| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Sure Start
Mr. Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mothers he estimates will benefit from the Sure Start maternity grant in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster. [116079]
Angela Eagle: The administration of the Social Fund is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Jeff Ennis, dated 28 March 2000:
(3) To February 2000
(4) Estimate
Notes:
1. The figures do not distinguish male and female applicants.
29 Mar 2000 : Column: 166W
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many mothers he estimates will benefit from the Sure Start Maternity Grant in (a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster.
An estimate is not available in the format requested. It is expected that the Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) take-up will be at approximately the same level as the existing Social Fund Maternity Payment, though because Working Families Tax Credit gives qualification to more mothers than Family Credit did, there could be a small rise.
The smallest unit for which we can supply information is at the level of the BA district. Both Barnsley and Doncaster are in the South East Yorkshire District, which also includes Goole. Such information as is available is in the attached table.
I hope this is helpful.
Year Number
1997-98 2,060
1998-99 2,150
1999-2000(3) 1,773
2000-01(4) 2,495
Pensioner Incomes
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in (a) the Torbay constituency and (b) Torbay Unitary Authority are in receipt of the minimum income guarantee. [116447]
Mr. Bayley: The administration of benefits is a matter for Peter Mathison the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency to answer. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 28 March 2000:
Notes:
1. Sample size 5 per cent. therefore subject to sampling error.
2. Pensioners are defined as benefit units where either the claimant and/or their partner are aged 60 years or over.
3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.
Source:
Income Support quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 1999.
The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many pensioners in (a) the Torbay constituency and (b) Torbay Unitary Authority are in receipt of the minimum income guarantee.
The minimum income guarantee relates to Income Support (IS) pensioners aged 60 and over.
The information is displayed in the table attached.
I hope this is helpful.
Area Pensioners aged 60 and over
Torbay parliamentary constituency 4.9
Torbay Unitary Authority 6.0
Benefits Agency Staff
Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many visiting officers there are in each Benefits Agency in Scotland; [116558]
- (2) what was the cost of travel and subsistence for officers based in Edinburgh visiting clients throughout the rest of Scotland for each of the last three years; how many visits were involved and to what destinations. [116521]
Angela Eagle: This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Andrew Welsh, dated 28 March 2000:
29 Mar 2000 : Column: 167W
I hope this is helpful.
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking for the cost of travel and subsistence for officers based in Edinburgh visiting clients throughout the rest of Scotland for each of the last three years; how many visits were involved and to what destinations. Also, how many visiting officers there are in each Benefits Agency (BA) office in Scotland.
The BA does not hold data on the cost of travel and subsistence by geographical location. Most visiting officers are based in District Offices and do not make visits outside their home areas. Officers based in Edinburgh who visit customers outside the Edinburgh area
provide the Benefits Agency's Out of Hours Service (OOHS) and the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service (BFIS). Their travel and subsistence costs cannot be broken down for visiting officers as they are aggregated across the Agency. Figures would include travel for other official duties such as training courses and meetings.
The Disability Carer Benefits Directorate (DCBD) has calculated travel and subsistence costs of £8976.24, for the period from April 1999 to date, for their officers in Edinburgh visiting customers throughout Scotland.
The BA does not hold information centrally on the number of visits and destinations. These figures could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by manually counting entries in visiting officer's diaries.
The number of visiting officers based in Scotland is as follows:
Number
Benefits Agency District Officers 352
DCBD (Disability Benefits Centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow) 13
Benefit Fraud Investigation Service 275
Benefits Agency Security Investigation Service (Organised Fraud) 16
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Dialogue on Europe
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost to public funds of the launch of the European Commission's Dialogue on Europe. [114136]
Mr. Vaz [holding answer 14 March 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 March 2000, Official Report, column 53W.
General Affairs Council
Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 20 and 21 March; and if he will make a statement. [115957]
Mr. Vaz: The General Affairs Council in Brussels on 20-21 March adopted the "A" points listed in document no. 6962/00 and noted resolutions, decisions and opinions of the European Parliament in its sessions of 2-3 February, 14-18 February and 1-2 March listed in documents nos. 5614/00, 6130/00 and 6490/00. Copies of these documents will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as they become available.
