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Complaints
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what policy and procedures exists for dealing with complaints against her Department by members of the public; when the policy was last updated; what time limit and target for dealing with such complaints her Department has; and what follow-up procedure exists where complainants are not satisfied with her Department's response to a complaint. [26224]
Mr. Boswell: Any complaint about the conduct of a member of the Department would be dealt with under the Department's agreed disciplinary procedures. These are set out in its terms and conditions handbook, which was
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revised in 1994 and made available to all staff. If a complainant remains dissatisfied with the handling of a complaint, it is open to them to take further action through the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.Information Technology Teachers
Mr. David Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many qualified information technology teachers there were in secondary schools in each year since 1979; and what proportion of the total number of teachers in this subject they represent. [25772]
Mr. Robin Squire: The information requested is available only for 1984, 1988 and 1992 from the secondary school staffing surveys. In those years, the number of full-time teachers who were teaching information technology, including computer studies, in maintained secondary schools in England and who had a post A-level qualification in information technology was as follows:
|Number with an |Percentage
|Number of IT |IT qualification|with
Year |teachers (000) |(000) |qualification
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |9.4 |2.3 |24
1988 |12.1 |3.1 |26
1992 |10.4 |2.8 |27
The total number of full-time teachers with an information technology qualification, including those not teaching IT, in each year was:
|All teachers with an
|IT qualification
Year |(000)
---------------------------------------------------------------
1984 |4.1
1988 |6.4
1992 |7.1
It should be noted that the definition of information technology has changed slightly over the years, so the figures quoted may not be strictly comparable.
SOCIAL SECURITY
VAT on Fuel (Compensation)
Mr. Foulkes: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is the total cost of the compensation for VAT on fuel given annually to women aged between 60 and 65 years. [24948]
Mr. Roger Evans: The information is not available.
Benefit Fraud
Mr. Etherington: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, by town or city and region, all his Department's research trials, conducted since 1990, aimed or associated with trials testing procedures to prevent the fraudulent encashment of instruments of payment, giving (a) the cost of each trial, (b) the target population, (c) the period of trial, (d) other joint/collaborative agencies and (e) schemes involving incentive payments to participants. [24985]
Mr. Arbuthnot: This information is laid out by geographical area since January 1994, the first date for
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which information is available. No specific target population was sought, since this was not an important factor in any of the trials. DevonHole punching of order books by Postmasters prior to their return to BA offices, to render them valueless.
Cost: £ Nil
Period: 05 September 1994 02 December 1994
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd.
Incentive involved: No
Sunderland
Identity trial
Cost: £ Nil
Period: 06 March 1995 due to end 03 June 1995
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd.
Incentives involved: No
London and Clyde Valley
Secure delivery order books
Cost: £ Nil
Period: 10 October 1994 02 December 1994
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd.
Incentives involved: No
London
Alert-Computerised system to prevent fraudulent encashment of lost or stolen order books.
Cost: £2.4 million
Period: 30 November 1992 31 August 1994
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd.
Incentives involved: No
London
Secure delivery of order books
Cost: £21,936
Period: 22 March 1993 02 April 1995
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd. and Royal Mail Incentives involved: No
Manchester
UV lamps--Post Office use
Cost: £11,808
Period: 04 July 1994 31 August 1994
Other agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd
Incentives involved: No
Birmingham
Post Office Reward Scheme
Cost: £18,594
Period:25 October 1993 29 August 1994
Other Agencies: Post Office Counters Ltd
Incentives involved: Yes
Midlands Area
Post Office Reward Scheme
Cost: £95,931
Period: 30 August 1994-ongoing
Other agencies: Post Office counters Ltd.
Incentives involved: Yes
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Benefit Recipients
Ms Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of claimants for each benefit were (a) male and (b) female for the latest available
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year. [25138]Mr. Hague: The information is in the table.
