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Television Sets
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) integrated digital and (b) analogue television sets have been bought by his Department in each of the last 24 months; and if he will publish the guidance given to officials making decisions on television purchases. [33231]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 4 February 2002]: The Department does not record information about television purchase in the form requested. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Benefit Fraud
Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what monitoring has been done to ascertain the effect of human rights legislation on the efficiency of investigating benefit fraud; and if he will make a statement. [29745]
Malcolm Wicks: The Department takes account of human rights legislation in the training, deployment and tasking of its fraud officers.
Policy and organisational changes both inside and outside the Department have improved its efficiency in investigating benefit fraud. For example, the Professional Standards Unit undertakes an independent inspection of the standard of surveillance applications across the Department and the Department is subject to independent inspection by the Office of the Surveillance Commissioner.
It is not possible to identify separately the improvements in efficiency that are due specifically to human rights legislation.
Housing Benefit
Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the average weekly payment of housing benefit in each region and nation to tenants of (a) local authority tenants, (b) housing association tenants and (c) private tenants using the quarterly 100 per cent. counts taken on the last day of August (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001. [29710]
Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the tables.
13 Feb 2002 : Column 510W
| Local authority tenants | Registered social landlord tenants(34) | Private tenants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 39.00 | 53.00 | 60.30 |
| North East | 33.00 | 47.30 | 50.20 |
| North West | 37.50 | 48.70 | 53.30 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 31.70 | 54.70 | 49.80 |
| East Midlands | 34.90 | 50.40 | 46.80 |
| West Midlands | 37.00 | 49.20 | 54.80 |
| East | 40.30 | 53.60 | 59.10 |
| London | 55.50 | 67.70 | 86.10 |
| South East | 43.30 | 56.30 | 66.90 |
| South West | 39.10 | 49.40 | 56.20 |
| England | 40.00 | 54.90 | 61.40 |
| Wales | 36.80 | 45.00 | 50.30 |
| Scotland | 34.40 | 38.80 | 54.10 |
| Local authority tenants | Registered social landlord tenants(34) | Private tenants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 41.10 | 54.50 | 62.00 |
| North East | 35.20 | 48.00 | 51.40 |
| North West | 39.70 | 49.10 | 54.90 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 34.00 | 55.80 | 51.10 |
| East Midlands | 37.10 | 50.40 | 48.90 |
| West Midlands | 38.80 | 49.40 | 56.40 |
| East | 42.90 | 54.80 | 60.90 |
| London | 58.00 | 71.50 | 90.40 |
| South East | 45.80 | 57.70 | 69.40 |
| South West | 41.00 | 50.80 | 58.20 |
| England | 42.30 | 56.20 | 63.20 |
| Wales | 38.80 | 47.30 | 51.40 |
| Scotland | 35.80 | 40.80 | 55.50 |
| Local authority tenants | Registered social landlord tenants(34) | Private tenants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | 44.00 | 57.20 | 65.30 |
| North East | 37.30 | 47.40 | 53.70 |
| North West | 42.00 | 51.90 | 57.10 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 37.20 | 57.10 | 53.40 |
| East Midlands | 39.80 | 52.70 | 51.90 |
| West Midlands | 41.60 | 50.70 | 59.90 |
| East | 45.40 | 58.30 | 63.90 |
| London | 62.10 | 76.30 | 98.70 |
| South East | 49.30 | 61.10 | 73.70 |
| South West | 43.00 | 53.90 | 61.50 |
| England | 45.50 | 58.60 | 66.60 |
| Wales | 41.00 | 50.80 | 53.80 |
| Scotland | 37.50 | 45.20 | 59.00 |
Notes:
1. Figures for housing benefit paid to registered social landlord tenants include housing association and non-housing association accommodation. Separate data on housing benefit paid to housing association tenants only are not collected.
2. The data refer to recipients of housing benefit which may be a single person, a member of a couple or a member of a family.
3. Average amounts have been rounded to the nearest ten pence.
4. Figures for authorities who have failed to respond have been estimated.
5. The figures exclude any Extended Payment cases.
Source:
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System. Quarterly 100 per cent. caseload count taken in August of each year.
13 Feb 2002 : Column 511W
Public Service Agreement
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if proposals for public service agreement targets for the reduction of sickness absence rates were discussed and agreed with the Cabinet Office by June 1999, as referred to on page 22 of the 2001 departmental report. [19015]
Child Support Agency
David Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact he expects the reforms of the working of the Child Support Agency will have on (a) the time taken to assess new claims and (b) the time devoted to pursuing non-compliant fathers. [25421]
Malcolm Wicks: The new child support system will be straightforward and easy to understand. The simpler method for making a maintenance calculation will take less time, allowing the Child Support Agency more time to ensure their clients are compliant.
Habitual Residence Test
Mr. Shaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what action he has taken as a consequence of the European Court judgment of 25 February 1999 in the case of Swaddling, with special reference to British nationals returning to Britain from South Africa; [30950]
- (2) what plans he has to review the habitual residence test. [30951]
Malcolm Wicks: In its judgment in the Swaddling case, the European Court of Justice made it clear that people returning from a European member state to re-establish ties in the United Kingdom can be treated as habitually resident on their return.
