory Register of Lobbyists” authorities for 100% of their eligible costs above threshold, (Summary of Responses) instead of the standard 85% as stated in the Bellwin scheme guidance. This is in recognition of the particular circumstances around these floods and will give the The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr Mark affected local authorities assurance that such costs will Harper): On 20 January 2012, the Government issued be reimbursed. the Cabinet Office’s consultation document “Introducing Protecting our communities against flooding is a a Statutory Register of Lobbyists”. The consultation vital area of the work of Government, and I am pleased closed on 20 April. to say that during the events in June and July to date, I am pleased to announce that a summary of responses the Environment Agency estimates that at least 37,000 to the Government’s consultation document “Introducing properties in England have been protected which would a Statutory Register of Lobbyists”, has been published otherwise have flooded, through a combination of flood today, which sets out our next steps in terms of policy defences, maintenance work, storage basins and temporary development. defence measures. An example of the benefit of recently 103WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 104WS completed flood defences is Carlisle—devastatingly flooded Afghanistan between 30 June and 3 July to press the in 2005—which has now been saved twice from serious Afghan Government to commit to key reforms in the flooding since the defences were built. In addition, run up to the Tokyo conference. flood warnings have been issued to over 167,000 properties. An Extraordinary Session of the Afghan Parliament In our changing climate, we will never be able to was held on 21 June to debate governance and corruption completely prevent flooding as we have seen this past issues. Over 150 MPs and Senators attended, even though fortnight, and also In June. However, through the excellent the Session was held during the Afghan Parliament preparations and work of front-line responders, including recess. This was the first time that such a Session had the police, fire service, local authorities and the Environment taken place. Agency, and the investment being made by Government, I am placing the report in the Library of the House. we are better prepared for flooding than ever before. It will also be published on the Foreign and Commonwealth The Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food Office website (www.fco.gov.uk). and Rural Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Richard Benyon) who is responsible for the natural environment and the Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, my hon. Friend HEALTH the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) will be giving a technical briefing for MPs from relevant affected constituencies this afternoon. Strategic Needs Assessment and Joint Health and With the immediate outlook continuing unsettled, Wellbeing Strategies further flooding is a possibility and the Government and relevant agencies remain vigilant. People should continue to be alert to forecasts and warnings, and be The Minister of State, Department of Health (Paul prepared to respond if required. Burstow): We will be publishing a consultation document seeking views on draft statutory guidance on the preparation of Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies during the summer recess. FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE “Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies”—draft guidance”will be placed in the Library at the appropriate time. The document Afghanistan (Monthly Report) will also available electronically at: www.dh.gov.uk/health/ category/publications/consultations/. Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth and Wellbeing Strategies are about the NHS, local Affairs (Mr William Hague): I wish to inform the House government and communities working together to improve that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, together health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce inequalities. with the Ministry of Defence and the Department The purpose of statutory guidance in relation to this is for International Development, is today publishing the to: 19th progress report on developments in Afghanistan lay out the statutory duties, which underpin Joint Strategic since November 2010. Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies On 1 July three UK servicemen were shot and killed to be undertaken by clinical commissioning groups and local by a member of the Afghan police as they left an authorities through health and wellbeing boards from April 2013; Afghan check point in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province. An Afghan policeman was detained explain how Joint Strategic Needs Assessments, Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies and commissioning plans fit together following the attack and an investigation into the incident in the modernised health and care system; and has been launched. This tragic event will be reported on set out how the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and Joint fully in July’s statement. Health and Wellbeing Strategy process will enable the NHS In June the UK continued to support job creation and local government, working with their community and and private sector development in Afghanistan, including partner organisations, to make real improvements to the in Helmand. Through our support to Mercy Corps health and wellbeing outcomes of local people. more than 1,500 male and female students graduated We will be consulting on the draft guidance to ensure from technical and vocational education and training that it is clear and fit for purpose in supporting health courses in June. The International Monetary Fund and wellbeing boards in undertaking Joint Strategic (IMF) board approved the first review of Afghanistan’s Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing programme of support, but more work needs to be Strategies from April 2013. It is also an opportunity to done by the Afghan Government to progress key reforms. seek views on what further supportive materials health This approval is vital for giving donors the confidence and wellbeing boards would find useful in undertaking to make long-term funding commitments at the Tokyo Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health conference. Full details of outcomes of the Tokyo and Wellbeing Strategies; which the Department can conference will be covered in the July report. work with sector-leaders to develop. The Kabul ministerial conference on the Istanbul This consultation will take place over the shortened process took place on 14 June. I attended, together with period of eight weeks due to the fact that the Department Foreign Ministers from the region and supporting countries. undertook engagement with health and wellbeing boards The conference endorsed key confidence building measures earlier in the year to inform this guidance. We will be in security, development and economic affairs. The publishing the consultation during summer recess to be Secretary of State for International Development visited able to support emerging health and wellbeing boards 105WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 106WS as they refresh their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments I am pleased to announce my Department has now and develop Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies in legally incorporated “The Police ICT Company Ltd.”, order to underpin their commissioning plans ready for a company limited by guarantee. The company is jointly April 2013. owned by the Association of Police Authorities (APA) Once underway the consultation period for will be and the Home Office. The owners are appointing open for eight weeks. 12 directors from the policing community to form the board of directors of the company so the company will be police-led. The board of directors will be responsible Sector Regulation - Consultation and Implementation for electing a chair and recommending the appointment of an interim CEO. The APA ownership will transfer to Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley): ownership in November, thus providing continuity through Today I have published “Sector regulation: update on the transition. plans for consultation and implementation”. The purpose of The Police ICT Company at this Following Royal Assent of the Health and Social stage, through its board of directors, is to provide Care Act 2012, the Department of Health and Monitor governance and oversight of the activities necessary to are working on proposals on matters relating to make the company fully operational after PCCs are implementation of the Act’s provisions on sector regulation. elected. These activities include generating the long-term A number of consultation documents will be published ownership group, agreeing the governance of the ownership over the next year, setting out these proposals and group and development of the business plan and asking for views. organisational design. Today’s document describes what the various consultation The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) documents will cover and sets out the expected timing functions transferring to the new company in due course of the consultations. It is designed to ensure that all (the Home Office in the interim) will include: ICT strategy, those with an interest are aware of and able to read and ICT contract management, procurement and service respond to the consultations. The document also sets management, and the management and implementation the consultations in context by recapping the aims and of ICT projects and programmes. key components of the health and care modernisation programme as a whole, and of sector regulation in Domestic Violence particular. “Sector regulation: update on plans for consultation and implementation” has been placed in the Library. The Secretary of State for the Home Department Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote (Mrs Theresa May): From today we will be piloting a Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper domestic violence disclosure scheme in Gwent and Wiltshire Office. police force areas, and in Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire police force areas by no later than Monday 10 September 2012. The pilot will test a process for enabling the police to HOME DEPARTMENT disclose to the public information about previous violent offending by a new or existing partner where this may help protect them from violent offending. There will be The Police ICT Company two elements to the disclosure scheme. The first will be triggered by a request by a member of the public (“right to ask”). The second will be triggered by the police where they make a proactive decision to disclose the The Secretary of State for the Home Department information in order to protect a potential victim (“right (Mrs Theresa May): As part of the wider reform of to know”). Both processes can be implemented within policing, I wish to update the House on the creation of existing legal powers. a new police information communications technology (ICT) company. I am committed to strengthening our response to tackling domestic violence and supporting victims. I want Last year, I announced that I would help the police to ensure that the public has confidence that a clear service set up a police ICT company to offer forces a framework exists with recognised and consistent processes route to better services and better deals. Since then, my for disclosing information that meets their needs. We Department has been working with key partners in the will therefore consider the learning from the pilot very policing community to design a company that will be carefully before deciding on next steps. responsive to their needs and enable police forces to get better value for their ICT spend. The company is intended to be owned by police and Equality and Human Rights Commission crime commissioners (PCCs) and led by police forces, (Annual Report and Accounts) as customers. Given that PCCs are not elected until November, my Department has been putting in place arrangements to create the company with interim owners. The Minister for Equalities (Lynne Featherstone): My This will ensure that momentum for the company continues right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is today laying and policing partners can lead the shaping and development before Parliament the Equality and Human Rights of its operations, so that a viable company can be Commission’s 2011-12 annual report and accounts. Copies offered to the PCCs to take forward once in office. will be available in the Vote Office. 107WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 108WS

Police Professional Body JUSTICE

The Secretary of State for the Home Department Inquests (Service Personnel Overseas) (Mrs Theresa May): In December I set out plans to establish a professional body to increase professionalism in policing. In March I announced which of the National The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice Policing Improvement Agency’s (NPIA) functions would (Mr Jonathan Djanogly): My honourable friend the transfer to the new body when the agency closes in Minister for the Armed Forces and I wish to make the December. latest of our quarterly statements to the House giving I can now update the House with further information details of the inquests of service personnel who have about the College of Policing, the professional body for died overseas. When we make these statements, we policing. remember all of our service personnel who have served, Its mission will be to safeguard the public and support or are now serving, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we the fight against crime by ensuring professionalism in reaffirm our lasting gratitude. We remember the families policing. of those service personnel who have given their lives for their country in connection with the operations in Iraq The College of Policing will protect the public interest, and Afghanistan, and our thoughts are with them. We enhance policing standards, identify evidence of what particularly remember the families of the 10 service works in policing and share best practice. It will support personnel who have died since our last statement in the education and professional development of staff May. and officers and it will motivate the police and partners to work together to achieve a shared purpose, including In this statement we are announcing the current taking a major role in shaping the work of the higher status of inquests conducted by the Wiltshire and Swindon education sector to improve the broader body of evidence coroner, the Oxfordshire coroner, and other coroners in on which policing professionals rely. England and Wales. This statement gives the position at 8 July 2012. It will place officers and police staff members at the heart of the profession, helping them exercise discretion To supplement this statement I have placed tables in and solve problems to fight crime, including by stripping the Libraries of the Houses. The tables include the away burdensome bureaucracy and trusting the judgment status of all current cases and the date of death in each of skilled professionals. case. They display information about those cases where a board of inquiry or a service inquiry has been held. I am seeking to create a body that will operate independently of Government. During the interim, while The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice we prepare the necessary legislation, I am aiming to will continue working closely together, with the aim of establish a company with the intention of replacing it improving our processes and continuing the Government’s with a statutory body. support for the coroners who are conducting these inquests. We will also work closely with the new Chief A board will oversee the work of the new body and Coroner, His Honour Judge Peter Thornton QC, when will comprise police and non-police representatives. he takes up post in September. Once again we would Democratically elected police and crime commissioners take the opportunity to thank coroners, their staff, will be represented on the board and the non-police and everyone who is seeking to support families and service representatives will ensure the body serves the provide information, throughout the inquest process public interest. and afterwards. My officials will shortly begin the process of appointing So that no backlog of inquests will develop, both an independent chair of the board. The chief executive Departments have provided funding for additional resources will be an experienced senior police officer. since October 2007. Before 1 September 2011, these Those NPIA functions transferring to the new body resources were provided to the Wiltshire and Swindon later this year will do so with their allocated budgets coroner, Mr David Ridley, because RAF Lyneham, until 2015. I will consider future funding options with within his district, was the venue for the repatriation of the board of the professional body once it is established. service personnel. Following the transfer of repatriation The current role of all Association of Chief Police ceremonies to RAF Brize Norton on 1 September 2011, Officers (ACPO) business areas in developing national we now also provide additional resources to the Oxfordshire standards and police practice will come within the coroner. responsibility of the College of Policing. In future, the Current status of inquests business area leads will form the core of the College of Since the last statement there have been seven inquests Policing Professional Committee, chaired by the chief into the deaths of service personnel on operations in executive, and they will work co-operatively with both Iraq or Afghanistan. A total of 544 inquests have been the College of Policing and with Chief Constables’ held into the deaths of service personnel who have lost Council in the interests of the police service and the their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, including 23 service public. As the College of Policing develops there will be personnel who died in the UK of their injuries. No greater integration with the work of the business areas. formal inquest was held in three other cases. In two of There is no plan to require individual officers and these cases the deaths were taken into consideration staff to pay to be members of the College of Policing, during inquest proceedings for those who died in the for their training or to sit exams. These are issues which same incident. In the third case, where the serviceman the statutory college may consider in the future. The died of his injuries in Scotland, the Lord Advocate has college will not issue any licence to practise policing. decided not to hold a fatal accident inquiry. 109WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 110WS

OPEN INQUESTS terrorism related offences. A number of weapons and Fatalities in Iraq and Afghanistan improvised explosive devices have been seized. These combined efforts have had a positive impact. Despite There are currently 48 open inquests to be concluded this, however, attacks continue and the intent of groups into the deaths of service personnel who died in engaged in Northern Ireland related terrorism remains Afghanistan; 22 of these involve deaths in the last six high. months. There is one remaining open inquest into deaths from The Real IRA (RIRA), the Continuity IRA (CIRA), operations in Iraq. and the group that refers to itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann The Wiltshire and Swindon coroner has retained (ONH) all continue to be very active, as do a number of 11 of the remaining open inquests, the Oxfordshire “unaffiliated”, but no less dangerous, individuals. In coroner has retained 17, and 21 are being conducted by June, the paramilitary organisation Republican Action coroners closer to the next of kin. Hearing dates have Against Drugs (RAAD), which regularly conducts brutal been set in six cases. shootings against people in Londonderry, attacked the PSNI with a pipe bomb. The PSNI is pursuing a strategy Inquests into the deaths of service personnel who returned to tackle the actions of both this group and other home injured reckless vigilante organisations, which command little Six inquests remain to be held for service personnel support from the wider community. who returned home injured and subsequently died of their injuries. One inquest date has been set. When Terrorists continue to seek access to funding and continuing investigations into the remaining five cases weaponry. They have been undertaking training as well are completed, they will be listed for hearing. as targeting. Paramilitary groups also continue to be involved in a range of criminal activity, often at the We shall continue to inform the House of progress. expense of their own communities—both to fund their activities and their individual lifestyles. Since my last statement on 27 February 2012, Official NORTHERN IRELAND Report, column 16WS, there have been nine confirmed national security attacks (bringing the total to 14 confirmed Northern Ireland Security (Update) attacks so far this year). All but one have been pipe bombs, which have primarily been used to attack PSNI officers or their families. These included a device thrown The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Owen at a property where PSNI were attending a call out and Paterson): The Government are committed to putting a number of pipe bombs, which were thrown at PSNI greater information in the public domain about security officers while carrying out a clearance operation of a threats to the United Kingdom generally. At the time of suspicious object. In the most recent confirmed national announcing the winding-up of the Independent Monitoring security attack, a pipe bomb was thrown at a PSNI Commission, I made a commitment to provide bi-annual vehicle patrol; the device functioned but did not cause updates to this House on the security situation in Northern any injuries or damage to the vehicle. The other attack Ireland. I made the first of these statements in February was a large improvised explosive device containing over and this is my second such update. 600 lb of home made explosive which was abandoned Shortly after coming to office the Government reviewed near the Irish border at Newry. This was successfully the security situation and developed a new strategic defused by ammunition technical officers. It was destined approach to tackling Northern Ireland related terrorism. to be an attack on the community in Northern Ireland We agreed in 2011 an exceptional additional £200 million and would certainly have endangered lives. of investment for the Police Service of Northern Ireland In addition to the attacks outlined above, during (PSNI) over four years. This is producing results. rioting in North Belfast on 12 July a number of shots There are still a small number who favour violence were fired at police officers who were there to ensure and reject democracy. They have no respect for life, no compliance with the legal determination of the Parades respect for human rights and no respect for the will of Commission and to facilitate the rights of both loyalist the people in both Northern Ireland and the Republic and nationalist members of the community. This should of Ireland. be considered nothing less than the attempted murder As a result of their activities, the threat level in of police officers. Northern Ireland remains at “Severe”, meaning that an There have been no serious injuries as a result of attack is highly likely. national security attacks this year. We cannot, however, The threat level in Great Britain is “Substantial”, be complacent. The devices used have all had the potential meaning that an attack is a strong possibility. to cause death or serious injury. The community in While the overall threat levels remain the same, however, Northern Ireland have had their daily lives disrupted as progress has been made. The excellent work of the a result of terrorist activities. PSNI and other partners tackling the current threat has In addition to direct attacks, terrorist groups seeking led to some considerable successes in recent months, to attack the police in Northern Ireland have continued with some significant arrests, charges and convictions. to use hoax devices, acts of criminal damage or orchestrated There have been a total of 76 arrests so far this year, disorder to create fear in the community and draw including arrests by An Garda Síochána in the Republic police into areas in order to attack them. This tactic is of Ireland. There have also been 37 charges against designed to make it harder for the PSNI to provide a those involved in national security attacks brought since good community policing service and should be roundly January 2012, including a number of charges for serious condemned by all. Despite that, confidence levels in 111WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 112WS policing across Northern Ireland have continued to rise. Fuel Quality Directive The chief constable continues to place community policing at the heart of his policing plan. As I noted in my last written ministerial statement on The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport the current threat in Northern Ireland, the UDA and (Norman Baker): Today I am publishing our response UVF leaderships remain committed to their ceasefires, to the comments received in the consultation on our although individuals associated with these groups continue proposals to expand the scope of the Renewable Transport to be engaged in criminal activity. Fuel Obligation (RTFO) Order 2007 to include non-road Both republican and loyalist paramilitary groups continue mobile machinery. to carry out paramilitary style assaults. Republican The fuel quality directive (articles 1 and 7a(2)) requires paramilitary groups also continue to carry out shootings that suppliers of fuels used in non-road mobile machinery on members of their own community. These attacks are should be obliged to reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas both cowardly and sickening. They show a complete intensities of the fuels they supply. Our preferred approach disregard for the human rights of their victims and for for implementing this requirement of the directive is to their families. amend the current RTFO Order 2007. However, given The overwhelming majority of people in Northern concerns about the sustainability of some biofuels, it is Ireland stand by the principle that Northern Ireland’s important that this change does not at this point result future will only ever be determined by democracy and in an increase in the absolute volume of biofuel supplied consent, as established by the Belfast agreement. This in the UK. is a settlement that requires all those involved in the Moreover, following concerns raised during consultation political process to pursue legitimate goals through on engine compatibility and storage issues relating to exclusively peaceful and democratic means. biofuel used in non-road mobile machinery, we have, as Cross-border co-operation in the area of security is announced previously, delayed making this change vital. I keep in very close contact with the Northern immediately so as to give industry and transport users Ireland Justice Minister, David Ford, and the Irish time to prepare in terms of infrastructure and information. Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter TD. The The requirement will come into force in April 2013. We levels of co-operation between the PSNI and An Garda understand the need for gas oil users to have accurate Síochána to tackle the threat is unprecedented and has information on biofuel content. We hope the delay will almost certainly saved lives. give them time to engage with gas oil suppliers to ensure that biofuel-free gas oil will be available. DFT guidance In conclusion this Government remain committed to on improving the flow of information between non-road tackling the terrorist threat in Northern Ireland. It is mobile machinery users and fuel suppliers is available at vital that we continue to do this in pursuit of our the following link: objectives of a peaceful, stable and prosperous Northern Ireland in which everyone has a genuinely shared future. http://www.dft.gov.Uk/topics/sustainable/biofuels/use- supply/#blending. I would like to thank all those who took the time to TRANSPORT respond to the consultation.

EU Bus and Coach Passenger Rights Penfold Review

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport The Secretary of State for Transport (Justine Greening): (Norman Baker): I will be publishing a consultation on Today I am publishing a consultation document detailing Wednesday 18 July which puts forward the Government’s proposals to simplify the process of applying for the plans for applying the EU regulation on bus and coach stopping up or diversion of a highway, where this is passenger rights. This aims to ensure bus and coach required for the purpose of property development. passengers have rights similar to those using other The Penfold review examined various development modes of transport. consents, additional to planning permission, which The regulation, which mainly applies to bus and developers must apply for. It identified measures the coach journeys over 155 miles (250 km), lays out the Government could take to minimise the burden of responsibilities of operators and terminal owners in the complying with and administering these consents, while case of delays, cancellations, accidents and other issues maintaining the essential benefits that they protect. affecting passengers, including disabled passengers and We propose to permit applications for a stopping up passengers with reduced mobility. or diversion order to be submitted at the same time as The public consultation will offer the chance for applying for planning permission, whereas under existing those affected by this EU regulation to put forward legislation the developer can only apply after securing their opinions on domestic enforcement measures, the planning permission, and are consulting on options for use of available exemptions and the designation of devolving decision making to the local authority level. terminals served by long-distance services where specific These measures were committed to in the 2011 autumn assistance has to be provided to disabled people and statement and will help to deliver the Government’s people with reduced mobility. growth agenda, by removing unnecessary burdens faced I believe that the approach outlined in the consultation by businesses, speeding up the application process and strikes the right balance between passenger protection removing unnecessary bureaucracy. They will play a and operator competitiveness. I look forward to receiving useful role in encouraging investment and therefore responses from interested parties. growth in local communities. 113WS Written Ministerial Statements16 JULY 2012 Written Ministerial Statements 114WS

Most of the policy options in the consultation will Welsh Valleys; between Micklefield and Selby in Yorkshire require primary legislation to amend the Town and and between Walsall and Rugeley in the west midlands. Country Planning Act 1990, as it applies to England. Increased rail capacity for commuters, with over £700 million Subject to the outcome of the consultation, we intend to be invested on the most congested routes in London and to deliver this through the Enterprise and Regulatory the south-east and over £400 million for other cities, including completing the northern hub that will link key northern Reform Bill. cities bringing clear benefits to Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester The consultation document, including impact assessment, Leeds and Sheffield. Taken with Crossrail, this will provide will be available in the Libraries of both Houses and on for 120,000 additional commuting trips per day into London the Department’s website. in the morning peak and 20,000 into our other major cities. Further investment on Great Western main line, including at Bristol and Oxford stations as well as additional track Rail Investment capacity on the approaches to Bristol. Over £900 million investment in funding for smaller schemes to improve: The Secretary of State for Transport (Justine Greening): stations, including accessibility so that everyone can use Today I am announcing my high level output specification the railways; (HLOS) for the railway, as required by the Railways Act the current strategic rail freight network; 2005. Covering the period from 2014 to 2019, it describes passenger journey times and reliability. my vision for a railway which is more financially and Today’s announcement represents another historic environmentally sustainable, which supports economic landmark in the regeneration and modernisation of growth and which delivers for its passengers and freight Britain’s railway. This Government’s vision for the railways customers. is clear—a railway system that is faster, more reliable, less crowded, and more green. I am confirming £16 billion of public support for rail in this period, which will support £9.4 billion of Just as we are dealing with the budget deficit, so we infrastructure enhancement. Some £5.2 billion of this are also determined to deal with the massive infrastructure has previously been committed, including Thameslink, deficit we inherited. Rail is just one part of an unprecedented Crossrail and electrification of the Great Western main programme of transport investment this Government line and in the north-west and Yorkshire. The additional have put in place to drive growth and job creation in the £4.2 billion includes: UK economy. We are building HS2, investing £1 billion in strategic road schemes and supporting 56 local road A new electric spine—a passenger and freight corridor linking the core centres of population and economic activity in the schemes, as well as supporting light rail and bus projects. east and west midlands and Yorkshire with the south of Previous Governments have under-invested in rail. England, which includes electrifying the midland main line. We will not repeat those mistakes. This is a Government Further targeted electrification alongside this, including the with a long-term vision for a modem and efficient rail Great Western main line from Cardiff to Swansea and the system that supports growth and improves competitiveness. 453W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 454W

Written Answers to Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. Questions 3. Attachments: The date of the first engagement activity between the provider and the participant as recorded on the payment administrative system. 4. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant’s circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of Monday 16 July 2012 claimants appear in an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative system. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS) WORK AND PENSIONS Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people from the support Employment and Support Allowance group of Employment and Support Allowance have volunteered for employment support and been (a) referred to the Work programme and (b) attached to Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and the Work programme since June 2011. [114674] Pensions what the average waiting time is for examination of claimants of employment support allowance in (a) Chris Grayling: The number of Work programme Wrexham, (b) Wales and (c) the UK. [109782] referrals and attachments from the support group of employment and support allowance from 1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012 is shown in the following table: Chris Grayling: Information on the duration of the assessment phase for claimants of employment and Customer group Referrals Attachments support allowance in the UK is already published and can be found at: ESA support group 320 260 Notes: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/ 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 10. index.php?page=adhoc_analysis_2011_q4 2. Referrals shown are ’net’ referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. Regional and local authority breakdowns of the 3. Attachments: The date of the first engagement activity between the provider information are not readily available and have not previously and the participant as recorded on the payment administrative system. 4. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant’s been published as official statistics. We will consider circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of claimants appear in whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative within the disproportionate cost limit and, if so, will system. 5. More detailed information can be found at: issue them in an official statistics release in accordance http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf with he code of practice for official statistics. 6. ESA support group customers will have volunteered to enter the Work programme. Source: Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS) Work and Pensions if he will ensure that employment Housing Benefit and support allowance claim forms make clear to claimants that they are able to request a recording of their work capability assessment. [117419] Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of (a) housing benefit and (b) local housing allowance payments for the (i) Chris Grayling: We currently have no plans to include social rented sector and (ii) private sector was in the this information in the ESA50 form. most recent period for which figures are available. [117516]

Employment Schemes Steve Webb: The total cost of (a) housing benefit for 2010-11 split into social sector expenditure and private rented sector expenditure is published at: Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/budget_2012_2205.xls#’ Work and Pensions how many people from the work-related Housing_Benefit’!A1 activity group of employment and support allowance have been (a) referred to the Work programme and (b) Figures for 2011-12 will be added in September 2012. attached to the Work programme since June 2011. The total cost of (b) local housing allowance payments [114673] in 2010-11 was £6,358 million; this is all private rented sector expenditure. Figures for 2011-12 will be published on 20 July 2012 in the benefit expenditure outturn tables Chris Grayling: The number of Work programme at: referrals and attachments from the work related activity http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/ group of employment and support allowance from 1 index.php?page=expenditure June 2011 to 31 January 2012 is shown in the following table: Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to include foster Customer group Referrals Attachments children in the allocation of bedrooms to families that ESA work related activity group 47,880 40,120 are claiming housing benefit. [117613] 455W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 456W

Steve Webb: There are no plans to include foster The smallest geographical breakdown available for children in the allocation of bedrooms within housing the overall numbers in poverty is at Government Office benefit for private or social rented sector properties: We Region level. Therefore, information is not available for announced during passage of the Welfare Reform Act (f) South Lanarkshire, but is available for the other 2012 an additional £30 million to the Discretionary parts of the question. Housing Payment fund from 2013-14, which includes Three-year averages are used to report regional statistics £5 million aimed specifically at foster carers where they as single-year estimates are subject to volatility. have difficulty meeting any shortfall, in their housing benefit because of the introduction of size criteria into The information is already published and can be the social rented sector. found in Table 6.11ts (on page 238) of the Households Below Average Income series published at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbai/hbai2011/index.php? Housing Benefit: Monmouthshire page=contents (ISBN 978-1-78153-046-7) Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Single year figures for the United Kingdom can be Work and Pensions how many people aged under 25 found in Table 6.3tr (on page 208). receive housing benefit in (a) Newport and (b) Monmouthshire. [117467] Social Security Benefits Steve Webb: The requested information is provided in the following table. Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing benefit recipients aged under 25 in the Newport and Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has Monmouthshire local authorities, March 2012 made of the amount of (a) tax credits that housing Local authority Number of recipients benefit claimants are eligible for but do not take up and Newport 1,340 (b) housing benefit that tax credit claimants are eligible Monmouthshire 340 for but do not take up; and if he will make a statement. Notes: 1. [117045] The data refers to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. Steve Webb: No estimate has been made of the amount 2. Recipients are as at the second Thursday of the month. of tax credits that housing benefit claimants are eligible 3. This data incorporates the local authority changes from 1 April 2009. for but do not take up and housing benefit that tax 4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct credit claimants are eligible for but do not take up. from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate The Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008, report covers Great Britain for the financial year 2009-10. and March 2012 is the most recent available. 5. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest 10. It provides case load and expenditure estimates of take-up 6. Age groups are based on the age on the count date (second for income support and employment and support allowance Thursday in the month), of either: (a) the recipient if they are single, (income-related), pension credit, housing benefit (including or (b) the elder of the recipient or partner if claiming as a couple. local housing allowance), council tax benefit and jobseeker’s Source: allowance (income-based). The latest release updates Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE). the statistics previously released on 10 June 2010. The National Insurance Contributions figures are available online and can be found here: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=irb Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Estimates of take-up for tax credits are produced by Work and Pensions what proportion of people of working HMRC, the latest estimates cover the period 2009-10 age have 10 qualifying years for contributory benefits and are available online, they can be found here: out of the last 14 years. [117418] http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take- up.htm Chris Grayling: The information requested is not available. Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Pensioners: Poverty Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many assessments have been conducted Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work at the Exeter Assessment centre by Atos by (a) home and Pensions if he will estimate the number of pensioners local authority area of the assessed, (b) total number living in poverty in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland, (c) of working-age adults in each such area and (c) proportion England, (d) Wales, (e) Northern Ireland and (f) of the total number of working-age adults assessed in South Lanarkshire. [117440] each such area in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [116830] Steve Webb: Estimates of pensioner poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income series. The Chris Grayling: The following table shows the number most commonly used measure of pensioner poverty of people assessed for ESA (both initial and repeat relates to those people with income below 60% of assessments) at the Exeter assessment centre between contemporary median income, After Housing Costs. December 2010 and November 2011, the latest 12 month This is often referred to as relative poverty. period available, by their home local authority area. 457W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 458W

Initial and repeat ESA assessments at Exeter assessment centre Transitional protection in universal credit will apply between December 2010 and November 2011 by home local authority to claimants where there has been no change of area circumstances and the Department chooses to transfer Home local authority area Number of assessments a household from legacy benefits to universal credit. We Torbay 830 expect this process to commence from autumn 2014. Cornwall 20 The majority of payments of in-work credit, return to East Devon 400 work credit and job grant, should have come to an end Exeter 570 before this point. Mid Devon 250 Housing benefit run-on will continue to be available North Devon 10 for as long as housing benefit remains in payment in the South Hams 10 transition to universal credit. Teignbridge 510 Further details on the provision of transitional protection West Devon 70 in universal credit, including how it will be affected by a West Dorset 10 receipt of in-work credit, return to work credit, job Other 90 grant or housing benefit run-on, will be provided in the Total 2,770 autumn. Notes: 1. The figures are derived from administrative data held by the Department for Work and Pensions and assessment data provided Work Capability Assessment by Atos Healthcare. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Hence totals may not sum exactly. Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work 3. The figures cover initial and repeat ESA assessments. IB and Pensions with reference to the answer of 20 February reassessment figures are excluded. 2012, Official Report, column 666-7W,on work capability 4. The ‘other’ figure includes those cases where the home local authority is not known and cases where the claimant is from a local assessment, how many people waited longer than 13 authority with less than 5 cases processed at this centre. weeks to undergo the work capability assessment in 2011, by month. [107229] The information for parts (b) and (c) is already published and can be found at Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/ and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the Universal Credit statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the code of practice for Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for official statistics. Work and Pensions whether credit unions will retain the ability to recover a delinquent loan before a benefit is paid to a claimant under his proposals for universal Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for credit; and whether a credit union will be able to Work and Pensions what proportion of Atos work recover a delinquent loan in the name of a partner of capability assessments for employment and support the member of the household who is paid universal allowance were appealed against in each region in the latest period for which figures are available; and what credit. [116991] proportion of those appeals were successful. [108745]

Steve Webb: It is proposed that the current rules Chris Grayling: The Department only holds information which provide a facility for eligible lenders to apply to on appeals once they have been heard by HM Courts the Department for Work and Pensions for deductions and Tribunals Service. A regional breakdown of the to be made from a claimant’s benefit, to repay an information is not readily available and has not previously eligible loan, will continue in universal credit. been published as official statistics. We will consider Universal credit will be claimed jointly by a couple. whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested Therefore in a joint claim a deduction may be made for within the disproportionate cost limit and, if so, will arrears of an eligible loan where either member of that issue them in an official statistics release in accordance couple is responsible for repaying the loan. with the code of practice for official statistics.

