Graham P Jones

The Government does not routinely carry out assessments of performance of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). As partnerships of business and civic leaders, LEPs are first and foremost accountable to their local community and local businesses.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

The Government has a target of improving the energy efficiency of 1 million homes by March 2015 and as of June we have improved over 750,000 homes through the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), Green Deal and other home energy efficiency incentives. We are also consulting on regulations to require more minimum energy performance standards in the private rented sector.

In addition, we have laid draft Regulations to create a new fuel poverty target that seeks to ensure that as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable achieve a minimum energy efficiency standard of Band C by 2030. We are also proposing that interim milestones of as many fuel poor homes as is reasonably practicable reach Band E by 2020 and Band D by 2025 be laid out in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) is applied for by householders on a non means tested basis across England and Wales.

Currently the department has not published any geographic breakdowns on GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series of statistics (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics).

The Department published the number of Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) active applications, vouchers issued and payments made up to the end of July 2014, in the latest monthly Official Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-august-2014.

Currently, the Department has not published any geographic breakdowns on the GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics.

Therefore, the Department will consider publishing geographic breakdowns relating to GDHIF in the following quarterly release planned for publication on 18 December, covering the period up to the end of September 2014.

The Department published the number of Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) active applications, vouchers issued and payments made up to the end of July 2014, in the latest monthly Official Statistics:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-monthly-statistics-august-2014.

Currently, the Department has not published any geographic breakdowns on the GDHIF, as these would form part of the more detailed quarterly series:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/green-deal-and-energy-company-obligation-eco-statistics#quarterly-statistics.

Therefore, the Department will consider publishing geographic breakdowns relating to GDHIF in the following quarterly release planned for publication on 18 December, covering the period up to the end of September 2014.

The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF) shut to new applications on July 24^th. A contribution towards the cost of a Green Deal Assessment Report was only available to customers who made a successful application to the Fund, and who went on to install measures as a result.

Assessments are the most popular part of Green Deal – by the end of July 2014 over 300,000 Green Deal Assessments were undertaken. Assessments provide a tailored picture of the first steps people can take to be more energy efficiency and potentially reduce their bills – they are not just for GDHIF.

A contribution towards the cost of a Green Deal Assessment Report cost was only available to customers who made a successful application to the Fund, and who went on to install measures as a result.

Assessments are the most popular part of Green Deal – by the end of July 2014 over 300,000 Green Deal Assessments were undertaken. Assessments provide a tailored picture of the first steps people can take to be more energy efficiency and potentially reduce their bills – they are not just for GDHIF.

Ministers and officials have had meetings with many interested parties in recent months, including energy suppliers, insulation companies and local authorities, at which the Government’s proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) were discussed.

These and other stakeholders, such as consumer organisations and Ofgem, are represented on the ECO Steering Group, which meets on a monthly basis. The terms of reference for the group, along with minutes of meetings and other papers, are made publicly available via Gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/energy-company-obligation-eco-steering-group

The Government will publish its response to the consultation on the future of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) shortly.

The Apprenticeships Funding Reform Technical Consultation sought evidence on the practical implications for employers of two new systems for routing apprenticeship funding: the PAYE model and the Apprenticeship Credit. The practical implications of the current system are already well understood, therefore we did not include this in the technical consultation. We are giving careful consideration to all feedback received, before announcing our next steps in the autumn.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 30 June 2014, Official Report, Column 426W:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140630/text/140630w0004.htm#1407011000033

There is no “hydraulic fracturing licence”. DECC issues Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences (PEDLs). However, PEDLs are not specific to shale gas and do not give permission for operations, but grant exclusivity to licensees in relation to hydrocarbons (including shale gas but also other forms) within a particular area. All operations, such as drilling, hydraulic fracturing or production, however require planning permission, and applications are subject to public consultation. They also require access agreement with relevant landowner(s), Environment Agency permits, HSE scrutiny, and DECC consent before operations can commence. DECC is not currently considering any applications for hydraulic fracturing in the UK.

The 2013 consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models - a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led Apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

We have established a ministerial advisory panel on Apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved Apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer Apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

The 2013 consultation on Apprenticeship funding reform sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different mechanisms for giving employers more control over the funding. Following consideration of the responses to this consultation, the pure provider payment model was ruled out on the basis that it was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

The subsequent Technical Consultation published in March 2014 sought views on two models - a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit model which are consistent with an employer-led Apprenticeships system. We are currently evaluating the responses to this consultation and will announce which payment mechanism we plan to pursue in the autumn.

We have established a ministerial advisory panel on Apprenticeship standards, made up of experts to advise the Secretary of State on the approval or rejection of employer designed Apprenticeship standards and assessment approaches.

We will refresh the Skills Funding Agency register of approved Apprenticeship training providers to ensure that only reputable providers are able to offer Apprenticeship training and organisations doing so will be subject to Ofsted inspection.

The Government is taking a number of steps in this area:

- A measure in the Deregulation Bill will introduce the option for an insolvency practitioner to specialise in either corporate or individual insolvency. This will encourage new entrants into the profession, which will benefit creditors without lowering standards;

- There are a number of red tape challenge measures in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill which will reduce costs and remove unnecessary processes in insolvency cases;

- Also in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill are measures which will strengthen the regulatory framework for insolvency practitioners to boost confidence in the regime;

- The Government has also been consulting on measures to improve the transparency and accountability of how fees are charged by insolvency practitioners.

Teresa Graham's review of pre-pack administration identified how existing practice in pre-pack administration did not in all cases deliver the best result for creditors and the wider economy, in particular where sales are made to a connected party.

The Government hopes that the voluntary measures recommended in Ms Graham's report – all of which were accepted by Government – will be put into effect by those concerned as envisaged by Ms Graham.

After they have had time to have effect, the Government will evaluate whether they have indeed addressed the concerns evidenced by Ms Graham and the resulting outcomes. This will include for example whether the measures have increased transparency, returns to creditors, and more generally strengthened business confidence in the pre-pack process.

As recommended by Ms Graham, the government will be taking a backstop power in the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill so we will be able to legislate in future if necessary.

Officials in the Insolvency Service regularly advise me on the full range of insolvency policy matters, including on pre-pack administration when required.

There are no onshore petroleum exploration and development licence applications pending approval in the UK.

We are giving employers control of the funding for the training and assessment of the apprenticeships that they design. This will enable them to work directly with education and training providers to secure the most effective training for their apprentices. We will be testing a new funding model via apprenticeship starts in the 2014-15 academic year based on standards developed by our Trailblazer groups of employers. We will develop a comprehensive communication programme for employers (including local authorities) to help them understand the changes.

Discussions have been held with a wide range of training providers as well with the Association of Training Providers and Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) about our apprenticeship funding reforms. I spoke about this issue at the AELP's National Conference earlier this month.

The 2013 consultation on apprenticeship funding reforms sought evidence on the feasibility and impact of three different models for reforming apprenticeship funding. Following consideration of the responses to these, the second consultation sought views on two models—a PAYE model and an apprenticeship credit—that are consistent with an employer-driven apprenticeships system. A pure provider payment model was ruled out, as evidence from the first consultation indicated that this model was the least likely to deliver the intended aim of giving employers true purchasing power.

