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New Deal
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the New Deal supports unemployed people who wish to start their own businesses, with special reference to Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East. [21812]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: We recognise the importance of the role of self-employment in the economy and helping unemployed people set up their own businesses is a key feature of our welfare to work initiatives. Eligible unemployed jobseekers can receive help entering self- employment through the new deals or through the Work-Based Learning for Adults (WBLA) programme. This help is available in all parts of the country, including Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.
The self-employment model for people entering from new deals for young people, 25 plus, lone parents and partners or WBLA has three stages:
- Stage 1: a one day basic awareness and information session;
Stage 2: four one day courses/counselling leading to the production of a business plan;
Stage 3: up to 26 weeks of test trading (up to 13 weeks in WBLA), in which the participant receives: experience of the responsibilities and realities of self employment;
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an allowance equivalent to their previous level of benefit (plus a small weekly top up allowance) to avoid going into debt;
on-going advice and counselling from a business mentor;
supported training and;
continued aftercare once test trading has finished.
The new deal for disabled people is piloting a range of approaches to find out how best to help people on incapacity benefits move into and remain in work. People in receipt of qualifying benefits have access to a network of innovative job brokers across Great Britain who will help and support them in finding and keeping work. As part of the service they offer, job brokers work with people who wish to start their own businesses and offer them support once they have moved into work.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Working Conditions and Practices
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are employed in his Department on a job share contract; and what percentage of vacant positions was advertised on this basis in the last 12 months. [35365]
Dr. John Reid: 33 staff are currently employed by the Northern Ireland office on a jobshare contract.
71 per cent. of vacant positions advertised in the last 12 months were open to job-sharing arrangements.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of work-related stress have been reported in his Department; how much compensation has been paid to employees; how many work days have been lost due to work-related stress, and at what cost; what procedures have been put in place to reduce work-related stress, and at what cost, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [35931]
Dr. John Reid: There have been a total of five confirmed work-related stress cases over the last three years; two cases in 1999, one case in 2000 and two cases in 2001. No compensation has been paid to employees in each of the last three years. On the five confirmed cases, the working days lost were 352 days in 1999, one year and 86 days in 2000, and one year and 126 days in 2001. Of the five confirmed cases, the costs were £35,212.84 in 1999, £48,611.32 in 2000, and £63,366.58 in 2001.
The procedures in place include the provision of the departmental welfare service; facilities such as phased return to work, the introduction of work-life balance policies; and early referral by personnel to the occupational health service. Costs are not recorded specifically against work-related stress.
Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the effect of the working time directive on his Department's
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employees; how many employees are working in excess of 48 hours per week; what steps he is taking to reduce this number; and if he will make a statement. [35891]
Dr. John Reid: The regulations are operated within the Department and it is only exceptional where business needs require staff to be invited to work in excess of the 48 hour limit.
Departmental Events
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-Departmental premises in each of the last four years giving the title, purpose, date and cost of each. [34276]
Dr. John Reid: As no records of this information are kept centrally, this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
Departmental Publications
Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the publications issued by his Department in each of the last four years; and what the (a) circulation, (b) cost and (c) purpose of each was. [34195]
Dr. John Reid: As no records of this information are kept centrally, this question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Farming Subsidies
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) payments made and (b) running costs have been of the (i) arable area payment scheme, (ii) suckler cow premium scheme, (iii) hill livestock compensatory allowance, (iv) hill farming allowance, (v) countryside stewardship scheme and (vi) environmentally sensitive areas schemes since 1996. [29995]
Mr. Morley [holding answer 24 January 2002]: The amounts paid for (i) arable area payments scheme were:
| Scheme year | Amount paid | Administration costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,054,740,241 | 6,824,000 |
| 1997 | 1,055,721,796 | 6,388,000 |
| 1998 | 985,942,025 | 6,730,000 |
| 1999 | 1,130,409,358 | 6,347,000 |
| 2000 | 882,979,696 | (47)7,222,000 |
(47) Estimated outturn
The amounts paid for (ii) suckler cow premium scheme were:
| Scheme year | Amount paid | Administration costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 81,524,702 | 2,685,900 |
| 1997 | 78,762,180 | 2,373,600 |
| 1998 | 77,854,276 | 2,493,300 |
| 1999 | 70,567,139 | 3,752,071 |
| 2000 | 67,923,516 | 3,742,781 |
The amounts paid for (iii) hill livestock compensatory allowance were:
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| Scheme year | Amount paid | Administration costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 27,128,357 | 1,127,000 |
| 1997 | 41,398,518 | 996,000 |
| 1998 | 28,086,148 | 1,046,000 |
| 1999 | 44,288,837 | 1,755,281 |
| 2000 | 43,666,451 | 927,037 |
There were no amounts paid for (iv) hill farm allowance for these periods.
The amounts paid for (v) countryside stewardship scheme were:
| Scheme year | Amount paid | Administration costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 12,468,000 | 2,031,000 |
| 1997 | 17,126,000 | 1,793,000 |
| 1998 | 22,030,000 | 1,884,000 |
| 1999 | 26,038,000 | 1,773,000 |
| 2000 | 31,915,000 | 2,918,000 |
The amounts paid for (vi) environmentally sensitive areas scheme were:
| Scheme year | Amount paid | Administration costs |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 27,591,000 | 1,461,000 |
| 1997 | 32,984,000 | 1,290,000 |
| 1998 | 36,376,000 | 1,355,000 |
| 1999 | 41,144,000 | 1,743,000 |
| 2000 | 43,807,000 | 2,005,000 |
Agriculture, Wales
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations she has received from (a) the National Assembly for Wales and (b) the Secretary of State for Wales regarding the devolution of full powers on agricultural affairs to the National Assembly for Wales; and if she will make a statement. [32223]
Mr. Morley: On 1 February we received a letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, following a discussion he had had with the Minister for Rural Affairs of the Welsh Assembly on the question of the devolution of further functions in respect of animal health. This is an aspect of devolution that is likely to be looked at by the independent foot and mouth disease inquiries. This is an important matter which will need to be carefully looked at in the light of any recommendations from these inquiries.
Seals and Dolphins
Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what scientific evidence she has evaluated that the feeding habits of (a) grey seals, (b) common seals and (c) dolphins are likely to have a significant detrimental effect on the fish stocks in the waters around England and Wales; [32598]
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- (2) what studies she has evaluated on the average amount of fish consumed each year by an individual adult (a) grey seal, (b) common seal and (c) dolphin; [32595]
(3) what scientific evidence she has evaluated on whether culling seals would be an effective strategy for fisheries management in England and Wales; and what studies she has evaluated on the success of seal culling initiatives in other countries in increasing commercial fish catches. [32599]
Mr. Morley: 1985 diet data indicate that grey seals require about 5,500Kcals of energy per day, equivalent to about 7kg of cod or 4kg of sandeels (the difference being due to the oil content of the fish). Diet composition varies seasonally and by area, but is mostly sandeels, gadoids (predominantly cod) and flatfish. The same is true for common seals whose daily dietary requirement is less, at around 3,000 Kcals. However, most of the fish consumed are likely to have been juveniles and, given the high rates of natural mortality for these species, there is no guarantee that had they not been caught they would have survived to reach a size at which they would have been available to commercial fishermen.
Equivalent information is not available for dolphins.
The Natural Environment Research Council's Special Committee on Seals has advised that populations in England and Wales are still below the levels which preceded the outbreak of the phocine distemper virus in 1988 and that on that basis and the lack of clear scientific evidence seals are having a major impact on commercial fish stocks, there is no justification for a cull.
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