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Out-of-school Child Care Initiative
Mr. Chisholm: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the details of the new funding programme for out-of-school child care commencing April 1996 will be made available. [10339]
Mr. Paice: Officials are currently working, in consultation with training and enterprise councils, to develop planning guidance for the extension in England of this initiative announced following the Chancellor's Budget statement. I expect that this guidance will be issued to TECs in the next few weeks.
Student Loans
Sir Wyn Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the Education (Students Loans) Bill allows higher education institutions to recover the costs of validating applications for private sector loans. [10294]
Mr. Forth: Our aim is that higher education institutions will receive payments in respect of the costs they incur in certifying loan applications, irrespective of whether these are for public or private sector loans. I am considering whether the Bill requires amendment to put this beyond doubt.
I shall write to my right hon. Friend once I have taken a decision.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Claimants, Walthamstow
Mr. Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people in Walthamstow in receipt of income support. [8981]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of income support is a matter for Peter Mathieson, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 17 January 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about what is his estimate of the number of people in Walthamstow in receipt of Income Support (IS).
19 Jan 1996 : Column: 821
Mr. Wigley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish for each standard region and for the United Kingdom the number of reported cases of assault on the staff of the Benefits Agency in their offices or in the course of their work for the last available three years; and if he will make a statement. [8687]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The administration of the Benefits Agency is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 18 January 1996:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will publish for each standard region and for the United Kingdom the number of reported cases of assault on the staff of the Benefits Agency in their offices or in the course of their work for the last available three years; and if he will make a statement.
(17) Area details not available.
Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.
Mr. Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people who have been tested by the Benefits Agency regarding their habitual residence in the common travel area have passed the habitual residence test since it introduction in August 1994; and how many were (a) European Economic Area nationals, (b) UK citizens and (c) others; [6812]
19 Jan 1996 : Column: 822
(3) how many British citizens have passed the habitual residence test since its introduction. [10235]
Mr. Roger Evans:
The information is set out in the table and covers the period August 1994 to November 1995. It relates only to income support. Housing benefit figures will not be available until December 1996 at the earliest.
The information is not available in the format requested. This is because statistics are not kept which are specific to Parliamentary Constituencies, the borders of which are not the same as those of benefit offices. Statistics are kept on the IS computer system on the number of people claiming IS in each Benefit Agency District.
The Lea Roding District comprises of the Ilford, Leytonstone and Walthamstow benefit offices. The number of people claiming income support from this District for the quarter ended 30 November 1995 was 62,777, this is a provisional figure which may be subject to amendment.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
The Benefits Agency produces annual statistics to show the reported numbers of assaults on its staff. These statistics are not available in the form requested. Annexe A gives details of the information available.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
(17)1992 1993 1994
Scotland and Northern England
Tyne Tees -- 5 7
South Yorkshire and Humberside -- 11 8
North and West Yorkshire -- 6 7
Glasgow and Paisley -- 2 9
North, Central and West Scotland -- 2 3
Eastern Scotland -- 1 7
Wales and Central England
East Midlands -- 5 11
Midlands South West -- 5 3
West Mercia -- 5 1
Wales -- 4 5
Merseyside -- 9 3
Greater Manchester -- 2 1
Lancashire and Cumbria -- 6 5
Southern England
Anglia -- 3 4
Chilterns -- 0 12
South London and West Sussex -- 4 16
West Country -- 7 7
East London and Essex -- 3 5
South East -- 6 9
Wessex -- 1 3
Totals 108 87 126
(2) if he will now update the information contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Ms Church) of 20 February 1995, Official Report, column 12, concerning the number of British citizens who have passed the habitual residence test since its introduction; [6998]
| Pass | |
|---|---|
| EEA nationals | 11,660 |
| British citizens | 76,494 |
| Others | 14,323 |
| Total | 102,477 |
The Benefits Agency has placed figures relating to the habitual residence test in the Library since April 1995.
Mr. Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people who have been tested by the Benefits Agency regarding their habitual residence have passed the test each month since its introduction, broken down into European Economic Area nationals, United Kingdom citizens and others. [10236]
| Month and year | EEA nationals | UK citizens | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 1994 | 286 | 846 | 249 |
| September 1994 | 698 | 2,680 | 648 |
| October 1994 | 932 | 3,533 | 876 |
| November 1994 | 909 | 4,251 | 970 |
| December 1994 | 513 | 3,637 | 729 |
| January 1995 | 740 | 4,664 | 831 |
| February 1995 | 774 | 4,213 | 950 |
| March 1995 | 779 | 4,755 | 990 |
| April 1995 | 668 | 4,078 | 845 |
| May 1995 | 640 | 5,417 | 947 |
| June 1995 | 726 | 5,990 | 1,065 |
| July 1995 | 654 | 6,424 | 1,078 |
| August 1995 | 779 | 7,276 | 873 |
| September 1995 | 725 | 6,526 | 850 |
| October 1995 | 930 | 6,431 | 822 |
| November 1995 | 800 | 6,085 | 694 |
| December 1995 | 371 | 4,229 | 459 |
1. These figures are provisional and may be subject to change. From April 1995 onwards these figures are available in the Library.
2. The figures for "UK Citizens" and "Others" may include repeat claims.
3. "Others" include foreign nationals who have been given indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK by the immigration authorities.
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those who failed the habitual residence test in its first year were United Kingdom citizens; what was the total estimated savings from the test in its first year; what proportion of the savings was owing to failure by United Kingdom citizens; and if he will set out the basis of his calculation. [10237]
19 Jan 1996 : Column: 823
Mr. Heald: Twenty one per cent. of income support claimants who failed the habitual residence test were British citizens. The total estimated income-related benefits savings from the test in its first year is £28 million. The proportion of savings owing to failure by British citizens is 53 per cent. of this figure. These savings are calculated on the basis that European Union citizens would have received income-related benefits, including income support, averaging £104.95 a week for an estimated period of 13 weeks before going off benefit. British citizens are assumed to have received the same amount for an estimated 26 weeks. The amount of benefit is based on the income support personal allowance for single claimants aged over 25 plus the average amount of housing benefit and council tax benefit paid in the London area. Figures relating to failures arising out of housing benefit without receipt of income support will not be available until late 1996.
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