| Previous Section | Home Page |
Mr. Burt : The guidance of chairmen of social security appeals tribunals is a matter for the President of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Thorpe, and he will be writing to the hon. Member direct on this matter.
Single Parents (Benefits)
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents are (a) claiming unemployment benefit, (b) receiving income support and
Column 331
(c) living in rented accommodation and receiving housing benefit ; and what percentage of the recipients in each category they represent.Mr. Burt : Figures for the number of single parents receiving only unemployment benefit are not available. The latest available information on single parents receiving income support with and without unemployment benefit, and receiving housing benefit with and without income support is for 1992 and is in the tables.
Number of single parents in receipt of income support
|Number of cases |Percentage of all
|income support
|cases
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With unemployment benefit |3,000 |0.1
Without unemployment benefit |1,023,000 |18.6
All cases |1,026,000 |18.7
N
Number of single parents in receipt of housing benefit
|Number of cases |Percentage of all
|housing benefit
|cases
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
With income support |730,000 |28.0
Without indomce support |87,000 |5.0
All cases |817,000 |19.0
Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Figures may overlap as
people can receive more than one of these benefits.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Pike : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations his Department has received regarding the implementation of the Child Support Agency since its inception.
Mr. Burt : Between 5 April 1993 and 30 September 1993 the Department of Social Security headquarters and the Child Support Agency headquarters received in the region of 1,200 written representations covering a range of views about child support issues.
State Pensions
Mr. Winnick : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by what amount the state pension will be increased next year for (a) single and (b) married pensioners.
Mr. Hague : My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make a statement about next year's uprating of benefits as usual in due course.
Benefits Agency
Mr. Fatchett : To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (a) those firms who were asked to bid for the management contract for Quarry house, Leeds and (b) the value of the contract awarded to the successful contractor.
Mr. Burt : The firms invited to bid were :
P and O Total Facilities Management ;
Matthew Hall ;
Ferguson Bucknall Austin ;
Property and Facilities Management.
It would be a breach of commercial confidentiality to disclose the value of the contract.
Column 332
SCOTLAND
Local Government Reorganisation
Mr. Foulkes : To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to set up a committee to make recommendations for the organisation and management of the new local authorities along the lines of the Paterson committee in the previous reorganisation.
Mr. Stewart [holding answer 20 October 1993] : Much of the advice contained in the Paterson report continues to serve local government well today. The Government have already made it clear in their White Paper, "Shaping the Future--The New Councils" that it is not proposed to make provision in legislation for alternative forms of local government organisation and management to replace the existing committee-based system which was endorsed by the Paterson committee. It was agreed, however, in discussions of the joint Scottish Office/Convention of Scottish Local Authorities steering group and working group, which was established last year to consider internal management issues, that there was scope for guidance on possible developments in management structures within this basic statutory framework, and that this might best be taken forward from within local government itself.
EMPLOYMENT
European Social Fund
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will press in the Social Affairs Council for a rollover facility in the current year for grants from the European social fund into 1994.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : In July, the Foreign Affairs Council reached agreement on new regulations which will govern procedures for making grants under the structural funds, including the European social fund, from 1 January 1994. The Government argued strongly for a rollover year or similar transitional arrangements during the negotiations on the new regulations, but in the absence of support from other member states was unsuccessful in securing them.
Labour Statistics
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish tables showing the percentage of those people who are registered as unemployed who are aged 24 years or under, according to the latest available figures, in each parliamentary constituency in (a) Great Britain and (b) England, and if he will publish the tables in rank order.
Miss Widdecombe : Official unemployment rates are not available for areas smaller than the self-contained labour markets known as travel-to- work areas. Unadjusted data on claimant unemployment levels, by age, in each parliamentary constituency are available quarterly for the months of January, April, July and October from the NOMIS database in the Library.