1. MEPs' Statute
The Presidency updated the GAC on its discussions with the European Parliament over a Statute for Members of the European Parliament.
2. Economic situation in Bulgaria and Romania
In line with a decision of the Helsinki European Council in December 1999, Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen reported to the GAC on economic developments in Bulgaria and Romania.
3. Mozambique
The GAC agreed that the member states and the European Community would continue actively to participate in the rehabilitation efforts in Mozambique and looked forward to making a positive contribution to the Donor Conference on 26-27 April in Rome.
29 Mar 2000 : Column: 168W
4. EU-Africa Summit
The Presidency briefed partners on preparations for the Africa-Europe Summit (Cairo, 3-4 April).
5. Conflict in Africa
The GAC considered a discussion paper by the Council Secretariat Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit on the crisis in the Great Lakes region. They agreed to discuss it further at the April GAC if possible.
6. Freelance Interpreters
The GAC agreed that freelance interpreters should be taxed on the same basis as other employees of the EU institutions.
7. Council Formations
The GAC discussed Presidency proposals to reduce the number of Council formations to 16.
8. Lisbon European Council
The GAC discussed arrangements for the European Council on 23-24 March.
9. Inter-governmental Conference
The GAC held an exchange of views, focusing on vote re-weighting and the size and structure of the Commission after enlargement. Discussion will continue in the IGC Preparatory Group. The Presidency will report to the Feira European Council in June.
10. Defence/ESDP
The GAC discussed a draft Presidency report to the Lisbon European Council on follow-up to the Helsinki European Council report on strengthening the common European security and defence policy, including annexes on: elaboration of the head-line goal on military capabilities agreed at Helsinki; military bodies in the European Union; and the possible establishment of a committee for civilian crisis management.
11. UN Human Rights Commission--China
The GAC expressed its concern at the human rights situation in China and agreed to review the EU/China human rights dialogue to make it more focused and result-orientated. The GAC agreed to continue regularly to review its policy on human rights in China.
12. Russia
The GAC reiterated its deep concern over Russian actions in Chechnya, in particular continued reports of gross violation of human rights and international humanitarian law. It deplored the lack of Russian action to meet the EU's specific demands at the EU/Russia Summit on 3 March in Lisbon aimed at improving the international relief effort in Chechnya. The GAC called on Russia quickly to accede to the ICRC's request for free access to detainees in Chechnya. The GAC welcomed the Russian invitation to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office to visit Chechnya in April. It also welcomed Russia's invitation to the OSCE to monitor the presidential elections on 26 March and expressed the hope that the elections would further contribute to the development of democratic and economic reforms in Russia.
13. Mexico
The GAC gave political agreement for the formal adoption of the EU/Mexico Free Trade Agreement in the margins of the European Council in Lisbon.
29 Mar 2000 : Column: 169W
14. Western Balkans
Kosovo
The GAC adopted conclusions deploring the security situation in Mitrovica and Presevo. It condemned extremism from both sides and reminded political leaders in Kosovo that they would be held accountable for any further spread of violence. It called for Kosovo Serb participation in the Joint Interim Administration structures and for the proper preparation of elections. It recalled the massive resources allocated by the EU for assistance to Kosovo.
Former Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY)
Following the recent extension of the visa ban list, the Council adopted a Regulation suspending the flight ban for six months, agreed to adopt revised financial sanctions before the end of the month. It condemned the harassment of the independent media and urged FRY democratic forces to intensify their efforts to build a unified front. It expressed its readiness to assist Montenegro and to consider the extension of the Kosovo reconstruction agency to Montenegro.
Danube
The GAC stressed the urgency of resolving the obstacles to freedom of navigation.
Bosnia
The GAC welcomed the road-map for Bosnia to help pave the way towards a feasibility study on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. It stressed that the rate of progress will depend on the actions of the Bosnian authorities to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the SAA process.
Stability Pact
The GAC invited the Commission to present urgently a detailed proposal for the EU's contribution to the Stability Pact Regional Financing Conference at the end of March and stressed that EU support must be matched by credible and consistent reforms by the countries of the region.
European Community Monitoring Mission
The GAC underlined its wish for a restructured, flexible and streamlined European Community Monitoring Mission to support the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
15. East Timor
Ireland briefed partners on the Taoiseach's visit to East Timor on 9 March.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |