| Previous Section | Home Page |
Team Games
Mr Harry Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussion he has had with the Department for Education and with the Treasury with regard to improving the provision of team games in schools; and if he will make a statement. [22850]
Mr. Sproat: My Department is working closely with the Department for Education on a major policy paper on sport, including sport in schools, which will be published in early summer. Other Government Departments with an interest, including Her Majesty's Treasury, are in touch with progress.
Column 66
Public Libraries
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many public library authorities there are in England; how many of these have subscribed to the ProdCom statistics; and what assessment he has made of why the other authorities have not subscribed. [22533]
Mr. Sproat: There are 108 public library authorities in England. Information about which statistical publications each authority subscribes to is not held centrally by my Department.
Mr. Campbell-Savours: To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy for ensuring the availability of statistics through public and other libraries. [22534]
Mr. Sproat: The responsibility for providing public library services, and for choosing their stock including sources of statistical information, rests with local library authorities.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL
Historical Documents
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Attorney General what special training is given to persons who have responsibility for assessing the historical significance of documents held by his Department. [23242]
The Attorney-General: Training is provided under the guidance of the Keeper of Public Records. It includes desk training, regular meetings between departmental reviewers and officials at the Public Record Office and attendance at conferences and seminars and on courses arranged by the Public Record Office.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefit Payment Card
Mr. Dewar: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings he expects will arise from the introduction of benefit payment cards; and if he will set out the basis on which this calculation is made, together with the multiplier used. [23007]
Mr. Arbuthnot: Annual savings will comprise both administrative savings and programme savings.
The administrative savings comprise costs associated with certain aspects of the order book and girocheque payment systems which would no longer be incurred, or would be significantly reduced, once card payment replaces them. These include administrative procedures associated with the loss of theft of instruments of payment and the actual production of order books and girocheques. The feasibility study estimated savings to be £60 million per annum.
The programme savings are those resulting from a reduction in fraudulent encashments of instruments of payment. Our estimate of the level of this type of fraud is not by use of a multiplier but rather from sampling of encashed order book foils and girocheque reconciliation. Once fully implemented the new payment system is expected to eliminate fraudulent encashment estimated in the feasibility study at £140 million per annum.
Column 67
National Insurance Computer Contract
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that the bidding process for the national insurance computer contract was fair, allowing no one bidder an undue advantage. [23634]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The contract for the national insurance computer replacement system was awarded following a procurement through a competitive tendering exercise, undertaken in accordance with EC regulations governing the award of public service contracts (Public Service Contracts Legislation 1993). Due to the novel nature of the arrangement through the private finance initiative, DSS independent audit carried out surveys at various checkpoints to ensure that suppliers were content with the process and its fairness. None of the three suppliers made any criticism of the Department's efforts to create an unbiased and fair procurement process.
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the companies that bid for the national insurance computer contract had previously been involved in drawing up the business case for outsourcing the contract. [23633]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The business case for outsourcing was produced soley by civil servants of the Contributions Agency and the Information and Technology Services Agency with legal and financial guidance from external advisers who had no links with any of the companies involved in the bidding process.
Mortgage Interest
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has, after October, to protect mortgagors who become eligible for income support, but who because of their health status have been refused insurance to cover their mortgage repayments, during those months when, under the new arrangements, such mortgagors will be ineligible for mortgage interest payments from the Benefits Agency. [23360]
Mr. Roger Evans: The social security advisory committee has consulted widely on the proposals for changes to assistance with mortgage interest payments, and I expect to receive its report shortly. The effects of those who are refused insurance cover because of their health status will depend on the details of the scheme, which will not be concluded until I have studied the report.
Free School Meals
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of extending access to free school meals to children whose parents are in receipt of family credit. [23622]
Column 68
Mr. Roger Evans: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 March, Official Report , column 698 . The figure relate to 1993 and are the most up to date available.
Retirement Pensions
Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the total number of people in receipt of (a) state retirement pension as single persons, (b) state retirement pension as married couples and (c) adult dependant's pension. [23690]
Mr. Arbuthnot: The information is not available in the form requested. The table gives the number of persons receiving each category of state retirement pension. Details of marital status are available only where shown.