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether (a) in-work credit, (b) return to work credit, (c) housing benefit run-on and (d) job grants will be factored into the amounts protected CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT under transitional protection on implementation of universal credit. [117417] Broadband: Kent Chris Grayling: As announced by the Minister for Disabled People, my hon. Friend the Member for Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Basingstoke (Maria Miller), in her written statement of Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 65-66WS, on 9 July 2012, Official Report, column 2W, on broadband: in-work credit, return to work credit and job grant will Kent, whether the £9.87 million allocated to north Kent start to be phased out for new benefit claimants from for the delivery of superfast broadband is for the whole October 2012. of the county of Kent or only for north Kent. [117257] 459W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 460W

Mr Vaizey: I can confirm that £9.87 million was FTE per groups/departments—2009 allocated to the whole of Kent for the delivery of Permanent External superfast broadband. It was agreed that this amount Groups/departments staff staff Total would be matched by Kent county council. Panel and Boards — 83 83 Strategy and Market 109 — 109 Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges Developments Spectrum Policy Group 124 5 129 Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Technology 6 — 6 Olympics, Media and Sport (1) if he will assess the Grand total FTE 888 118 1,006 financial effect of harmonising mobile roaming charges FTE per groups/departments—2010 on the domestic mobile phone industry; [117346] Permanent External (2) if his Department will assess the feasibility of Groups/departments staff staff Total setting up an all-Ireland tariff for mobile and land line Communications and Public 19 — 19 telephone calls. [117347] Affairs Competition Policy 124 3 127 Mr Vaizey: Mobile roaming charges are subject to Content, International and 87 1 88 European regulation and the Secretary of State for Regulatory Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Legal, International, Nations, 86 2 88 Regions and Secretariat Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), Operations Group 312 28 340 has no powers in regard to these; therefore, there are no Panel and Boards — 72 72 plans to conduct an assessment of the financial effect of Spectrum Policy Group 123 4 127 harmonising or the feasibility of setting up an all-Ireland Strategy and Market 102 4 106 tariff for mobile and land line telephone calls. Monitoring Developments and enforcement of the roaming regulations is carried Strategy Chief Economist and 6410 out by national regulatory authorities (in this case Technology Ofcom and ComReg). Grand total FTE 859 118 977

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is FTE per groups/departments—2011 aware that certain operators have taken measures to Permanent External reduce the impact on consumers of roaming charges, Groups/departments staff staff Total and particularly charges associated with inadvertent Competition Policy 111 3 114 roaming, along the Irish border by (for example) introducing Consumer Group 67 4 71 an “all Ireland” tariff for consumers south of the border. Content, International and 132 1 133 Roaming charges will continue to reduce significantly Regulatory as the downward glide path of the price caps contained Lawyers 43 — 43 in the new European Roaming III Regulation, (which Operations Group 281 45 326 came into effect on 1 July 2012) bring roaming charges Panel and Boards — 61 61 much closer to those incurred when using mobile networks Spectrum Clearance and 2— 2 at home. In addition we expect that the new measures Award Programme on structural solutions contained in the regulation, Spectrum Policy Group 99 7 106 Strategy Chief Economist and 32 4 36 designed to encourage increased and sport competition Technology in the mobile roaming market, will bring about mobile Grand total FTE 767 125 892 roaming costs significantly below the price caps contained in the regulation. FTE per groups/departments—2012 Permanent External Ofcom Groups/departments staff staff Total Competition Group 125 3 128 Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Consumer Group 71 6 77 Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the full-time Content, international and 138 5 143 equivalent headcount of Ofcom was, by department, in Regulatory (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11, (c) 2011-12 and (d) Lawyers 40 — 40 2012-13. [117606] Operations Group 295 56 351 Panel and Boards — 62 62 Mr Vaizey: The information requested has been provided Spectrum Clearance and 14 — 14 by Ofcom and is set out in the following tables: Award Programme Spectrum Policy Group 94 8 102 FTE per groups/departments—2009 Strategy Chief Economist and 40 4 44 Permanent External Technology Groups/departments staff staff Total Grand total FTE 817 144 961

Content, International and 73 1 74 Regulatory Olympic Games 2012 CEO 3 — 3 Competition Policy 125 4 129 Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Communications and Public 17 — 17 Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many Olympic Affairs contracts at Tier 1 level have been awarded to companies Legal, International, Nations, 108 — 108 Regions and Secretariat in (a) Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, (b) England, Operations Group 323 25 348 by region and (c) foreign countries; and what the value is of the contracts in each category. [117506] 461W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 462W

Hugh Robertson: The Olympic Delivery Authority Hugh Robertson: No specific discussions have taken (ODA) has awarded more than £6.9 billion worth of place between the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Tier 1 contracts to 1,605 suppliers. 98% of these contracts Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for were awarded to suppliers based in the UK, generating South West Surrey (Mr Hunt) and the Chancellor of thousands more sub-contracts throughout the supply the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for chain. Tatton (Mr Osborne) on the introduction of VAT on ODA Tier 1 contracts split by region are listed in the income from the hire of all-weather sports facilities. following table, as of 3 July 2012. However, I have written to the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South Region Total contracts (£) Number of suppliers West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), about the VAT treatment of commercially operated sports leagues, which would West Midlands 463,506,357 64 include the operation of all-weather sports facilities. East of England 915,654,643 145 East Midlands 274,667,022 44 Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, London 3,836,279,773 799 Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has Northern Ireland 20,896,676 5 made of the potential effects on his Department’s targets North East 20,001,500 25 for sports participation of the introduction of VAT on North West 117,660,093 64 hire charges for all-weather sports facilities; and if he Scotland 33,067,704 30 will make a statement. [117522] South East 1,066,524,980 258 South West 18,268,531 69 Hugh Robertson: Neither the Department, nor Sport Wales 4,555,736 118 England, have made a specific assessment of the potential Yorkshire and 89,769,652 47 effects on levels of participation in sport by the introduction Humber of VAT on hire charges for all-weather sports facilities. Overseas 57,786,966 37 However, we do record participation levels in sport via Total 6,918,639,634 1,605 the Taking Part Survey and Active People Survey. Further 1 The figure for Wales is boosted due to several large contracts with information can be found at: Government Departments who have carried out work on the ODA’s http://www.dcms.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/ behalf, and who process payments through service centres in Wales. 4828.aspx ODA data reflect the address to which remittances are paid. and The valuable contribution Welsh companies have made http://www.sportengland.org/research/active_people_ survey.aspx to the games can be seen through contracts such as that awarded for the external cladding of the Olympic stadium and the building of the aquatics centre roof. In addition, Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, the Royal Mint will produce around 4,700 victory medals Olympics, Media and Sport what information his at their headquarters in Llantrisant. It is estimated that Department holds on which public bodies have contributed around £38 million worth of games-related contracts funding to the installation of the all-weather sports have been won by businesses based in Wales. facilities that will be required to pay VAT on income from lettings; and if he will make a statement. [117523] Olympic Games 2012: Kent Hugh Robertson: Sport England invest in organisations Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for and projects that will get more people participating in Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many athletes sport and create opportunities for people to excel at from (a) Dartford constituency and (b) Kent have their chosen sport. As part of this they would fund been selected to represent Great Britain at the London all-weather sports facilities. Full details of Sport England 2012 Olympics. [117228] funding can be found at the following link: http://www.sportengland.org/funding/ Hugh Robertson: The responsibility for the selection local_spending_data.aspx of athletes for the London 2012 Olympic games, that Local authorities, schools and other commercial comprise Team GB, rests with the British Olympic organisations would also fund these types of surfaces. Association (BOA), which is independent of Government. Subtitling Team GB in London 2012 will consist of 542 athletes, of which, 435 are receiving public funding support from UK Sport, the Department’s strategic lead body for Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State performance sport in the UK. Of the 435 publicly for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent funded athletes, UK Sport has advised that seven athletes assessment he has made of the compliance of (a) the currently reside in Kent, four of which are in the Dartford BBC, (b) ITV and (c) Channel 4 with their requirements constituency. in respect of the subtitling of programmes. [117007] Sports: VAT Mr Vaizey: The BBC, Channel 3 licensees and Channel 4 must comply with Ofcom’s code relating to the provision Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for of services for the deaf and visually impaired, known as Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions the Code on Television Access Services. he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Ofcom monitors compliance with the code. In 2011, the introduction of VAT on income from the hire of Ofcom reported that the provision of access services all-weather sports facilities; and if he will make a (subtitling, sighing, and audio description) by broadcasters statement. [117500] under the Code on Television Access Services, shows 463W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 464W that, the BBC had six channels which narrowly missed quality, as well as their accessibility and sustainability. their 100% subtitling quota by less than 0.2% due to Information on these schemes can be found on technical and operational outages. Channel 3 licensees VisitEngland’s website: and Channel 4 exceeded their quota targets of 90% by http://www.visitengland.org/busdev/accreditation/index.aspx broadcasting 98.7% and 99.95% respectively of their VAQAS uses a network of regional assessors to help programmes with subtitling. to instigate, modify and shape change to the customer The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media experience at visitor attractions across England. NAS is and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South the only scheme that rates the accessibility of visitor West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has made no recent assessment accommodation throughout England. The NAS helps of compliance, however, the broader communications accommodation operators improve and promote their review process, and the ongoing e-Accessibility forum true level of accessibility. being run by his Department are opportunities for any VisitEngland also offers an extensive range of business issues in this important area to be raised and, where support tools and resources, including the Accommodation appropriate, addressed. Know How website, Quality Edge magazine, and Access Statement and Green Start tools, which provide advice Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, on best practice and developing business. Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the effect of the time taken to publish the Communications Green Paper on subtitling for the deaf. [117387] ATTORNEY-GENERAL Banks Mr Vaizey: The Government is considering a range of issues as part of its Communications Review and Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Attorney-General (1) where necessary it is our intention to legislate in this when he was first advised that the Crown Office and Parliament. The decision not to publish a Green Paper Prosecution Service was conducting investigations into does not affect this timetable. There are existing statutory banking conduct in Scotland; [117240] requirements on broadcasters to provide subtitling and (2) what discussions he has had with the Crown we are inviting views as to whether and how the current Office and Prosecution Service in Scotland on its arrangements on subtitling, and wider accessibility investigation into banking in Scotland; [117241] measures, can be improved. (3) whether (a) he and (b) his officials have met the Crown Office and Prosecution Service to discuss its VisitEngland investigation into banking conduct; [117242] (4) what discussions he and his officials have had with the US Department of Justice and the US Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Commodity Futures Trading Commission on inquiries Olympics, Media and Sport how many staff Visit England into banking in Scotland; [117243] employs in (a) Yorkshire and Humber, (b) London and the South East and (c) total. [117424] (5) what discussions he has had with (a) the Director of Public Prosecutions and (b) the Attorney-General for England and Wales on inquiries into banking conduct; John Penrose: The Department does not collate this [117244] information. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of VisitEngland to write directly to my hon. Friend (6) what discussions he and his officials have had with with this information. the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government on the inquiry into banking conduct; [117245] Copies of the responses will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. (7) what discussions he has had with the Lord Advocate on the investigations by the Crown Office and Prosecution Service into banking conduct in Scotland. [117246] Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what guidance Visit England The Attorney-General: The Law Officers and their provides to tourist attractions on developing their business. officials have regular contact with a wide range of [117425] authorities including criminal justice partners in Scotland, and discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. As was John Penrose: VisitEngland is working closely with the case with previous administrations, it is not the local areas and destinations, in line with Government’s Government’s practice to provide details of all such localism agenda, to grow the value of local tourism meetings and discussions. economies. This is co-ordinated through the National The Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) Strategic Framework for Tourism, which includes an announced on 6 July that the SFO have opened an action programme developed in consultation with the investigation into allegations of criminal conduct relating tourism sector. VisitEngland is currently working with to LIBOR and will provide further information in due local areas on a campaign to deliver economic growth course. from the domestic market, and to support employment and job creation. Crimes of Violence: Females VisitEngland’s Accreditation and Assessment Schemes, including the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme Stella Creasy: To ask the Attorney-General what (VAQAS) and the National Accessible Scheme (NAS), categories of data are recorded in the Crown Prosecution help tourism businesses improve and promote their Service Case Management System and associated 465W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 466W

Management Information System on monitoring the BoNT potency assays are product-specific and cannot management of offences involving violence against women be directly transferred to BoNT products of other and girls. [117616] manufacturers without additional validation. An alternative assay for the mouse LD50 assay has to be suitable for The Attorney-General: The Crown Prosecution Service the intended purpose (validated) and equivalent to the (CPS) maintains a central record, through its Case LD50 assay (cross validated). An alternative assay will Management System, of defendant proceedings involving also have to comprise relevant BoNT functions and has offences of Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) to be stability indicating. by way of a series of monitoring flags. These include We are actively encouraging BoNT manufacturers flags for domestic violence, rape, sexual offences, human who have expressed a wish to test their products in the trafficking, child abuse, so called ’honour crime’ and UK to develop and validate assays that will reduce the forced marriage. It is important to note that the monitoring number of animals used, or refine or replace the test flags are used for victim care and case management procedure with the goal of promoting animal welfare. purposes. They are therefore entered at the outset of proceedings and remain on the system for the life of the case regardless of any changes made to the charge or Antisocial Behaviour: Young People indictment. All Official Statistics for the Criminal Justice System are provided by the Ministry of Justice In addition, the CPS monitors the volume of offences David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for charged and reaching a first hearing in magistrates the Home Department what steps the Government is courts for offences of harassment, prostitution, female taking to tackle youth anti-social behaviour. [117054] genital mutilation, pornography and obscenity. These data are published annually in the CPS VAWG Crime James Brokenshire: The majority of our young people Report available on the CPS website at are law-abiding members of their communities, but a http://www.cps.gov.uk/data/violence_against_women/ minority engage in antisocial and criminal behaviour vaw_2010_11_report.html that makes victims’ lives a misery. The Government’s recent White Paper, ’Putting victims first’, sets out our Police: Surveillance plans to support the police and their local partners to protect victims and communities, including by introducing Caroline Lucas: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant faster, more effective powers to deal with the problem to the answer of 9 July 2012, Official Report, column and taking action to deal with underlying drivers such 12W, on police: surveillance, if at his next discussion as problem drinking and illicit drug use. with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), he will ask the DPP to provide an estimate of the number of cases where there may have been a miscarriage of justice Assaults on Police due to the involvement of undercover police officers; if he will publish any such figure provided to him by the Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the DPP; and if he will make a statement. [117437] Home Department how many police officers were assaulted and the offender charged with (a) the offence of assault The Solicitor-General: There is nothing further I can on a police constable in the execution of their duty and add to the response I gave on 9 July 2012, Official (b) another offence where the victim was a police Report, column 12W,and the Crown Prosecution Service officer in each of the last three years. [116551] (CPS) Press Release of 3 July 2012. The CPS will publish any further information in due course. Nick Herbert: Information collected by the Home Office is on the number of assaults on police officers (headcount). These figures are provided within Table 1, for the last three years. It should be recognised that it HOME DEPARTMENT may not be appropriate, given the circumstances of a case, to charge a person who has assaulted a police Animal Experiments: Botulinum Toxin officer with the specific offence of assault on a constable. Figures are also collected for numbers of defendants Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for proceeded against at magistrates’ courts for assault on a the Home Department what consideration she has given constable in England and Wales and they are also to replacing batch tests on botulinum toxin involving contained in Table 2. It is not possible to determine animals with validated alternatives used in other countries. from available figures for prosecutions for other offences [116962] whether the victim was a police officer. Table 1: Number of assaults on police officers, financial years 2008-09 Lynne Featherstone: The Home Office is aware that a 1, 2 proprietary, cell-based potency assay as an alternative to 2010-11 (headcount) to the LD50 assay has recently been validated and Number approved outside the United Kingdom for a specific 2008-09 10,146 manufacturer’s botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) products 2009-10 8,175 in the USA, Canada, Switzerland and the EU. The 2010-11 7,904 approval of this alternative potency assay is limited to 1 Figures are provisional and have not been verified by forces, that manufacturer’s products and does not apply to 2 Source—Home Office using data received from police forces via the BoNT products of other manufacturers. Annual Data Requirement. 467W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 468W

Table 2: Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates supported by the Government ring-fencing nearly £40 courts for assault on a constable1, England and Wales, calendar years 2, 3, 4 million of stable funding for specialist local domestic 2009 to 2011 and sexual violence support services until 2015. Number

2009 10,681 Domestic Violence: Young People 2010 10,351 2011 10,845 Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for the 1 Includes offences under the Police Act 1996, section 89(1). Home Department if she will have discussions with the 2 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons Secretary of State for Education on training teachers to for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they (a) teach on issues relating to and (b) identify young were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is people who may be affected by domestic violence. imposed. Where the same disposal is Imposed for two or more [117340] offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. Lynne Featherstone: The Government is committed 3 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate to tackling domestic violence and we will always consider and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by what more can be done to identify and safeguard victims. the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken Discussions at a ministerial level are ongoing via the to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are Inter-Ministerial Group on Violence Against Women taken into account when those data are used. and Girls. 4 Sourc—Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. Crime: USA Driving Offences: Nottinghamshire

Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department how many crimes were committed by (a) Home Department how many motorists were caught US nationals in the UK and (b) UK nationals in the speeding in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) US in the most recent year for which figures are available. Nottinghamshire in each of the last three years for [117235] which figures are available. [117391]

Nick Herbert [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The Nick Herbert: Available data held by the Home Office information requested is not available from the police are at police force area level and relate to the number of recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. persons who were issued with fixed penalty notices for speeding in Nottinghamshire police force area. Relevant Customs Officers: North East data are given in the table. Information relating to Ashfield constituency is not collected centrally. Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Issuing written warnings is another option for police Home Department how many customs officers have forces for dealing with those accused of speeding; however been operating in the North West in each of the last Nottinghamshire police do not issue these for motoring three years. [117171] offences. Damian Green [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Customs Data for 2011 are scheduled to be published next Functions are carried out by Border Force officers. For spring. security reasons Border Force does not provide a detailed The data provided do not cover all instances where breakdown of how many officers perform specific activities. people are caught speeding. Data on persons offered Border Force North regional staffing figures in June speed awareness courses after being caught speeding for the last three years are as follows: (introduced in Nottinghamshire in 2010) are not collected centrally. Additionally, data on persons proceeded against June 2012—total staff in post 1,082 (full-time equivalent 1,032) at court for speeding are a matter for the Ministry of June 2011—total staff in post 1,078 (full-time equivalent 1,029.03) Justice (who will respond separately). Additionally, some June 2010—total staff in post 1,020 (full-time equivalent 1,159.28) individuals may have been caught speeding more than once during the reporting period, so may appear more Domestic Violence: West Midlands than once in the data provided. Number of fixed penalty notices issued for speeding, Nottinghamshire Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the police force area, 2008-10 Home Department what steps her Department is taking Type of disposal 2008 2009 2010 to reduce levels of domestic violence in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands; and what assistance her Fixed penalty notices 32,975 30,906 17,795 Department offers to victims of domestic violence. issued [117365] Drugs: Decriminalisation Lynne Featherstone: We have funded one independent domestic violence adviser (IDVA) in Coventry, and 15 Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the IDVAs and four Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference Home Department (1) whether her Department has co-ordinators (MARACs) across the West Midlands as made a recent assessment of the effects of drug a whole. decriminalisation in Portugal; and what recent discussions The Government’s updated action plan to progress (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have had our strategy to End Violence Against Women and Girls with their Portuguese counterparts on drug policy; was published on 8 March. The action plan has been [116989] 469W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 470W

(2) what recent discussions she has had with her A number of those commitments have already been international counterparts on the (a) legalisation and delivered, including the publication on 14 March 2012 regulation governing and (b) decriminalisation of of “Challenge It, Report It, Stop It”, the cross-government controlled substances. [117031] action plan to tackle all forms of hate crime; active engagement with representatives from the transgender James Brokenshire [holding answer 13 July 2012]: community during the Government’s consultation on The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my equal civil marriage, which closed on 14 June 2012; and right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs a landmark conference which I hosted on combating May), has not discussed the legalisation, regulation discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation governing or decriminalisation of controlled substances and gender identity as part of the UK Chairmanship of with international counterparts. The Home Office has the Council of Europe. not assessed the effects of drug decriminalisation in The action plan made one commitment to introduce Portugal, nor have Home Office Ministers discussed legislation, namely to amend section 146 and schedule drug policy with Portuguese counterparts. 21 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. This amendment, included in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Rehabilitation of Offenders Act which received Royal Assent on 1 May Gender Recognition 2012, provides for sentences to be aggravated for any offence motivated by hostility towards the victim on the grounds of being transgender, and for a 30-year starting Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the point for murders motivated by hostility towards the Home Department on what date her Department issued victim on the grounds of being transgender. The its call for evidence on the actions included in its transgender Government expects to commence these provisions by equality action plan; if she will place in the library a the end of the year. copy of each of the items of evidence submitted; what steps the Government proposes to take in response to Licensed Premises: Closures those submissions; and if she will make a statement. [117081] John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many closure notices Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 13 July 2012]: In were issued in the Metropolitan police area under the ’Advancing Transgender Equality: A Plan for Action’, Policing and Crime Act 2009 during 2011; [117503] the first Government action plan for transgender equality, (2) how many closure notices were issued by the the Government committed to launching a Call for courts in the Metropolitan police area during 2011. Evidence on the commitments detailed within the action [117504] plan. This will allow anyone with an interest in transgender equality to let the Government know their views and Nick Herbert: This information is not held centrally. insights on the progress that is being made to deliver the actions, how they might be implemented differently, or National Crime Agency more effectively. This will help inform future Government policy on transgender equality. Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for The Call for Evidence has not yet been launched, as the Home Department whether the Metropolitan Police Government Departments continue to implement their Service’s Operation Jigsaw (a) at Heathrow airport and commitments in the action plan. The Government will (b) elsewhere will be brought into the National Crime publish the Call for Evidence in due course, together Agency; and if she will make a statement. [117468] with an update on progress on the delivery of the commitments included. Copies of these documents will Nick Herbert: The National Crime Agency (NCA) be placed in the House Library once available. Programme is actively engaging with a number of law enforcement partners involved in tackling serious, organised or complex crime. However, no decisions have been Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the made on the NCA’s role in relation to Operation Jigsaw. Home Department (1) when the Government intends to bring forward legislative proposals to address the issues The National Crime Agency will work to ensure that identified in its transgender equality plan for action; the full range of its law enforcement partners benefit [117082] from the agency’s co-ordination, tasking and intelligence arrangements, as well as being able to access its specialist (2) what information her Department holds on capabilities where appropriate. initiatives taken to date by public bodies, businesses, practitioners and the voluntary sector to implement the National Police Memorial Day commitments set out in the Government’s transgender equality plan for action. [117083] Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps (a) she, (b) her Department Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 13 July 2012]: and (c) the police are taking to mark National Police “Advancing Transgender Equality: A Plan for Action”, Memorial Day on 30 September 2012. [116552] the first action plan for transgender equality was published in December 2011 and placed in the House Library. It Nick Herbert: Ministers and senior officials will be includes a range of largely non-legislative measures to attending the National Police Memorial Day service at improve the lives of transgender people in a number of York Minister on 30 September 2012. The Home Office areas of public policy, including hate crime, health, does not hold information on what steps the police are education and employment. taking to mark the day. 471W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 472W

Offences Against Children: Internet (2) what guidance she plans to issue to newly-elected police and crime commissioners on (a) policing rural Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the communities and (b) preventing rural crimes; [117058] Home Department if she will place in the Library (3) what support police and crime commissioners copies of all correspondence between her Department will receive from her Department to help tackle rural and stakeholders on the protection of children online. crime. [117205] [116698] Nick Herbert: The Government fully recognises the Lynne Featherstone: Home Office Ministers and officials vulnerabilities of rural communities to particular crimes. have regular and ongoing contact with a wide range of The election of police and crime commissioners (PCCs) stakeholders regarding online child protection. The will ensure that rural communities are given a stronger information is not readily available and could be obtained voice in determining local policing plans. We will not be only at disproportionate cost. issuing prescriptive guidance to PCCs in policing rural communities or preventing rural crimes. Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for the The vast majority of Government funding to the Home Department what discussions (a) she and (b) police is allocated using the police allocation formula Ministers in her Department have had with ministerial (PAF). The PAF distributes funding based on relative colleagues on the protection of children online. [116699] workload in an area, and a portion according to population sparsity, to address the specific needs of rural forces. Lynne Featherstone: The Minister for Crime and Security, the hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (James Brokenshire), met the Parliamentary Under-Secretary George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for the of State for Children and Families, Department for Home Department what guidance she plans to issue to Education, the hon. Member for East Worthing and newly-elected police and crime commissioners on Shoreham (Tim Loughton), at least quarterly during engagement with (a) community safety partnerships 2010 and until autumn 2011 to discuss online child and (b) criminal justice boards. [117059] protection issues as they co-chaired the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) executive board. When Nick Herbert: The Home Office will not be issuing Mr Brokenshire’s child internet safety responsibilities, prescriptive guidance to police and crime commissioners including co-chair of UKCCIS, transferred to me, I (PCCs). However, briefing on how PCCs can engage continued to meet the hon. Member for East Worthing with community safety partnerships and the criminal and Shoreham (Tim Loughton) at UKCCIS executive justice system is being made available to PCC candidates board meetings. via the Home Office website. The Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act Industries, the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr Vaizey), 2011 puts in place a flexible framework for partnership is also a member of the UKCCIS executive board and I working between the PCC and their community safety met him when he attended the board in February 2012. and criminal justice partners. This includes two interrelated, reciprocal duties to co-operate. The recent White Paper The Secretary of State for the Home Department, the “Swift and Sure Justice” also set out the ways in which right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has PCCs will interact with criminal justice bodies. had regular meetings with Home Office ministerial colleagues to discuss online child protection, particularly Police Community Support Officers with regard to ensuring that the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is able to continue its Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the excellent work to protect children as it moves to the new Home Department how many police community support National Crime Agency. officers there were in (a) Coventry, (b) Coventry North East constituency, (c) the West Midlands and (d) Police and Crime Commissioners England in each of the last five years. [117464]

Mrs Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Nick Herbert: The latest available information shows Home Department for what reason police and crime the number of police community support officers in panels have a two-thirds veto in respect of the budgets Coventry basic command unit, west midlands police of police commissioners’ budgets. [116486] force and west midlands region and England in each of the five years up to 31 March 2011 (full-time equivalents). Nick Herbert [holding answer 11 July 2012]: The Figures for the number of police community support police service in England and Wales gets around a officers within Coventry and Coventry North East quarter of its funding from the police precept component constituencies are not collected centrally by the Home of council tax. As council tax is raised locally, it was Office. considered appropriate for Police and Crime Panels to Number of police community support officers in Coventry, West Midlands and have a clear role in scrutinising and, if necessary, vetoing, England for the past five years as at 31 March1 the precept level proposed by the police and crime Coventry commissioner (PCC). basic West West command midlands midlands 2 George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for unit police force region England the Home Department (1) what steps she has taken to 2006-073 80 644 1,191 12,856 ensure police and crime commissioners take account of 2007-083 108 748 1,362 15,108 rural policing needs in (a) police plans and (b) police 2008-093 107 812 1,463 15,802 budgets; [117057] 2009-103 106 811 1,466 16,200 473W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 474W

Number of police community support officers in Coventry, West Midlands and Nick Herbert: It is for chief officers, in conjunction 1 England for the past five years as at 31 March with their police authorities or police and crime Coventry basic West West commissioners to ensure that they have plans which will command midlands midlands deliver their required budget reductions while continuing unit police force region2 England to provide efficient and effective policing services for 2010-11 100 758 1,395 15,134 the public. Reductions in Government funding to the 1 These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to police over the spending review period are challenging the nearest whole number. Figures include those officers on career breaks or but manageable, and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of maternity/paternity leave. Constabulary’s (HMIC) report supports our view that 2 West midlands region includes the following police forces: Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Mercia and west midlands. the vast majority of forces have risen to this necessary 3 Figures for Coventry basic command unit for 2006-07 to 2009-10 are the sum challenge. of West Midlands M1, West Midlands M2 and West Midlands M3 basic command units. The number of officers in Sussex police and how they are deployed is a matter for the chief constable. Police: Birth Certificates I note that HMIC’s specific report on Sussex found that there was “sound planning and assumptions by the force, which make Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the the projected savings realistic and achievable,” Home Department what information her Department and that the force holds on the number of police officers in police forces in England and Wales who have a registered place of “has also considered the impact of losing officers and staff, particularly those with specialist skills, and has plans in place birth in Scotland. [116558] to minimise the impact of those losses.” We expect that forces will pay close attention to HMIC’s Nick Herbert: The requested information is not held findings as they continue to refine their plans for the centrally by the Home Office. future. I regularly discuss these issues with Sussex police, as I and my ministerial colleagues do with all police Police: Computers forces and representatives of the Police Federation.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Police: Horses Department (1) whether the procurement of tablet computers for police forces is undertaken by her Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department’s centre of excellence procurement team; Home Department how many police horses were in [115583] service in each of the last five years; and what the cost (2) whether her Department plans to put the procurement was of maintaining these horses in each of those years. of tablet computers for police forces to competitive [117200] tender. [116122] Nick Herbert: The Government allocates funding to Nick Herbert: As a result of the Police Act 1996 police authorities or police and crime commissioners (Equipment Regulations) 2011, the police service contracts (PCCs). The allocation of resources within each force is for the provision of commoditised IT hardware through a matter for the chief officer and the police authority or a single IT reseller supplier. This has already reduced PCC. We do not hold information centrally on resources unit pricing by acting as a single point of purchase for for mounted police sections. the police service. The IT reseller and the Government Procurement Service are exploring ways to reduce the Police: Job Satisfaction range of sub-suppliers who provide tablet computers and other hardware products. This is expected to provide Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the further opportunities for greater price reductions while Home Department what assessment she has made of maintaining an element of product choice. the current state of police morale; and if she will make a statement. [115778] Police: Finance Nick Herbert [holding answer 6 July 2012]: I take a keen interest in police morale and, along with other Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Ministers, meet police officers of all ranks from forces Home Department what assessment she has made of across England and Wales on a regular basis. the findings of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report Policing in austerity: one year on, published on 2 Riot Control Weapons July 2012; for what reasons Sussex police authority is expected to lose 15 per cent of frontline officers by 2015 compared to the national average loss of 10 per cent; Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the what assessment she has made of the effect of reductions Home Department (1) what reviews have been undertaken in police funding on the ability of Sussex Police Force into the long-term medical effects of the use of plastic to provide an efficient and effective service in the future; bullets in Northern Ireland; and what information her what recent discussions she has had on police funding Department holds on the effects of their use in other reductions with (a) the Police Federation and (b) jurisdictions; [116426] representatives of Sussex police force; if she will make it (2) what advice she has given to police authorities on her policy to reassess the level of budget reductions; their stocks of plastic bullets, water cannon and and if she will make a statement. [116306] crowd-controlling anti-riot gases; [116427] 475W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 476W

(3) what advice she has given to police authorities on James Brokenshire [holding answer 13 July 2012]: the use of plastic bullets, water cannon and gas in the EU Council Decision 2005/211/JHA applies only to the event of civil disturbances; [116428] current Schengen Information System (SIS 1). The United (4) what stocks of (a) plastic bullets, (b) water Kingdom has not connected to SIS 1 and has no plans cannon and (c) crowd control gas is held by (i) police to do so. authorities and (ii) the armed forces. [116430] Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government has fully enacted Nick Herbert [holding answer 12 July 2012]: There the provisions of EU Council Decisions (a) 2006/228/ have not been any reviews by the Home Office into the JHA, (b) 2006/229/JHA and (c) 2006/631/JHA long-term medical effects of the use of plastic bullets, relating to the Schengen Information System. [117003] more accurately known as Attenuating Energy Projectile (AEP), in Northern Ireland or in other jurisdictions. James Brokenshire [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The deployment and storage of AEP is the responsibility These instruments only apply to the current Schengen of individual Chief Officers. The Secretary of State for Information System (SIS 1). The United Kingdom has the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member not implemented SIS 1 and has no plans to do so. for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has not provided any advice to police authorities on the storage or use of AEP. The Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Home Office does not hold information on stocks held Department with reference to EU Council Decision by police authorities or the armed forces. Neither water 2008/173/EC, whether the tests of the second generation cannon nor ‘crowd control gases’ are approved for use Schengen Information System the decision provides for in England and Wales. were successfully completed by the UK authorities. [117004] Schengen Agreement: ICT James Brokenshire [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home EU Council Decision 2008/173/EC only applies directly Department whether the UK adopted the technical to member states already participating in the current specifications to support the second generation Schengen Schengen Information System (SIS 1) and migrating to Information System set out in EU Council Decision SIS II. The United Kingdom therefore does not have to 2007/171/EC. [117001] participate in these tests. Stop and Search: Birmingham James Brokenshire [holding answer 13 July 2012]: EU Commission Decision 2007/171/EC has no practical Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for impact on the United Kingdom’s national second generation the Home Department how many people in each ethnic Schengen Information System (SIS II) implementation group were subject to stop and search by police in programme although it is in our interest to ensure that Birmingham, Ladywood constituency in the latest the capacity and performance of the SIS II network is period for which figures are available. [116947] adequate for operational requirements. We have therefore participated in the regulatory committee which debated Nick Herbert: The level of information requested is and agreed the network requirements set out in the not collected centrally. Available data are at police force Commission Decision. area level and were published in the recent “Police Powers and Procedures 2010-11”statistical release’s tables, Mr Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home which are available on the Home Office website. Stop Department what evaluation her Department (a) and search figures relating to the West Midlands police made and (b) published regarding the effects in the force area are shown as follows. Data for 2011-12 are UK of EU Council Decision 2005/211/JHA. [117002] scheduled to be published next spring.

Number of persons stopped and searched by self-defined ethnicity: West Midlands police force area, 2010-11 Self-defined ethnicity Section 11 Section 602 Section 443 Total

White 10,116 62 4— 10,178 Black (or Black British) 2.619 101 4— 2,720 Asian (or Asian British) 4,953 93 4— 5,046 Chinese or Other 226 3 4—229 Mixed 868 18 4—886 Not stated 1,367 42 4— 1,409 Total 20,149 319 4— 20,468 1 Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE). 2 Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. 3 Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. 4 Denotes nil.

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected the Home Department how many (a) women and (b) centrally by the Home Office. men were subject to stop and search by police in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. [116948] 477W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 478W

Victim Support Schemes Mr Paice [holding answer 9 July 2012]: On 3 July, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden Home Department how much funding her Department (Mrs Spelman), and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary has provided to each organisation or group providing of State, my noble Friend, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, help and support to victims of discrimination and human hosted a roundtable discussion with major retailers and rights abuses in the last year for which figures are food redistribution charities. This explored the barriers available. [116996] to redistribution and considered an outline proposal from FareShare and FoodCycle that seeks to make Lynne Featherstone [holding answer 13 July 2012]: redistribution easier for both charities and retailers. The Home Office has provided funding to a range of This proposal would build upon the partnerships most organisations and groups in support of its priorities major retailers already have with redistribution charities. and objectives. The Equality and Human Rights DEFRA officials are working with the Food Standards Commission, an arm’s length body of the Home Office, Agency (FSA) to provide clarity on the existing legal has provided funding to organisations and groups providing situation for food donors. The FSA, which is responsible help and support to victims of discrimination and human for food safety, advises that food passed on or supplied rights abuses. It has done this from within its overall in this way must meet EU food safety requirements in budget which is funded by the Home Office, through order to protect consumers and safeguard public health. the Government Equalities Office. The Government Equalities Office itself has not provided funding directly Food: Labelling to organisations or groups for this purpose. Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS steps to ensure food products labelled as produce of Circuses Morocco are not from Western Sahara. [117222] Mr Paice: General advice has been given to the Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for British Retail Consortium about the consumer sensitivities Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what inspections surrounding the labelling of produce imported into the her Department undertook at the Great British Circus United Kingdom which is of Western Sahara provenance. in 2009. [116531] Under EU law, information on food labels must not Mr Paice: Animal Health (now the Animal Health mislead consumers, and failing to give particulars of and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA)—an the place of origin or provenance of a food when executive agency of DEFRA) carried out two welfare consumers may otherwise be misled to a material degree related visits to the Great British Circus for DEFRA in as to the food’s true origin or provenance is an offence. 2009. However, other individual AHVLA offices may DEFRA officials have discussed origin labelling with also have undertaken inspections that year for which no the British Retail Consortium, indicating the desirability central record is kept. of giving “Produce of Western Sahara” as the origin on Dogs the labels of such goods. However, in the case of produce packaged in the Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, region of production, DEFRA recognises that it may Food and Rural Affairs when she plans to publish her not be practical or economic for an importer or a Department’s response to its consultation on tackling retailer to label goods of Western Sahara origin in that way, in view of the fact that such a declaration of origin irresponsible dog ownership. [117319] cannot be made when the goods are imported into the Mr Paice: The responses to the consultation on EU if they are to qualify for the preferential tariff irresponsible dog ownership are currently being analysed treatment provided for by the EU-Morocco Agreement. in DEFRA. The findings of the consultation will be published as soon as this process is complete. Food: Waste Food: Charitable Donations Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what she is doing Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for to encourage the reduction of food waste by food Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to suppliers. [116965] the answer of 1 May 2012, Official Report, column 1385W, on food: charitable donations, what the outcome was of her Department’s (a) examination of barriers to food Mr Paice: The Government are working to reduce redistribution and (b) discussions with Lord Young of food and packaging waste through the Courtauld Graffham on removing civil and criminal liability from Commitment, our responsibility deal with grocery retailers good faith food donors; [115973] and manufacturers. On 27 June, we launched the Hospitality and Food Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Service Agreement, our new voluntary agreement with Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take restaurants, hotels, pubs and canteens. This aims to steps to encourage large supermarkets to donate unwanted reduce food and packaging waste and to manage the food to FareShare and similar organisations. [116419] waste that does arise more sustainably. 479W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 480W

On 3 July, the Secretary of State for Environment, Digital Agenda for Europe. The UK contribution to the Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the eGovernment Action Plan continues to be led by the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman) and my noble Cabinet Office. Friend, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, hosted a roundtable discussion with major retailers and food redistribution Publications charities. This explored the barriers to redistribution and considered an outline proposal from FareShare and Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for FoodCycle that seeks to make redistribution easier for Wales pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official both charities and retailers. This proposal would build Report, column 420W, on publications, how much her upon the partnerships most major retailers already have Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation with redistribution charities. documents and (c) publications since May 2010. [117829] Horses: Transport Mr David Jones: The Wales Office spent £3,038 to Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for publish our consultation document on the boundaries Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses of the National Assembly constituencies. were exported for slaughter in each of the last five years. Staff [116455]

Mr Paice: While EU and domestic legislation permit Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the export of horses for slaughter, the Animal Health Wales how many staff in her Department were in the and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) has not Civil Service redeployment pool on the latest date for received any applications for health certificates or export which figures are available; and how many such staff licences for horses declared as intended for slaughter in had been in the redeployment pool for more than six 2012, or for any of the preceding four years. Domestic months at that date. [116797] legislation prohibits the export of ponies intended for slaughter. Mr David Jones: There are currently no Wales Office staff members in the civil service redeployment pool. Publications Unemployment

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2012, Official Report, publications her Department has issued since May 2010; column 651W,on unemployment, by how much claimant and what the title was of each (a) publication and (b) count in these categories has risen since May 2010. consultation document issued by her Department since [117564] May 2010. [114163] Mrs Gillan: Since May 2010 in Wales unemployment Richard Benyon: The information requested is as has risen by 6,045 (8.3%), youth unemployment has follows: risen by 2,070 (8.7%) and long term youth unemployment (a) Core DEFRA records indicate that 381 serial has risen by 2,765 (37.1%). numbers were allocated between 1 May 2010 and 31 It is worth noting that during the last Parliament of May 2012. All currently available DEFRA publications the previous Government unemployment in Wales rose can be found at: by 32,060 (79.4%), youth unemployment rose by 10,105 http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/ (73.5%) and long term youth unemployment rose by (b) All of DEFRA’s consultation listings can be 5,085 (215%). accessed online via the departmental website: www.defra.gov.uk/consultations where the Department retains material for one year. SCOTLAND Older information is available on the National Archives website: Post Offices http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the WALES future of post offices in Scotland. [117055]

Manchester Declaration David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State Selkirk (Michael Moore), and I have had regular discussions for Wales what progress her Department has made in with the Minister for Postal Affairs, the hon. Member implementing the Manchester Declaration of 2005. for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb), and other ministerial [116689] colleagues about the future of post office services in Scotland. The Government has made clear its commitment Mrs Gillan: The Manchester Declaration of 2005 has to maintaining the Post Office network across the UK, been superseded by the Malmo Declaration and which is supported by £1.34 billion of Government eGovernment Action Plan (2011-15) and the broader funding. 481W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 482W

Publications Mr Paterson: Arrangements under which such devolution might take place, with the agreement of the Government Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for and the Northern Ireland Executive, are under consideration Scotland pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2012, Official in the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing Report, column 420W, on publications, how much his the Northern Ireland Economy. Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010. Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for [117830] Northern Ireland what recent progress has been made by the Joint Ministerial Working Group on corporation David Mundell: The cost of the publications listed in tax. [117605] my answer of 2 July 2012, Official Report, column 420W, was £14,711.21. Mr Paterson: Ministers from the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive attended the Ministerial Working Group on Rebalancing the Northern Ireland Economy in Belfast on 25 June. PRIME MINISTER Good progress has been made on some aspects of the group’s work, including the potential shape of a devolved Official Visits corporation tax regime, but there remain some crucial areas where significant differences of opinion still exist, Vernon Coaker: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how including on the potential costs to the Northern Ireland many times he has visited (a) Northern Ireland, (b) block grant. Wales and (c) Scotland since May 2010; [117603] Officials will continue to work over the summer to (2) when he last visited (a) Northern Ireland, (b) seek to resolve these differences and the Ministerial Wales and (c) Scotland. [117604] Working Group has agreed to meet again in September.

