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Special Advisers
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the total number of occasions when (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997. [76822]
Mr. Timms: Between 2 May 1997 and 28 February 1999, the special advisers from this Department have made one visit overseas in an official capacity. All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.
Means-tested Benefits
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will breakdown the total of one in three persons living in households claiming at least one major means-tested benefit by the type of benefit claimed. [76208]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 12 March 1999]: This Department's latest estimates do not suggest a total of one in three persons living in households claiming at least one major means-tested benefit.
Notes:
1. A "major means-tested benefit" was defined as being one of Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Income Support (including Income Support for the unemployed, before October 1996), Family Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based, from October 1996 onwards). However, on the 1996-97 Family Resources Survey dataset, it was not possible to distinguish Unemployment Benefit from Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based), which was introduced in October 1996. Thus, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based) has not been included in analyses in the table. Analysis of the Family Resources Survey from April to September 1996 (inclusive) show that the proportion of people in households in receipt of at least one of the four means tested benefits given in the table was 27 per cent.
2. Estimates are subject to sampling error and to variability in non-response. Receipt of Social Security benefits are also based on respondents' own assessment and may be subject to misreporting.
3. Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer. The symbol "--" indicates less than 0.5 per cent.
Source:
1996-97 Family Resources Survey (GB).
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Working Time Directive
Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants in his Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in his Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76800]
Mr. Timms: 105 staff in this Department have signed an agreement to disapply the 48 hour limit.
The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by the Department are well within the limits set by the Working Time Regulations. The Regulations do not require employers to keep records of the number of workers who refuse to sign an opt-out agreement and no central records are kept by this Department. Costs of complying with the Directive are not available.
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Mr. Brake:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement of the future of the direct payment scheme for water charges; and what plans he has to increase the priority of water charges in the order of payments included in the direct payment scheme. [77078]
Angela Eagle:
The provision for making direct payments from Income Support and income based Jobseeker's Allowance for water charges will continue to operate when disconnection of household water supplies is prohibited. We are considering how the scheme will operate in the light of this policy development. We do not have any plans to increase water charges in the priority order within the direct payment scheme.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many times Ministers in his Department have met their counterparts in the US Government since 1 June 1998; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting, the Ministers involved on each occasion, and the name of the US counterpart at each meeting. [77118]
Mr. Field:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the standard spending assessment for councils incorporates moneys to compensate councils for disregarding war pensions for housing benefit and council tax benefit. [76982]
Angela Eagle:
The mandatory War Pension disregards are funded in the same way as other expenditure for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. The bulk of this expenditure is met by central Government subsidy. Local authorities have discretionary powers to disregard up to the full amount of a War Disablement Pension and War Widow's Pension not already covered by the statutory disregard. However, any benefit payable as a result of such discretion is funded from local authorities' own resources. It is for each local authority to decide, how much, if anything, it can afford.
Mr. Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the current security classifications of the newsletters produced for the staff of (a) the Benefits Agency and (b) the Child Support Agency; how often each newsletter is produced; and when each newsletter was first produced. [77119]
Angela Eagle:
The Benefits Agency (BA) has two national newsletters produced for staff, "BA Weekly" and "BA News". The "BA Weekly" has been produced every week since the Agency was established in April 1991. "BA News" is produced monthly. It was first produced in 1991 and is intended to reach all staff in the BA.
The Child Support Agency (CSA) has two national newsletters produced for staff. "The Weekly" has been produced every week since the Agency was established in April 1993. "The Outlook" is produced monthly and was first produced in autumn 1996.
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There are no security classifications on either the BA or CSA publications.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what the cost was to the public purse of the adjourned Independent Tribunal Service hearing into case No. S/45/167/1998/00627 at Aldershot on 10 March; [77099]
Angela Eagle:
The President of the Independent Tribunal Service has advised that the cost of the adjourned hearing into case S/45/167/1998/00627 at Aldershot on 10 March 1998 was £33.48.
The tribunal had a written submission from the adjudication officer. Although it is normal practice for the Department to be represented at hearings, a presenting officer was unable to attend this hearing. The tribunal is able to hear an appeal without a presenting officer. Where a hearing is adjourned in these circumstances, a presenting officer will attend the re-hearing.
Mr. Mackinlay:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) at how many cases in the past 12 months his Department has failed to be represented at a scheduled hearing causing the tribunal to stand adjourned; and what percentage of the total number of hearings were so adjourned; [77098]
(3) if he will review the guidance given to the tribunal chairmen as to what award may be made when the Department of Social Security fails to appear and advance a reason to the tribunal for absence; and if he will make a statement. [77101]
Angela Eagle:
Information about Departmental representation at hearings in the past 12 months cannot be provided and would be available only at disproportionate cost.
The Department is not obliged to provide a representative at tribunal hearings. However, under the new decision making and appeals arrangements, the Benefits Agency aims to provide a presenting officer at all hearings where a representative would add value to the proceedings.
The Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1995 allow a tribunal, in the absence of a party to the proceedings, to proceed with a hearing or to give such directions for the determination of the case as it thinks proper. Similar provision is made in the regulations for new decision making and appeal arrangements which will be debated in the House on 22 March. However,
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regulations also provide for a tribunal to adjourn an oral hearing either on application of any party to the proceedings or of its own accord. The decision of the tribunal whether or not to adjourn a hearing will always be made on the circumstances of the individual case. The handling of such decisions is, of course, a judicial matter.
Guidance for tribunals is a matter for the President of the Independent Tribunal Service, Judge Michael Harris. I have asked Judge Harris to write to my hon. Friend.
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(2) what reasons his Department was not represented at the Independent Tribunal Service hearing into case No. S/45/167/1998/00627 at Aldershot on 10 March. [77100]
(2) what powers the Independent Tribunal Service has to make an award in favour of the applicant when the Department fails to be represented or present at hearings; [77102]
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