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Departmental Expenditure Limit

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much and what proportion of the departmental expenditure limit for 2002–03 will be accounted for by staff costs; what the figures were for 2001–02; and if he will make a statement. [61020]

Mr. McCartney: Information relating to 2002–03 is not yet available. Information relating to 2001–02 is available in the Departmental Report published in May 2002 (Cm 5424).

24 Jul 2002 : Column 1587W

Temporary Staff

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many employees under contract from temping agencies worked within his Department; and how much was spent on temporary staff (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the total staffing budget in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [72635]

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

Departmental Report

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of publishing his Department's annual report for each of the past five years. [70488]

Mr. McCartney: The Department for Work and Pensions published its first Departmental Report in May 2002. The costs that fell directly to the Department for publishing the report were £94,940. These costs include, amongst others, the design and editing of the report and of placing it on the Department's internet and intranet. Some 2,000 copies of the report were produced distributed directly by the Department to the Work and Pensions Select Committee, key contacts within Government and other associated bodies and to senior staff.

Other costs of printing and publication are met directly by the publisher, The Stationery Office Limited (TSO), and do not fall to government.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason he has not replied to the letter to his predecessor dated 29 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Pat McGuinness. [72138]

Andrew Smith: I have not replied because the Right hon. Member wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and the issue concerned matters which are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister.

Faith Communities

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list projects involving faith communities which are supported by his Department. [71846]

24 Jul 2002 : Column 1588W

Maria Eagle: The Department has a number of formally constituted projects that support the Government's Modernisation Agenda. A project can be defined as "a management environment set up to deliver a business product to meet a defined business case". However none of these projects specifically involve faith communities. There could well be local initiatives aimed at improving local liaison with faith communities but there is no central register of these informal, local arrangements.

One Stop Service

Mr. Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his oral statement of 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 12, on one stop service, when he will write to the hon. Member for Wycombe. [69261]

Malcolm Wicks: I wrote to the hon. Member on 22 July 2002.

NI No. AX 81 12 29D

Mr. Hinchliffe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what type of (a) pension and (b) benefit entitlement was paid to national insurance number AX 81 12 29D from 1 January 1980 to 11 May 1984. [72869]

Mr. McCartney: I'll write privately to the hon. Member about this matter.

Ministerial Visits

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior citizens groups he and his Ministers have visited since 7 June. [65044]

Mr. McCartney: I met the Greater London Pensioners' Association on 4 July 2002, the National Pensioners' Convention on 16 July 2002 and the T and G Retired Members Association on 22 July 2002.

Job Location

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs under the remit of his Department in (a) the core department, (b) non-departmental public bodies, (c) executive agencies and (d) independent statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department and other such organisations, are located in (i) Scotland, (ii) England, excluding Greater London, (iii) Greater London, (iv) Wales, (v) Northern Ireland and (vi) overseas, broken down by (A) whole-time equivalent jobs and (B) the percentage per individual department, body or organisation. [72732]

Mr. McCartney: The information is in the table

Number of jobs that come under the remit of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

	Scotland			(Exc Greater London)
	POSTS (A)	WTE (B)	Percent (C)	POSTS (A)	WTE (B)	per cent. (C)
Core Dept.	943	889.50	.64	18,722	17,356.90	12.74
Non Dept. Public Bodies	0	0		56	56.00
Executive Agencies	13,808	12,853.22	9.40	88,028	79,997.05	59.91
Independent Stat Bodies	139	134.00	.1	677	630.00	.46

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	Greater London			Wales
	POSTS (A)	WTE (B)	Percent (C)	POSTS (A)	WTE (B)	Percent (C)
Core Dept.	2,778	2,644.97	1.89	461	425.6	.32
Non Dept.	0	0		0	0
Public Bodies
Executive Agencies	14,376	13,437.28	9.78	6,674	6,174.58	4.55
Independent Stat Bodies	144	132.8	.11	127	117.70	.1

Column (A) is the number of posts

Column (B) is the Whole Time Equivalent posts taking into account staff who work part time

Column (C) is the per cent. of posts in (A) against the total number of posts in the Department

Sanctions

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the number and size of deductions which have been

24 Jul 2002 : Column 1590W

compulsorily made to benefits to help pay (a) fines, (b) council tax arrears, (c) child support arrears and (d) mortgage interest in each of the last 10 years, broken down by sex. [67728]

Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 04 July 2002]: The available information is in the tables.