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Figures rounded to nearest Thousand
|Total claimants |Males as |Females as
|(000s unless |Total males |percentage of |Total females |percentage of
Benefit |indicated) |(000s) |total claimants |(000s) |total claimants |Date of enquiry
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-means tested benefits
Attendance allowance<1> |996 |286 |29 |710 |71 |31 March 1994
Child benefit |6,905 |227 |3 |6,678 |97 |31 December 1994
Child's special allowance<3> |69 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |31 December 1994
Disability living allowance<1> |1,491 |769 |52 |723 |48 |28 February 1995
Guardian's allowance<3> |2,125 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |31 December 1995
Invalid care allowance |127 |39 |31 |88 |69 |31 March 1995
Industrial death benefit |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a
Industrial injuries disablement<2> |209 |180 |86 |29 |14 |3 April 1993
Invalidity benefit |1,580 |1,156 |73 |424 |27 |3 April 1993
Maternity allowance |16 |- |- |16 |100 |31 March 1993
Non contributory retirement pension |28 |6 |20 |22 |80 |30 September 1994
One parent benefit |925 |80 |9 |845 |91 |31 December 1994
Other industrial injuries benefits<3> |312 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |1994
Reduced earnings allowance/retirement allowance<2> |155 |125 |81 |30 |19 |3 April 1993
Retirement pension |10,139 |3,579 |35 |6,560 |65 |30 September 1994
Sickness benefit |534 |312 |58 |222 |42 |3 April 1993
Severe disablement allowance |316 |121 |38 |195 |62 |3 April 1993
Unemployment benefit |2,341 |1,784 |76 |556 |24 |10 November 1994
Widow's benefit |324 |- |- |324 |100 |30 September 1994
War pension<4> |99 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |31 March 1995
Means tested benefits
Council tax benefit<5> |5,641 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |30 November 1994
Disability working allowance |5 |3 |60 |2 |40 |31 October 1994
Family credit<6> |578 |250 |43 |327 |57 |October 1994
Housing benefit |4,711 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |30 November 1994
Rent rebate |3,009 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |30 November 1994
Rent allowance |1,702 |n/a |n/a |n/a |n/a |30 November 1994
Income support |5,675 |2,702 |48 |2,973 |52 |May 1994
Notes:
<1> Beneficiaries.
<2> Assessments current at 3 April 1993.
<3> Extract figures quoted.
<4> All claims includes first and subsequent claims.
<5> Figure includes 53,000 second adult rebate cases.
<6> Figures based on sex of main earner.
<7> Male and female recipients may not total due to rounding.
Retirements and Redundancies
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff of (a) the Department of Social Security and (b) agencies for which the DSS is responsible (i) took early retirement, (ii) took voluntary redundancy, (iii) took compulsory redundancy and (iv)
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were retired on medical grounds in (a) 1993 94 and (b) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25420]Mr. Hague: The information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The available information is in the table.
Retirement on Other early
medical
|1993-94|1994-95|1993-94|1994-95|1993-94|1994-95
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Social Security<1> |472 |650 |64 |41 |352 |823
Benefits Agency |395 |513 |0 |0 |207 |294
Child Support Agency |13 |21 |0 |0 |6 |4
Contributions Agency |37 |49 |0 |0 |67 |244
Information Technology Services Agency |15 |27 |0 |0 |50 |246
Resettlement Agency |2 |0 |64 |41 |15 |15
War Pensions Agency |- |14 |0 |0 |- |2
Notes:
No projections are available for 1995-96.
<1> The number of retirements and redundancies in the executive agencies are included in the
departmental figures.
Ms. Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annual cost to the Department of staff leaving under redundancy/early retirement schemes to incorporate (i) added years lump sum payment, (ii) redundancy payment, (iii) pension payments including enhancements and (iv) any other special arrangements (a) 1993-94, (b) 1994-95, and projected for (c) 1995-96 and (d) 1996-97. [25638]
Mr. Hague: The costs to the Department of early retirement and redundancies are borne from the Department's running costs provision.
A detailed break-down of the various costs could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
The total costs borne on the Department's running costs in 1993 94 and 1994 95 were £23.975 million and £17.903
million--provisional--respectively. For 1995 96, the amount is estimated at £22.607 million. Projections for 1996 97 will be determined during the coming public expenditure survey.
Motability
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures are in place to ensure the best use of public money by Motability and its associate companies and charities and that those bodies are accountable to his Department; and if he will make a statement. [25947]
Mr. Hague: Motability is an independent charity which receives grant in aid from the Department for all its administration costs and part of its grant-making provision. A comprehensive financial agreement exists between the Department and Motability which has been drawn up in accordance with Government accounting procedures. This gives Motability the responsibility for ensuring it obtains good value for money in its dealings with suppliers to the scheme.
Contracting Out
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what work has been contracted out (a) by his Department and (b) by agencies for which his Department is responsible in (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95 and (iii) the projected figures for 1995 96. [25657]
Mr. Roger Evans: The value of work previously carried out by civil servants and contracted out by the Department and each of its agencies in 1993 94 and 1994 95 is shown in the tables. In 1995 96, we will be examining running costs of some £166 million with a view to contracting out. We will examine a further £27 million with a view to inviting in-house bids, together with bids from the private sector, in market tests. We
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cannot predict in advance of the market tests the value of work that will be contracted out.
