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Environmental Appraisals
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how many environmental appraisals have been published by his Department since 1 January 2001; and if he will list the last four; [29018]
- (2) when the last occasion was on which he requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision; [29019]
(3) what procedures his Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made; [29020]
(4) what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury; [29021]
(5) how many officials from his Department have attended the environmental appraisal and integration into policy training course run by the Civil Service College. [29022]
Maria Eagle: With the creation of the Department for Work and Pensions arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the new Department continues to meet the Government's sustainable development objectives.
We have actively embraced the social, economic and environmental elements of sustainable development, and are taking these aspects forward together within an integrated strategy. The Department has a Grade 2 Senior Accountable Official for sustainable development (SD) and has established an SD steering group to take
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ownership of, and drive forward, sustainability across the Department. The steering group includes senior "SD Champions" from each area of the Department's business.
A corporate SD team has been established also to own the Department's SD policy, and to establish targets and monitor progress. Representatives from the six main business areas of the Department and the SD team all attended a specifically tailored SD training course on environmental appraisal run by the Civil Service College in November 2001.
A mechanism has been put in place to ensure that all major initiatives are assessed for SD impacts and benefits through the Department's projects approvals process. A further proposal is under development which will provide appraisals of new and revised policies. DWP internal auditors will include these appraisals within its audit programme.
We are preparing a Sustainable Development report to accompany our Spending Review submission to Treasury, and are working with our client groups and Business Management Division to ensure that the Department's bid accords with the objectives within the UK strategy for SD.
We have published a free-standing SD annual report which has been placed in the Library.
Jobseeker's Allowance
John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed jobseeker's allowance in the Hornchurch constituency in (a) September 1997, (b) September 1999 and (c) September 2001. [27221]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Kidgell to John Cryer, dated 21 January 2002:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question regarding the number of people claiming job seeker's allowance (JSA) in the Hornchurch constituency in September 1997, September 1999 and September 2001. I am replying in his absence. (27221)
- The claimant count consists of all people claiming JSA or NI credits at Employment Service local offices. They must declare that they are out of work, capable of, available for and actively seeking work during the week in which their claim is made
- The information is given in the table below.
| Date | Number |
|---|---|
| September 1997 | 1,337 |
| September 1999 | 1,125 |
| September 2001 | 748 |
Benefits (Yorkshire)
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what was the claimant count in York and north Yorkshire in (a) 1997, (b) 1999, (c) 2000 and (d) 2001. [28195]
Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
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The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Kidgell to Miss Anne McIntosh, dated 21 January 2002:
- The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question regarding the number of claimants in York and North Yorkshire in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001. I am replying in his absence (28195)
- The table below shows the annual average claimant count level for the York unitary authority local district and North Yorkshire County for the years 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
| York UA | North Yorkshire County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3,786 | 13,495 |
| 1999 | 2,762 | 10,380 |
| 2000 | 2,367 | 8,940 |
| 2001 | 2,120 | 8,038 |
Child Asylum Seekers
David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government are doing to safeguard the welfare of unaccompanied asylum seeking children when they are given leave to remain in the UK; how the Government are helping social care agencies protect and aid those children deemed most at risk; and how many children are at risk in the Midlothian constituency. [27177]
Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
Unaccompanied asylum seeking children are assessed by local authorities in accordance with their duties under the Children Act 1989, and are provided with help and support on the basis of that needs assessment. The position is unchanged when they receive leave to remain in the United Kingdom. While the young people are under 18 the local authority is able to claim grant funding from the Home Office to meet the costs of support. The Quality Protects programme, designed to improve services to children in local authority care, applies to local authorities' services for these young people as for other children in need.
Matters relating to Scotland are for the devolved Administration.
LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT
Environmental Appraisals
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures the Lord Chancellor's Department has to ensure environmental appraisals are undertaken prior to (a) administrative and (b) policy decisions being made. [29060]
Ms Rosie Winterton: No formal environmental appraisal process is in place for administrative decision making, but reference is made to the Department's Environmental Strategy, which addresses the environmental impact of the Department's operations. This specifically targets construction of new courts and
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office buildings, the maintenance of our diverse estate, energy efficiency and water management, procurement of goods and services; training and education of staff; waste management; and the impact of travel to and from our buildings.
Policy decisions are subject to environmental screening, and policy makers use the Cabinet Office's Policy Makers Checklist.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the last occasion was on which the Lord Chancellor requested an environmental appraisal before making a policy decision. [29059]
Ms Rosie Winterton: To date there have been no policy decisions that have required the Lord Chancellor to request an environmental appraisal.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many officials from the Lord Chancellor's Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course run by the Civil Service College. [29062]
Ms Rosie Winterton: As yet no officials from my Department have attended the Environmental Appraisal and Integration into Policy training course.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many environmental appraisals have been published by the Lord Chancellor's Department since 1 January 2001; and if she will list the last four. [29058]
Ms Rosie Winterton: There have been no environmental appraisals published by my Department since 1 January 2001. No environmental impacts were identified in any of the policies or programmes considered since that date.
Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans the Lord Chancellor's Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury. [29061]
Ms Rosie Winterton: My Department's spending review team is collaborating with our Energy and Environment Branch on the environmental implications of the spending review, and the production of a free-standing sustainable development report. They will be using the guidance provided by HM Treasury on the conduct of the review, including advice on sustainable development.
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