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Pension Schemes
29. Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on changes in the availability of final salary pension schemes. [19170]
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Mr. McCartney: The Government recognise the valuable role that final salary schemes play in providing security in retirement. They also recognise, however, that employers provide occupational schemes on a voluntary basis and consequently it is for them to determine the most appropriate pension provision to suit their business needs. We welcome the broadening by occupational pension schemes of their eligibility criteria in response to the introduction of stakeholder pensions.
The stakeholder pension has helped increase the size of the overall pensions market. The value of new pension sales rose by 9 per cent. in the July to September quarter of this year to £2.8 billion. Regular pension premium business rose by 50 per cent. to £584 million compared with the same period last year.
There is also evidence of sustained growth in the amounts contributed to non-state pensions from £50 billion in 1997 to £69 billion in 2000.
Long-term Unemployment (Romford)
30. Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action is being taken to alleviate long-term unemployment in Romford. [19171]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Our aim is employment opportunity for all throughout the country. We have put in place a framework that delivers:
- a platform of economic stability and low inflation, to promote sustained growth in output and jobs;
investment in education and training so people have the skills they need to take up work;
a labour market policy with a strong work focus so all jobless people have access to vacancies, advice and help with jobsearch;
a range of new deal programmes which help disadvantaged groups, including the long-term unemployed, move from welfare into work;
policies such as the national minimum wage and working families tax credit designed to make work pay; and
locally focused initiatives designed to tackle the problems of particular areas.
The new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus are playing an important part in helping long-term unemployed people improve their job prospects and move into work in Romford. Up to the end of September, they had helped over 350 long-term unemployed people move into jobs in the constituency.
Housing Costs
31. Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proposals he has for extending housing costs support to elderly low-income owner- occupiers. [19172]
Malcolm Wicks: Over 94,000 pensioners already receive help with their mortgage interest payments through our minimum income guarantee. We expect this number to increase to around 200,000 when the pension credit is introduced. Our detailed proposals for the pension credit were published on 28 November 2001.
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Stakeholder Pensions
32. Ms Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many stakeholder pensions have been taken out on behalf of under 18-year-olds. [19173]
Mr. McCartney: 491,694 stakeholder pensions had been sold by the end of October 2001. Information on how many of those were taken out on behalf of under 18-year-olds is not yet available.
In its recent press release on 3 December the Association of British Insurers said
- "we should remember that stakeholder pensions are not the only story. Charges on group personal pensions have fallen as a result of stakeholder pensions, and employers have also widened their eligibility criteria for existing schemes. This means more people are able to save for their retirement—an aim shared by the Government and ABI."
34.
Mr. McCartney: Figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) show that up to the end of October 491,694 stakeholder pensions had been sold. A more detailed breakdown of these figures will not be available until next year, but I consider that sales of almost half a million in the first seven months on the market is a very encouraging start. In addition, the ABI figures show 284,821 employers had designated stakeholder pension schemes for their staff.
In releasing these sales figures the ABI said
- "Stakeholder pension providers have worked hard to encourage employers to designate stakeholder schemes. The industry is keen to work in partnership with Government and employers in attracting more employees into employer-designated schemes. But we should remember that stakeholder pensions are not the only story. Charges on group personal pensions have fallen as a result of stakeholder pensions, and employers have widened their eligibility criteria for existing schemes. This means more people are able to save for their retirement—an aim shared by the Government and the ABI."
Disability Living Allowance
33. Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on changes to eligibility for lower rate disability living allowance in respect of those suffering from fear or anxiety. [19174]
Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 23 October 2001, Official Report, column 178W.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that applicants for disability living allowance are able to request a face-to-face completion service for application forms. [22031]
Maria Eagle: Not all customers who ask for help need or want face-to-face assistance. There is a range of services available including textphone communication, the benefit inquiry line and the DLA/AA helpline which can provide telephone assistance with forms completion and where necessary, customers can be visited in their own homes.
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In addition caller offices have induction loop systems, private interview rooms and when required arrangements will be made for interpreters to assist in face-to-face interviews.
Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to produce information about disability living allowance in a sign language video format. [22027]
Maria Eagle: The Department is considering the most appropriate and cost-effective methods of providing information on benefits (not just disability living allowance and attendance allowance) to deaf people. One option being considered is the production of videos.
This approach, rather than just promoting a single benefit, would give potential customers the ability to decide for themselves what sort of help may be the most appropriate for them.
Action Teams for Jobs
37. Dr. Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of action teams for jobs. [19178]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Action teams for jobs are one of a range of initiatives we have introduced to help people move into work. Action teams are performing well, so far helping over 15,500 jobless people in the country's most employment deprived areas move into work (41 per cent. of participants). Up to mid-October 2001, the Thanet action team had helped 727 people into work.
In October, we increased the number of action teams from 40 to 53, and in January 2002 we will increase the number further, to 63.
Employment Zones
38. Mr. Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of employment zones in reducing unemployment. [19179]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Employment zones are one of a range of initiatives we have introduced to help long-term unemployed people move into work. The performance of the 15 employment zones is encouraging. Early indications are that almost half of participants find work. We are currently evaluating the zones before deciding how to take the initiative further.
Disabled Access
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to inform those who provide goods and services about the access requirements for disabled people. [19154]
Maria Eagle: The Government ran an awareness campaign late last year aimed at service providers. A further campaign will be launched in January. The revised Code of Practice for access requirements was laid before Parliament recently and will be published early next year.
Disability Rights Commission
Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases alleging
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discrimination against disabled people the Disability Rights Commission has supported financially in its first year of operation. [19155]
Maria Eagle: In its first year of operation, the Disability Rights Commission provided or arranged legal representation in 41 cases brought under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
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