Mr. Bayley : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people aged (a) 16 or 17 years and (b) 18 to 24 years living in (i) York parliamentary
Column 333
constituency, (ii) North Yorkshire, (iii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iv) Great Britain were registered as unemployed at April 1991.Miss Widdecombe : The information requested is given in the following table :
Unadjusted claimant Unemployment by Age (April 1991)
|Under 18|18-24
-----------------------------------------------------------
York Parliamentary Constituency |1 |1,127
North Yorkshire |15 |4,712
Yorkshire and Humberside |285 |64,296
Great Britain |3,027 |632,710
Note: Since September 1988 and coinciding with the
extension of a guaranteed Youth Training Scheme now Youth
Training (YT) place to all those aged under 18 not in full
time education or employment, those who decline an offer
of a YT place are no longer entitled to
unemployment-related benefits except in cases of severe
hardship.
THORP
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what requests he has received from BNFL trade unions since 28 June for a meeting on the employment implications of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant and associated nuclear facilities upon the Cumbrian economy.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Since 28 June, we have received one request from trade unions at BNFL for a meeting on the employment and local economic implications of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (THORP).
Environmental Technology
Mr. Llew Smith : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives have been taken in 1993 by training and enterprise councils, in conjunction with private industry, to promote job creation in environmental projects and manufacture of environmental technology.
Miss Widdecombe : This information is not generally available centrally, but I am aware of several good examples. For instance, West London training and enterprise council has a series of initiatives to help businesses to become more environmentally conscious ; Northumberland TEC is involved in a project developing business and management training with a key objective to improve the understanding of environmental issues ; and Dudley TEC has piloted a project which links schools and employers in projects on environmental and amenity improvements to industrial premises using computer technology.
Noel Employment Ltd.
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 29 June, Official Report, column 474, for what reasons his Department judged that the temporary employees of Noel Employment Ltd. were to be refused redundancy payments.
Miss Widdecombe : Claims from the majority of temporary workers were rejected because they were not considered to be "employees" as defined in section 153 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978. The Department examined all the relevant contract documentation which indicated that in the majority of cases there was
Column 334
no obligation on the company to provide work, or for the temporary workers to accept it and that the temporary workers were free to work for other agencies between engagements. Nor were there any contractual arrangements for holiday, sick pay or pay for bank holidays which would normally be associated with a contract of service.Two separate industrial tribunals have since upheld the Department's view that these factors were inconsistent with employee status for the purposes of the 1978 Act.
Health and Safety
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish dates of all meetings with outside persons or bodies and titles of all non-departmental briefing papers or any associated material concerning the possible amendment of sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 ; what plans he has to amend sections 1(1), 1(2) or 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, etc. 1974 in respect of matters relating to his Department ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There have been many discussions of a wide range of issues arising from the Health and Safety Commission's review of regulation, including those within the seven sectoral task groups. Any question of amendment of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 would take into consideration the findings of the Health and Safety Commission's review.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past five years, the total number of each of forms OSR1, OSR7, F9, F10, F1229, F2252, F2522, F2404 and ASB5 received by the Health and Safety Executive and the total number estimated to be outstanding for each year ; and what action the Health and Safety Executive took in each year to chase up outstanding forms.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Information about the number of forms OSR1, F9, F10, F1229, F2252, F2522 and ASB5 received by the Health and Safety Executive is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Forms OSR7 and F2404 are not required to be sent to HSE. As part of its inspection strategy, HSE seeks out premises that are not registered. Additionally and where relevant, during the course of inspection visits HSE inspectors remind occupiers of the requirement to provide formal notification to HSE as appropriate.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past five years, the total number of inspections made by health and safety inspectors in relation to completion by employers of each of forms F31, F32, F34, F35, F36, F44A, F47, F55, F55A, F57, F59, F60, F339, F658, F750, F751, F1327, F1952, F2032, F2067, F2197, F2198, F2346, F2351, F2362, F2525, F2526, F2527, F2530 and F2531 and the total number of inspectors available to make such inspections ; what was the total number of establishments found not to have completed such forms ; and what action the Health and Safety Executive took in each year to chase up outstanding forms.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : The information is not available in the form requested.
