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2 Dec 2002 : Column 569W—continued
Jobcentre Plus
Mr. Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what the outturn figures were for (a) the Jobcentre Plus Customer Service Target and (b) the Jobcentre Plus Employer Outcome Target for 2002–03; and if he will make a statement; [82509]
- (2) if he will place in the Library the report on the pilot of the Jobcentre Plus Job Entry Target scheme conducted by his Department; [82512]
(3) what the outturn figure was in respect of the national Jobcentre Plus Job Entry Target points score for 2002–03, broken down by client group; and if he will make a statement; [82514]
(4) what the outturn figures were in respect of the Jobcentre Plus Business Delivery Target for 2002–03; and if he will make a statement; [82520]
(5) how many job entries have been achieved in relation to each of the Jobcentre Plus priority client groups in 2002–03; and if he will make a statement; [82510]
(6) what job entry target points scores were set for each Jobcentre Plus district for 2002–03; what the latest available outturn figures in respect of the target are for each district, broken down by client group; and if he will make a statement. [82837]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive, Leigh Lewis. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.
Letter from L. Lewis to Mr. Oliver Heald, dated 28 November 2002:
- As Jobcentre Plus is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions concerning Jobcentre Plus performance. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
- You raised a number of detailed questions about Jobcentre Plus performance against our Performance and Resources Agreement (PRA), which I will cover in this reply. You also asked a number of questions about the criteria applied to how job entry points were
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- allocated to specific client groups. I understand the Secretary of State will be responding separately to these as they relate to the underlying policy.
- Before turning to your specific questions it may be helpful if I explain that the Jobcentre Plus Performance and Resource Agreement is a formal annual agreement between the Secretary of State and Chief Executive of the Agency. It sets out clearly the aim, purpose and objectives of the Agency and the targets to be met in this operational year. There are five high level targets and details of these were laid before the House on 19th March 2002.
- I am pleased to say that Jobcentre Plus has made a good start. To the end of October we were 10.6% ahead of our job entry points target profile. This equates to helping 786,116 people into work in our first seven months. You asked for a breakdown of job entries by priority client group:
- Priority Client Group 1: 87,078
- Priority Client Group 2: 207,727
- Priority Client Group 3: 177,219
- Priority Client Group 4: 222,670
- Priority Client Group 5: 91,422
- At the mid year stage we were 5.3 and 1.7 percentage points respectively above our Customer Service and Employer Outcome targets. However, the latest interim figures for the Business Delivery target are showing that we are around two percentage points below the target of 93.4%. This is an area where we are making special efforts to improve performance.
- You have specifically asked for the latest outturn figures, by Jobcentre Plus District, for Job Entry points and latest national outturn figures for Customer Service, Employer Outcomes and Business Delivery. This information is set out in the tables which will be placed in the Library.
- You also asked whether the the report on the pilot of the Jobcentre Plus Job Entry Target structure will be placed in the House Library. We have undertaken a series of studies examining the piloting, and the national implementation, of job entry points. A comprehensive summary report combining findings from the three research studies has been commissioned. This report will be published in March 2003 and a copy will be placed in the Library.
- I hope this is helpful.
Ministerial Visits (East Lancashire)
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many times he has visited East Lancashire in his official capacity; and what the purpose was of each visit. [82398]
Mr. Andrew Smith: I have made one visit to East Lancashire since my appointment in May of this year-to the Pensions Centre in Burnley.
New Deal
Shona McIsaac : To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) young people, (b) people aged over 50 years and (c) people with disabilities have signed up to the New Deal in the Cleethorpes Constituency. [82918]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The available information is in the table.
| Total number of participants in Cleethorpes(19) | |
|---|---|
| New deal for young people(20) | 1,750 |
| New deal 50 plus(21) | 250 |
(19) Up to the end of September 2002.
(21) From April 2000
Source:
New deal evaluation database.
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Information at constituency level is not available for the new deal for disabled people.
New Deal for Lone Parents
Mr. Heald : To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2002, Official Report, column 210W, on the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents have found work on the New Deal for Lone Parents, broken down (a) monthly and (b) by gender. [84441]
Mr. Nicholas Brown: The information is published in the New Deal for Lone Parents Statistical First Release, which is available in the Library.
Pension Benefits
Mr. Heald : To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the relative benefits payable in respect of equal contributions under (a) the Graduated Retirement Benefit Scheme and (b) contracted out equivalent pension benefits; and if he will make a statement. [84435]
Mr. McCartney: People who contracted out of the Graduated Retirement Benefit Scheme did so on condition that the occupational scheme offered equivalent pension benefits.
The Graduated Retirement Benefit Scheme and contracted out equivalent pension benefits ended in April 1975. From November 1978 the value of benefits payable under the Graduated Retirement Benefit Scheme has been uprated each year. However, there is no similar requirement that contracted out equivalent pension benefits should be uprated.
Retirement Benefits
Mr. Heald : To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people (a) contracted out of graduated retirement benefit and (b) were reinstated; and if he will make a statement. [84434]
Mr. McCartney: The information requested is not available.
Social Fund
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people who applied for a budgeting loan in 2000–01 in Leeds West had an outstanding Social Fund Loan. [83481]
Malcolm Wicks : Information on Budgeting Loan applications is not collected at Parliamentary constituency level and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
However, during 2000–01, in the Leeds Social Security district, 22,876 decisions were made on Budgeting Loan applications, of which 14,411 were
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applications from people with existing Social Fund debt. These figures may include cases where a person has made more than one application.
- Notes:
- 1. Existing Social Fund debt includes Crisis Loan debt.
- 2. The existence of Social Fund debt does not necessarily affect decisions on Budgeting Loan applications.
- Source:
- 100 per cent. scan of the Social Fund computer system.
State Pension
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate what the state pension would be for (a) a single person and (b) a married couple, if the link with average earnings had not been broken. [83117]
Mr. McCartney: The information is in the table.
| Basic state pension at November 1979 | Actual amount in April 2002 | Amount in April 2002 if the link to average earnings had not been broken | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 23.30 | 75.50 | 105.70 |
| Couple | 37.30 | 120.70 | 169.00 |
Notes:
1. Rates are taken from November 1979 as the earnings link was broken in November 1980.
2. The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used as published by the Office for National Statistics.
3. Average Earnings Index Whole Economy (Non Seasonally Adjusted) as published by the Office of National Statistics.
4. From April 1994 the basic rate of retirement pension has been increased by 50p on a single person and an additional 20p on a pensioner couple to reflect VAT on fuel.
5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating.
Source:
Information Centre, Information and Analysis Directorate.
Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of average earnings the State Pension is for (a) a single person and (b) a married couple. [83118]
Mr. McCartney: The information is in the table.
| Rate of basic state pension at April 2002 (£ per week) | Rate as a percentage of average earnings | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 75.50 | 16.2 |
| Couple | 120.70 | 26.0 |
Note:
Average weekly earnings of full time adult workers (from New Earnings Survey) as published by the Office of National Statistics.
Source:
Information Centre, Information and Analysis Directorate.
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