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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 14 November 1997
PRIME MINISTER
Campaigns
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of campaigns to (a) ban tobacco advertising, (b) restore the links between earnings and the level of basic pensions, (c) end laboratory procedures on living creatures, (d) oppose student tuition fees, (e) oppose a reduction in lone parent benefits and (f) support a ban on hunting with dogs. [15950]
The Prime Minister: All Government Ministers have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals.
SOCIAL SECURITY
Student Debt
Mr. Page: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if (a) Student Loans Company debt and (b) student overdraft debt can be offset against a claimant's assets. [16139]
Mr. Keith Bradley: When the amount of a claimant's capital is calculated in the income-related benefits, the value of a capital asset is reduced by the amount of any debt secured on it. No similar arrangement applies to unsecured debts of any type.
Child Support Agency
Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations she has received concerning the operation of the CSA. [14225]
Mr. Keith Bradley: In the last six months approximately 500 representations about child support issues have been received from hon. Members and around 900 representations from members of the public, voluntary bodies and other organisations.
We recognise that, despite considerable improvements in the performance of the Child Support Agency, too many representations about the operation of the child support scheme still relate to poor service. We are determined to ensure that absent parents meet their responsibilities and pay the maintenance they owe and we are looking closely at all aspects of the Agency to ensure that it delivers a modern, efficient and effective service to all its clients.
New Deal
Helen Jones:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents in Warrington, North have benefited from the New Deal programme to date.[15693]
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Mr. Keith Bradley:
Modernising the Social Security system is a key priority of the Government. Our objective is to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to promote work incentives. Our welfare to work programme will provide opportunities for lone parents to move into work.
The operational responsibility for the New Deal for Lone Parents is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Helen Jones, dated 13 November 1997:
Mrs. Fyfe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which five areas were used for the pilot schemes in which lone mothers claiming income support were visited by Benefits Agency staff at home, when each scheme commenced; how many claimants have been visited in each of the five areas; what assessment she has made of the success of the pilot schemes; and what proposals she has for further schemes; [13975]
(3) what training has been given to Benefits Agency staff to carry out tasks previously carried out by Child Support Agency staff. [13973]
Mr. Keith Bradley:
The operation of the Benefits Agency is a matter for its Chief Executive, Mr. Peter Mathison. He will write to my hon. Friends.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Maria Fyfe, dated 13 November 1997:
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The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many single parents in Warrington North have benefited from the New Deal programme to date.
The information is not available in the format requested. Statistics are collated by each New Deal for Lone Parent service area and not by Parliamentary Constituencies. The Benefits Agency North Cheshire district, which comprises offices at Warrington and Widnes, is one such area.
The New Deal for Lone Parent service offers advice and help with jobsearch, training, childcare and benefits, as part of the Welfare to Work programme, to create a package of back-to-work help for lone parents with school age children. Any lone parent whose youngest child is below school age can benefit from the service.
The New Deal for Lone Parents service has been available in North Cheshire since 21 July 1997 and by 31 October 1997, staff in Warrington had interviewed 233 lone parents, of whom 214 had agreed to participate in the programme and 50 had found work.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
(2) if she will publish the interview questions asked by Benefits Agency staff when interviewing claimants at home; [13974]
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions concerning the pilot schemes in which lone mothers claiming Income Support were visited by Benefits Agency (BA) staff at home.
The five sites used for the pilot schemes were Bristol, West Bromwich, Pontefract, Kirkcaldy and Norwich. As a control, and for comparison purposes, the sites were paired with offices of similar size and caseload which were following normal procedures.
Initially two pilot schemes were undertaken; phase 1 from 1 April 1997 to 30 April 1997 and phase 2 from 1 May 1997 and 30 May 1997. Phase 1 involved issuing a Maintenance Application Form (MAF) at the new claims visit and phase 2, issuing and completing the MAF.
250 visits were undertaken for each phase, and the numbers for each site are as follows:
| Site | Phase 1 | Phase 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | 60 | 49 |
| West Bromwich | 49 | 59 |
| Pontefract | 42 | 51 |
| Kirkcaldy | 40 | 28 |
| Norwich | 59 | 63 |
| Total | 250 | 250 |
The evaluation has shown an improved customer service by the Agencies as all issues are raised at the start of the claim. They have also shown a significant increase in the number of customers co-operating with the Child Support Agency (CSA) at the start of the claim, which will expedite the maintenance process.
The Department's programme for modernising service delivery aims to identify the scope for reducing overlaps and repetition of work between Agencies where they have clients in common. These pilots have demonstrated that lone parents are better served by the Department conducting business in this way.
A third pilot scheme was undertaken form 1 July 1997 to 26 September 1997, involving trained BA visiting staff also questioning customers about their reasons for claiming "Good Cause" where appropriate. Good cause is where the customer seeks to avoid being required to apply for child support maintenance on the grounds that there is a risk of harm or undue distress if the CSA should pursue the absent parent. The same areas were involved in this pilot with the addition of Chilterns, the results of which are currently being evaluated.
Following the successful results of the initial pilot schemes, it has been agreed that MAF issue and completion work should be transferred to the BA from April 1998. To fully consider the impact of this transfer of responsibility to BA, two sites are continuing with phase 2 of the pilot.
A specific list of the questions which the customers are asked when interviewed at home is not available. BA visiting officers are trained to ask the appropriate questions depending on the customers particular circumstances.
The BA staff who have been involved in these pilots have been fully trained in Child Support applications and in interviewing lone parents.
I hope you find this reply helpful.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Mr. Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list (a) his Department's policies and initiatives designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and (b) the departmental policies and initiatives designed to reduce other greenhouse gases; if he will estimate for each the annual reduction in tonnage of greenhouse gas emissions achieved in the most recent year for which figures are available compared to those for 1990; and what estimate he has made of further reductions, or increases, predicted for 2000 and 2010, assuming continuation of current policies. [15539]
Mr. Fisher:
I refer the hon. Member to the United Kingdom's Second Report under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which was published in
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February 1997. It reports the UK's progress in implementing its programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gives a projection of what the programme is expected to deliver by 2000. The report projects forward what the current programme is expected to achieve to 2020.
Witnesses
Dr. Naysmith: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will review the legislative provision for a maximum daily allowance to witnesses for loss of earnings to ensure that those appearing as witnesses are not out of pocket as a result.[15280]
Mr. Hoon: The present provisions are intended to relieve hardship that may result from witnesses discharging their public duty by attending court to give evidence. I have no plans to change the present legislation. There is inevitably a tension between meeting the full costs of witnesses attending court and the limited public money available to do so. I believe the present provisions strike the right balance in recognising the discharge of a public duty and using limited public funds to best effect.
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