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Overseas Travel
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the expenditure by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on overseas travel for (i) 1980-81, (ii) 1987-88, (iii) 1990-91, (iv) 1991-92, (v) 1992-93, (vi) 1993-94, (vii) 1994-95, (viii) 1995-96, (ix) 1996-97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997; and if he will provide a breakdown to show (1) air fares and (2) other expenditure relating to overseas travel. [15259]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.
Official Hospitality
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the expenditure by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on official hospitality for (i) 1980-81, (ii) 1987-88, (iii) 1990-91, (iv) 1991-92, (v) 1992-93, (vi) 1993-94, (vii) 1994-95, (viii) 1995-96, (ix) 1996-97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997. [15258]
Dr. Howells: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.
Publicity and Advertising
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1993-94, (ii) 1994-95, (iii) 1995-96, (iv) 1996-97, (v) the 1997-98, year to date, (vi) the 1997-98, full year estimate and (vii) the 1998-99 planned expenditure. [15261]
Dr. Howells: Before the merger in July 1995, the Department operated separately funded programmes of publicity. This continued until the end of the financial year 1995-96.
Information on the publicity and advertising spend of agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally by the Department
The costs of the total expenditure on publicity and on advertising for the former Departments are as follows:
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The projected expenditure on publicity and advertising in 1998-99 for the Department is £13.1 million.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to review the all work test for incapacity. [15354]
Mr. Denham:
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 27 October, Official Report, column 731.
Mr. Jenkins:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against incapacity benefit disallowance were (a) received and (b) heard in the year ending March 1997; and what was the success rate for applicants. [15353]
Mr. Denham:
The information is in the table.
One of the Government's first priorities for Social Security is to modernise both the appeals system and the decision making process. We intend to introduce measures to streamline and simplify the system to make it easier to understand and more cost effective.
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Department for Education
1993-94: £10.1 million
1994-95: £9.4 million
1995-96: £5.4 million
Department of Employment
1993-94: £11.1 million
1994-95: £11.1 million
The costs of the total expenditure on publicity and advertising for the present Department are as follows:
Department for Education and Employment
1996-97: £17.4 million (provisional)
1997-98: £4.0 million (to date)
1997-98: £12.6 million (current budget, but £13.2 million subject to the passage of the Winter Supplementary Estimate).
| Period | Number of incapacity benefit appeals against disallowance received | Number of appeals heard | Percentage of appeals heard and decided in the claimant's favour |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 1996 to March 1997 | 100,703 | 59,567 | 44 per cent. |
Source:
Benefits Agency and Independent Tribunal Service.
Advertising (Disability Discrimination Act 1995)
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will place in the Library the correspondence sent by her Department to the Advertising Standards Authority disputing their draft recommendation on the compliant made by Ms Liz Lynne, about the national press advertisement for the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [14809]
Mr. Denham: The information, with a copy of the final adjudication, has been placed in the Library.
Overseas Travel
Mr. Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list each of the overseas trips made by herself and other members of her ministerial team since 2 May, specifying in each case (a) the participating Minister or Ministers, (b) the destination of the trip, (c) the purpose of the trip and (d) the cost of the trip; and if she will make a statement. [15224]
Mr. Field: The information is in the table.
The Government intend to work constructively with their EU partners--member states, the Parliament and the Commission. These visits help prepare for a successful UK Presidency of the EU in 1998.
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| Date | Minister | Destination | Purpose | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 September | Keith Bradley | Brussels | To exchange views on the likely agenda in the social | £1,499 |
| 8 October | Keith Bradley | Bonn | security policy area for the UK Presidency of the EU. | £1,418 |
| 12-14 October | Joan Ruddock | Venice | To attend a conference on "women in decision-making". | £1,693 |
1. The figures have been rounded to nearest pound.
2. The figures include all related costs incurred by the Minister's party, which on each occasion included the Minister's Private Secretary and one other official.
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Mortgage Payments
Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will review the practice whereby Benefits Agency adjudication officers cannot approve new mortgages for disabled persons until mortgage funds are advanced in circumstances where building societies are refusing to advance mortgages without confirmation of income support funds. [14621]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
Modernising the social security system is a key priority of the Government. The administration of Income Support is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
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Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Crispin Blunt, dated 10 November 1997:
11 Nov 1997 : Column: 533
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if she will review the practice whereby Benefits Agency (BA) adjudication officers (AOs) cannot approve new mortgages for disabled persons until mortgage funds are advanced in circumstances where building societies are refusing to advance mortgages without confirmation of Income Support (IS) funds.
Decisions on individual entitlement to Social Security benefits are made by independent adjudication authorities. In order to make a decision an AO needs to consider the actual facts of the case. It is not possible to give a decision based on hypothetical circumstances. BA staff can however give advice on the rules that will be applied if a mortgage is taken out.
The current arrangements generally work well by giving customers a good indication of the help they may received if their circumstances change, while protecting the right of the AO to make a decision on the facts as they change. There are no plans therefore to review this practice.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
Millennium Dome
Mr. Marshall-Andrews: To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) if he will provide details of the estimated total fees payable to (a) the Richard Rogers Partnership and (b) M and C Saatchi in relation to the millennium dome project; [12999]
- (2) what is the estimated quantum of financial payment due to Kock Hightec by or on behalf of New Millennium Experience Company in relation to the millennium dome exhibition; [12995]
(3) if he will list the terms and conditions of contract between the New Millennium Experience Company and Koch Hightec regarding (a) termination and (b) breach of contract. [12996]
Mr. Mandelson: The information sought is commercial in confidence and falls within that category of exemptions provided for in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (which applies equally to the Government's non-departmental public bodies and agencies). I consider that disclosure could harm the competitive position of the companies concerned and could be disadvantageous to the New Millennium Experience Company in any future competitions for contracts where the equipment, goods or services sought might be similar, in any way, to those covered by the contracts referred to.
Mr. Marshall-Andrews: To ask the Minister without Portfolio on whose behalf he holds the single share in New Millennium Experience Company. [12994]
Mr. Mandelson: I hold the sole share of the New Millennium Experience Company Ltd. on behalf of the Government.
Mr. Marshall-Andrews: To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) when the New Millennium Experience Company will publish its next set of accounts; [13001]
- (2) when the New Millennium Experience Company will place interim company accounts in the Library. [13002]
Mr. Mandelson:
The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC), then named Millennium Central Limited, became operative on 12 February 1997 when its first Board meeting was held. On the same date the shares of the company were transferred to the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the company became subject to the normal controls applied by the Government to non-departmental public bodies (NDPB). The NMEC is required to produce its first Accounts and Annual Report for the period 12 February 1997 to 31 March 1998 and to submit them to the Shareholder by 30 September 1998. In line with policy applying to all NDPBs, the NMEC's Accounts and Annual Report will be published and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.
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Mr. Marshall-Andrews:
To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) if he will set out the tendering procedures which applied to the appointment of Birdair as contractors for the millennium dome project; [12997]
Mr. Mandelson:
The procedures applied to the Birdair and to the M & C Saatchi contracts were those which the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is required to adopt for the procurement of all contracts for equipment, goods or services and which apply to all non-departmental public bodies. The NMEC must seek to obtain the best value for money, and must award contracts on a competitive basis unless it can show in a particular case that it can achieve better value for money by not doing so, or there are other compelling reasons for not doing so. The NMEC must also comply with European Community Directives governing tendering and contractual procedures and with any additional guidance that the Shareholder, or the Millennium Commission under the terms of its grant, may issue.
(2) if he will set out the tendering procedures which applied to the appointment of M and C Saatchi as contractors for the millennium dome project. [13000]
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