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ONE Service

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to ensure that personal advisers in the ONE programme are adequately trained in work-focused initiatives. [11924]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: There is a Learning and Assessment Framework (LAF) in place for the ONE pilots, which supports the structured training and development of the staff performing various roles in ONE offices. As part of this, all personal advisers undertake an assessment of knowledge and skills required to carry out their job. This self-assessment covers all areas of their work as advisers, including competence in conducting work-focused interviews. Where training needs are identified, the LAF provides information on the various learning tools available through ONE Training Team, Benefits Agency and Employment Service Regional Training Centres. To meet their training needs attendance on a course or open learning may be appropriate, or they may arrange to meet with local voluntary organisations to widen their knowledge and understanding of clients with special needs. Regular reviews of the progress made towards meeting identified learning needs is an integral part of the staff performance and appraisal system.

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on the provision of separate information on the outcome of participation in ONE by people with mental illnesses; and if he will make a statement. [7989]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Results from the ONE evaluation about the experiences of sick or disabled people, including those with mental illness, have been published in the Department's Research Series (numbers 126, 139, 140, 149 and 150) and In-house report number 84.

Sick or disabled clients, including those with mental illness, have generally viewed the ONE service positively. When personal advisers have tailored their help to clients' circumstances, their advice and guidance has been well received.

The ONE client survey examines experiences of and outcomes from ONE for different groups of clients. Information on clients' individual characteristics, including the nature of their health problems, was also collected. Where differences between the experiences of clients with mental illnesses compared with sick or disabled clients as a whole are identified, these will be reported. The first survey information relating to clients with mental illnesses should be published later this year.

Teenage Parents (Jarrow)

Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance is available to teenage parents in the Jarrow constituency to get (a) work, (b) education and (c) training. [9106]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Teenage parents aged 18 or over are able to take full advantage of new deal for young people, which offers tailored help in finding work or suitable training, and improving prospects of remaining in sustained employment.

Teenage lone parents in receipt of income support can choose to join the new deal for lone parents, which offers a package of advice and support, including information

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on training opportunities, employment, in-work benefits, and child care arrangements. An in-work support service is also provided to help lone parents make the transition into employment.

Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilots

Mr. Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to make further announcements about the structure and scope of the job retention and rehabilitation pilots; and if he will make a statement. [17259]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The aim of the job retention and rehabilitation pilot is to provide robust evidence about the overall impact of job retention and rehabilitation services and their cost effectiveness, and the relative impact of three intervention strategies ("boosting" help in the workplace; in health care services; and both in the workplace and through health care).

The feasibility of delivering this in practice through a "live" service to clients is currently being assessed through the three month "Feasibility Phase" of the pilot which is due to end on 18 January 2002. Nine prospective delivery organisations are being supported to fully develop, cost and submit proposals for service delivery that are fully consistent with evaluation requirements. The evaluator contracted for the feasibility phase, the National Centre for Social Research, will report on the feasibility of the pilot as a whole in the context of service delivery bids submitted to the Department.

We would expect to make an announcement on the future of the pilot, its structure and scope, after we have fully considered the outcome of the feasibility phase.

Fair Trade

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what is the value of fairly traded (a) tea and (b) coffee used in his Department in each of the last five years; [17568]

(2) what fairly traded products, other than tea and coffee, have been purchased by his Department in each of the last five years; and what was their value. [17569]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Information on expenditure on fairly traded products is not available and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. The majority of fair trade goods are obtained by outsourced services, eg catering. Civil servants buy a coffee or tea of their choice for their own consumption.

Public Bodies

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will list those public bodies to which his Department appoints members and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000; [17707]

(2) if he will list those public bodies which are the responsibility of his Department and which are not listed in Public Bodies 2000. [17708]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Public Bodies 2000 sets out information on non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs), certain public corporations (including nationalised industries) and NHS bodies. There are four types of NDPB: executive NDPBs; advisory NDPBs; tribunal

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NDPBs; and boards of visitors to penal establishments. The next edition will be published around the end of the year. Information about task forces, annual reports, and ad hoc advisory groups is set out in an annual report published by Cabinet Office. Copies of Public Bodies 2000 are in the Library of the House and this publication may be accessed via Cabinet Office's website http:// www.official-documents.co.uk/document/caboff/pb00/ pb00.htm. Copies of the annual report on task forces and similar bodies have also been placed in the Library of the House and the annual report is being made available on Cabinet Office's website.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State appoints members and is responsible for the following public bodies which do not appear in the Public Bodies 2000 publication: Disability Rights Commission (DRC), Independent Living Fund (ILF), Independent Review Service (IRS), Social Fund Commissioner (IRS for the Social Fund) and the 10th Anniversary Trust.

Responsibility for the Appeals Service and Motability lie with the Department for Work and Pensions although my right hon. Friend does not appoint members. the Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD) makes appointments for the Appeals Service and Motability board members are drawn from finance, industry, the professions, trade unions and voluntary organisations.

Local Bodies

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list those local bodies which were set up under legislation which is the responsibility of his Department and its predecessors since May 1997. [17709]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: The Advisory Committee for Disabled People in Employment and Training (ACDET), the Disability Rights Commission (DRC), Race Education and Employment Forum (REEF) and the Appeals Service (TAS) are those bodies set up since May 1997 and are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. ACDET was set up in June 1998, REEF on 16 November 1999, and DRC and TAS in April 2000.

Regulatory Impact Assessments

Mrs. Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what were the gross costs of the Regulatory Impact Assessment for (a) the Social Security Benefit Up-rating (No. 2) Order 2000 and (b) the Social Security Fraud Bill (revised). [17750]

Mr. McCartney: These costs are shown in the published regulatory impact assessments which are available in the Library.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mr. Alan Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many older people will receive winter fuel payments this winter in Tynemouth constituency. [17994]

Mr. McCartney: Last winter, around 19,300 people aged 60 and over in Tynemouth constituency received a winter fuel payment. The figure for this year will be similar.

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Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many older people will receive winter fuel payments this winter in the Loughborough constituency; what plans he has to extend winter fuel payments to other groups in receipt of benefits; and if he will make a statement. [18473]

Mr. McCartney: Last winter, around 15,000 people aged 60 and over in the Loughborough constituency received a winter fuel payment. The figure for this year will be similar. There are no plans to change the existing regulations.

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