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Ministerial Committee on the Co-ordination and Presentation of Government Policy
Mr. Mandelson: To ask the Prime Minister which non-ministerial individuals, other than civil servants, attend meetings of the EDCP Cabinet Committee. [21588]
The Prime Minister: Some officials from Conservative Central Office and parliamentary private secretaries attend at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister, as chairman of this committee. They do not take part in any discussions, but are ready to follow up any issues of a party political nature. In this way, the civil servants present are protected from following up matters that do not properly relate to the presentation and co-ordination of Government policy.
Departmental Contractors and Suppliers
Mr. MacShane: To ask the Prime Minister what measures his Department is taking to ensure that its contractors and suppliers (a) pay their employees a wage which ensures such employees do not need supplementary welfare payments via various state benefits and (b) meet workplace health and safety regulations; and if he will make a statement. [21464]
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The Prime Minister: For this purpose my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service, on 20 March 1996, Official Report, columns 194-95.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Benefits Agency
Mr. Redmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average daily attendance at each of his Benefits Agency offices covering the (a) Doncaster and (b) Mexborough area for each year since 1993, and the current year to date; and what were the staffing levels for each benefits Agency office. [19630]
Mr. Roger Evans: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, The chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 20 March 1996:
CB Callers = Contributory Benefit. IS Callers = Income related Benefit.
Combined Caller count introduced August 1995.
CB and IS Callers should not be added together to arrive at the Combined Caller Count since one caller could have approached both caller areas.
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Data is not yet available for February/March 1996.
Data are provisional and subject to change.
Data supplied by BA central data unit.
These figures are provisional and subject to change.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what was the average daily attendance at each of his Benefits Agency (BA) offices covering the (a) Donacaster and (b) Mexborough area for each year since 1993, and the current year to-date; and what were the staffing levels for each BA office.
The information is only available for BA Districts. The Doncaster District comprises of Doncaster West (Castle House) and Doncaster East (St Peters House) offices and the Rother and Dearne District comprises of Goldthorpe, Mexborough, Rotherham North, Rotherham South and Wath on Dearne offices.
Annex A gives details of average daily attendance at each District and Annex B gives details of the staff in post at the dates indicated in the table.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Number
1993-94
Doncaster district
CB Callers 265
IS Callers 392
Rother and Dearne district
CB Callers 294
IS Callers 321
1994-95
Doncaster and district
CB Callers 251
IS Callers 418
Combined Callers 645
Rother and Dearne district
CB Callers 298
IS Callers 387
Combined Callers 653
1 April 1995--31 January 1996 Number
Doncaster District 641
Rother and Dearne District 696
1 April 1993 1 April 1994 1 April 1995 1 March 1996
Doncaster District 285.1 270.8 265.8 282.4
Rother and Dearne District 355.5 326.0 312.3 312.3
Child Support Agency
Mr. David Atkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Child Support Agency clients are paying in maintenance more than (a) £400, (b) £500 and (c) £900 a month. [20887]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. David Atkinson, dated 20 march 1996:
I hope this is helpful.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessments.
Information is not available on the number actually paying maintenance. However, a statistically valid sample of live cases on the Child Support Computer System in August 1995 provided the following figures relating to the amount of full maintenance assessments;
CSA clients assessed to pay Number
Over £400 per month 4,420
Over £500 per month 940
Over £900 per month 0
Benefit Payment Card
Mr. Bradley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that information currently contained in the pension book will be preserved and improved with the proposed new benefit payment card system with particular reference to (a) a permanent record of pension payments received, (b) details of how the pension is made up, (c) clear information on the amount due and the date available, (d) information on change of circumstances and (e) details of claiming income support. [11750]
Mr. Heald [pursuant to his reply, 31 January 1996, c. 947]: I am advised that Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, is writing again to clarify his reply of 31 January 1996.
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Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 20 March 1996:
I am writing to clarify the information provided to you in my letter of 31 January 1996 in response to your Parliamentary Question. You asked the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that information currently contained in the pension book will be preserved and improved with the proposed new benefit payment card system with particular reference to (a) a permanent record of pension payments received, (b) details of how the pension is made up, (c) clear information on the amount due and the date available, (d) information on change of circumstances and (e) details of claiming Income Support (IS).
The potential service suppliers have been asked to produce a receipt which will only include the following information; details of the type(s) of benefit paid, the amount(s) payable and the due date and the date of payment, but not the date of the last payment(s) made, as indicated in my earlier reply. As I explained in my earlier letter, customers should have no difficulty keeping a record of payment collected from the post office as a receipt will be given and the facility to request a full statement of the benefit account will be retained. This statement will be available on request from the local benefits office.
I hope this explains the position and I apologise for any confusion.
War Pensions
Sir Peter Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many service personnel were awarded war pensions (a) between 1967 and 1987 and (b) since 1987; how many in (a) and (b) were awarded war pensions owing to disabilities or injuries sustained on active service; and how many in (a) and (b) were awarded war pensions for asbestos-related conditions. [21529]
Mr. Heald: The estimated number of war disablement pensions or lump sum gratuities awarded is as follows:
(a) between 1967 and 1987-76,000
(b) since 1987-297,770.
The other information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
National Disability Council
Mr. Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the minutes of the first meeting of the Government's new National Disability Council will be published. [21592]
Mr. Burt: This is a matter for the National Disability Council.
Departmental Staff (Working Homes)
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons in his Department worked in excess of 48 hours per week in any of the last 52 weeks; and what percentage of the staff employed this represents. [21509]
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Mr. Burt: Records of the number of hours worked by each employee are not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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