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Indonesia
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the Government played in monitoring the recent elections in Indonesia; and if he will make a statement. [89207]
Mr. Hoon: We provided almost £2m in electoral assistance to Indonesia, making us the fourth largest national contributor overall and the largest European contributor. Bilateral projects included substantial support for the student-based election monitoring group UNFREL, which fielded over 100,000 domestic monitors; and financial support for an election media monitoring project, organised by the International NGO Article XIX.
This bilateral assistance was in addition to our contribution to the European Union's 7m euros electoral assistance package. We also nominated five British election observers who formed part of the European Community's election observer team.
Mr. Jim Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the Government played in improving electoral administration in Indonesia. [89208]
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Mr. Hoon:
As part of the £2m bilateral electoral assistance package, referred to in my written answer to the hon. Member today (ref 89207), we provided funding for a pre-election programme of in-country workshops on cross-party lines for Indonesian political parties run by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, with the co-operation of hon. Members. This helped to develop a code of conduct for political parties as well as address issues of transparency, policy formulation and financial integrity. We also provided financial support for voter education programmes, including some aimed specifically at reaching women and first-time voters.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department of complying with the Working Time Directive in all foreign posts. [89870]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
No additional financial costs have been incurred so far.
Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if all British embassies are applying the Working Time Directive. [89871]
Mr. Tony Lloyd:
All UK-based staff in overseas posts are subject to the provisions of the Working Time Directive and Regulations. Guidance for staff and managers on their application has been circulated.
Mr. Hancock:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many F680 applications for clearance to promote products for export were (i) made, (ii) approved and (iii) refused in 1998. [86205]
Mr. Spellar:
I have been asked to reply.
I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
17. Mr. Clapham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to announce changes to the Jobseeker's Allowance to allow those who lose their job because of insolvency to claim the allowance. [88042]
Angela Eagle:
We are aware of the effect of the JSA rules in this area and are considering the matter in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry to see whether any changes can be made. There are, however, complex issues to be resolved. Meanwhile, there are existing safeguards to protect those most in need as payments can be made if hardship would otherwise result.
Ms Roseanna Cunningham:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if school ancillary staff who were in term-time employment were entitled to claim Jobseeker's Allowance during the summer vacation of 1998; whether they are entitled to claim it during the summer vacation of 1999; if he will list the changes to
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Jobseeker's Allowance rules over the last 18 months which affect term-time employees; and if he will make a statement. [89288]
Angela Eagle:
There has been no change to the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations in the past 18 months specifically relating to term-time employees.
However, an independent Social Security Commissioner has recently decided that people who are not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance during term-time because of the number of hours they work, are also not entitled to benefit during holiday periods. In deciding claims for Jobseeker's Allowance, adjudication officers are legally bound to follow this interpretation of the law.
School ancillary staff may claim Jobseeker's Allowance during the 1999 summer vacation. This position has not changed since 1998. Whether such claims result in entitlement to benefit will depend upon the circumstances of each individual case. Where any doubt exists about entitlement to benefit, individual school ancillary staff should claim.
18. Mr. Bob Russell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the state pension to those aged 80 years and above. [88043]
Mr. Timms:
Our priority is to help those pensioners who are the least well off. Our minimum income guarantee for pensioners over 80, delivered through Income Support, is £82.25 for single people and £125.30 for couples. After next year's earnings uprating of the guarantee, pensioner couples over 80 will be around £8 a week better off in real terms than before the guarantee was introduced. Older pensioners will also benefit from the £100 winter fuel payment to be paid to every pensioner household before Christmas.
19. Mr. White:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures his Department is taking to assist lone parents to get work. [88044]
Mr. Darling:
We are taking a wide range of action to help lone parents into work. These include the New Deal for Lone Parents programme which has helped over 16,500 lone parents into work and changes to the benefits rules from this October, which will allow lone parents to have a two week run-on of Income Support when they start work.
20. Ms Kelly:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to improve the pensions of people forced to leave work through long-term disability. [88045]
Mr. Bayley:
Currently, those who are in receipt of certain disability benefits can earn credits towards their basic State Retirement Pension.
The Pensions Green Paper published in December set out our proposals to extend the new State Second Pension to long-term disabled people with broken work records. They will receive flat-rate credits subject to a
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simple contribution test. This will represent a significant improvement in the financial position of disabled people in retirement.
21. Mr. Michael Jabez Foster:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve co-ordination between the Benefits Agency and Local Authorities in combating fraud. [88048]
Mr. Timms:
We regard improved co-operation across Government, as well as with Local Authorities, as fundamental to our anti-fraud work. We are continuing to encourage and develop strong links between the Benefits Agency and Local Authorities. For example, we have installed 360 Random Access Terminals in 349 Local Authorities to facilitate the exchange of data between the Benefits Agency and Local Authorities. More widely, the Government are helping Departments, Local Authorities and the private sector to work more closely together to combat fraud across the range of welfare services. There is a continuing work programme to measure the size of the security problem facing welfare services, to ensure that Departments know what type of data each holds and to explore new ways of working in concert to fight fraud and uphold compliance with the law. An Inter-Ministerial Group on Welfare Fraud was announced in July 1998 to oversee this work.
22. Mr. Sutcliffe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve the performance of the Child Support Agency. [88054]
Angela Eagle:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security set out our plans to reform the child support system in the White Paper published last week.
Mr. Hunter:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the working of the Child Support Agency. [88021]
Angela Eagle:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced our plans for reform last week. These will put children's rights at the centre of child support and get money to a million children who today miss out.
23. Mr. Gray:
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the proposed changes to widows benefits. [88049]
Angela Eagle:
Our proposed changes will modernise the present, out-dated widows benefits scheme, which was devised over 50 years ago and has altered little despite the enormous changes in society.
We will continue to provide support to bereaved people. Our reforms will concentrate help available from the State where and when it is most needed: on immediate needs and on children and families. Importantly, our reforms will give equal treatment to married men and women; making bereavement benefits available to men for the first time.
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