I have been asked to reply on behalf of the Home Office.

The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, authority may be given to

re-home animals where those animals were bred or held for supply for use in

regulated procedures, or were intended for use in regulated procedures, or have

been used in regulated procedures. This may also apply to animals which are

being kept under the care of the Named Veterinary Surgeon after completing

procedures, and is always contingent on our acceptance of certain reassurances

relating to Section 17A of the Act. Records of each animal re-homed would be

kept locally at the licensed establishment so that they can be available to

Home Office Inspectors on request.

European Directive 2010/63/EU, which was implemented in the UK and other

Member States on 1 January 2013, does not provide legal grounds on which the UK

can impose a mandatory obligation of re-homing under the Animals (Scientific

Procedures) Act 1986. Nevertheless, we have provided guidance on re-homing

animals in our Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures)

Act 1983, section 5.21.

The impact of the proposed changes to the Energy Company Obligation was estimated in the Assessment of Impacts published alongside the consultation document on 5^th March:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-of-the-energy-company-obligation

No specific estimate was made for those fuel poor families specifically living areas of flood risk.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change intends to complete a full Impact Assessment as part of the Government's response to the consultation later in the year.

Homes at risk of flooding are not automatically defined as having hard-to-treat cavity walls, however flood-risk homes with hard-to-treat cavity walls are eligible for funding under the Energy Company Obligation. Proposed changes to the scheme will enable more homes to receive funding for energy efficiency measures, including those homes that are at risk of flooding.

DECC does not hold information on how many of homes that are considered to have hard to treat cavity walls are situated in flood risk areas.

The Electoral Commission informs me that the confirmation dry run involved matching all entries on the electoral registers against the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Customer Information System database. Entries would be marked as green if they matched with DWP, amber if they were a partial match or red if there was no match.

It is not possible to provide results for the divisions used by Lancashire County Council area as the matching was carried out using the district councils' electoral wards. However, the table for all the wards within the district authorities in the Lancashire County Council area and the table for Hyndburn constituency have been deposited in the House of Commons' Library.

Results for all wards are available on the Commission's website here: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/excel_doc/0003/163146/Confirmation-dry-run-2013-Results-Wards.xls

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.

Since the launch of the first local television service in Grimsby in November 2013, a total of 34 local TV stations have launched across the UK. Ofcom collects information annually on the performance of local television services and has included analysis of the sector's performance in its annual Communication Market Report published since 2016. The Communications Market Reports for 2016 and 2017 are available from the Ofcom website.

The Department does not collect information about the number of books from local authority run libraries that are stolen and sold each year. Local library authorities are responsible for providing public library services including managing book stock available for library lending.

A review of gaming machines and social responsibility measures was launched in October 2016, which included a look at the Fix Odds Betting terminals. Purdah interrupted the final stages of our consideration of the evidence received and the subsequent internal, cross government process of approval and sign off. I'm afraid, therefore, that we are back at the start of the process and that as a consequence of it taking at least 12 weeks I would not expect any further announcement until October at the earliest.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not commission specific information relating to the closure of public libraries, but does monitor closely proposed changes to library service provision throughout England. Based on desk research undertaken by the Department, we estimate that from January 2010 to January 2016 approximately 110 static public libraries in England closed completely.

Annual statistics on public libraries are collected and published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and this includes details of the net number of libraries open as at 31 March of each year, but specific details of library closures since 2010 are not available from these statistics. Changes in these net figures will reflect a combination of library closures, new libraries opening, as well as libraries that are no longer part of the local authority statutory library service but remain open as community-run libraries.

I meet with the betting industry, Gambling Commission, and other interested organisations regularly. I am aware of the concerns around single-staffing of high street betting shops but expect bookmakers to adhere to their statutory requirements and minimum voluntary standards to protect staff from risk.

New legislation came into force to improve player protections on FOBTs in April, and the law was also changed to require planning applications to be submitted to local authorities for new betting shops. Government measures on FOBTs are very new, but we are working with the Gambling Commission and industry to ensure they are effectively evaluated.

We are also pushing the industry to do more on social responsibility, including self-exclusion pilots that are currently underway in Chatham and Medway. This is the first multi-operator scheme of its kind.

I will be meeting with the Gambling Commission, Association for British Bookmakers and the Campaign for Fairer Gambling next week to discuss FOBTs and related issues.

I have regular discussions with the Premier League and will continue to press the importance that this huge investment needs to benefit the game as a whole. This includes benefiting clubs lower down the football pyramid, supporters, and the grassroots of the game, through increased investment in facilities, community programmes and other schemes.

I have regular discussions with the Premier League and will continue to press the importance that this huge investment needs to benefit the game as a whole. This includes benefiting clubs lower down the football pyramid, supporters, and the grassroots of the game, through increased investment in facilities, community programmes and other schemes.

Our new criteria for free school meals eligibility will increase the number of children eligible by around 50,000 children by 2022. Due to the generous protections we will provide, all children receiving free school meals at the point the threshold is introduced, and all those who gain eligibility during the rollout of Universal Credit, will continue to receive free school meals until the end of Universal Credit rollout. After this point, those children who were protected – should they still be in school – will continue to be protected until the end of their current phase of education. Our protection arrangements will also cover pupils in receipt of benefits-related free school meals in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2, as well as those in Year 3 and above.

The government’s independent review into foster care and the Education Select Committee inquiry considered the status of foster parents, including whether foster parents should be considered as professionals or employees. The department is carefully considering the recommendations of both reports and the government response will be published in spring this year. The Education Select Committee report is available here: https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/inquiries/parliament-2017/inquiry1/.

The independent review of foster care is available here: https://www.gov.uk/
government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/%0b679320/Foster_Care_in_England_Review.pdf.

The number of full-time equivalent teaching assistants employed in state-funded schools in England is published each year in the ‘School Workforce in England’ statistical series available online at:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-workforce

Statistics on the number of new teaching assistants employed each year in England, Lancashire and Hyndburn are not available in the requested format.

The latest available figures on the number of full-time equivalent teaching assistants in state-funded schools are from November 2013 and are published online at:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2013

The available information is given in the table below:

Referrals to children’s social care, children in need and children looked after in Lancashire local authority in the year ending 31 March 2014.

Source: Children in Need census, SSDA903

1. Lancashire used two reporting systems to produce their Children in Need return in 2014 so we highlighted in the publication that we had some concerns over the quality of the data.

2. If a child has more than one referral in the year then each will be counted.

This data is only available at local authority and national level. Figures on referrals and children in need are published annually within the ‘Characteristics of children in need’ statistical first release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/characteristics-of-children-in-need-2013-to-2014

Figures on the number of children looked after are published annually within the ‘Children looked after in England, including adoption’ statistical first release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption--2

The available information for Lancashire local authority is shown in the table below. Figures at district authority level within Lancashire are not available.

The Department for Education ran a public consultation this summer, from 23 June to 29 August, on proposed changes to the Child Performance Regulations. We first announced our intention to do so last December, during the passage of the Children and Families Bill (now Act) 2014.

The consultation was open to all those with an interest, including the amateur sector. A full consultation report will be published later this year.

