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Stakeholder Pensions

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for a further promotional campaign on stakeholder pensions; and what provision for such a campaign has been included in the previously announced forecasts of current year spending. [2258]

Mr. McCartney: The Government attach great importance to providing clear information to help people make informed decisions about saving for their retirement and to encourage them to take action.

We have undertaken work to inform both individuals and employers about stakeholder pensions. Our pensions education campaign gives individuals broad information

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about the range of pension options available, including stakeholder pensions. Our activities to inform employers about stakeholder pensions began last autumn when we mailed all employers with five or more employees and a programme of media activity has been taking place since then. In addition, we will be mailing employers with five or more employees again shortly to remind them about stakeholders.

For individuals, we will continue to undertake pensions education publicity activity.

Social Security (Australia)

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what response he plans to make to the ending of the Social Security Agreement with Australia. [2542]

Mr. McCartney: The Social Security Agreement between the UK and Australia ended on 28 February 2001. The Government announced in December that the UK pension position of people who had lived in Australia when the Agreement was in force would be protected. The Agreement allowed residence in Australia to count towards the UK retirement pension of people living in the UK. Periods of residence in Australia, up to 5 April 2001, can still be used in the pension calculation for people living permanently in the UK when they retire.

People who were already getting benefit with the help of the Agreement are not affected by its ending.

Benefit Interviews

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring has taken place of the schemes piloting compulsory interviews for (a) lone parents and (b) disabled people; and if he will make a statement. [3066]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Compulsory work-focused interviews for lone parents and disabled people have been piloted as part of the ONE service. Qualitative research from the evaluation has recently been published.

Lone parents and disabled people have generally reported that these compulsory interviews are a positive experience. We are taking forward the lessons learnt from these programmes in the development of Jobcentre Plus. Jobcentre Plus will provide a new service to benefit claimants of working age, offering help to those looking for work now or in the future. We are opening the door to more independence for those who feel trapped on benefit.

New Deal (Disabled People)

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice was given to the Rehabilitation Resource Centre at City University, London, regarding the application process for the evaluation of the New Deal for Disabled People. [3182]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 10 July 2001]: On 2 March 2001 an invitation seeking expressions of interest in tendering for the evaluation of New Deal for Disabled People was posted on the New Deal website. The website also contained information about the evaluation and about the New Deal for Disabled People.

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Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he last travelled on the London Underground in the course of his official duties. [3677]

Mr. Darling: Tuesday 10 July 2001.

Pensioner Benefits

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the numbers of pensioners claiming (a) the Minimum Income Guarantee, (b) Housing Benefit, (c) Council Tax Benefit and (d) Attendance Allowance; and how many pensioners who are eligible do not claim these benefits. [3627]

Mr. McCartney: The latest available information is as follows:

(a) As at February 2001, 1,679,300 pensioners were claiming the Minimum Income Guarantee ¹ .

(b) As at May 1999, 1,769,000 pensioners were claiming Housing Benefit, and

(c) 2,542,000 pensioners were claiming Council Tax Benefit ² .

(d) As at the end of November 2000, 1,291,300 pensioners were claiming Attendance Allowance ³ .

Available information on take-up of benefit can be found in the publication "Income Related Benefits—Estimates of Take Up in 1998–99", a copy of which is in the Library. Up-to-date information on take-up of Attendance Allowance is not available.

Sources:

¹ Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, 5 per cent. sample, February 2001.

² Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample, May 1999.

³ Based on 5 per cent. sample data relating to 30 November 2000.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place a copy of the new piloted minimum income guarantee claim form in the Library. [4405]

Mr. McCartney: We are developing a new reduced form for claiming Minimum Income Guarantee with a range of stakeholders and we expect to have it ready for use by October 2001.

Pensions (Hospital Downrating)

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 5 July 2001, Official Report, column 270W, concerning hospital downrating, if he will estimate the annual cost of abolishing the reduction of state pensions, other contributory benefits and income-related benefits for the first 12 weeks for (a) claimants and (b) pensioners. [3747]

Mr. McCartney: The information requested is not available.

Pension Credit

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 2001, Official Report, column 7W, on the pension credit, if his response

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to the pension credit consultation document will include both a summary of the responses received and details of the organisations that provided submissions. [4406]

Mr. McCartney: We will be guided by the Cabinet Office Code of practice on written consultation published in November 2000, a copy of which is held in the Library.

Occupational Pensions

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to receive the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority's fifth annual report; and if he will make a statement. [4777]

Mr. Darling: I have received the fifth report of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA). I have laid copies of the report before both Houses today.

Social Inclusion

Mr. Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library copies of the United Kingdom's national action plan on social inclusion. [4776]

Mr. Darling: I have today placed in the Library copies of the UK National Action Plan on Social Inclusion for 2001–03, which sets out the Government's policies for implementing the objectives in the fight against social exclusion and the eradication of poverty, agreed at the European Council held in Nice in December 2000. The plan contains information on policies and programmes that are tackling exclusion throughout the UK.

HEALTH

Tattoo Removal

Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many surgical procedures to remove unwanted tattoos on (a) women and (b) men were carried out by the NHS; and at what cost in each year since 1997. [1990]

Yvette Cooper: The table shows data for in-patient episodes for minor skin procedures, such as for the removal of tattoos and port wine stains, in national health service hospitals in England from 1997–98 to 1999–2000. This is the most recent information available. Information on the cost of these episodes is not collected centrally.

	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000
Male	77	40	40
Female	96	58	49
Unknown	2	0	0
Total	175	98	89

Source:

Hospital Episode Statistics

Breast Cancer

Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer tested to date overexpress the HER-2 marker; [2324]

(2) what the cost per patient is of assessing the HER-2 status of women diagnosed with breast cancer; [2319]

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(3) what guidelines he has issued to health authorities assessing the HER-2 status of women diagnosed with breast cancer; [2326]

(4) what proportion of women diagnosed with breast cancer were assessed for the expression of the HER-2 marker (a) by the NHS and (b) privately in England in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2001; [2321]

(5) what financial support he has provided to cancer centres and units to assess the HER-2 status of women diagnosed with breast cancer; [2325]

(6) what assessment he has made of the implications for treatment of women with breast cancer who overexpress the HER-2 marker; [2320]

(7) what recent discussions he has had with the (a) cancer charities, (b) patient group of organisations, (c) medical profession and (d) pharmaceutical companies regarding HER-2 testing of women diagnosed with breast cancer. [2323]

Yvette Cooper: We do not know how many women are currently tested for the HER-2 marker, either on the national health service or privately. Some research groups working in NHS trusts will measure HER-2 status for research purposes, or prior to entry of patients into clinical trials.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is currently assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of herceptin (a drug that specifically targets the HER-2 protein) and will publish guidance shortly. As part of that appraisal process we expect that NICE will be looking at the cost of HER-2 testing. Charities, patient groups, health professionals and the pharmaceutical industry will all have had the opportunity to submit evidence to NICE during this process.

Health authorities will be expected to meet the costs of positive recommendations from NICE from the £255 million available to them in 2001–02 for cancer services.

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on women with breast cancer who overexpress the HER2 marker of non-prescription of herceptin. [4157]

Yvette Cooper: No assessment has been made of the impact of non-prescription herceptin in women who over express the HER2 marker. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been asked to evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of herceptin in the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

If NICE makes a positive recommendation for herceptin health authorities will be expected to fund the treatment from the additional £255 million available to them for cancer services in 2001–02.

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