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Winter Fuel Allowance
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to extend the winter fuel allowance to disabled people. [21440]
Mr. McCartney: Help is already available, through disability benefits and the disability premium in income support, in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which disabled people may have. There are no plans to extend the winter fuel payment scheme to disabled people under age 60.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people will receive winter fuel payments in 2001–02 in Portsmouth, South. [21799]
Mr. McCartney: Last winter, around 17,600 people aged 60 and over in Portsmouth, South constituency received a winter fuel payment. The figure for this year will be similar.
Benefits (Scotland)
Mrs. Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with members of the Scottish Executive since 3 May on free care for the elderly in Scotland; and what was the outcome of such discussions. [21628]
Mr. McCartney: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 19 November 2001, Official Report, columns 154–55W, and the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Perth (Annabelle Ewing) on 21 November 2001, Official Report, column 347W.
Stakeholder Pensions
Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent representations he has received from independent financial advisers regarding the implementation of stakeholder pensions. [21543]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 10 December 2001]: Ministers have many meetings with pensions industry representatives, including independent financial advisers.
Pension Credit
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional IT systems will be required in respect of the new pension credit; and how many additional staff he expects to employ. [22374]
Mr. McCartney [holding answer 11 December 2001]: Pension credit will be introduced initially on the Department's existing computer systems, in order to de-risk the project. It will transfer as a replacement system, on modernised IT, at a later date, when the new benefit has been successfully implemented.
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The pension service, to be launched in April 2002, will administer pension credit, ensuring that pensioners received a joined up service. The numbers of staff required to deliver this new service are still being finalised.
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Golden Jubilee
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 31 October 2001, Official Report, column 758W, what precedent exists for awarding the Jubilee Medal to non-service men and women, particularly to those working in the emergency services. [19092]
Tessa Jowell: In 1997, the Silver Jubilee Medal was awarded to a wide range of recipients other than the armed forces, including the police, local services (including fire, health, social and education) and the civil service.
On the question of eligibility for the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb).
Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to award the Queen's Jubilee Medal to the (a) Fire and (b) Ambulance Service. [20968]
Tessa Jowell: As I announced on Tuesday 4 December, the Government have decided that eligibility for the Golden Jubilee medal should be extended to include members of the emergency services: the police, fire and ambulance services, the Coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and the Mountain Rescue service. As is the case for the armed forces and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the medal will be issued to serving members who have completed a minimum of five years' reckonable service on 6 February 2002.
A copy of the announcement has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
English National Stadium
Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what time limits she has set for discussions between Patrick Carter and the Football Association on the English National Stadium; [18513]
- (2) when she expects discussions about football's national stadium between the Football Association and Patrick Carter to be concluded; when she will publish the report of Patrick Carter's investigation into the English National Stadium; and if she will make a statement. [18512]
Mr. Caborn: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not set a deadline, but we hope to make an announcement and publish Patrick Carter's report before the Christmas recess.
Mr. John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how far below the water table the playing surface is of the proposed National Football Stadium in the Birmingham bid. [19701]
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Mr. Caborn: Birmingham city council have confirmed that the proposed level of the playing surface is above the water table.
Ministerial Duties
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the non-parliamentary
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events at which (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have made a speech in an official capacity since 8 June; and what was the (i) purpose and (ii) date of the attendance. [21379]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 6 December 2001]: The information requested is in the following table. This excludes speeches made at party or other non- departmental events.
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