The child performance licensing system is designed to provide a check that suitable arrangements are made to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children when they take part in performances, and that their education does not suffer when they do. This principle applies regardless of whether the performances are put on by amateur or professional organisations.

We therefore have no plans to introduce differential licensing arrangements for different types or sizes of organisation. We are, however, planning to remove some unnecessary and outdated restrictions and have recently consulted on other options to improve flexibility, but without reducing any of the important safeguards. We expect the resulting changes to benefit all types of organisation involved in child performances and, of course, the children themselves.

The Department for Education has made no assessment of the effect of local authority fees for licensing of matrons (otherwise referred to as chaperones) on participation in theatre and arts groups.

The Department for Education does not hold pupil premium allocations broken down by borough. Pupil premium allocations are published each year at top tier local authority, constituency and school level. The allocations for each year are available online at:

2014-15
www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2014-to-2015-illustrative-allocation-tables.

2013-14
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pupil-premium-2013-to-2014-final-allocation-tables.

2012-13
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/a00200697/pupil-premium-2012-13.

2011-12
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131216163513/http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/financialmanagement/schoolsrevenuefunding/settlement2012pupilpremium/a0075963/pupil-premium-2011-12.

The pupil premium allocations for Lancashire for each year going back to its introduction in 2011-12 are: £45.9 million in 2014-15 (provisional based on illustrative pupil numbers), £37.1 million in 2013-14, £21.7 million in 2012-13, and £12.4 million in 2011-12.

Our apprenticeship reforms will improve quality by involving employers in defining the new standards and assessment and by controlling the funding of apprenticeships. Ofsted will continue to play an important role in ensuring the quality of teaching and learning in registered training providers. We are discussing the arrangements with Ofsted as part of the Trailblazer project.

As set out in the Government’s recent drone consultation response on 7 January 2019, my Department is working with the Home Office and the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy on product standards for drones. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also published new product standards for drones which will become fully applicable by 2022. These include a mandatory requirement for drones to be fitted with geo-awareness software and being remotely identifiable before being placed on the market.

At an international level, the International Organization for Standardization is currently developing standards for drone safety and operation in which the British Standards Institution (BSI) committee members represent the UK. It is vital that we balance maintaining the UK’s world-leading position in aviation safety and security with supporting the development of this emerging industry.

The Department for Transport has been exploring the options for a traffic sign to make drivers aware of the presence of hedgehogs and other small animals in the road ahead, in locations where there have been a high number of animal casualties. The Department expects to make an announcement on this in due course.

The Inclusive Transport Strategy, published on 25 July 2018, included a commitment to extend our Access for All programme across rail Control Period 6 (2019 to 2024) with an additional £300m of funding from the public purse. We have received more than 300 nominations for this funding and plan to announce the successful stations in April next year.

It is this Government which is giving funding to continue the Access for All programme into the 2019 to 2024 period. Around 75% of rail journeys in the UK now have step free access to and between every platform, which compares with only 50% of journeys in 2005.

We are committed to improving accessibility at railway stations. However, many stations date from a time when the needs of disabled passengers were simply not considered.

Therefore whenever infrastructure work is carried out at a station by the industry, it must comply with the relevant EU and UK accessibility standards. This includes major projects such as Crossrail, but also Network Rail’s ongoing renewals programme. However, in recognition of the scale of the problem, and to increase the pace of delivery, the Access for All programme was launched to provide access improvements over and above those required to be delivered by the rail industry, targeting stations not due to have their access improved as part of other projects.

We plan to announce the next tranche of Access for All projects in April and the Stations will all be completed by 2024 at the latest.

Enforcement against criminal activity against HGV drivers and their vehicles is a matter for the police. The Department will continue to engage with stakeholders to encourage the development of more safe, secure and high-quality lorry parking facilities. In particular, Highways England is developing its role as statutory planning consultee for such developments on the strategic road network, and this will include consideration of desirable criteria for lorry parking such as security features. In addition, the Department will consider how best to promote the uptake in the UK of the forthcoming EU-wide classifications for safe and secure lorry parking sites.

At a Westminster Hall Debate last year, the Rt Hon John Hayes MP announced the formation of a Task and Finish group to consider any taxi and private hire regulatory issues, their causes and potential remedies. The group’s remit includes considering the use and effectiveness of powers currently available to licensing authorities.

The Group has now submitted its report and Ministers are considering the recommendations made. The report and response will be published soon.

The Government is clear that customers should have access to toilet facilities at motorway service areas that are appropriate to their needs. The Taskforce was announced by the previous minister, John Hayes and the Government is now considering how the provision of Changing Places facilities can be increased at Motorway Service Areas as part of the Inclusive Transport Strategy. Alongside this, we are also working closely with MSA operators to understand how better facilities might increasingly be provided as part of their investment and renewal plans.

The table below shows the number of full time equivalent staff employed at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in each financial year between 2008/09 and 2016/17:

The Government remains committed to the plans it set out at the Spending Review for transport investment in support of the Northern Powerhouse initiative.

Between 2006/07 and 2012/13 the private investment in Great Britain's railways amounted to £3,573 million. This includes all enhancements in relation to tracks and signalling, rolling stock and stations and other investments

This information is not available on a regional basis.

Further details of this funding are available on ORR's website at the following link:

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/5cc4eb14-fe68-4b72-aebf-81625df90d86

The Department does not collect information about private investment in rail infrastructure or rolling stock on either a National or Regional basis.

ORR publishes data regarding private investment broken down by expenditure type: tracks and signalling; rolling stock; stations and other investment. However, this information is only published for Great Britain as a whole.

Further details of this funding are available on ORR's website at the following link:

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/displayreport/report/html/5cc4eb14-fe68-4b72-aebf-81625df90d86

Discussions have taken place with Lancashire County Council on the provision of rolling stock for a new Manchester to Burnley and Blackburn via Rochdale service. A number of representations have been received from hon. Members concerning rolling stock in Lancashire, including at the Westminster Hall debate on rolling stock provision in the North of England on 12 March 2014.

There are currently no plans to put this information in the House of Commons Library as the information is in the public domain. A search facility is available on gov.uk which enables the public to find the nearest Jobcentre Plus office for the specific post code entered in to the search tool.

This information is not currently held by the Department in the format required. However, our systems are configured to map postcodes against offices.

There is a local office search page on GOV.UK, where the allocated Jobcentre Plus office and any relevant contact information can be obtained by entering a postcode

This is available at http://los.direct.gov.uk/

This policy will not affect Housing Benefit claimants; rather it will affect new claims to Universal Credit Full Service from 1 April 2017. This policy will also be implemented alongside the Youth Obligation – a new and intensive package of labour market support for 18-21 year-olds looking to get back into work.

It is important to make clear that the changes referred to will only affect claimants on Universal Credit Full service – they will not affect those on Housing Benefit. Since the policy was initially announced, we have worked in collaboration with key housing stakeholders such as Crisis and Shelter to make sure the policy includes the right exemptions to protect the most vulnerable people; we are therefore confident about the robustness of the policy.

Due to the nature of both the consultation and the responses, DWP undertook a qualitative rather than quantitative assessment of the responses received; statistical information as requested is therefore not available.