Financial year April 1993-March 1994
|Value £
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits Agency
Travel Services |200,000
Accommodation and Office Services |840,000
Training |3,609,191
Storage Archives |490,000
Headquarters
Accommodation and Office Services |722,734
Facilities Management
Accommodation and Office Services |2,114,000
Information Technology Services Agency
Audit |1,200,000
Contributions Agency
Cleaning (Emerson house) |732,202
Financial year April 1994-March 1995 |Benefits Agency
Publishing |4,326,046
Accommodation and Office Services (19 Contracts) |43,707,618
Storage Printed Material |2,711,019
Information and Technology Services Agency
Security Guarding |422,000
Area Computer Centre |6,100,000
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each piece of work subject to a bidding process under the auspices of (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible(i) where work was contracted out, who were the successful bidders and (ii) which contracts were won by in-house bidders in (1) 1993 94, (2) 1994 95 and (3) 1995 96. [25651]
Mr. Roger Evans: The Department and its agencies procure a wide range of goods and services by competitive tender. I have provided information showing the outcomes of competitive tenders of work carried out by civil servants and a copy has been placed in the Library.
Consultants
Ms Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the level of expenditure on consultancy by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible for (i) 1993 94 and (ii) 1994 95; and what are the projected figures for 1995 96. [25644]
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Mr. Hague: The available information is in the table. Information on projected levels of expenditure for 1995 96 is not available.
Financial Year
|1993-94 |1994-95
Agency |£ |£
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benefits Agency |8,111,715 |5,730,220
Contributions Agency |3,170,895 |1,113,425
Information Technology Services Agency |17,996,000 |9,660,000
Child Support Agency |2,300,000 |7,426,938
Resettlement Agency |95,111 |65,203
War Pensions Agency |<1>- |456,798
Sub totals |31,673,721 |24,452,584
DSS Headquarters |2,322,877 |1,653,173
|-------- |--------
Grand total |<2>33,996,598|26,105,757
<1> War Pensions Agency set up 1 April 1994. Consultancy expenditure for 1993-94
included in Benefits Agency total.
<2> This figure has been adjusted from those previously quoted due to accounting
adjustments.
Family Credit
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department are taking to inform family credit claimants of the extra money they are entitled from July for working full time. [25808]
Mr. Roger Evans: We plan to undertake extensive publicity to inform people about the new premium for working 30 hours or more a week on family credit and the associated extra help in housing benefit, council tax benefit and disability working allowance. People already receiving family credit or disability working allowance will receive a new claim pack shortly before their renewal claim is due to be made. The claim pack will advise them of the new premium. We plan also to provide information to advisors of people likely to be affected to inform them of the new premium.
Notes :
1. Because approval for expenditure on the campaign cannot be given until regulations have been laid, we cannot be explicit at this stage on the form the advertising will take.
2. The new claim pack is planned to be available a few days in advance of the change.
Mr. Chidgey: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of family credit claims from employees currently take five working days to be dealt with from the time of the claim being received by his Department; and if he will give the figures for each working day up 30 working days. [25807]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of family credit 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. David Chidgey, dated25 May 1995: The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the clearance times of claims made by employees to Family Credit.
The table below details the information that you have requested. Such figures are produced on a monthly basis and I have therefore provided information for the month ending 30 April 1995 which is the latest full month available. The figures provided relate only to employees and do not include claims made by self-employed people.
Column 700
Days |Percentage cleared --------------------------------------------------------- 5 |47.2 6 |52.3 7 |54.8 8 |57.7 9 |63.9 10 |67.1 11 |71.5 12 |73.6 13 |75.6 14 |79.4 15 |81.1 16 |83.7 17 |84.8 18 |85.8 19 |87.8 20 |88.6 21 |90.0 22 |90.5 23 |91.0 24 |92.0 25 |92.5 26 |93.1 27 |93.4 28 |93.7 29 |94.3 30 |94.5
I hope you find this reply helpful.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Asylum Seekers
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , columns 185-88 , if he will publish a breakdown of the location of asylum seekers as at 10 May listed as `other' in table 3 of the answer. [25810]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: This information is not readily available as comprehensive statistics are not currently compiled on all the places of detention of persons who have sought asylum. For this reason, only the main places were separately identified.
Mrs. Roche: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, Official Report , columns 185-88 , when he now expects to phase out the detention of asylum seekers in prisons and police cells. [25811]
Mr. Nicholas Baker: The plans to expand and improve the detention accommodation for which the immigration service is responsible will reduce the need to hold immigration detainees in prisons and police cells in the future.
There will, however, always be a need for some immigration detainees to be accommodated in prisons, either because of known violent tendencies or because of a need for closer supervision than can be provided in immigration detention centres. Similarly, there will be a continuing need to use police cells for the initial detention of immigration offenders detected within the United Kingdom.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum-seekers have been removed to Sweden on safe third country grounds since 26 July 1993; and how many of those so removed have been returned to the United Kingdom by the Swedish authorities. [26174]
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Mr. Nicholas Baker: The available information identifies 29 persons who had been refused asylum in the United Kingdom on safe third country grounds having been removed to Sweden since 26 July 1993. Of these, four have been returned to the United Kingdom.
Mr. Robert Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum are currently outstanding. [26180]
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