Number of deductions made to benefits to repay fines in Great Britain from 1992–93 to 2001–02.Thousands

	Total			Income Support (IS)			Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA(IB))
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1992–93	*0.2	*0.2	..	*0.2	*0.2	–	..	..	..
1993–94	4.2	1.6	2.7	4.2	1.6	2.7	..	..	..
1994–95	7.8	2.7	5.1	7.8	2.7	5.1	..	..	..
1995–96	10.6	4.1	6.5	10.6	4.1	6.5	..	..	..
1996–97	18.1	6.9	11.2	14.2	6.6	7.6	7.9	0.5	7.4
1997–98	21.2	8.5	12.7	13.5	8.0	5.5	7.7	*0.4	7.3
1998–99	18.7	8.0	10.6	12.5	7.4	5.0	6.2	0.6	5.6
1999–2000	17.6	7.7	9.9	12.5	7.3	5.1	5.2	*0.4	4.8
2000–01	16.9	7.4	9.5	12.4	6.9	5.5	4.4	*0.4	4.0
2001–02	17.4	8.3	9.1	13.6	7.9	5.7	3.8	*0.5	3.4

Average amount of deductions made to benefits to repay fines in Great Britain from 1992–93 to 2001–02.£ per week

		Total			IS			JSA (IB)
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1992–93	*4.58	*4.58	..	*4.58	*4.58	–	..	..	..
1993–94	2.20	2.21	2.19	2.20	2.21	2.19	..	..	..
1994–95	2.30	2.29	2.31	2.30	2.29	2.31	..	..	..
1995–96	2.34	2.33	2.35	2.34	2.33	2.35	..	..	..
1996–97	2.39	2.39	2.40	2.39	2.39	2.39	2.40	2.40	2.40
1997–98	2.50	2.49	2.50	2.50	2.49	2.51	2.50	*2.50	2.50
1998–99	2.54	2.54	2.54	2.54	2.54	2.54	2.55	2.55	2.55
1999–2000	2.59	2.58	2.59	2.59	2.58	2.59	2.60	*2.60	2.60
2000–01	2.64	2.63	2.64	2.64	2.63	2.64	2.65	*2.65	2.65
2001–02	2.69	2.68	2.69	2.68	2.68	2.69	2.70	*2.70	2.70

Number of deductions made to benefits to repay council tax arrears in Great Britain from 1993–94 to 2001–02⁽¹⁴²⁾.Thousands

		Total			IS			JSA (IB)
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1993–94	7.0	3.1	4.0	7.0	3.1	4.0	..	..	..
1994–95	30.1	15.0	15.1	30.1	15.0	15.1	..	..	..
1995–96	91.6	48.1	43.5	91.6	48.1	43.5	..	..	..
1996–97	131.6	71.7	59.9	112.9	68.8	44.1	37.4	5.8	31.5
1997–98	148.2	87.6	60.7	114.8	82.1	32.7	33.5	5.5	27.9
1998–99	161.0	95.7	65.3	125.6	89.7	35.9	35.4	5.9	29.5
1999–2000	169.4	103.7	65.7	136.1	98.1	38.0	33.4	5.6	27.7
2000–01	192.4	121.5	70.9	160.9	115.7	45.1	31.5	5.7	25.8
2001–02	210.7	135.6	75.1	182.2	130.7	51.5	28.6	4.9	23.6

24 Jul 2002 : Column 1591W

Average amount of deductions made to benefits to repay council tax arrears in Great Britain from 1993–94 to 2001–02⁽¹⁴²⁾.£ per week

		Total			IS			JSA (IB)
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1993–94	2.20	2.20	2.19	2.20	2.20	2.19	..	..	..
1994–95	2.29	2.29	2.29	2.29	2.29	2.29	..	..	..
1995–96	2.34	2.34	2.34	2.34	2.34	2.34	..	..	..
1996–97	2.38	2.38	2.38	2.38	2.38	2.38	2.39	2.40	2.39
1997–98	2.48	2.48	2.49	2.48	2.48	2.48	2.49	2.49	2.49
1998–99	2.54	2.55	2.54	2.54	2.55	2.53	2.55	2.55	2.55
1999–2000	2.60	2.59	2.61	2.60	2.59	2.61	2.60	2.60	2.60
2000–01	2.64	2.64	2.64	2.63	2.64	2.63	2.65	2.65	2.64
2001–02	2.69	2.68	2.70	2.69	2.68	2.71	2.70	2.70	2.70

