House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 25 Jan 2002 (pt 11)

Pension Funds

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received concerning the value of pension funds since 1 January 2001. [28198]

Mr. McCartney: The Department has frequent discussions with representatives of the pensions industry which cover a range of issues. We also receive a large number of pieces of correspondence concerning a range of pensions issues.

Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average delay was in making payment to state earnings related pension schemes for contributions due in the year to April 2001; what the figure was in each year since the scheme was introduced; and if he will make a statement. [30310]

Mr. McCartney: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ME

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to the Benefits Agency concerning the acceptance of a clinical diagnosis of ME as grounds for an entitlement to benefit. [28220]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: We recognise the chronic fatigue syndromes (including ME) as potentially debilitating illnesses. Where a clinical diagnosis of CFS has been made, full account is taken of the resultant care and mobility needs in disability living allowance or its effect on the prescribed activities in the personal capability assessment for incapacity benefits.

New Deal

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what representations he has received on the funding arrangements due to come into voluntary operation on 1 April about the sector option of New Deal. [28060]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 17 January 2002]: New arrangements for funding providers on a formula basis will be introduced throughout the new deal for young people, including the voluntary sector option on 1 April 2002. This approach fulfils the commitments made following the 1999 "Learning to Succeed" White Paper to ensure a common approach to the funding of all post-16 learning.

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I have received representations from two organisations on these new arrangements. The Employment Service is continuing discussions on the new funding arrangements with its existing contractors.

Winter Fuel Allowance

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) of 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 589, how people can apply for backdated winter fuel payments; and whether the procedure differs according to the year to which the claim relates. [28380]

Mr. McCartney: Backdated winter fuel payments are only available for the first three winters of the scheme, 1997–1998, 1998–1999 and 1999–2000. Claim forms are available by either ringing the winter fuel payment helpline on 08459 151515 and requesting one, or from the Department for Work and Pensions' website at www.dwp.gov.uk/winterfuel. The procedure for claiming for each of the three years is the same.

Benefit Systems

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, columns 896–97W, when the Statutory Instrument referred to was revoked; and for what reason his answer does not refer to the Statutory Instrument currently in force. [28672]

Malcolm Wicks: The Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators Order 2000, SI 2000 No. 896 referred to in my answer of 12 December 2001, Official Report, columns 896–97W contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2000–01. The order was not revoked but was superseded by the Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order 2001, SI 2001 No. 724 which contains Best Value Performance Indicators for 2001–02 and is currently in force. My answer did not refer to this statutory instrument because the hon. Member did not ask for details of the Best Value Performance Indicators for the current year.

Stakeholder Pensions

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how often, on average, people with stakeholder pensions make contributions towards their pension. [28969]

Mr. McCartney: The information is not available.

Medical Assessment Services

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on recent changes in the standards for delivery of medical assessment services contracted by his Department. [29072]

Mr. Nicholas Brown [holding answer 23 January 2002]: Over the last quarter, October to December 2001, service delivery in all key areas of the Medical Services Contract has improved. The volume of examinations which have been completed is significantly higher than in the same period last year and examinations are being arranged more promptly. The proportion of customers seen within 10 minutes of their appointment time has

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risen, and the number being sent home unseen has reduced. Special needs indicated by customers, such as interpreter services, are being met. The training, medical quality, and customer service targets set by the Government in their response to the Social Security Select Committee inquiry into Medical Services all are being met.

TREASURY

Insider Trading

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been prosecuted for insider dealing in each of the last 10 years. [27445]

Miss Melanie Johnson: I have been asked to reply.

The Department of Trade and Industry has prosecuted 30 people for insider dealing offences since 1 January 1992. The breakdown is as follows:

Year Number of people

1992 6

1993 3

1994 2

1995 1

1996 4

1997 —

1998 —

1999 —

2000 7

2001 4

2002 ⁽⁷⁾3

Year	Number of people
1992	6
1993	3
1994	2
1995	1
1996	4
1997	—
1998	—
1999	—
2000	7
2001	4
2002	⁽⁷⁾3

⁽⁷⁾ Cases not yet completed.

National Insurance Contributions

Mr. Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases in the last year direct debits of national insurance contributions by self-employed persons suspended during payment of incapacity benefit have not been resumed following the termination of payment of incapacity benefit by reason of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office replacement computer system; and if he will make a statement. [22365]

Dawn Primarolo [holding answer 11 December 2001]: There is no evidence to show that resumption of collection of national insurance contributions by direct debit in these circumstances failed because of technical problems with the National Insurance Contributions Office's replacement computer system.

Duty-Free Shopping

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on job numbers of the ending of duty-free shopping within the EU. [24280]

Mr. Boateng: No estimate has been made.

Temporary Contracts

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employees in (a) his Department and (b) executive agencies supervised by his Department have been employed on temporary contracts of (i) 51 weeks or (ii) less than 51 weeks' duration in this year and each of the

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past five years, in each case specifying what percentage of the respective total workforce these employees constitute. [25167]

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Ruth Kelly: The information requested is given in the table:

Staff in post numbers

Year 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001

HMT

Casual 18 10 36 27 35 20

Percentage of staff 1.9 1.1 3.9 2.9 4 1.9

National Savings

Casual ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— 13 3

Percentage of staff ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— ⁽⁸⁾— 15 3

Debt Management Office

Casual ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— 3 ⁽⁹⁾—

Percentage of staff ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— ⁽⁹⁾— 5.5 ⁽⁹⁾—

Royal Mint

Casual staff 63 16 131 165 115 18

Percentage of Staff 6.5 1.6 12.7 15.5 11.5 1.7

Office for National Statistics

Casual staff ⁽⁸⁾— 6 3 8 13 12

Percentage of staff ⁽⁸⁾— 4.3 2.8 4.8 6.1 5.5

Office of Government Commerce

Casuals ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 33 36

Percentage of Staff ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— ⁽¹⁰⁾— 6.9 8.4

Year	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	1 April 2001 to 31 December 2001
HMT
Casual	18	10	36	27	35	20
Percentage of staff	1.9	1.1	3.9	2.9	4	1.9

National Savings
Casual	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	13	3
Percentage of staff	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	⁽⁸⁾—	15	3

Debt Management Office
Casual	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	3	⁽⁹⁾—
Percentage of staff	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	⁽⁹⁾—	5.5	⁽⁹⁾—

Royal Mint
Casual staff	63	16	131	165	115	18
Percentage of Staff	6.5	1.6	12.7	15.5	11.5	1.7

Office for National Statistics
Casual staff	⁽⁸⁾—	6	3	8	13	12
Percentage of staff	⁽⁸⁾—	4.3	2.8	4.8	6.1	5.5

Office of Government Commerce
Casuals	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	33	36
Percentage of Staff	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	⁽¹⁰⁾—	6.9	8.4

⁽⁸⁾ No data available

⁽⁹⁾ No casuals

⁽¹⁰⁾ Agency not formed

Note:

Data relate to figures of casual staff on contracts of less than 51 weeks

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