Information relating to the effectiveness of appeals for witnesses in criminal investigations is not collected centrally and would be a matter for individual police forces.

The Government recognises that small businesses are a vital part of high streets and is committed to supporting them, as highlighted in our support for Small Business Saturday on 7 December. On 5 and 6 December we announced a range of powerful new measures to provide the tools for local communities to transform their high streets and town centres, including the biggest business rates support package for over 20 years.

We are introducing a business rates discount of £1,000 for smaller retail premises for two years from April, and 50% business rates relief for up to 18 months for new occupants of shops that have been vacant for a year. We are capping next year’s business rates RPI increase at 2%. As well as doubling small business rate relief for a further year to March 2015, we will relax the rate relief criteria to remove the disincentive for the smallest businesses to take on second properties. Other measures to support high streets include tackling aggressive and unhelpful parking policies, a review of business improvement districts, consultations on new permitted development rights, further planning simplification, a call for evidence on red tape and support for the digital high streets. More information can be found in the press release at:

www.gov.uk/government/news/eric-pickles-launches-package-of-support-for-local-shops

Smaller retailers will also benefit from the Government’s introduction this year of a £2,000 employment allowance for all businesses to reduce their national insurance contributions bill each year, and a falling corporation tax rate. Government will make it cheaper for businesses to employ young people by abolishing employer national insurance contributions for under 21-year-olds on earnings

up to £813 per week. Small retailers can also take advantage of the range of support offered by Government to help small and medium-sized businesses to start and thrive.

The number of full-time equivalent nurses, midwives and health visitors working in the national health service in England and Greater London are set out in the following table.

The proportion of a nurse's time spent on patient care will vary from trust to trust and post to post.

The data is from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) 2012 Annual Workforce Census, which reflects the numbers of NHS staff employed in England on 30 September in each year in both primary care and hospital and community health services. The 2012 Workforce Census is the most recent; the next Census will be published in March 2014 and will reflect the position as at 30 September 2013.

In London, the Department for Transport devolves funding decisions to Transport for London (TfL) via the GLA Transport Grant—£1.988 billion this year. This supports TfL's infrastructure investment programme, including the delivery of the Mayor's Vision for Cycling in London.

On 13 December the Department announced a further initiative to help cyclists in London. New low-level traffic lights designed for cyclists have been authorised for use following safety trials. The clearance means that TfL can now install the lights at Bow Roundabout—the first time the lights have been used in the UK. Initially the system will be piloted at Bow but the Department is working with TfL to extend it to a further 11 sites in London. The lights will give cyclists improved, clearer signals to ensure they have the information they need at the junction. In addition we are working with TfL on trialling innovative schemes to improve cycle safety at junctions.

Furthermore, the Department has made it considerably easier for local authorities to implement 20 mph zones, ‘Trixi’ mirrors, new designs of Advanced Stop Lines and other highway measures to support cycle safety.

We also continue to work with the haulage industry to drive up vehicle standards and awareness of vulnerable road users.

The Mayor has a statutory responsibility for economic development in London. It is for the Mayor, advised by the London Enterprise Panel (LEP), to determine priorities for economic development in the capital and to use the resources available to the Greater London Assembly and the LEP and its partners to support the creation of jobs in Greater London.

Information is not available on how many qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff work in administration, education and clinical care. Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff working in Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) are employed on Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions. This is the national pay framework for NHS staff other than very senior managers and medical staff. Within this pay framework nurses can be employed across a range of pay bands. Nurses employed by general practices are not employed on national terms and conditions.

The following table sets out the AfC pay bands and pay ranges and the full-time equivalent number of HCHS qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff working in each for (i) England and (ii) the Health Education England London areas as at 31 August 2013. This does not cover nurses employed by general practitioner practices.

The requested information is not held centrally.

Under the terms of their contract with NHS England, all general practitioner (GP) practices are responsible for the provision of GP services to their patients 24 hours a day. However, they are able to opt out of providing services outside of core hours if they wish. In these circumstances, it is the responsibility, of NHS England, delegated to clinical commissioning groups, to ensure patients have access to primary medical services during the out of hours period.

The Environment Agency published an assessment on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in October 2013. The assessment included a review of historical evidence and new evidence on SUDS in London and how other cities are implementing SUDS. The Environment Agency's assessment is published on its website at:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Research/SuDS_and_the_Thames_Tunnel_Assessment_ Final_Report_Oct_2013.pdf

Information on the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements in the 2009/10 to 2012/13 academic years for the under 21 age group in London local education authorities will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Provisional data for the first three months of the 2013/14 academic year will be published in January 2014 in a Statistical First Release:

http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current/

There is a statutory duty on local authorities to provide services to improve young people's well-being, so far as is reasonably practicable. Guidance was issued by Department for Education in June 2012 to remind them of these responsibilities.

Cabinet Office took responsibility for Youth Policy from the Department for Education in summer 2013 and one of the first pieces of work undertaken was to issue a national survey to all upper tier local authorities, including those in Greater London, to understand what services and activities youth workers within local authorities the private and voluntary sector currently deliver to young people.

Cabinet Office will use this data to map youth service activity across the country and understand any gaps in provision.

The Department collects information about current school capacity and future pupil numbers in every local authority area, and uses this to estimate the number of new places that will be needed. The most recent published survey data relates to the position at May 2012, and includes forecasts of primary pupil numbers to 2016/17, and secondary pupil numbers to 2018/19. The data is available online at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-capacity-academic-year-2011-to-2012

and we expect to publish updated data shortly.

The Department publishes national projections about pupil numbers—these provide a longer-term estimate of population growth, but do not reflect the need for new places. The latest assessment was published on 12 December 2013 and includes projections to 2020, available at:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pupil-projections-future-trends-in-pupil-numbers-december-2013

The Government are significantly increasing support for exporters by helping more small businesses on overseas tradeshows. As the right hon. Gentleman will well know, the Prime Minister has just led the largest-ever trade mission to China, but missions to smaller countries across the world are also vital to our economic future.

Three in every four people work full-time, and full-time work accounts for all of the significant rise in employment over the last year.

I welcome the more positive approach taken by the Iranian Government at the recent E3 plus 3 talks in Geneva. Foreign Minister Zarif presented a basis for negotiations and we have begun more substantive discussions on how to address the serious concerns about the nuclear programme. If Iran is willing to take the necessary first steps on its programme, we are ready to take proportionate steps in return.

The consultation on the powers of stop-and-search ran for 12 weeks over the summer and generated a high volume of responses from national and local community groups to the police and members of the public. There were over 5,000 responses to the consultation, all of which are being analysed. We aim to publish the findings of the consultation and a response by the end of the year.

I have always been clear that any reform is best achieved by consensus. Despite seven meetings, I am disappointed that, as on previous occasions, there has been no agreement between the three parties on beginning party funding reform.

Following the Archbishop of Canterbury’s visit to the middle east in the summer, he met my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in July to discuss the vulnerable situation of religious minorities in Syria and Egypt. The Church of England has made representations to Foreign Office Ministers to suggest appointing an ambassador at large for religious freedom.

It is usual practice for Government to make amendments, where possible, in the House of introduction. However, the Government are rightly expected to listen and respond to debates on Bills in both Houses of Parliament, and it is, of course, the core strength of our Parliament that any amendments made to Bills in the other place must also be agreed by this House.