Number of deductions made to benefits to repay mortgage interest in Great Britain from 1992–93 to 2001–02⁽¹⁴³⁾.Thousands

		Total			IS			JSA (IB)
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1992–93	44.0	20.2	23.8	44.0	20.2	23.8	..	..	..
1993–94	452.5	189.6	262.9	452.5	189.6	262.9	..	..	..
1994–95	437.4	197.9	239.5	437.4	197.9	239.5	..	..	..
1995–96	430.7	202.7	228.0	430.7	202.7	228.0	..	..	..
1996–97	398.0	194.4	203.6	353.3	186.9	166.4	89.5	15.1	74.3
1997–98	337.4	174.9	162.5	276.7	163.9	112.9	60.6	11.1	49.6
1998–99	308.2	161.0	147.2	260.1	151.7	108.4	48.1	9.3	38.8
1999–2000	280.7	147.2	133.5	240.6	139.2	101.5	40.1	8.0	32.1
2000–01	259.3	135.8	123.5	230.1	130.2	99.9	29.2	5.6	23.6
2001–02	242.2	127.8	114.4	221.3	123.8	97.5	20.9	4.0	17.0

Average amount of deductions made to benefits to repay mortgage interest in Great Britain from 1992–93 to 2001–02.£ per week

		Total			IS			JSA (IB)
	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male	All	Female	Male
1992–93	45.56	44.36	46.58	45.56	44.36	46.58	..	..	..
1993–94	42.00	37.45	45.27	42.00	37.45	45.27	..	..	..
1994–95	39.19	36.33	41.55	39.19	36.33	41.55	..	..	..
1995–96	41.16	39.03	43.04	41.16	39.03	43.04	..	..	..
1996–97	35.87	34.76	36.92	35.19	34.63	35.83	41.19	37.92	41.85
1997–98	33.93	33.63	34.25	32.89	33.56	31.92	38.65	34.61	39.55
1998–99	38.00	37.74	38.27	37.23	37.77	36.46	42.17	37.27	43.34
1999–2000	31.10	30.77	31.46	30.35	30.73	29.82	35.64	31.51	36.66
2000–01	35.33	35.06	35.63	34.75	35.08	34.32	39.95	34.71	41.19
2001–02	32.86	32.50	33.25	32.34	32.50	32.14	38.26	32.45	39.63

⁽¹³⁴⁾Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and are expressed in thousands.

⁽¹³⁵⁾Figures are based on a 1 per cent. sample up to and including February 1993, and a 5 per cent. sample thereafter. Numbers are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.

⁽¹³⁶⁾Numbers and amounts marked "*" are based on very few sample cases and are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation. They should be considered a guide to the current situation only.

⁽¹³⁷⁾"–' indicates figures are nil or negligible.

⁽¹³⁸⁾"..' indicates figures are not applicable.

⁽¹³⁹⁾JSA(IB) figures will include cases where there is an underlying entitlement to contribution-based JSA.

⁽¹⁴⁰⁾IS figures for 1992–93 are based on May 1992 data and represent cases and average amounts in that enquiry week. IS Figures from 1993–94 are based on a four quarter average of caseloads and average amounts paid at the enquiry dates in May, August, November and February of each year. JSA(IB) figures are a four quarter average, with the exception of 1996–97 which is based on two quarters (November and February) following the introduction of JSA(IB) to replace IS for the unemployed in October 1996.

⁽¹⁴¹⁾The component IS/JSA(IB) totals for 1996–97 do not sum to the overall total, due to the method used to calculate the averages over two and four quarters. The overall total is however representative of the total caseload.

⁽¹⁴²⁾Totals may not sum due to rounding.

⁽¹⁴³⁾Data were only collected from 1994 onwards.

⁽¹⁴⁴⁾The number of deductions for mortgage interest payments rose sharply between May 1992 and May 1993 following the introduction of mandatory deductions at the end of 1992.

⁽¹⁴⁵⁾Council tax replaced Community Charge in 1993. Figures here relate solely to Council tax arrears from its introduction.

⁽¹⁴⁶⁾Deductions for Council tax arrears are a last resort where other methods of payment have failed and where it is in the interest of the family in order to prevent the prosecution of the vulnerable for debt.

Sources:

Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1992.

Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1993 to February 2002.

Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, November 1996 to February 2002.

24 Jul 2002 : Column 1593W

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