The Prime Minister: A list of my UK visits will be published shortly. COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Absenteeism HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities Data Security and Local Government what the absentee rate for civil servants in his Department was in each of the last three Alun Cairns: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, years. [116359] Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many thefts of tablet and Robert Neill [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The mobile phones from the Commons part of the average number of working days lost due to sickness parliamentary estate have been reported since May absence were reported to Cabinet Office for the last 2010; and whether any such thefts led to data on these three calendar years for the Department for Communities devices being accessed illegally. [117005] and Local Government as follows:

John Thurso: Between 1 May 2010 and 11 July 2012, DCLG 10 tablets and 13 mobile phones were reported to the 2009 4.6 Metropolitan Police Service of the Palace of Westminster 2010 6.3 as stolen from the Commons part of the Parliamentary 2011 6.5 Estate. These totals include items reported stolen by members of the public and other visitors. Average sickness rates in the Department are below There is no evidence of illegal access to data arising the civil service average. The Department is currently from the theft of a tablet or mobile phone belonging to looking at streamlining its policies on sick absence and Members, their staff or staff of either House during is taking a proactive role in working with line managers this period. The devices in such cases were wiped remotely to tackle sick absence. (excluding older mobex phones), and all SIMs suspended, once reported as lost/presumed stolen. Assets

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assets his NORTHERN IRELAND Department has sold and leased back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of each asset so sold; Corporation Tax and what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back each such asset over Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State the period of the lease. [116774] for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of proposals to devolve power to set the rate of Robert Neill: The Department for Communities and corporation tax in Northern Ireland to the Northern Local Government has not sold and then leased back Ireland Assembly. [117384] any assets over the last 12 months. 483W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 484W

Homelessness and Repossession Orders Homelessness: Veterans

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities Communities and Local Government if he will assess and Local Government what estimate he has made of the contribution of manipulation on the LIBOR rate to the number of homeless veterans in (a) Barnsley Central the level of (a) repossessions and (b) homelessness. constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England [116548] and Wales. [117611]

Grant Shapps: Further to my answer of 2 July 2012, Grant Shapps: The Department does not collect Official Report, column 581, I can note that only a very information on the total number of people in households small minority of mortgages, primarily subprime and that have been accepted as being owed the main buy to let from specialist lenders, are directly linked to homelessness duty who have previously served in HM LIBOR. Most of these were lent before the banking forces, but it does collect information from local authorities crisis. Very few (if any) of the large banks/building on: societies provide mortgage products which have a direct link to LIBOR. Therefore only a small minority of (i) The number of households accepted as homeless in a mortgages will have been directly affected by the attempted particular period where the applicant was vulnerable as a result of serving in HM forces; and manipulation. (ii) The number of households accepted as homeless in a It may be possible that there was some indirect impact particular period where the main reason for the loss of the last on the pricing of mortgages. This is due to the links settled home was leaving HM forces. between LIBOR and the cost of wholesale funding. Applicant households found to be eligible for assistance, However, wholesale funding makes up only a part of unintentionally homeless and in priority need 2011-12 the funding mix used by banks to lend to the real Having served in Left HM economy, and the cost of funding is one of a number of HM forces (E2.11) forces(E3.11a) factors used by banks when considering how to price their mortgages. Therefore while the attempted England 30 182 manipulation may have had some indirect effects, these South Yorkshire 1 2 are likely to have been small. It is also important to Barnsley 0 0 remember that where the aim was to attempt to manipulate Source: LIBOR downwards, the effect may have been positive, P1E returns, questions E2 11 and E3 11 a as it would have reduced the costs of bank funding. Separate figures are not collected for the Barnsley The Government has established an independent review Central parliamentary constituency. The. closest matching into the structure and governance of LIBOR and the area for which figures exist is that covered by Barnsley corresponding criminal sanctions regime. This will be metropolitan borough council, which also includes the headed by Martin Wheatley (Chief Executive Officer Barnsley East constituency and parts of the Penistone designate of the Financial Conduct Authority) and it is and Stocksbridge and Wentworth and Dearne envisaged that it will report by the end of summer. constituencies. South Yorkshire comprises of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield local authorities. The Department does not collect figures for Wales: Homelessness: Greater London these are a devolved matter. A figure for the number of households accepted as homeless and in priority need in Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in 2011-12 where a member was vulnerable due Communities and Local Government whether (a) he to being homeless after leaving the armed forces is, and (b) his officials have had any contact with the however, available in the Welsh Government’s published London boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, Sutton and statistical release for ‘Homelessness, January to March Croydon to discuss their proposal to house homeless 2012’. This is available at: families outside their boroughs. [116546] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/housing2012/ 120620/?lang=en Grant Shapps: The Department has not made contact We secured an additional £70 million last year to help with the London boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness. This Sutton or Croydon to discuss specifically their proposal includes £20 million Homelessness Transition Fund to to house families outside their boroughs. However, officials support the roll-out of No Second Night Out and within the Department’s Homelessness and Support protect vital front line services and £20 million Single Division regularly make contact with local authorities Homelessness Prevention Fund to help ensure single to discuss homelessness issues including their use of homeless people get access to good housing advice. This housing stock to accommodate homeless families. is on top of the existing £10 million to help single people access private rented sector accommodation and The law makes it clear that local authorities must the £400 million we are investing for homelessness secure accommodation within their own borough so far prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15). as reasonably practicable. The Government wants to go further on this and is currently consulting on how best England has one of the strongest safety nets in the to strengthen requirements in relation to location and world to protect families and vulnerable households suitability when local authorities secure accommodation who become homeless through no fault of their own. It for the use of households owed duties under the provides a consistent, national statutory framework for homelessness legislation. the provision of homelessness assistance across England. 485W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 486W

The Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness (National Audit Office, Financial viability of the social housing will shortly publish its second report on preventing sector: introducing the Affordable Homes Programme, 4 July homelessness which will include veterans. The latest 2012, HC 465, pp.6-7). figures from CHAIN which covers London highlight that only 4% of rough sleepers from the UK have Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for experience of the armed forces. Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 600W, I am determined to ensure that current and former on housing benefit, how the estimated increase in housing members of the armed forces gain the housing they benefit expenditure used in the central scenario of Table deserve, recognising the sacrifices they have made for 8 of the impact assessment of the new affordable rent the country. I have, therefore, introduced measures to model was calculated. [116570] place members of the armed forces at the top of the priority list for home ownership schemes, including Grant Shapps: The methodology and key assumptions FirstBuy. used to calculate the housing benefit impact of the I recently published final new statutory social allocations Affordable Homes programme, and other economic guidance, following consultation, setting out how councils’ and social impacts of the programme, are set out in the allocation schemes can give priority to all service personnel, published Impact Assessment in Section D: Cost Benefit including through the use of local preference criteria Analysis (pages 19 to 37): and local lettings policies. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/ I am also changing the law by regulation so that 1918816.pdf former personnel with urgent housing needs are always given high priority for social housing; and councils are Housing: Construction prevented from applying local connection requirements to disqualify members of the armed forces and those Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of within five years of leaving the services. Following State for Communities and Local Government what consultation, we are also extending these regulations to timetable he has set for his Department’s review of the bereaved spouses and seriously injured reservists. New Homes Bonus. [117413]

Grant Shapps: The Government will formally consider Housing Benefit the impact of the New Homes Bonus in 2013-14 in preparation for the next spending review. Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Hull Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2012, Official Report, column 600W, Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for on housing benefit, whether the increase in expenditure Communities and Local Government pursuant to the on housing benefit since the original impact assessment answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 10W from the affordable rent model will be funded from the and of 18 June 2012, Official Report, columns 689-90W, Homes and Communities Agency’s budget. [116569] and with reference to the contribution by the Minister for Housing and Local Government of 19 April 2012, Grant Shapps: Housing providers’ response to the Official Report, column 184WH, on regeneration, how Affordable Homes programme exceeded our original many times the Minister for Housing and Local expectations. As a result, we now expect to be able to Government has visited Hull in an official capacity deliver 80,000 new affordable homes through the Affordable since May 2010. [116425] Homes programme, compared to our expectation of 56,000 at the time of the affordable rent impact assessment. Robert Neill: I refer the right hon. Member to my This positive response means that we now expect to answer to him of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column deliver a total of 170,000 new affordable homes over 10W, and to the answer to him of 18 June 2012, Official this spending review period, through a total investment Report, column 689W. of £19.5 billion public and private funding. Public Expenditure Because we have been able to provide more homes with the original budget than we anticipated at the time of the impact assessment, there will be some further Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for impact on the housing benefit bill The Department for Communities and Local Government whether he expects Communities and Local Government therefore agreed his Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; to cover the anticipated £56 million increase in housing and what estimate he has made of any such underspend. benefit costs over the spending review period associated [116472] with this increase in delivery. This was funded from Departmental Unallocated Provision. Robert Neill: The Office of Budgetary Responsibility forecasts underspends against departmental expenditure I note that the National Audit Office’s recent study limits as part of its Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the into the Affordable Rent programme observed that: autumn. “The Department selected the best delivery model open to it As part of its transparency agenda the Government for the funds it had available... The Department has so far achieved its policy objective to maximise the number of homes publishes the full detail of plans and outturn for all delivered within the available grant funding... The Programme Departments after the end of the financial year, usually was over subscribed which led to the Department raising its target in September. HM Treasury publishes outturn data for for the number of affordable homes it expects to deliver.” all Departments from the COINS database, available 487W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 488W on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts The New Homes Bonus also rewards councils for for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at helping provide more affordable housing; our empty Budget 2013. homes programme will support vacant properties being brought back into use as affordable housing; and the Public Sector: Land Community Right to Build will help provide low-cost homes for local families and residents. Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (1) what steps he plans to take to review his Department’s TRANSPORT public land auction pilots; and to what timetable; [117441] A3: Hampshire (2) when he expects the first pilot land auction to be held; [117442] Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for (3) what funding his Department proposes to allocate Transport when she expects to publish noise action to local authorities that will be piloting the land auction plans for the A3 in East Hampshire arising from the scheme; [117443] 2007 noise mapping exercise. [117356] (4) which local authorities his Department has selected Mike Penning: The noise action plans were published as pilots for the auction of public land. [117444] by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in 2010. The Highways Agency has Grant Shapps: I refer the hon. Member to the answer investigated all important areas with first priority locations given to the right hon. Member for Wentworth and on the strategic road network, including those on the Dearne (John Healey) on 16 April 2012, Official Report, A3 in East Hampshire, which DEFRA identified using columns 202-03W.This sets out how we are undertaking the criteria set out in their 2010 action plans. The the pilot, which is testing the land disposal elements of remaining important areas will be investigated during the land auctions model on public land. We have put financial year 2012-13. The Highways Agency will be funding aside to support the participating local authorities sending out the outcome of its investigations at all during the pilot, which will run to March 2014, with the important areas with first priority locations to the aim of having two sites ready for market by the end of relevant local authorities, as required by the noise action the year. We will report on the learning from the pilot in plans, during summer 2012. due course. Assets Quarrying: Kent Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assets her Department has sold and Communities and Local Government when he plans to leased back over the last 12 months; what the sale price make a decision on the proposed westerly extension to was of each asset so sold; and what estimate her Department Hermitage Quarry, Aylesford, Kent, reference TM10/ has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back 2029. [117014] each such asset over the period of the lease. [116810]

Robert Neill: The inquiry into the above application Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, the is due to open at 10.00 am on 27 November 2012 at Department for Transport has not sold and leased back Oakwood House Hotel, Oakwood Park, Maidstone, any assets over the last 12 months. Kent. It is expected to last for up to 12 days. The date by when the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Aviation: EU Action Government, my right hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr Pickles), will make a decision Anna Soubry: To ask the Secretary of State for on the application will be announced after the closure Transport what recent discussions her Department has of the inquiry. had on the EU’s proposals for limitations on flight times; and if she will make a statement. [117265] Social Rented Housing: Birmingham Mrs Villiers: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is still considering the responses to its comment Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for response document issued on 18 January 2012 and their Communities and Local Government what plans he has final opinion is expected later this autumn. We will to increase the social housing stock in Birmingham, consider our position, taking into account advice from Ladywood. [116946] the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), once EASA has published their final set of draft rules. We will not Grant Shapps: We are investing £4.5 billion over the support EASA’s proposals if the CAA advises that spending review period to deliver 170,000 affordable these do not provide an appropriate level of protection homes in England. This investment will lever in £15 billion against fatigue. of private sector investment, a total of £19.5 billion. Between April 2011, and March 2015, almost £39 million Aviation: Fees and Charges is being invested through the Affordable Homes programme to provide 772 new affordable homes in the Birmingham Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for local authority area for rent and affordable home ownership. Transport what recent discussions she has had with the These figures are subject to change as schemes are Consumer Association on the pricing policies and finalised. This information is not available by constituency. hidden charges of budget airlines. [116561] 489W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 490W

Mrs Villiers: No recent discussions have taken place all or some types of parking meter are eligible for a on this issue with the Consumers’ Association. Pricing badge. We have no plans to make any further changes to policies are a matter for the airlines. However, Regulation this criterion. EC1008/2008 on Common Rules of the Operation of Air Services in the Community includes measures on British Midland Airways: Pensions airline ticket pricing. Article 23 of the regulation requires the final price of Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for an air ticket (inclusive of all foreseeable and unavoidable Transport pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member taxes, fees and charges) to be displayed at all times. Any for Garston and Halewood of 9 July 2012, Official optional price supplements, such as those covering hold Report, column 68W, on bmi, what discussions she had baggage or insurance, must be communicated clearly at on the future of the bmi pension scheme. [117734] the start of the booking process. The acceptance of optional price supplements by the customer must be on Mrs Villiers: None. Company pensions are regulated an ‘opt-in’ basis. by the Pensions Regulator. Ministers are not involved in In February 2012 the Civil Aviation Authority published its casework or decisions. The Pensions Regulator has issued a summary of the optional charges levied by the top a report under section 89 of the Pensions Act 2004, airlines in the UK in one price comparison document. which explains fully the decision it has made on the bmi Information on the cost of taking hold luggage on scheme and is available on the Pensions Regulator’s website. board, having an in-flight meal and reserving specific seats is all included, as well as a range of other optional East Coast Railway Line charges that airlines may apply. A link to the summary can be found via the following link: Mr Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/2200/ if she will request that Network Rail rearranges planned Comparing_airline_charges.pdf engineering work on East Coast line on 15 and 16 September in order to avoid disruption to the Great Blue Badge Scheme: Thalidomide North Run event. [116637]

Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport Mrs Villiers: The scope and timing of engineering if she will make it her policy that thalidomide survivors works are operational matters for Network Rail under should automatically receive blue badges. [117114] the industry’s national possessions planning regime which is overseen by the Office of Rail Regulation, not Ministers. Norman Baker: The main aim of the blue badge scheme Network Rail advises that the major works programme is to enable severely disabled people to park close to places between Newcastle and Edinburgh has been planned they need to visit. The main category of people who can with the relevant train operators since October 2010, qualify for a badge is those who have a permanent and before the finalisation of the date for the Great North substantial disability that means they are unable to Run 2012. walk or have very considerable difficulty in walking. As part of our general efforts to improve efficiency Local authorities administer and enforce the scheme on the railways, we are encouraging Network Rail to and it is for them to take decisions on whether or not work closely with train operators and other relevant someone meets the eligibility criteria. They are now stakeholders on planning possessions and completing required to refer people for an independent assessment them on time. in cases where a person’s eligibility may be in doubt. However, it was recognised by previous Governments Heathrow Airport that those people with Thalidomide related disabilities would also benefit from being in possession of a badge. Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for The scheme was therefore extended in 1992 to include Transport how many take-off and landing slots at such people. The criterion was strictly limited to those Heathrow were allocated to flights (a) departing to who regularly drive a motor vehicle but who have such a and (b) arriving from (i) Belgium, (ii) Cyprus and (iii) severe disability in both upper limbs that they are Greece in the latest period in which figures are available unable to turn the steering wheel by hand even if that and what proportion of the air transport movement wheel is fitted with a turning knob. cap that represents. [117536] In October 2007, the eligibility criterion was extended to people with severe disabilities in both arms so that Mrs Villiers: The number of flights departing to and people who regularly drive a non-adapted vehicle but arriving from Belgium, Cyprus and Greece at Heathrow cannot operate, or have considerable difficulty operating, in 2011 is shown in the following table.

Air transport movement between Heathrow and Belgium, Cyprus and Greece, 2011 Thousand Proportion (%) Arrivals Departures Total Arrivals Departures

Belgium 3.4 3.6 7.0 1.4 1.5 Cyprus 1.5 1.5 2.9 0.6 0.6 Greece 2.7 2.7 5.4 1.1 1.1 Total Heathrow 238.1 238.2 476.3 — — 491W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 492W

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Mrs Villiers: Commencement of works at Apperley Transport how many (a) terminating and (b) transfer Bridge station is anticipated in summer 2013. The expected passengers arrived at Heathrow in the latest period for completion date of the Leeds Rail Growth Package is which figures are available. [117537] December 2014. Railways Mrs Villiers: In 2011, an estimated 23 million terminating and 12 million transfer passengers arrived at Heathrow. Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Large Goods Vehicles: Epilepsy Transport what recent steps her Department has taken to encourage more people to use trains rather than other methods of transport. [117771] David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the eligibility criteria to Mrs Villiers: The Department is working to improve apply for a standard driving licence are different from the quality of all modes of transport. that for heavy good vehicle licences for people who have suffered an historic epileptic condition. [117645] With regard to rail, the Government’s Rail Reform Command Paper, published in March 2012, set out our Mike Penning: In the interests of road safety, medical ambition for a more customer-focused and financially standards are generally stricter for those wishing to sustainable railway for both passengers and freight. It drive lorries and buses. Drivers of these vehicles tend to sets out Government’s aim to put an end to above spend more time driving and typically, drive longer inflation rises in regulated rail fares when savings are distances than other drivers. Accidents involving larger achieved in the cost of running the railways and the vehicles are more likely to result in death or serious wider economic situation permits. injury than those involving cars or smaller vehicles. The Government has also confirmed plans for a national high speed rail network stretching from London David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for to Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, including stations Transport if she will ask the Driver and Vehicle Licensing in the east midlands and south Yorkshire, as well as Agency to permit people who have suffered a historic connections to Heathrow and HS1. HS2 is forecast to epilepsy condition to apply for an heavy goods vehicle carry up to 4.5 million passengers every year who might licence. [117646] otherwise have travelled by air, as well as seeing up to nine million passengers transfer from the national road Mike Penning: Driving licence rules, including the network. minimum standards of medical fitness in Great Britain, The Government has also today announced a £9.4 are governed by European law. Those whose medical billion package of investment for our railways for the history of epilepsy poses no risk to road safety may be period 2014-19, including £4.2 billion of funding for licensed to drive larger vehicles subject to strict criteria. new schemes to expand capacity and improve services The minimum requirement is that those who no longer for passengers and freight users. suffer with or are liable to suffer from epileptic seizures may by licensed to drive buses and lorries. This is Railways: Barnsley providing they remain free of epileptic attacks for at least 10 years without the aid of anti-epileptic medication. Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations she has received on improving rail Manchester Declaration links between Barnsley and (a) Leeds, (b) Sheffield and (c) London; and if she will undertake a review of Stephen McPartland: To ask the Secretary of State railway links in and out of Barnsley. [117612] for Transport what progress her Department and its agencies have made on implementation of the Manchester Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport maintains Declaration of 2005. [116364] close links with regional partners to discuss options or the development of the network. The responsibility for Norman Baker: The Department for Transport and network planning, however, lies with Network Rail and its seven executive agencies have delivered a number of we have no plans to undertake any independent assessment significant digital products for consumers which are of links into or out of Barnsley. compatible with the Manchester Declaration. These include the on-line renewal of vehicle excise duty, on-line Railways: Bicycles driving test booking and the Transport Direct journey planning portal. Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport This Department is an active contributor to the delivery what discussions she has had with (a) Southern Railway, of the Government’s ICT Strategy, the Transparency (b) Southeastern Railway and (c) relevant cycling and Open Data agendas and the Digital by Default organisations about the restrictions they have imposed programme. on bicycles on trains during the period of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. [117757] Railway Stations: Bradford Mrs Villiers: The Department has been made aware Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport of temporary changes to such policies during the period when she expects work to (a) begin and (b) finish on of the Olympic and Paralympics Games. Regular the Apperley Bridge Railway Station as part of the discussions have taken place with operators on all their Leeds Rail Growth Package. [117472] operational preparations to accommodate the large numbers 493W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 494W of additional passengers expected at Games time. I am Mrs Villiers: Bids for the new West Coast franchise, not aware the Secretary of State for Transport, my right due to start in December 2012, are currently being hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), evaluated. In preparing their bids, bidders were encouraged has had any specific discussions with cycling organisations to consult with stakeholders and use the consultation to about Olympics restrictions, but the Department is in understand stakeholder aspirations and consider addressing regular touch with such organisations in promoting these in their proposals for the franchise. Such views cycling as an alternative form of transport for local were expected to form part of bidders’ deliberations in journeys. deciding the best service pattern they could offer. We have included sufficient flexibility and commercial freedom Railways: Freight for whoever is selected to operate this new franchise to provide a direct service to Shrewsbury if they believe there is a commercial case for so doing. Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to promote transportation of Railways: Standards freight by rail. [117152] John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Mrs Villiers: In the last five years the Government Transport what proportion of trains ran within 60 has announced record levels of rail freight investment seconds of scheduled time in each year between 1992 to support continued growth including: and 1997. [R] [117839] (i) £200 million towards the development of a strategic freight network; Norman Baker: Industry data for this statistic are not (ii) over £150 million on the provision of infrastructure available for the years requested. enhancement for freight through the Productivity Transport Innovation Fund; Rescue Services: Fareham (iii) £55 million for work on the strategic freight network announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s autumn statement of 2011. Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new Maritime Operations centre in The Government also supports the shift of freight from Fareham will (a) open and (b) be fully operational. road to rail through the Department for Transport’s Mode [117452] Shift Revenue Support scheme. This assists companies with the operating costs of rail or inland waterways, Mike Penning: The modernisation plan for Her Majesty’s where these are more expensive than road and where Coastguard was announced on 22 November 2011, there are environmental benefits. Over 800,000 lorries a Official Report, columns 161-64. This announcement year are taken off the road as a result of this scheme. outlined that following extensive practitioner-led testing the new national Maritime Operations centre will be Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport open and operational during the financial year 2013-14. what estimate she has made of the volume of coal transported by rail in each year since 1997. [117155] Rescue Services: South Lanarkshire

Mrs Villiers: The information requested is shown in Mrs Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the following table. Transport what plans she has for the future of Forth Coal moved on GB national railways from 1996-97 to 2010-11 Coastguard station. [117453] Measured in billion net tonne kilometres Mike Penning: The modernisation plan for Her Majesty’s 1996-97 3.9 Coastguard was announced on 22 November 2011, 1997-98 4.4 Official Report, columns 161-64. This announcement 1998-99 4.5 outlined that Forth Maritime Rescue Co-ordination 1999-2000 4.8 Centre (MRCC) would close by the end of financial 2000-01 4.8 year 2012-13. 2001-02 6.2 In line with that announcement, operational control 2002-03 5.7 of the area of responsibility currently managed by 2003-04 5.8 Forth MRCC will transfer to Aberdeen MRCC by 2004-05 6.7 28 September 2012. 2005-06 8.3 2006-07 8.6 Taxis: Disabled 2007-08 7.7 2008-09 7.9 Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for 2009-10 6.2 Transport when she expects to launch a consultation 2010-11 5.5 on the proportion of wheelchair accessible vehicles per Source: local fleet that must be met before a licensing authority Department for Transport. can refuse to grant a licence for a wheelchair accessible vehicle for the purpose of controlling taxi numbers. Railways: Shrewsbury [117746]

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Norman Baker: The Government has in place a rigorous Transport if she will take steps to ensure Shrewsbury approval system for considering the implications of any has a direct rail service to London. [115812] new Regulation which it introduces. We have been 495W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 496W considering the case for commencing section 161 of the Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Equality Act to which this question refers in the context Transport what recent representations she has received of the review of taxi and private hire vehicle licensing from (a) individuals and (b) organisations regarding being carried out by the Law Commission. the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 in respect of disabled access to taxis and private hire vehicles. Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for [117750] Transport when she expects to implement sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010 on the imposition of Norman Baker: Since 2 May 2012, Ministers at the the duties on taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to Department for Transport have received 35 letters from assist passengers in wheelchairs. [117747] MPs about the implementation of sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act. Norman Baker: The Government has in place a rigorous Since the Equality Act gained Royal Assent in 2010, I approval system for considering the implications of any and my officials have held regular meetings with new Regulation which it introduces. We have been representatives of the taxi and private hire vehicle operator considering the case for commencing section 165 and trades, local licensing authorities and interested groups, 167 in the context of that approvals process, and I including those representing disabled people. These meetings intend to make an announcement about section 165 have concerned a range of subjects relating to taxi and and 167 in the near future. private hire vehicle operations, including discussions on access to taxi and private hire vehicles to disabled Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for people. The Department has also answered a number of Transport when she expects the provisions of the written and verbal enquires relating to taxi and private Equality Act 2010 relating to taxis, private hire vehicles hire vehicle operations. and accessibility for disabled persons to be brought into force. [117748] West Anglia Railway Line

Norman Baker: There are a number of sections of the Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport Equality Act 2010 which relate specifically to taxis. The what recent discussions she has had with Network Rail following table explains the status of these sections. and train operating companies on improving (a) punctuality, (b) value for money and (c) service provision Section Description Status on the West Anglia Mainline. [117520] 160, 162- Provisions to require all taxis No immediate plans 164 to meet certain accessibility to commence Norman Baker: Ministers and officials regularly meet standards Network Rail and train operating companies to discuss 165-167 Imposition of duties on taxi Considering the case these and other issues. Last week I met Network Rail to and private hire vehicle for commencing discuss the resilience of the line ahead of the Olympics. drivers to assist passengers in wheelchairs 161 Qualifying local authorities’ Considering the case power to limit taxi numbers for commencing DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER 166 Allows exemption from the In force from October duties to assist 2010 House of Lords: Reform 168-171 Duty to carry assistance dogs In force from October 2010 172, 173 Appeals and interpretation In force from October Mr McCann: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what 2010 legal opinion he has sought on the primacy of the House of Commons under his proposals to create an elected House of Lords; and whether he plans to make Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport that opinion available to the House. [117700] what assessment she has made of the (a) cost and (b) availability of taxi and private hire vehicles that are Mr Harper: It is a well established convention that accessible to disabled people. [117749] the Government do not reveal whether or not the advice of the Law Officers has been sought. However, it is the Norman Baker: The Department for Transport carries Government’s view that the Parliament Acts would out every two years a survey of taxi and private hire apply to the House of Lords Reform Bill itself, and the vehicle licensing which includes questions about the Bill provides that they will continue to apply following number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in licensing its enactment. authority areas. This survey is published on the Department’s website. Monarchy: Succession The Department does not routinely keep information on taxi or private hire vehicle fares. Generally, local Tom Greatrex: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister licensing authorities set a tariff for taxi fares and drivers when he last met representatives of the Roman Catholic must not charge more than the tariff rate (normally Church to discuss reform of the Act of Settlement. displayed on a taximeter). There is no power in legislation [117334] for local authorities to set fares for private hire vehicles. These are a matter for the commercial judgement of the Mr Harper: Neither the Deputy Prime Minister nor I PHV operator. had any meetings with representatives of the Roman Section 29 of the Equality Act 2010 is intended to Catholic Church to discuss reform of the Act of Settlement. provide protection against discriminatory processes. However, the previous Cabinet Secretary and other 497W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 498W senior officials in Cabinet Office have discussed the matter schools as they feel best but it is anticipated that music, with a range of interested parties including representatives sport and performing arts will feature in these programmes. of the Roman Catholic Church. The Prime Minister recently asked the Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Tom Greatrex: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister Basingstoke (Maria Miller) and I to lead a Childcare what recent steps he has taken to reform the Act of Commission which will look at child care for the over-fives, Settlement. [117434] particularly the wrap-around child care that many families need after school and in the holidays. The intention is to Mr Harper: The Prime Minister announced in Perth, identify ways to enable parents and other volunteers Australia in October last year that the 16 Commonwealth to set up the schemes they want in their area; and to realms had agreed in principle that we should modernise promote partnerships between schools and voluntary the Act of Settlement with regard to the rules of royal and private providers. succession—in particular, to end male primogeniture and the bar on the Monarch and those in the Line of Young People: Drugs Succession from marrying a Roman Catholic. We will bring forward UK legislation to give effect to Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for changes to the rules of succession once we have secured Education what assessment he has made of the relationship the consent of the other Commonwealth realms. This between accommodation status and substance abuse work is being co-ordinated by the New Zealand among under 18 year olds. [112848] Government with whom my officials are working very closely. Sarah Teather: The Government has supported a number of studies that look at the effects of substance misuse and the well-being of young people. However, EDUCATION none provide enough information on accommodation status to carry out an analysis of its relationship with Holiday Playschemes substance misuse amongst young people. Ms Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what budget his Department provided for holiday playschemes (a) nationwide and (b) in DEFENCE each local authority area in (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) total, in the school years (A) Scout Specialist Vehicle 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, (C) 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12; [117030] 16. Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for (2) how many children attended holiday playschemes Defence what progress his Department has made on (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority area in the Scout specialist vehicle programme. [116907] (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) in total in the school years (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, (C) Peter Luff: The Scout specialist vehicle programme is 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12; [117034] currently in the Demonstration Phase. The first vehicle platform test rig was rolled out on 6 June 2012 and (3) how many hours of holiday playschemes were pre-production vehicle prototypes are due to begin delivery offered (a) nationally and (b) in each local authority from 2013. area in (i) music, (ii) sport, (iii) performing arts and (iv) in total in the school years (A) 2007-08, (B) 2008-09, Budget Reductions: Local Economies (C) 2009-10, (D) 2010-11 and (E) 2011-12. [117035] Sarah Teather [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The 17. Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of Department of Education has not provided any direct State for Defence what discussions he has had with his funding for holiday playschemes during any of the ministerial colleagues on the effect of reductions in the years cited. defence budget on local economies. [116908] In 2010-11 the Department made approximately Mr Philip Hammond: Defence spending decisions are £4 million available for 19 local authorities to take part not made on the basis of their impact on specific in a one-year pilot to explore different approaches to regions, but rather in the interests of the defence of the developing and improving holiday child care provision. whole of the United Kingdom. We do not make defence The Department does not collect information on the decisions to benefit one local economy or industry over number of children who have attended holiday playschemes another. or how many hours were offered nationally or by local authority area. The Department’s survey of child care Armed Forces Presentations: Schools providers showed that in 2010 there were 7,700 holiday clubs offering 349,400 places nationally. 18. Mr Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for In September 2011, the Deputy Prime Minister Defence how many presentations the armed forces delivered announced that £50 million, from the Pupil Premium, in secondary schools in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) has been made available to schools that have disadvantaged the UK in the last year. [116909] pupils moving into Year 7 to run a one week or two week summer school. Approximately 2,000 schools have Mr Robathan: In Northamptonshire in 2011 the Army signed up to take part in the programme and provisional delivered five presentations in schools and colleges, the pupil figures suggest around 65,000 disadvantaged pupils Royal Navy delivered seven in secondary schools and will benefit. Schools are free to structure the summer the Royal Air Force did not give any presentations. 499W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 500W

In addition the three services held various other sessions Mr Robathan: The armed forces do not accept any on subjects ranging from personal development to fitness form of discrimination and have a clear policy for the and science. recruitment and management of personnel with gender Similar information for the whole of the UK is not identity disorder (transsexuals). This policy was published held centrally and will take some time to collate. in 2009 and is available to all military commanders and civilian staff who manage service personnel. Advice was Afghanistan sought from a:gender, the support network for staff in Government Departments and agencies who have 19. Mr Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for permanently changed their perceived gender. Defence what recent progress has been made on the security transition in Afghanistan. [116910] Armed Forces: Learning Disability

20. Mr McCann: To ask the Secretary of State for Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress has been made on the Defence what policies and procedures his Department security transition in Afghanistan. [116911] has put in place for members of the armed forces who present with learning difficulties. [117465] Nick Harvey: Transition of security to Afghan control, as agreed at the Lisbon conference in 2010, is on track Mr Robathan: We take provision for service personnel and achievable by the end of 2014. In May the Afghan with specific learning difficulties most seriously. Our Government announced the third tranche of districts policy aims to promote and provide systematic support and provinces that will enter the process. This will see to those personnel in the armed forces with identified the Afghans take the lead for security in areas home to needs to maximise their learning potential and training. 75% of the population. The single services must provide support to those By mid-2013, all parts of Afghanistan will have begun individuals who have voluntarily come forward or have transition and the Afghan forces will be in the lead for been identified as possibly having specific learning difficulties security nationwide. This will mark an important milestone needs. This support should be delivered irrespective of in the Lisbon road map. The progress of security transition service, location or job responsibilities (subject to operational is allowing ISAF gradually and responsibly to draw down requirements). its forces to complete its mission by 31 December 2014. Armed Forces: Mental Illness Discrimination: Armed Forces Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for 23. Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State Defence what treatment is provided before a medical for Defence what steps his Department is taking to discharge to a member of the armed forces diagnosed tackle discrimination within the armed forces. [116914] with a mental health condition. [117614]

Mr Robathan: Discrimination within the armed forces Mr Robathan: All personnel will be initially assessed is not tolerated at any level and service personnel are and managed in Primary Care, and referred into specialist encouraged to report incidences whenever encountered. mental health care services where appropriate (which Once reported the complaint is investigated and dealt may include in-patient care in a bespoke NHS service with through the chain of command. Commanding contracted by Ministry of Defence). Officers have clear guidance on how to deal with such complaints. Our specialist mental health care services are centred round 15 military Departments of Community Mental Armed Forces Health (DCMHs) across the UK (plus centres overseas). Personnel referred will be assessed by a mental health Mr Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for professional, which (depending on the referred problem) Defence what steps he plans to take to ensure that the may be a mental health nurse, psychiatrist, clinical balance between regular and reserve forces is maintained psychologist or mental health social worker. Treatments at an appropriate level. [115684] available include medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotic medications and anxiolytic medications Mr Philip Hammond: The programme to implement as well as psychotherapies (including simple supportive Army 2020, and to enhance our reserve forces, will be or problem-solving counselling, Cognitive Behavioural closely monitored to ensure that it remains on track, Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and that projected manning levels are achieved. The therapy and Motivational Interviewing). work on reshaping the reserves will be aided by the Recommendations for medical discharge will be made independent scrutiny team which I announced on 5 July either because an individual’s condition and/or their 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, to be led by treatment makes them no longer able to fulfil their retired Lieutenant General Robin Brims, who will make occupational role, or there is a residual vulnerability to his first report in the summer of 2013. relapse after their treatment that leaves them at too high a risk either to themselves or their unit for further Armed Forces: Gender Identity Disorder service. There are a number of supports available to those leaving the service, both non-medical and medical. Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for With respect to the latter, mental health social workers Defence what procedures his Department has put in will support personnel going through their medical place for members of the armed services who present discharge and beyond, addressing issues such as housing, with gender identity disorder. [117466] employment, benefits and transfer of care to the NHS. 501W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 502W

In addition, in accordance with a recommendation in 2011-12 Dr Andrew Murrison’s ″Fighting Fit″ Report, we have Region Army officer Army other rank introduced a process whereby service personnel can East 90 1,610 now, where a course of treatment has already started, access mental health care at a DCMH for up to six London 60 550 months after they have left the service. Dr Murrison’s England Total 520 8,200 report has also led to a number of other enhancements to the service provided for ex-service personnel with Scotland 40 1,060 mental health disorders, to which discharged personnel Wales 20 730 will have access. Northern Ireland 20 280