The forms listed should be completed in various circumstances under the Factories Act 1961. Forms F658, F1327 and F2362 are no longer used.
Column 335
The following table shows the total number of planned inspection visits made by FI in the last five years and the number of factory inspectors in post in the field at 1 April in each year.Year (1 April to 31 |Number of planned |Number of inspectors March) |inspections ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1988-89 |118,903 |514.5 1989-90 |126,495 |527.0 1990-91 |130,016 |558.5 1991-92 |130,275 |577.0 1992-93 |121,486 |608.0
The primary purpose of planned inspection visits is to consider compliance with health and safety legislation and where necessary to give advice and guidance to employers and others. During visits inspectors consider the use of statutory forms and impress on occupiers, where appropriate, the importance of them.
Unemployment Benefit
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of forms (a) UB77 and UB77A and (b) UB78A and UB78B issued by the employment service, and the total numbers of cases in each case where entitlement to unemployment benefit was subsequently withdrawn or not allowed.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 21 October 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write direct to respond to your
Column 336
Parliamentary Question to him about the total number of forms UB77, UB77A, UB78A and UB78B issued by the Employment Service in each of the last ten years, and the total number of cases where entitlement to unemployment benefit was subsequently withdrawn or not allowed. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.UB77 and UB78 forms are sent to employers to establish an individual's entitlement to unemployment benefit. Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the numbers we issue each year because this information is not collated or published.
I am sorry I cannot be of help on this occasion.
As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Deregulation
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all correspondence sent by his Department to the Health and Safety Commission or from the Health and Safety Commission to his Department containing suggested regulations to be considered for revocation as part of the deregulation initiative, the dates on which correspondence was sent and the dates on which each of the seven Health and Safety Commission's sectoral task groups for deregulation were established, have met and plan to complete their consideration.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : There has been no correspondence between the Department and the Health and Safety Commission on this issue. The Health and Safety Commission established seven sectoral task groups to help it to undertake its review of health and safety regulation. The appointment of the chairmen and members of each of the seven groups runs from 1 July 1993 to 30 April 1994.
The following table gives the dates on which each of the seven sector task groups have met :
Column 335
|July |August |September|October
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chemicals and pharmaceuticals |30 |14 |23 |11
Communications and transport |29 | 1 |22 |28
Construction |15, 27 |19, 25 |16 |15
Engineering industries |21 |10, 24 |- | 4, 8
Food, drink and agriculture |19 |16 |24 |11
Financial services |22 |26 | 9 |19
Other services | 7 |11 | 8 | 6
The Groups have been asked to complete their work by March 1994. All health and safety regulations are being considered in the review. The findings of the seven sectoral task groups will be considered by the Health and Safety Commission and reported to me. Any regulations considered suitable for reform will be subject to the usual consultation procedures established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The work of the sectoral groups is continuing.
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table listing (a) all regulations suggested by his Department to the Health and Safety Commission or by the Health and Safety Commission to his Department as candidates for revocation as part of the deregulation initiative, (b) the purpose and function of each of these regulations, (c)
Column 336
whether it is suggested that the regulations be (i) amended, (ii) abolished, (iii) replaced with self-regulation or (iv) replaced with other regulation ; whether, for each regulation, revocation without replacement or with self-regulation would require amendment of section 1(1), 1(2) and 15(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 ; and if he will make a statement.Mr. Michael Forsyth : All health and safety legislation for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment is responsible is being reviewed as part of the Health and Safety Commission's review of regulation. If, during the course of that review or at its conclusion, the Health and Safety Commission takes the view that reform of parts of the legislation would be desirable, the Health and Safety Commission will publish a consultative document containing its proposals. At the end of the
Column 337
consultation period the Health and Safety Commission will put forward its proposals to us in accordance with section 11 of the Health and Safety at Work etc, Act 1974.Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all regulations submitted by his Department for inclusion in the deregulation unit's list of regulations affecting business together with the estimated enforcement costs and compliance costs for each separate regulation and, for those regulations for which such costs are not yet available, the target date by which he intends to submit such costs to the deregulation unit.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Details of all regulations for which the Department, including the Health and Safety Executive, is responsible, were forwarded to the deregulation unit and incorporated in the baseline- document placed in the Library on 20 April. As part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department is currently undertaking reviews of all its regulations. As part of these reviews we aim to assess compliance costs. The reviews will be completed by April 1994.
