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ONE Programme
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of lone parents participating in the ONE Programme has obtained employment. [9644]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Survey evidence from the ONE evaluation found that 14 per cent. of lone parents were in work of over 16 hours a week, four to five months after having begun their claim. Further information can be found in DWP Research Report No. 156, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.
Unemployment (Disabled People)
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unemployed disabled people there were expressed (a) numerically and (b) as a percentage of the total unemployed in each month since January 1997 (i) nationally and (ii) in the south-west. [11375]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The available information is in the table:
| ILO Unemployed | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total working-age | Working-age disabled people | Percentage | |
| Great Britain | |||
| 1998 | 1,703,266 | 332,768 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 1,678,741 | 348,153 | 20.7 |
| 2000 | 1,551,454 | 348,813 | 22.5 |
| 2001 | 1,343,345 | 279,795 | 20.8 |
| South-west | |||
| 1998 | 107,276 | 25,656 | 23.9 |
| 1999 | 115,601 | 24,262 | 21.0 |
| 2000 | 100,126 | 25,039 | 25.0 |
| 2001 | 85,043 | 19,913 | 23.4 |
Notes:
1. Information is from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), which uses the International Labour Organisation (ILO) measure of unemployment.
2. People are ILO unemployed if they are out of work, want a job, have actively sought work in the last four weeks and are available to start work in the next two weeks.
3. Information is not available by month because seasonally adjusted information from the Labour Force Survey is only available once each year. Therefore, the table provides information on Great Britain and the south-west for the spring quarter of each year since 1998.
4. Information before 1998 is not comparable due to changes in the health and disability questions asked in the LFS.
Source:
LFS Spring Quarters 1998–2001.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to develop the role of
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care managers (a) in vocational rehabilitation and (b) in developing appropriate (i) training and (ii) qualifications for them. [20805]
Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 6 December 2001]: We are still establishing our strategy on the provision of a vocational rehabilitation service. We will consider the role of a care manager in any possible future service. No decision has been taken on any appropriate training and qualifications that may be needed.
Departmental Sickness Absence
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many days were lost due to sickness absence in the Department in each of the last four years. [21339]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Such information as is available is in the table.
| Year | DSS | ES |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1,130,000 | 431,158 |
| 1999 | 1,046,000 | 479,157 |
| 2000 | 1,082,000 | 405,272 |
Note:
Figures relate to the former Department for Social Security and the Employment Service.
Small Businesses
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what structures exist to facilitate communication between his Department and small businesses. [21805]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Meeting the changing needs of small businesses will be critical if we are to succeed in maintaining economic growth and providing people with greater opportunity through work. We are very keen to listen to the views and ideas of small businesses to ensure that we succeed.
The National Employer Panel is an employer-led body which provides independent advice to Ministers on the design, delivery and performance of our welfare to work services. Three of the Panel's members are from the small business sector. The Panel also has a sub-committee on small business issues.
In addition to these formal arrangements, the Department works with the small business sector through a range of initiatives and forums. Small businesses participate in the Employer Coalitions we have set up in several major cities and in the many New Deal Steering
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Groups up and down the country. Their participation helps ensure that our approach to helping people back into work is responsive to the needs of small businesses.
Asylum Seekers
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost of benefits paid to people applying for asylum in the UK was in 2000–01. [23429]
Malcolm Wicks: From 3 April 2000 the Home Office is responsible for supporting and accommodating asylum seekers awaiting a determination of their case. Those asylum seekers in receipt of benefits prior to 3 April 2000 continue to be eligible to claim income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Provisional estimates are that benefit totalling £185 million was paid to these asylum seekers during the financial year 2000–01.
Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what is the estimated amount of money paid to asylum seekers by way of benefit in 2000. [17880]
Malcolm Wicks: From 3 April 2000 the Home Office is responsible for supporting and accommodating asylum seekers awaiting a determination of their case. Those asylum seekers in receipt of benefits prior to 3 April 2000 continue to be eligible to claim income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit. Provisional estimates are that benefit totalling £215 million was paid to asylum seekers between 1 January and 31 December 2000.
Minimum Income Guarantee
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in the Epsom and Ewell constituency received the minimum income guarantee in each year since 1998. [23431]
Mr. McCartney: The latest figures as at August 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001 for pensioners in the Epsom and Ewell constituency receiving minimum income guarantee are as follows:
| Number of claimants | |
|---|---|
| August 1998 | 1.2 |
| August 1999 | 1.1 |
| August 2000 | 1.1 |
| August 2001 | 1.2 |
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Battersea receive the minimum income guarantee; and what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners who are entitled to benefit from it. [24408]
Mr. McCartney: As at August 2001 there were 2,800 pensioners receiving the minimum income guarantee (MIG) in Battersea.
Estimates of the number of pensioners who may qualify for, but who have not claimed the MIG are not available below national level. The latest national figures on the number of people who may be entitled to the MIG are
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included in the publication "Take Up of Income Related Benefits: Statistics for 1999–2000", copies of which are available in the Library of both Houses.
Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Wales qualify for the minimum income guarantee; and how many are in receipt of it. [23960]
Mr. McCartney: As at August 2001 there were 100,200 pensioners claiming the minimum income guarantee (MIG) in Wales.
Estimates of the number of people who may qualify for, but who have not claimed the MIG are not available below national level.
Benefits Agency Staff
Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many attacks on staff have taken place in each Benefits Agency office in Greater London in each of the last five years. [23638]
Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 18 December 2001]: The available information is in the table.
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