Category of state |Number of recipients retirement pension --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Category A Men<1> |3,576,660 Category A Women<1> |2,565,280 Category BL Wives (married) |1,397,960 Category ABL Wives (married) |720,120 Category B Widows (single) |1,862,290 Category B Widowers (Single) |840 Graduated retirement benefit only Men<1> |3,450 Graduated retirement benefit only Women<1> |126,960 Additional pension only category A Men<1> |1,330 Additional pension only category A Women<1> |11,690 Additional pension only category B Widows (single) |2,570 Adult dependent's pension<1> |91,800 Note: <1> Marital status not known. Source: Retirement Pension biannual enquiry-September 1994.
Social Fund Commissioner
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has appointed a new social fund commissioner to succeed Mrs. Rosalind Mackworth who retires on 31 May. [24567]
Mr. Roger Evans: I am pleased to announce that Mr. John Scampion has agreed to serve as social fund commissioner for a period of three years from 1 June. Mr. Scampion is currently town clerk and chief executive officer of Solihull metropolitan borough council.
Weekly Incomes
Mr. Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 4 April, Official Report , column 1074 , on weekly incomes, if he will update the table to show the position in 1995 96. [23796]
Mr. Burt: Pursuant to the reply by my hon. Friend, the Under- Secretary of State for Social Security of 4 April, Official Report , columns 1074-76 , the table reflects changes to tax, national insurance and social security benefits from last April. Rent and council tax are for 1994 95, the latest year for which information is available.
Column 67
Weekly income for various family types at different hours of work
|Tax and |Net income
|national |Unemployment |Council |Total |after rent
Hours |Gross |insurance |Take |benefit |Income |Family |Child |Housing |Council |tax |net |and council
of work |earnings |contributions|home pay |support |credit |benefit |Rent |benefit |tax |beneit |income |tax
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Single person-aged 25 or over
8 |28.00 |0.00 |28.00 |38.71 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |21.02 |6.60 |3.56 |91.29 |53.78
16 |56.000 |0.00 |56.00 |30.97 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |7.85 |6.60 |0.00 |94.82 |57.31
24 |84.00 |7.00 |77.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |14.34 |6.60 |1.50 |92.84 |55.33
Married couple-non earning partner
8 |28.00 |0.00 |28.00 |62.58 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |25.98 |8.60 |7.08 |123.64 |84.13
16 |56.00 |0.00 |56.00 |50.07 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |15.91 |8.60 |3.99 |125.97 |86.46
24 |84.00 |3.76 |80.24 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |0.00 |30.91 |30.91 |8.60 |8.60 |119.75 |80.24
Married couple-non earning partner with two children aged 4 and 6 years
8 |28.00 |0.00 |28.00 |62.58 |10.72 |0.00 |18.85 |36.42 |36.42 |11.00 |11.00 |167.57 |120.15
16 |56.00 |0.00 |56.00 |0.00 |0.00 |67.90 |18.85 |36.42 |24.98 |11.00 |7.48 |175.21 |127.79
24 |84.00 |3.76 |80.24 |0.00 |0.00 |62.83 |18.85 |36.42 |12.52 |11.00 |3.65 |178.09 |130.67
Notes:
1.Earnings for 8 hours assumed to represent one days employment. Earnings for 16 hours assumed to represent two days employment.
2.All the examples shown assume take-up of full entitlement to the income-related and contributory benefits that would be most advantageous.
3.All the family types shown are assumed to live in local authority accommodation and be liable for average council tax and local authority rent.
4.Earnings are assumed to be £3.50 per hour.
Public Bodies
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which non-departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by (a) ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers; which are covered by citizens charters; in which performance indicators apply; and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23957]
Mr. Hague: The information requested, in respect of those bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1994", is as follows:
(a) The administrative function of the Independent Tribunal Service and Central Adjudication Services is subject to such scrutiny.
Arrangements to bring the Occupational Pensions Board within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration are well advanced.
(b) All bodies are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.
(c) None.
(d) All bodies are subject to the financial and resource controls set by the Accounting Officer for the Department.
The Occupational Pensions Board is committed to the principles of the citizen's charter, and has published its own charter standard statement and code of practice.
The Independent Tribunal Service and Central Adjudication Services have set performance indicators.
No member of any body is liable to surcharge.
