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Drugs
Mr. Opik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the "Tackling Drugs Together" initiative. [11909]
Mrs. Anne Taylor: I have been asked to reply.
The Government are continuing to implement the "Tackling Drugs Together" strategy for England initiated by the previous Administration. The UK anti-drugs co-ordinator will review progress, on appointment, and submit proposals for a new strategy.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Market Testing
Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of state for Social Security what plans she has to stop further market testing of services within her Department. [4609]
Mr. Field: Market testing, part of the competing for quality initiative introduced under the previous Administration, is one of several ways the Department of Social Security has assessed the value of involving the private sector in the delivery of services.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney).
Private Finance Initiative
Mr. McWilliam: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the PFI projects currently being undertaken by her Department, indicating in each case (a) the expected savings, (b) the savings to date, (c) the cost to date, (d) whether the projects are on target or delayed, (e) the extent of any delay, (f) whether the delay is due to the civil service or agency or the private partner and (g) the projected total cost. [6246]
Mr. Field: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney).
We currently have two PFI contracts--the automation of benefit payments through Post Office outlets--BA POCL--and a replacement for the national insurance recording system NIRS2:
NIRS2
The contract was signed in May 1995, allowing for a phased delivery between February 1997 and April 1999. It is expected to cost some 60 per cent. less than a public sector development. Although there are no operational savings thus far, there will also be no payment to the service provider until NIRS1 is replaced in April 1998.
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Under the original contract, NIRS1 was to be replaced in February 1997. In fact, it will not be decommissioned until April 1998. However, the first release of NIRS2 was delivered as planned in February 1997 and the whole development phase remains on schedule for completion in April 1999. The revised implementation date was at the request of the service provider.
The contractor charge will be volume driven, but, over the life of the contract, it is estimated to be some £45 million.
BA POCL
The project is at an early stage. Implementation of the benefit payment card began in October 1996 with a trial involving child benefit recipients. Other benefits will be added to the system over the next few years. The project is expected to be cost-neutral in administrative terms, but, over its life, savings are expected of some £1,200 million from reduced fraud losses.
Mr. Todd:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on whether to increase the proportion of Benefits Agency staff on casual or fixed-term contract basis; and what assessment has been made of the consequent impact on morale and staff quality. [7988]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Modernising the social security system is a key priority of the Government, We will streamline services to provide better, simpler, more efficient services to clients. The staffing of the Benefits Agency is a matter for Peter Mathison, its chief executive, I have asked him to write the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 31 July 1997:
Mr. Vaz:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will introduce measures to ensure that women in polygamous marriages are not denied widow's benefits; and if she will estimate the cost to public funds of paying benefit. [10292]
Mr. Denham:
The concept of marriage under British law is fundamentally monogamous. It would, therefore be inappropriate to pay widow's benefit to widows who, at the time of the death of their husbands, were in a polygamous marriage.
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Information is not available on the cost to public funds of paying benefit in all such cases.
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average order for payment made by the Child Support Agency in respect of absent parents who are (a) employed and (b) self-employed. [10526]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The Government believe that children are entitled to the support of both parents. The child support scheme is designed to provide levels of maintenance which absent parents can realistically afford.
The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Peter Bradley, dated 30 July 1997:
Mr. Webb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents are currently receiving income support; and what estimate she has made of the number of lone parents likely to be in receipt of income support in each of the next five financial years. [10771]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
It is estimated that as at August 1996, the latest date for which information is available, there were 1,061,000 lone parents receiving income support in Great Britain. Available estimates of the number of lone parents likely to be in receipt of income support in the future are in the table. New estimates of the number of lone parents in receipt of income support, taking into account the new deal for lone parents, will be available in October.
Ms Walley:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will list the amount, and proportion, of paper recycled by her Department in each of the last five years; [11564]
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(3) if she will make a statement on existing targets set to minimise waste within her department. [11563]
Mr. Denham:
One of our key aims is to promote policies that sustain the environment.
No record is kept of the amount of paper recycled. However, waste paper is sorted in all social security offices into two categories, "Confidential/Restricted" and "Other". All "Confidential/Restricted" waste is recycled and other paper is subject to best practices which includes reusing paper and the disposal of paper in green bins.
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what is the policy on increasing the proportion of Benefit Agency (BA) staff on casual or fixed term contract basis; and what assessment has been made of the consequent impact on morale and staff quality.
The use of casual and fixed term appointments (FTA) has always been an integral part of our staff planning to allow managers to cater for fluctuations in workloads and to staff short term projects.
Although no formal assessment has been made of the impact of these measures, the Agency recognises that some FTA and casual staff may feel insecure. The Agency has to strike a balance between the needs of the business and those of the workforce. Both FTA and casual staff are given comprehensive training equivalent to that provided for permanent staff. They are also included in the Agency's performance appraisal arrangements to ensure that they remain motivated, that their development needs are identified and that their potential is maximised.
I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about maintenance assessments.
The latest figures available show that as at 28 February 1997, the average full maintenance assessment for employed absent parents was £39.02; for those who were self employed the average full maintenance assessment was £23.72.
The difference in the value of the assessments is due to the level of net income of absent parents who are employees and those who are self employed. The average net income for an employed absent parent was £191.83; for an absent parent who was self employed the figure was £150.00.
I hope this is helpful.
Lone parents in receipt of income support
1996-97: 1,057,000
1997-98: 1,054,000
1998-99: 1,044,000
1999-00: 1,054,000
Notes:
1. Figures are consistent with those given in tables 6 and 7 in the 1997 Social Security departmental report, published before the new deal was announced, and are rounded to the nearest thousand.
2. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and as such are subject to a degree of sampling variation.
(2) what plans she has to introduce a waste minimisation strategy for her Department; [11562]
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