A summary of the consultation responses is available in the Government’s response to the consultation published on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/184115/future-of-ilf-response.pdf

The consultation on the Future of the Independent Living Fund did not ask any specific questions in relation to the ring-fencing of future funding.

A summary of the consultation responses is available in the Government’s response to the consultation published on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/184115/future-of-ilf-response.pdf

Neither myself nor the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions have held any discussions with the Association of Gas Safety Managers about access to properties to undertake statutory gas safety checks.

The Health and Safety Executive provides guidance to landlords on what to do if a tenant prevents access for a gas safety check: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm

These statistics are published on the Health and Safety Executive website at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/regions/regtab.xls for the latest year, and www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/regions/reghist.xls for the previous five years.

In July 2012 the Department consulted extensively on the future of the Independent Living Fund, including a large number of disability organisations. The consultation received approximately 2000 responses, 79 of these responses were from disability organisations.

The potential implications of closing the Independent Living Fund and devolving the full funding to Local Authorities (LA) are set out clearly in the Equality Analysis published on 6 March 2014.

Access to Work complaints are handled in accordance with the DWP two tier complaints process. The figures that are available since the introduction of that process are:

We do not hold the information requested.

The final research outputs from DWP's independent evaluation of the changes to the Local Housing Allowance are due to be published this summer. The research will cover the impact of extending the age threshold for the Shared Accommodation Rate.

There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

There are no dedicated data entry roles and accordingly no cost to the department can be reliably estimated.

The latest published data shows that National Health Service trusts, foundation trusts and the Department, including its arm’s-length bodies and wholly owned property companies, disposed of 301 surplus sites between April 2015 and March 2017, generating £439 million in receipts from unconditional sales. This data is available online, as part of Cabinet Office’s ‘Transparency Report: Government’s land and property disposals in 2015-16 and 2016-17’, published in April 2018 at the following link:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/697773/Transparency_report_Government_s_land_and_property_disposals_2015-16_and_2016-17__1_.pdf

Similar data relating to the 2017-18 financial year will be published in due course.

The Department annually collects data on properties owned by NHS trusts and foundation trusts which has been declared surplus and planned for future disposal. This collection does not include properties owned by the Department, its arm’s-length bodies and wholly owned property companies. Information reported directly by trusts show that as at 31 March 2018 the total declared market value of surplus and potentially surplus land was £260 million; however, many organisations were not able to provide figures due to data limitations, including commercial confidentiality. This data is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-surplus-land/2017-18-england

Information on expenditure on translation services is not held centrally. There has been no central audit of translation services in the National Health Service, as these services are commissioned by individual NHS organisations.

Information on expenditure on translation services is not held centrally. There has been no central audit of translation services in the National Health Service, as these services are commissioned by individual NHS organisations.

Medium Secure Unit (MSU) Learning Disability (LD) services continue to be provided at the Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust Whalley site - there are 40 beds available and currently occupancy is running at 100%.

A new 40 bed MSU LD service has now been approved and building has commenced at the Maghull Health Park. This is planned to be completed by May 2020.

Following the outcome of a consultation on proposals to stop providing services at Mersey Care Whalley, NHS England have committed to the beds at Maghull being provided by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The 40 beds at the Maghull Health Park will provide MSU LD services for the whole of the North West.

NHS England advises that the operation and use for non-emergency patient transport services is a matter for local commissioners – including transport services to support vulnerable and disabled patients to social prescribing schemes.

No-one should stay in hospital longer than necessary. That is why we have invested an additional £2 billion over three years to support adult social care and reduce delayed transfers of care.

We will look at performance data in November, to identify the poorest performers and agree what action to take. Whilst this includes looking at financial allocations for 2018-2019, we confirm that this funding will remain with local government, and be used for adult social care.

This information is not held centrally.

NHS Improvement published a review of walk-in centres in 2014. This can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-walk-in-centre-services-in-england-review

The Department continues to spend significant levels of funding to train and develop the adult social care workforce, including those aged between 16-25.

In 2016/17, the Department will provide £23 million in funding to Skills for Care for the training and development of the adult social care workforce including for 16-25 year olds. This includes £12 million for the Workforce Development Fund which provides support to employers for modules and qualifications for their workers in adults’ services in the private and voluntary sectors.

The Department is working closely with the sector skills council partner, Skills for Care, through programmes such as apprenticeships in social care and Care Ambassadors which promote positive image of the sector in schools and colleges.

Refractive eye surgery is regulated through providers being registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and doctors carrying out the surgery must be registered with the General Medical Council.

Once the Royal College of Ophthalmologists refractive surgery standards are published, the General Medical Council would expect a doctor to be aware of them. When carrying out inspections and assessments of services, the CQC would also expect a provider to be following best practice guidance, which would include the standards published by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

These processes are well established and so the Department would not have a direct role in assisting in the implementation of the refractive surgery standards. However, the Department will maintain an interest in the consultation and the work of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in this area.

Refractive eye surgery is regulated through providers being registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and doctors carrying out the surgery must be registered with the General Medical Council.

Once the Royal College of Ophthalmologists refractive surgery standards are published, the General Medical Council would expect a doctor to be aware of them. When carrying out inspections and assessments of services, the CQC would also expect a provider to be following best practice guidance, which would include the standards published by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

These processes are well established and so the Department would not have a direct role in assisting in the implementation of the refractive surgery standards. However, the Department will maintain an interest in the consultation and the work of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in this area.

No Ministers in the Department have held such discussions with East Lancashire and Blackburn and Darwen Clinical Commissioning Groups.

We do not hold this information centrally.

Departmental Ministers regularly discuss a number of mental health issues with NHS England officials, although no discussions specifically about the cost of outsourced mental health services have taken place.

We do not hold this information centrally.

Departmental Ministers regularly discuss a number of mental health issues with NHS England officials, although no discussions specifically about the cost of outsourced mental health services have taken place.

No discussions between My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State and EMIS about data protection have taken place.

The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not hold the data requested at district authority level. Not all councils have adult social care responsibilities. Councils with adult social care responsibilities (CASSRs) in Lancashire are: Lancashire county council, Blackpool unitary authority and Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority. Lancashire County Council is responsible for social care in the district authorities (Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre).

Such information as is available is the number of adults in receipt of council-funded social services from the three councils with adult social care responsibility during the period 2013-14.

The information in Table 1 below is derived from the Referrals, Assessments and Packages of Care (RAP) returns, table P1. RAP returns are collected annually from Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs) and refer to the reporting year 1 April to 31 March. All data are final and rounded to the nearest 5.

Table 1: Number of clients receiving services in Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen provided or commissioned by the CASSR during the period 2013-14

Total

Source: RAP P1

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Funding allocations to authorities with social services responsibilities will consider the fact that they are responsible for adult social care.

Adult social care is one of the services supported through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Funding from the Local Government Finance Settlement is unhypothecated i.e. local authorities are able to use it for any service. For this reason it is not possible to say how much funding has been provided for any particular service, including adult social care. It is up to local authorities to prioritise their budgets based on the needs and priorities of local people in their area.