Residential Care and Nursing Homes
Mr. Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to give a higher level of support to elderly people in residential homes who need nursing care as well as residential care. [24362]
Column 70
Mr. Roger Evans: Higher levels of income support are available to people with preserved rights who are resident in residential care and nursing homes. These amounts are linked to the category of care a home is registered to provide and are higher for nursing homes in order to reflect the increased costs of personal care provided. These higher levels of income support increased last April. This uprating targeted extra help on high dependency cases in both residential care homes and nursing homes. The income support limits will be reviewed later this year as part of the annual uprating exercise.
Telephones
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what use his Department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of these services since mobile telephones were first introduced to his Department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23439]
Mr. Hague [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Mobile telephones are widely used across the Department. They help to reduce delays for peripatetic staff, and assist with safety where staff may be placed in potentially difficult situations.
All procurement of mobile telephones must be through the departmental information technology authority procurement services, and procurement guidance and processes have been developed to help managers make informed decisions as to the correct equipment to procure.
Available figures are in the tables.
Running costs on mobile telephones and pagers
£
Year |Benefits agency |Information |Contributions agency|Child support agency|War pensions agency |Resettlement agency
|technology services
|agency
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-93 |339,891.87 |<2>283,000.00 |- |- |- |-
1993-94 |625,738.94 |<3>278,000.00 |194,183.18 |- |2,350.00 |-
1994-95 |<1>1,098,227.88 |<4>218,000.00 |210,050.00 |- |2,375.00 |-
Notes:
<1> Provisional.
<2> Includes Child Support Agency, Contributions Agency and DSS HQ.
<3> Includes Child Support Agency and DSS HQ.
<4> Includes DSS HQ.
Number of mobile phones
|Benefits agency |Information |Contributions agency|Child support agency|War pensions agency |Resettlement agency |DSS HQ
|technology services
|agency
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994-95 |<1> n/a |413 |<1> n/a |<1> n/a |95 |3 |94
Notes:
<1> Budgets for mobile phones and pagers are delegated to individual agency district managers. Details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
n/a = not available.
Vaccine Damage
Mr. Barry Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been made under the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979; and how many of the cases have (a) have been successful or (b) still under review since 31 May 1991. [21419]
Mr. Hague: The administration of the vaccine damage payment scheme is a matter for Mr. Ian Magee, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Ian Magee to Mr. Barry Field, dated 15 May 1995: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about claims made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme since 31 May 1991.
Since that date a total of 216 claims have been received, 13 of which have been successful. There are a further 21 cases under consideration and awaiting a decision on entitlement.
In addition, since 31 May 1991 there have been 19 awards made relating to applications made prior to that date.
32 cases are awaiting a review by the independent Vaccine Damage Tribunal and there are 10 requests for a review which are currently being processed for submission to the Tribunal.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
EMPLOYMENT
Refractory Ceramic Fibre
Mr. Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he is making to DGXI, Brussels with regard to its proposals to label a refractory ceramic fibre with a skull and crossbones; if he will ensure that the European commission working party meeting at Ispra on 20 and 21 April considers whether the dangerous substance directive represents a suitable forum for the classification of fibres; and if a fiche d'impact has been completed on the cost to business in each EEC country so affected. [20014]
Mr. Oppenheim: At the meeting on 20 to 21 April, the refractory ceramic fibre industry was given an ample opportunity to present its case. There was sympathy for the UK suggestion that RCFs be uncoupled from other fibres under consideration, to enable their hazard classification, and its implications, to be considered at more length.
The UK will be continuing to explore with the European Commission ways of ensuring that no unintended consequences arise for the RCF industry, and will ask the Commission to complete a fiche d'impact in the event that it presses ahead with a classification proposal.
Column 72
Brewing Industry
Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the brewing industry in (a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) 1994. [23272]
Mr. Oppenheim: Information on employment in the brewing industry is available from the periodic censuses of employment and is as follows:
Number of employees in employment in the brewing industry<1> in Great Britain, September of each year Year |Number of employees ------------------------------------------------------------ 1981 |62,100 1984 |49,600 1987 |43,200 1989 |40,800 1991 |44,500 <1> Group 427 of the standard industrial classification 1980.
