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SOCIAL SECURITY
Disability Living Allowance
Mr. Robert Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to lay before Parliament the proposed regulations which affect the payment of the disability living allowance mobility component to certain hospital in-patients. [32222]
Mr. Andrew Mitchell: The Social Security (Disability Living Allowance and Claims and Payments) Amendment Regulations 1996 were placed before the House today, 7 June. These regulations align the payment rules for the mobility component of disability living allowance--DLA--with those for the DLA care component, which is withdrawn after the first 28 days in hospital, 84 days for children.
7 Jun 1996 : Column: 576
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Mr. Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a claimant for a backdated award will be advised that he should also make his claim for reduced earnings allowance at the same time; and what form the advice will take. [31259]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of reduced earnings allowance, payable under the industrial injuries scheme, 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. Michael Clapham, dated 6 June 1996:
7 Jun 1996 : Column: 577
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if a claimant for a back dated award will be advised that he should also make his claim for Reduced Earning Allowance (REA) at the same time; and what form the advice will take.
I have assumed, as you have not specified the other benefit, that you are referring to a claim for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).
Instructions to Benefit Agency staff provide for the issue of leaflet NI6, together with the relevant claim form, to a person who asks about claiming IIDB in respect of either an accident at work or an industrial disease.
Leaflet NI6, on page 9, gives information on how and when to claim REA and stresses that a person should not delay claiming REA until after the claim of Disablement Benefit is determined or they may lose benefit for any period more than three months before date of claim.
I am enclosing a copy of the leaflet NI6 for information. A revised version of this leaflet will be available shortly which will take account of the other REA legislative changes.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
Coal Industry
Mr. Redmond: To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the (a) maximum and (b) minimum cost per hour charged by N. M. Rothschild working on the contract to give advice on the privatisation of the coal industry; what is the total cost to date; what is the estimated final total cost; and if he will make a statement. [31489]
Mr. Page: Information relating to hourly rates paid to advisers on coal privatisation is commercially confidential. I can, however, confirm that, since 1991-92, the Department has paid N. M. Rothschild £8.956 million in professional fees. Further payments are expected to be small.
British Coal (Equal Pay)
Mr. Clapham: To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will advise the British Coal Corporation to commit itself to negotiations on the colliery canteen workers' equal pay claim following the dismissal of their appeal to the House of Lords; and what steps he will take to bring the parties together; [31927]
- (2) if he will advise the British Coal Corporation to make a special payment as part of the settlement of the canteen workers' equal pay claim for the undue delay in this case. [31928]
Mr. Page: These are matters for British Coal.
Departmental Staff
Mr. Donohoe: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list (a) the number of (i) male and (ii) female employees, (b) the number of officials employed at each of the principle grades and the number and percentage of women employed at each of these grades and (c) the number of staff employed at administrative grades and the number and percentage of these staff who are women in his Department on 1 April.[30556]
Mr. John M. Taylor: On 1 April 1996, the DTI, excluding its executive agencies employed:
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- (a) (i) 3,235 men; (ii) 2,631 women.
(b) the following number of staff and women in its main grade levels:
| Grade level | Total number of staff | Women | Percentage of women in grade level |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| G2 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| G3 | 43 | 8 | 18.6 |
| G4 | 7 | 3 | 42.9 |
| G5 | 156 | 25 | 16.0 |
| G6 | 121 | 29 | 24.0 |
| G7 | 664 | 153 | 23.0 |
| SEO | 406 | 76 | 18.7 |
| HEO | 1,034 | 314 | 30.4 |
| EO | 1,121 | 531 | 47.3 |
(c) the following number of staff and women in its administration grade levels:
| Per cent. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| AO | 1,544 | 1,003 | 65.0 |
| AA | 759 | 490 | 64.6 |
The figures are provided on a headcount basis. They exclude casual staff and staff currently out of the Department, such as those on loan, career breaks.
I have asked the chief executives of this Department's agencies to respond to the hon. Member direct.
Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
I am responding in relation to the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about male and female employees. The information requested is set out in the following tables:
Grade Male Female Total Percentage female
Grade 3 1 0 1 0
Grade 5 2 1 3 33
Grade 6 5 0 5 0
Grade 7 6 2 8 25
Assistant comptroller 1 0 1 0
Superintending examiner 3 0 3 0
Principal examiner 16 2 18 11
Senior examiner 126 13 139 9
Examiner 41 3 44 7
Grade Male Female Total Percentage female
SEO 17 3 20 15
HEO 37 17 54 31
EO 95 75 170 44
AO 82 128 210 61
AA 45 65 110 59
Support grades 4 5 9 55
Personal secretaries 0 7 7 100
Typists 0 8 8 100
7 Jun 1996 : Column: 579
The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to provide additional information on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory in reply to your question about the numbers and percentages of women employed on 1 April 1996.
For NWML, the information you request is summarised in the following table. This Agency employs a significant number of staff in the Scientific and the Professional and Technology grades and I have included these in the figures for the appropriate levels.
Number of employees Number of women Percentage women
Chief executive 1 0 0
Grade 7 3 0 0
SEO level 8 1 12.5
HEO level 12 0 0
EO level 11 4 3.6
Administrative grades 13 12 92.3
Total 48 17 35.4
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I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency, concerning your recent request to the President of the Board of Trade for information regarding employees within his department.
The attached table sets out the information you require for this Agency.
7 Jun 1996 : Column: 579
| Male | Female | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTE | Percentage | Headcount | Percentage | FTE | Percentage | Headcount | Percentage | |
| G4 | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| G5 | 2.0 | 100.0 | 2 | 100.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| G7 | 7.0 | 65.7 | 7 | 65.7 | 3.7 | 34.3 | 4 | 37.6 |
| SEO | 12.0 | 92.3 | 12 | 92.3 | 1.0 | 7.7 | 1 | 7.7 |
| SPTO | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| HEO | 32.0 | 54.9 | 32 | 54.9 | 26.3 | 45.1 | 28 | 48.0 |
| EO | 63.5 | 57.4 | 64 | 57.9 | 47.1 | 42.6 | 56 | 50.6 |
| AO | 112.0 | 36.8 | 112 | 36.8 | 192.2 | 63.2 | 221 | 72.6 |
| AA | 54.4 | 44.6 | 55 | 45.0 | 67.8 | 55.4 | 79 | 64.6 |
| SPS | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 |
| PS | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2.0 | 100.0 | 3 | 150.0 |
| TM | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 |
| TYP | -- | -- | -- | -- | 6.0 | 100.0 | 8 | 133.3 |
| SM2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1.0 | 100.0 | 1 | 100.0 |
| SM3 | 4.0 | 42.1 | 4 | 42.1 | 5.5 | 57.9 | 6 | 63.2 |
| SGB1 | 10.0 | 27.0 | 10 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 73.0 | 34 | 92.0 |
| SGB2 | 45.1 | 22.7 | 52 | 26.2 | 153.7 | 77.3 | 230 | 115.7 |
| Total | 344.2 | 39.1 | 352.0 | 40.0 | 535.2 | 60.9 | 673.0 | 76.5 |
Figures excluded casuals. Figures included Career Breaks, Unpaid Maternity, Special Leave Without Pay, Secondments or on Loan, Staff Counselling Unit.
7 Jun 1996 : Column: 579
Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list (a) the number of (i) made and (ii) female employees, (b) the number of officials employed at each of the principal grades and the numbers and percentages of women employed at each of these grades and (c) the number of staff employed at administrative grades and the numbers and percentage of these staff that are women, in his Department on 1st April.
I have been asked to answer the questions you raised on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency.
(a) (i) 408 male employees
(ii) 110 female employees