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for 2010-11 Defence how many armed forces personnel have been Region Army officer Army other rank discharged with mental health conditions in each of the West Midlands 40 900 last 10 years. [117615] South 110 390 North East 80 1,550 Mr Robathan: The following table shows the number South East — 290 of naval service, Army and RAF personnel medically North West 60 1,230 discharged with a principal cause of mental and behavioural Wessex 80 450 disorder in each of the last 10 financial years. East 70 1,010 London 80 370 Naval service England Total 520 6,190 (Royal Navy and Financial year Royal Marines) Army RAF Scotland 30 830 2002-03 35 109 12 Wales 30 470 2003-04 33 93 39 Northern Ireland 20 240 2004-05 34 120 64 2005-06 47 112 44 2009-10 2006-07 44 96 78 Region Army officer Army other rank 2007-08 36 139 45 West Midlands 60 1,350 2008-09 29 140 40 South 80 580 2009-10 21 102 23 North East 90 2,150 2010-11 42 128 30 South East — 420 2011-12 39 124 26 North West 40 1,900 Total 360 1,163 401 Wessex 50 810 During the overall 10-year period, a further 231 East 60 1,930 personnel (36 naval service, 154 Army and 41 RAF) London 70 850 were medically discharged with a contributory (but not England Total 450 9,990 principal) cause of mental and behavioural disorder. Scotland 50 1,100 Army Wales 20 870 Northern Ireland 20 320

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for 2008-09 Defence how many recruits to the Army there have Region Army officer Army other rank been from each (a) region of England and (b) nation of the UK in each of the last 10 years; and what West Midlands 80 1,460 demographic projections his Department has made of South 100 630 the age cohort from which infantry recruits are drawn North East 60 2,100 South East — 460 in each such region and nation. [116732] North West 60 1,820 Nick Harvey [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The Wessex 30 1,000 following tables show the number of recruits to the East 50 1,940 regular Army from each region of England and nation London 70 1,300 of the UK in each of the past 10 years. Regional data England Total 450 10,710 for Army officers is only held from 2007-08. Figures have been rounded to 10 and those under five have not Scotland 60 840 been included. Wales 10 920 Northern Ireland 10 290 2011-12 Region Army officer Army other rank 2007-08 Region Army officer Army other rank West Midlands 40 1,040 South 110 470 West Midlands 60 1,360 North East 90 1,740 South 60 550 South East — 440 North East 10 1,950 North West 40 1,690 South East — 420 Wessex 90 660 North West 30 1,720 503W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 504W

2007-08 2003-04 Region Army officer Army other rank Region Army other rank

Wessex 10 970 North West 1,920 East 60 1,650 Wessex 1,000 London 70 1,090 East 1,760 England Total 300 9,710 London 1,480 England Total 10,910

Scotland 70 740 Scotland 1,490 Wales — 900 Wales 900 Northern Ireland 10 260 Northern Ireland 310 2006-07 2002-03 Region Army other rank Region Army Other Rank West Midlands 1,210 West Midlands 1,330 South 600 South 760 North East 2,270 North East 2,780 South East 410 South East 600 North West 1,735 North West 2,150 Wessex 1,060 Wessex 1,050 East 1,810 East 1,800 London 960 London 1,400 England Total 10,055 England Total 11,870

Scotland 1,020 Scotland 1,600 Wales 980 Wales 920 Northern Ireland 240 Northern Ireland 400 2005-06 Region Army Other Rank The Ministry of Defence has used data available from the Office of National Statistics projections for West Midlands 1,150 males within age range for recruiting to the infantry. South 500 North East 1,920 Art Works South East 400 North West 1,780 Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Wessex 890 Defence what artwork is currently displayed in the East 1,570 offices of each of the Ministers in his Department; and London 1,030 what the estimated cost is of each such artwork. England Total 9,240 [109779]

Scotland 1,080 Mr Robathan: Artworks and artefacts owned by the Wales 870 Ministry of Defence as items in the MOD Art Collection Northern Ireland 210 are classed as non-operational heritage assets in the MOD’s Resource Accounts. The MOD collection is 2004-05 managed in line with professional guidelines as laid out Region Army other rank by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) West Midlands 1,000 and the Government Art Collection (GAC). South 470 The following tables specify artwork and artefacts North East 1,730 currently displayed in the offices of each Minister which South East 410 are on loan from official collections and their purchase North West 1,550 cost where known. In addition, Ministers might choose Wessex 790 to display artworks that are their personal possessions. East 1,380 With the exception of the two items purchased in London 1,100 2001 and 2003, the MOD Art Collection items listed England Total 8,430 entered the collection or its predecessor collections over many years. Where records exist, they show the items Scotland 1,120 were either donated or transferred from the GAC. Wales 670 Some items in ministerial offices remain in place Northern Ireland 260 since the previous occupants. The following tables show 2003-04 items displayed in the offices and outer offices of current Region Army other rank Ministers; similarly, items displayed in offices and outer offices of Ministers in post in April 2010 are shown in West Midlands ,1260 the following tables. South 620 Artwork and artefacts from official art collections North East 2,400 which are currently displayed in the offices and outer South East 470 offices are as follows: 505W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 506W

Secretary of State for Defence—Office Item Artist/Maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Charles II Letters Patent Anon Print Information not held MOD Art Collection Winston Spencer Churchill Anon Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Terrestrial Globe Replogle Globes Reproduction Purchased for MOD Art MOD Art Collection Collection on 21 March 2003 at £2,250 A Naval Engagement Nicholas Pocock Painting Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection acquired in 1963 was £400 A Mediterranean Seaport Dominic Serres Painting Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection acquired in 1962 was £185

Secretary of State for Defence—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Mediterranean Seascape Rowland Langmaid Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Sketches in triplicate HM Custom House, 1941 Alistair Stewart Painting Donation MOD Art Collection

Minister (Armed Forces)—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Army Scene Terence Cuneo Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection Winston Churchill Anon Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Aerial view of the Western Front William Wyllie Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection (No. l) Facsimile of Afghan Sketch No. 3 Matthew Cook Drawing Donation MOD Art Collection Facsimile of Afghan Sketch No. 4 Matthew Cook Drawing Donation MOD Art Collection Fleet at Anchor, Rosyth from Shore, Muirhead Bone Watercolour Donation MOD Art Collection 1917 Co-belligerent Italian Submarine and Rowland Langmaid Watercolour Information not held MOD Art Collection other vessels from the Royal Yacht Club of Egypt, 21 February 1944 Letter by Nelson to Bickerton Lord Nelson Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Barograph Rototherm Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Bracket Clock Thomas Dutton Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Silver Cigar/Cigarette Box Anon Antique Information not held Royal Navy Trophy Centre

There are no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister (Armed Forces).

Minister (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology)—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Bracket Clock—Tempus Fugit J. J. Elliott Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection Canadian Infantryman Augustus John Painting Donation MOD Art Collection Relief Globe Replogle Globes Reproduction Purchased for MOD Art MOD Art Collection Collection on 6 July 2001 at £750 Bomb Damage, Custom House Alistair Stewart Painting Donation MOD Art Collection Bomb Damage, Custom House William Hampton Painting Donation MOD Art Collection Interior, North Bastion, Tower of William Hampton Painting Donation MOD Art Collection London, 1942 View of North Bastion, Tower of Alistair Stewart Painting Donation MOD Art Collection London

There are no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology).

Minister (International Security Strategy)—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

HM Queen Elizabeth II Leonard Boden Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection The Thames from Somerset Canaletto Reproduction Transferred from GAC to MOD Art Collection House MOD Submarine on Patrol at Sunset Anon Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection HMS Vanguard Thomas Luny Painting Information not held MOD Art Collection Shadow of Myself Stefan Gzowski Painting Donation MOD Art Collection Bengal Light Cavalry R. Ackermann’s Costumes Print One of 221 items purchased Prince Consort Library, of the Indian Army in 1859 for £127.2s.2d. Aldershot 507W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 508W

Minister (International Security Strategy)—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

The Death of Nelson Daniel Maclise Engraving Information not held MOD Art Collection

Minister (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans)—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

War Graves, Suda Bay, 2006 Brian Harris Photograph Donated MOD Art Collection Bracket Clock Robert Rentch Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Attack on Vanguard on the Sir Oswald Walters Brierly Engraving Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection Spanish Armada 1588. acquired in 1964 was £3.00 Painted 1883 Horatio Herbert Kitchener, Sir Arthur Stockdale Cope Photogravure Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection 1st Earl Kitchener of acquired in 2002 was £100 Khartoum (1850 to 1916)

Minister (Defence Personnel Welfare and Veterans)—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Bomb Disposal, Iraq Alix Baker Print Donated MOD Art Collection Eton College Canaletto Reproduction Transferred from GAC to MOD Art Collection MOD Arthur Wellesley, 1st Samuel Cousins after Sir Thomas Mezzotint Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection Duke of Wellington Lawrence acquired in 1951 was £4.20 (1769-1852) Field Marshal and Prime Minister The Battle of the Nile James Fittler after Phillip James Engraving Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection fought 1 August 1798 de Loutherbourg acquired in 1952 was £2.70 ’Horatio Nelson’, 1st Richard Earlom after Lemuel Mezzotint Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection Viscount Nelson (1758- Francis Abbott acquired in 1952 was £5.00 1805) Vice- Admiral and Victor of Trafalgar

There are no items from official art collections displayed Prior to the 2010 general election the following artwork in the office or outer office of the Under Secretary of and artefacts from official art collections were on display State. in Ministers’ offices:

Secretary of State for Defence—Office

Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Lord Kitchener (picture) Anon Print Information not held MOD Art Collection

Winston Spencer Churchill Anon Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection

Secretary of State for Defence—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Mediterranean Seascape Rowland Langmaid Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Sketches in triplicate HM Custom House, 1941 Alistair Stewart Painting Donation MOD Art Collection

Minister for Armed Forces—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Army Scene Terence Cuneo Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection Winston Churchill Anon Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Co-belligerent Italian Rowland Langmaid Watercolour Information not held MOD Art Collection Submarine and other vessels from the Royal Yacht Club of Egypt, 21 February 1944 Sha Tau Kok Ken Howard Watercolour Information not held MOD Art Collection ’A’ Flight No 6 Squadron, Harold Wyllie Print Information not held MOD Art Collection No. 12 Group RAF WAAF Cleaning Spark Dorothy Coke Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection Plugs HMS Defence, after action Robert Dodd Print Information not held MOD Art Collection against French Fleet Letter by Nelson to Lord Nelson Photograph Information not held MOD Art Collection Bickerton Barograph Rototherm Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Bracket Clock Thomas Dutton Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Silver Cigar/Cigarette Box Anon Antique Information not held Royal Navy Trophy Centre 509W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 510W

There were no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister for Armed Forces.

Minister for Defence Equipment and Support—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Bracket Clock-Tempus Fugit J. J. Elliott Reproduction Information not held MOD Art Collection Canadian Infantryman Augustus John Painting Donation MOD Art Collection Relief Globe Replogle Globes Reproduction Purchased for MOD Art MOD Art Collection Collection on 6 July 2001 at £750 WAAF Cleaning Spark Plugs Dorothy Coke Print Information not held MOD Art Collection Prospect of Westminster Anon Engraving Information not held MOD Art Collection

There were no items from official art collections displayed in the outer office of Minister for Defence Equipment and Support.

Minister for International Development and Security—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of Item

The Thames from Canaletto Reproduction Transferred from GAC to MOD MOD Art Collection Somerset House HMS Vanguard Thomas Luny Painting Information not held MOD Art Collection

Minister for International Development and Security—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

The Death of Nelson Daniel Maclise Engraving Information not held MOD Art Collection

Minister for Veterans—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

War Graves, Suda Bay, Brian Harris Photograph Donated MOD Art Collection 2006 Bracket Clock Robert Rentch Antique Information not held MOD Art Collection Gunner Paul March Henry Lamb Painting Information not held Government Art Collection (Canadian Forces) A Merchantman at Bernard Hailstone Painting Information not held Government Art Collection Catania

Minister for Veterans—Outer Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Bomb Disposal, Iraq Alix Baker Print Donated MOD Art Collection Eton College Canaletto Reproduction Transferred from GAC to MOD Art Collection MOD

Minister for Strategic Defence Acquisition Reform—Office Item Artist/maker Item type Original cost Source of item

Outpost 4/5 Anne Hardy Photograph Cost when GAC originally Government Art Collection acquired in 2008 was £5,875

There were no items from official art collections the 2010 spending review, the 2011 autumn statement displayed in the outer office of Minister for Strategic and the 2012 Budget, copies of which are available in Defence Acquisition Reform. the Library of the House. There were no items from official art collections displayed in the office or outer office of the Under-Secretary of State. Defence Equipment

Defence Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2012, Official Report, columns 1041-2W, on defence equipment, in Mr Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which month each item subsequently recovered was what recent estimate he has made of the expected lost or stolen; and if he will make a statement. [117060] overall change in defence spending during the present Parliament. [117092] Mr Robathan: The following table refers to when the items were reported as stolen. These cases were closed Mr Philip Hammond: Estimates regarding Defence in financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 when the items Spending during the present Parliament were set out in were found or recovered. 511W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 512W

No data are held on the actual date the equipment was lost or stolen.

Date suspicion was Estimated offence value reported Items (£) Outcome

12 February 2010 Military ceremonial kit (1 x sword ORs; 1 x 398.00 All items except sword recovered scabbard ORs; 1 x belt waist; 1 x sling sword; 1 x sling; 1 x lining; 1 x sword knot)

25 November 2009 Fuel 480.00 Monies recovered

7 June 2010 Laptop computer 2,400.00 No crime. Item found

3 November 2009 Pyrotechnics 15.00 Items were recovered

5 May 2010 TV viewing cards 1— All items recovered

6July2010 4xfullsizegoalposts;2xsmallsizegoalposts 6,000.00 No crime. Items recovered

9 February 2010 Flight deck helmet, goggles and ear defenders 101.00 No crime. Items found

13 January 2009 Body armour and plates 1,385.00 No crime. Items recovered

30 June 2010 Medical daysack 500.00 No crime. Item found

15 June 2010 Head stall, bosses, sircingles, brite chain, bit 1,258.00 No crime. Items found banbury and drum horse girth

8 September 2010 Military daysack, green overalls, beret 32.00 No crime. Items found

24 March 2010 Steel hoist; petrol mower;3xboxeschemical light 1,130.00 One item recovered sticks

2 august 2010 Cash 494.00 Money was returned to account

8 October 2010 Silver plated cutlery 7,219.00 No crime. Item found

12 November 2008 Various military clothing and equipment 1— £6,600 recovered

31 January 2011 Landrover 7,500.00 Item found

22 March 2011 Head mounted night vision system 4,439.00 No crime. Item recovered

26 October 2010 Gortex clothing; bowman radio equipment 500.00 2 radios recovered

2 February 2011 MOD equipment 15.00 Closed—some items recovered

6 July 2011 Antenna; filters; headset 1,626.00 No crime. Items found

13 June 2011 Camera 350.00 No crime. Item found

28 July 2011 Foul weather jacket; daysack 80.00 No crime. Items found

8 March 2011 Smoke grenade 9.00 Item recovered

2 August 2011 Expandable barrier for traffic control 250.00 No crime. Item found 513W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 514W

Date suspicion was Estimated offence value reported Items (£) Outcome

16 August 2011 1 x rescue and salvage hydraulic kit;2xendless 34,343.11 Unsolved. One item recovered sling; 2 x strop; 1 x steel chest tool;2xvehicle mechanictoolkitchest;1xcomplete vehicle mechanic toolkit

20 August 2010 Mk 7 Kevlar helmet 250.00 Recovered

22 September2011 Dinghy 1,100.00 Solved—item destroyed, not stolen

16 September2011 Goal posts 150.00 No crime. Items found

12 September 011 Antifreeze 10.00 Item recovered

5 December 2011 2 x head mounted night vision systems 7,998.00 No crime. Items found

16 June 2011 1 x night vision goggles 4,430.00 No crime. Item recovered

31 May 2011 1 x night vision goggles 3,000.00 No crime. Item returned

14 October 2008 Computer 200.00 Item recovered

7 November 2011 1 x coat; 1 x tie; 1 x gloves 100.00 No crime. Items found

6 October 2011 Various electronic equipment 5,507.90 Some items recovered

24 January 2011 7 x drill rifles 392.00 Some items recovered 1 Value not recorded

The Ministry of Defence is developing initiatives to Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Information better understand the risks of fraud including theft, on the costs of maintaining ceremonial horses is not irregularity, corruption and bribery, and to enhance held centrally in the format requested. existing mechanisms aimed at preventing, detecting and However, the cost of feeding and bedding of ceremonial responding to fraud. horses for the last financial year (1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012) was assessed to be around £1.2 million. Electronic Warfare

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence Nuclear Submarines how many (a) civilian and (b) military electronic warfare specialists are employed in the (i) RAF, (ii) Royal Navy Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence and (iii) Army; and if he will make a statement. [115635] what discussions he has had with Rolls-Royce on its facilities being developed as part of the refurbishment Mr Robathan: The number of military electronic of its Raynesway plant that are specific for the PWR3 warfare specialists employed in the armed forces as at 1 reactor for the Trident replacement submarines. May 2012 is shown in the following table: [115999]

Number Mr Philip Hammond: Ministers meet with a range of Royal Navy 420 defence contractors, including Rolls-Royce, to discuss a Army 510 wide range of issues. Details of all ministerial meetings RAF 1,110 with external organisations, including companies from the defence sector, are published in the Ministry of Civilians do not fulfil this function in the armed Defence’s quarterly transparency returns as required by forces. the Government’s Transparency Agenda. The following website address provides the latest published returns: Horses http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/ CorporatePublications/FinancialReports/Expenses/ Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for MinistersHospitalityReceived.htm Defence what the cost of feeding, watering and maintaining Copies of the relevant returns will be placed in the the ceremonial horses used by his Department was in Library of the House. Meetings during the period January the last 12 months. [116979] to March 2012 will be published in due course. 515W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 516W

I am withholding further details of the discussions Prime Regional Contract for Scotland and Northern with Rolls-Royce, as their release would, or would be Ireland; [116824] likely to, prejudice commercial interests. (2) when the winner of the Prime Regional Contract for Scotland and Northern Ireland will be announced; Nuclear Weapons [116825] (3) what the duration is of the Prime Regional Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Contract for Scotland and Northern Ireland. [116826] Defence what discussions his Department has had with the French Ministry of Defence on the possible Mr Robathan: The Regional Prime Contract for Scotland location of UK nuclear weapons in French bases or use and Northern Ireland is due to be awarded in January of French facilities in the future. [116351] 2014 and will run for an initial five years, with the option to extend it by up to a further five. Mr Philip Hammond [holding answer 12 July 2012]: While it is estimated to be between £200 million and Officials in the Ministry of Defence have had no discussions £350 million in value over the initial five years, this is with colleagues in the French Ministry of Defence on subject to basing, future funding levels, and decisions as the possible location of UK nuclear weapons in French to whether some current in-house activities are outsourced. bases. The Teutates Treaty of 2010 enables the construction Reserve Forces and use of shared UK- French facilities at Valduc in France. The treaty allows experiments supporting the Mr Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for performance and safety of our nuclear deterrent, although Defence how many reserves his Department plans to there will be no physical movement of warheads between recruit in each calendar year until 2020. [116729] the two nations and each country will retain sovereignty over its own experiments and data. Nick Harvey [holding answer 12 July 2012]: Target figures for each of the three services are provided in the Prime Regional Contract following table. However, it should be noted that future years figures for all three services will be dependent Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for upon recruitment and retention success as the Defence (1) if he will estimate the total value of the implementation phase of Future Reserves 2020 matures.

Tri-service reserve recruiting targets Service 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20

RN Reserves 671 676 659 708 708 707 565 817

Army TA 6,424 9,346 10,223 10,221 9,311 6,823 6,823 6,823

RAF Reserves 720 720 720 720 720 720 720 720

Defence total 7,815 10,742 11,602 11,649 10,739 8,250 8,108 8,360

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of Defence how many people the Territorial Army recruited the wider economic effect on his reforms to the reservists. in the last two years; and what the recruitment targets [116980] were for each of these years. [117131]

Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Research Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2012]: For the concluded in 2010 confirmed the benefits of Reserve number of people the Territorial Army recruited in the service to the UK workforce, with over 80% of Reservist last two years, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I employers recognising the benefits of transferable skills gave on 21 May 2012, Official Report, column 442W, to gained from Reserve service. my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) when the total intake for the Territorial Army in 2010-11 and 2011-12 was given as 3,840 and 4,240 respectively. Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse will be of his Recruitment targets for the Territorial Army were Department’s consultation on the effect of his reform not set prior to 2012-13. of the reserve forces. [116981] Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Detailed Defence what estimates his Department has made of work is under way to define the parameters for the the number of recruits to the Territorial Army in each consultation, so it is too early to estimate the cost. year up to 2020. [117132] 517W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 518W

Mr Robathan [holding answer 13 July 2012]: As part when the figures were 1,540 and 790, respectively. Staff of bringing the selection process for the Territorial in the redeployment pool are actively assisted to find Army into line with the Regular Army, annual recruitment new posts, although factors such as geographical location targets for the Territorial Army are now being set. can make this more difficult. This can affect the ability These will be reviewed and adapted as necessary, in of surplus staff from finding other jobs within commuting response to changing requirements, but the current distance. While in the redeployment pool, staff are recruitment targets for 2012 to 2020 are shown in the gainfully employed, contributing to Defence outputs following table: including support to operations and other key Defence priorities. Financial year TA Officers TA Other Rank

2012-13 409 6,015 Veterans: Employment Schemes 2013-14 739 8,607 2014-15 1,261 8,962 Mr McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for 2015-16 1,259 8,962 Defence what steps his Department is taking to 2016-17 1,259 8,052 improve the employment opportunities of veterans. 2017-18 789 6,034 [116894] 2018-19 789 6,034 2019-20 789 6,034 Mr Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Huw Royal Regiment of Scotland Irranca-Davies).

Mr Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) full strength number and (b) number of personnel serving is of each battalion of the Royal TREASURY Regiment of Scotland; and how many personnel in each battalion had an address at the time of recruitment in Air Passenger Duty (i) their traditional recruitment area, (ii) elsewhere in Scotland, (iii) England, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland, Mr Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) (vi) the Irish Republic and (vii) elsewhere. [116616] what estimate he has made of the monetary value of exemptions from air passenger duty for destinations in Nick Harvey [holding answer 12 July 2012]: Decisions the Highlands and Islands in each of the last three taken in Army 2020 were based upon a range of factors years; [116856] not just recruitment. Manning levels and recruitment over 10 years was taken into account, not just a snapshot. (2) how much air passenger duty was paid in respect of flights arriving at airports in the Highlands and The establishment (full strength required) and actual Islands in each of the last three years; [116857] number of personnel in each battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland as at April 2012 is shown in the (3) whether he plans to review military exemptions following table: from air passenger duty; [116858] (4) what representations he has received from the Established Actual airline industry on the proposed replacement of air strength strength Difference passenger duty; [116859] 1st Battalion 535 517 -18 (5) whether his Department plans to introduce a per 2nd Battalion 528 448 -80 plane tax on cargo flights between destinations in the 3rd Battalion 537 520 -17 Highlands and Islands. [116860] 4th Battalion 608 460 -148 5th Battalion 556 465 -91 Miss Chloe Smith: No estimate of the monetary Data relating to the addresses of individuals at the value of exemptions from air passenger duty (APD) for time of their recruitment are not held in the format destinations in the Highlands and Islands is available. requested and could be provided only at disproportionate HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not collect cost. information on the contribution to APD revenues made from flights to specific airports. Staff The Government has no plans to review military exemptions from air passenger duty. Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for The Government received over 500 responses to last Defence how many staff of his Department were in the year’s consultation into air passenger duty, including Civil Service redeployment pool on the latest date for responses from the vast majority of airlines. The which figures are available; and how many of these had Government’s response, published on 6 December 2011, been in the redeployment pool for more than six can be found online here: months at that date. [116764] http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_airpassenger.htm Mr Robathan: On 30 June 2012 there were 1,012 In respect of a per-plane basis for APD I refer the members of staff in the Ministry of Defence’s redeployment hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend pool; of these 437 have been in the pool for more than the Member for Mid Bedfordshire (Nadine Dorries) on six months. This is a reduction since December 2011 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 244W. 519W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 520W

Air Passenger Duty: International Cooperation Mr Hoban: Consistent with the 2011 report of the G20 Commodity Study Group, it is clear that marked Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer shifts in the physical supply-demand balance for major (1) how many meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his commodities, together with ad hoc trade restrictions, Department have had with international partners to have been the main drivers of the price fluctuations build consensus for a per-plane duty since the 2011 over the past 10 years. Budget; [116983] On balance, the Government is sceptical about the (2) what progress he has made on the commitment degree to which speculation has played a significant within the 2011 Budget to start a programme of intensive causal role in recent commodity price spikes. The work with international partners to build consensus for Government continues to monitor relevant research in a per-plane duty; and if he will make a statement. this area with interest. [116984] Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer Miss Chloe Smith [holding answer 13 July 2012]: In what assessment he has made of the potential for a line with the coalition agreement, this issue has been conflict of interest to arise for exchanges implementing raised with our international partners at the International position management measures whose revenue is generated Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), with a view to through the trading they host. [116957] building the necessary consensus for a per-plane duty. We are also seeking opportunities to raise the issue in Mr Hoban: The Financial Services and Markets Act other international forums. (FSMA) requires Recognised Investment Exchanges (‘Exchanges’) to meet a number of statutory requirements, Assets including but not restricted to: provisions relating to the fair and orderly running of their markets, and the Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer quality of those markets; the prevention and detection what assets his Department has sold and leased back of market abuse (including actions to manage large over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of each market positions); and the establishment of appropriate asset so sold; and what estimate his Department has arrangements to identify and manage conflicts between made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back the interests of the Exchange and, among others, the each such asset over the period of the lease. [116765] interests of the financial markets it operates. Miss Chloe Smith: The Treasury has not leased and This is all done under the overall supervision of the sold back any assets in the last 12 months. FSA. In practice, this means that Exchanges must satisfy the FSA—both during specific reviews and on an ongoing Child Trust Fund basis—that they have satisfactory real-time and post-trade market-monitoring functions, and that conflicts between James Wharton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer the Exchange’s commercial interests and its obligations pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for St to run clean, fair and orderly markets and identified Helens South and Whiston (Mr Woodward) of 26 June and appropriately managed. 2012, Official Report, column 245W, on child trust funds, by what means his Department assessed the Debts benefit to holders of child trust funds of conversion to junior individual savings accounts. [116687] Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the value of unsecured Mr Hoban: In my answer of 26 June 2012, Official debt owed by individuals in each income decile in each Report, column 245W, I explained that the Government year since 1997. [117096] did not believe that the majority of children with a child trust fund (CTF) would benefit from a change in the Miss Chloe Smith: According to the Bank of England, rules at the present time. the stock of unsecured household debt was £207 billion In assessing the need for any change in this area, the at the end of May 2012. Estimates from 1993 are Government has taken account of the interests of CTF available via the Bank of England website. Estimates of account holders. The majority—around 78%—of CTFs debt by income deciles are not available. are stakeholder accounts. This is a type of stocks and shares account in which there is greater regulation of Ex Gratia Payments investment management, and in which account charges are capped. These rules reflect the universal nature of the CTF product, compared to the optional nature of Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer junior ISA. There is no equivalent in the rules governing what estimate his Department has made of the monetary the features of junior ISA accounts, so many children value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes with a CTF stakeholder account could see their terms administered by his Department over the last two years. and conditions changed significantly as a result of any [116766] conversion. Miss Chloe Smith: Ex-gratia payments totalling £71,000 Commodity Markets were made in 2010-11 and £84,000 in 2011-12. In addition, details of payments made under the Equitable Life Sandra Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer Payments Scheme in 2011-12 are shown in the Annual what assessment he has made of the contribution of Report and Accounts for 2011-12 available from the excessive financial participation in the commodity derivative Department’s website at: markets to commodity price volatility. [116680] www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/dep_perf_reports_index.htm 521W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 522W

Financial Services Authority Pay

Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Rachel Reeves: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer he will ensure that consumers and other public interest whether he has received the report on market facing pay groups are adequately represented on the board and requested on 7 December 2011 from (a) the Prison committees of the bodies that replace the Financial Officers Pay Review Body, (b) the School Teachers Pay Services Authority. [116955] Review Body, (c) the NHS Pay Review Body and (d) the Senior Salaries Review Body; when he expects to receive those reports he has not yet received; and when Mr Hoban: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) he plans to publish each such report. [116740] will in future be responsible for the regulation of business conduct and the protection of consumers in the financial Danny Alexander [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The services sector. As the expert conduct regulator, it will Government has received the report on market facing advise the Prudential Regulation Authority on consumer pay from the NHS Pay Review Body and expects the issues where necessary. other review bodies to report back from July onwards. The board of the FCA will need a balance of skills The Government intends to publish these reports and and experience appropriate to its responsibilities. However, respond to their recommendations when the House the FCA will be an independent regulator and the returns. members of its board will not be appointed in the capacity of representatives of consumers or firms. Public Expenditure Instead the FCA will be required maintain a number of panels to provide a forum for consultation of Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer representatives of financial services consumers and firms, whether he expects his Department to underspend its similar to those currently maintained by the FCA. This budget for 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of will include the requirement to maintain a consumer any such underspend. [116463] panel to represent the interests of consumers. Miss Chloe Smith: The Government publish the full detail of plans and outturn for all Departments after Mr Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the end of the financial year, usually in September. he will ensure that the bodies that replace the Financial Services Authority take into account the effects of the HM Treasury publishes outturn data for all Departments activities of the financial services sector on consumers from the COINS database, available on the Department’s within and outside the UK. [116956] website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at Budget 2013. Mr Hoban: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is being set up as a tough new conduct of business The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast regulator, responsible for policing the conduct of all underspends in departmental expenditure limits as part firms as they operate in the UK, and protecting consumers. of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn. The FCA will have operational objectives to secure an Revenue and Customs appropriate degree of consumer protection and promote effective competition that is in the interest of consumers. It will focus on preventing financial firms causing consumer Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the detriment and will take a proactive approach, using its Exchequer how many taxpayers have had their details judgment to intervene earlier in order to prevent consumer passed to debt collectors by HM Revenue and Customs detriment. (HMRC) in pursuit of underpaid tax as a result of miscalculations of tax liability made by HMRC in the PAYE system in the last two years. [116848] Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will carry out a review of the (a) independence Mr Gauke: HMRC recovered the majority of PAYE and (b) transparency of the Financial Services Authority underpayments arising in the last two years by adjusting in respect of its (i) governance and (ii) advocacy and people’s tax code or through a voluntary arrangement lobbying activities; and if he will make a statement. with the customer to pay the amount due over a period [117563] of time. Where that was not possible the amounts owed by Mr Hoban: The Government have no plans to carry individuals were moved to their self assessment record. out a review of the independence and transparency of These underpayments will now be pursued by HMRC the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA Annual in line with any other outstanding sums due under self Report 2011-12 contains details of the FSA’s governance assessment. Where contact is made with the customer arrangements, including how the FSA complies with during the recovery process the options to include the the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) amount in a tax code or agree payments over a period and the UK Corporate Governance Code. of time to clear the debt will continue to be offered. The FSA Business Plan 2012-13 states that the FSA To date, while the processes for recovery of amounts attempts to influence the international and European owed under self assessment includes referring some policy agenda for the benefit of the United Kingdom. debts to debt collection agencies, none of the debts This is in accordance with section 2 of FSMA which relating to PAYE amounts owed that are now on the self requires the FSA to have regard to the competitive assessment record have been referred to a debt collection position of the United Kingdom. agency. 523W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 524W

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services Member for Banff and Buchan (Dr Whiteford) on 10 March 2011, Official Report, column 1193W. Bob Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the times for callers to HM Revenue and Customs telephone Exchequer what use HM Revenue and Customs makes lines. [116590] of credit reference agencies and data-matching services to identify fraud. [116849] Mr Gauke: I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Kilmarnock and Mr Gauke: HMRC continues to explore the benefit Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson) on 17 May 2012, Official of further harnessing the expertise of credit reference Report, column 301W. agencies and data-matching services to help identify fraud. VAT: Energy I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Dr Whiteford) on 10 Mr Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) March 2011, Official Report, column 1192W. what estimate his Department has made of the revenue which accrued to the Exchequer from VAT on domestic Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer energy as a result of increases in fuel prices in each year how many individuals appealed against demands for since 2007; [116869] repayment of underpaid tax as a result of miscalculations (2) what estimate he has made of VAT yields from of tax liability made by HM Revenue and Customs in domestic fuel bills for 2012-13. [116870] the PAYE system in the last two years; and how many such appeals were successful. [116852] Mr Gauke: No estimate has been made of the impact on VAT of increased fuel prices for the period since Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available. 2007. No estimate of the VAT payable in 2012-13 on I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the domestic fuel has yet been made. hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Dr Whiteford) on 10 March 2011, Official Report, column 1192W, in VAT: Scotland response to a similar question.

