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Heroin and Cocaine
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 1 July on the G8 Summit, what measures are being taken in heroin and cocaine producing states to stop production of raw material and to prevent their products from leaving the country. [66838]
The Prime Minister: The UK is leading the co-ordination of international anti-narcotics assistance to Afghanistan (which is the source of 90 per cent. of the heroin consumed in the UK). This involves working with international partners and organisations to build law enforcement capacity in Afghanistan to interdict opiates and undermine those criminal organisations engaged in drug trafficking. The international effort is also directed towards eradicating opium poppy and creating alternative livelihoods for Afghan opium farmers.
The UK has also sought to assist drug interdiction efforts of Afghanistan's neighbours. The FCO's Drugs and Crime Fund provided anti-narcotics assistance of around £1.5 million in 2000–01 to Iran, Pakistan and the Central Asian Republics. We have also provided assistance to Balkan countries through which heroin is trafficked from Afghanistan.
Colombia, Peru and Bolivia together produce virtually all of the world's cocaine. The UK is working closely with the Governments of each of these states to tackle the problem by supporting projects to build local law enforcement capability. Current projects include the provision of training and equipment in all three countries.
The Queen Mother
Mr. Austin Mitchell: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister authorised the making of the complaint to the Press Complaints Commission concerning reports on the Lying in State of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother; and which Minister authorised its subsequent withdrawal. [67051]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on 14 June, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.
Ministerial Travel
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Prime Minister (1) how many times he has travelled on official business by air within Great Britain since June 2001; [67473]
- (2) pursuant to his answer of 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 81W, on official visits, on how many occasions he has travelled by rail on official business since June 2001; [67472]
(3) what information and records, including mode of travel, he has kept on his official visits since June 2001. [67471]
The Prime Minister: I travel making the most efficient and cost-effective arrangements. My travel arrangements are in accordance with the arrangements for official travel set out in chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document, Travel by Ministers.
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My office keeps records of my home and overseas travel. Since June 2001, I have made 33 journeys by air and eight by train. A judgment is always made about what is the most appropriate form of travel in the time available.
Street Crime
Mr. Beith: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has given responsibilities to Ministers other than the Home Office Ministers to monitor and receive reports from chief constables on the subject of street crime. [68024]
The Prime Minister: The street crime initiative involves a wide range of Government Departments tackling street crime with a co-ordinated programme of action. Each of these Departments along with representatives from the Police Service, magistrates and local government is represented on the Street Crime Action Group which I chair.
The Street Crime Action Group agreed that it would be helpful for individual Ministers from each of these Departments to visit the 10 target areas to give encouragement to local agencies and promote a shared approach at local as well as national level. I have asked the following Ministers to act as sponsors for the street crime initiative:
- The right hon. Baroness Blackstone—Avon and Somerset
Hazel Blears—Lancashire
Yvette Cooper—Merseyside
John Denham—London
The right hon. Lord Falconer—Greater Manchester
The right hon. Harriet Harman QC—West Yorkshire
Ruth Kelly—Nottinghamshire
Barbara Roche—Thames Valley
The right hon. Lord Rooker—West Midlands
Stephen Twigg—South Yorkshire.
Meteor Missile Project
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the German Government concerning the future of the Meteor missile project; and if he will make a statement. [68026]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Dr. Moonie) on 3 July 2002, Official Report, columns 320–21W.
Falklands
Mr. Jenkin: To ask the Prime Minister what events he has attended this year to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Falklands conflict. [67572]
The Prime Minister: My right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Armed Forces attended the ceremonies in Stanley to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Falklands conflict on my behalf. I also sent a radio message to the people of the Falkland Islands on the anniversary of the end of the conflict, in which I made
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clear that the sovereignty, security and right of self- determination of the Falkland Islands and its people are not open to negotiation or compromise.
Statistics
Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the statistics that are collected by his Department by English parliamentary constituency; and if he will make a statement. [67101]
The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary today at column 769W.
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No. 10 Downing Street
Mr. Laws: To ask the Prime Minister what refurbishment and repair work is planned for No. 10 Downing street in (a) 2002–03 and (b) 2003–04; what the estimated cost is; and if he will make a statement. [66882]
The Prime Minister: As my official spokesman has made clear, routine maintenance to the grade 1 listed building will be taking place and the precise costings have not yet been completed. Work will be carried out in numbers 10, 11 and 12. Invoices for the work will be paid in the normal way.