Asbestos
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an inquiry into school teachers or caretakers exposed to asbestos. [23362]
Mr. Oppenheim: No. Recently completed research indicates that school teachers and caretakers are not in occupations with a raised risk of contracting asbestos-related diseases. However, caretakers in all industry sectors, including schools, would be well advised to take the precautions recommended by the Health and Safety Executive when carrying out routine building maintenance and repair work that may involve asbestos materials.
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many asbestos removal licences have been removed from companies operating in this industry in each year since 1983. [23364]
Mr. Oppenheim: The number of asbestos removal licences removed from companies operating in the industry in each year since 1983 are shown in the following table:
Year |Licences revoked --------------------------------------------------- 1983 |0 1984 |0 1985 |1 1986 |2 1987 |2 1988 |1 1989 |4 1990 |0 1991 |0 1992 |0 1993 |0 1994 |3
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many asbestos removal companies were inspected by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1983. [23370]
Mr. Oppenheim: Information is not available on the number of asbestos removal companies inspected by Health and Safety Executive inspectors since 1983. The following table shows the total number of visits for each year since 1985 to companies or contractors licensed at that time under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983. Information is not available for visits made in 1983 or 1984 as the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 did not come into force until August 1984.
|Number of visits
---------------------------------------------------
1985 |2,709
1986 |1,654
1987 |941
1988 |533
1989 |677
1990 |401
1991 |385
1992 |373
1993 |399
1994 |805
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many licensed asbestos removal companies are currently operating in the United Kingdom. [23381]
Mr. Oppenheim: There are currently 768 asbestos removal companies licensed to operate in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive does not record comparable information for Northern Ireland.
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many asbestos removal companies have been prosecuted in each year since 1983; what was the average fine; what was the lowest and highest fine; and what offences were committed. [23365]
Mr. Oppenheim: Statistics relating to the prosecution of licensed asbestos removal contractors are laid out in the following table. The figures relate only to offences by licensed asbestos removal contractors under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 and the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos Regulations 1969 which CAWR replaced. No information is readily available on the specific offences. There were no prosecutions in 1983; the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 did not come into force until 1 August 1984.
Year |Number |Highest fine|Lowest fine |Average ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1984 |3 |1,500 |200 |733 1985 |31 |4,500 |150 |843 1986 |13 |3,750 |100 |800 1987 |8 |2,000 |100 |810 1988 |6 |1,500 |100 |583 1989 |8 |9,000 |250 |3,237 1990 |3 |2,000 |650 |1,117 1991 |6 |3,000 |250 |1,348 1992 |1 |150 |150 |150 1993 |4 |3,000 |530 |1,570 1994 |2 |8,000 |150 |4,075
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of Statefor Employment how many (a) improvement and (b) prohibition notices have been served on asbestos removal companies each year since 1983. [23369]
Mr. Oppenheim: The following table gives the available information on the number of improvement and prohibition notices issued to licensed asbestos removal companies under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 and the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Asbestos Regulations 1969, which CAWR replaced.
|Number of |Number of
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1983 |Not available |Not available
1984 |Not available |Not available
1985 |9 |71
1986 |5 |40
1987 |1 |15
1988 |1 |11
1989 |3 |14
1990 |2 |12
1991 |Nil | 6
1992 |1 |13
1993 |Not yet available |Not yet available
1994 |Not yet available |Not yet available
Note:
Figures for 1983 and 1984 are not available because these years precede the
collection of data on prohibition and improvement notices.
Manslaughter Charges
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases the Health and Safety Executive has referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for potential manslaughter charges in each of the last five years; and how many were accepted. [23366]
Mr. Oppenheim: Since April 1992, 26 cases which the Health and Safety Executive has investigated have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration of possible manslaughter charges, as follows:
|Prosecutions for |Cases still under
|Number of cases |manslaughter |considerations by
Year |referred to CPS |started by CPS |CPS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1992-92 |12 |2 |-
1993-94 |5 |1 |-
1994-95 |9 |2 |3
Information for previous years is available only at
disproportionate cost.
