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Permanent Secretary (Official Visits)
Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the visits outside Britain made by his Department's Permanent Secretary on official business since 1 January 1999, indicating the date and purpose of the visit in each case. [133272]
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Mr. Paul Murphy: Neither the Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Office between 1 January 1999 and 30 June 1999, nor the Head of the Wales Office between 1 July 1999 and today, has made any visits outside Britain on official business.
Rural Bus Subsidy Scheme
Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was spent in Wales under the rural bus subsidy scheme in (a) 1998-99 and (b) 1999-2000; and how much is expected to be spent in 2000-01. [132298]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Audited expenditure in 1998-99 was £2.17 million. In 1999-2000, the scheme was extended to include urban areas, with a total allocation of £5 million. Actual expenditure in that year and provision for 2000-01 are matters for the National Assembly.
Hotel Industry
Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what Government training schemes are available to those working within the hotel industry in Wales. [132311]
Mr. Paul Murphy: The New Deal programmes, Modern Apprenticeships, GNVQs, and National Traineeships for Work Based Learning are available to those working within the hotel industry in Wales. The Employment Service in Wales has recently put into operation an initiative involving hotels and catering companies encouraging them to recruit New Deal clients in its Cardiff District. Also, until very recently, the Wales New Deal Advisory Task Force included a member representing the hotel industry and an approaching review of the Task Force's membership will hopefully ensure that the hotel industry continues to be represented.
Ministerial Code of Conduct
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines Ministers should follow if their Department deals with a matter affecting their own constituency. [133215]
Mr. Paul Murphy: Section 6 of the "Ministerial Code", published by the Prime Minister in 1997 and setting out detailed guidance for Ministers on how they should conduct business, deals with Ministers' Constituency and Party Interests.
Paragraph 64 of the Code states that,
- Where Ministers have to take decisions within their Department which might have an impact on their own constituencies, they should, of course, take particular care to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
SOCIAL SECURITY
All-work Test
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people (a) failed the All Work Test, (b) appealed against the decision and (c) had their appeal successfully upheld broken down by each benefit applied for, in each of the last 10 years. [132931]
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Angela Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows. The All-work Test (AWT) was introduced in 1995.
Information on disallowances following the AWT (which was replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment from April this year) is in table 1. Disallowances include claimants who have failed to return the All-work Test (AWT) questionnaire or to attend for medical examination.
Data on appeals are in table 2. The time lags between disallowance, lodging an appeal and hearing an appeal means there is no direct relationship between data on decisions to disallow benefit and appeals made and heard in each calendar year.
| Incapacity Benefit(1) | Severe Disablement Allowance | |
|---|---|---|
| 1995(1) | 54,080 | 1,619 |
| 1996 | 189,571 | 6,294 |
| 1997 | 208,545 | 5,415 |
| 1998 | 219,007 | 4,380 |
| 1999 | 196,928 | 3,140 |
(1) Includes credits only claims and claims for Income Support on the grounds of incapacity
(1) From the introduction of IB on 13 April 1995
Source:
Information taken from a 100 per cent. count of adjudication decisions from the benefit computer system
| Incapacity benefits(1) | Number of appeals lodged | Number of appeals cleared at hearing | Number of appeals found in favour of the Appellant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995(1) | 18,966 | 3,616 | 1,690 |
| 1996 | 70,578 | 48,047 | 21,533 |
| 1997 | 81,394 | 64,646 | 26,898 |
| 1998 | 60,844 | 62,607 | 25,175 |
| 1999 | 54,889 | 57,586 | 23,789 |
(1) Incapacity Benefits are Incapacity Benefit, credits only cases (where there is no entitlement to Incapacity Benefit but National Insurance contribution credits are awarded on the grounds of incapacity), Severe Disablement Allowance, Income Support claimed on the grounds of incapacity.
Notes:
1. Figures for year ending December 1999 are provisional and may be subject to revision.
2. Figures from the GAPS system are subject to updating on a quarterly basis and may differ from previously published figures.
Sources:
1. April 1995 to December 1997, 100 per cent. extract from Independent Tribunals Service computerised records.
2. September 1997 to December 1999, 100 per cent. download from the Appeals Service Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS).
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what documentation is needed to proceed with an appeal against an All-work Test decision; and if he will make a statement. [132933]
Mr. Bayley: The only documentation required from a person who wants to appeal against a decision on an All-work Test (replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment from April this year) is a written statement
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setting out the reasons for the appeal. Appellants may provide additional evidence to support their case if they wish, but there is no requirement for them to do so.
Mr. Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines he issues on GP charging for the documentation needed to proceed with an appeal against an All-work Test decision; and if he will make a statement. [132932]
Mr. Bayley: None. The only documentation required for an appeal against a decision on an All-work Test (replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment from April this year) is a written statement setting out the reasons for appeal. If appellants wish to provide additional medical evidence in support of their appeal, it is open to them to do so and the provision of such evidence is a private matter between the appellant and their doctor. The British Medical Association issues a list of suggested fees which GPs may charge patients for providing medical reports in general.
MENCAP Study (Wales)
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his findings of the MENCAP in Wales study, conducted by the Wrexham Welfare Rights Unit, regarding the non-take-up of benefits by disabled people, a copy of which has been forwarded to him. [132904]
Mr. Rooker: We will write to the right hon. Member next week.
National Insurance Fund
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the National Insurance Fund balance would be and how far above the minimum level recommended by the Government Actuary, at the end of each of the years 2002-03 and 2003-04, if the basic pension and linked benefit rates remained at their present level in 2000-01 and were uprated in line with prices thereafter. [133067]
Mr. Rooker: We have accepted the Amendment laid by our right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Castle to the Child Support and Pensions Bill to supply such figures in respect of uprating by earnings. We have said that we will publish these in the next available scheduled report by the Government Actuary which is due to be published in January 2001. We shall also publish the figures requested in that report.
Merchant Navy Day
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that the Red Ensign is flown from departmental buildings on Merchant Navy Day, 3 September. [132966]
Mr. Rooker: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. O'Brien) today, Official Report, column 895W.
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Pensions
Mr. Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate for (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002 how many men turning 65 will be entitled to (i) an occupational pension and (ii) a personal pension; [132947]
- (2) if he will estimate for (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002 how many women turning 60 will be entitled to (i) an occupational pension and (ii) a personal pension. [132946]
Mr. Rooker: The information is not available on which to make an estimate.
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of (a) single pensioners and (b) married pensioners who would gain (a) £15 per week or above, (b) £10 to £14.99, (c) £5 to £9.99, (d) £3.50 to £4.99, (e) 0.01 to £3.49 and (f) nothing from a package comprising an increase of £5 per week in the basic pension, the introduction of age additions of £5 for those aged 75 to 79 and £10 for those aged 80 or above, taking account of any offsetting loss of means-tested benefits or rise in income tax liability. [133250]
Mr. Rooker: The information requested is not available.
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