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer Dr Whiteford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals against tax liability calculations by how much value added tax was paid by charities located HM Revenue and Customs were upheld in each month in Scotland in each of the last five years. [116861] of the last two years. [116853] Mr Gauke: This information is not available. Charities cannot be identified in the VAT information held by Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available. HMRC. Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals liable for underpaid VAT: Sports tax as a result of miscalculations of tax liability made by HM Revenue and Customs in the PAYE system in Clive Efford: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer the last two years are over the pension age. [116854] (1) what consultation he has held on his plans to charge VAT on the letting of all-weather sports facilities; and Mr Gauke: The information requested is available if he will make a statement; [117524] only at disproportionate cost. (2) whether he intends to backdate VAT on income from the letting of all-weather sports facilities; and if Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the he will make a statement; [117525] Exchequer how many appeals against tax demands by (3) what estimate he has made of the annual income HM Revenue and Customs were (a) received and (b) to the Exchequer from VAT on lettings of all-weather upheld under extra-statutory concession A19 in each sports facilities; and if he will make a statement. month of the last two years. [116855] [117526]

Mr Gauke: The information requested is not available. Mr Gauke: There are no plans to change the VAT Details of total tax not collected because of extra-statutory treatment of the letting of all-weather sports facilities concession A19 are included as part of the total revenue (including soccer pitches). loss figures within the Board of HMRC Annual Reports. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs’ view is that the These are published and are available in the House of provision of sports league services is liable to VAT at Commons Library. the standard rate. As a number of providers have been HMRC supplied details of extra-statutory concession treating these supplies as exempt from VAT, HMRC activity to the National Audit Office for the HMRC issued further guidance in February 2011 confirming annual accounts, 2011-12. These reports were recently their view that the provision of sports league services is published and figures covering the period September liabletoVAT. 2010 to 31 March 2012 are held at paragraph 2.11 of No estimate has been made of the annual income to that report. Information is available at: the Exchequer from VAT on lettings of all-weather www.nao.org.uk sports facilities. 525W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 526W

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/ call_ren_inves/call_ren_inves.aspx Climate Change and Renewable Energy Our assessment is that most independent renewable generation investments rely on power purchase agreements Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for in order to secure finance. Lenders need to be assured Energy and Climate Change when he last met the that key risks are effectively managed. A competitive Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the PPA market is therefore likely to be important to Northern Ireland Executive to discuss (a) climate independent developers including those investing in change and (b) the development of renewable energy distributed generation projects. in Northern Ireland. [117344] Energy Gregory Barker: The Minister of State for Energy, my hon. Friend the Member for Wealden (Charles Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Hendry), met Arlene Foster in Belfast in April this year. Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 187W, on energy, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr how many consumers switched supplier in quarter one Davey), met the First Minister, Deputy First Minister of 2012. [116676] and Minister of the Environment at the British-Irish Council summit in Stirling last month. Gregory Barker: According to the DECC Quarterly Energy Publication—June 2012, the total number of Electricity switches in quarter one of 2012 was 746,000 for electricity and 533,000 for gas. This figure may include some Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy customers who have switched more than once in this period. and Climate Change what assessment his Department has made of the role of independently-owned electricity Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy generation in improving liquidity in the wholesale power and Climate Change how much his Department spent market as part of the electricity market reform process. on (a) bioenergy, (b) coal, (c) combined heat and power, (d) district heating, (e) geothermal, (f) heat, [116684] (g) hydro-electricity, (h) hydrogen and fuel cells, (i) Charles Hendry: Poor liquidity is a barrier to entry in microgeneration, (j) nuclear, (k) oil and gas, (l) wave the GB wholesale power market. This is especially acute and tidal, (m) offshore wind and (n) onshore wind in in the forward markets. Independent power companies (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2011 and (vi) are likely to have stronger incentives to trade than their 2012 to date. [116831] vertically integrated counterparts and therefore contribute to market liquidity. It is important, however, that all Gregory Barker: The Department of Energy and market participants play a part in ensuring competitive Climate change does not record its expenditure according and transparent markets. to the categories tabled in the question. It would incur disproportionate costs to analyse and summarise In the past 12 months we have seen some positive information under these headings. The Department was steps being taken. Nearly 30% of GB power consumption created in October 2008 and information prior to that was traded through the day ahead exchange auctions date is not available. Information about DECC’s expenditure last month representing a sevenfold year on year increase can be found in its departmental annual accounts which in traded volumes. specifically identify nuclear and coal related costs. However there is still much more to do and we want Accounts are available for the financial year 2008-09 to see industry and Ofgem go further to address liquidity on the National Archives website: especially in the forward markets. Ofgem have just http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0809/hc04/ finished consulting on a proposal to improve forward 0452/0452.pdf market liquidity—we agree with their objectives and hopes to see a workable proposal taken forward. Accounts are available for the financial years 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 on DECC’s website. We will act where necessary to introduce reforms where the structural barriers to market entry are not addressed 2009-10 through the actions taken by Ofgem and industry. http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Annual%20Reports%20 Accounts%20and%20Business%20Plans/2010/218-decc- Electricity Generation resource-2009-10.pdf 2010/11 Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/about-us/goals- and Climate Change what recent assessment his Department commitments/2212-decc-annual-report-20102011.pdf has made of the importance of fixed power purchase 2011/12 agreements to distributed electricity generators. [116560] http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/about-us/goals- commitments/5718-decc-annual-report-and-accounts-201112- Charles Hendry: Independent developers, including .pdf distributed electricity generators, have said it has become DECC has published details of transactions over harder to agree a power purchase agreement (PPA) on £500 including information on expense types, supplier bankable terms. The Department issued a call for evidence and the part of DECC responsible for the transaction on 5 July 2012 to seek views on the issues in order to on a monthly basis since April 2010: ensure that the extent and nature of any problem are http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/ fully understood: expenditure/spend_over_500/spend_over_500.aspx 527W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 528W

Energy Performance Certificates and what funds the Government has allocated to the provision of energy efficiency advice and information Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for to domestic energy consumers. [116701] Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made on making Display Energy Certificates mandatory Gregory Barker: Ofgem monitors and publishes for commercial buildings. [117692] information on payment methods, levels of debt and disconnections of domestic energy consumers in its Gregory Barker: The EU Energy Efficiency Directive Social Obligations Annual Reports: was agreed by member states in June. Article 7 of this www.ofgem.gov.uk/sustainability directive mandates energy audits for non-SME companies. The Government’s Energy Saving Advice Service, We will consider the role of Display Energy Certificates which provides advice to both domestic and non domestic for commercial buildings when planning our customers on energy efficiency, was launched in April implementation of this requirement. 2012. The service has a maximum total value of £13 million over the three years of the contract. Energy: Conservation Ex Gratia Payments Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many community energy saving programme projects work has begun but Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for will not be completed until after 1 January 2013. Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department [117178] has made of the monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department Gregory Barker: Ofgem is the legally appointed over the last two years. [116784] administrator for the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) and as such is responsible for the Gregory Barker: Ex gratia payments are disclosed in administration, monitoring and enforcement of the scheme. note 29 to the Department’s 2011-12 annual accounts Companies with an obligation under CESP have on page 183 in the “extra contractual payments” line. until 31 January 2013 to notify Ofgem of qualifying The accounts can be found at: actions completed under the scheme and therefore what http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/our_goals/ work has been completed under CESP will not be annual_reports/annual_reports.aspx known until after this date. Fuel Poverty Energy: Housing Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) what estimate he has Energy and Climate Change what modelling his made of the number of households in (a) England, (b) Department has undertaken to determine the total Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland living in amount energy companies would be required to spend fuel poverty in each of the last five years; [116702] to meet their targets under the Energy Company Obligation if no Green Deal finance were used to meet (2) how many low income households with children the cost of any installations. [117176] are classified as living in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; Gregory Barker: The final Green Deal and Energy [116703] Company Obligation impact Assessment available here: (3) how many pensioner households are classified as http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/11/consultation/green- living in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) deal/5533-final-stage-impact-assessment-for-the-green-deal- Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; [116704] a.pdf (4) how many households with individuals registered models a range of scenarios and sensitivities for the as disabled are classified as living in fuel poverty in (a) costs of delivering the Energy Company Obligation. England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern These reflect different assumptions on a range of factors Ireland. [116819] which could materially affect the costs of delivering the obligations for example, energy prices, the level of consumer Gregory Barker: Fuel poverty is a devolved measurement demand, potential Green Deal interest rates, and a and each country of the UK is responsible for measuring number of other variables. One of these scenarios illustrates the number of fuel poor households in their own country. the uncertainty around how attractive the Green Deal will be to different households, and assesses the impact The following table shows the number of fuel poor if smaller amounts of Green Deal finance were used households (in thousands) in each year since 2005 for than under the central scenario. which they have been measured. Energy: Prices Number of households in fuel poverty (thousand)

Dr Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for England Energy and Climate Change what monitoring the 2010 3,536 Government is conducting of the effects on (a) payment 2009 3,964 method preference, (b) levels of debt and (c) levels of 2008 3,335 disconnections of domestic energy consumers of (i) 2007 2,823 recent and (ii) anticipated increases in energy prices; 529W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 530W

Number of households in fuel Number of households in fuel poverty (thousand) poverty (thousand)

2006 2,432 2006 1243

Scotland Northern Ireland 2010 658 2010 1297 2009 766 2009 302 2008 618 2008 1301 2007 586 2007 1256 2006 543 2006 226

Wales 2011 fuel poverty figures for England will be published

1 in July 2013. Figures for Wales and Northern Ireland 2010 332 are not produced every year. 2009 1368 2008 332 Detailed numbers of fuel poor households shown in answer to other questions are derived from the most 2007 1276 recent data available in each country.

Number of households in fuel poverty Thousand Low income households with children Households living in fuel poverty in fuel poverty Pensioner households in fuel poverty containing somebody that is disabled

England 2010 259 1,886 1,290 Scotland 2010 46 402 296 Wales 2008 29 183 160 Northern Ireland 2009 n/a 153 139 n/a = not available

It is not possible to perfectly identify which households between Government and energy suppliers. This is a contain ‘pensioners’ so age thresholds (those aged 60 significant benefit for a group which may struggle to and over) have been used. Similarly, for income, the claim. Other low income vulnerable households may lowest three income decile groups tend to be associated also be assisted through the scheme. Overall we expect with low income, hence have been chosen to answer the 2 million low income vulnerable households a year to be question on low incomes. Disability is classified alongside assisted through the Warm Home Discount scheme. where somebody in the household has a long-term We recently published the consultation response regarding illness and cannot be separated. the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which will be our flagship policy for improving Fuel Poverty: Merseyside the energy efficiency of the nation’s housing stock. Due to launch in October 2012, ECO will run alongside the Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State Green Deal and will have twin objectives to help reduce for Energy and Climate Change what steps his carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. ECO requires Department is taking to reduce levels of fuel poverty in energy suppliers to help households access more expensive St Helens South and Whiston constituency. [117730] insulation measures such as solid wall and hard to treat cavity wall insulation through the Green Deal and to Gregory Barker: The coalition Government is committed provide measures to low income and vulnerable households to tackling fuel poverty and supporting low income and to help reduce the costs of staying warm and healthy. vulnerable consumers to heat their homes at an affordable Through ECO around £540 million will be spent annually cost. by suppliers to assist low income households and low income areas. We continue to fund the Warm Front scheme, providing low income vulnerable households, living in energy In addition, the Government provides pensioner inefficient properties, with a range of energy efficient households with winter fuel payments to help with heating and insulation measures. Since 2010, when the additional heating costs during the winter. Cold weather constituency was formed, Warm Front has assisted 511 payments are also made to low income and vulnerable households in St Helen’s and Whiston. Between 2005 households where there is an average temperature of and 2010, Warm Front assisted 4,387 households in the 0° C or below for seven consecutive days. These payments now defunct constituency of St Helen’s. Since the start have been permanently increased to £25 per week and in of the scheme in June 2000 the scheme has assisted winter 2011-12 over 5 million cold weather payments 2.3 million households across England. were paid in Great Britain worth an estimated £129 million. In winter 2011-12, the Warm Home Discount scheme Green Deal Scheme provided energy supplier funded discounts to around 700,000 of the poorest pensioners across Great Britain Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for with a Core Group discount of £120 off electricity bills. Energy and Climate Change what progress his Nearly 600,000 of these customers received the discount Department has made on the establishment of the without having to claim, as a result of data matching Green Deal for the non-domestic sector. [117177] 531W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 532W

Gregory Barker: The Department is progressing the 2012), 158 domestic installations in the St Helens South non-domestic Green Deal in parallel with the domestic and Whitson constituency were confirmed on the feed-in green deal; the legislation covers both, so consumers tariff scheme since it began in April 2010. 99% (157) of will be ready to complete both domestic and non-domestic these were installations of solar photovoltaics, with Green Deal plans at the end of January when the Micro CHP installations representing the remaining 1%. relevant parts of the framework regulations come into The statistics to the end of the second quarter of effect. 2012 (ending June 2012) showing the number of installations by constituency will be published at 09.30 on Tuesday Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for 24 July 2012. Energy and Climate Change whether the Renewable Heat Incentive and feed-in tariffs may be used in Natural Gas: Exploration conjunction with Green Deal finance. [117179]

Gregory Barker: We are considering the position on Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for whether Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) or Renewable Heat Incentive Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has (RHI) payments can be claimed if the customer also made of the finding of the International Energy has Green Deal finance. Our ambition is that in future Agency report on shale gas published on 29 May 2012 it should be possible for consumers to receive both that under both potential scenarios for the exploitation Green Deal finance and RHI or FIT payments. However, of shale gas, emissions are well above the trajectory this cannot be confirmed until we have done further required to reach the globally agreed goal of limiting work to ensure that there would not be inappropriate the temperature rise to 2°C; and if he will make a double subsidy. statement. [117074] We aim to finalise the policy position on this issue by the autumn. Charles Hendry: Provided methane emissions to atmosphere are minimised by use of appropriate controls It will not be possible to include expected FITs or and technologies, and are estimated and included in RHI payments in the Golden Rule calculation for Green national greenhouse gas inventories, from a climate Deal Finance. Savings estimates on which Green Deal perspective, increased use of shale gas globally should finance is calculated must be based on the performance be cautiously welcomed. This is because it can reduce of measures in terms of avoided home energy use, not emissions where it displaces coal generation, and where potential future returns on investment. it does not lead to a weakening of policy support and investment in renewables and nuclear. Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions his While shale gas will not be enough by itself to put the Department has had with the insurance sector on the world on a 2 degree trajectory, as recognised by the prospects for insurance providers offering 25 year warranties International Energy Agency report, it could make a to cover measures installed as part of the Green Deal. significant difference to global emissions—and it could [117180] be combined with carbon capture and storage, a scenario not considered by the International Energy Agency. Gregory Barker: As part of the normal policy development process, we have been engaging with a Nuclear Power Stations: Construction number of stakeholders in the insurance sector. These discussions have included the issue of covering some Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for measures for 25 years. Energy and Climate Change with reference to the answer Internet to the right hon. Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark of 24 November 2010, Official Report, column 351W, on nuclear power stations: construction, what Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for discussions he has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Energy and Climate Change whether his Department Exchequer, (b) EDF energy, (c) other private companies plans to create a myth buster section on its website and (d) his French counterpart on the provision of similar to that of the Department for Environment, loan guarantees in relation to the construction of new Food and Rural Affairs. [117906] nuclear power stations; whether loan guarantees constitute a public subsidy; and if he will make a statement. [R] Gregory Barker: There are no plans to create a myth buster section on the DECC website, though we routinely [115280] use our website and social media channels to correct errors and misconceptions. Charles Hendry: According to our records no meeting has occurred between the Secretary of State for Energy Microgeneration: Merseyside and Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr Davey) and the Chancellor of the Mr Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton Energy and Climate Change how many residents of St (Mr Osborne), EDF Energy other private companies or Helens South and Whiston constituency participate in his French counterparts on the provision of loan guarantees the feed-in tariff scheme for home electricity generation. in relation to the construction of new nuclear power [117733] stations. The Government policy on public subsidy was set out Gregory Barker: The latest published statistics shows in a written ministerial statement on 18 October 2010, at the end of the first quarter of 2012 (ending March Official Report, columns 42-46WS. 533W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 534W

Public Expenditure Our proposals for Electricity Market Reform are designed to incentivise all low-carbon generation including Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for community and co-operative projects. Those projects Energy and Climate Change what the budget was for using eligible technologies, which are not already eligible each of his Department’s agencies in (a) 2010, (b) to receive the small scale FIT, will be able to receive a 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [116741] CfD.

Gregory Barker [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) does not have any Executive agencies. DECC has Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for responsibility for four Executive non-departmental public Energy and Climate Change whether any exemptions bodies (NDPBs). These are the Nuclear Decommissioning have been made to his policy that Ofgem may not Agency, the Committee on Climate Change, the Coal accredit for feed-in tariffs any renewable electricity Authority and the Civil Nuclear Police Authority. Details installation that has received a grant from a public of the Executive bodies’ budgets can be found at the body; on what grounds any such exemptions have been following links: made; what representations he has received from (a) 2010-11 budget: Stockport Hydro Scheme Ltd in Greater Manchester Spring Supplementary Estimates 2010-11 (Section 2 and (b) other community hydro-electric schemes that “Notes to the Estimate”, page 424): were in progress during the transition period from http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1011/hc07/ grant funding to feed-in tariffs in the last 12 months; 0790/0790.pdf and if he will make a statement. [117075] 2011-12 budget: Gregory Barker: The Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) legislation Supplementary Estimates 2011-12 (page 408 “Part II does not give the Secretary of State for Energy and Changes Proposed” to 411 and 417 “Part III Note E Climate Change, the right hon. Member for Kingston non-Departmental Public Bodies”): and Surbiton (Mr Davey), the power to make any http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1012/hc17/ exemptions to the general rules on eligibility of FITs, 1755/1755.pdf neither does he have the power to interfere with Ofgem’s 2012-13 budget decisions in individual cases. The Main Estimates 2012-13 (Sections 4 “Detailed In addition to the Stockport Hydro Scheme, at least Breakdown of DEL Provision,” 7 “Nuclear one other representation has been received by DECC Decommissioning Agency,” 8 - “Annually Managed within the last 12 months from another community Expenditure - Civil Nuclear Police Authority, Coal hydro-electric scheme on the issue of eligibility rules for Authority, Committee on Climate Change and the Nuclear FITs as they relate to FITs and grants in combination. Decommissioning Authority” and Annex A): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/ Warm Front Scheme cmselect/cmenergy/writev/estimates/memodecc2012.htm

Renewable Energy Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding allocated to the Warm Front scheme in 2012-13 (a) has Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for been spent, (b) is planned to be spent and (c) is Energy and Climate Change how many applications for expected to remain unspent. [116827] planning consents for renewable energy developments each local planning authority (a) received, (b) approved and (c) rejected in each of the last 10 years. [116836] Gregory Barker: The budget for Warm Front and associated expenditure in 2012-13 is £100 million. As of Charles Hendry: A copy of this information will be 30 June 2012, £14.2 million had been spent with a placed in the Libraries of the House. further £18.5 million of committed expenditure. Any projection of expenditure would be inherently uncertain, Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for especially early in the financial year. It is our intention Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy to fully utilise the Warm Front budget. to increase the proportion of renewable energy generated by community- and co-operatively-owned projects by Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for (a) introducing a feed-in tariff for community energy Energy and Climate Change how many applications for at the earliest possible opportunity and (b) prioritising a Warm Front grant have been (a) made, (b) approved the needs of community and co-operative energy schemes and (c) rejected since April 2012. [116837] in his proposals for electricity market reform; and if he will make a statement. [117438] Gregory Barker: The number of Warm Front applications received, approved and rejected since April 2012 is Gregory Barker: As part of the phase 2b FITs shown in the following table: consultation on the tariffs and cost control mechanism for the non-PV tariff and other issues, we sought views Scheme year 2012-131 on provisions which may improve access to FITs for community energy projects. The consultation closed on Applications: the 26 April 2012 and we will be announcing our Received 9,597 decisions shortly. Accepted2 6,302 535W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 536W

Young people, as with all citizens, are encouraged to Scheme year 2012-131 participate in consultations on developing policy. Our Rejected 3,295 new approach to youth engagement will see Ministers 1 Figures up to 10 July 2012. and senior officials more connected with youth audiences 2 This figure includes applications awaiting survey. Final checks to encourage further participation. against the eligibility criteria for the Warm Front scheme are carried All DECC’s policies are designed to accelerate the out at survey, as a result this figure may decrease over time. transition to sustainable energy supplies and enable the Wind Power UK to meet our 2020 and 2050 emission targets, which are essential if we are to prevent young and future Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for generations bearing the cost of ecological neglect. I Energy and Climate Change how many applications for understand that the task of reducing emissions will be wind farms each local planning authority (a) received, easier with the support and active engagement of young (b) approved and (c) rejected in each of the last 10 people. Uniquely placed as the ’DECC generation’, years. [116834] those aged 16 now will be 24 in 2020, 34 in 2030 and 54 in 2050. As the home owners of the future they have an Charles Hendry: A copy of this information, in respect important role to play in demanding clean sustainable of onshore wind, will be placed in the Libraries of the energy and energy efficient housing. They will be House. instrumental in the success of the Green Deal and Smart Meter programme. Work Experience With that in mind, youth engagement work will be embedded across all our programmes and in our wider Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy stakeholder work with schools, community organisations and Climate Change how many interns work in his and NGOs. Making our youth engagement work even Department’s press office. [117679] more energetic was a major reason for the review of our work in this area and for our new ″reach out″ proposition. Gregory Barker: There are no interns working in In particular we will be working more closely with DECC press office. youth organisations, encouraging young people to engage Youth Advisory Panel in a dialogue with DECC online through my2050, social media and through a range of other channels. Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on what date (a) he last met and (b) he will next meet his Department’s Youth Advisory Panel; what recent progress he has made on implementing the recommendations of the Youth CABINET OFFICE Advisory Panel’s first report to (i) ensure a fair deal for young people in the decision-making process, (ii) ensure Government does not lock young and future Aerospace Industry generations into ecological debt and (iii) continue engagement in dialogue with the youth constituency Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet and stakeholders so that the youth perspective is heard, Office how many people are employed in the aerospace and responded to, by Government; and if he will make sector in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) Ashfield a statement. [R] [114600] constituency. [117490]

Charles Hendry: Established in 2010, the YouthAdvisory Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the Panel (YAP) has provided the principle vehicle for responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have DECC’s youth engagement work. asked the authority to reply. The Panel last met formally on 5 December 2012 Letter from Stephen Penneck: since when our approach to youth engagement has been As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I reviewed. The Panel have not, therefore, met with the have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, the asking how many people are employed in the aerospace sector in right hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) the Ashfield constituency. [117490] Davey). Annual statistics on the number of employees are available from the ONS release Business Register Employment Survey Following the review the Department has decided to (BRES) at: move to a new model of youth engagement based on www.ons.gov.uk approaches to reach out to a wider audience. The work of the Panel will therefore draw to a conclusion, although The following table contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of employees in the aerospace sector for individual members will remain actively engaged in Nottinghamshire and the Ashfield constituency in 2010. DECC’s work. Accordingly, there are no plans for a meeting with the Secretary of State. A letter of thanks Number of employees in the is being sent to Panel members, past and present, for aerospace sector in 2010 their contribution, which has been instrumental in keeping the Department abreast of young people’s opinions and Nottinghamshire 1,500 concerns across a range of energy and climate change Ashfield constituency 400 ″ ″ issues. The Panel’s report Energy: How fair is it anyway? The employee estimates shown above have been produced by was a real achievement and well received within the adding the number of employees in manufacturing of aircraft to Department. the number in air transport services. 537W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 538W

Assets The Office for National Statistics mailed out 2011 census questionnaires to all residential address using an address list compiled from other national sources such as the Royal Mail, Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Ordnance Survey and the National Land and Property Gazetteer. Office what assets his Department has sold and leased Thus most, if not all, residential properties, including those back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of containing immigrant households, will have been counted in the each asset so sold; and what estimate his Department 2011 Census. Indeed the Census is the only nationally consistent has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing source of the number of immigrants and their families in the back each such asset over the period of the lease. country at the local area level. [116798] One of the main purposes of the Census is to identify the level of need for different services within the community, and this Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office has not sold and applies as much to immigrants as to other sections of the population. Particular attention was given in the 2011 Census to developing a leased back any assets in the last 12 months. community liaison programme to ensure that all immigrant communities were aware of the census and their statutory obligation Business to complete a census questionnaire. We recognised at the time, however, that, despite this statutory obligation some people may not have wished to make themselves known to us, and so we Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet worked closely with local community organisations to make Office (1) how many times his Department’s small and particular efforts to tell people that the information they give in medium-sized enterprises panel has met since May the census would be treated as strictly confidential and would not 2010; [116534] be shared with anyone else. (2) how many times he has attended a meeting of his However, we are able to estimate the numbers and characteristics Department’s small and medium-sized enterprises of persons who were missed in the census by undertaking a separate and independent Census Coverage Survey, and the estimates panel since May 2010. [116535] of population and households published in the first release of statistics from the 2011 Census on 16 July takes account of these. Mr Maude: The creation of the SME panel was Of .course, the census did not include a specific question about announced at the SME Strategic Supplier’s summit legal immigrant status, so we will not be able provide any statistics, which I attended with the Prime Minister in February from census information, that would distinguish between legal 2011. and illegal immigrants. Since then the panel has met four times in June and September 2011 and January and May 2012. I have Construction: Employment attended all meetings. Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Mr Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed in the construction Office what recent steps he has taken to offer (a) sector in (a) the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) financial and (b) other practical assistance to (i) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency. co-operatives, (ii) financial mutuals, (iii) employee-owned [117393] businesses and (iv) credit unions; and if he will make a statement. [116887] Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have Mr Maude [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The Cabinet asked the authority to reply. Office established the Mutuals Support Programme Letter from Stephen Penneck: (MSP) in December 2011 to provide support to public As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I service mutuals. have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking To date, over 16 organisations have been approved to how many people are employed in the construction sector in (a) receive support to develop public service mutuals, including the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) school support services in Hammersmith and Fulham Ashfield constituency. [117393] and an arts centre in Maidstone. Further details about Annual statistics on the number of employees are available the Mutuals Support Programme can be found on the from the ONS release Business Register Employment Survey website at: (BRES) at: www.ons.gov.uk http://mutuals.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ The table below contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of employees in the construction sector for the Census: Illegal Immigrants Ashfield constituency, Nottinghamshire, the East Midlands and Great Britain in 2010. Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what account the census will take of the illegal Number of employees in 2010 [117431] immigrant population. Ashfield constituency 3,300 Nottinghamshire 16,100 Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the East Midlands 80,800 responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have Great Britain 1,146,700 asked the authority to reply. Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012: Employment: East Midlands As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) which has responsibility for the Census, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Minister for the Cabinet Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking what account the census will take of the illegal Office what estimate he has made of the total number immigrant population (117431). of (a) private, (b) public and (c) third sector jobs in 539W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 540W

(i) Ashfield constituency, (ii) Nottinghamshire and (iii) Individuals in the APS are classified to the public or private the East Midlands in each of the last five years. sector according to their responses to the survey. [117392] Estimates on people employed in the third sector are currently not available from APS. Individuals employed in voluntary organisations, charities and trusts are generally included in private Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the sector estimates. responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have Table 1, shows the numbers of people resident in (i) Ashfield asked the authority to reply. constituency (ii) Nottinghamshire and {iii) East Midlands employed Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012: in the public and private sectors from APS for the period April As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I 2011 to March 2012, which is the most recent data available and have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking April to March for the previous four years. what estimate has been made of the total number of (a) private, As with any sample survey, estimates from APS are subject to a (b) public and (c) third sector jobs in (i) Ashfield constituency, (ii) margin of uncertainty. Nottinghamshire and (iii) East Midlands in each of the last five National and local area estimates for many labour market years. (117392) statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant Public and private sector employment statistics for local areas count are available on the NOMIS website at: can be calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Table 1: Number1 of persons in employment in the public and private sectors, resident in Ashfield parliamentary constituency, Nottinghamshire and East Midlands Thousand Ashfield Nottinghamshire East Midlands 12 months ending: Public Private Public Private Public Private

March 2008 2— 28 85 282 454 1,676 March 2009 2— 34 102 269 495 1,630 March 2010 2— 37 101 263 507 1,582 March 2011 2— 31 99 265 498 1,593 March 2012 ****2— ***26 **97 *264 *482 *1,627 1 Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following. 2 Data unavailable. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220 Key: *0≤ CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey

Former Prime Ministers: Allowances he will place in the Library a copy of that guidance. [112528] Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how much in public duty costs allowance has Mr Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the answers been paid to each former Prime Minister in each year given on 27 October 2011, Official Report, column since 1991; [112522] 338W,and 6 April 2010, Official Report, column 1172W. (2) whether the Government has any plans to bring Information for the period April 1991 to March 1997 the public duty costs allowance within the remit of the is no longer held. The current limit, which was last Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; reviewed in 2011, is £115,000. The amounts paid in [112526] 2011-12 are as follows: (3) what the limit is of the public duty costs 2011-12 allowance for former Prime Ministers; and when that £ limit was last reviewed; [112524] Gordon Brown 114,998.17 (4) whether the public duty costs allowance is payable Margaret Thatcher 109,191.00 to former Prime Ministers who remain Members of John Major 115,000.00 Parliament in addition to their parliamentary allowances; Tony Blair 115,000.00 [112523] (5) what rules apply to claims made by former Prime The allowance, which is a reimbursement allowance, Ministers from the public duty costs allowance; is paid to meet the costs of continuing to fulfil public [112525] duties associated with the role of a former Prime Minister. (6) what audit is undertaken of claims made under Former Prime Ministers are not eligible for the allowance the public duty costs allowance by former Prime Ministers; should they hold the office of Leader of the Official and what checks are made to ensure that claims against Opposition. Claims are processed by the Cabinet Office the allowance meet the criteria for funding from the and form part of the annual audit of Cabinet Office allowance; [112527] expenditure. There are no plans to transfer responsibility (7) what guidance is provided to former Prime Ministers for payment of the allowance to the Independent on claiming from the public duty costs allowance; and if Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). 541W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 542W

All former Prime Ministers are provided with guidance Performance Appraisal on the PDCA. A copy of this has been placed in the Library of the House. Ian Lavery: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Leukaemia Office what steps he has taken to ensure that black and minority ethnic, disabled, part-time and employees aged over 50 do not receive disproportionately low Mark Garnier: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet markings in performance appraisals; and if he will Office how many people were diagnosed with chronic make a statement. [117351] myeloid leukaemia in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010, (e) 2011 and (f) 2012 to date. [117407] Mr Maude: The Cabinet Office applies a rigorous moderation process on performance assessments to ensure Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the fairness and consistency across the Department. End-year responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have markings are analysed for equality to ensure any issues asked the authority to reply. in the distribution of markings are identified and addressed. Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012: As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I Procurement have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people were diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in (a) 2007, (b) 2008, (c) 2009, (d) 2010, (e) 2011 and (f) 2012 to Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet date. [117407] Office what proportion of contracts issued by his The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of chronic Department were awarded to small and medium-sized myeloid leukaemia (incidence) are for the year 2010. enterprises in 2011-12; and what proportion this represented The following table provides the number of newly diagnosed of the monetary value of contracts awarded by his cases of chronic myeloid leukaemia in England for each year Department in 2011-12. [111925] from 2007 to 2010. The latest published figures on the incidence of cancer in Tom Greatrex: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet England are available on the National Statistics website at: Office what the total (a) number and (b) value of http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics- contracts issued by (i) his Department and (ii) bodies registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html for which he is responsible which were awarded to Table 1. Number of newly diagnosed cases of chronic myeloid small and medium-sized enterprises was in the latest leukaemia, England, 2007-101, 2 period for which figures are available. [111213] Chronic myeloid leukaemia (registrations) Mr Maude: Since January 2011, my Department has published its contracts above the value of £10,000 on 2007 511 the Contracts Finder website: 2008 543 www.contractsfinder.businesslink.gov.uk 2009 573 2010 596 863 (61.9%) of the contracts published up to May 2012 1 Chronic myeloid leukaemia is coded as C92.1 in the International were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises Classification of Disease, Tenth revision (ICD-10). (SMEs). 2 Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. On 9 March the Cabinet Office published its report Source: ‘Making Government Business More Accessible to Office for National Statistics SMEs—One Year On’: Migration https://update.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/making- Government-business-more-accessible-smes-one-year Mr Frank Field: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet This report includes details of Cabinet Office spend Office how migrants arriving or departing from with SMEs and highlights that the proportion of Central London Victoria Coach Station are accounted for in Government direct spend with SMEs is on track to the net migration statistics. [R] [117380] double, from 6.5% of direct spend in 2009-10, to 13.7%. Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the Public Sector: Billing responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012: Office what systems are in place to ensure that main As Director General for the Office for National Statistics contractors for public sector contracts pay their (ONS), I have been asked to respond to your Parliamentary Question asking how migrants arriving or departing from London subcontractors within 30 days in line with the Government’s Victoria Coach Station are accounted for in the net migration prompt payment code; and if he will make a statement. statistics. (117380) [117037] The main source from which ONS calculates net migration is the International Passenger Survey, which is a continuous voluntary Mr Maude [holding answer 13 July 2012]: There is a sample survey. It samples passengers travelling via the principal requirement in central Government contract terms for air, sea and Channel Tunnel routes between the UK and countries contractors to pay their subcontractors within 30 days outside the British Isles. Passengers arriving or departing from in line with the Government’s prompt payment code. London Victoria Coach Station could be sampled in the IPS at the port at which they entered or left the UK. Therefore, these We urge subcontractors to use the ‘Mystery Shopper’ migrants are included in the UK net migration estimate but service, anonymously if necessary, to report to Government figures are not available separately for migrants travelling via instances where this is not happening; and we regularly London Victoria Coach Station. publish investigated cases on the Cabinet Office website. 543W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 544W

We are also making increasing use of project bank Work Experience accounts, which ensure that subcontractors down to at least tier 3 are paid directly and promptly. Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet I stressed the importance of this policy to the chief Office (1) how many interns work in his Department’s executive officers of some of the most significant suppliers press office; [116177] at a meeting on 28 June, and the Government is collecting (2) how many interns work in the Prime Minister’s evidence to ensure this is happening. press office. [116181]

Mr Maude: The Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Renewable Energy: Employment Office Communications Directorate provides the press office function for both the Minister for the Cabinet Gloria De Piero: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Prime Minister. Office how many people are employed in the energy The Communications Directorate currently has one sector in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) Ashfield graduate intern who is a salaried employee on a short-term constituency. [117492] contract.

Mr Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply. JUSTICE Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012: Assets As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for how many people are employed in the energy sector in (a) Justice what assets his Department has sold and leased Nottinghamshire and (b) the Ashfield constituency. [117492] back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of Annual statistics on the number of employees are available each asset so sold; and what estimate his Department from the ONS release Business Register Employment Survey has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back (BRES) at each such asset over the period of the lease. [116771] www.ons.gov.uk The following table contains the latest statistics available, which Mr Blunt: The Ministry of Justice has not sold and show the number of employees in the energy sector for leased back any land or property assets in the last Nottinghamshire and the Ashfield constituency in 2010. 12 months. Number of employees in the Cemeteries energy sector in 2010 Nottinghamshire 2,200 Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice Ashfield constituency 1— what assessment his Department has made of the need 1 Unavailable for further burial space and grounds (a) in London Please note that the estimate for the Ashfield constituency is and (b) nationally. [116700] designated as disclosive. Mr Djanogly: After careful consideration, I took the view last autumn that introducing a policy of reusing Space Weather graves was not critical at this time. We have, nevertheless committed to keeping the situation under review. In some Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet circumstances section 74 of the London Local Authorities Office (1) what assessment he has made of (a) the (i) Act 2007 allows for the reuse of graves in London. likelihood and (ii) potential severity of changes in space weather and (b) the potential effects of such Chief Coroner changes on the UK power infrastructure; [116751] Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if (2) whether he plans to provide information to the he will place in the Library a copy of the job description public on the risks and consequences of changes in for the post of Chief Coroner; and if he will make a space weather. [116753] statement. [116656]

Mr Maude [holding answer 13 July 2012]: The Mr Djanogly: A summary job description was produced Government published its assessment of the risk posed when the appointment of His Honour Judge Peter by severe space weather in the National Risk Register Thornton QC as Chief Coroner was announced on at: 22 May 2012. With the agreement of the Lord Chief http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/national- Justice, a copy of this summary has been placed in the risk-register House Libraries. A full job description will be published The potential impacts of such events fall mainly on in due course. infrastructure, and the Government’s assessment of the A written ministerial statement was made on 22 May broad kinds of impact was provided to the House of 2012. Further information about the role and appointment Commons Defence Select Committee and published as can be found on the Judicial Office website at: part of its Report on Developing Threats: Electro-Magnetic http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/about-the-judiciary/the-chief- Pulses (EMP) (HC 1552—8 February 2012). coroner#headingAnchor3 545W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 546W

Claims Management Services Note: Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those of regulation of claims management companies who data are used. Source: submit non-sale claims to lenders and the Financial Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice Ombudsman Service; and if he will make a statement. [117574]

Mr Djanogly: The effectiveness of the regulatory Employment Tribunals Service: Scotland response to claims management companies (CMC) is under continuous review. The Department’s Claims Management Regulation Unit has established a specialist Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for team to respond to growing concerns over the practices Justice how many individuals in (a) Scotland and (b) of some CMCs providing services for consumers bringing Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency took a case to payment protection insurance (PPI) claims against lenders. an employment tribunal in each year since 2007. One of the main priorities is to deal with the unacceptable [116685] increase in incidence of non sale claims made to lenders. The unit is carrying out a comprehensive programme of audits of CMCs to root out the bad practices and bring Mr Djanogly: Employment tribunals in Scotland have CMCs to compliance. The unit is working with the power to deal with proceedings, in the main, where the Financial Ombudsman Service and many of the major respondent (or one of the respondents) to proceedings lenders to gather the evidence needed to target these resides or carries on business in Scotland. investigations and has issued further guidance on the standards which CMCs must meet. Enforcement action Initially, all proceedings in Scotland are processed by has been and will be taken against CMCs which fail to the Glasgow Office. Subsequently, the office that deals comply. with a case is determined (subject to judicial direction to the contrary) by the postcode of the respondent (i.e. the employer, or former employer, against which a claim Criminal Injuries Compensation: Scotland is brought). Claims where a respondent is based in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency would (without Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for further direction) remain at the Glasgow Office. Justice (1) whether he has received any request from the Information on the addresses of claimants (i.e. the Scottish Government to transfer responsibility for the individuals bringing proceedings) is not collated centrally Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in Scotland to and (to the extent it is held at all) could be provided Ministers in the Scottish Government; [117127] only at disproportionate cost. Electronic records held (2) whether his Department has proposed transferring by local tribunal offices are anonymised and archived responsibility for the Criminal Injuries Compensation one year after the disposal of the proceedings, and hard Scheme in Scotland to the Scottish Government. copy files are disposed of at the same time. [117128] However, by interrogating internal management information, it is possible to provide data on the number Mr Djanogly: Neither Scottish Government Ministers of claims received by employment tribunals in Scotland nor the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for in each financial year since 2006-07; and the number of Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member claims accepted by employment tribunals where the for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), have proposed any such changes. respondent was based in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency. Insofar as that latter category is concerned, Driving Offences: Nottinghamshire the only information that is collated centrally dates from June 2011. Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Information relating to the period March 2012 to Justice how many motorists were prosecuted for June 2012 is subject to internal data cleansing and will speeding offences in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) not be available until the Ministry of Justice publishes Ashfield constituency in each of the last three years for its 2012-13 Quarter 1 statistics covering the tribunals which figures are available. [117396] administered by HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Table 1: Employment tribunal claims accepted in Scotland in each financial year Mr Blunt: The number of proceedings at magistrates 2006-07 to 2011-12 court for speed limit offences in the Nottinghamshire Financial year Total claims Single claims Multiple claims police force area, from 2009 to 2011, can be viewed in 2006-07 28,822 4.643 24,179 the following table. 2007-08 33,017 4.230 28,787 Information available centrally does not allow a 2008-09 22,345 4.983 17,362 breakdown of cases by parliamentary constituency. 2009-10 22,754 5.885 16,869 2010-11 19,212 5.125 14,087 Proceedings at magistrates court for speed limit offences in the Nottinghamshire police force area, 2009 to 2011 2011-12 17,678 4.973 12,705 2009 2010 2011 Source: 1 2009-10 ET Annual Report Database (Official Statistics) 2 2006-07 to 2008-09 ET Central Database (Management Information) Speeding limit offences 3,686 3,345 3,286 547W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 548W

Table 2: Employment tribunal claims accepted where the respondent was based in the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency June 2011 to March 2012 Financial year Total claims Single claims Multiple claims

June 2011 to March 2012 75 64 11 Notes: 1. Claims can be either a single or multiple claim. A single claim is where a claimant brings an individual action against one or more respondents. Multiple claims are where two or more claimants bring an action against one or more respondents. 2. The figures given in Table 2 are for the postcodes that are covered by the Kilmarnock & Loudoun constituency. These postcodes are KA1, 3, 4, 5, 16, 17 & 18. There is some overlap in all of these postcodes with other constituencies, but it is not possible to break the postcode data down further. 3. Rounding All figures are independently rounded and thus may not add to totals. The following conventions have been used throughout: Values less than 100 remain as unit values; Values > 1,000 are rounded to the nearest 100. Source: Local ET Ml System—Glasgow (Management Information)

Ex Gratia Payments Expenditure (£)

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for 2010-11 1,182,080 Justice what estimate his Department has made of the 2011-12 1,216,889 monetary value of ex gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department in the last These payments are for all of the firm’s legal aid two years. [116772] work over the last five years and cover multiple legal aid clients. The sums include VAT and disbursements, such Mr Djanogly: The Department and its three executive as expenses incurred on cases, expert fees and translation agencies made ex gratia payments totalling £1.22 million of documents, and barristers’ fees. Although paid by in 2010-11 and £1.15 million in 2011-12. the LSC directly to the solicitors firm, these costs may Further information on ‘ex gratia’ payments is also then be paid to other parties involved in the case, so the available on page 142 of the Department’s Annual totals do not represent the firm’s earnings. Report and Accounts 2011-12 which were laid in Parliament on 11 July 2012. Offenders: Females HM Courts and Tribunals Service Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many female prisoners have children under the John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice age of 18; and if he will make a statement; [117015] what estimate he has made of the cost to HM Courts (2) how many and what proportion of women with a and Tribunals Service of enforcing the payment of previous conviction have children under the age of 18; financial penalties levied by courts in (a) 2010, (b) and if he will make a statement. [117016] 2011 and (c) 2012. [117087]

Mr Djanogly: HM Courts and Tribunals Service costs Mr Blunt: Data on the number of prisoners with of criminal enforcement for the last three financial dependent children under 18 are not routinely collected. years was: However, research studies have explored this issue. One estimate of the proportion of female prisoners with Financial year Cost (£ million) dependent children under the age of 18 comes from the Ministry of Justice’s Surveying Prisoner Crime Reduction 2011-12 54.0 (SPCR) survey, which followed 1,435 adult prisoners 2010-11 58.5 sentenced to between one month and four years in 2009-10 59.9 prison in 2005 and 2006 in England and Wales. This study found that around 59% of female prisoners in the Costs are the direct staff, office and court costs sample reported having dependent children under the relating to the enforcement of financial penalties imposed age of 18 and that those women had an average of two by the courts. Bailiff costs which are reimbursed by the children each. For women with a previous conviction or offender, and central overhead costs are not included. caution (85% of the sample), the proportion with children Legal Aid Scheme was the same, around 59%.

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice Police Custody: Young People how much legal aid funding was paid to Leigh Day & Co in each of the last five years for which figures are Sir Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for available. [116958] Justice whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Police and Criminal Evidence Mr Djanogly: The following sums have been paid to Act 1984 so that 17-year-olds are no longer treated as Leigh Day & Co in each of the past five years: adults in police custody. [116315]

Expenditure (£) Nick Herbert: Having considered carefully the benefits, costs and risks of treating 17-year-olds as children 2007-08 1,539,133 under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, the 2008-09 1,348.631 Government have concluded that it would not be 2009-10 992,334 appropriate to amend the law at the present time. 549W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 550W

Prisoners: Kent Table 1: Offenders cautioned1, 2 for selected prostitution related offences3,in Metropolitan police force area, 20114 Metropolitan police force area5 Number

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Prostitution offences 130 Justice how many prisoners in Kent have keys to their 1 The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the own cells. [117227] principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. Mr Blunt: As at 12 July 2012, a total of 1,153 prisoners 2 From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with held in prison establishments in Kent had courtesy keys reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. to their cells. 3 Offences include: Causing or inciting prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 2003 s52 Governors may permit prisoners to hold a courtesy Keeping a brothel for prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 1956 33a key to their cell. This permits the prisoner to open and Keeping a brothel—Sexual Offences Act 1956 s33 Placing of advertisement relating to prostitution—Criminal Justice and Police close their cell door during set times. Prison staff have a Act 2001 s46 key that overrides these courtesy locks and thereby Person persistently loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution—Street ensures complete control overall cell doors. Offences Act 1959 s1 4 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police Prostitution forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 5 Includes Metropolitan and City of London police force areas. John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Source: Justice (1) how many sex workers were cautioned in the Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. Table 2: Defendants found guilty at all courts under ″controlling prostitutes for Metropolitan police area during 2011; [117501] gain″, in Metropolitan police force area1, 20112, 3 (2) how many persons in the Metropolitan police Statute Offence Number area were convicted of controlling prostitutes for gain Sexual Offences Act Controlling prostitution for 4 in 2011; [117505] 2003, s53 gain (3) how many sex workers were arrested and 1 Includes Metropolitan and City of London police force areas. 2 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for proceeded against during 2011. [117502] whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is Mr Blunt: The number of offenders cautioned for imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which selected prostitution related offences in the Metropolitan the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 3 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and police force area, in 2011, can be viewed in table 1. complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police The number of defendants found guilty at all courts forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection for controlling prostitutes for gain in the Metropolitan processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those police force area, in 2011, can be viewed in table 2. data are used. Source: The number of defendants proceeded against at Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. Table 3: Defendants proceeded against at magistrates court for selected magistrates court for selected prostitution related offences 1, 2 in England and Wales, in 2011 can be viewed in table 3. prostitution related offences, in England and Wales, 2011 England and Wales Number Statistical information held centrally by the Ministry 3 of Justice from the Police National Computer on cautions Prostitution offences 261 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom issued in England and Wales does not identify all the these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for identify the specific activities behind each offence. which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory The Court Proceedings Database holds information on maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police holds information on offences provided by the statutes forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those under which proceedings are brought but not all the data are used. specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to 3 Offences include: identify the specific activities behind each offence. Causing or inciting prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 2003 s52 Keeping a brothel for prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 1956 33a The requested data on arrests are not collected centrally. Keeping a brothel—Sexual Offences Act 1956 s33 Placing of advertisement relating to prostitution—Criminal Justice and Police Available data on arrests held by the Home Office cover Act 2001 s46 notifiable offences, broken down at offence group level Person persistently loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution—Street only; covering categories such as violence against the Offences Act 1959 s1 Source: person and sexual offences. From these centrally reported Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice. categories it is not possible to separately identify arrests for specific offences. It is also not possible to identify from information on arrests whether the alleged offender Reoffenders: Females was a sex worker. Further, offences under section 46 of the Criminal Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice Justice and Police Act 2001 and section 1 of the Street how many and what proportion of women with a Offences Act 1959 are not notifiable offences and therefore previous conviction reoffended in (a) 2010 and (b) do not form part of the arrests collection. 2011; and if he will make a statement. [117017] 551W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 552W

Mr Blunt: Reoffending rates for offenders released, However, there are statistics on the number and convicted or released from custody in 2010-11 are not percentage of female offenders sentenced for indictable yet available. This is because we allow a one-year follow offences in 2010 and 2011 who had at least one previous up period for reoffending to occur, and a further six-month conviction in England and Wales. These figures are waiting period for offences to be processed by the derived from table A7.2 of “Criminal Justice Statistics courts. Figures for the calendar year 2010 will not be Quarterly Update to December 2011”which was published available until October 2012. by the Ministry of Justice on 24 May 2012.

Number and percentage of female offenders1 sentenced for indictable offences who had at least one previous conviction(s) in England and Wales, 2010-11 Of those with previous conviction(s) All offenders Percentage (%)

2010 35,743 23,451 65.6 2011 33,816 22,866 67.6 1 Figures presented in the table are distinct offenders unlike the figures in table A7.2 which are sentencing occasions. Note: The previous convictions include all convictions for indictable and summary offences.

The latest statistics on the criminal histories of offenders (b) one month and (c) two months were served by can be found at: female prisoners in each of the last five years; and if he http://www.justice.gov.uk/downloads/statistics/criminal- will make a statement. [117102] justice-stats/criminal-justice-stats-dec-2011.pdf The figures have been drawn from the police’s administrative IT system, the police national computer, Mr Blunt: The following table shows the number of which, as with any large scale recording system, is female prisoners serving short sentences in prison subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. establishments in England and Wales, as at 30 June of The figures are provisional and subject to change as each year from 2007 to 2011, broken down by detailed more information is recorded by the police. sentence length band. Sentencing: Females These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice system, are subject to possible errors with data entry how many custodial sentences of (a) two weeks or less, and processing.

Female population in prison serving short sentences, England and Wales 30 June 2007 to 2011 Sentence length 2007 2008 2009 20091 2010 2011

Two weeks or less 844246 More than two weeks to less than one month 865934 One month 19 20 18 18 14 13 More than one month to less than two months 24 45 49 49 50 58 Two months 17 24 9 10 5 10 More than two months to six months 391 450 369 395 426 402 Unrecorded less than or equal to six months2 ——— 0219 Less than or equal to six months 3466 3552 3458 483 523 502 1 Due to the introduction of a new prison IT system the 2010 prison population is now taken from a different source. The 2009 figures from the old and new system have been presented for comparison. 2 Sentence length is not recorded centrally for a small proportion of prisoners. For these cases we have estimated the broad sentence length band, but they cannot be allocated to a more detailed sentence length band. 3 Sum of sub totals may not equal the overall total as these figures are based on scaled data.

Solicitors: Fees and Charges current no win no fee conditional fee agreement (CFA) regime. Part 2 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment Mr Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for of Offenders Act 2012 makes fundamental changes to Justice (1) what steps he is taking in respect of excessive the CFA arrangements to reduce legal costs which often legal charges levied by solicitors in no-win-no-fee cases; fall on businesses and other defendants. Under our [117018] changes, CFAs will continue to be available to fund (2) what representations he has received on lawyers such claims, although any success fee and after the using minor compensation cases to charge high legal event (ATE) insurance premium will no longer be recoverable from the losing party. Both claimants and fees to small employers in no-win-no-fee cases; [117019] defendants will have an incentive to keep legal costs (3) whether his Department plans to meet the Law down. The changes will be implemented in April 2013. Society on no-win-no-fee cases; [117020] (4) what discussions he has had with representatives The changes are based on Lord Justice Jackson’s of small business on lawyers charging high fees in recommendations in his Review of Civil Litigation Costs. no-win-no-fee cases. [117021] The Government conducted a full public consultation in November 2010 on implementing the reforms. The Mr Djanogly: The Government is taking firm action Ministry of Justice engaged with and received to tackle the high costs in civil litigation under the representations from a wide range of interested parties 553W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 554W during and after the consultation process including the years from (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Law Society and the Federation of Small Businesses. Nottinghamshire were held in (i) young offender We will continue to engage with key stakeholders as we institutions, (ii) local prisons, (iii) women’s prisons and move towards implementation. (iv) other parts of the secure estate in each month since May 2009. [117331] Staff Mr Blunt: All young offenders serving sentences of Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for DYOI are held in appropriately designated young offender Justice how many staff of his Department were in the institution (YOI) accommodation within the prison civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for estate. The majority of this accommodation is in dedicated which figures are available; and how many of these had YOIs, although some establishments in the estate have a been in the redeployment pool for more than six dual designation (designated both as a prison and a months at that date. [116773] YOI) and hold both adult prisoners and young offenders. Serving sentences of DYOI are held in appropriately Mr Djanogly: As at 31 May the Ministry of Justice designated young offender institution (YOI) had 427 staff seeking permanent redeployment. Of accommodation within the prison estate. The majority these, 180 have been on the redeployment register for of this accommodation is in dedicated YOIs, although more than six months. These figures represent staff at some establishments in the estate have a dual designation all grades including senior civil servants. (designated both as a prison and a YOI) and hold both While seeking suitable alternative permanent roles adult prisoners and young offenders. the majority are engaged in work that needs to be done The first table as follows shows the number of young to contribute to the delivery of public services, including adult offenders aged 18 to 20-years-old from (a) Ashfield core frontline activities, policy and project work and constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire on a set day in other operational roles. each month where data are available since May 2009. The second table provides the information for Young Offenders: Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire which Ashfield is a part of. The data have only been recorded centrally since May 2009 and Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for from September 2010 are available on a bi-monthly Justice how many young adult offenders aged 18 to 20 basis.

Ashfield Number 2009 2010 2011 2012 Location May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan Mar May

(a) Male young 5 12 13 7 10 7 5 10 10 9 2 2 offender institutions (b) Male local 012014233204 prisons (c) Female prisons 000001000000 (d)Otherprisons011000000000

Nottinghamshire Number 2009 2010 2011 2012 Location May Sept Nov Jan Mar May July Sept Nov Jan Mar May

(a) Male young 40 45 46 39 55 48 56 54 47 46 28 38 offender institutions (b) Male local 8148 9 4139131612220 prisons (c) Female prisons 241033120301 (d)Otherprisons085355423112

These figures have been drawn from administrative resident. These figures are also included in the table IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording above. No address has been recorded and no court system, are subject to possible errors with data entry information is available for around 3% of all offenders, and processing. these figures are excluded from the table above. Information on offenders’ residences is provided by offenders on reception into prison and recorded on a central IT system. Addresses can include a home address, Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for an address to which offenders intend to return on Justice how many juvenile offenders from (a) Ashfield discharge or next of kin address and these figures are constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire were held in a provided in the table above. (i) secure children’s home, (ii) secure training centre If no address is given, an offenders committal court and (iii) young offender institution in each month since address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are May 2009. [117461] 555W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 556W

Mr Blunt: Data on juvenile offenders are not held at a Young people (aged 10 to 17) in custody attached to Nottinghamshire constituency level therefore it is not possible to answer Youth Offending Team (YOT) by establishment type in each month part (a) of this question. The answer to part (b) of this since May 2009 question is as follows: Secure Secure Young children’s training offender The following table shows the number of juvenile Month homes centres institutions offenders (aged 10 to 17) either sentenced or remanded July127 in custody attached to the Nottinghamshire Youth August 2 2 7 Offending Team (YOT) who have been held in each under 18 young offender institution in each month September 1 2 8 since May 2009 to April 2012. October 2 2 11 November 3 4 7 These data have been provided by the Youth Justice December 3 3 5 Board (YJB). The YJB holds data at the YOT area level, not at the local authority level. YOT area data may cover more than one local authority area. 2012 January 3 2 4 These are based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore February 3 1 6 one young person who is serving more than one month March216 in custody will be shown in more than one month in the April 2 2 7 table. Notes: The data from April 2011 onwards are provisional 1. The data come from the YouthJustice Board’s Secure Accommodation and will be finalised when the 2011-12 Youth Justice Clearing House System (SACHS). Statistics are published in 2013. Data from 2012-13 will 2. These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible be finalised in 2014. errors with data entry and processing and may be subject to change These figures have been drawn from administrative over time. IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording 3. The YJB does not hold data at constituency or local authority level. However, it does hold data down to Youth Offending Team (YOT) system, are subject to possible errors with data entry area, some of which cover more than one local authority area. and processing and can be subject to change over time. Nottinghamshire YOT is the same area as Nottinghamshire. 4. The table shows the number of young people aged under 18 Young people (aged 10 to 17) in custody attached to Nottinghamshire attached to the Nottinghamshire Youth Offending Team who have Youth Offending Team (YOT) by establishment type in each month been held in a (a) secure children’s home, (b) secure training centre since May 2009 and (c) young offender institution in each month since May 2005. Secure Secure Young This includes those sentenced and on remand. children’s training offender 5. This is based upon monthly snapshot data. Therefore one young Month homes centres institutions person who is serving more than one month in custody, may be shown in more than one month in the table. 2009 6. Please note, data from April 2011 onwards are provisional. Data May 2 4 15 from April 2011 onwards will be finalised when the 2011-12 Annual June 1 2 15 Youth Justice Statistics are published in 2013 and data from April 2012 will be finalised in 2014. July 4 5 17 August 3 3 14 Youth Custody: Education September 3 5 12 October 3 4 21 Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for November 4 4 22 Justice what recent assessment he has made of progress December 4 3 14 in ensuring appropriate educational provision for Welsh-speaking young people held on the secure estate. [117507] 2010 January 5 4 12 Mr Blunt: There has been progress in ensuring February 4 5 12 appropriate educational provision for Welsh-speaking March 2 4 12 young people in the secure estate, in particular for those April 2 4 11 from North Wales held in secure accommodation in May 2 5 10 England at HMYOI Hindley. The Youth Justice Board June 2 4 13 implemented from September last year an enhanced July 2 5 13 service specification for Welsh young people held there August 2 5 11 to ensure that their distinct educational and cultural September 2 5 10 needs are addressed in the curriculum. October 2 3 9 November 2 4 8 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT December 2 3 8 Assets 2011 Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for January 1 4 12 International Development what assets his Department February 1 7 10 has sold and leased back over the last 12 months; what March 1 4 10 the sale price was of each asset so sold; and what April 2 4 6 estimate his Department has made of the cost to the May 2 2 10 public purse of leasing back each such asset over the June 2 2 8 period of the lease. [116804] 557W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 558W

Mr Duncan: DFID has not sold any assets within the Mr Duncan: The UK is playing its part in helping to last 12 months which have been leased back. There has achieve the millennium development goal of universal therefore been no cost to the public purse. primary education. DFID’s 2012 Annual Report shows that the UK is Burma supporting 5.3 million children in primary education (2.5 million girls) and 600,000 in lower secondary education in developing countries. The UK has also helped to Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for train 90,000 teachers. Over the comprehensive spending International Development what steps his Department review period the UK has pledged to support nine is taking to (a) improve access for international aid million children in primary school, over half of whom agencies to all areas of Arakan State, Burma and (b) will be girls and two million in lower secondary education. monitor the distribution of aid in that area on the basis of need without discrimination. [117450] In addition DFID recently launched a new mechanism called the Girls Education Challenge, which will support up to an additional one million of the world’s poorest Mr Duncan: We are working with other donors through girls to complete their education. GEC will encourage the UN in relation to the needs in Arakan State and innovation in the non-state sector to find new ways to await the needs assessment based on the findings of reach girls in marginalised communities. OCHA and aid agency partners. This will set out the actions proposed and mechanisms for distribution and Dotun Oloko monitoring. The British ambassador has repeatedly raised concerns with Ministers and directly with the Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for President about the humanitarian and political situation International Development whether his Department in Arakan and called on all sides to allow unrestricted has offered legal assistance to the Nigerian whistleblower humanitarian access for international and local aid Mr Dotun Oloko under the provisions of the UN agencies to the affected communities. Convention Against Corruption. [116579]

Commonwealth Development Corporation Mr Andrew Mitchell: DFID has not offered any legal assistance to Mr Oloko under Article 46 of the UN Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Convention Against Corruption as Article 46 places an International Development on what date his Department obligation of mutual legal assistance on state parties, referred allegations that CDC had invested in companies not on individuals. reported to have been money laundering fronts for Human Trafficking James Ibori to the (a) Serious Fraud Office and (b) Metropolitan Police. [116577] Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations his Mr Andrew Mitchell: DFID’s Counter Fraud Unit Department is funding to counter human trafficking; met the London Metropolitan Police on 15 May 2009 and where these organisations are based. [116563] during the time of the last Government to discuss the allegations by Mr Dotun Oloko. The Department, CDC Mr O’Brien: DFID is currently providing funding to and London Metropolitan Police met the Serious Fraud the following organisations to counter human trafficking Office on 23 April 2010 to discuss the allegations. and slavery. The location of each organisation’s headquarters is shown in brackets. Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Asia Regional Trafficking Programme: International Development what steps he has taken to NIMBUS Social Enterprise Consulting (Southampton, UK); investigate allegations that Emerging Capital Partners Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (Bangkok, Thailand); defrauded CDC and other investors. [116578] International Labour Organization (Geneva, Switzerland); Anti- Slavery International (London, UK). The London School of Mr Andrew Mitchell: In February 2009 during the Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (London, UK) has the contract regime of the last Government, DFID and CDC received for monitoring and evaluation. allegations that certain CDC fund managers had invested Malawi Anti-Child Trafficking Project: the capital of CDC and other investors in a number of Salvation Army (London, UK). Nigerian companies that have been linked to politically Challenging Descent-Based Slavery in West Africa: exposed persons and which may have been engaged in Anti-Slavery International (London, UK). corrupt practices. CDC has investigated these allegations and has found no evidence to substantiate the allegations. Slavery and Child Labour: Governance and Social DFID and CDC stand ready to look again into these Responsibility: matters should they receive new evidence. Anti-Slavery International (London, UK). Mali Developing Countries: Education Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State International Development what recent assessment he for International Development what recent steps his has made of (a) food shortages and (b) levels of Department has taken to meet the Millennium conflict in Mali; if he will reconsider Mali’s exclusion Development Goal to ensure universal education. from the list of priority countries for bilateral aid; what [116967] recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of 559W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 560W

State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for flow of arms to Mali; and if he will make a statement. International Development with reference to the [117024] answer of 26 October 2011, Official Report, column 277W, on overseas aid: fraud, whether there has been a Mr Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations currently change in the number of full-time equivalent officials estimates that the number of people at risk of food responsible for fraud investigations since his Answer. shortages across the Sahel region of West Africa in 2012 [117463] is 18 million. Of these, 3.5 million are in Mali. The security situation in Mali remains of particular Mr Duncan: In addition to the resources set out in the concern, and over 350,000 men, women and children previous answer, counter-fraud capacity has since been have been directly affected by the conflict in the northern strengthened by the secondment of an Advisory and regions of the country. Over 235,000 people have fled to Liaison officer from the Serious and Organised Crime neighbouring countries, and over 155,000 people have Agency into the Counter Fraud Unit; we have also been internally displaced following months of armed expanded our Fraud Liaison Network to include a conflict. The deterioration in security conditions has liaison officer in all of our focus countries (32 in total). severely limited the humanitarian response, by reducing Staff access to those acutely affected by this crisis in the north of the country. Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for The UK Government is supporting efforts led by the International Development how many staff of his Economic Community Of West African States and the Department were in the civil service redeployment pool African Union to bring about a resolution to the crisis on the latest date for which figures are available; and in Mali. We will continue to work closely with our how many of these had been in the redeployment pool international partners, including the United Nations for more than six months at that date. [116806] and the European Union, to help return the country to full democracy, including the holding of elections. Mr Duncan: DFID currently has nine staff receiving Mali is not one of the priority countries for UK redeployment support. All DFID staff receiving bilateral aid, following a fundamental review of all such redeployment support are fully utilised in an appropriate programmes based on need and where the UK can role. Only one member of staff has been receiving make the most positive difference. Others with stronger support for more than six months. links to this part of the world are better placed to provide long term bilateral development assistance to Mali, but the UK does have a significant stake through our contributions to the European Union and United FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE Nations. Air Travel I have had no recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for flow of arms to Mali. Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions he has flown on official business (a) by budget airline Overseas Aid: Fraud and (b) in economy class in the last 12 months. [117510] Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what fraud losses his Mr Lidington: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Department (a) identified and (b) recovered in each Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member country to which it provided aid in each of the last three for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has been issued years; and what the financial value was in each case. with 13 economy tickets in the last 12 months. He has [117371] not flown by budget airline over the same period. Section 10 of the Ministerial Code provides guidance Mr Duncan: Since October 2010, DFID has reported on travel for Ministers and makes clear that Ministers detected fraud and error in quarterly data summaries. must ensure that they always make efficient and cost- They are not split by country.The quarterly data summaries effective travel arrangements. are published on DFID’s website. DFID’s actual losses Arab Partnership Participation Fund to fraud are shown in the following table:

£ Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State Gross Recovered Net for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the breakdown is of the spending of the Arab Partnership 2009-10 459,392.40 198,620.78 260,771,62 Participation Fund. [117527] 2010-11 592,216.85 477,034.71 115,182.14 2011-12 3,099,044.27 1,920,973.25 1,178,071.02 Mr Hague: In the financial year 2011-12, the Arab Partnership Participation Fund (APPF) spent £5.27 million The Department has accelerated its work on the across 11 countries, broken down as follows by the prevention and early identification of fraud. We take a APPF thematic priorities: Political Participation— robust approach once fraud has been identified (with £1.72 million; Public Voice—£1.31 million; Rule of Law effective incident investigation and strengthening of —£0.77 million; Anti-Corruption—£0.54 million; Private controls to prevent recurrence) and have a good record Sector Development—£0.32 million; YouthEmployability on recovery of lost funds (61% for 2011-12). —£0.25 million. The Fund also spent £0.24 million on 561W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 562W

“Tactical Funds”, small, quick-win interventions spanning Diamond Jubilee 2012 the themes. Additionally, £0.12 million funded 11 locally engaged staff to manage the projects. In the financial year 2012-13 we have so far approved 56 projects, Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for totalling over £10 million. Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department has spent on events to celebrate the Queen’s Assets Diamond Jubilee (a) in the UK and (b) overseas. [117274] Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assets his Mr Bellingham: Her Majesty the Queen’s diamond Department has sold and leased back over the last 12 jubilee offers an excellent opportunity to demonstrate months; what the sale price was of each asset so sold; the strengths of the UK to the world, alongside our and what estimate his Department has made of the efforts linked to the London Olympics and Paralympics cost to the public purse of leasing back each such asset and the GREAT campaign, while the country enjoys over the period of the lease. [116816] unprecedented levels of attention.

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has has not sold and leased back any property asset in the sought to promote Britain as an open, connected, creative past 12 months. and dynamic country that successfully combines history and tradition with modernity and innovation. We have created opportunities overseas to allow everyone who Crisis Management Centre wants to celebrate the jubilee to be able to, in a manner befitting the current financial climate. Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for The FCO GREAT and 2012 programme fund allocated Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his £123,000 for 30 specific diamond jubilee events overseas Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on the (most supplemented by local sponsorship) reaching an new Crisis Management Centre. [117363] estimated media audience of hundreds of millions. Mr Jeremy Browne: The Foreign and Commonwealth There are many other jubilee events taking place in Office Operations Committee approved a budget for the the UK and overseas throughout the whole year and it build-elements of this project of 1.96 million pounds. will take time for all the relevant expenditure to be Construction work continues on schedule for completion charged and accounted for after the end of the year. In this month, and our current forecast spend is 1.89 million addition, the majority of events organised by our network pounds. In addition we have spent approximately 400,000 of posts overseas have been wholly or partially paid out pounds on new equipment for the centre (although this of locally held budgets and these figures are therefore figure cannot be confirmed until the work is complete not available without incurring disproportionate cost. and all payments processed). The new crisis centre will significantly enhance our capability to respond to crises overseas, and staff began moving back in on 9 July. EU Institutions Data Protection

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK of (a) data loss and (b) breaches of confidentiality nationals on secondment from each Government have occurred in his Department since January 2012. Department were working in an EU (a) institution and [117514] (b) agency in each year since 2009. [117436]

Mr Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a formal procedure for reporting, investigating Mr Lidington: Information on the numbers of UK and monitoring any incidents involving the loss or civil servants on secondment to EU Institutions and compromise of personal data for which it is responsible. Agencies, by UK Government Department or agency, According to our records, since 1 January this year, during each year from 2009 to 2012 is in the following there have been two incidents involving the loss of data table. The statistics are for UK civil servants, not British and four involving a breach of confidentiality. None nationals. (Nationality data are classed as personal were considered significant enough to report to the information so cannot be used for these quantities Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). where individuals could be identified.) The FCO takes its data handling responsibilities very It is important to note that: seriously. Our policies and procedures are designed to This information includes secondments ranging from five-month ensure that we are compliant with the Data Protection special traineeships for civil servants (’Experts on Professional Act 1998 and HMG’s Security Policy Framework. All Training’) to postings lasting up to four years. our staff, including those who work for our delivery Many secondments run over several years. It is therefore not partners, have a responsibility to manage personal data correct to add the figures per year to obtain a total number of effectively and securely in line with those policies and secondments for the period 2009 to 2012. For instance, the total procedures. Training in data handling is mandatory for number of civil servants seconded from BIS from 2009 to 2012 is all staff. lower than 33. 563W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 564W

2012 2011 2010 2009 Home Dept Institutions Agencies Institutions Agencies Institutions Agencies Institutions Agencies

BIS 5 0 13 0 10 0 5 0 CEFAS10 10 00 00 DCSF 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 DECC 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 DEFRA 8 1 12 1 9 0 4 0 DFID 24 0 22 0 25 0 11 0 DFT 3 0 9 1 10 1 8 0 DH 10 20 20 10 DIUS00 00 00 10 DWP40404040 Environment 21 21 10 00 Agency FCO 5 0 8 0 9 0 12 0 FERA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Financial Services 50 70 60 40 Authority Food Standards 30 30 30 10 Agency HMRC30504040 HMT40 80 70 60 Home Office 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 HSE 10 10 00 00 ICO 10 10 10 00 IPO 41 41 31 30 JIU 10 10 00 00 JNCC/DEFRA 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 LES 10 00 00 00 Marine 01 01 00 00 Management Organisation MCA00 01 01 02 MFA10000000 MOD30 10 10 10 MOJ 10 20 30 30 Natural England 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 OFCOM 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 OFT 10 10 00 00 ONS 10 10 00 00 SOCA 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 TSol 0 0 3 0 4 0 4 0 UKBA01112010 VMD-DEFRA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 WSRA 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Total 90 5 119 8 111 4 77 2

European External Action Service 91%) was existing money transferred from the Commission and Council. The EEAS budget in 2012 is ¤489 million (£396 million). Discussions are ongoing on the EEAS Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for 2013 budget. Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the monetary value was of the UK’s contribution to the EU External Action Service in each year since 2009; European External Action Service: Secondment and what estimate he has made of that contribution in each of the next five years. [117513] Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Mr Lidington: The UK contributes to the EU budget his Department holds on how many UK nationals from as a whole, not to individual elements of it. Details of each Government Department are on secondment to the UK’s contributions to the EU budget over the the European External Action Service. [117512] period 2006-07 to 2011-12 were published on 13 July 2012 in table 3C (page 17) of European Union Finances Mr Lidington: Our records show that we have 17 seconded 2012 (Cm 8405). This document is available in the national experts to the European External Action Service House Library. The European External Action Service (EEAS). Of these, two are from the Foreign and (EEAS) was launched on 1 January 2011. The EEAS Commonwealth Office (FCO), 11 from the Ministry of budget in 2011 was ¤464 million, which represents less Defence and four from the Department for International than 1% of the EU budget. However, ¤441 million (over Development. 565W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 566W

In addition, we also have 15 FCO staff working as GREAT Campaign temporary agents in the EEAS. We expect this number to increase. Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Ex Gratia Payments Department has (a) allocated to and (b) spent on the GREAT campaign since it was established. [117364] Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate his Mr Jeremy Browne: In 2011-12 the Foreign and Department has made of the monetary value of ex Commonwealth Office (FCO) allocated £1.4 million to gratia payments made through schemes administered the GREAT Campaign and spent £1.347 million. In by his Department in the last two years. [116817] addition, the FCO contributed £3 million to GREAT activities allocated and carried out elsewhere in Government. Mr Bellingham: We have not run any schemes involving For this financial year (2012-13), the FCO has allocated ex gratia payments during the past two years. £1.334 million to the GREAT Campaign and had spent £0.467 million by 13 July. Exports We have worked with other Government Departments, GREAT Campaign Partners, UK Trade and Investment, Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for VisitBritain and the British Council to use these funds Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions to hold over 200 events around the world, promoting he has had with London-based business organisations Britain as a world class destination to do business and on increasing exports to (a) other EU member states, to visit. Nine high profile launches to date have alone (b) China, (c) India and (d) Brazil. [117429] generated coverage with an advertising equivalent value of over £17 million. The events have generated over 1,800 media articles. Mr Bellingham: Ministers meet with a range of individual businesses and business organisations to discuss a variety of topics including our ambitions to increase trade with Official Hospitality emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil, as well as with traditional trading partners across the EU. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his (Yorks) (Mr Hague) also pointed to the importance of Department has spent on hospitality for staff since these markets and our determination to support British May 2010. [117509] exporters in his speech to the CBI on 17 May 2012. Mr Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to the answer Fuels given to the hon. Member for Ilford South (Mike Gapes) on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 875W. Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much (a) the Palestinians UK Embassy network and (b) his Department spent on petrol and diesel costs in each of the last five years. [116544] Dr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has commissioned any independent research into the Mr Lidington: The total expenditure by the Foreign content of Palestinian textbooks. [116692] and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on petrol, diesel and oil for official vehicles in our overseas network in each of the last five financial years was as follows: Alistair Burt: The UK takes seriously any reports of textbooks which promote anti-Semitism or any other £ million form of incitement to hatred. UK officials have made this position clear to the Palestinian Authority. 2007-08 1.55 Previous investigations have found no evidence to 2008-09 1.91 support claims of incitement or anti-Semitism in Palestinian 2009-10 1.69 textbooks. A number of studies by respected research 2010-11 1.99 institutions have reviewed textbooks used in Palestinian 2011-12 1.63 schools. Most recently, the US State Department commissioned a full independent investigation into the Our overseas fleet currently comprises 1,534 vehicles. content of Palestinian and Israeli school textbooks. We We have measures in place to ensure that Posts purchase are confident in the independence of this investigation, fuel at competitive prices and obtain value for money which will be conducted by a joint Israeli-Palestinian overall, including by ensuring that regular checks are research team, under the supervision of Professor Bruce made on fuel consumption by official vehicles. Wexler of Yale University and overseen by a Scientific FCO Services operates a UK Fleet of 43 vehicles. Advisory Panel of European, American, Palestinian Total expenditure on petrol, diesel and oil for the UK and Israeli experts. It is due to report in 2012 and we fleet in 2011-12 was £101,958. Comparable figures for will be reviewing its findings and recommendations earlier years are unavailable. with our EU counterparts. 567W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 568W

Photoshoots and Videos differ from these figures and is available in the Departmental Resource Accounts available on the FCO website and in the Library of the House. Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his £ million Department has spent on photoshoots and videos involving Ministers since May 2010. [117508] 2009-10 272.0 2010-11 262.5 Mr Lidington: Two Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2011-12 253.0 (FCO) officers trained in photography covered FCO events attended by Ministers at no additional cost to the (e) The BBC World Service Trust is an independent department between May 2010 and December 2010. charity funded by external grants and voluntary This was reduced to one FCO officer in December contributions. The FCO makes no specific allocation to 2010. it each year but may fund individual projects on an ad hoc basis. Between May 2010 and April 2012 the FCO contracted two professional video journalists through the Central (f) The FCO makes no allocations to the “Special Office of Information (COI). This was reduced to one Reserve” which is part of the Treasury Reserve. professional video journalist when COI closed in April (g) The following table shows the final FCO allocations 2012, reducing the cost to the department. It would (including capital) to the British Council from 2009-10 incur disproportionate cost to separate the staff time to 2011-12 as published in the Spring Supplementary costs for the videos produced which covered ministerial Estimates and Departmental Resource Accounts for events from the ones which did not include Ministers. each year. Actual spend each year may differ from these Staff in our overseas network of posts take photographs figures and is available in the Departmental Resource and videos of ministerial visits but this a tiny part of Accounts, available on the FCO website and in the their role and so details are not held centrally. Library of the House.