Following this judgment we reviewed the habitual residence test and decided to extend this important principle to people returning from any country overseas to re-establish ties here. These measures have resulted in fairer access to income-related benefits, while ensuring security against possible abuse of the benefits system by those with no real links to the United Kingdom.
We keep all our policies under review but have no current plans to change the habitual residence test.
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to ensure that non-screened areas in Jobcentre Plus offices will be staffed by those who volunteer for the position. [30342]
13 Feb 2002 : Column 512W
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Jobcentre Plus will be delivered by our staff in a predominantly unscreened environment. Detailed staffing arrangements are a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus and his managers.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Departmental Expenditure Limits
Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to change the Office of Water Services departmental expenditure limit and administration costs limit for 2001–02. [36857]
Margaret Beckett: The Ofwat DEL will be reduced by £2,000 from £35,000 to £33,000 and the administration costs limits will be decreased by £302,000 from £11,846,000 to £11,544,000. With the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table:
| Resources | Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| Change | -302 | 300 |
| New DEL | -567 | 600 |
| Of which: | ||
| Voted | -567 | 600 |
| Non-voted | (34)— | (34)— |
(34) Not applicable
The £302,000 reduction in the resource element of the DEL arises from the transfer of £2,000 resources to the Cabinet Office for the fast stream recruitment and a transfer to a capital of £300,000.
The increase of £300,000 in the capital element of the DEL arises from an investment in the development financial model for the periodic review. This will be used in the next review of prices and will be shared with the industry.
There has been a change in accounting policy for OFWAT treatment of VAT. The previous accounting policy meant that VAT was Cfered. The new accounting policy is that the Department now accounts, net of VAT. This has no impact on the DEL.There will be a reduction in consolidated fund extra receipts of £135,000.
Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are to change the departmental expenditure limit and administration costs limit for 2001–02. [36856]
Margaret Beckett: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' DEL will be increased by £368,615,000 from £2,590,774,000 to £2,959,389,000, and the administration costs limit will be increased by £149,998,000 from £503,649,000 to £653,647,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are set out in the following table:
| £000 | |
|---|---|
| Resource | |
| Change | +359,167 |
| New DEL | 2,443,809 |
| of which: | |
| Voted | 1,452,453 |
| Non-voted | 991,356 |
| Capital | |
| Change | +9,448 |
| New DEL | 515,580 |
| of which: | |
| Voted | 435,281 |
| Non-voted | 80,299 |
13 Feb 2002 : Column 513W
The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from: (i) a draw down of £335,900,000 from the DEL Reserve for various FMD related expenditure, (ii) a reduction of £11,300,000 in expenditure on the Factortame litigation, (iii) a take-up of £8,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund, (iv) a take-up of £271,000 from the Invest to Save Budget, (v) a transfer from DfES of £500,000 for the school milk scheme, (vi) various MOG transfers from DTLR for £6,683,000, (vii) a transfer from DTLR of £40,908,000 for the Rural Development Agency, (viii) transfers from various OGDs of £3,176,000 for the Energy Efficiency Best Practice measure, (ix) two transfers from HMC&E for £94,000, (x) a net transfer of £41,000 to the DTLR for work by the MCA, (xi) a transfer to NAWAD of £40,000 for the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme, (xii) a transfer to DTLR of £30,000 for sea bed rehabilitation, (xiii) a transfer to SEERAD of £6,300,000 for the British Waterways Board, (xiv) a transfer to DFID of £2,000,000 for the Environment Know-How Fund, (xv) a transfer of £345,000 to the Highways Agency for canal work, plus, (xvi) a reduction of £8,317,000 in the DEL resource budget stemming from an adjustment in the Winter Supplementary.
The change in the capital element of the DEL arises from: (i) a take-up of £65,000 from the Invest to Save budget, (ii) a transfer to SEERAD of £4,233,000 for the British Waterways Board, (iii) a transfer of £487,000 from DTLR for emissions projects, (iv) a take-up of £700,000 from the Capital Modernisation Fund, plus, (v) an increase of £12,429,000 in the DEL capital budget stemming from an adjustment in the Winter Supplementary.
There will also be a net switch of £21,875,000 from non-estimate funds on to the estimate.
Increases will be offset by inter-departmental transfers and charged to the DEL Reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.
Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the Forestry Commission's departmental expenditure limit for 2001–02. [36854]
Mr. Morley: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the Forestry Commission's DEL will be reduced by £4,644,000 from £69,809,000 to £65,165,000. Within the DEL change, the impact on resources and capital are as set out in the following table.
13 Feb 2002 : Column 514W
| £ | |
|---|---|
| Resources | |
| Changes | -4,644 |
| New DEL | 65,165 |
| of which: | |
| Voted | 62,512 |
| Non-voted | 2,653 |
| Capital | |
| Changes | No changes |
| New DEL | — |
| Of which: | |
| Voted | — |
| Non-voted | — |
The change in the resource element of the DEL arises from the winding up of the Forestry Commission Pension Scheme (FCPS) after 30 November 2001 and the transfer of its future liabilities to the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (PCSPS). The £4,644,000 reduction is the unused element of the net expenditure of the FCPS included in the Main Estimate.
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