---

Incapacity Benefit

Mr. Robert McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claimants in the

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 649

last three years were refused incapacity benefit because of inadequate national insurance contributions or credits; and if he will introduce an alternative eligibility rule based on the best two years of the last five years of contributions. [14551]

Mr. Moss [holding answer 13 February 1996]: The information is not available in the form requested.

The Government have no plans to change the contribution conditions for incapacity benefit.

Concessionary Fares Scheme

Mr. Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new passes have been issued since July 1995 in respect of the Northern Ireland concessionary fares scheme. [14726]

Mr. Moss [holding answer 13 February 1996]: A total of 12,270 new passes were issued between 1 July 1995 and 4 February 1996.

Murders and Beatings

Mr. Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders and beatings have been attributed to terrorist organisations since the start of the current ceasefires. [14470]

Sir John Wheeler: From 1 September 1994 to 7 February 1996, there were 12 murders in Northern Ireland: three attributed to loyalist groups, nine to republican groups. This does not include a police officer, Constable Seymour, who died on 2 March 1995 as a result of injuries sustained in a gun attack on 4 May 1973. Eleven of these murders were carried out since the ceasefire announced by the combined loyalist military command on 14 October 1994.

In addition, 287 people were injured in so-called punishment assaults during this period, 107 of which were attributed to loyalist groups, 180 to republican groups. Since the CLMC ceasefire, 275 people have been injured in this type of attack.

Community Employment Schemes

Mr. Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people have so far participated in the community work programme in each of the targeted areas; [14727]

(2) how many organisations have so far participated in the community work programme in each of the three targeted areas; [14731]

(3) what are the targets for participants in the community work programme for each of the next three years. [14732]

Mr. Ancram: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 650

Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Eric Ilsley, dated 14 February 1996:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your questions on the Community Work Programme.
Question 14727
The number of persons who have to date participated in each of the three pilot areas is as follows:

Area	Number
Belfast	251
Fermanagh	149
Strabane	74
Total	474

Question 14731
The number of participating organisations is:

Area	Number
Belfast	25
Fermanagh	69
Strabane	30
Total	124




Question 14732

The Community Work Programme is a pilot initiative for the long term unemployed with a target of 1,000 filled places in each of the two years 1996/97 and 1997/98. By 31 March 1997 a full evaluation of the pilot will have been completed and a decision taken on the programme's future.

I hope you find this reply useful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it helpful.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Mobility Centres

Mr. Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's decision not to provide financial support to the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres; [13774]

(2) what plans he has to provide assistance to the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres in the future. [13775]

Mr. Burt: Her Majesty's Government provide financial support to three members of the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres. Extra funding for these voluntary sector organisations could not be provided through this Department due to competing pressures. We are currently discussing both with other interested Government Departments and members of the UK forum what practical and financial assistance, if any, can be provided to ensure they carry on their valuable work.

Spare Computer Capacity

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14078]

Mr. Burt: There is none.

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 651

Liable Relatives System

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the total cases dealt with by the liable relatives system involved the arrangement of maintenance for (a) spouses without children and (b) sponsored immigrants in each year since 1989. [14456]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is not available.

Child Support Agency

Ms Lynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the service availability of the Child Support Agency computer system in each month since April 1993. [14458]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

Child Support Agency computer system availability

Week ending	Percentage service availability
3 October 1993	96.9
10 October 1993	98.3
17 October 1993	97.1
24 October 1993	73.3
31 October 1993	94.0
7 November 1993	89.2
14 November 1993	96.0
21 November 1993	99.3
28 November 1993	87.6
5 December 1993	86.4
12 December 1993	86.6
19 December 1993	84.5
26 December 1993	77.5
2 January 1994	99.0
9 January 1994	86.6
16 January 1994	97.6
23 January 1994	96.5
30 January 1994	86.9
6 February 1994	94.5
13 February 1994	92.3
20 February 1994	86.8
27 February 1994	96.8
6 March 1994	86.8
13 March 1994	94.1
20 March 1994	95.1
27 March 1994	97.1
3 April 1994	87.2
10 April 1994	98.7
17 April 1994	95.9
24 April 1994	99.3
1 May 1994	99.0
8 May 1994	72.0
15 May 1994	77.1
22 May 1994	96.6
29 May 1994	97.0
5 June 1994	98.0
12 June 1994	97.0
19 June 1994	99.8
26 June 1994	100.0
3 July 1994	98.9
10 July 1994	98.9
17 July 1994	93.0
24 July 1994	87.1
31 July 1994	96.4
7 August 1994	96.3
14 August 1994	86.5
21 August 1994	99.7
28 August 1994	98.6
4 September 1994	96.7
11 September 1994	96.7
18 September 1994	98.5
25 September 1994	98.4
2 October 1994	98.4
9 October 1994	97.9
16 October 1994	97.4
23 October 1994	100.0
30 October 1994	95.8
6 November 1994	98.7
13 November 1994	90.4
20 November 1994	97.1
27 November 1994	84.1
4 December 1994	99.2
11 December 1994	92.6
18 December 1994	98.0
25 December 1994	84.2
1 January 1995	85.9
8 January 1995	87.4
15 January 1995	82.2
22 January 1995	99.9
29 January 1995	97.9
5 February 1995	94.9
12 February 1995	98.2
19 February 1995	96.8
26 February 1995	98.9
5 March 1995	96.9
12 March 1995	98.2
19 March 1995	95.2
26 March 1995	96.8
2 April 1995	98.4
9 April 1995	99.9
16 April 1995	77.3
23 April 1995	99.2
30 April 1995	76.7
7 May 1995	98.3
14 May 1995	99.9
21 May 1995	97.4
28 May 1995	100.0
4 June 1995	100.0
11 June 1995	100.0
18 June 1995	99.5
25 June 1995	97.9
2 July 1995	99.8
9 July 1995	96.5
16 July 1995	100.0
23 July 1995	99.6
30 July 1995	95.0
6 August 1995	100.0
13 August 1995	98.9
20 August 1995	100.0
27 August 1995	100.0
3 September 1995	90.7
10 September 1995	98.5
17 September 1995	99.8
24 September 1995	95.7
1 October 1995	99.9
8 October 1995	97.5
15 October 1995	100.0
22 October 1995	98.2
29 October 1995	98.3
5 November 1995	100.0
12 November 1995	100.0
19 November 1995	95.3
26 November 1995	99.9
3 December 1995	99.6
10 December 1995	98.4
17 December 1995	95.3
24 December 1995	100.0
31 December 1995	100.0
7 January 1996	99.9
14 January 1996	98.5
21 January 1996	98.8
28 January 1996	92.9

14 Feb 1996 : Column: 653

Disabled People

Mrs. Ray Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the independent living fund to help disabled people who use the funds to pay for a personal assistant; and if he will make a statement. [14604]

Mr. Andrew Mitchell: None. Payments from the funds are intended to pay for personal care and assistance.

Mrs. Michie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to investigate alternative methods of payment to disabled people living independently to cater for the employment of personal assistants. [14605]

Mr. Burt: We keep the ways in which we provide support for disabled people and their carers under review.

Mr. Heppell: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what duties Departments and their agencies have under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make their facilities and services available to disabled people. [14633]

Mr. Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on 15 January, Official Report, column 417.

---