Public Expenditure £ million 2009-10 200.7 Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State 2010-11 188.0 for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his 2011-12 180.5 Department allocated to the (a) Stabilisation Aid Fund, (b) Conflict Prevention Pool, (c) Discretionary (h) The FCO makes no allocation to the Single Peacekeeping Fund, (d) BBC World Service, excluding Intelligence Account. the BBC World Service Trust, (e) BBC World Service Trust, (f) Special Reserve, (g) British Council and (h) Staff Security and Intelligence Fund in each year since 2009. [117370] Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff of Mr Hague: The information requested is as follows: his Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; (a), (b) and (c): On 1 April 2009, the Conflict and how many of these had been in the redeployment Prevention Pool and the Stabilisation Aid Fund were pool for more than six months at that date. [116818] merged to form the Conflict Pool, which is managed tri-departmentally by the Department for International Mr Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have staff in the civil service redeployment Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At pool. the same time, responsibility for discretionary peacekeeping costs moved from the Peacekeeping Budget (managed Mr Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State by the FCO) to the Conflict Pool. for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Funding for the Peacekeeping Budget and the Conflict staff in his Department are working on the repatriation Pool (and its predecessors) is provided for separately by of powers from the EU. [117515] the Treasury and does not come from departmental expenditure limits (DEL). As a result, the FCO does Mr Hague: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s not usually contribute to these funds from its own Europe directorate takes the lead on the consideration departmental budget. However, in financial year 2009-10, of institutional issues, existing and prospective, working the FCO contributed an additional £2 million to the in close concert with other relevant Government Conflict Pool from its departmental budget to support Departments. The right hon. Member will also be aware stabilisation activities in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. of my statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns FCO spend through the Conflict Pool is listed in the 468-70, on the review of the balance of competences. Departmental Resource Accounts, available on the FCO website and in the Library of the House. Third Sector (d) The following table shows the final FCO allocations (including Capital) to the BBC World Service from Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for 2009-10 to 2011-12 as published in the Spring Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which charities Supplementary Estimates and Departmental Resource and voluntary organisations Ministers in his Department Accounts for each year. Actual spend each year may have visited since 12 May 2010. [117511] 569W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 570W

Mr Lidington: I refer the hon. Member to the answer Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for I gave to the hon. Member for Ilford South (Mike Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Ministers Gapes) on 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 884W. in his Department have discussed progress on the referendum on self-determination in Western Sahara Training with Moroccan authorities during recent visits to the region. [117221]

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member Department has spent on training for Ministers since for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), and I discuss Western May 2010; and what the purpose of the training was in Sahara when we meet our Moroccan counterparts. We each case. [117275] last did so when I visited Morocco from 26 to 28 June, when I met Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs, Youssef Mr Bellingham: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Amrani. (FCO) Ministers attended the Ministerial Induction The Government strongly supports the UN-led efforts course run by the National School of Government at to encourage Morocco and the Polisario front to agree a no cost to the Office. lasting and mutually acceptable political solution that Since May 2010 the FCO has funded media training provides for the self-determination of the people of for the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Western Sahara. Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt), and I, and Wines French lessons for the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington). Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for The total cost of ministerial training since May 2010 is Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the £4,620. estimated value is of the Government wine cellar; and Training is available to Ministers in order to carry out what the 20 most expensive bottles are. [117368] their duties effectively under the Ministerial Code. Mr Bellingham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Wayne David) on USA 9 February 2012, Official Report, 363W.

Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue an Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many bottles emergency travel document for Colin Anderton, constituent from the Government’s wine cellar have been sold in of the hon. Member for Birkenhead, to enable his travel the last year; and what revenue has accrued from each from New York to HM Prison Wandsworth. [117469] sale. [117369]

Alistair Burt: It would not be appropriate for me to Mr Bellingham: The Government Hospitality wine comment due to our obligations under the Data Protection cellar is a Government-wide resource. The cellar is Act on Mr Anditon’s personal circumstances, including already largely self-financing. In the financial year 2011-12 his eligibility for an Emergency Travel Document (ETD). Government Hospitality spent £55,602 on new stocks of wines and spirits. In the same period, it redeemed ETDs are issued abroad to British nationals if their £44,000 from sales of older stock. In addition, Government passport has been lost or stolen or is otherwise unavailable, Hospitality received £10,519 in repayment from other and can be issued quickly when someone needs to travel Government Departments for wines and spirits used at urgently at short notice. Applicants must be able to events on their behalf. verify their identity and pay the necessary fee. Consular staff carry out checks to confirm eligibility before an Publication of the annual statement to Parliament on ETD is issued. the Government Hospitality wine cellar has, regrettably, been delayed until the autumn. Western Sahara

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to Businesses: Government Assistance UN Security Council Resolution 2044 (2012), when the visit of Ambassador Christopher Ross to Western Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Sahara will take place. [117220] Innovation and Skills what assessments his Department has made of the performance of the Finance Fitness Alistair Burt: No dates have been announced for a campaign; on what dates such assessments were completed; visit to Western Sahara by Ambassador Christopher and if he will place in the Library a copy of each Ross. assessment. [117372] The UK fully supports the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy Ambassador Christopher Ross and the Mr Prisk: Under the banner of Finance Fitness a UN-led efforts to achieve a lasting and mutually acceptable number of business organisations agreed to co-operate political solution that provides for the self-determination with Government to produce and distribute advice and of the people of Western Sahara. guidance for businesses seeking finance. This work has 571W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 572W now been assimilated into the wider, “Business in You” £ campaign, a partnership between private enterprise and Government, to highlight support for start-ups and 2008-09 791,000 small, growing businesses. Information can be found on 2007-08 597,000 the Business in You website. Financial support in future years will be subject to Billing the necessary funding being made available, however the amount of MVS funding is likely to be broadly Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, comparable with current allocations. Innovation and Skills how many new firms signed up to The term “mission” might also be used to cover the Prompt Payment Code in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and groups of companies, led by chambers of commerce, (c) 2012; and how many businesses ceased to be signed taking part in trade fairs and seminars under the Tradeshow up to the code in each of these years. [117376] Access Programme (TAP). The total amount of funding over the past five years is as follows (which is in addition Mr Prisk: The Prompt Payment Code is administered to that set out above for Market Visit Support): on a day-to-day basis by the Institute of Credit Management; they have provided the following annual £000 breakdown of new signatories: 2010—295 new signatories (total number of signatories: 978) 2011/12 556 2011—89 new signatories (total number of signatories: 1,067) 2010/11 887 2009/10 751 2012—46 new signatories (to June 2012; total number of signatories 1,113) 2008/09 675 The total number of businesses withdrawn from the 2007/08 833 Prompt Payment Code according to records kept by the Funding for future TAP events has not yet been Institute of Credit Management is four. These are not confirmed. broken down on an annual basis and some removals may pre-date retained records. In most cases, businesses are withdrawn from the Code when they become insolvent Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for or cease trading. Business, Innovation and Skills how many British Chambers of Commerce trade missions UK Trade and The Government is supportive of the Prompt Payment Investment has supported in each of the last 10 years. Code and continues to actively encourage businesses to [116226] sign up. British Chambers of Commerce Mr Prisk: As the national body for a network of accredited chambers of commerce across the UK the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) does not, itself, Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for run trade missions. Individual chambers of commerce Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding has do run missions—since 2005 through UKTI’s trade been made available for British Chambers of Commerce development facility Market Visit Support (MVS) and trade missions in each of the last five years; and how before that through the Department’s Horizontal Outward much such funding will be available in each year up to Missions Scheme which closed in March 2005. 2015. [116225] Approximately 150 trade missions per annum were organised and run by chambers of commerce under the Mr Prisk: As the national body for a network of Horizontal Outward Missions Scheme, although precise accredited chambers of commerce across the UK, the records are no longer available. British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) does not, itself, run trade missions. However individual chambers of With the introduction of Market Visit Support in commerce (along with a variety of other bodies such as April 2005 companies are now able to visit overseas trade associations) do run missions, some of which markets on an individual basis, as well as being able to utilise UK Trade and Investment’s Market Visit Support take part in organised group trade missions. Support (MVS) facility which provides advice and financial and financial assistance is directed to eligible UK based assistance to UK based Small and Medium sized SMEs rather than the mission organisers. Enterprises (SMEs). The funding is targeted at the As our funding is made to companies and not to companies rather than the mission organiser. In addition, mission organisers, we do not have records of how as well as providing support for these group trade many missions have been organised by chambers of missions, companies are able to undertake solo overseas commerce (or other bodies such as trade associations) market visits. While our data does not, therefore, record over the last 10 years. However, Market Visit Support the funding made available to support companies joining has provided assistance to 2199 companies taking part chambers of commerce organised trade missions, the in organised group trade missions and visits since its total amount of funding made available for Market establishment in April 2005. Visit Support over the past five years is as follows: The term “mission” might also be used to cover groups of companies, lead by chambers of commerce, £ taking part in trade fairs and seminars under the Tradeshow 2011-12 1,194,000 Access Programme (TAP), and its predecessor Support 2010-11 1,172,000 for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad (SESA) programme. 2009-10 896,000 The total number of chamber of commerce lead groups supported over the past 10 years is: 459. 573W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 574W

Business of the loan. Therefore, it is necessary for the delivery partners to undergo a process of due diligence to ensure Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for they are able to deliver the required high level of support. Business, Innovation and Skills what recent steps he has taken to offer (a) financial and (b) other practical assistance to (i) co-operatives, (ii) financial mutuals, Directors: Disqualification (iii) employee-owned businesses and (iv) credit unions; and if he will make a statement. [116888] Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much it costs the Norman Lamb [holding answer 12 July 2012]: The Insolvency Service to send D1 reports by courier; and if Department for Innovation and Skills is leading work he will estimate the annual cost of transmitting these to promote the growth of the private employee-owned forms by electronic means only. [117000] sector following an announcement by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 16 January.Following Norman Lamb [holding answer 13 July 2012]: Insolvency that Graeme Nuttall was appointed as the Government’s practitioners pay for the costs of sending D reports to independent adviser to review what needs to be done to the Insolvency Service. The D reports are received in support employee ownership. hard copy. The Deputy Prime Minister hosted a summit on The Insolvency Service sometimes uses a courier to employee ownership on 4 July at which Graeme Nuttall sendaDreport to an Insolvency Service home worker announced his recommendations to overcome three who is vetting a case for possible further investigation main barriers to the growth of the sector: and disqualification action. This is because in some a lack of awareness; cases there are many attachments enclosed with a D a lack of resources; and report which it is not practical to scan and send legal and regulatory complexities. electronically. The cost of using couriers for this purpose is not considered large enough or sufficiently significant At the summit, the Deputy Prime Minister announced to justify a separate record being maintained. At present that the Government would offer the following practical there are no plans to scan and store electronically all D assistance to employee-owned businesses, some of which reports. may be co-operatives and financial mutuals: publish a call for evidence to develop a new ’right to request’ employee ownership; Equal Pay endorsement of a sector-led institute to improve awareness of employee ownership and increase access to professional advice and services; and Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State commitment to produce a ’toolkit’ including model articles to for Business, Innovation and Skills (1) whether his improve information and advice to those setting up employee- Department has assessed the use by employment agencies owned businesses. of permanent contracts of employment known as Swedish The remainder of the recommendations in the Nuttall Derogation contracts, as a means of avoiding the obligation Review will be considered over the summer and published to equal pay as stipulated in the Agency Workers in a Government response through an action plan in the Regulations 2010; [116755] autumn. Some of those recommendations include financial (2) what assessment he has undertaken of the support and there is a separate review being conducted Agency Worker Regulations 2010 with respect to equal by HM Treasury. pay. [116757]

Business: Government Assistance Norman Lamb: Regulations implementing the agency workers directive only came into force on 1 October Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for 2011. Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses The Government continually monitors the performance have received money under the Start Up Loans scheme of the labour market using a large variety of information to date. [117373] sources, such as the Labour Force Survey and specific industry research. Mr Prisk: We have received over 1,000 expressions of interest from young entrepreneurs interested in starting Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State a business and are in contact with all those who have for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on registered providing updates and information on progress. the practice of employment agencies requiring employees Before loans are issued, young people will receive advice to opt out of any rights to equal pay through the use of and mentoring to help them use their loans efficiently. permanent contracts of employment known as Swedish We work towards national coverage for the scheme Derogation contracts. [116756] from September onwards. However we are working to have a number of loans, along with the accompanying Norman Lamb: Pay between assignment contracts is mentoring and business advice, available before then. covered by the Agency Worker Regulations and gives The Start Up Loans Company Ltd will administer businesses and individuals the flexibility to choose the the distribution of loans to young entrepreneurs. It will type of employment contract that best suits both parties. work with partner organisations throughout England The Government has provided detailed guidance for who have the necessary capability to deliver high-quality both individuals and businesses around these types of mentoring and business advice alongside the provision contracts. 575W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 576W

Higher Education Overseas: Bilkent University Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for University of California Business, Innovation and Skills which universities (a) Hacettepe University he and (b) the Minister for Universities and Science Harvard University has visited in the last 12 months. [116291] Indian Institute of Management Indian Institute of Science Mr Willetts: The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Istanbul Technical University Twickenham (Vince Cable), has visited the following King Abdullah University of Science and Technology universities in the last 12 months: University of Kurdistan Hawler University of the Arts Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Bath Middle East Technical University University of Bristol Sciences Po Edinburgh University Stanford University University of Exeter University College Falmouth Higher Education: VAT University of Huddersfield University of Leicester Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for University of Nottingham Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the University of Plymouth review of VAT exemption for commercial providers of Strathclyde University higher education. [117103] University of York I have visited the following universities in the last Mr Willetts: The Department is in regular contact 12 months: with both the Treasury and Her Majesty’s Revenue and University of Birmingham Customs on this issue. Bristol University University of Cambridge Industry: Scotland Cardiff University Cranfield University Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he has University of Dundee had with the Scottish Government on the (a) Durham University manufacturing and (b) construction sector in Scotland. University of East Anglia [117061] University of Edinburgh University of Exeter Mr Prisk: There have been no recent discussions at University of Glasgow ministerial level about these specific issues with the Scottish Government but BIS officials are in regular University of Gloucestershire contact with officials in the Scottish Government on a University of Greenwich wide-range of issues affecting the manufacturing and University of Hertfordshire construction sectors. Imperial College London London Metropolitan University New Businesses: Government Assistance London School of Economics London South Bank University Mr Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much private investment was University of Manchester provided through the Enterprise Capital Funds scheme University of Nottingham in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 to date. [117374] University of Oxford University of Portsmouth Mr Prisk: Enterprise Capital Funds invested a total University of Reading of £35.01 million in 2010, £36.56 million in 2011 and £12.8 million between 1 January and 31 March 2012. University of Sheffield The funds are commercially managed and fund managers Southampton University report on total investment in small and medium sized University of Surrey enterprises, not the split between Government and private University of Southampton investment. Southampton Solent University Enterprise Capital Funds use public money to leverage Teesside University private sector investment into the equity gap, providing equity finance for early stage companies with the potential University College London for high growth. Since the programme started in 2006, University of Warwick £146.8 million has been invested by funds, of which University of the West of England £74.1 million has been invested since May 2010. 577W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 578W

New Businesses: Kent Science

Mrs Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation and Skills what plans he has for the future Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations of his Department’s provision of support for business he has received on reinstating the long-term plan for start-ups in (a) Maidstone and the Weald constituency science. [117477] and (b) Kent. [117342] Mr Willetts: The Coalition Government is committed Mr Prisk: In the current climate, it is essential that we to investing in science and innovation as part of the invest to make services provided by the Government, strategy for growth, and has made significant commitments including those aimed at supporting start-ups, as efficient to research and innovation funding despite difficult and effective as possible. We need to focus on investing economic circumstances. The Government has maintained to support businesses with the potential to grow and science and research programme funding of £4.6 billion lead the way to economic recovery and it is important pa within a ring-fence over the spending review period that we concentrate on where we are best placed to add to provide certainty for the community. In addition, it value and let the private and voluntary sectors play allocated £1.9 billion research capital in December 2010, their part. and a further £570 million since then, for investment in Over the last year we have re-shaped the business areas of science such as high performance computing support landscape, enabling businesses to find the and science campuses. information and advice that they need to start up and The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills grow. These changes have included an improved business receives regular representations from stakeholders, including link website at: the Campaign for Science and Engineering in the UK www.businesslink.gov.uk (CaSE), about the need for long term stability in science with tailored information and advice aimed at start-ups and research funding. through MyNewBusiness, access to mentors via a new mentoring portal at: www.mentorsme.co.uk Students: Loans and targeted help for high growth potential small businesses through GrowthAccelerator at: Mr Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, www.growthaccelerator.com Innovation and Skills what progress his Department is Together these changes are creating a more efficient, making on developing alternatives to the student loans cost-effective and improved service. We will continue to system for Muslim students for whom the charging of monitor the effectiveness of these support measures real rates of interest is not compatible with Sharia law. and will continue to engage with the small business [117471] representative bodies and with the private sector through initiatives such as Start-Up Britain to better understand Mr Willetts: The Government wants a single student the needs of start-ups and how we can best support loan system which can meet the needs of all students them. where possible. The student finance system must treat Specifically within Kent, Kent county council has borrowers equally. Any alternative finance system will been awarded £35 million from the Government’s regional have to deliver the same financial result to both the growth fund to provide support for businesses in east student and Government as under the conventional Kent through its Expansion East Kent programme. system. It is only the mechanism of how the support is provided that would differ. Any students, regardless of their religion would be able to take the alternative Postal Services finance option rather than a standard student loan The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Mr Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, has identified a possible alternative system that would (a) Innovation and Skills for which services his Department use a commodity-based murabaha to generate funding (b) and the bodies for which he is responsible hold for the student. This system could provide a student contracts with the Post Office; and what the (i) start and with the same level of financial support and produce (ii) termination date is of each such contract. [117185] identical repayments as conventional student loans. However, there are several major issues to be overcome Norman Lamb: The range of services that Departments with the use of a murabaha which include need for choose to contract out for others to deliver will depend primary legislation and the treatment of VAT and tax. in part on the services that they themselves are responsible for delivering to citizens. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has no contracts with the Post Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Office for delivery of services but has a £1.34 billion Innovation and Skills (1) if he will estimate the effect of funding package in place for post office network investment the time taken to develop a Sharia-compliant student and subsidy to 2015. This agreement ensures that the loan product on the take-up of university places in the Post Office provides a network of a minimum of 11,500 UK by Muslim students; [117559] outlets, which meets strict geographic access criteria. (2) what steps he is taking to collect data on the likely Post Office Ltd has been selected as a subcontractor in take-up rate by potential students of an alternative providing learner identity assurance services, following system for student loans which was Sharia-compliant a tender by the Skills Funding Agency. The contract and on the number of students likely to be affected. started in October 2011 and ends in September 2014. [117560] 579W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 580W

Mr Willetts: There is currently no readily available is actively engaging with small and medium sized enterprises information on how many Muslim students may choose as they shape the scope and operating model of each not to take out a student loan on the grounds that real centre and, in addition, as the Catapult centres become interest rates would be charged. established each will ensure that they widely communicate However, the Department for Business, Innovation their capabilities to small businesses. and Skills (BIS) commissioned research by TNS-BMRB and by OpinionPanel to investigate the impact of real interest rates on the future take up of further education HEALTH loans. The TNS-BMRB research concluded that most Muslim respondents were comfortable with the rate of Air Ambulance Services: Taxation interest to be charged, but felt that it would deter some other people. The OpinionPanel survey found that only Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for 2.5% of all those surveyed thought they might face Health pursuant to the contribution of the Financial barriers, problems or issues relating to race, religion or Secretary to the Treasury of 11 July 2012, Official belief, as a result of the introduction of FE loans. Report, column 411, whether his Department’s review BIS is planning to undertake further surveys later in of the position of charities providing NHS services will the year, which will include analysis of attitudes to consider the tax position of air ambulance services; student finance and the payment of real interest rates. and when he expects the review to report. [117528]

Technology and Innovation Centres Mr Simon Burns: Section 8 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 places a requirement on the Secretary of State for Health to undertake a statutory review of Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for matters that may be constraining the ability of different Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to the organisations to provide NHS services. On seeking advice answer of 30 January 2012, Official Report, columns the Secretary of State for Health commissioned Monitor 465-6W, on technology and innovation centres, what to undertake the review on his behalf. recent progress has been made on governance and oversight The review will be broad in scope and be open to arrangements for the national network of catapult centres; looking at any issues raised, and cover all types sizes of what the membership is of the Oversight Committee; providers. and what meetings it has held since his answer. [117479] Monitor launched the review on 14 June with a call for evidence to inform the scope. To ensure the impartiality Mr Willetts: The Oversight Committee has met on of the review it would not be appropriate to make two occasions since January 2012 and discussed the commitments as to what is included in the review as this overall progress of the Catapult programme, the business will be a matter for Monitor based on the evidence plan put forward by the High Value Manufacturing gathered and engagement held with the sector. Catapult, proposals for monitoring the impact of the network over time, proposals for the international The Health and Social Care Act 2012 requires the engagement of the programme and the emerging vision Secretary of State to lay a report before Parliament on and business models for the Cell Therapy, Offshore or before the 31 March 2013. Renewable Energy and Satellite Applications Catapults. Assets The committee has been strengthened by the addition of international representation and the current membership Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for is: Health what assets his Department has sold and leased David Grant, chair ( Vice Chancellor Cardiff university ), back over the last 12 months; what the sale price was of Mike Short (VP Public Affairs Telefonica 02 and President each asset so sold; and what estimate his Department IET), has made of the cost to the public purse of leasing back Martin Temple (chair, EEF and Design Council), each such asset over the period of the lease. [116780] Trudy Norris-Grey (CBI Innovation Committee), Mr Simon Burns: The Department did not sell and Dame Sue Ion (ex BNFL and CST), lease back any assets in the last 12 months. Rachel Sandby Thomas (Director General BIS) Care Homes Steve Visscher (Chief Operating Officer, BBSRC) Jean-Charles Guibert (Director of Technology Transfer CEA and head of Minatec Grenoble France). Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure care homes cannot use a diagnosis of requiring continuing nursing Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for care as a reason to levy top up fees in addition to any Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking extra state funding received. [117219] to ensure small businesses are aware of the services offered by catapult centres. [117480] Paul Burstow: Under the provisions of the national health service Act 2006, top up fees are not permitted in Mr Willetts: The Technology Strategy Board has a the package of care arranged and funded under NHS comprehensive communication programme to make small continuing health care arrangements, where the additional businesses, and large business, aware of the emerging payment relates to core health services covered by the capabilities of the Catapult centres. During the set-up fee negotiated with the service provider as part of the phase for each Catapult the Technology Strategy Board contract. 581W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 582W

Where patients or their relatives seek additional services further work to develop the evidence base, looking at national that are unrelated to the patient’s primary health care and international evidence on how carers can be better supported needs as assessed under the National Framework for to remain in employment; NHS continuing health care and NHS funded nursing And most recently, the Care and Support White care, this would be the subject of a private contract Paper, together with the draft Care and Support Bill, between the patient and any relevant suppliers. which the Government published on 11 July, sets out the Government’s plans for the biggest transformation Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for of care and support since 1948. This is an historic step Health if he will develop a clear rating scheme for care forward in relation to carers for the first time, as the homes. [117253] draft Bill includes provision for a new duty on local authorities to meet carers’ eligible needs for support, Paul Burstow: As announced in the White Paper, putting them on the same footing as the people they “Caring for our future: reforming care and support”, care for. published on 11 July, the Government is committed to developing provider quality profiles (PQPs). These will Carers’ Benefits be in the form of an online service, where people can see and easily compare a range of information from different Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for sources about the quality of care at every registered care Health what time scale he has set for delivering a review home and home care service in the country. of carer’s benefit. [117208] PQPs will make it easier for people to find high quality care, wherever they or their loved ones live. They Paul Burstow: We are interpreting carers’ benefits to will bring much needed transparency to the quality of mean support from local authority social care services. care people can expect from a care provider. They will provide a strong incentive for providers to focus on On 11 July, the Government published the Care and continuous improvement and give them the opportunity Support White Paper, together with the draft Care and to demonstrate their reputation nationally. Support Bill, which set out the Government’s plans for the biggest transformation of care and support since When making a choice between different care providers, 1948. This is an historic step forward in relation to people want to be able to compare them quickly before carers, as for the first time, the draft Bill includes getting into the detail of the quality of different options. provision for a new duty on local authorities to meet Within 12 months, the Government will enable open carers’ eligible needs for support, ensuring they are access to the data on the provider quality profile, to better supported in their caring role. support the production of independent quality ratings that are easy to understand and continually updated. The draft Bill will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS). Alongside the PLS process, the Government will The Department will work with trusted organisations work with stakeholders to discuss the provisions in the which are already making progress in this area and with draft Bill, take feedback and consider the way forward. potential new providers, to grow and develop a range of We welcome any comments on the draft clauses by care comparison websites over the next two years. 19 October. The first phase of PQPs will launch this month at: www.nhs.uk Chronic Illnesses: Bexley The second phase will launch in April 2013. Mr Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Carers (1) how many patients had chronic medical conditions in the London borough of Bexley in the last period for Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for which figures are available; [116555] Health what steps he is taking to support unpaid carers (2) how many people had (a) Type 1 and (b) Type 2 with their rest, health and employment. [116829] diabetes in the London borough of Bexley in the last period for which figures are available. [116693] Paul Burstow: Enabling those with caring responsibilities to fulfil their educational and employment potential Paul Burstow: Information is not available in the and supporting them to remain mentally and physically format requested. well are among the key priorities of the coalition ’Chronic medical conditions’ is a very broad term Government’s carers strategy, ‘Recognised, valued and that might apply to many different medical conditions. supported: Next steps for the Carers Strategy’. Information about patients with chronic medical conditions We are pursuing these through a number of initiatives, cannot be provided without further specification of the as follows: chronic conditions required. We have provided additional funding of £400 million to the We cannot precisely answer as stated but we can national health service between 2011 and 2015 to support carers provide the number of registered diabetes patients with to take a break from their caring responsibilities; Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes present in the 2010-11 The Department published its draft mandate to the National National Diabetes Audit (NDA) in Bexley Primary Health Service Commissioning Board for consultation on 4 July. Care Trust. It includes an objective about improving the support that carers receive from the national health service; The following table shows how many registrations for Following a summit on 21 June with the Government and patients of all ages from primary and secondary care Employers for Carers to explore ways in which carers can be with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes from the 2010-11 audit further supported to remain in employment. We are planning period for Bexley PCT. 583W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 584W

causal relationships including temporal association, the Diabetes type Total registrations possible contribution of concomitant medication and Type 1 829 the underlying disease being treated. Type 2 9,753 The number of reports received via the Yellow Card All diabetes 10,838 scheme does not directly equate to the number of people Note: who suffer adverse reactions to medicines in the general All diabetes includes maturity onset diabetes of the young, other population as this scheme is associated with an unknown specified and unspecified diabetes. level of under-reporting. A specific factor with under- Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre reporting of herbal and homeopathic medicines is that health care professionals often may not be aware if their Participation in the NDA, which audits diabetes patients have been taking these products. registrations in primary and secondary care, is not mandatory. The NDA does not have 100% coverage or The MHRA has not withdrawn any homeopathic participation and therefore cannot accurately provide, medicines from the market due to safety concerns in the the information required. NDA 2010-11 comprised data past 10 years. from 2.15 million persons with diabetes in England. Contraceptives The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) states there are approximately 2.46 million persons aged 17 or over with diabetes in England alone. However, QOF Ms Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health data is an aggregate return so does not contain the what assessment his Department has made of restrictions detail required to respond to this question. NDA 2010-11 in access to contraception services; and how he plans to comprised data from 6,774 practices in England. There ensure that all women of all ages have a choice of are over 8,100 practices in England. Bexley PCT had contraception. [117409] 100% practice participation in the 2010-11 NDA. Anne Milton: The Department expects the national health service to offer comprehensive access to contraception Complementary Medicine: Side Effects services and free supplies of all methods of contraception. This autumn the Department will set out plans to David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for improve sexual health services and from next April Health how many reported cases there have been of contraceptive services will be commissioned as part of adverse reactions to unlicensed homeopathic medicines new arrangements for public health services by local in the last 10 years; and how many such medicines have authorities (LAs). been withdrawn from the market in that time. [117052] LAs will be mandated to commission comprehensive Mr Simon Burns: Reports of ‘suspected’ adverse drug open access contraception services and access to all reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and methods of contraception for people of all ages, funded Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and for the first time from new ring-fenced public health Commission for Human Medicines (CHM) through the budgets. spontaneous reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme. Diabetes The scheme collects suspected ADR reports from the whole United Kingdom in relation to all medicines, including those which are prescription only, over-the-counter Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for or available from general retail sales outlets, and medicines Health what NHS funding was allocated for the (a) (b) which are unlicensed; this includes homeopathic medicines. provision of insulin pumps to all diabetics and diabetics aged 18 or under in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) Reports of suspected ADRs to homeopathic medicines 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2011 and (vi) 2012 to date. [116707] have been recorded on our database since 2006. The following table provides a breakdown of UK spontaneous Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. ‘suspected’ADR reports relating to homeopathic, medicines by year. Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many insulin pumps were issued in England Total number of homeopathic and Wales to (a) all diabetics and (b) diabetics age 18 Year of receipt reports or under in (i) 2007, (ii) 2008, (iii) 2009, (iv) 2010, (v) 2006 0 2011 and (vi) 2012 to date. [116708] 2007 2 2008 0 Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally. 2009 2 However, the Association of British Clinical 2010 4 Diabetologist, Diabetes UK and the Juvenile Diabetes 2011 4 Research Foundation with support from the National 20121 1 Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Total 13 have sponsored a United Kingdom-wide audit. The 1 2012 data include ADR reports received between 1 January 2012 audit will establish data on numbers and types of insulin and 31 May 2012 inclusive. pump starts. It should be noted that health care professionals are The organisational-level data collection was conducted asked to report suspected adverse reactions on a voluntary in May 2012 and the patient-level data collection will basis and the submission of a report does not mean that take place later in the year. NHS Diabetes will work to the reaction cited was definitely caused by the medicine. support organisations in delivering their services following Many factors have to be taken into account in assessing the outcomes of these audits. 585W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 586W

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Name Organisation Health pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2012, Official Report, column 88W, on diabetes, if he will publish the Rebecca Molyneux Department of Health Long minutes of the Diabetes Advisory Group meeting held Term Conditions on 21 June 2012. [117561] Dr Catherine Perry Royal College of Physicians, Specialist Training Committee Paul Burstow: The minutes of the first meeting of the Professor Gerry Rayman National clinical lead for Diabetes Advisory Group held on 21 June 2012 will be in-patient care—NHS Diabetes published once the Long Term Conditions Outcome Professor Peter Scanlon Programme director for English National Diabetic Retinopathy Strategy and the companion document on diabetes has screening programme been published. This is anticipated to towards the end Professor Cliff Shearman Vascular Surgery, Southampton of 2012. University Hospitals Professor Alan Sinclair Institute of Diabetes in Older Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for People + National clinical lead Health pursuant to the answer of 9 July 2012, Official for Diabetes in Older People— Report, column 88W, on diabetes, what the (a) terms NHS Diabetes of reference are and (b) membership is of the Diabetes South Asian Health Foundation’s South Asian Health Foundation Advisory Group; and when the Group is next due to Diabetes Working Group Chair meet. [117562] Avril Surridge Patient with diabetes Karen Thomsett Department of Health Diabetes and Kidney Policy lead Paul Burstow: The terms of reference for the Diabetes Bridget Turner Head of Policy and Care Advisory Group (DiAG) are currently being finalised Improvement, Diabetes UK by the working group. It is anticipated that they will be Dr Chris Walton Chair Association of British confirmed and signed off by DiAG at their next meeting. Clinical Diabetologists The exact date has yet to be agreed, but will be in Heather White Department of Health August 2012. We will publish the final terms of reference Cardiovascular disease policy by the end of August 2012, and place a copy in the lead Library. Dame Barbara Young Chief Executive, Diabetes UK The membership of the DiAG is as follows: Dr Bob Young Clinical Lead National Diabetes Information Service Name Organisation

Professor George Alberti Chair, Diabetes UK Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Professor Andrew Boulton President, European pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2012, Official Report, Association for the Study of column 840W, on diabetes, when he expects to receive Diabetes confirmation of the development of best practice tariffs Dr A C (Felix) Burden Clinical director for long term for diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in adults; conditions, Birmingham and and if he will make a statement. [117602] Solihull + non-executive director of Sandwell and West Birmingham Community group Paul Burstow: The Department’s Payment by Results Dr Fiona Campbell Association of Childhood team is currently developing a number of new best Diabetes Clinicians + British practice tariffs planned for introduction in April 2013, Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes including diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia in NC Patient with diabetes adults. Draft tariffs will be shared with a number of clinicians and national health service organisations in Candice Ward British Dietetic Association the autumn for checking, prior to the publication of the Angus Forbes Professor of Diabetes Nursing, Kings College London proposed 2013-14 tariff arrangements in December to Dr Roger Gadsby GP lead for National Diabetes enable organisations to plan for implementation. Audit, National Clinical Lead for Primary Care—NHS Diabetes Primary Care Diabetes Dietary Supplements: EU Law Society Dr. Rowan Hillson National Clinical Director for Diabetes Chair of DiAG David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Professor Richard Holt Chair of the Council of Health Health what the Government’s policy is on the setting Care Professionals of Diabetes of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and UK minerals in food supplements through the EU food June James Training Research and supplements directive. [117053] Education for Nurses in Diabetes Dr Sheba Jarvis Department of Health Registrar Anne Milton: European Union Directive 2002/46/EC in diabetes on food supplements, provides for the future establishment Sarah Johnson Juvenile Diabetes Research of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals Foundation used in these foods. Our view remains that any future Dr Stephen Lawrence Royal College of Physicians, discussions need to ensure that the legislation is Diabetes lead Primary care advisor for Diabetes UK proportionate and based on evidence, so that consumers Anna Morton NHS Diabetes—Director have confidence in what they buy, while maintaining a wide choice of safe products. 587W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 588W

The European Commission has given no indication and 28 of Statistics from the National Drug Treatment of when negotiations will commence on the drafting of Monitoring System (NDTMS) 1 April 2010 to 31 March rules in this area. 2011 Vol. 1: The Numbers published by the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse on 6 October Drugs: Driving Under Influence 2011 and available at: www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/ Mrs Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for statisticsfromndtms201011vollthenumbers.pdf Health what meetings his Department has had with other Government departments to discuss the effect of This table presents an analysis of treatment histories proposed drug driving legislation on people using pain for individuals across six years of treatment data starting management; and if he will make a statement. [116587] from 2005-06 (the furthest back NDTMS data are considered to be sufficiently robust for comparison with Mr Simon Burns: Departmental officials are working subsequent years). closely with the Department for Transport and other The table reports all adults that have been in contact Government Departments to develop legislation aimed with treatment on or after 1 April 2005. The table is at reducing drug-impaired driving, while ensuring that split into three sections: people have access to the medicines that they need. The first section reports the number of individuals that start Drugs: Rehabilitation treatment in any given year after 1 April 2005 and who are in treatment on 31 March 2011. Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for The second section reports all clients who were in contact with treatment in any given year after 1 April 2005 and reports the Health how many people had contact with drug number of these from each year who were not in treatment on 31 rehabilitation treatments with a duration of (a) up to March 2011, and whose records indicated that treatment was three years, (b) between three and five years, (c) incomplete at the time of discharge. (Treatment incomplete). between five and 10 years and (d) longer than 10 years The third section looks at all clients who were in contact with between 1997 and 2010. [117148] the treatment system on or after 1 April 2005 and who are no longer in contact with the treatment system due to completing Anne Milton: The available information is shown in their treatment and being discharged in a planned way. (Treatment the following table which is reproduced from pages 27 complete).

