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Winter Fuel Payments
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason men aged 60 to 64 years have been required to provide their original birth certificate in connection with a claim for Winter Fuel payments; and what alternative documents will be accepted. [125307]
Angela Eagle [holding answer 9 June 2000]: The best evidence of age than can be provided is a certified copy of an entry, which has by law to be made in a register concerning the event. This is classed as primary evidence. Photocopies of original documents carry little or no weight of evidence. This is because the original document
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has authenticating features not available in a photocopy. However, photocopies that are certified as a true copy of the original are more acceptable.
If primary evidence is not available, then items of secondary evidence will be requested. Examples of these are:
- A certificate of baptism
A marriage certificate
A certificate of service in HM Forces
A certificate of employment under the Crown
A certificate of service in the mercantile Marine
A certificate of membership of a Trade Union or Friendly Society
Membership cards or papers of an Approved Society or unemployment insurance
- Apprenticeship indentures
Early certificate or testimonial from an employer
Certificate of Naturalisation, Alien's Registration card, Home Office travel documents or passport
Life insurance policy
Certificate of confirmation
National Health Service medical card
Adoption certificate.
Note:
- This list is not exhaustive.
Employment Service
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when all areas will have organisational boundaries co-ordinated with those of the Employment Service; if he will set out the programme for such co-ordination; and if he will make a statement. [125441]
Angela Eagle: In March of this year my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced the creation of a new agency for people of working age that will draw together those elements of the Benefits Agency which support people of working age, and the Employment Service. The agency will launch as soon as possible during 2001. Organisational boundaries will be considered in the design of the new agency.
Pensions
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many letters he has received from pensioners expressing views on the recent increase in the state retirement pension; and if he will make a statement. [125764]
Mr. Rooker: Further to my oral answer to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess) on 3 April 2000, Official Report, columns 624-25, we have received about 4,000 further letters that mention the level of the State Pension.
Income Support
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners he expects to claim Income Support as a result of his Department's take-up campaign. [125749]
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Mr. Bayley: We have not set a target for the Minimum Income Guarantee take-up campaign, but we will carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the campaign, early next year.
Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the reasons for which pensioners who are eligible to claim Income Support do not claim. [125748]
Mr. Bayley: Research on barriers pensioners face in claiming Income Support was detailed in the Departmental report "Overcoming barriers, older people and Income Support", published last October. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the complexities surrounding pensioner take-up. A copy has been placed in the Library.
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of Income Support claimants by constituency in the county of Devon, Torbay Unitary Authority and Plymouth Unitary Authority for each year from August 1998 to the latest date for which figures are available. [124987]
Mr. Bayley: The administration of Income Support is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency to answer. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 12 June 2000:
- The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list the number of income support claimants by constituency in the county of Devon, Torbay Unitary Authority and Plymouth Unitary Authority for each year from August 1998 to the latest date for which figures are available.
- The information is in the table attached.
- I hope this is helpful.
| August | February | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
| Plymouth, Devonport | 8.3 | 8.0 | 8.1 |
| Plymouth, Sutton | 7.8 | 7.8 | 7.7 |
| Torbay | 9.6 | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| East Devon | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Exeter | 6.5 | 6.7 | 6.5 |
| North Devon | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 |
| South West Devon | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| Teignbridge | 6.2 | 6.5 | 6.7 |
| Tiverton and Honiton | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Torridge and West Devon | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Totnes | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.8 |
Notes:
1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.
2. Cases in August 1998 are allocated to each Parliamentary Constituency by matching postcodes against the 1999 version 1 of the Postcode Directory and in August 1999 and February 2000 against the 1999 version 2 of the Postcode Directory; as such represents Constituency boundaries as at May 1997.
3. Sample sizes 5%, therefore subject to sampling error.
Agoraphobia
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to recognise agoraphobia within the eligibility rules for Disability Living Allowance. [125712]
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Mr. Bayley: Eligibility for Disability Living Allowance is based on a person's needs, and not on recognition of their specific medical condition. However, guidance available to decision makers includes agoraphobia as a potentially disabling condition, and the eligibility criteria for the lower rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, need for guidance or supervision on unfamiliar routes, may be of particular relevance for people suffering from agoraphobia.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
No-smoking Policy
Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on (a) the effectiveness of his Department's no-smoking policy and (b) the proportion of his Department's offices that do not allow smoking. [125151]
Jane Kennedy: (a) My Department has a well established "Smoking Policy" designed to provide smoke-free working conditions for those staff who want them, while offering limited, designated, smoking facilities for smokers and help for those who wish to stop smoking. (b) Practical arrangements for the implementation of the smoking policy are the responsibility of local offices located throughout England and Wales and statistics are not held centrally on how many offices do not allow smoking.
I also refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 14 December 1999, Official Report, column 125W, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) on 20 January 2000, Official Report, column 527W.
Legal Aid Board
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the (a) capital value of assets charged to the Legal Aid Board and (b) the interest which accrued in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [125359]
Mr. Lock: The capital value of the charge placed on assets by the Legal Aid Board for the last 10 years is shown in the table and is taken from the Legal Aid Board's annual accounts for each of the past 10 years.
Calculation of the interest accrued in each year can be provided only at disproportionate cost as only information on the amount accrued on charges still live at each year-end is readily available.
(22) The figures shown in the above table cover live cases at each year end. No data is available on the make up of the movement from one year to the next in terms of new charges added and old ones redeemed.
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