Local authorities do report expenditure on adult social care. The Latest expenditure data is from the 2013/14 financial year. Table 2 below shows expenditure in Lancashire:

Table 2

The Health and Social Care Information Centre does not hold the data requested at district authority level. Not all councils have adult social care responsibilities. Councils with adult social care responsibilities (CASSRs) in Lancashire are: Lancashire county council, Blackpool unitary authority and Blackburn with Darwen unitary authority. Lancashire County Council is responsible for social care in the district authorities (Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre).

Such information as is available is the number of adults in receipt of council-funded social services from the three councils with adult social care responsibility during the period 2013-14.

The information in Table 1 below is derived from the Referrals, Assessments and Packages of Care (RAP) returns, table P1. RAP returns are collected annually from Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs) and refer to the reporting year 1 April to 31 March. All data are final and rounded to the nearest 5.

Table 1: Number of clients receiving services in Lancashire, Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen provided or commissioned by the CASSR during the period 2013-14

Total

Source: RAP P1

Note:

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.

Funding allocations to authorities with social services responsibilities will consider the fact that they are responsible for adult social care.

Adult social care is one of the services supported through the Local Government Finance Settlement. Funding from the Local Government Finance Settlement is unhypothecated i.e. local authorities are able to use it for any service. For this reason it is not possible to say how much funding has been provided for any particular service, including adult social care. It is up to local authorities to prioritise their budgets based on the needs and priorities of local people in their area.

Local authorities do report expenditure on adult social care. The Latest expenditure data is from the 2013/14 financial year. Table 2 below shows expenditure in Lancashire:

Table 2

The average national waiting time for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme therapies for the last quarter of 2014/15 (quarter two) was 4.8 weeks. The quarter two data for the North of England region show that the average waiting time is 5.3 weeks. The average waiting time for the East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group is 6.3 weeks. Data are not collected by constituency.

Over £400 million is being invested over the spending review period to make a choice of psychological therapies available for those who need them in all parts of England.

The Department’s 2014-15 Mandate to NHS England makes clear that ‘everyone who needs it should have timely access to evidence based services’. The Mandate sets a clear objective for NHS England to deliver the key objectives of the IAPT programme – providing access to therapies to 15% of those eligible (around 900,000 people) per year by 2015, with a recovery rate of 50%.

We have put in place the first waiting times standards in mental health, a significant milestone on the road to parity.

The new five-year plan for mental health, Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020, sets out our ambition and the immediate actions we will take this year and next to achieve better access and waiting times in mental health services.

We have identified £40 million additional spending to kick start change in the current year. We have freed up a further £80 million from existing budgets for 2015/16. This will, for the first time ever, enable the setting of access and waiting time standards in mental health services. This will include treatment within six weeks for 75% of people referred to the IAPT programme, with 95% of people being treated within 18 weeks.

Starting this year, the Department and NHS England will work together with mental health system partners to develop detailed proposals for the introduction of further access and waiting time standards from 2016 onwards.

There is no automatic right for a contractor holding an Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS) contract to transfer to a General Medical Services contract.

It is for a commissioner to decide on the appropriate process for the award of a new contract for clinical services in accordance with the National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition) (No.2) Regulations 2013. There is no requirement to competitively tender all health care service contracts under the regulations and decisions will be based on the local circumstances. Monitor has published guidance for commissioners to support their decision making and is able to provide further advice when requested.

In addition, the provider would need to satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations 2004. It is not necessarily the case that the holder of an APMS contract will satisfy all of these eligibility requirements.

The requested information is contained in the following table.

¹Hyndburn constituency was held within and serviced by East Lancashire Teaching PCT in 2010-2012 and by NHS East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group in 2013. Prior to the formation of the Area Teams in April 2013, the region of Lancashire was contained within the North West Strategic Health Authority

'..' denotes not applicable

Notes:

Data as at 30 September in each year

GP workforce statistics are not available at constituency level; figures are shown for those NHS Organisations in operation at the time of the relevant census

Data Quality:

The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.

Further details and definitions of GP Practice contracts can be found in our annual Census publication:

http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB13849

The requested information is contained in the attached table.

The performance standard for ambulance response times is that 75% of Category A life threatening calls are responded to within eight minutes.

Information on the percentage of ambulance responses to Category A immediately life threatening calls that failed to respond within eight minutes in England and the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust since April 2004 is shown in the following table.

Data relating to Lancashire and Hyndburn constituency is not collected separately. Lancashire and Hyndburn constituency is covered by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Data around the numbers of ambulance calls responded to by the police and the fire service is not collected centrally.

Table showing the percentage of ambulance responses to Category A immediately life threatening calls that were not responded to within eight minutes in England and in the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, April 2004 to March 2014

Notes:

¹From 1 April 2008, NHS ambulance trusts measured response times from the point when the call is presented to the control room telephone switch. Previously, response times were measured from the point when certain details had been ascertained from the caller. Therefore, data from 2008-09 onwards are not comparable with earlier years.

²Data up to 2010-11 are from the KA34 data collection by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, and not necessarily consistent with later data, which are supplied via NHS England.

³From June 2012 onwards, the single Category A eight minute response standard was replaced by two separate standards, Red 1 and Red 2. Due to differences in clock start definitions, it is not possible to aggregate performance of Red 1 and 2 into a total Category A performance.

Source: Ambulance quality indicators, NHS England

The performance standard for ambulance response times is that 75% of Category A life threatening calls are responded to within eight minutes.

Information on the percentage of ambulance responses to Category A immediately life threatening calls that failed to respond within eight minutes in England and the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust since April 2004 is shown in the following table.

Data relating to Lancashire and Hyndburn constituency is not collected separately. Lancashire and Hyndburn constituency is covered by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Data around the numbers of ambulance calls responded to by the police and the fire service is not collected centrally.

Table showing the percentage of ambulance responses to Category A immediately life threatening calls that were not responded to within eight minutes in England and in the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, April 2004 to March 2014

Notes:

¹From 1 April 2008, NHS ambulance trusts measured response times from the point when the call is presented to the control room telephone switch. Previously, response times were measured from the point when certain details had been ascertained from the caller. Therefore, data from 2008-09 onwards are not comparable with earlier years.

²Data up to 2010-11 are from the KA34 data collection by the Health and Social Care Information Centre, and not necessarily consistent with later data, which are supplied via NHS England.

³From June 2012 onwards, the single Category A eight minute response standard was replaced by two separate standards, Red 1 and Red 2. Due to differences in clock start definitions, it is not possible to aggregate performance of Red 1 and 2 into a total Category A performance.

Source: Ambulance quality indicators, NHS England

No such discussions have taken place.

The Responsible Gambling Trust expects to distribute £6,292,000 on treatment, education and research in 2014-15 and is funded by the gambling industry and further donations.

As one of its founding signatories, the UK strongly supports the international community's commitment to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (known as the Ottawa Convention). As well as working to meet our own convention-based commitments to clear our sovereign territory in the Falkland Islands of anti-personnel mines, the UK is committed to the global efforts to tackle the scourge of anti-personnel mines through our international mine action programmes. As a demonstration of the UK's commitment, the Secretary of State for the Department for International Development announced on 4 April 2017 that the UK would triple its spending on mine action in developing countries, taking UK expenditure to £100million over the three years to March 2020. The UK also regularly encourages states who have not signed the Convention to do so, most recently fully supporting Austria, as the outgoing President of the Convention, in urging all non-States Parties to join without delay, as well as encouraging signatory states to fulfil their obligations.

The British Government is concerned by the increase in terrorist and extremist-related violence in Bangladesh. Since the 1 July 2016 attack on the Holey Bakery Café in Dhaka, targeting foreign nationals, the Government has continued to raise its concerns over security directly with senior officials in the Bangladeshi government. We will continue to engage with regional partners and the wider international community to support efforts to address terrorism, extremism and to promote human rights in Bangladesh.

The UK has consistently called upon all parties to refrain from using violence, intimidation and confrontational action. The UK will continue to engage constructively with all political parties in Bangladesh and with international partners, to strengthen democratic accountability and build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections. We are under no obligation to consider asylum claims lodged outside UK territory and it is not appropriate to do so. Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach; that is the fastest route to safety.

The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the United Kingdom takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully with a broad range of stakeholders, including both governments and business over the coming weeks and months, taking a large number of political and economic factors into consideration.

We are concerned about protection of human rights in Bangladesh, but believe that engagement, not sanctions, is the correct course of action. Sanctions would isolate Bangladesh at a time when it is, like so many, facing the global threat of terrorism. Trade sanctions would have a damaging effect on Bangladesh’s development and on efforts to bring people out of poverty.

The United Kingdom will continue to engage constructively with all political parties in Bangladesh and with international partners, to strengthen democratic accountability and build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections. Peaceful, credible elections are the true mark of a mature functioning democracy, and all political parties share a responsibility for delivering them. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office named Bangladesh as one of its 30 Human Rights Priority Countries in its 2015 report. The report cited the confrontational actions of the two main political parties as one of the areas of particular concern.

The Government has made clear its support for Bangladesh’s efforts to bring to justice those accused of atrocities committed during the 1971 War of Independence. However, this must be done in a way that meets appropriate international legal standards. NGOs continue to raise concerns about the process and we urged the Bangladesh government to ensure compliance with these standards during Bangladesh’s second Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in 2013. We continue to emphasise these points in our discussions with the Bangladeshi authorities.

On 4 November, the Foreign Secretary and I met Khaled Khoja, President of the Syrian National Coalition, and Osama Abu Zayd, Spokesperson for the Free Syrian Army. The meeting was an opportunity to hear firsthand about the situation on the ground inside Syria, as well as to underline to President Khoja and his delegation the British Government’s commitment to supporting the moderate Syrian opposition in pursuit of a political solution to the conflict in Syria.

The Government believes that recognition of genocides should be a matter for international courts. It should be a legal, rather than political determination, decided by international judges after consideration of all the evidence available in the context of a credible international judicial process. I deplore the targeting and persecution of Yezidis and other minorities by the so called Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant. We continue to urge the Government of Iraq to do all it can to ensure the security and rights of all minority communities in Iraq, including the Yezidi. We are working in Iraq to build consensus around the importance of freedom of religion or belief; and supporting practical projects on community dialogue with civil society and faith groups. The UK is supporting the international humanitarian relief effort in Iraq by providing £79.5m to help the 3.2 million internally displaced Iraqis, including many who have fled their homes on account of ISIL’s persecution on the grounds of religion. The money is providing clean water, sanitation, essential medicines, and funding for NGOs and charities, some of which is specifically designed to protect women and children.

I visited Rakhine State for the second time in July, during my visit to Burma. While there, I met representatives of both Rakhine and Rohingya communities, visited camps for the internally displaced, viewed projects we are supporting, and raised our serious concerns about the treatment of the Rohingya at senior level, with both local and central Burmese government.

It is clear that the Rohingya are being persecuted and denied the most basic rights in Rakhine. Any judgment on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for international judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.

Our approach is to seek an end to all violations, irrespective of whether they fit the definition of specific international crimes. I and other Government Ministers take every appropriate opportunity, both publicly and in private, to press the Burmese authorities to take urgent steps to address the situation of the Rohingya.

We have withdrawn UK-based family members from Freetown, as well as those staff whose underlying medical conditions may make them more likely to require medical attention locally. We have reviewed working practices to avoid staff being exposed to the Ebola virus and issued guidance to all staff and their families in the region on how best to protect themselves against the virus.

Under the current EU rules, the government cannot remove VAT on the repair and maintenance of places of worship.

The government recognises the importance of places of worship in our communities and provides funding to cover the cost of repairs and maintenance of listed places of worship through The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, managed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport.

The Government believes that it is important that everyone has access to suitable insurance products at the right price.

As a rule, insurers use their claims experience and other industry-wide statistics to set the terms and price at which they will offer insurance cover. Insurers make a risk assessment based on the likelihood a claim being made and the potential cost of that claim.

To assist with building costs, the Government made up to £42 million per annum available for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which provides grants towards the VAT paid on repairs, maintenance and alterations to listed buildings that are used principally as places of worship. Since its inception in 2001, the scheme has made 48,196 individual grants to 17,324 places of worship at a total cost of over £223m. The scheme applies to all faiths and denominations and is delivered UK wide.

Since April 2010, HMRC’s Debt Management group has collected £278.3 billion in underpaid tax, and HMRC’s compliance activities into all types of non-compliance have generated almost £160 billion of additional compliance yield.

*Lower level data on Positive Charging Decisions not held for 10-11, therefore unable to provide Tax Evasion figures for this year.

The number of staff employed in the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Criminal Investigation Directorate each year since 2010 (as at 31^st March) is as follows:

The figures provided include all resource, including managers, deployed both operationally and non-operationally within the Directorate.

From 1 April 2016 the HMRC Fraud Investigation Service (FIS) was formed from the merger of the Criminal Investigation and Specialist Investigation Directorates.

Since the creation of FIS from 1 April 2016, the focus and deployment of the previous specialist civil investigation and criminal investigation resource has been brought together in line with HMRC’s Serious Fraud Strategy. This means HMRC deploy the appropriate criminal and civil resource to their case work, which makes it difficult for 2016-17 to ring-fence resource deployment that is specifically on criminal investigation.

The number of HM Revenue and Customs staff employed in each year since 2010 (as of 31 March each year) is set out in the table below.

FTE – Full Time Equivalence

The Government is ending automatic entitlement to the housing element of Universal Credit – which is gradually replacing Housing Benefit - for out-of-work 18-21 years olds. This is forecast to save £100m over this Parliament.

Our ambitious plans to build a Northern Powerhouse remain a government priority. The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for the Northern Powerhouse will lead the work across the whole of government to help make the North a powerhouse for the UK economy. This will build on the strong progress made over the last two years.

The Northern Powerhouse cuts across a range of policy areas within the Treasury, including devolution, local growth, transport, trade and investment, enterprise and innovation and skills and education. Officials from across these wider policy areas continue to be engaged on the Northern Powerhouse agenda.

The government has received representations from a number of waste operators on this issue. We are taking views into consideration and our priority is to ensure that the LCF operates effectively and encourages money to be spent in the communities that need it.

The LCF is a tax credit scheme into which landfill operators contribute voluntarily. The impact of the changes to the LCF announced at Autumn Statement 2015 is set out in Reform and value of the Landfill Communities Fund. This document can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reform-and-value-of-the-landfill-communities-fund/reform-and-value-of-the-landfill-communities-fund

Output per hour grew 0.9 per cent in Q2 2015 and 0.5 per cent in Q3 but raising UK productivity is a long term challenge. The government published the productivity plan in July, created the National Infrastructure Commission in October and set out further measures in the Autumn Statement.

HM Revenue and Customs is now able to provide the data in the format requested.

The table below shows the number of mandatory reconsiderations for tax credits undertaken by Synnex-Concentix UK Ltd since the start of the contract. The data is accurate as at 2 November 2015.

The following table outlines the number of applications HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) received from HM Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) as a result of a mandatory reconsideration decision made by Concentrix.

Prior to March 2015 HMRC did not receive any applications from HMCTS challenging a mandatory reconsideration decision made by Concentrix.

The information requested is not available in the form requested.

The Government has established a criteria of eligibility for Help to Buy mortgages for participating banks to uphold. The responsibility of approving or rejecting a Help to Buy mortgage is given to participating banks.

There are currently two existing Help to Buy schemes; the Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee scheme and the Help to Buy: equity loan scheme. The eligibility criteria for each of these schemes can be found on the Help to Buy website: http://www.helptobuy.org.uk

The Government does not collect information on the number of Help to Buy mortgage applications declined on the basis of a poor credit rating.

The Responsible Gambling Trust (which is funded by the gambling industry and further donations) expects to distribute £6,292,000 on treatment, education and research in 2014/15. This provides funding to specialist charities, such as GamCare, which provide gambling addiction treatment.

The Serious Crime Act 2015 introduced a new domestic abuse offence of coercive or controlling behaviour in intimate and familial relationships. The statutory guidance underpinning the offence is clear that financial abuse, such as controlling the victim’s finances, is a type of behaviour that can form part of a purposeful pattern of behaviour over time to exert power, control or coercion over another person.

In 2017-18 960 offences of coercive or controlling behaviour have been charged and reached a first hearing, more than three times the volume in the previous year. This shows that the offence is having an impact and sends a strong message that coercive or controlling behaviour will not be tolerated.

On 21 January we published our landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill and consultation response which will transform the cross-Government response to this devastating crime. The draft Bill includes provisions for a statutory definition of domestic abuse, including economic abuse. Replacing ‘financial’ with ‘economic’ acknowledges how broad this form of abuse is and how many aspects of a victim’s life it can affect, such as limiting their access to fundamental resources such as money, food, transport, employment and housing. This will raise awareness of the issue of economic abuse and also enable frontline professionals and the criminal justice system to better understand, recognise and tackle it, so that victims can be supported to achieve the economic stability that they need.

The draft Bill is underpinned by a comprehensive package of non-legislative action which we have set out in our consultation response, including a commitment to review the effectiveness of the coercive or controlling behaviour offence to ensure it is fit for purpose and that it adequately protects victims from abuse. In addition, we have committed to update the statutory guidance and CPS legal guidance on the offence to include economic abuse and provide guidance on how this form of abuse can manifest itself as part of a pattern of coercive control

Any act of violence or abuse against retail staff is a serious matter which is why tackling it is the number one priority issue for the National Retail Crime Steering Group, which I co-chair with the British Retail Consortium.

Through this group, we have developed a Violence Reduction Strategy which includes activities to increase reporting of violence and abuse, develop a framework for effective preventative training for retail staff and private security, work with PCCs to raise the priority of this crime type in their policing plans and work with wider Criminal Justice stakeholders to ensure that sentencing guidelines and aggravating thresholds are appropriate.

The Home Office does not collect information on the enforcement actions taken by the police relating to unauthorised traveller settlements.

The Office of National Statistics publishes statistics on metal thefts annually, based on information provided by police forces. The most recent statistics, for the year ending March 2017 were published in December 2017. Statistics relating to the year to March 2018 will be published later this year.

Thefts of stone are not recorded separately in the crime statistics published by the Office of National Statistics. Such thefts will be incorporated within the overall statistics relating to thefts.

We have no plans to legislate to ban squatting in commercial properties to prevent the theft of metals of other commodities. The police can already take action if those who squat in such premises commit crimes when entering or staying in such premises, including crimes relating to criminal damages and thefts.

The Department does not hold this information. Statistics relating to metal theft are published annually by the Office for National Statistics, but this does not include information relating to the circumstances or specific locations of these thefts.

The Home Office does not issue guidance to the police specifically on the resale of stolen metal or stone.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 was introduced specifically to make it more difficult for thieves to dispose of stolen metal through metal recycling yards. There is no similar specific legislation in relation to stolen stone, as its disposal or resale routes are very different.

We do encourage victims of all such crimes to report them to the police, so that they can be investigated. The local response to these crimes is, however, a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners who, as operational leaders and elected local representatives, must decide how best to deploy resources to respond to these crimes.

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 provides a strong legislative basis for tackling all forms of metal theft by making it more difficult for criminals to dispose of stolen metal through scrap metal yards.

The police can take action against commercial squatters who commit other crimes, including thefts of metal or other commodities, when entering or staying in a property. Enforcement is a matter for chief constables and Police and Crime Commissioners who must decide how best to deploy their resources to respond to the crimes affecting their local communities.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of persons detained for more than 24 hours under Part IV of PACE. Data can be found in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical bulletin in accompanying table D_03, the latest of which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/561975/other-pace-police-powers-procedures-hosb1516-tables.ods

Data, broken down by those detained over 24 hours and up to 36 hours, those detained for more than 36 hours, and those detained for longer than 36 hours under a warrant for further detention can be found in Table D_01 of the same release. For detentions exceeding 36 hours, the time in custody under warrant issued by a magistrate can be found in Table D_02.

Data for earlier years can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales

The Home Office does not collect centrally information on the number of persons detained for less than 24 hours, therefore it is not possible to provide a total figure for the number of people detained in police custody each year.

Information on how many people have been detained in police custody for more than 24 hours on mental health grounds is not held centrally.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of persons detained for more than 24 hours under Part IV of PACE. Data can be found in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical bulletin in accompanying table D_03, the latest of which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/561975/other-pace-police-powers-procedures-hosb1516-tables.ods

Data, broken down by those detained over 24 hours and up to 36 hours, those detained for more than 36 hours, and those detained for longer than 36 hours under a warrant for further detention can be found in Table D_01 of the same release. For detentions exceeding 36 hours, the time in custody under warrant issued by a magistrate can be found in Table D_02.

Data for earlier years can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales

The Home Office does not collect centrally information on the number of persons detained for less than 24 hours, therefore it is not possible to provide a total figure for the number of people detained in police custody each year.

Information on how many people have been detained in police custody for more than 24 hours on mental health grounds is not held centrally.