Table: Six year treatment population first presentation and treatment contact status at 31 March 2011 Year of first presentation Prior to Category 2005-06 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Total %

Clients retained in treatment on 31 March 2011 Continuous 21,193 5,621 4,242 4,382 4,855 5,708 13,143 59,144 — journey Two journeys 11,695 6,137 4,457 3,734 3,269 2,411 918 32,621 — since first presentation Three journeys 7,183 5,081 3,003 2,039 1,316 533 57 19,212 — since first presentation More than 9,370 7,790 3,393 1,422 554 107 7 22,643 — three journeys since first presentation Retained at 49,441 24,629 15,095 11,577 9,994 8,759 14,125 133,620 39 31 March 2011

No longer in treatment having exited, treatment incomplete Exited 7,250 10,121 0000017,371 — (treatment incomplete) in 2005-06 Exited 3,224 5,552 8,935 000017,711 — (treatment incomplete) in 2006-07 Exited 2,929 2,580 4,946 8,420 0 0 0 18,875 — (treatment incomplete) in 2007-08 589W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 590W

Table: Six year treatment population first presentation and treatment contact status at 31 March 2011 Year of first presentation Prior to Category 2005-06 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 Total %

Exited 2,435 1,935 1,984 4,616 7,715 0 0 18,685 — (treatment incomplete) in 2008-09 Exited 2,947 2,563 2,112 2,222 4,602 6,815 0 21,261 — (treatment incomplete) in 2009-10 Exited 4,543 4,314 3,053 2,697 2,664 4,907 6,737 28,915 — (treatment incomplete) in 2010-11 Subtotal exited 23,328 27,065 21,030 17,955 14,981 11,722 6,737 122,818 36 (treatment incomplete)

No longer in contact having exited, treatment complete Treatment 3,259 2,920 000006,179 — complete in 2005-06 Treatment 1,815 3,064 3,567 00008,446 — complete in 2006-07 Treatment 1,668 1,535 3,732 4,528 0 0 0 11,463 — complete in 2007-08 Treatment 1,884 1,668 1,773 5,382 6,046 0 0 16,753 — complete in 2008-09 Treatment 1,895 1,529 1,291 1,705 5,019 6,137 0 17,576 — complete in 2009-10 Treatment 2,895 2,354 1,869 1,926 2,381 6,028 7,433 24,886 — complete in 2010-11 Subtotal 13,416 13,070 12,232 13,541 13,446 12,165 7,433 85,303 25 treatment complete

Total clients in 86,185 64,764 48,357 43,073 38,421 32,646 28,295 341,741 100 treatment since 1 April 2005

Drugs: Safety restricting indications for use, adding contraindications, warnings or precautions, or additional information about adverse effects. Only when risk minimisation measures David Tredinnick: To ask the Secretary of State for are considered unlikely to be effective in maintaining a Health how many licensed pharmaceutical drugs have positive benefit risk balance is withdrawal from the been withdrawn from the market in the last 10 years market necessary. due to safety concerns. [117051] The following table lists medicines that have been Mr Simon Burns: One of the roles of the Medicines withdrawn from the UK market by the company or by and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is to monitor the licensing authority over the past 10 years due to the safety of all medicines in the United Kingdom safety reasons. throughout their marketed life. This process is known Table of medicines that have been withdrawn in the UK since 2002 due as pharmacovigilance and enables us to identify previously to safety concerns unrecognised safety hazards. Year When a potential drug safety hazard is identified, an Drug substance action assessment of the risks and benefits of the medicine is (brand name) taken Major safety concerns undertaken to determine what action, if any, is necessary. Drotrecogin alpha 2011 New clinical trial findings of The objective of regulatory action is to ensure that the (Xigris) lack of efficacy benefits of the medicine continue to outweigh risks, by 591W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 592W

Table of medicines that have been withdrawn in the UK since 2002 due than 48 hours per week in each financial year since to safety concerns 1997-98; and what proportion of GPs each figure Year represents. [116665] Drug substance action (brand name) taken Major safety concerns

SitaXentan (Thelin) 2011 Worldwide withdrawal from Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected the market due to liver centrally. However, the “Sixth National GP Work Life toxicity Survey Final Report” conducted by the National Primary Rosiglitazone 2010 Increased cardiovascular risk Care Research and Development Centre (NPCRDC) in (Avandia, June 2011 on working conditions and job satisfaction of Avandamet) general practitioners (GPs) remains the most up to date Orciprenaline 2010 Review showed less evidence in measuring GP working hours based on a sulphate (Alupent) efficacious, than other more- sample of 3,000 general medical practitioners (in England). specific ß2-gonists and associated with a higher This showed: incidence of side effects Sibutramine 2010 Increased cardiovascular Average working hours were 41.4 hours per week, unchanged (Reductil) disease risk from the previous 2009 survey. There were also significantly fewer Efalizumab 2009 Progressive multifocal GPs undertaking out-of-hours work in 2010, declining from 32% (Raptiva) leukoencephalopathy to 21%. Rimonabant 2008 Psychiatric reactions A copy of the NPCRDC report has been placed in (Acomplia) the Library. Carisoprodol 2008 Risk of abuse, addiction, (Carisoma) intoxication, and psychomotor impairment Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Lumiracoxib 2007 Liver toxicity Health what proportion of GP practices in each (Prexige) primary care trust area offered extended opening hours Aprotinin (Trasylol) 2007 Increased mortality in cardiac in each of the last five years. [116695] surgery Co-proxamol 2007 Toxicity in overdose Valdecoxib (Bextra) 2005 Serious skin reactions Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not Rofecoxib (Vioxx) 2004 Myocardial infarction/stroke held centrally. Kava kava 2003 Liver toxicity

Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Ex Gratia Payments how many GPs had an income before tax of (a) more than £100,000 but less than £250,000, (b) more than Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for £250,000 but less than £500,000 and (c) more than Health what estimate his Department has made of the £500,000 per year in each financial year since 1997-98. monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through [116835] schemes administered by his Department in the last two years. [116781] Mr Simon Burns: This information is not collected Mr Simon Burns: The total value of all ex-gratia centrally.However, the Health and Social Care Information payments made in 2009-10 was £28,640,547 and in Centre collects information on average general practitioner 2010-11 was £4,399,903. (GP) contractor earnings before tax, which is published at United Kingdom only level and which provides reliable As the Department’s 2011-12 year end position is not estimates of the number of GP contractors earning yet finalised, the answer includes information for 2009-10 below £100,000 per annum, between £100,000 to £250,000 and 2010-11. The Department’s Resource Account for and above £250,000 .per annum. The information is 2011-12 is due to be published in the autumn and any published as part of their GP Earnings and Expenses—time individual payments greater than £250,000 are included series 2002-03 to 2009-10. Summary details are contained as notes to the published resource account. in the following table. Fuels Income before tax general and personal medical services contractors (UK) Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for £100,000 to Health how much (a) the NHS and (b) his <=£100,000 =<£250,000 >£250,000 Department spent on petrol and diesel costs in each of 2004-05 15,668 18,018 202 the last five years. [116542] 2005-06 14,343 19,226 307 Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not 2006-07 15,435 18,194 258 held centrally. 2007-08 15,920 17,440 260 2008-09 16,340 16,800 250 General Practitioners 2009-10 15,690 17,150 210

Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health A table showing full details by available bandings has how many GPs worked (a) fewer than 10 hours per been placed in the Library. Data for all banding categories week, (b) between 10 and 24 hours per week, (c) over £500,000 and all years figures prior to 2004-05 are between 24 hours and 48 hours per week and (d) more not available. 593W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 594W

Health Services: Older People Anne Milton: The Government’s view is that regulation must be proportionate and effective, imposing the least cost and complexity consistent with securing safety and Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for public confidence for patients. We do not believe the Health what steps he plans to take to ensure older case for the compulsory statutory regulation of health people’s hospital wards have the same staffing levels as care support workers has been made, given the existing wards not specifically catering for older people. tiers of regulation that protect patients and service [117213] users, such as the vetting and barring scheme. However, we recognise that there is a need to improve Mr Simon Burns: Decisions about staffing requirements standards and we have commissioned Skills for Health are best made by local clinicians and managers, and will and Skills for Care to develop a code of conduct and vary according to the individual needs of patients. minimum training standards for health care support Where organisations are planning or experience changes, workers and adult social care workers in England. The including changes to the balance and skill-mix of the final report, including the proposed code and standards, work force, this must be safety and quality assured so is due in early 2013. that there are no adverse affect on patients. The process We would expect these codes and standards to form should include clinical involvement, leadership and sign-off. the basis of a voluntary register for health care assistants The Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires registered which would set standards for training, conduct, competence providers to take appropriate steps to ensure that, at all and ethics that all registrants must meet and which times, there are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, could be in place by 2013. skilled and experienced persons employed for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity. CQC Guidance Healthwatch England about Compliance, references guidance set out by, for example, professional bodies. Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason the Care Quality Commission Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for (CQC) (Healthwatch England Committee) Regulations Health what role he envisages for the Nursing and Care 2012 specify that the Chair of CQC needs to be Quality Forum in facilitating cross fertilisation of consulted on the appointment of the first members of knowledge and experience between care home and the Healthwatch England Committee; and what hospital staff. [117218] assessment he has made of the effect of this provision on the independence of Healthwatch England. [117359] Anne Milton: The independent Nursing and Care Quality Forum has set out their Mission Statement. Mr Simon Burns: This is an interim arrangement; This states their aim to help all those involved in providing Healthwatch England will need to be established on 1 nursing and care to: October 2012, with a committee in place. This means “deliver the fundamental elements of good care—compassion, that the appointments process must begin before 1 dignity, respect and safety—first time, every time and to everyone October 2012, to ensure that there is a committee on the and achieve their ambition of providing the very highest quality start date. However, as Healthwatch England will not of care through supporting the adoption of best practice and yet legally exist, the Healthwatch England Chair must promoting innovation.” seek the support of the Chair of the CQC to make the The Mission Statement also clarifies the forum’s role appointment decisions. This interim arrangement should across “all care settings”. not impact on the independence of Healthwatch England. After 1 October, ie once the organisation is legally established, the Healthwatch England Chair will have Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for sole responsibility for the appointment of the committee. Health what account he took of the findings of the 2011 report by the Health Service Ombudsman on investigations into NHS care of older people in developing Home Care Services measures for inclusion in his forthcoming White Paper on social care. [117249] Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve and monitor Paul Burstow: The White Paper “Caring for our training for care workers employed to conduct home future: reforming care and support” was published in visits and other care workers. [117217] July 2012, following a public engagement in 2011. Specifically, the White Paper outlines the Government’s Paul Burstow: On 11 July the Government published next steps on areas such as prevention of falls, end of the White Paper ‘Caring for our Future: Reforming life care, and dignity in care, all of which were raised in Care and Support’ setting out a new vision for a reformed the Ombudsman’s report. care and support system. This identifies a number of measures to drive up standards including through a code of conduct and minimum training standards for Healthcare Assistants: Registration health care support workers and adult social care workers in England. Our expectation is that the standards would be used by an assured voluntary register, as part of its Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for standards for inclusion on the register. The Care Quality Health whether he plans to extend the registration and Commission (CQC) will play a key role in ensuring that regulation of doctors and nurses to health care providers enforce quality standards through the use of assistants. [117212] appropriately trained and qualified workers. The training 595W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 596W standards and the code of conduct will set a clear (iii) St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and (iv) Chelsea national benchmark around training standards for adult and Westminster Hospital in February (A) 2010 and (B) social care workers and health support workers, which 2011; and if he will make a statement. [117475] we would expect the CQC to take into account as part of its registration and inspection processes. Mr Simon Burns: The information required is not held in the format requested. Information on referral to Hospitals: Greater London treatment times for February 2010 to February 2012, provided by trusts responsible for Northwick Park hospital, Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Hillingdon hospital and Chelsea and Westminster hospital pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2012, Official Report, is shown in the following table. No recent information is column 149W, on hospitals, how many people waiting available for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust for treatment had been on a waiting list for (a) six which is responsible for St Mary’s hospital, Paddington. months, (b) 12 months and (c) 18 months or more at There are no data available on patients waiting longer (i) Northwick Park Hospital, (ii) Hillington Hospital, than 18 months.

February 2010 February 2011 February 2012 Provider name 26 weeks or more 52 weeks or more 26 weeks or more 52 weeks or more 26 weeks or more 52 weeks or more

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS 16 2 79 3 52 0 Foundation Trust Chelsea And Westminster Hospital 3,989 1,432 988 118 445 0 NHS Foundation Trust North West London Hospitals 579 12 1,301 144 502 9 NHS Trust Imperial College Healthcare NHS 1,894 341 3,664 357 n/a n/a Trust Source: Unify2 data collection—RTT.

Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Mr Simon Burns: The information is not held in the pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2012, Official Report, format requested. Information is available at trust level. columns 338-40W,on accident and emergency departments, The total number of accident and emergency (A&E) how many people waited for more than (a) two hours attendances for April 2011 to February 2012 is shown in and (b) four hours to be seen by accident and emergency the following table. This is provisional and therefore staff at (i) Northwick Park Hospital, (ii) Hillington subject to change. Hospital, (iii) St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and (iv) Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in 2011-12; and if he will make a statement. [117476]

Total A&E 0 to 120 minutes to 121 to 240 minutes to Trust name attendances departure departure Over 240 minutes Unknown

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS 98,930 44,124 52,296 2,510 — Foundation Trust Chelsea and Westminster Hospital 105,286 50,568 51,816 2,501 401 NHS Foundation Trust North West London Hospitals 113,370 31,876 72,357 9,137 — NHS Trust Imperial College Healthcare NHS 245,497 110,403 104,495 14,488 16,111 Trust Notes: 1. The total amount of time spent in the A&E department is calculated as the difference in time from arrival at A&E to the time when the patient is discharged from A&E care. This includes being admitted to hospital, died in the department, discharged with no follow up or discharged - referred to another specialist department. 2. The data are provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, i.e. November from the (month 9) April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics collated by the NHS Information Centre.

Hospitals: Staff Mr Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally. Sir Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of (a) the number Kidney Disease of hospital medical secretariat in England whose posts have been (i) abolished and (ii) downgraded from grade Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health five to grade four or grade three and (b) the number of what estimate he has made of the number of people hospital staff posts in England at grade six and above with (a) autosomal dominant polycystic kidney in each of the last 10 years for which figures are disease and (b) autosomal recessive polycystic kidney available. [117089] disease; and if he will make a statement. [116657] 597W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 598W

Mr Simon Burns: Information on the numbers of Paul Burstow: Treatment for people with polycystic people with autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive kidney disease (PKD) is similar to treatment for people polycystic kidney disease is not collected centrally.However, with other kinds of kidney disease and, dependent on we do collect the number of finished hospital admissions1 the stage of the disease, includes treatment for complications with a primary diagnosis of autosomal dominant or such as anaemia and bone mineral disorders as well as a autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease2 or an kidney transplant or dialysis. unspecified polycystic kidney disease. For 2010-11 these The Renal National Service Framework (NSF), published are as follows: in two parts in 2004 and 2005, identified standards and Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: 577 markers of good practice to help the national health Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease: 106 service reduce the development and progression of chronic Unspecified polycystic kidney disease: 417. kidney disease, including PKD. NHS Kidney Care has been helping the NHS implement the NSF. We also These are figures for admissions to hospital for treatment understand that clinical trials of potential treatments for polycystic kidney disease and are not a count of for PKD involving some patients and investigators from people who have the disease but did not require admission the United Kingdom are currently under way. to hospital, nor are they a count of people as the same person may have been admitted more than once in a Medical Treatments: Research year. Please read the following notes when interpreting Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health these data: what the cost to his Department has been of every 1 Finished admission episodes project undertaken by the Health Technology Assessment A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of in Programme; when each project was commissioned; and patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. what the name of each project was. [116666] FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, Mr Simon Burns: Details of published and ongoing as a person may have more than one admission within the year. research projects funded by the National Institute for 2 Primary diagnosis Health Research Health Technology Assessment The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to programme, including cost, start date and title, are 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital available on the programme website at Episode Statistics data set and provides the main reason why the www.hta.ac.uk patient was admitted to hospital. The ICD10 codes used are as follows: NHS: Correspondence Q61.1 Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease Q61.2 Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease Sir Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Q61.3 Unspecified polycystic kidney disease Health (1) which hospital trusts in England currently send consultants’ letters electronically to the Indian Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health subcontinent for typing and return to the UK for printing, how much funding his Department made available for editing and signature; what estimate he has made of the research into polycystic kidney disease in the latest number of such letters that were sent in 2011-12; and if period for which figures are available; and if he will he will make a statement; [117090] make a statement. [116658] (2) what comparative assessment he has made of the average time taken for a letter dictated by a hospital Mr Simon Burns: The usual practice of the Department’s consultant to be (a) typed by a medical secretary National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is not in-house, checked, signed and posted and (b) sent to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: electronically to India, typed, returned to the UK, research proposals in all areas compete for the funding edited, checked, signed and posted; and if he will make available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for a statement. [117091] research into any aspect of human health, including polycystic kidney disease (PKD). These applications Mr Simon Burns: The Department does not hold are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, information on hospital trusts in England who send with awards being made on the basis of the scientific consultants’letters electronically to the Indian subcontinent quality of the proposals made. In all disease areas, the for typing and return to the United Kingdom for printing, amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and editing and signature. Individual trusts would hold this quality of scientific activity. information. The NIHR is not currently funding any research with NHS: Drugs a specific focus on PKD, but is funding research relevant to treating associated symptoms and kidney failure. Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for The NIHR Clinical Research Network is currently Health what steps he (a) has taken and (b) plans to hosting three industry-sponsored studies in PKD. take to reduce wastage of drugs. [116573]

Mrs Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Mr Simon Burns: Following publication of the research what progress has been made in the development of into the scale, causes and cost of waste medicines in treatment for people with polycystic kidney disease in England in November 2010, the Department and key the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. interested parties took part in a round table event [116953] hosted by the King’s Fund in January 2011 to consider 599W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 600W practical next steps that could be taken, either nationally NHS: Standards or locally, to reduce the amount of waste medicines in the national health service. Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for There was agreement among all who attended that Health what plans he has to introduce national care medicines wastage is a serious issue for the NHS and outcome standards in England. [117250] that action must be taken to tackle avoidable wastage of medicines as well as optimising medicines use to improve Paul Burstow: In March 2011, the Department launched health outcomes. the first Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework, which As a result, a steering group to improve the use of was updated for this year in March. The framework, medicines and reduce waste was set up last year and which has been developed jointly by the Department tasked with developing an action plan. The group is and local government, is a set of robust, comparable now finalising its conclusions, which are expected later measures of social care outcomes for people who use this year. care and support services in England, and carers. The framework measures the success of the adult social care Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for system in delivering high quality care services in which Health what his policy is on the capacity for use of people have a positive experience of their care and unused, in-date, seal-intact drugs returned to pharmacies. support, and are supported to achieve better outcomes. [116574] The framework for 2013-14 will be published in the autumn, to align with the publication of updated NHS and public health outcomes frameworks. Mr Simon Burns: The Government do not promote the reuse of medicines returned by patients in this North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust country, as it is not possible to guarantee the quality of a returned medicine by physical inspection alone. Sir Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State This is in line with the World Health Organization’s for Health for what reason the current chief executive guidelines, which recommend that no drugs should be of the North Cumbria University Trust will be retained reused that have been issued to patients, and then after the appointment of the new acting chief returned to a pharmacy. executive; and how much he will be paid. [117609]

NHS: Finance Mr Simon Burns: These are matters for the national health service locally. Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health The hon. Member may wish to contact the chair at how much he plans to allocate for (a) clinical networks North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust about and (b) cancer networks in 2013-14. [117113] this issue.

Mr Simon Burns: The NHS Commissioning Board Obesity: Children Authority will publish its proposals for clinical networks in the new health system, including details of the funding Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for arrangements for networks in 2013-14, by the end of Health what steps he is taking to reduce levels of July. childhood obesity. [117763]

NHS: Pay Anne Milton: The Government published “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to action on obesity in England” in October 2011. This sets out how obesity Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for among children will be reduced in the new public health Health how many people employed by the NHS earn and national health service systems, and the role of key more than £65,738 per annum. [116553] partners. The Government has set a new national ambition for Mr Simon Burns: Information is not held centrally on reversing the trend in the level of excess weight in the salaries of national health service staff. children by 2020. The “Call to action” sets out a number The Government Actuary’s Department estimate that, of initiatives to reduce childhood obesity: this includes as at 31 March 2010, 90,000 NHS Pension Scheme the Change4Life programme, the National Child members had whole time equivalent pensionable pay of Measurement Programme, the School Games and over £66,000 per annum. Change4Life Sports Clubs. A copy of “Healthy Lives, Healthy People: A call to Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health action on obesity in England” has already been placed what the highest level of pensionable pay in the NHS in the Library. was for (a) consultants, (b) GPs, (c) senior managers and (d) other managers in each financial year since Palliative Care 1997-98. [116667] Mr Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Mr Simon Burns: This information requested for when his Department expects to publish an update of years 1997 onwards is not available. Data collected by the progress made by the quality, innovation, productivity NHS Pensions are not broken down into occupational and prevention programme end of life workstream on groups and would involve disproportionate costs in improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of end of order obtain this level of data. life care. [117100] 601W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 602W

Paul Burstow: We have not published any reports an extended means test—would be the right basis for specifically on the quality, innovation, productivity and any new funding model for social care. It also commits prevention (QIPP) end of life care workstream. However, to introducing a universal deferred payments scheme. information on this work is included in the “End of Life The Government will consider in more detail variants Care Strategy Third Annual Report” (September 2011), under the principles of the Dilnot Commission’s funding which has already been placed in the Library, and is model, before coming to a final view in the next spending available on the National End of Life Care Programme review. website at: www.endoflifecareforadults.nhs.uk/ Staff We expect to publish a fourth annual report in the autumn. Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff of his Department were in the Information on primary care trusts (PCTs) reported civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for efficiency savings during 2011-12 have been regularly which figures are available; and how many of these had published in “The Quarter”. PCTs reported total efficiency been in the redeployment pool for more than six savings of £5.8 billion in 2011-12 towards the QIPP months at that date. [116782] challenge. This information was published in “The Year: NHS Chief Executive’s Annual Report 2011/12”. Mr Simon Burns: There are currently a total of 36 Sexually Transmitted Infections departmental officials in the redeployment pool, as at 12 July 2012, none of whom have been registered for Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for more than six months. Health how many patients had repeat treatments for As the Department is going through a period of sexually transmitted infections on the NHS (a) fewer change and restructuring, it is expected that this number than five times, (b) between five and 10 times, (c) will rise. However, we are not yet able to accurately between 10 and 20 times, (d) between 20 and 30 times, predict the future numbers, as this is affected by external (e) between 30 and 50 times and (f) more than 50 times factors such as staff securing roles in new bodies or by between 1997 and 2010; and what the total cost was for their successful redeployment to other posts, including each group. [117149] in other Government Departments.

Anne Milton: Not all of these data are collected centrally. Tobacco: Advertising However, officials are currently working to collate as much relevant information as possible. The Department Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for will write to the hon. Member when the information is Health what assessment his Department has made of available, and a copy will be placed in the Library. the effect on independent retailers of an advertising ban on tobacco products. [117272] Social Services Anne Milton: The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Dr Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health Act 2002 controls the advertising and promotion of what steps he is taking to reform the adult social care tobacco products in the United Kingdom. system in England. [116668] No specific assessment has been made by the Department on the effect of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Paul Burstow: The Government has recently published Act 2002 on independent retailers. its care and support White Paper, Caring for our future, a progress report on funding reform and a draft care A number of published studies have shown that levels and support Bill. Together, these documents represent of awareness of tobacco promotion declined significantly the most radical reform of the social care system since 1948. among smokers in the UK after implementation of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002. The White Paper, together with the draft Bill sets out how the social care system will be transformed from Tobacco: Packaging a service that reacts to crises to one that focuses on prevention and is built around the needs and goals of Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for people. Health what assessment his Department has made of As a result of the reforms that we are undertaking, the effect of implementing plain cigarette packaging on people will be confident about the quality of care and illicit or counterfeit tobacco production. [117117] be treated with dignity and respect, everyone will know what they are entitled to and will have control over their Anne Milton: The Government has an open mind care, and carers will have new rights to public support. about introducing standardised tobacco packaging. On The Draft Care and Support Bill, published alongside 16 April 2012, the Government published the “Consultation the White Paper, provides the legal framework needed on Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products”. Through to make the Government’s vision a reality, and achieves the consultation, we want to understand whether there a fundamental reform of the legislation which underpins is evidence to demonstrate that the standardised packaging social care. It brings together over a dozen Acts of of tobacco products would have an additional public Parliament dating back over 60 years, into a single, health benefit, over and above existing tobacco control modern statute for care and support. initiatives. The progress report on funding sets out the Government’s Through the consultation, we are also seeking views agreement that the principles of the Dilnot Commission’s on whether there might be legal or other implications model—financial protection through capped costs and if standardised packaging requirements were introduced. 603W Written Answers16 JULY 2012 Written Answers 604W

A consultation stage impact assessment (IA), employment opportunities of more closely matching “Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products”, has been the needs of vulnerable people and their families to the published alongside the consultation document, which provision of care services. [117209] provides an initial assessment of the potential impacts of introducing standardised packaging. Interested parties Paul Burstow: On 11 July the Government published are invited to provide views on this IA with supporting the White Paper ‘Caring for our Future: Reforming evidence, including any impact that standardised packaging Care and Support’ setting out a new vision for a reformed might have on the illicit or counterfeit tobacco market. care and support system. This highlights the need to The consultation will be open from 16 April to 10 redesign the social care work force to meet the challenges August 2012. Any person, business or organisation with of the new agenda, including encouraging the work an interest is encouraged to respond. force to work in different, more integrated ways, develop A copy of the impact assessment has been placed in new skills and work flexibly across organisational the Library. boundaries. Vulnerable Adults: Social Services The Department will continue to work with delivery partners and stakeholders on the work force implications Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for of increased personalised services and increased demand Health if he will assess the potential for increased for services as a result of changing demography. ORAL ANSWERS

Monday 16 July 2012

Col. No. Col. No. DEFENCE...... 655 DEFENCE—continued Armed Forces Pay ...... 655 Helicopter Capability...... 670 Army Recruiting Policy...... 659 Joint Strike Fighter ...... 658 Defence Equipment and Support...... 664 Mental Health (Soldiers)...... 666 Defence Manufacturing Industry...... 667 Middle East ...... 656 Employment (Veterans)...... 664 New Regiments (2006-07) ...... 669 Equipment and Support Contracts (SMEs) ...... 662 Regimental Disbandment...... 668 Farnborough Air Show ...... 660 Topical Questions ...... 670 WRITTEN MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS

Monday 16 July 2012

Col. No. Col. No. BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS ...... 98WS HEALTH—continued Retail and Manufacturing Consultation Strategic Needs Assessment and Joint Health and (Government Response)...... 98WS Wellbeing Strategies ...... 104WS

CABINET OFFICE...... 99WS HOME DEPARTMENT...... 105WS 2011 Census Results (England and Wales) ...... 99WS Domestic Violence ...... 106WS Equality and Human Rights Commission DEFENCE...... 101WS (Annual Report and Accounts)...... 106WS Logistic Commodities and Services Police Professional Body ...... 107WS (Transformation)...... 101WS The Police ICT Company...... 105WS

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ...... 101WS JUSTICE...... 108WS “Introducing a Statutory Register of Lobbyists” Inquests (Service Personnel Overseas)...... 108WS (Summary of Responses) ...... 101WS NORTHERN IRELAND ...... 109WS Northern Ireland Security (Update)...... 109WS ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS...... 102WS TRANSPORT ...... 111WS Flooding ...... 102WS EU Bus and Coach Passenger Rights...... 111WS Fuel Quality Directive...... 112WS FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE..... 103WS Penfold Review ...... 112WS Afghanistan (Monthly Report) ...... 103WS Rail Investment...... 113WS HEALTH...... 104WS TREASURY ...... 95WS Sector Regulation - Consultation and Environmental Taxes ...... 95WS Implementation ...... 105WS Non-departmental Public Body (Pension Reform). 97WS WRITTEN ANSWERS

Monday 16 July 2012

Col. No. Col. No. ATTORNEY-GENERAL ...... 464W BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS—continued Banks...... 464W Postal Services...... 577W Crimes of Violence: Females...... 464W Science ...... 578W Police: Surveillance ...... 465W Students: Loans ...... 578W Technology and Innovation Centres...... 579W BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS...... 570W Billing ...... 571W CABINET OFFICE...... 536W British Chambers of Commerce...... 571W Aerospace Industry...... 536W Business ...... 573W Assets...... 537W Business: Government Assistance ...... 573W Business ...... 537W Businesses: Government Assistance ...... 570W Census: Illegal Immigrants...... 537W Directors: Disqualification...... 574W Construction: Employment...... 538W Equal Pay...... 574W Employment: East Midlands...... 538W Higher Education...... 575W Former Prime Ministers: Allowances ...... 539W Higher Education: VAT ...... 576W Leukaemia ...... 541W Industry: Scotland ...... 576W Migration...... 541W New Businesses: Government Assistance ...... 576W Performance Appraisal ...... 542W New Businesses: Kent ...... 577W Procurement...... 542W Col. No. Col. No. CABINET OFFICE—continued ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE—continued Public Sector: Billing...... 542W Ex Gratia Payments ...... 528W Renewable Energy: Employment...... 543W Fuel Poverty...... 528W Space Weather...... 543W Fuel Poverty: Merseyside ...... 529W Work Experience...... 544W Green Deal Scheme...... 530W Internet ...... 531W COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.. 482W Microgeneration: Merseyside ...... 531W Absenteeism...... 482W Natural Gas: Exploration ...... 532W Assets...... 482W Nuclear Power Stations: Construction ...... 532W Homelessness and Repossession Orders...... 483W Public Expenditure...... 533W Homelessness: Greater London ...... 483W Renewable Energy...... 533W Homelessness: Veterans...... 484W Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs...... 534W Housing Benefit ...... 485W Warm Front Scheme ...... 534W Housing: Construction...... 486W Wind Power ...... 535W Hull...... 486W Work Experience...... 535W Public Expenditure...... 486W Youth Advisory Panel ...... 535W Public Sector: Land...... 487W Quarrying: Kent...... 487W ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL Social Rented Housing: Birmingham...... 487W AFFAIRS...... 477W Circuses...... 477W CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT ...... 458W Dogs ...... 477W Broadband: Kent ...... 458W Food: Charitable Donations ...... 477W Mobile Phones: Fees and Charges...... 459W Food: Labelling...... 478W Ofcom...... 459W Food: Waste...... 478W Olympic Games 2012 ...... 460W Horses: Transport ...... 479W Olympic Games 2012: Kent ...... 461W Publications ...... 479W Sports: VAT ...... 461W Subtitling ...... 462W FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE..... 560W VisitEngland ...... 463W Air Travel...... 560W Arab Partnership Participation Fund...... 560W DEFENCE...... 498W Assets...... 561W Afghanistan ...... 499W Crisis Management Centre...... 561W Armed Forces ...... 499W Data Protection...... 561W Armed Forces: Gender Identity Disorder...... 499W Diamond Jubilee 2012...... 562W Armed Forces: Learning Disability ...... 500W EU Institutions ...... 562W Armed Forces: Mental Illness ...... 500W European External Action Service ...... 563W Armed Forces Presentations: Schools ...... 498W European External Action Service: Secondment.... 564W Army...... 501W Ex Gratia Payments ...... 565W Art Works ...... 504W Exports ...... 565W Budget Reductions: Local Economies...... 498W Fuels ...... 565W Defence...... 509W GREAT Campaign ...... 566W Defence Equipment ...... 510W Official Hospitality ...... 566W Discrimination: Armed Forces...... 499W Palestinians ...... 566W Electronic Warfare ...... 513W Photoshoots and Videos ...... 567W Horses...... 513W Public Expenditure...... 567W Nuclear Submarines...... 514W Staff ...... 568W Nuclear Weapons...... 515W Third Sector...... 568W Prime Regional Contract ...... 515W Training ...... 569W Reserve Forces ...... 516W USA...... 569W Royal Regiment of Scotland ...... 517W Western Sahara ...... 569W Scout Specialist Vehicle ...... 498W Wines ...... 570W Staff ...... 517W Veterans: Employment Schemes...... 518W HEALTH...... 580W Air Ambulance Services: Taxation ...... 580W DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ...... 496W Assets...... 580W House of Lords: Reform...... 496W Care Homes ...... 580W Monarchy: Succession...... 496W Carers ...... 581W Carers’ Benefits...... 582W EDUCATION...... 497W Chronic Illnesses: Bexley...... 582W Holiday Playschemes...... 497W Complementary Medicine: Side Effects...... 583W Young People: Drugs ...... 498W Contraceptives ...... 584W Diabetes ...... 584W ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE...... 525W Dietary Supplements: EU Law...... 586W Climate Change and Renewable Energy ...... 525W Drugs: Driving Under Influence ...... 587W Electricity...... 525W Drugs: Rehabilitation...... 587W Electricity Generation...... 525W Drugs: Safety ...... 589W Energy...... 526W Ex Gratia Payments ...... 591W Energy: Conservation...... 527W Fuels ...... 591W Energy: Housing ...... 527W General Practitioners ...... 591W Energy Performance Certificates...... 527W Health Services: Older People ...... 593W Energy: Prices ...... 527W Healthcare Assistants: Registration...... 593W Col. No. Col. No. HEALTH—continued JUSTICE—continued Healthwatch England ...... 594W Ex Gratia Payments ...... 547W Home Care Services ...... 594W HM Courts and Tribunals Service...... 547W Hospitals: Greater London ...... 595W Legal Aid Scheme ...... 547W Hospitals: Staff ...... 595W Offenders: Females...... 548W Kidney Disease ...... 596W Police Custody: Young People...... 548W Medical Treatments: Research ...... 598W Prisoners: Kent ...... 549W NHS: Correspondence ...... 598W Prostitution...... 549W NHS: Drugs...... 598W Reoffenders: Females ...... 550W NHS: Finance ...... 599W Sentencing: Females...... 551W NHS: Pay...... 599W Solicitors: Fees and Charges ...... 551W NHS: Standards...... 600W Staff ...... 553W North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust... 600W Young Offenders: Nottinghamshire ...... 553W Obesity: Children ...... 600W Youth Custody: Education...... 556W Palliative Care...... 600W Sexually Transmitted Infections ...... 601W NORTHERN IRELAND ...... 481W Social Services...... 601W Corporation Tax ...... 481W Staff ...... 602W Tobacco: Advertising ...... 602W PRIME MINISTER ...... 481W Tobacco: Packaging ...... 602W Official Visits ...... 481W Vulnerable Adults: Social Services ...... 603W

HOME DEPARTMENT...... 465W SCOTLAND...... 480W Animal Experiments: Botulinum Toxin...... 465W Post Offices ...... 480W Antisocial Behaviour: Young People ...... 466W Publications ...... 481W Assaults on Police ...... 466W Crime: USA ...... 467W TRANSPORT ...... 488W Customs Officers: North East ...... 467W A3: Hampshire ...... 488W Domestic Violence: West Midlands...... 467W Assets...... 488W Domestic Violence: Young People...... 468W Aviation: EU Action ...... 488W Driving Offences: Nottinghamshire ...... 468W Aviation: Fees and Charges...... 488W Drugs: Decriminalisation...... 468W Blue Badge Scheme: Thalidomide...... 489W Gender Recognition...... 469W British Midland Airways: Pensions ...... 490W Licensed Premises: Closures...... 470W East Coast Railway Line ...... 490W National Crime Agency ...... 470W Heathrow Airport ...... 490W National Police Memorial Day ...... 470W Large Goods Vehicles: Epilepsy ...... 491W Offences Against Children: Internet...... 471W Manchester Declaration...... 491W Police and Crime Commissioners...... 471W Railway Stations: Bradford ...... 491W Police: Birth Certificates...... 473W Railways...... 492W Police Community Support Officers...... 472W Railways: Barnsley ...... 492W Police: Computers...... 473W Railways: Bicycles ...... 492W Police: Finance...... 473W Railways: Freight ...... 493W Police: Horses ...... 474W Railways: Shrewsbury ...... 493W Police: Job Satisfaction...... 474W Railways: Standards...... 494W Riot Control Weapons ...... 474W Rescue Services: Fareham ...... 494W Schengen Agreement: ICT ...... 475W Rescue Services: South Lanarkshire...... 494W Stop and Search: Birmingham ...... 476W Taxis: Disabled...... 494W Victim Support Schemes ...... 477W West Anglia Railway Line ...... 496W

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION...... 481W TREASURY ...... 518W Data Security ...... 481W Air Passenger Duty ...... 518W Air Passenger Duty: International Cooperation..... 519W INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT...... 556W Assets...... 519W Assets...... 556W Child Trust Fund ...... 519W Burma...... 557W Commodity Markets...... 519W Commonwealth Development Corporation ...... 557W Debts ...... 520W Developing Countries: Education ...... 557W Ex Gratia Payments ...... 520W Dotun Oloko...... 558W Financial Services Authority...... 521W Human Trafficking ...... 558W Pay...... 522W Mali ...... 558W Public Expenditure...... 522W Overseas Aid: Fraud ...... 559W Revenue and Customs...... 522W Staff ...... 560W Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services ...... 524W VAT: Energy...... 524W JUSTICE...... 544W VAT: Scotland...... 524W Assets...... 544W VAT: Sports...... 524W Cemeteries ...... 544W Chief Coroner...... 544W WALES...... 479W Claims Management Services...... 545W Manchester Declaration...... 479W Criminal Injuries Compensation: Scotland ...... 545W Publications ...... 480W Driving Offences: Nottinghamshire ...... 545W Staff ...... 480W Employment Tribunals Service: Scotland...... 546W Unemployment ...... 480W Col. No. Col. No. WORK AND PENSIONS ...... 453W WORK AND PENSIONS—continued Employment and Support Allowance...... 453W Pensioners: Poverty ...... 455W Employment Schemes ...... 453W Social Security Benefits...... 456W Housing Benefit ...... 454W Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations..... 456W Housing Benefit: Monmouthshire...... 455W Universal Credit...... 457W National Insurance Contributions ...... 455W Work Capability Assessment...... 458W Members who wish to have the Daily Report of the Debates forwarded to them should give notice at the Vote Office. The Bound Volumes will also be sent to Members who similarly express their desire to have them. No proofs of the Daily Reports can be supplied, nor can corrections be made in the Weekly Edition. Corrections which Members suggest for the Bound Volume should be clearly marked in the Daily Report, but not telephoned, and the copy containing the Corrections must be received at the Editor’s Room, House of Commons,

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CONTENTS

Monday 16 July 2012

Oral Answers to Questions [Col. 655] [see index inside back page] Secretary of State for Defence

Olympics (Security) [Col. 677] Answer to urgent question—(Mrs May)

Rail Investment [Col. 687] Statement—(Justine Greening)

Opposition Day [4th allotted day] National Health Service [Col. 710] Motion—(Andy Burnham)—on a Division, negatived Adult Social Care [Col. 753] Motion—(Liz Kendall)—on a Division, negatived

Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards [Col. 795] Motion—(Sir George Young)—agreed to

Petitions [Col. 811]

NHS (Rationing of Care) [Col. 814] Debate on motion for Adjournment

Written Ministerial Statements [Col. 95WS]

Written Answers to Questions [Col. 453W] [see index inside back page]