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North Wales Young Offenders Team
16. Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the North Wales young offenders team; and if he will make a statement. [4207]
Mr. Touhig: The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales has responsibility for the operation of youth offending teams. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 requires local authorities to submit a youth justice plan to the Board annually, setting out the composition and funding of youth offending teams and how youth justice services in their areas are to be provided.
I am informed that the Youth Justice Board is aware of the proposals by Wrexham county borough council and Flintshire county council to split into two the present North East Wales Youth Offending Team. It is for the Board to comment on the merits of these proposals.
Welsh Language (Documents)
20. Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements are in place to ensure that documents produced by his Department are obtainable in Welsh. [4211]
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Mr. Paul Murphy: Wales Office publications are bilingual and we reply in Welsh to anyone who writes to us in that language. Our translation needs are met partly by the National Assembly for Wales under the terms of a service level agreement and partly by external translators. We are currently preparing a Welsh Language Scheme which will be published for consultation shortly.
Labour Statistics
21. Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job losses have been announced, and how many new jobs have been created, in Blaenau Gwent in the past 12 months. [4212]
Mr. Paul Murphy: While the figures are not exhaustive, a survey of announcements over the past 12 months suggests that around 1,000 jobs have been lost in Blaenau Gwent and just under 300 new jobs have been announced during this period. While these figures are disappointing, I am pleased to note that the unemployment rate in Blaenau Gwent Unitary Authority has fallen by 0.7 per cent. in the last year.
22. Mr. David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly on manufacturing job losses, with special reference to job losses in the Caerphilly county borough. [4213]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss a wide range of issues including manufacturing employment in Wales.
While a number of manufacturing job losses have been announced in Caerphilly and across Wales during the past 12 months, I very much welcome the announcement of continued expansion at Norgine Pharmaceuticals and National Britannia, with a total of 144 jobs to be created in Caerphilly.
Inward Investment
23. Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning the level of inward investment in Wales. [4214]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I meet the First Minister regularly to discuss a wide range of issues including inward investment in Wales.
In the past 12 months, Wales has attracted capital investment of £549 million, with nearly 9,000 new jobs created and over 6,000 jobs safeguarded.
Foot and Mouth
25. Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales regarding the state of the rural economy following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement. [4216]
Mr. Paul Murphy: I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a wide range of issues, including the rural economy in Wales.
The recent declines in rural incomes are attributable to prices for most commodities falling sharply due to market conditions, economic difficulties in Russia and Asia, and
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the strength of sterling, as well as the foot and mouth outbreak. We cannot ignore these difficulties, but must respond positively to the challenges. I understand that the National Assembly's Advisory Group is advising on how best to tackle these challenges in a way which best meets the needs of rural Wales.
Redundant Steel Workers
26. Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to assist redundant steelworkers in Wales. [4217]
Mr. Paul Murphy: On 3 May the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced a number of measures to help individuals and communities affected by redundancies in the steel industry. This included lump sum payments of around £2,500 in social aid. The scheme will be backdated to 1 January 2000.
SCOTLAND
Refurbishment Projects
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the top 10 companies to which her Department contracted out its construction and refurbishment work in the last 12 months. [6615]
Mrs. Liddell: My Department has let no contracts for construction and refurbishment work in the last 12 months.
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what (a) building and (b) refurbishment projects are planned by her Department in (i) the current and (ii) the next financial year; and what the costs will be of each project. [6591]
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Mrs. Liddell: My Department has no building or refurbishment projects planned for this financial year or next, other than on-going minor maintenance work.
Civil Service (Retirement Age)
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if she will list the compulsory retirement ages which apply to employees of her Department and of executive agencies and other public sector bodies for which it is responsible, broken down by grade or job title. [7230]
Mrs. Liddell: My Department's normal retirement age for all staff is 60. This policy is currently under review in relation to staff below the senior civil service.
The Scotland Office has no executive agencies or other public service bodies.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Fraud
Liz Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place the results of the evaluation of the March advertising campaign on targeting fraud in the Library. [8747]
Mr. Darling: A report on the results of the evaluation of the March burst of the Targeting Fraud Advertising Campaign has been placed in the Library.
Remploy
Liz Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what Remploy's performance has been against the targets set in their 2000–01 Annual Performance Agreement. [8748]
Maria Eagle: Remploy published its Report and Accounts for 2000–01 in July and copies have been placed in the Library. The targets and achievements are set out in the table.
| Target | Achievement | |
|---|---|---|
| The average number of disabled people employed by Remploy | (1)10,400 | 10,423 |
| Average number of disabled people employed under the Interwork Scheme | (1)4,400 | 4,403 |
| The number of disabled employees to move from Remploy factories to Interwork having been employed there for at least six months, or from Interwork or factories to open employment | (1)700 | 774 |
| Remploy will keep within a unit cost target (operating deficit per disabled worker) of: | £9,600 | £9,580 |
(1) at least
Invalid Care Allowance
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received from carers' organisations regarding an increase in the invalid care allowance; and if he will make a statement. [7507]
Maria Eagle: We have received from carers' organisations a number of representations on this and other aspects of financial support for carers. Some of these were in response to the Government's recent consultation on our proposed changes to provide entitlement to Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) to those aged over 65, to make the benefit payable for 8 weeks after the death of the person being cared for, and to change its name to the more appropriate "Carer's Allowance". These enhancements to ICA, which are part of a £500 million per annum package of benefit improvements announced last Autumn, will be introduced shortly by means of a Regulatory Reform Order.
PRIME MINISTER
Ynys Môn
Q7. Albert Owen: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the Ynys Môn constituency in the near future. [4226]
The Prime Minister: I have no plans at present to do so.
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Housing Rents (London)
Q11. Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Prime Minister what actions are being taken by the Government to ensure that the number of affordable rented houses in London increases. [4230]
The Prime Minister: We have reversed the decline in housing investment by the previous Administration with a massive programme to improve the quantity and quality of social housing in London. We are actively working with others, including the Mayor, on measures to increase the provision of housing, including affordable housing, in London. We have also just announced the allocations for our Starter Homes Initiative which will help to expand the supply of housing to key workers in the capital.
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