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of persons detained for more than 24 hours under Part IV of PACE. Data can be found in the ‘Police Powers and Procedures’ statistical bulletin in accompanying table D_03, the latest of which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/561975/other-pace-police-powers-procedures-hosb1516-tables.ods

Data, broken down by those detained over 24 hours and up to 36 hours, those detained for more than 36 hours, and those detained for longer than 36 hours under a warrant for further detention can be found in Table D_01 of the same release. For detentions exceeding 36 hours, the time in custody under warrant issued by a magistrate can be found in Table D_02.

Data for earlier years can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-powers-and-procedures-england-and-wales

The Home Office does not collect centrally information on the number of persons detained for less than 24 hours, therefore it is not possible to provide a total figure for the number of people detained in police custody each year.

Information on how many people have been detained in police custody for more than 24 hours on mental health grounds is not held centrally.

A temporary hold on decision-making in respect of some settlement visa applications was introduced on 22 February 2017 so that the implications of the Supreme Court judgment handed down that day in MM (Lebanon) & Others could be considered.

The settlement visa applications affected are those under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules which fall to be refused and which involve a child or do not meet the minimum income requirement. The temporary hold will be lifted once the judgment’s findings have been addressed.

A temporary hold on decision-making in respect of some settlement visa applications was introduced on 22 February 2017 so that the implications of the Supreme Court judgment handed down that day in MM (Lebanon) & Others could be considered.

The settlement visa applications affected are those under Appendix FM to the Immigration Rules which fall to be refused and which involve a child or do not meet the minimum income requirement. The temporary hold will be lifted once the judgment’s findings have been addressed.

Information on family settlement visas is published quarterly in the Immigration Statistics which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-january-to-march-2017/list-of-tables#visas.

A temporary hold on decision-making in respect of some settlement visa applications was introduced on 22 February 2017 so that the implications of the Supreme Court judgment handed down that day in MM (Lebanon) & Others could be considered. The temporary hold will be lifted once the judgment’s findings have been addressed.

The Home Office has engaged closely with other Government departments through the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Inter-Ministerial Group to oversee delivery of the VAWG strategy including the commitment of increased funding of £80m for VAWG services.

The Home Office has also engaged closely with commissioners and voluntary sector partners on support for independent domestic violence advisers, and our move to support better local collaboration and early intervention through the VAWG Service Transformation Fund.

This Government has maintained protection for police spending in a fair provisional funding deal for policing.

Decisions on the size, composition and deployment of a police force's workforce are matters for Chief Constables, in association with Police and Crime Commissioners.

It is an operational decision for Chief Constables, working with their applicable Police and Crime Commissioner to determine the levels of resources required for the police to monitor and manage such events.

It is up to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables to decide how to allocate their resources, including the efficient use of reserves, based on local priorities. The total amount of revenue funding received by each PCC (formerly Police Authorities) and the total amounts of usable reserves, taken from publically available force area accounts are included in the table below. This includes total core Government funding area from the Home Office, Legacy Council Tax Grants and locally raised precept income. It excludes specific grants such as the Innovation Fund and other locally raised income.

Lancashire Police Authority/PCC reserves

Thames Valley Police Authority/PCC reserves

It is up to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables to decide how to allocate their resources, including the efficient use of reserves, based on local priorities. The total amount of revenue funding received by each PCC (formerly Police Authorities) and the total amounts of usable reserves, taken from publically available force area accounts are included in the table below. This includes total core Government funding area from the Home Office, Legacy Council Tax Grants and locally raised precept income. It excludes specific grants such as the Innovation Fund and other locally raised income.

Lancashire Police Authority/PCC reserves

Thames Valley Police Authority/PCC reserves

It is up to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables to decide how to allocate their resources, including the efficient use of reserves, based on local priorities. The total amount of revenue funding received by each PCC (formerly Police Authorities) and the total amounts of usable reserves, taken from publically available force area accounts are included in the table below. This includes total core Government funding area from the Home Office, Legacy Council Tax Grants and locally raised precept income. It excludes specific grants such as the Innovation Fund and other locally raised income.

Lancashire Police Authority/PCC reserves

Thames Valley Police Authority/PCC reserves

It is up to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Chief Constables to decide how to allocate their resources, including the efficient use of reserves, based on local priorities.

Herefordshire is covered by the West Mercia police force area. The total amount of revenue funding received by the West Mercia PCC (formerly West Mercia Police Authority) and the total amounts of usable reserves, taken from publically available force area accounts are included in the following table.

This includes total core Government funding area from the Home Office, Legacy Council Tax Grants and locally raised precept income. It excludes specific grants such as the Innovation Fund and other locally raised income.

Hertfordshire Constabulary’s final 2014/15 Statement of Accounts are published on the force website. The accounts have been independently audited and include the force’s level of reserves for 2014/15.

The Department has received 49 complaints about the charge for using the 101 police non-emergency number in the last three years.

Research by Ofcom shows that a small fixed charge does not deter people from calling the service and reduces the likelihood of it being used inappropriately.

The latest Crime Survey (published July 2013) shows that use of the 101 number has increased since 2011.

Whilst we have monitored the effect of the 101 non-emergency police number on the number of 999 calls, we have not undertaken an official assessment. We are currently considering, with other government departments, options to review the impact of 101, including on 999.

The Home Office does not hold the information requested.

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, authority may be given to
re-home animals where those animals were bred or held for supply for use in
regulated procedures, or were intended for use in regulated procedures, or have
been used in regulated procedures. This may also apply to animals which are
being kept under the care of the Named Veterinary Surgeon after completing
procedures and is always contingent on our acceptance of certain reassurances
relating to Section 17A of the Act. Records of each animal re-homed would be
kept locally at the licensed establishment so that they can be available to
Home Office Inspectors on request.

European Directive 2010/63/EU, which was implemented in the UK and other Member
States on 1 January 2013, does not provide legal grounds on which the UK can
impose a mandatory obligation of re-homing under the Animals (Scientific
Procedures) Act 1986. Nevertheless, we have provided guidance on re-homing
animals in our Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures)
Act 1983, section 5.21.

Home Office Ministers have regular meetings with Ministerial colleagues and
EU counterparts as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As
was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to
provide details of all such meetings.

The Home Office has not issued guidance on this point to police forces.
However, work is underway in UK Border Force and other law enforcement
organisations to tackle this problem, including the better profiling and
identification of containers that may contain stolen metal. They are also
looking at whether there are technological solutions that can be used to better
secure our borders.

The Home Office will continue to contribute to the funding of the National
Metal Theft Taskforce until 30 September 2014. The decision to provide funding
until that date ensures the Taskforce operates concurrently with the first year
of the new licensing scheme under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013. After that
date, future enforcement activity will become the responsibility of individual
police forces based on their local crime priorities. It was never the
intention that the Taskforce would continue indefinitely.

The Home Office has not undertaken an assessment of the level of stolen scrap
metal exported for sale abroad.

We are aware of the risk that stolen metals may be directly exported and so
work is underway with UK Border Force and other law enforcement organisations
to deal with this, including the better profiling and identification of
containers that may contain stolen metal. We are also looking to see whether
there are any technological solutions we can use to better secure our borders.

No estimate has been made of the proportion of applicants for scrap metal
dealer's licences who were not known to their local authority under the
previous registration system