Mr. Patrick Doyle
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list of all meetings held and correspondence exchanged in the past 10 years between his Department and Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training ; what was the nature of such meetings or correspondence ; what plans he has to meet Mr. Patrick Doyle ; and if he will make a statement.
Miss Widdecombe : The Department has found no record of any meetings or correspondence with Mr. Patrick Doyle, now of AST Training. Neither I nor any other Ministers in the Department have any plans to meet Mr. Doyle.
Injured Trainees
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of accident report forms CHS 76 completed by training providers and the total number of cases in which the injured trainee was deemed to be entitled to injury benefit.
Miss Widdecombe : The total number of accident report forms CHS 76 completed by training providers and submitted to the Department for each of the last 10 years is as follows :
|Number
----------------------
1983 |2,802
1984 |2,278
1985 |2,529
1986 |2,771
1987 |3,616
1988 |4,039
1989 |4,746
1990 |3,811
1991 |2,691
<1>1992 |973
<1> From April 1992
forms CHS 76 were
forwarded to the
Department only for
those injured
trainees who had been
terminated from their
training schemes, or
who suffered a major
injury as defined in
the Reporting of
Injuries, Diseases
and Dangerous
Occurrences
Regulation 1985 (
RIDDOR).
The total number of cases in which the injured trainee was deemed to be entitled to injury benefit for the years 1990 to 1992 are as follows :
|Number of forms |Number entitled to
|received |benefit
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1990 |3,811 |1,067
1991 |2,691 |877
1992 |973 |592
Figures for previous years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Disabled Employees
Mr. Dobson : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the total number of forms DP39 received and DP40 issued by his Department.
Mr. Michael Forsyth : Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 21 October 1993 :
As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the publication of a table showing the total number of forms DP39 received and DP40s issued by his Department for each of the past 10 years. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
I regret that I am unable to provide the precise information you asked for. We do not collect statistics centrally on applications for permits under the provisions of the Quota Scheme (form DP39), or the Designated Employment Scheme (DP40).
We do, however, collect data on the numbers of employers issued with permits (DP42) under the Quota Scheme each year. This is taken from annual returns from our Local Offices on the extent to which employers in their areas are complying with the requirements of the Scheme as at 1 June. I attach a table showing, for each of the last 10 years, the number of employers within scope of the Scheme, ie those with 20 or more employees who were not employing their full 3 per cent. quota of registered disabled people on 1 June, but who had been issued with permits during the previous 12 months.
I hope this is helpful.
As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive Replies to written Parliamentary Questions will be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
Table
Numbers of
below-quota
employers issued
with permits (DP42)
12 months to 1 June
|Number
---------------------
1983 |18,536
1984 |18,770
1985 |18,681
1986 |18,840
1987 |18,577
1988 |18,594
1989 |18,530
1990 |18,038
1991 |17,649
1992 |15,871
Column 339
Technical and Vocational Initiative
Mrs. Ann Taylor : To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the level of funding for the technical and vocational education initiative provided by (a) his Department and (b) local education authorities for each financial year since its introduction.
Miss Widdecombe : The following table shows the Department's expenditure on the technical and vocational education initiative since its introduction in September 1983 to March 1993.
The Department does not collate data on expenditure by local education authorities in relation to TVEI, though authorities and grant maintained schools do contribute to TVEI aims.
Column 340
Employment Department
expenditure on TVEI
|£ million
------------------------------
1983-84 |<1>-
1984-85 |26
1985-86 |39
1986-87 |70
1987-88 |58
1988-89 |88
1989-90 |129
1990-91 |135
1991-92 |154
1992-93 |<2>143
<1> Not separately
identified.
<2> Forecast Out-turn.
|
| Home Page |