Health and Safety Executive Inspections
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many registered workplaces the Health
Column 75
and Safety Executive has been responsible for, for each of the past five years; and what proportion each year has received an inspection-type visit from a Health and Safety Executive inspector in (a) the past year and (b) the past five years. [23368]Mr. Oppenheim: It is estimated that some 650,000 premises are registered with the Health and Safety Executive. The HSE's systems are designed to record all
Column 76
those premises in which it has an active interest. It does not readily provide historical data, which could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.The average numbers of planned inspections completed by each of the HSE's operational divisions, for each of the financial years 1989 90 to 1993 94, are set out in the following table. The table also indicates the numbers of planned inspections that divisions expected to achieve in 1994 95.
Column 75
Number of planned inspections completed or planned by HSE operational divisions
|1989-90|1990-91|1991-92|1992-93|1993-94|1994-95
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Field Operations Division planned inspections |164,122|165,198|168,865|157,426|152,014|157,000
Mines Inspectorate planned inspections |6,290 |3,064 |2,462 |2,190 |1,707 |1,290
Offshore Safety Division planned inspections (1) |- |- |359 |405 |467 |370
Railway Inspectorate planned inspections (2) |- |- |2,306 |1,452 |1,482 |2,080
Technology and Health Sciences Division planned inspections |348 |243 |285 |459 |563 |480
Notes:
1. HSE assumed responsibility for offshore safety on 1 April 1991.
2. The Railway Inspectorate transferred from the Department of Transport on 3 December 1990.
Safety Regulations
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many improvement and prohibition notices have been served under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977 for each year since 1978; [23372]
(2) how many prosecutions there have been under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977 for each year since 1978. [23371]
Mr. Oppenheim: According to available information, the Health and Safety Executive's field inspectorates issued one improvement notice under these regulations, in 1984. They did not issue a prohibition notice or initiate a prosecution during the period. Details of enforcement action by other inspectorates and by local authorities are not readily available on a regulation-by-regulation basis, and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Workplace Accidental Deaths
Mr. McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for how many workplace accidental deaths in each of the past five years there were Health and Safety Executive or environmental health officer prosecutions. [23367]
Mr. Oppenheim: Except for the Health and Safety Executive offshore safety division, the information requested is either not available or available only at disproportionate cost:
|(OSD) Prosecutions
---------------------------------------------------------------
1989-90 |0
1990-91 |3
1991-92 |2
1992-93 |2
1993-94 |3
|--------
Total |10
Family and Working Lines Survey
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the value and duration of the contract awarded to Research Services Ltd. Harrow, Middlesex to undertake the family and working lives survey. [23643]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 10 May 1995]: The cost of the working lives survey is £1,231,928, including VAT.
The contract for the project started on 14 October 1993 and is scheduled for completion at the end of September 1996.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements there are to sub-contract any of the interview work being carried out by Research Services Ltd. as part of the family and working lives survey to other organisations and colleges; and what are the minimal levels of qualifications required of the sub-contractors to undertake direct market research. [23645]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 10 May 1995]: Research Services Ltd. has not sub-contracted any of the interviewing for the family and working lives survey.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by what method Research Services Ltd. was awarded by the contract to undertake the family and working lives survey; and how the contract was advertised. [23647]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 10 May 1995]: The contract for the family and working lives survey was awarded by competitive tender. Tenders were invited from four leading social research organisations.
The research was advertised in the Department's "Annual Report on Research" in 1992.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the sample size of the family and working lives survey being carried out by Research Services Ltd.; and how many people are being interviewed in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [23644]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 10 May 1995]: The survey aimed to interview 12,000 respondents and their
Column 77
partners where appropriate. Fieldwork is sill in progress. To date 9,248 have been interviewed in England, 533 in Wales and 976 in Scotland.The survey does not cover Northern Ireland.
Mr. Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the sampling techniques, including the form of sampling and the sampling frame, being used by Research Services Ltd. in conducting the family and working lives survey. [26346]
Mr. Oppenheim [holding answer 10 May 1955]: The sampling technique used for the survey was stratified random sampling of census enumeration districts selected with probability proportional to size. All EDs in mainland Britain were included. Islands, such as Jersey and the Scottish islands, were not included and neither was Northern Ireland. Addresses were drawn from the postcode address file with equal probability in the selected EDs. At each address, one adult was selected at random from all those eligible. If this person had a partner living in the same household, a shorter interview was conducted with the partner.
| Next Section
| Home Page |