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Benefits Agency, Manchester
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when work commenced in the Cheetham Hill and Chorlton Benefits Agency offices in order to facilitate the transfer of activities from the Great Ancoats street office; [21490]
- (2) when consultation about the closure of the Benefits Agency office in Great Ancoats street, Manchester, was promised to the hon. Member for Stretford; when that consultation took place; and who was consulted; [21488]
(3) what consultation took place between the Benefits Agency and the Contributions Agency about the closure of the Great Ancoats street Benefits Agency office; [21486]
(4) when the decision to close Great Ancoats street Benefits Agency office was published by Ministers; [21489]
(5) what plans there are for access by claimants from the Ancoats area of Manchester to Benefits Agency offices following closure of the Great Ancoats street office. [21487]
Mr. Roger Evans: The administration of the Benefits Agency 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. Tony Lloyd, dated 21 March 1997:
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1025
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your five recent Parliamentary Questions relating to the closure of the Benefits Agency (BA) office at Great Ancoats Street.
As part of the Estates strategy the Area Directorate has given priority, in 1996/97, to projects that would allow it to maximise the use of space in those buildings considered necessary to its operations in the medium and long term. Work commenced at the BA offices at Cheetham and Chorlton on 3 March 1997 to convert space, currently used only for the storage of files, into office accommodation.
The announcement of the consultation exercise about the proposed closure of the BA office at Great Ancoats Street began with consultation letters being issued to Members of Parliament, including yourself, customer representatives and liaison groups on
23 November 1996. Of the 110 letters issued, only 17 responses were received. Of these 6 expressed concerns on the proposed closure. The consultation period ended on 6 January 1997.
The Contribution Agency has been consulted through regular meetings on the proposals for Great Ancoats Street and has been kept closely informed of developments.
The decision to close the Agency's Great Ancoats Street office was made on 13 March 1997 and was announced by the Area Directorate to staff, and local and area trade unions on 14 March 1997. On the same day, letters were sent to all parties involved in the consultation exercise.
Six BA offices at Cheetham, Chorlton, Longsight, Openshaw, Rusholme and Salford will remain following the closure of the Great Ancoats Street office. Customers living in the Ancoats area will be able to attend offices in Cheetham and Chorlton should they wish to attend a BA office in person. In addition for unemployed customers there are 4 Job Centres at Alexander Park, Cheetham, Moss Side and Newton Heath, within 2-3 miles of the Great Ancoats Street site.
Customers can also choose to contact the BA offices by post or telephone. Recent enhancements to the office telephone systems will provide a more efficient telephone service.
I hope you find this reply useful.
Contributions Agency
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost of moving Contributions Agency activities to (a) Great Ancoats street and (b) Stockport. [21485]
Mr. Heald: Movement of activity culminated on 17 March 1997 when Great Ancoats street activity was moved to Stockport.
The current anticipated costs are:
No staff costs have been incorporated in the above figures for the designing and creating the new structure.
Great Ancoats Street: £1,338.01
Stockport: £72,280.51.
Reduced Earnings Allowance
Mr. Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against the decision to withdraw reduced earnings allowance are outstanding; and what steps he is taking to reduce delays. [21404]
Mr. Roger Evans: This is a matter for the Independent Tribunal Service.
Pensioner Incomes
Sir John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual increase in real terms of (a) the state retirement pension and (b) average pensioner incomes (i) from 1974 to 1979 and (ii) since 1979. [21498]
Mr. Heald: The information is in the tables.
| Level of RP at uprating (April 1996 prices) | Average compound annual growth from previous point | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | Per cent. | |
| 1974 | 54.90 | -- |
| 1979 | 59.00 | 1.4 |
| 1996 | 61.15 | 0.2 |
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1026
| Mean weekly net income, before housing costs, (July 1994 prices) | Average compound annual growth from previous point | |
|---|---|---|
| £ | Per cent. | |
| 1974 | 96.10 | -- |
| 1979 | 100.80 | 1.0 |
| 1994-95 | 161.20 | 3.1 |
Notes:
1. Table (a) shows the real value of standard rate basic retirement pension, for 1974, 1979 and 1996 (the latest year for which information is available), at April 1996 prices, rounded to the nearest £0.05p.
2. Table (b) shows the mean average net income before housing costs for all pensioner units in July 1994 prices, rounded to the nearest £0.10 for 1974, 1979 and 1994-95, which is the latest period for which data is available. These estimates are subject to a large degree of statistical variability, and should therefore be used to indicate trends over time.
3. The average compound annual percentage growth rate in both tables is rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent.
4. A pensioner unit is defined as a single person over state pension age (SPA) or a couple where the man, defined as the head, is over SPA.
Sources:
1. The Retail Price Index (all items).
2. Pensioners' Incomes Series data which is largely based on information contained in the Family Expenditure Survey of the calendar years 1974 and 1979 and the financial year 1994-95.
Advisory Groups (London)
Mr. Dobson: To ask the secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996-97 to 1999-2000. [21382]
Mr. Burt: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
Three of the Department's executive agencies are responsible for the provision of a range of services across London and the rest of the country. These are the Benefits Agency, the Child Support Agency and the Contributions Agency.
The West Kent District includes Bromley office which is the only Branch in that District within the London area, but the budget figure quoted is for the whole District.
The work of Ealing and Euston Districts is remotely processed at Glasgow Benefit Centre; the work of Palace District at Makerfield Benefit Centre; and the work of Neasden and South Circular Districts at Belfast Benefit Centre. Budget details for the Benefits Centres are separately identified.
21 Mar 1997 : Column: 1027
| 1996-97 £ | |
|---|---|
| London and the Downs | 4,297,673 |
| Essex and Kent | 4,065,948 |
| Central Southern | 3,494,374 |
The CSA field divisions cover a wide geographic area including London. The budgets quoted are not solely for those offices within the London area.
| 1996-97 £ | |
|---|---|
| London North-west | 4,878,000 |
| North-east Thames | 4,471,000 |
| South Thames | 4,283,000 |
The CA regions also cover a wide area and the budgets quoted are not solely for those offices based in London.
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