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WORK AND PENSIONS
Benefits
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful appeals there have been against suspension of benefits in (a) Angus and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years. [67323]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: Decisions on suspending payment of benefit are discretionary. There is no formal procedure for revising such decisions and there is no right of appeal against them. However, they can be changed in the light of any relevant new evidence or information submitted to the Department.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what criteria are used by officers at the local offices of the Department in deciding on suspension of benefits. [67259]
- (2) how many people who have had benefits suspended in the last five years in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland have had them reinstated following investigation. [67255]
(3) if he will provide a breakdown of the reasons for suspension of benefits in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years. [67256]
(4) how many suspensions of benefits were reversed following evidence of the medical condition of the applicant in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years; [67257]
(5) how many claimants had their benefits suspended in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years. [67258]
(6) what the average time taken to re-instate benefits following suspension was in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years. [67260]
(7) if he will provide a breakdown of the type of benefit suspended in each of the last five years in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland. [67319]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: It is a long-standing principle that people receiving benefit have a responsibility to confirm their continuing entitlement on a periodic basis. Where a person may have failed to meet that obligation, it is right that payment of benefit should be suspended.
Benefit may be suspended in whole or in part and the suspension continues until the decision maker is able to make a substantive decision on entitlement. If the substantive decision results in no entitlement or a reduced entitlement, the fact that payments have been suspended means that an overpayment is avoided. If the doubt is resolved in a person's favour, payments are restored and arrears paid. Decisions on suspending payment of benefit are discretionary. There is no formal procedure for revising such decisions, but they can be changed in the light of any relevant new evidence or information submitted to the Department.
The Suspension and Termination Guide sets out the guidance for those who take decisions on suspending payment of benefit, and includes advice about the criteria to be applied. A copy has been placed in the Library.
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No information is collected centrally on benefit suspensions.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what assessment he has made of the effect on those whose benefit has been suspended in full for failing to keep an appointment at Jobcentres from the time of suspension to reinstatement of benefits; [67320]
- (2) if he will introduce a sliding scale of penalties, short of immediate suspension of benefit, for those who have failed to adhere to provisions relating to appointments at Jobcentres; [67324]
(3) how many claimants, broken down by age group, have had benefits suspended in (a) the Angus constituency and (b) Scotland in each of the last five years for failing to keep an appointment at a Jobcentre; [67325]
(4) what guidance has been given to local Jobcentres on the suspension of benefits from those who fail to keep appointments. [67326]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: It is a long-standing principle that people claiming jobseeker's allowance have a responsibility to confirm their continuing entitlement to benefit by attending the Jobcentre fortnightly and also by keeping other appointments arranged to help with their job search. Where a person may have failed to meet those obligations, it is right that payment of benefit should be suspended.
When making a decision about suspending benefit, staff in Jobcentres have access to the "Suspension and Termination Guide for Decision Makers" and the "Labour Market Conditions Guide" which gives advice on procedures. This advises that where someone has failed to attend an appointment, benefit should be suspended at the end of that day. The person may then contact the office within five days to show good cause for failing to attend. Examples of good cause include domestic emergencies, attending a job interview or illness. If good cause is demonstrated, then the suspension is lifted and payment made. If not, then the claim is terminated from the day of non-attendance.
No departmental research has been undertaken on suspensions of benefit and no information is collected centrally on the number of people who have had their benefit suspended.
We keep all our policies under review. However, we have no plans to change the current arrangements under which benefit can be suspended.
Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many persons in receipt of (a) disability living allowance, (b) incapacity benefit and (c) carer's allowance in (i) Angus and (ii) Scotland have also been in receipt of housing benefit in each of the last five years. [67322]
Malcolm Wicks: Information is not available in the format requested. The available information for Housing Benefit recipients in Scotland for each of the last five years is in the tables. The samples on which this information is based are too small to provide reliable figures for individual constituencies.
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| Recipients with | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| May | Disability living allowance | Incapacity benefit | Invalid care allowance |
| 1996 | 62,000 | 74,000 | 15,000 |
| 1997 | 72,000 | 70,000 | 14,000 |
| 1998 | 78,000 | 72,000 | 15,000 |
| 1999 | 79,000 | 72,000 | 16,000 |
| 2000 | 82,000 | 66,000 | 17,000 |
Notes:
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and include cases where the partner of the recipient of housing benefit also receives the relevant other benefit.
2. Individuals can receive housing benefit, disability living allowance and incapacity benefit and such cases will be recorded twice in the table. The figures in the columns should accordingly not be added together.
Source:
Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample.
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