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Asylum Seekers

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how NASS (a) monitors and (b) inspects the accommodation into which they place (i) asylum seekers and (ii) refugees; and if he will place the latest inspection report in the Library. [17716]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 23 November 2001]: The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) provides accommodation for asylum seekers. It is not responsible for providing accommodation to those who have been accepted as refugees. The NASS Housing Management Team conducts random inspections of properties throughout the country on a weekly basis. These inspections assess the quality of accommodation provided and highlight any maintenance issues requiring remedial action. The Contractor is required to take action within specified timescales and follow up inspections are undertaken to ensure that repairs have been completed satisfactorily.

The NASS Housing Management Team has close liaison with contract managers who undertake similar tasks, as well as ensuring that contractual obligations are met.

Apart from inspections conducted by its own staff NASS also commissions inspections of accommodation by third party consultants.

I am unable to provide details of inspection reports as these are commercially confidential.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees placed by NASS in accommodation outside the Greater London area have returned to the Greater London area within the past 12 months. [17715]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 23 November 2001]: The information requested is not available.

The National Asylum Support Service only supports asylum seekers. Refugees who require support can apply for support from social services.

Currently information linking the movements of NASS supported asylum seekers within the United Kingdom is not available.

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) asylum seekers and (b) refugees have been placed by the NASS in (a) private sector, (b) local authority and (c) housing association accommodation since April 2000, broken down by region. [17724]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 23 November 2001]: Information is not available in the form requested.

The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) only supports asylum seekers. Refugees who require support can apply for support from the Benefits Agency.

As at the end of July 2001, 28,810 ¹ asylum seekers including dependants were being supported in NASS accommodation. The regional breakdown is in the table.

27 Nov 2001 : Column: 825W

Region	Asylum seekers supported in NASS accommodation as at end July 2001(10)
East of England	1,630
East Midlands	200
Greater London	680
North East	4,240
North West	6,190
Northern Ireland	50
Scotland	3,890
South Central	390
South West	540
Wales	370
West Midlands	4,410
Yorkshire and Humberside	6,230

⁽¹⁰⁾ All figures are rounded to the nearest 10 and exclude cases that have had their support ceased

Information on the type of accommodation in which asylum seekers are housed is currently not available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits Agency

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what training is given to Benefits Agency staff to deal with aggressive claimants. [11114]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Hywel Williams, dated 26 November 2001:

The Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what training is given to Benefits Agency (BA) staff to deal with aggressive claimants.

The BA has many procedures in place to support staff in their efforts to provide the required levels of service whilst safeguarding their own safety and preserving the security of the benefits systems. Each BA Specific training event within the Customer Service Portfolio delivered by DWP Training Services has been designed to underpin these important principles.

To deal with aggressive claimants, DWP Training Services deliver an event called, "Interviewing the Public (Including Potentially Violent People)". This event is mandatory for all new and job change staff who have fact to face contact with the public and is designed to provide staff with awareness and skills to handle potentially violent situations in a professional and safe manner.

I hope this is helpful.

Child Support Agency

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will explain the delay by the Child Support Agency in dealing with the case of Ms Elaine Lanchbury, a constituent. [12832]

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 26 November 2001:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions about your constituent Mrs. Elaine Lanchbury and the way the Child Support Agency has handled her case.

27 Nov 2001 : Column: 826W

As individual cases are a confidential matter, I have written to you separately.

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement about the time taken to award contracts by the Child Support Agency for undertaking bailiff action. [12833]

Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Doug Smith to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 26 November 2001:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions asking if he will make a statement about the delay in awarding contracts by the Child Support Agency for undertaking bailiff action.

Our previous contract came to an end on the 1 April 2001.

I was determined that the new contract would facilitate better support for my staff in seeking to enforce payment of monies legally due. I was therefore anxious that the team responsible visited all the bailiffs that were successful at the tender stage. This led to a slight delay in the award of contracts.

New contracts were awarded to three Bailiff Companies on the 1 May 2001.

I hope this is helpful.

Benefits Agency

(Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many cases have been referred by Members of the Scottish Parliament to the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit of the Benefits Agency (a) directly and (b) indirectly; [18228]

(2) how many people are employed by the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit of the UK Benefits Agency; and at what cost; [18229]

(3) how many Benefits Agency issues received by the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit have been resolved by the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit. [18230]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Angus Robertson, dated 26 November 2001:

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking how many cases have been referred by Members of the Scottish Parliament to the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit of the Benefits Agency (a) directly and (b) indirectly, how many people are employed by the Scottish parliamentary Liaison Unit of the UK Benefits Agency; and at what cost so far. Also, how many Benefits Agency issues received by the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit have been resolved by the Scottish Parliamentary Liaison Unit.

The Benefits Agency Scottish Parliamentary Relations Unit (SPRU) deals with all parliamentary correspondence of an operational nature from MPs, MSPs and MEPs relating to constituents in Scotland.

There are seven members of staff currently employed in SPRU. The unit was set up in August 1999 and has an average annual salary cost of £217,000.

Information on the number of draft replies to letters from MPs, which were originally referred to the MP by a Member of the Scottish Parliament, is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. SPRU has drafted 29 replies to letters directly from Members of the Scottish Parliament since 1 October 2000.

27 Nov 2001 : Column: 827W

SPRU received 447 items of correspondence between 1 April 2001 and 31 October 2001. There were 50 items outstanding prior to this. Of the total 497 outstanding, 458 draft replies were completed in this period, and 39 items remained outstanding on 1 November 2001.

I hope this is helpful.

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