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WORK AND PENSIONS

Pension Schemes

Mr. Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Scotland receive a pension from contributions to final salary occupational pension schemes. [24932]

Mr. McCartney: The available information is in the table.

Number of pensioners in Scotland receiving pension from occupational pensions

Number(15)
Males434
Females251
Total685

(15) Figures to the nearest thousand

Note:

The FRS does not distinguish between pensions from final salary and money purchase schemes. It also does not distinguish between those receiving occupational pensions due to their own contributions and those who are receiving survivors benefits.

Source:

Family Resources Survey 2000–01 (FRS).


Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what calculations he has made of the number of persons of retirement age who have (a) one and (b) more than one (i) personal, (ii) private and (iii) occupational pension schemes; and in the case of (b) how many such schemes they have. [15496]

Mr. McCartney: The information is shown in the tables. Information is drawn from the Family Resources Survey (FRS), and may be subject to a margin of error due to the size of the FRS sample and the fact that the Survey relies on self-reporting of pension income.

Separate figures are not given for 'private pensions', because this is a generic term for any non-state pension.

Number
(a) Individuals receiving income from one occupational or personal pension
Occupational pension3,900,000
Personal pension400,000
(b) Individuals receiving income from more than one occupational or personal pension
Occupational pension600,000
Personal pension50,000

Individuals with two of each typeIndividuals with three or more of each type
Occupational pensions550,00050,000
Personal pensions50,000(16)

(16) Indicates less than 25,000

Note:

These figures are for individuals above State Retirement Age only. Figures for occupational pensions include individuals in receipt of a widow's pension from an occupational pension scheme. Due to sampling methods, the survey does not generate data for individuals in receipt of a widow's personal pension.

Some individuals will be in receipt of both personal and occupational pensions.

All figures rounded to nearest 50,000

Because of sampling sizes and the relatively small numbers of individuals, separate figures for those with four or more pensions have not been included.

Receipt of pension income is self-reported in FRS; figures may therefore differ slightly from those found in the Industry.

Source:

FRS 1999/2000


10 Jan 2002 : Column: 998W

Pensioners

Mr. Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will calculate the date at which a single woman of 65 years retiring today relying solely on pensions savings of £100,000 buying an indexed linked single annuity at market rates can be expected to become eligible for income support if the minimum income guarantee for pensioners continues to be linked to earnings. [15495]

Mr. McCartney: The length of time that will pass before the individual in the question becomes entitled to minimum income guarantee (MIG) will depend on a number of assumptions. These assumptions are the annuity rate, the rate of price inflation and the rate of real earnings growth.

It should be noted that the introduction of pension credit will ensure that this individual receives a direct reward for her saving. Pension credit will provide additional weekly income on top of any income derived from the annuity.

It should also be noted that over 95 per cent. of women have some entitlement to state pension and that if this individual had entitlement to full basic state pension, entitlement to MIG would not arise for 48 years.

Based on the assumptions of an annuity rate of 6.0 per cent. (the most favourable available on 15 November 2001), price growth of 2.5 per cent. per annum and real earnings growth of 1.5 per cent. per annum, it is estimated that a single woman of 65 years retiring solely on pension savings of £100,000 would become eligible for MIG after 16 years.

Benefits Agency Staff

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what were the staffing levels for each of the last five years in the Benefits Agency offices at (a) Elthorne road, London N19, and (b) Seven Sisters road, London N7, the number of callers per day for the equivalent period and the average waiting time. [23637]

Malcolm Wicks: This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Jeremy Corbyn, dated 9 January 2002:



19961997199819992000
Seven Sisters road, Finsbury Park office
Average staff days per month (number)443377348379369
Average number of callers per month (number)5,9125,6315,2175,6955,039
Initial waiting time 10 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)5757433441
Initial waiting time 30 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)8294918785
Elthorne road, Highgate office
Average staff days per month (number)315329304402427
Average number of callers per month (number)5,3404,9364,6025,0504,553
Initial waiting time 10 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)7243687063
Initial waiting time 30 minutes or less based on the average number of callers (shown as a percentage)988510010097

10 Jan 2002 : Column: 999W

HEALTH

NHS Staff

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of national health service personnel was represented by (a) nurses, (b) doctors,

10 Jan 2002 : Column: 1000W

(c) midwives, (d) other professions allied to medicine and (e) other employees, in the financial years (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000 and (iv) 2000–01. [23662]

Mr. Hutton: Data showing the number and proportion of nurses, doctors, midwives, qualified allied health professions and other staff as at 30 September, 1997 to 2000, are shown in the table.

All NHS staff, including all doctors and nurses, as at 30 September each year
Headcount

1997199819992000
Total NHS Staff(17)1,058,6901,071,5601,098,3501,118,960
Percentage100100100100
of which:
Total NHS doctors89,62091,84093,98096,320
Percentage8.58.68.68.6
GMPs (excluding GP Retainers)(18),(19)29,39029,70029,99030,250
Percentage2.82.82.72.7
All HCHS medical and dental staff(20)60,23062,14063,99066,070
Percentage5.75.85.85.9
of which:
Total NHS Nurses(21)550,900556,480565,620574,850
Percentage52.051.951.551.4
of which:
Qualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Staff (including Practice Nurses)318,860323,460329,640335,950
Percentage30.130.230.030.0
of which
Midwives22,38022,84022,80022,570
Percentage2.12.12.12.0
Unqualified Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting staff(22)231,380232,420234,700238,960
Percentage21.921.721.421.3
Qualified Allied Health Professionals45,02046,45047,92049,360
Percentage4.34.34.44.4
Others(23)373,140376,790390,820398,430
Percentage35.235.235.635.6

(17) This figure includes GP Retainers.

(18) GP Retainers were collected for the first time in the 1999 census, for comparability these have been excluded from GMPs.

(19) The 1999 figure excludes 972 GP Retainers and the 2000 figure excludes 1,117 GP Retainers.

(20) Excludes Medical Hospital Practitioners and medical Clinical Assistants, most of whom are also GPs working part-time in hospitals.

(21) Total includes unclassified staff.

(22) Unqualified nursing staff includes Health Care Assistants and Support staff.

(23) Others includes administration and estates staff, ambulance staff, Health Care Assistants, Support staff, nursing, midwifery and health visiting learners, other scientific, therapeutic and technical staff, others, other practice staff and GP Retainers from 1999.

Notes:

Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Due to rounding totals may not equal sum of component parts.

Figures exclude agency staff.

Sources:

Department of Health medical and dental workforce census

Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Department of Health Non-medical workforce census


10 Jan 2002 : Column: 1001W


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